Lost: No Zombie Apocalypse =(

This week on Lost we learn that zombies will not be the final outcome of the show. The news saddens me a bit due to my love for zombies after reading Max Brooks’ World War Z, but I can live with the news. What surprised me the most about this episode was that I enjoyed it even though it was Kate-centric. That folks is hard for me to say since I wanted her to die since season one. While the episode did not reveal any answers for major questions we have, it did show us character development. In a show that is based off its characters, I am happy to see that the writers have not forgotten about them in the final season.

Like last week’s recap I’ll begin with the alternate reality or flash-sideways as it is being called.

The alternate reality begins where we left off with Kate. The taxi driver is trying to get away and is stuck as Doctor Arzt’s luggage is blocking the road. Kate looks back and sees Jack standing on the curb talking on his cell phone. A moment of recognition crosses Kate’s face as if she had memories of this man. Kate snaps out of it and tells the cab driver to drive causing him to run over Arzt’s luggage. At a red light the taxi driver takes a chance and runs out of the car. Kate takes over the car and kicks Claire out, leaving her without luggage or belongings.

Kate drives the cab to an auto-body repair shop where a mechanic takes off her cuffs for $200. Seems a bit unbelievable, but I’ll let it slide. Kate goes to change her clothes in a room at the auto-body shop and discovers that Claire’s baggage is full of baby clothes and toys. There’s even a stuffed orca whale in the bag. I love orca whales! I shall take this as a silent shout-out to me. Feeling guilty Kate drives back to the area where she left Claire and finds her at a bus stop. Kate gives Claire back her baggage and offers her a ride to the house of the family that plans to adopt her baby. Unfortunately at the house of the adopting family Claire learns that the husband has left the wife, causing her to refuse the acceptance of the child. Claire, shocked by the news, goes into labor.

Kate rushes Claire to the hospital where they get the help of Doctor Ethan Rom. Don’t remember Ethan? He kidnapped Claire back on the island and stuck her with needles so her baby could be born safely without sickness. Ethan was also the first child to be born on the island to Amy and Horace back in season five. I find it funny how the universe in the alternate reality is managing to correct itself since the Oceanic survivors are no longer on the island. We even witness another ironic moment during the flashback where Ethan says he doesn’t wish to stick Claire with needles if he doesn’t have to. Claire decides she’s not ready to have the baby and if the needles can help delay the birth then she would rather have those.  In a random moment of panic where the baby’s heartbeat drops Claire screams if Aaron is okay causing a flash of recognition across Kate’s face.

The alternate-reality timeline comes to an end when the cops come looking for Kate. Claire sends them off by saying she has never seen or encountered Kate. Claire thanks Kate for everything she’s done and offers her a credit card for all the help. It’s a bit touching, but not by much.

Oddities from the flash-sideways?  - Claire’s ultrasound picture. If you look up at the date the scan shows the date to be in October. The Oceanic 815 flight takes place in September. Did the alternate reality change the time making this a coincidence or is this a simple prop mess-up?

Back on the island we see the repercussions taking place for Sayid waking up from his “death.” Dogen, the leader of the Others at the temple, takes Sayid to the back and literally tortures the poor Iraqi man. Dogen blows ash onto Sayid, electrocutes him, and stabs him with a burning poker all to tell him he has passed a test. I’m pretty sure this was all a test to see if he is not Smokie, our favorite smoke monster.

Apparently it’s all a lie since Dogen calls Jack back to his office and asks him to give a green pill to Sayid to cure his “infection.” Question? How does he know Sayid is infected from those tests alone? Nothing really points to it. Jack, mistrusting the pill, does not give it to Sayid and swallows it in front of Dogen in a moment of badassery.

For an old man Dogen can seriously move fast. Before that pill reaches the bottom of Jack’s throat, Dogen thrusts his palm into Jack’s stomach and ventures into one of the most painful Heimlich maneuvers I have ever seen. Dogen tells Jack the pill is full of poison that was meant to kill Sayid. He fears that Sayid will turn infected just like Jack’s sister, Claire. BUM BUM BUM, Claire’s alive and infected. I really wish they were zombies with all this talk of infection. Maybe I can hope for a Lost zombie spinoff?

Sawyer leaves the temple using a gun to make his escape causing Kate and Jin to follow with two Other guards. We see the return of Aldo (Rob McElhenney) who leads the group as they trail Sawyer to the Dharma camp.  Personally it was hard to take Aldo seriously after watching McElhenney play Mac in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I was waiting for someone to whisper, “The Nightman Cometh.”

After being asked why they were being kept at the temple Aldo replies that they are being protected from the smoke monster. Kate getting sick of the company knocks out both the other guards allowing her and Jin to go their separate ways. Jin goes to find Sun and Kate heads to the Dharma camp to find Sawyer.

At the Dharma camp Kate finds Sawyer ripping through his house for a box. After finding what he is looking for Sawyer makes his way to the docks where he reveals the item he was looking for was a ring he planned to propose to Juliet with. Sawyer then tosses the ring into the water and walks away leaving a sobbing Kate to herself. The scene had to be one of the most emotional to come from the series. If Josh Holloway does not get nominated for an Emmy this year I might have to slap a member of the selection board. Holloway is an outstanding actor and his portrayal of Sawyer only grows as the seasons progress.

The episode comes to a close with Jin being jumped by Aldo and his buddy. Jin makes a break for it, but before he can escape his foot becomes snared in a bear trap. As Aldo is about to kill him, Claire, looking like the new Rousseau, bursts out of the jungle and kills both guards.

This week’s episode was a bit slow and probably left us asking more questions about the infection than giving us answers to previous questions. Most importantly this week’s episode of Lost has given us a good look at where the characters are mentally and what they have to lose. With spectacular performances by Matthew Fox and Josh Holloway, I can’t wait to see more individual performances as the final season progresses.

For another opinion on this episode, check out Feelin Like A Criminal by Liz Cooper.

Season 6 Episode 3: What Kate Does (Originally Aired February 9, 2010)

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Wednesdays, 9/8c on ABC

Photographs courtesy of ABC and Mario Perez.