Lost Recap: Community, Communion, & Choosing Choice

In the sideways universe, the Losties are crossing paths at various institutions of public service—jail, school, hospital, museum, and a forthcoming charity event—while back on the Island, we saw a different kind of service institution.

In both timelines, on last night’s episode, Jack was big on community and communion. He even got an award for his dedication to community in the sideways universe:

And he broke bread with his family. (And probably broke wind right after, considering that they were eating Super Bran. I wouldn’t want to walk by the bathroom door in the Shephard house after that meal.)

Back on the Island—after their holy communion—Jack is like Jacob. Did you know that “institution” also means “the investment of a member of the clergy with a spiritual charge”? Jack’s spiritual charge is now the Island, and with his swig of blessed fluid, the man of science/doubting Thomas has indubitably become a man of faith. (Does anyone else think it’s funny that the guy with the drinking problem drank the solution?) Additionally “institution” also refers to the enactment of the first Eucharist—which took place at The Last Supper—by Jesus? Remind you of anything?

I’m beginning to think that (at least a portion of) the finale will play out a little bit like the Passion, with betrayal and miracles, ultimately leading up to death, resurrection, and ascension. And because “everything that rises must converge,” I think that’s when the two timelines will finally do so.

Not to overload you with the Jesus stuff, but 10 days after Ascension Thursday (which is 40 days after Easter), the Holy Spirit descended upon Christ’s disciples (you know, allegedly). It’s known as the Pentecost. Guess when the feast of the Pentecost is celebrated this year: May 23rd. The series finale!

In Arthurian legend, Pentecost was the day on which King Arthur would gather all his knights at the round table for a feast, followed by a quest. It would seem like that’s kind of the direction in which Desmond is heading with the passengers of Oceanic 815. Will they be going to look for the Holy Grail aka the Island?

I’m not exactly sure what his plans are, but he definitely has a plan and he’s hellbent on showing the other Losties glimpses of their other lives. And he got to beat the crap out of Ben (again) as part of that.

Ben wasn’t even that mad about it, because he became a believer in Desmond (despite the fact that his flash sideways was of Desmond beating the crap out of him). In keeping with the mirrors theme of this season, Ben took a look at himself and seemed filled with remorse.

And maybe some knowledge of his other life. When he ran into Alex outside the school, he seemed momentarily uncomfortable around his favorite student. Perhaps he remembered how he was responsible for her death? And then he met her mother, Danielle Rousseau, who, unlike her Island counterpart, was all smiles and warmth and gratitude.

She told Ben that he’s the closest thing Alex has ever had to a father, which made Ben cry. I don’t necessarily think it was the sentiment that moved him, but rather, the guilt of what he had done in his other life.

Meanwhile back on the Island, Ben, Miles and Richard are heading back to New Otherton—where Miles had lived “30 years before [Ben] did, otherwise known as last week”—to grab Ben’s secret stash of C4 when Miles got “wonky around dead stuff.”

The “dead stuff” turned out to be Alex. Richard had buried her after Ben left the Island. Miles had obviously communed with her corpse, and it seemed like he was about to tell Ben something about it saying, “I don’t think that you…” when he got cut off.

Inside Ben’s old house, they went into his secret room, where Miles noticed the ancient door and asked if that led to a “secret-er” room.

Ben said, “That’s where I was told I could summon the monster. That’s before I realized that it was the one summoning me.” So, do you think that Smokey was posing as Ben’s mother back in the day when he would see her, you know, years after she died? Knowing that he had never even seen Jacob until he murdered him, I think we can safely say that Ben was playing on team MIB during his entire tenure with the Others, unbeknownst to him.

Then they ran into Widmore and Debbie Country, who discovered that Mocke was on his way to see them, and chose to hide in the secret closet. Ben decided that dying was better than hanging out with Widmore, and Miles decided to book it, while Richard decided that talking it out with a monster was the best solution.

Nos vemos en otra vida, hermano.

After he was done with Richard, Mocke approached Ben and, again, offered him the Island in exchange for helping him. This time, all alone, with his daughter’s grave in front of him, he took Mocke up on the offer. He immediately sold out Widmore, whom Mocke approached in the secret closet.

Any redemption that Ben had gained this season by joining up with the good guys seems to be completely gone. But I’m thinking that like Judas, Ben will eventually come back around to the good guys.

Flashing over to sideways world, Desmond turned himself in for beating the crap out of Ben and mowing down Locke with his car. It was all part of his master plan to be placed in a holding cell with Kate and Sayid.

It’s kinda funny how these are the three people who brought the Island, at various points in time, while held captive by another. But not all coincidences are fate. Or are they? (I keep typing “fart” instead of “fate.” My fingers have been eating Super Bran.)

While being transported from the county jail to some other jail, Desmond tempted Sayid and Kate with the promise of escape, as long as they promised to do what he asked. He arranged this jailbreak by bribing a cop, who turned out to be Ana Lucia.

And the bribe was supplied by Hurley, who seems to have total recall of his other life, and recognized her immediately.

As she walked away, he asked Desmond, “She’s not coming with us?” (The response being, “No, she’s not ready.”) So that begs the question: Where are they going? I’m not sure if it’s their final destination, but Desmond told Kate that they are going to a concert. He gave her a dress to wear.

So I’m pretty sure that the concert is the charity event for the museum. You know, the one that the Widmores are organizing. The one at which Daniel Faraday wanted to combine classical and rock music. The rock is supposed to be supplied by Drive Shaft, while I’m thinking that the classical will be supplied by the conservatory of which Jack’s son David is a member. (Remember how in the beginning of the episode he asked Jack if he was coming to his concert.) Miles will also be there, as will Dr. Chang, Charlotte, Widmore’s blended family, and Jack’s mystery ex-wife. (Juliet?) And I’m sure that Jack will bring his sister/house guest Claire along. (Who wants to bet that she’ll go into labor while there?) I think that this will be the feast at the gathering at the round table, before they embark on a quest. Boarding a plane might be involved.

And while Desmond is pulling strings in the sideways universe, back on the Island, Jack is pulling thread through Kate’s wound (mirroring the stitches she gave him in the pilot episode).

Everyone is completely distraught over the deaths of their friends. The know immediately that they need to kill Mocke, but not before taking a moment to grieve, as they look out on the ocean while debris from the sub washes ashore.

Jack intends to find Desmond, as Sayid told him to do, but before he gets a chance to do that, Hurley sees Jacob’s boy ghost, who demands his ashes. I still don’t understand why his shirt has grommets if he’s supposed to be from ancient times.

Hurley chases him, and finds grownup Jacob by a fire. He’s instructed to bring his friends back there for a powwow. He does, and to Hurley’s surprise, they can all see and hear Jacob. Jacob gives them all the 411 on the Island. (Apparently, Kate was crossed off as a candidate because she had become a mother. So does that mean that Jin was actually the real candidate all along, and not Sun?)

Jacob said he wanted to give the candidates what he didn’t have: A choice. Jack chooses his choice and steps up for the job, and Hurley makes a comment, saying, “I’m just glad it’s not me.” Foreshadowing? Then Jack drinks the magic drink, and is officially the new Jacob. He asks Jacob, “How long am I gonna have to do this job?” Jacob replies, “As long as you can.”

I don’t think it will be very long. I think Jack might die really soon. I think he might get his throat slit. I think that’s why he keeps getting that recurring neck wound in the sideways world.

And then I think all hell will break loose. Could it involve the destruction of the Island (as per Mocke’s plans with Desmond, essentially making his promise to Ben totally null and void)? Or will Desmond gather the gang together in the sideways world and travel to the Island (in 2004) to course correct the whole deal?