S6E7 - Recon

While we are temptingly close to St. Patrick's Day, I don't feel like reheating last year's recap leftovers. However, I'm not beyond some bawdy poetry from the motherland... the limerick. Be forewarned, as is typical with limericks, some of these may delve into a PG-13 rating. (That's as far as I can go and still get past your spam blockers...)

There once was a man named James
Who loved to play con artist games.
"I'm running late, honey--
--Oops, look at my money!"
But this time things weren't quite the same.

A nice twist in the opener. Sawyer running his old con, except this time he's on the side of the law. Once again, there is a significant difference in a character's flashsideways. He claimed that at one point in his life he could have either been a criminal or a cop, and he chose cop. The only time we've seen Jacob interact with little James was when he offered him a pen after his mother's funeral (presumably the infamous pen he used to write his "revenge letter" to the real Sawyer), but surely THAT is not the turning point he was talking about. Without a writing utensil, would he have not written that letter, so it wouldn't have later acted as a "straw that broke the camel's back" in making said cop/criminal decision? Or has Jacob influenced everyone (candidates and non-candidates alike) in ways we have yet to see? Whatever... that's all conjecture. I think the interesting point here is that while his life has taken a different path, part of his soul remains the same (the dark part that wants to avenge his parents).

There once was a man named Locke
Who permanently punched the clock.
And I tell you know joke
When I say he's now smoke,
Who just wants to get off this darn rock.

So Flocke comes clean with Sawyer about being the smoke monster. I'm sorry, buy why is no one freaked out about that? Anyway, he says it's kill or be killed which is why he dispatched everyone at the temple that opposed him. Beg your pardon, but you've had bullets bounce off you plus Sayid freakin' stabbed you in the chest and you didn't die, and now you're trying to say that you would be in danger if you had let those people live??? Riiiight...

There once was a guy named Miles Straum
Whose abilities were totally the bomb.
The recently dead
Could speak in his head.
But in reality B, they're all gone.

Of course we didn't get his perspective, but Miles seemed pretty... normal in his flashsideways. Of course maybe he still had his abilities and similar to Sawyer was at one point faced with the decision to either use it for the greater good or personal gain. Anyway, an interesting parallel partnership and fitting since they worked Dharma security together. Miles seems a touch more standup in his what-if life. Actually, it seems like everyone's what-ifs are kind of for the better so far. Sawyer has a legit job in law enforcement. Jack has a son. Locke has Helen (and a potentially functional relationship with his father). Sayid has Nadia (sort of... at least she's not dead). Though we've seen him only indirectly, Hurley seems fairly happy. And though Jin doesn't look so great the last we saw him, I wouldn't be surprised if things get better for him in the alternate reality as well. Anyway, just an observation... My theory: EVERYONE DIES in the end and they get to merge with their better-off what-ifs as a pseudo-afterlife.

There once was a woman named Charlotte
Who's hair was the color of scarlet.
She dug through a drawer
Then got tossed like a whore,
Which you deserve when you dress like a harlot.

I was thinking maybe, Miles's "friend" was going to be Juliet (I'm still waiting for her to pop up, but it probably won't be until the end of the season). But I guess it makes a certain sense (or at least "fits") that it was Charlotte since she and him and Faraday were all freighter mates.

There once was a woman named Claire.
And I strongly advise you beware:
If she's holding a knife
Better pray for your life,
'Cause her sanity's up in the air.

Yeah, definitely crazy. Holding hands with Kate one minute, a knife to her throat the next. I was kind of surprised by Flocke's reaction--smack!--especially considering his seeming displeasure with Kate tagging along, but he seems to be quite the benevolent leader. His heart-to-heart with Kate was quite revealing. We already know he was a "real man" at one point, but he speaks of having a disturbed mother and compares his trauma to what Aaron might have to face. Is he trying to play Kate and Claire against each other? Well, if that's his plan, it's stalled for now as Claire tearfully apologizes to Kate towards the end. Sorry, Claire, but if it's all the same to you, I won't be voluntarily accepting any "hugs" from you for a while.

There once was a man named Sayid
Who's a bit of a trick to read.
He wants back the life
Of his lovely late wife.
And now he seems evil, indeed.

And what was up with that? He seemed chillingly nonresponsive to Claire's attempt on Kate's life. I know he's kind of "gone over" if you will, but I was thinking it was just for the promise of seeing Nadia again (while still caring about his friends). Hmmm... not so much.

There once was a woman named Zoe
Who wanted to go for a row-y,
But there went the fun
When Ford pulled a gun
And now she ain't gonna go-y.

(Hey... YOU try making it work.) Anyway, I was suspicious of her from the get go. I'm assuming the dead bodies were other Ajira survivors, but I'm wondering whodunit. I'm assuming it was Flocke, but maybe not. Ilana had some of her crew with her on the flight, but I thought they all went over to the main island. If there was anyone left on "Hydra Island" it would have been just regular Ajira survivors, right? And why would anyone want to kill them? Maybe they just died naturally. I don't know if that's important or not, but it leads in to my next, bigger question.

There once was a man named Widmore
Who showed up in a sub close to shore.
He's got a few hatches
Locked up with latches
And I bet they have to do with "the war."

And that big question is... Who's side is who on? If Widmore wants Flocke dead, that would insinuate that he's on Jacob's side. He was at odds with Ben in the past and Ben even killed Jacob at one point, but it would seem that Ben at least temporarily is on team Jacob as well. Ilana seems to be all that remains of her pro-Jacob crew and Richard is on Jacob's side, though perhaps unsteadily so. Anyway, it's just adding up to everyone against Flocke and his ragtag band of followers. It's interesting that Widmore denied responsibility for the freighter. More accurately, he denied trying to "kill everyone," claiming how little Sawyer understands. To assume there are weapons in that locked area is too easy. If it is a weapon, I'm assuming it's something that can kill Flocke. My bet is it's Wallace!!

There once was a chick named Kate
Who everyone wanted to date,
But I really don't get
Why they think she's the @#$%.
Compared to some, she's just not that great.

Not to be a Kate-hater, but what's her purpose now? She found Claire who is clearly wackadoo. Good job. Now what? Did she think rescuing Claire from an island so difficult to find that you have to orchestrate a plane crash to get on or bend the space-time contiuum to get off would be as easy as picking up a friend on your way to a Sunday matinee? Good job leaving Aaron with Grandma Littleton, now he has zero mommies. Even though Flocke may be trying to sew seeds of doubt with Kate, he was totally right. Claire is a nutcase and even if she were reunited with her son, it might be too late for her sanity. Anyway, in the end she asks Sawyer why he's running errands for "Locke" and he basically says he's playing both sides and plans to steal the sub while everyone is distracted. Great idea... now all you need is to steal a submarine pilot while you're at it.

***

All in all, a pretty good episode. WAY better than last week's. And speaking of which, did you catch the preview for next week? A Richard episode! I'm not holding my breath, though. He had his own episode last year and it told us diddly squat. But seriously, if he's not a prime vehicle to fill in some major questions/mysteries/gaps, I don't know who is.

Any new ideas based on what came up in this week's episode?