S5E15 - Follow The Leader

Well, gee. This episode didn’t do much for me. Perhaps because there was such great potential with the promise of a Richard flashback, and we didn’t learn jack squat from him.

Since Jack seems to be back on his “fixing” things kick, he’s bound and determined to carry out Faraday’s plan. To do that, he may have to wade through some of the recently deceased’s physics journal. Not exactly a light read. So, in an effort to help Jack, I will distill this episode into a collection of simple equations.

(Daniel / Richard) = (Eloise – Daniel) = Bummer
That’s right Ellie, you kilt yo baby.

(Jack + Kate) = (Eloise / Widmore) = Drama
Ellie and Charles don’t agree on what to do with Jack and Kate. The one thing I don’t know is whether or not Ellie has given birth to Daniel yet in 1977. If not, I guess she will soon enough.

(Jack + Eloise) = (Jack / Kate) = Squabble
Once Jack convinces Ellie to lead them to the bomb, Kate is dead set against it. Can’t say that I blame her. I mean seriously, what does he think will happen when he does that? And what’s supposed to happen to them if he is successful in preventing their plane crash? Arghh—TIME TRAVEL! Must you suck so?

(Radzinsky + Phil) / Sawyer = Beat Down
Meanwhile in the present, Sawyer finally offers to tell the Dharma folks what they want to know about the Others if he and Juliet are allowed to leave on the sub.

The Others * (Locke + Ben + Sun) = Boar
Always nice for the new president to treat everyone to dinner after a corporate take over. Richard is surprised to see Locke after his three-year absence. There doesn’t seem to be a new leader so I suppose either Jacob or the Island never called for a replacement. It begs the question of exactly what they’ve been doing since Locke disappeared. Seems to me like they’ve just been waiting around for him to return, so why should Richard be surprised?

(Locke + Richard + Ben) = The Three Stooges
I kept wondering aloud how Locke knew this was the time he jumped to when he was shot and Richard saved him. His answer? The Island told him. Well great news. But then (and I’m speaking directly to Locke when I ask this), why doesn’t the Island tell you where Jacob is so you can go find him, yourself? Seems like the Island isn’t always on the up and up with you. Lovers quarrel? It must be awkward trying to rebuild your relationship after three years of being apart. I think you guys should take it slow in the beginning rather than trying to pick up where you left off. I mean, you did die and come back to life. You’re a different person now and quite frankly, maybe the Island has moved on and gotten to know other Islands while you were gone. You can’t expect it to wait on you forever, you know.

(Jin + Miles + Hurley) / Chang = Comedy
Pretty funny when Chang confronts them about being from the future and Hurley fails miserably. Miles observes Chang ordering his wife off the island and realizes it was the only way he could make her leave. So, Chang isn’t a d-bag after all.

((Jack + Kate) + (Eloise + Richard + Other Dude)) / Sayid = (Jack – Kate) + ((Eloise / Richard) – Other Dude) = Sayonara Kate = RIP Other Dude
Richard is none too happy that Ellie is going along with Jack’s crazy idea, especially after Sayid kills one of their own. Sayid is all in for fixing the past/future while Kate has had enough.

((Jack + Sayid) + (Eloise + Richard)) * Bomb = ??
I believe Ellie summed it up best when they finally made it to the bomb. “Now what?” If the Whatever Happened Happened principle still holds true, Jack won’t be successful. And I hope he isn’t, for my sanity’s sake.

(Locke + The Others) = (Locke / Jacob) = Fieldtrip
So Locke rallies the troupes, so to speak, and says they’re all going to visit the mysterious Jacob to get some answers. Meanwhile, Sun asks if Jacob can tell them how to bring everyone back to the present and he says yes. Then, come to find out he has no intention of being reunited with the LOSTies and in fact plans on killing Jacob. Well now… Don’t get me wrong, I’m digging Locke’s rediscovered backbone, however, he seems to be playing an awful lot of Ben-like games now that he’s “in direct contact” with the Island.

Next week is the finale and it promises to be good if we discover nothing more than who/what Jacob is.