"This Place Is Death"

Episode 5 was quite a doozy, don'tcha think!  There was a lot that happened, so I apologize now for the length of this recap!

Since the episode begins off-island, let's review that first...

While still in her car watching Ben and Jack, Sun gets a phone call from her mother, who wants her to come home.  Sun also talks to her daughter, Ji-Yeon, telling her, "I met a new friend for you in America.  His name is Aaron." (I totally thought Sun was going to pull a fast one, and try to keep Aaron for herself, but that didn't happen... whew!)

Anyway, Sun then goes to confront Ben and reveals she blames Ben for Jin's death.  Ben tells Sun that Jin is not dead and he can prove it.  Kate angrily leaves with Aaron... and Sayid leaves as well, leaving only Jack and Sun to go with Ben to find the person in L.A. who not only has proof Jin is alive, but can also help them get back to the island.

In the van, Jack apologizes to Sun for leaving Jin behind.  Sun wants to know if Jack is telling her this now so that she won't kill Ben.  Jack then says that after what Ben just did to Kate, "if you don't do it Sun, I will."  Ben then pulls the van over and berates Jack and Sun, telling them they have no idea what he's done to keep them safe (safe from... Widmore?)

The van finally pulls up to a church and the three get out.  Ben gives Jin's ring to Sun, saying Jin had given it to Locke.  Jack points out that Ben said Locke never came to see him, to which Ben replies he went to see Locke (does this mean Ben was the last person to see Locke alive?)  Ben says there is a woman named Eloise Hawking in the church who can help them get back to the island...

As they start to walk to the church, someone comes out of the shadows...

It's Desmond!  He asks Ben, "Are you looking for Faraday's mother, too?"... to which Ben looks a bit confused.  Inside the church, Eloise Hawking is lighting more candles, and wants to know why Ben only brought four of them.  Ben replies it was the best he could do on short notice... the episode ends with Eloise saying. "Well, let's get started."

Now, let's get to what happened on the island (which I personally find a lot more interesting!)...

Jin, while back on the beach with the Frenchies (Danielle, Robert, Montand, Nadine, Brennan and Lacombe), starts to flip out when he's told that the year is 1988.  He wants to get back to his camp to find his wife, but Danielle convinces him to first take her team to the radio tower, then they will go to Jin's camp.  

Making their way through the jungle, the team realizes Nadine is missing and wants to look for her, but Jin is adamant they continue to the tower.  While searching for Nadine, they hear a noise, which Jin recognizes.  A tree is uprooted and then Nadine's dead body falls to the ground!  The group runs, but the smoke monster catches Montand and drags him through the jungle and into a hole near what looks to be some ancient temple (remember when Smokey did the same thing to Locke?!  Drug him through the jungle and tried to take him down a hole, but he was saved by Jack?!)

The rest of the group manages to grab Montand's arm before the monster can pull him through the hole... but the monster wraps around Montand's arm and cuts. it. off! (Dude! was that not hardcore?!)  Montand then calls out, saying he is hurt and needs help.  The Frenchies decide to enter the hole, though Jin warns them not to.  He does manage to convince Danielle not to go.  As Jin and Danielle wait while the rest of the Frenchies enter the hole, there is a time flash.  

Jin finds himself alone outside the temple.  (Is this the same temple Ben has said was the "last safe place on this island?"... the same temple he told Alex to go to, to get away from Keamy?  AND what's with the hieroglyphics on the wall... they look to be the same that were on the countdown clock in the hatch...)

Jin makes his way back to the beach to find a small camp... he also finds the dead bodies of Brennan and Lacombe.  Jin hears voices arguing, and finds Danielle and Robert (her baby-daddy) both pointing rifles at each other.  Danielle says Robert has been "infected" by the monster, but Robert insists the monster isn't a monster, but just a "security system for the temple."  He convinces Danielle that he still loves her... but when Danielle lowers her rifle, Robert raises his and shoots!  However, his gun malfunctions... and Danielle shoots Robert.  When Jin sees this, he calls out... Danielle aims and shoots at him, saying he disappeared and must be infected, too.  Jin runs back into the jungle and another time flash...

Jin finds Sawyer... the two embrace (this was the best reunion of the whole show... other than Des and Penny, of course!) and Sawyer tries to explain to Jin about their time traveling.  

Here's one of the best lines from the show:

Sawyer is having trouble explaining to Jin what's happening... he turns to Miles, wanting Miles to translate.  To which Miles replies, "He's Korean.  I'm from Encino."

Turns out, Charlotte can speak Korean and tells Jin that Locke needs to get to the Orchid station in order to leave the island.  On the way there, time flashes occur twice, back-to-back and Charlotte collapses.  She speaks to Jin first in Korean, then English, warning him not to "bring her back" (her being Sun?  or Ji-Yeon?  or both?) because "this place is death."  Juliet and Sawyer both experience nosebleeds (Nnnooooooooooo!)  Daniel asks for help carrying Charlotte but Locke refuses, saying she'll only slow them down.  Daniel decides to stay with Charlotte while the rest head on to the Orchid.  Sawyer wants to know what they'll do if the Orchid isn't there due to the time flash... Charlotte tells them to "look for the well."  

On the way to the Orchid/well, Miles gets a nosebleed.  

The group finds the Orchid, but as soon as they arrive, there is yet another time flash... the Orchid has disappeared.  Locke then finds the well.  

Locke attempts to climb down, but Jin stops him to first make Locke promise not to bring Sun back to the island.  Locke agrees not to look for Sun, but what if Sun comes to him?  Jin wants Locke to tell Sun that he is dead and gives his wedding ring to Locke as proof.  

Meanwhile, Charlotte begins to tell Daniel how she grew up on the island, that she moved away with her mother and never saw her dad again.  Her mother would say the island was not real... and that is why Charlotte became an anthropologist, so that she could find the island again.  Charlotte tells Daniel she remembers a "crazy man" who told her "they had to leave the island and never ever come back"... that she would die if she came back.  Daniel says he's confused, why is Charlotte telling him this.  Charlotte's reply: "Daniel, I think that man was YOU!"

A few moments later, Charlotte dies.  

Back at the well, as Locke is descending the rope, there is a time flash and he falls.  Sawyer is left holding a rope that leads to solid dirt... the well is gone.  

Locke has fallen and broken his leg (anyone else wonder what is up with Locke's legs?  First he can't walk... he's had a hatch door shut on them, been shot in the leg by Ethan, now one is broken...)

Christian Shepherd appears and tells Locke he is here to help him the rest of the way and how to fix the donkey wheel so he can turn it, which he reminds Locke he had told him to do, not Ben.  Christian also tells Locke that dying is part of the meaning of sacrifice.  Locke finds the donkey wheel and turns it...

Christian tells Locke "say hi to my son."  Locke asks who is his son, but before Christian can answer, the room is engulfed by light.  

And here endeth the recap... now, let us discuss..