“What They Died For” is a big improvement over last week’s allegedly monumental episode. Not to mention it is an exciting set up for the series finale on Sunday. All this in spite of a few flaws which I will get to as we go along.2007
It is fascinating we received more answers in this episode than the previous one even though it was advertised as revealing the story behind the story. So all along Jacob was grooming potential candidates to take over his job. He chose them as candidates because they were lost--no pun intended--and had nothing else in life. Kate’s name was crossed off because she adopted Aaron and therefore found someone. Not that her status would prevent her for replacing Jacob as the island’s guardian. But Jack, Sawyer, and Hurley fit the alone and searching bill as advertised by Jacob.
They all have a choice whether they want the job. Jack, of course, steps forward to take it. Is anyone surprised? Sawyer quipped that Jack’s god complex was insufferable before he took on the job, which is exactly what I was thinking. It is too predictable for jack to be the one. While he has had a journey from skeptical man of science to a man of faith ready to accept he has adestiy, he hasstill been the de facto leader the entire time. For him to keep the role is too much. I think there is someone else.
Two guesses here:
Desmond--Back in “Lihthouse,” hurley was supposed to send a signal so someone with the surname ’Wallace” could find the island. Wallace has Scottish origins. When jack smashed the lighthouse, Jacob told Hurley not to worry because Wallace could find another way. Desmond did, albeit against his will. The question, aside from how one gets Wallace from Desmond David Hume, is howisdesmond lost and searching when he has Penny and Charlie. Perhaps Jacob considers him a restless soul regardless of his family.
Ji Yeon--They have made a big deal out of the name Kwon being on the wall, but not specifying Jin or Sun. Maybe it is ji Yeon. Now that her parentsaredead, she isall alone in the world. I would like to see how theriter’s pull that off. Maybe she replaces Jack at some point in the future?
I do not know, but I think I will ultimately be disappointed if Jack winds up the focal point of the entire series. Such would make the entire series about a character who was not supposed to survive the pilot.
I still feel less gypped about that than when we finally meet back up with Bwen, Richard, and Miles. They encounter Widmore andZoeat Ben’s old home when going for the C4. To blow up the Ajira 316 plane. DarkLockeshows up and kills Richard in an anticlimactic manner. the character’s demise deserved a little more pizzazz. Ben teams up with DarkLocke and is promised the island oce DarkLocke escapes. Ben agrees, then kills Widmore thanks to miles reminding him Alex was killed his men.
Zoe gets her throat cut in the middle of all this, so that is three characters dead about five minutes apart. The emotional impact of these deaths is severely diminished by how fast they come and nonchalantly they are killed. I seem to be in a minority of fans who believes this. It does not feel trite the writers are getting rid ofcharactersthey no loger have use for just to be killing them off/
Ben and DarkLocke head to the well to get Desmond, but he has escaped. Clues point to Bernard and Rose having helped him, but that is just my guess. According to Widmore, desmond isa failsafeshouldall the candidates be killed. DarkLocke wants to use him to destroy the island. Wait…did he not jst promise the island to ben fifteen minutes ago? Plot hole or another lie? Hoping Ben will not notice, I guess.
2004
The flash sideways isall set up for the inevitable gatherig of everyone at David’s concert. It would appear everyone has hadan epiphany of some sort. Ben recognizes Desmond from beating the livig snot out of him in reality. Desmond has convinced Hurley to help gather everyone toether. Desmond gets himself arrested and is implausibly placed in a cell near Kateand Sayid. They escape by bribig Ana-Lucia. Neat to to see her again. Locke decides he wants to have thespinal surgery he refused earlier.
Thakstosome trowaway lines, I assume sawyer, Miles, ad Juliet (Jack’sex-wife,?) will show up at David’s cocert. I do not know how the kwonses will fit in--or if they even do. Nor am I certain why Ben, who has a much happier life in the flash sideways, will want to revert back to reality. I got hints that he, Rousseau, and Alex have the makings of the family he has always wanted. Wewill see.
I liked ’What they Died For” in spite of it problems. Iam not feeling the deaths, I am disappointed by Jack’s fate and DarkLocke‘s reversal on giving Ben the island between commercial breaks did not resonate. Hopefully, itwill all become more meaningful for Sunday’s series finale.
Ratig: *** (out of 5)
