Whatever Happened, Happened....Initial Thoughts.

This has got to be one of the best, if not the best, Kate centric episode ever! Holy pile of crepes, monsieur, but I truly loved this one! I've always had a soft spot for Kate, yet have despised the character at times (specifically when she waffled between Jack and Sawyer and played them against each other), but I was always able to find some good qualities within her to hang on to during those tough times when her actions totally ticked me off.

Okay, so it didn't have a great deal of explosions or guns going off or even a good fist fight, but it gave us the answer to one question that's been deeply troubling me since the beginning of the season. What did Kate do with Aaron and why did she voluntarily return to the island.

I admit that I was on the Carole Littleton bandwagon early on and always believed Kate would do the right thing....eventually. If you look back at the things Kate has done since crashing on the island, you will notice that many of her actions could be interpreted as the correct thing to do. Her methods have not always been the most conventional, nor legal for that matter, but I believe her motives have been with the best intentions. For those who really hate Kate, I really hope you give her credit where credit is due.

SURVIVOR'S GUILT?

Kate's visits to Cassidy answered a few questions. We now know what Sawyer whispered in Kate's ear just before he leaped from the helicopter. Take care of my kid. A bit late in the day, in my view, but at least, when he thought it was all over for him, he considered his daughter's future. Cassidy convinced Kate that she needed Aaron to mend her broken heart, but I'm not sure it was Sawyer who broke it. Rather I think that the entire experience on the island, and the fact that people whom Kate really loved and cared about were left behind, is what actually broke her heart. That and the fact that she knew how much Claire had come to love her son. I think I'd probably do the same thing, just in case there were an iota of a chance that Claire may someday emerge. The heart has it's reason of which reason knows nothing about.

JULIET OPERATES AGAIN!
Once again Juliet dons the scrubs and tries her best to save another kid. Admittedly, she is not a surgeon and her expertise in that field are seriously limited, but she did her best. How is it that Horace and the other Dharmaites don't seem to question a motor pool mechanic's amazing medical ability? Why haven't they transferred her from the garage to the infirmary after she safely delivered a baby by Cesarean section? And how did LaFleur explain that one, I wonder?

I have to agree, though, that 1977 Ben is just an innocent kid and not the murdering, manipulative liar we've seen thus far. This Ben isn't the same person the survivors knew in the future-past. More on that later.

I HADN'T THOUGHT OF THAT, HUH.
You gotta love the Hurley-Miles debate of cause and effect and the entire time travel-you-can't-change-anything-cause-it's-already-happened theory. I've been questioning Miles' purpose in the whole picture, but have decided to be patient. His time will come, right? Right Darlton? Anyway, I laughed so hard when Hurley stumped him.

Hurley has got to be one of the best characters on this show! He may not appear to do much but his value is more than the total of most characters. He comes across as not too bright but then, when we least expect it.....Blip! Another Hurleyism that speaks volumes of wisdom. Hurley usually gets it right, as well.

As an aside: Nik at Nite has posted three very clever explanations of the time travel time line thingee on her blog. I found these very helpful, being the non-rocket scientist physicist that I am (the accountant in me says this is all wrong, but I gotta go with it).

NOPE, NOT GONNA DO IT AGAIN.....

Jack totally rocked this episode! I've been having a difficult time accepting the new man of faith, but he made the right call. He came back to the island, accepted the job he had been given as a janitor, and willingly walked away from the temptation to fix things for everyone. Back then, in the past-future, Jack was always fixing things because everyone expected him to, not because he wanted to. Remember, he never really wanted to be their leader, but stepped up to the plate and accepted that not everyone would accept his decisions. Now, in 1977, he has a different role to fill. He just doesn't know exactly what it is yet. When the island is ready, all will be made perfectly clear for him.

"I already saved Benjamin Linus and I did it for you, Kate. I'm not going to do it again"

Basically, what Jack is telling Kate, is that he's done fixing things for everyone when they require him to do so. Sooner or later, Jack will figure out what his purpose is and then, and only then, will he become the man of faith who leads.

ROGER IS CREEPY. THAT IS ALL

Roger kind of creeped me out. I was used to the despicable father-of-the-year candidate and believed that there was no redemption for him. Then he goes and regrets being the world's worst father and admits that he's made some major mistakes while raising his son. His distress at Ben's condition seemed genuine. Thankfully, Juliet sends him to the medical hatch to fetch some supplies in an effort to give him something to do. That was quite thoughtful of her, really. Either that or she just wanted to get him out of her hair.

I'm loving Sawyer and Juliet together. I may have said as much before, but this is one relationship that needs to continue. I'll admit, I thought Kate's reason for returning to the island was Sawyer and was not looking forward to seeing her ruin something so wonderful for Sawyer. Sawyer admitted that he had done a great deal of growing up in the three years since arriving at Dharmaville. He truly is a different man from the one who jumped from the helicopter.

HE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME

So, Juliet and Kate conspire together to save young Ben`s life and this is how the island gains ownership of his eternal soul, and with Sawyer's help, Kate takes him to Richard Alpert and asks for his help. One of the other Others balked and asked what Ellie and Charles are going to say, to which Richard sharply replied: "I don't answer to either Ellie or Charles." Gotta love that ageless non-manscara wearing dude.


What troubled me, though was his statement to Kate and Sawyer. The kid will never be the same. He will not remember anything and he will lose his innocence. Despite this ominous warning, and Richard did give them an out, Kate agreed to let Richard help Ben. When we last see Richard he is carrying young Ben into what appeared to be the Temple. The regretful look on his face is worrying. Isn't that where Ole Smokey tore off Montand's arm and took possession of Danielle's main squeeze?

Speaking of which, we haven`t seen Ole Smokey since the flashes ceased, but I have a feeling that we will be seeing him before too long. I still have no idea what it is, but Jay over on Mistaking Coincidence for Fate has an excellent theory or two (plus the most excellent of reviews).

WELCOME BACK TO THE LAND OF THE LIVING

I literally gasped at the knowing snicker on Locke`s face when older Ben finally awoke from his outrigger paddle induced slumber. I wasn`t expecting Ben to be as surprised as he was to see his dearly departed friend, and laughed so hard at that WTF look on his face that Coke Zero came out my nose! Note to self: When watching the endings of LOST, please refrain from having any beverage in your mouth that may be re-routed up the nasal passages and expelled out the nose. I can`t wait for next Wednesday to see Dead is Dead.

I JUST LIKE THIS PICTURE OF HURLEY. THE LOOK ON HIS FACE SAYS, "YEAH? WELL STUMPED YUH, DIDN'T I?"



I WONDER........

• Why hasn't Horace questioned how Juliet, a mere mechanic, knows how to deliver a baby via Cesarean section and how she came to know how to remove a bullet from a wounded child's chest? And who in their right mind sends the surgeon to an isolated underwater station when most of the population lives in New Otherton? Also, how does the surgeon get out of the Looking Glass without the sub?
• Why hasn't Jin stopped by to introduce himself to the new arrivals and why didn't he tell Phil that he'd found Ben and that he was shot?
• Did Hurley always know how to cook nutritious meals for large groups or is he just winging it?
• Does this crisis with his son make Roger appreciate Ben and treat him any better? Roger said he always tried to do what he thought his wife would have wanted him to do, but does that mean she wanted little Ben to be abused physically and mentally?
• When will Jack figure out what his purpose on the island is and what will he do once he does? Will he still just accept things on faith? Something tells me that he will emerge as a leader once again. Only this time, he will be stronger and more effective.
• Can someone please clue Horace in and send him a bottle of hair conditioner and a pretty orange wool ribbon to tie those locks into a ponytail? I haven't got a problem with long haired men, just men with long hair that looks unkempt and uncombed.
• Why does Ben still have his shoes on when Juliet and Kate "spirit" him out of the infirmary and into the Dharma van? Do they think he'll wake up and want to walk to see Richard? Did Juliet operate on him while he still had his shoes on?

Until next week. Namaste and good luck.

Arcticroses.