WHAT KATE DOES

What Kate Does ranks pretty low on my list of all time favourite episodes, but it did provide us with a few insights, which we'll get to a bit later.

SIDEWAYS

Kate carjacks a taxi. I found it almost comical as the driver tries to drive and keep from filling his pants at the same time, and wanted to see him trip when total cowardice overtook him. Talk about a real man who leaves a poor pregnant girl at the mercy of this crazed gun toting woman. Then, dumping a very pregnant Claire on the side of the street and paying the mechanic $200 to punch open the handcuffs.

We saw a glimpse of the real Kate when she realized exactly what she had done and went back to that bus stop bench for Claire, then helped to find her destination. The indignation on Claire's behalf when the woman said that she didn't want to adopt the baby anymore and she couldn't even be bothered to CALL? As an aside, did anyone else wonder if, in this side time, Claire had visited Richard Malkin and he had told her that the baby should not be raised by another? Did you question if the Fates were making sure that Claire kept her baby?

Poor Claire starts going into labour and Kate rushes her to the hospital, then grabs the first doctor (that was a bit of a shock) she could find, who calms Claire and takes an ultrasound.

I snickered at Dr. Goodspeed's line "I just don't want to stick you with needles if I don't have to."

Oh, the irony of that statement.

The police come and Claire lies, then gives Kate her credit card as a show of gratitude.

2007

Dogen and Lennon and the rest of the Other Others were shocked to find that Sayid in fact survived. I'm still amazed that his shirt was miraculously healed as well. Just think, the Others must have clothes from decades ago that's in pristine condition! Am I the only one who thought it odd that Jack said to get Sayid water? Really, Sayid must have swallowed at least two litres of the beer coloured swill in the spring!

Sawyer and Miles arrive, not of their own accord, and Sawyer's resentment that some people get to live while others die filled the already oppressive room. We are seeing the return of Season One Saywer. The one cares for no one but himself and who will challenge anyone and everyone. Right now he has no reason to stay and most certainly no reason to help Jack, Hurley, Jin, Sayid, Kate or even Miles. And on that note, he makes a break for it and, of course tells them NOT to follow him. Kate, of course, takes that as an invitation.

Aldo. Wow, what can be said about Aldo that hasn't already been said before. The boy has a chip on his shoulder and I really don't think he's "Other" material. He's bent on revenge for being rifle butted by sweet Kate. Poor dude just can't win and his aggression gets him in the end. Well, that and Claire, but I'll get to that in a bit, I promise.

So, while Kate and Aldo and Jason, plus Jin head out to track Sawyer, Dogen and Lennon take Sayid for "questioning". A few electric shocks and a red hot poker later they return him to Jack's custody. Just what Sayid failed, I'm not sure, but how the heck does one pass the electric shock and red hot poker test anyway? Jack, of course is not impressed and takes a walk.

Dogen explains that Sayid is "infected", which to a doctor means high fever, delirium. You know, the normal kind of symptoms for infection. So, Dogen offers a "pill" but refuses to tell Jack what is contains and what it will do to Sayid. He tells Jack: "You'll just have to trust me". Ha ha, Jack's display of trust is to swallow the little green happy pill himself, which elicits such a rapid response that I'll bet his chest completely regrets it. This is when we learn that the pill contained poison and that Sayid was "claimed".

According to Dogen, "there is a darkness growing in him and when it reaches his heart, everything Sayid once was will be gone". I can only guess that the Black Smoke Monster or MIB has something to do with this. This is also when we learn that Claire is still alive....sort of.....maybe....well, her body anyway? Is this why Ben is the way he is?

Just an observation here. In 1977, after Sayid shot young Ben and Richard took him to the temple, they brought him back to the camp to heal. HIS wound was in approximately the same place as Sayid's, but I did notice how it didn't heal as well as Sayid's did. Just an observation and a little something for you to chew on.

I used to care about Kate and what happened to her until last season, then I found myself growing more and more annoyed by her than anything else. Her constant wavering between Jack and Sawyer, even after leaving the island and they didn't really know if the others were alive or dead (really, the island DISAPPEARED PEOPLE!!) Kate was still unable (or unwilling) to love the one she was with. She has an innate ability to listen and then go and do the complete opposite.

Really, what did she hope to gain by chasing after Sawyer? The man is consumed by grief, guilt and anger and Kate only represents all that he has lost since the return of the Oceanic four (not counting Sun because she accompanied Locke's cadaver to 2007). I was glad to see Sawyer grieve for Juliet and angered by Kate crashing his little pity party. But this was a scene that HAD to happen for several reasons.

First, we needed to see Sawyer grieve for Juliet. His relationship with her allowed him to grow past the stunted resentful little orphan boy into a man able to give himself over heart and soul. Kate would never have been able to do that. Another reason this scene had to happen is because Kate needed to be shown and told that Sawyer was unavailable to her. His is a ship that sailed when he jumped from the helicopter. He had moved on while Kate was still wavering between two men. Finally, she needed to see that he did not need her, nor did he want her, to help in his grieving process.

A thought about Dr. Ethan Goodspeed and the Sideways Timeline.

Since Horace and Pierre evacuated the island, and we saw that the island is underwater, I am assuming that a return to the island was impossible. Dharma would have been forced to abandon their "foray" to the island and the people who were evacuated would have had to find their own way in the world. Ethan would have grown up without the influences of Ben, the Others and the conflict between the Others and Dharma. But it still saw the irony of his "sticking with needles" quip.

Also, since the Others did not evacuate the island, and young Ben was still in their care, I am assuming he died with them as the island descended into the great blue yonder.

Which brings me to Eloise Hawking. In 1977 she was pregnant with Daniel and if she went down with the island, we will find that his existence had been wiped out. I am thinking that it is possible that Penny still exists since she was born off island and had never been there. Things would be different for her, though, since she would not be exposed to her father's amassed wealth and it is possible that she and Desmond never meet.

DID YOU NOTICE?

Am I the only one who thought that "Claimed" Claire looked an awful lot like 1954's version of Eloise Hawking? I don't know, but those blond curls, that knowing but not sure expression...... Maybe it was just me.

The guy that played the taxi driver runs like a girl. Just sayin'

Jason really wanted share with Kate and Jin and called them "THEM", so now we have three groups. The Others, the Other Others, and Them? Elitist jerks.

Ethan still became a doctor and still has that goofy grin.

The nurse that takes Claire into the hospital is the same woman who played Aaron's Nanny in Eggtown.

QUESTIONS

How long is years? Jason said that the Rousseau woman has been dead for years.

How was Dogen brought to the island and when? Is he like Richard? Ageless?

Was the poison meant to completely kill Sayid or just what "claimed" him?

Where has Claire been since wandering off into the Jungle of Mystery with her dead but not dead father? Did he facilitate the "claiming" of her? Speaking of the walking dead, where's Christian? Did he abandon Claire once she was claimed, or did the "whatever" is is that does the claiming move from Christian to Claire?

Why do the Others call the survivors of the crash "Them"?

Now that Kate is alone, will she go back to the Temple or will she do what she promised to do and seek out Claire?

When will Miles speak up and tell Jack about the things that he is sensing? We all know that he sensed something was not quite right with Claire and again with Sayid.

When Kate was on the dock crying, was she crying for Sawyer's loss or the fact that he's rejected her?

After so long on the island, and sharing a bed with Juliet, what has she told Sawyer about the Others? I mean, I'm sure they had some pretty interesting pillow talk sessions in the quiet of the night.

QUOTES

Dogen: Please, you have to stay.

Sawyer: No, I don't.

Mechanic: I've got a steady hand, but I kind of feel like we off on the wrong foot.

Hurley: We'll be in the food court if you need us.

Kate: I'm sorry, I never should have followed you.

Sawyer: Which time?

Jack: Did I say something funny?

Lennon: I kind of doubt it. He doesn't usually have a sense of humour.

Sayid: I remember being shot.

Hurley: You're not a zombie, right?

I already know that this was a low episode in the list of favourites, but what are YOUR questions? Did you want that hour back? I know I didn't.

Next we see The Substitute. Does this tell us what Frank could be a candidate for? Does Flocke find a way to get off the island? Will Kate ever redeem herself or will we be glad if she's the next to die?

Let me know.