6.11 Happily Ever After

Random thoughts. This is a week where we stumbled on so many interesting ideas coming from the episodes, it’s going to be hard to stay organized as thoughts bounce around in my head like a drawing for Powerball. Why do I have a weird compulsion to confuse Desmond and Daniel when discussing off island stuff. Sometimes I’ll say Desmond is the son of Charles and Eloise, when clearly Daniel is. Desmond is the son in law of Charles, not the same thing by a long shot. Anyway. Desmond centric episodes rule. Always have. They are game changing events, truly exploding hydrogen bombs or old stupid tomatoes covered in kitty litter, depending on which side you are on. It’s nice to be talking about an episode that scrambled a lot of theories about what the heck is happening. I’ll toss in some quotes of previous articles that I have written, or items of interest I’ve pointed out in previous weeks. Ah, a nice relaxing Sunday morning. Cracked open the first beer, wondering if the anger will well up at any second and scuttle my good mood like heartburn after consuming a fast food breakfast sammich. Maybe like a sewage line backing up during a flood. I was going to go to the anti-census protest yesterday but they required us to register on line ahead of time. Those cheeky basterds. I’m no rube. Sure, I may have the curse of farting myself awake from time to time, if by time to time you mean every night But I’m no rube. I’m an entrepreneur who literally sinking tens and tens of dollars into the manufacturing of the adorable Skull Babies for Christmas time. And unlike Cabbage patch kids, which were not made from real cabbage or Sunny Delight which is not made with real sun, I will guaran-dam-tee that each Skull Baby will be made 100% from real skulls. Of course they won’t be polar bear skulls, since I am not going to hunt anything that might actually hurt me. But I’ll tell you this, some seals are going to have quite a headache after I’m done with them. Especially when they have no heads. They don’t bite, do they? I’m stunned that we got an episode nearly entirely anchored in the LAX timeline, and it didn’t suck. But we didn’t have to suffer with Jack, Kate, Sun, and Jacob around, so of course it was our destiny to watch a good episode.
From 6.1 LA X Part One
The LOST co-executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse have gone on record saying that there will be no alternate time lines in this series. So, this week must have been confusing for the literalists out there. Seems like these guys may have been honest after all. What we have here are dual timelines. I don’t think they would go to so much trouble to show us what would have happened if the plane never crashed and still continue the complicated story line of Jacob and MIB without a proper resolution, so I have to accept at this time dual realities. If you have narrow stream flowing, literally a stream in the woods, then drop a huge rock in the middle of it, a rock bigger than the stream itself, there is a possibility that the stream will split in two separate forks, and go in two entirely different directions around the boulder. Doesn’t mean that one stream is present reality and the other is the alternate time line. It just means that both forks exist, and both are as equally real. It also doesn’t mean that at some point both forks can’t merge to become one stream again, on the other side of the boulder. Does this end my multiple loop theory. Not at all. This was an explanation for Seasons 1-5. I was expecting Season 6 to be anything goes. As the LAX fork continues, we see many, many differences in details from Season One’s Oceanic 815. Changes have certainly happened, and this time they are blatantly obvious. But a reset has happened, as expected. The Losties land in Los Angeles. What we didn’t anticipate was that the bomb most likely triggered a split in the time stream, and we have that reset, but we also have the Losties in 2007, because Jacob still needs them, and they cannot leave. Nothing is that simple, is it? Comment: While this gives a decent overview of what we are seeing during Season 6, I didn’t have any definite answers as to what the series ending will look like. I have a few ideas now bouncing around in my skull, which I’m sure will leak out.

Desmond wakes up after 3 days of drugs and being unconscious. Somewhere out there, Scott Weiland is jealous. He wakes up to the horror of the Zoe monster. Why can’t we get any halfway decent characters this year? Lennon stunk. Doggen was meh. Zoe sucks. Zoe’s off camera family has entered witness protection programs out of sheer embarrassment. It isn’t impossible to play a scientist and not suck. Seriously. Desmond is told he is no longer in a hospital, which he would not have realized by waking up in what looks more like an airplane hanger than an ICU. Desmond is infuriated and beats Charles Widmore with an IV stand. Widmore’s appearance reminded me a bit of when he showed up to Locke’s bedside in the desert after Locke spun the frozen donkey wheel. Of course, much like with Locke, Widmore will be interested in giving Desmond a job to do. But first, he must tell Desmond that he cannot see Penny nor his son, but both are safe. This does set up a curious angle. Where exactly are the other Humes? Ben shot Desmond (season 5), and Widmore brought Desmond back to the island from the hospital. Desmond had no choice in this decision, throwing away Jacob’s philosophy for now. At this point, I don’t think Widmore is on team Jacob or team MIB or team CoCo. Charles is on team Widmore, as this island seems to have attracted more teams than the NCAA March Madness. Widmore’s goons hold Desmond down. Widmore repeats the same line from Season 5 that was first spoken by Eloise in the Lamppost “The island isn’t done with you yet. Jin is confused by Desmond’s return. Jin would be confused by shadow puppets. The Widmorites are preparing engines and various apparatus for a test of some sort. Tim Tebow recently failed it and his draft stock plummeted. I know we never really saw the full shape and size of the Hydra station before, just bits and pieces, but this looks more like the huge Tempest station than a facility to conduct experiments on polar bears. The testing is proceeding days ahead of schedule. They have bunnies. One rabbit is called Angstrom. Angstrom is a unit of length that is often used to measure the wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation or other scales of wavelengths of light. The test fails. Simmons goes to check on the circuitry, which is another word for two huge bagels standing up in a toaster oven. Some geophysics dummy decides to flip a switch when no one asked him to, and creates the world’s largest microwave burrito. Extra crispy KFC. Simmons is not happy. Or breathing. But he sure would look tasty sitting on a grill with a beer can up his ass. Simmons died doing what he loved doing best, being a insect on a summer night flying into a bug zapper. Simmons Toast Crunch is dead. Desmond sees the dead body and is a wee bit less than thrilled.

Simmons is carried out in something that resembles an empty microwave popcorn baggy. Widmore takes a moment to look him over. I don’t think the island will be healing him any time soon. Desmond is carried inside the bungalow full of electro magnetic generators, a chair, duct tape, and a complimentary beating from some thugs. All the comforts of a 3 star hotel in Camden, NJ. CW: if everything I’ve been told about you is true, you will be fine; then I will ask you to make a sacrifice. Who’s been talking to Charles and specifically about Desmond’s abilities? Does Charles know that Desmond turned the failsafe key and survived? Then has been able to get glimpses of the future, or loops, or whatever? Does Charles know Desmond can leap in time and come back? Well, other than maybe through Daniel’s journal, I don’t know how Charles knows. How many Facebook friends does Charles have? Desmond: what the blood hell do you know about sacrifice? Wrong question, stupid. Desmond, the correct question is “WHAT sacrifice?” You might want to know what he has in store for you. Desmond does not know fully about Widmore’s past, including time Charles spent on the island. CW: my son died on the island (Daniel), my daughter hates me (Penny), and I never met my grandson (young Charlie, Desmond and Penny’s kid). They need Desmond’s help or Penny and his son will be gone forever. You know, I don’t think Smokie has ever scanned Desmond, and despite having Locke’s memories, may not realize what an anomaly Desmond is. The wild card. Jin is still concerned. Boy, he doesn’t have much to do this week, but at least he hasn’t said the S word. CW: that man is the only person in the world that I am aware of that has survived a catastrophic electromagnetic event. Technically, so did Locke and Eko, but technically, they are both dead. That might not be a coincidence. MIB killed Mr Eko, and manipulated the death of John Locke, whose essence he has assumed. CW: I need to know he can do it again. Young Charles Frankenstein pulls the lever, and the bagels get hot and toasty. A bright light, like we saw at the Swan hatch before Desmond turned the key, like we saw when Ben and Locke turned the frozen donkey wheel, but I’m not quite sure if it’s similar to the time travel jump. Is Widmore setting a trap for MIB, or trying to move the island without actually having to leave the island, the side effect suffered by Ben and Locke. Can the island be moved without MIB and Jacob in tow. So that Widmore can claim the island, and MIB claims the world, and neither exists in the same time and space? Thoughts, people. Just random thoughts. Desmond screams for a little while, very likely loses control of his bowels, and is in the LAX airport terminal, looking for his luggage. Hurley tells him to try carousel 4, recognizing that Desmiond was on the plane. Desmond helps Claire with her bag, even offers her a ride, but Claire turns it down, since she has a sixth sense for making the right choice and Kate is only moments away from kidnapping her along with a taxi. Desmond tells Claire that he thinks her baby will be a boy. That’s not all that impressive. You could flip a coin. How about I bet you have a kid with a giant head. Or how about Your baby will be made of polar bear skull and buttons. George Minkowski, the communications officer from the Widmore Freighter in Season 4 is the limo driver for Desmond. He is the guy that couldn’t find a constant and died in time travel just before Desmond almost succumbed to the same fate. George offers to get him anything he needs, including a lady of the evening. Thankfully, Kate the Tramp doesn’t show up. And since it is mentioned that Desmond is not wearing a wedding ring…
From 6.1 LA X Part One
Desmond is on the plane, which is very unexpected. The mention of the word “brother” triggers a recollection in Jack, who queries Desmond if they have met before. Another notable thing about this scene is that Desmond is flashing what appears to be a wedding ring. There is zero way of knowing who he might be married to. Maybe Penny, maybe the girl he was engaged to before running off and joining the monastery, or somebody else.
Comment: This is troubling. Desmond clearly was wearing a ring in the season opener. This episode, we find out he is single. What the fock? Loop or continuity error? Bleeding between timelines?
Desmond is shown into the office of his employer in his office, Charles Widmore, and they share a hug. That was enormously uncomfortable. I’d rather hug a cactus than Charles Widmore. So, Widmore has an LA office. I thought he would be stationed in London still, but it’s different in this time line.

Desmond stares at a model sailboat, the same kind that he used to sail around the world, or at least as far as the island, the boat that was given to him by Libby. Widmore is holding a conversation on the phone regarding getting somebody released from prison. The paintings in Widmore’s office way back in Season 3 kept changing from scene to scene, giving key evidence of looping. This time, they stayed the same, with some question as to whether the frames were changing color, or if they were completely different painting on different walls, but were painting of balanced scales, with a white rock and black rock on either side. On both walls to the left and right of his desk I believe. I really didn’t pay as much attention as there where more interesting things happening. CW: did you know my son is a musician? Well, this must mean Daniel, since as a youngster, he was a piano prodigy. In this reality, Daniel is still playing music. As is Jack’s son. Widmore’s son put together a concert of classical music and EMO rock, with Drive Shaft, Charlie Pace’s band. Drive Shaft needs to play or Charles Widmore’s wife (Eloise) will destroy him. Huh. Is Charles taking figuratively or literally? Desmond agrees to babysit Charlie. CW is really laying it on thick: I can trust you, you really have the life, no family, no commitments, free of attachments. Desmond: I’m a blessed man. CW: A drink to your indispensability. He pours out the 60 year old McCutcheon’s scotch. CW: Nothing is too good for you. You know, we get it. We remember that Desmond wasn’t good enough for a swallow of the Scotch before. Now, the writers just laid it on super heavy, the complete opposite of what happened in the other reality to an absurd level. I had to cringe at the lack of subtlety. This show is being written by 3 year olds. Desmond walks up the steps of the courthouse, and looks at the reflection of himself in the glass pane of the front doors. A mirror angle again, as in all the LAX episodes. Charlie has been released, and this kid has a death wish. He strolls out into traffic, an unlike Nadia, manages to avoid being road kill. Charlie doesn’t give a fock about dying right now. When Desmond jumped into his previous life in Season 3, and asked for Widmore’s blessing for marrying Penny, he was rejected and walked outside the building. Charlie was on the sidewalk, playing the Oasis song Wonderwall, with the lyrics “whose gonna be the one to save me”. As of today, I wouldn’t be surprised if the real Oasis is singing on street corners too. This triggered Desmond’s memory. “Hey, don’t I know you? You were on the island too.” Charlie doesn’t remember. However, he was the catalyst to Desmond’s memories of another life. Desmond and Charlie are drinking in a bar. Desmond defends his status of being a lackey by saying he makes a lot of money and meets charming people. Charlie: Are you happy? No, you’re not. Have you ever been in love? This is sounding more and more like a typical awful George Clooney movie.
From 6.10 The Package
Which characters on this show have been able to hold onto their relationship in both time lines? Maybe Rose and Bernard? We don’t know about Desmond and Penny. Anyone?
Comment: I thought there was something odd happening with the love angle overall, but it might be even more important that anticipated. It was this episode.
Charlie talks about the plane, the US Marshall making him for carrying drugs, hiding in the bathroom, hitting turbulence, choking on a big bag of heroin, things going dark, slipping away into an abyss, then seeing a woman, they are together, always have been, will be, feeling of love, and then seeing a sodding idiot asking me if I’m OK. Sure, it always makes me happy to see people call Jack an idiot. But Charlie went into a detailed speech about Claire. It’s as if Charlie has taken the red Matrix pill, and is seeing through this timelines bullsh!!t. As if the characters are living some kind of fake existence, while the real world is back on the island, or somewhere else entirely. This timeline is just all wrong. Charlie: I’ve seen the truth. Desmond gives Charlie a choice: stay here and drink and watch his music career be exterminated, or come with Desmond and have the powerful Widmore owe him a favor. Charlie: that’s not much of a choice. Desmond: there is always a choice. I wonder if the characters at the end of the show will have a choice, to stay on the island, or live in Matrix world. You all everybody is playing on the radio, and I want that car to drive off a bridge. I hate that song anymore. Well, just my luck, it doesn’t take long for the car to obey my mind control. But please notice, the marina/pier that Desmond and Charlie drive off of is the exact same one that is the background of the photo that Desmond and Penny photo has, the famous picture that Desmond carries with him all over the island, the one that Naomi had in her possession. Creepy, huh? Charlie: I offer you a choice: get out of the car, or I’ll show you what I’m talking about. You might have thought that Charlie hit the gas pedal, but it turns out the car was a Toyota. As both Desmond and Charlie are facing a near death experience, Desmond is struggling to open the door to free Charlie. Charlie opens his eyes, creepily turns his head to the window of the car, and hold up his palm to the glass. Desmond sees simultaneous image of the Charlie death scene from the Looking Glass and “Not Penny’s Boat” written on his hand and this very moment. Desmond finally gets the door open, surfaces with Charlie, and pulls him to shore. When Desmond was saving Charlie’s life over and over, was it within loops, or simply different timelines? He was able to see his deaths on different tracks in different timelines, not that they were reliving the same timeline over and over. Hmm. That would be a game changer for my theories.

Desmond is being examined by a doctor in the hospital. He is being treated for a concussion and needs an MRI. As he is being strapped in, he is given a panic button. “Try not to press it, or we start all over again.” What the hell does that mean? A sly eference to pushing the button in the hatch, and everything starts over again every 108 minutes? A reference to loops? Hell, a reference to the fail safe key? I don’t know. As the MRI starts to bombard Desmond with radiation and recognition, Desmond panics at the memories of Penny and needs to be removed from the machine. Desmond is trying to get Charlie’s room number from a grumpy nurse, but she is having none of it. Hey, there’s Jack, let’s ask him. Jack is as understanding and helpful as if you were talking to a Pepsi machine. Charlie runs by like a 80 year old woman at a retirement home that simply does not want to wear any clothing and doesn’t want to be caught by the nurse chasing her with a robe. Maybe they were checking Charlie’s prostate, and he is still muling some heroin which he does not want to give up to the authorities. Desmond chases Charlie down several flights of stairs and corners him in a corner. Desmond: why were you trying to kill me? Charlie: I was trying to show you something, you saw something in the water, you felt it, none of this matters, just that we felt it, you should start looking for Penny. The takeaways: Charlie is able to see that this timeline is not important and simply fake. Thank God we didn’t see Charlie’s ass from the hole in the back of the gown. Charlie should get back on the heroin. Still, Charlie is again the guy that brings Desmond forward into an important phase of the end game of the show.

Desmond calls Widmore and declares that Charlie won’t be able to make it. Widmore doesn’t seem to care at all that Desmond almost died, but that Mrs. Widmore was going to kill him. Wow. In one time line, Charles is fighting the supernatural MIB, planning assaults on an island with commandos, and ransacking graves. In this timeline, he doesn’t want to upset his wife. Desmond is tasked with giving his wife the bad news. When Desmond arrives at the event, we see Eloise Hawking giving the staff a hard time. She is not only Charles’ wife, but she apparently has the time in her schedule to course correct the placement of a butter knife in a place setting, and spin a wondrous bouquet of cotton candy and glue it to the top of her head. Has she been standing in a wind tunnel all day? Did a sheep climb on top of her skull and fall asleep? Has she been known to yell “Off with their head!!!” at rabbits. Has she recently stuck her tongue into an electric socket? Does she get hair fashion tips from the Jersey Shore? Did Los Angeles recently have a purge of all hair conditioner factory workers? Desmond tells the Baroness of Bouffant that Drive Shaft will not be attending. She replies “don’t worry about it” which is so improbable of Eloise in any timeline, that even Desmond can’t accept the answer initially. It’s a malfunction in Desmond’s head, like the Matrix was so perfectly constructed, that humans initially rejected it. In fact, Eloise goes so far as to say employing rock stars brings with it an unpredictability. Again, something Eloise would not say. She is a precise woman and almost always knows what is going on, save for that one moment in the hospital after Desmond got shot by Ben. She is acting like the exact opposite of her other timeline self. For now. She further throws in a “Whatever happened, happened”, beating us over the head with yet another repetition of a well known phrase. As Desmond is walking away from the event tent, he overhears a conversation regarding the guest list. He catches the name “Penny Milton” and immediately stops to question it. Eloise says he absolutely cannot see the guest list, it is confidential. Why would he need to if he just heard the name. Penny Milton. There it is. What, you can’t spell it? Who cares? Just go and hang out by parking lot and keep asking every woman that arrives if her name is Penny. Eloise hackles are raised. Are you questioning me? That gave me an image of Beavis pulling his T-shirt over his head and giving his standard Bungholio character “Are you threatening me?” speech in many cartoon misadventures. Although you would need a termite tent to pull something over that Hawking hair. EH: Come with me.
From 6.10 The Package
Keamy proceeds to tape up Jin and go on a long rambling speech, given to someone who doesn’t understand English. Keamy: Just in case you forgot what’s about to happen on the island, can’t have you freaking out.” Say what? I rewound, and rewound, and rewound. This was dialogue that looked spliced in at the “island” part, and consider that sentence. Here is Keamy talking about strapping Jin in because of what’s going to happen on the island. Freighter exploding, perhaps, that threw Jin into the water? It’s as if Keamy knows stuff, super secret stuff. Or the two timelines are bleeding together, and this was some kind of merging point. But this is definitely 2004, not the current 2007 that the Losties and various other groups are a part of. Very, very odd...
From 6.10 The Package
W: Everybody would simply cease to be. Interesting choice of words. Not “die” but “cease to be”. Almost like saying you can die in one time line, but cease to be in many timelines. Maybe. As we’ve speculated in the past, especially around the time Sayid shot Ben in the heart, and the wound in the next episode was two feet away in another part of his chest. The island is an intersection of timelines, a merging, a very powerful point the many worlds that exist. The actions here affect many lives and many versions of the same lives. Maybe I’m just having another Mr Drinky McDrinkalot moment. Loops still happen, I’m almost sure. Comment: Eloise Hawking is becoming a key bit of evidence of loops or multiple timelines or other such shenanigans. Not only does Eloise have super special powers, I think all of this, not just off island stuff, not necessarily having anything to do with Jacob vs MIB, but has something to do with Eloise trying to manipulate events into a timeline where she doesn't shot and kill her own son, Daniel. She has gone to great lengths to course correct and manipulate events to some end, and at this point I seriously doubt it's to help either Jacob or MIB. She may very well have fooled Widmore into helping by dangling a carrot of ruling the island or some other side benefit coming from harnessing the negatively charged matter inhabiting the island. Maybe Widmore is acting with full knowledge because Daniel was his son too. Eloise is trying to keep Desmond away from Daniel, Penny's half sister, which becomes an issue of simple proximity when you are dating the half sibling of someone. Daniel and Desmond are forever linked as constants through multiple timelines and/or loops. And Eloise knows it, from reading Daniel's journal, which was brought to the island before the Incident.
Daniel is watching in the background as his mother is scolding Desmond. Eloise: stop talking Hume, I want you to stop, someone has clearly affected the way you see things (Matrix), this is a problem, in fact a violation, whatever it is you think you are doing, whatever it is you are looking for, you need to stop looking for it. Desmond is looking a bit stunned. Eloise is very aware of this timeline, other timelines, and is unhappy that Desmond is becoming aware too. A violation of the rules, and we still haven’t seen the bloody rule book. Eloise continues: I don’t know why you are looking for anything, you have the perfect life, you’ve managed to attain what you’ve wanted more than anything, the approval of Charles Widmore. Desmond: How do you know what I want? Eloise: Because I bloody do. This is a familiar theme to this show this season, as Jacob, MIB, and now Eloise are either making or talking about the one thing that a person wants most. Sayid and Nadia, Sawyer and leaving the island, Claire and Aaron, Richard and immortality, now Desmond and Widmore’s blessing. I’m not so sure that is what he most desires, as you would think Penny would supersede Charles Widmore. Then again, Desmond could have gone off with Penny many different times, but he chose to enter the boat race, for example, rather than go and marry Penny. He wanted his cake and to eat it too. Eloise and Charles have been pushing Desmond in the other timeline constantly into specific situations. Eloise in Season 3 prevented Desmond from proposing to Penny. She sat on a bench outside of a ring store with Desmond and a bag of chestnuts, predicting the death of a man with red shoes, and watching as part of a construction site rained down on him. She said she couldn’t have stopped it. But how did she know in the first place that this was about to happen. Knowledge of loops? Sure? But the thought that she could have constructed a time line itself simply never dawned on me until this episode. It’s a possibility, in a logic defying sort of way. Eloise is living her “what do you want more than anything” moment by trying to save Daniel in another timeline. Desmond: Why can’t I see that list? Eloise: You are not ready yet, Desmond. Ready for what? Some kind of showdown with MIB on the island. Something off island? We know what Charles is working ahead of schedule on Hydra, and the two timelines seemed to be more connected with each passing episode. Seems almost like a double meaning, referring to the manifest list that Desmond will request in a little while. Desmond does what anybody else would do, and choke out Eloise. Or maybe he goes and wants to get drunk in his fancy car. No such luck in either case, as Daniel Widmore interrupts. So, in this timeline, Daniel, Eloise, and Charles have the same last name. In the other timeline, Penny and Charles share the last name of Widmore, but you also get Daniel Faraday and Eloise Hawking. The genealogy tree is more shuffled.

Daniel: do you believe in love at first site? So, am I to assume that over the next few weeks, LOST will be rolling out the concepts of déjà vu, life flashing before your eyes before you die, and day light savings time. Daniel is pie in the sky. At the museum where half the cast of LOST now apparently works at or visits (Miles, Dr Chang, Charlotte, Daniel), Daniel saw Charlotte eating a chocolate bar and knew that she was the one. Good thing she wasn’t eating soup, or Daniel might have thought she was a demon and tried to exorcise her evil spirits by beating her skull in with a hammer. Which would also work on grandma if she won’t give up the remote and insists on watching Wheel of Fortune. Too many hammer references? I can’t help it if I’d like to pet a fluffy bunny with a mallet. Daniel: it was like I already loved her. Daniel hasn’t even kissed this girl in two timelines. He is officially a multiple timeline stalker. How about this one, Daniel?
From 6.8 Recon
Still, odd that Charlotte was in Sawyer’s episode. But I guaran-dam-tee that in some plane of existence, Daniel Faraday is howling with rage…Fast forward, and Sawyer is lying in bed, snuggling with something that was fished out of a lake about 2 months after being dumped. Or a naked Charlotte. Who can tell the difference? Somewhere, Daniel is screaming Noooooooooooooooo!!!!!
So, how’s them Love At First Site apples taste, Daniel? I have no idea why I find Daniel’s misfortune so focking funny. Daniel: That night, I woke up and wrote this, I’m a musician, a friend said it was quantum mechanics, incredibly complex, something catastrophic is about to happen, the only way to stop it is to release a great deal of energy, to set off a nuclear bomb. That’s a really long description for I touched myself thinking about Charlotte. But Daniel is having other blood flow issues, specifically bleeding between the timelines. Sure he had a gift as a musician in the other time line, which Eloise put an end to and told him to study physics and math. Again, this timeline is almost like a Make a Wish Foundation timeline, but without the messy dying thing for the most part. Keamy and Omar have died a lot recently. Daniel is feeling this crossover without a near death experience like Desmond and Charlie. Daniel is feeling it through infatuation. Daniel: What if this wasn’t supposed to be our life, we changed things, I don’t want to set off a bomb, but I think I already did, why did you ask about Penny, you felt it didn’t you, you felt love. Daniel is really piling on the love angle. Again, Desmond felt Penny while almost drowning and then having his head microwaved for the umpteenth time. I agree that Daniel was not supposed to set off the bomb, and it’s something that really needs to be corrected. Take that Jack and your stupid “this is our destiny” from Season 5. The actions have to be corrected through Desmond. What if this wasn’t supposed to be our life? That pretty much sums up the LAX timeline. This is what shouldn’t be. Very poignant stuff from Daniel. Following the truth bombs from Eloise. This episode is just so full of higher concepts, my head is hurting from thinking about them. Desmond thinks Penny is an idea, but Daniel corrects him that she is his half sister, something we have assumed since Season 5. Daniel even knows where Penny is right now, making me wonder if there are enough hours in the day for all the stalking that Daniel does. Back to the stadium from Season 2, where Jack was running up and down the steps, and is overtaken by an in-training Desmond. The words “see you in another life, brother” have never been more appropriate. However, this time, it’s Penny running the steps. Now, Desmond looks like Stalky McStalkalot. There are more stalks in this episode than a Bloody Mary bar. Are you Penny? I’m Desmond. Help, police. Back on the island, Desmond wakes up with a tan. He’s only been unconscious for a few seconds, but he’s traveled through the wonders of space and seen other life inhabiting planets which would have been provable until James Woods erases 18 hours of space travel footage. Widmore: I’m sorry, but your talent is vital to our mission. Desmond: It’s alright, I understand, you said I’m here to do something important, when do we start? As we can theorize, a person can travel back and forth in time, like a train on tracks. Back and forth. It sure seems like Desmond has traveled every possible stretch of the train tracks. And every possible train in every possible timeline. Desmond seems awfully zen-like, like an all knowing and understanding being. He sees what needs to be done, and is prepared to do it. Widmore talked of sacrifice earlier, but if Desmond knows his sacrifice now, such as possibly luring the MIB into an electromagnetic based trap on the main island in an effort to trap/destroy MIB, will lead to Penny and little Charlie to live on happily in some timeline, Desmond is prepared to do it. He has seen how his life in LAX is unhappy. Zoe, a couple of redshirts, and Desmond go for a stroll through the jungle. Zoe: what happened? I swear, Zoe is Meg Griffin from Family Guy. Before Zoe can give Desmond his instructions for his upcoming activities, Sayid jumps out, breaks a couple of necks, and tells Zoe to run. Dam it. Why didn’t you kill Meg? And how many thugs does Widmore have left, as they seem to be dying off rather quickly. Sayid: Come with me, these people are dangerous. The Desmond Dali Lama follows Sayid. At what point of all this boat travel from island to island will we see who shot at Locke, Juliet, Sawyer, Miles, Charlotte, Daniel from Season 5 and the time traveling? Not sure if Desmond’s decision to follow Sayid was purely self preservation, or a strategic move based on what he knows from the brain fry he just experienced. At the stadium, Desmond has collapsed in front of Penny. Desmond has a penchant for passing out more frequently than a hot chick in a bar full of men with bulging pockets full of Roofies. Penny: Have we met before? She seems to have the same recognition thing going as Daniel did. Desmond asks Penny out for coffee. This is precisely what Juliet was talking about in the Swan hatch rubble this season when she was dying in Sawyer’s arms. She mumbled something about getting coffee sometime. Repetition, repetition, repetition. Desmond and Penny set a date to meet in an hour. As Desmond settles into his limo, Minkowski asks if he found what he was looking for? Interesting phrasing. Desmond asks George to secure the manifest from flight Oceanic 815, just the names of the passengers, because he needs to show them something. How Desmond expects a limo driver to get this kind of information…let’s suspend disbelief for now. Why would you not want to know the flight crew? Anyway, this echoes Hurley’s census on the island from Season 1, in reviewing the manifest. In this case, Desmond feels that they all share a common bond, and wants to see if they all can capture that feeling that is spreading more rapidly than Captain Tripps. The bleeding of the timelines is becoming a burst artery.

Happy with the episode, not happy that we are getting good episodes about every other week. We can still salvage this Season but the folks running LOST are running out of time. I’m assuming we get a Hurley episode next week. So expect to see a bunch of people we haven’t seen yet this season, as the LOST reunion tour continues.