Thursday, February 12, 2009

"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..



26 comments:

Shannon said...

I'm actually a bit sad Charlotte has died... her story was gettin' good! I cannot wait to know more about Daniel being the "crazy" man Charlotte remembers when she was a little girl!

Shannon said...

Here's another thought of mine I'm going to throw out...


What if Charlotte is Daniel's daughtger?!!?! We know he cares about her... and has said he'd never do anything to hurt her. Charlotte says she thinks the "crazy man" she remembers as a girl is Daniel... she also says she never saw her father again after she and her mother left the island. Daniel was on the island back in the 1970s... we know this from the 1st episode from this season when he bumped into Halliwax at the Orchid.

Shannon said...

But I've got another theory about Daniel being on the island before...

WHAT IF THEY ALL ARE BACK IN THE 70s?!!?!?

What I mean is, say when Locke turned the wheel, the time flashes stopped, meaning the ones on the island are no longer skipping through time...

They are now stuck in time! This is how Daniel finds Charlotte to tell her not to come back to the island. (And LULA, this would explain that photo in the last EW!!!)

Vickie said...

I am new here. I saw this site over at Mindless Junque.

I also loved the reunion between Jin and Sawyer. It was a feel good moment for me. So sad TV does that for me:)

At first I was thinking that maybe Ben was Charlotte's father. You know, the Mom leaving with Charlotte from the Island. Then telling her you are making stuff up. I think the Mom was escaping from crazy Ben.

How can they get started when everybody is not there yet?!

p.s. I am trying to follow your blog, but the widget will not let me. Is this a private blog, then I am sorry to intrude.

Rebecca Jo said...

I was gasping at all times of this show...

so did the Frenchies who went down the hole - what happened to them - the guy was ready to kill Rousseu!!!

I totally thought Sun was going to snatch Aaron too!!!

And I thought the same thing about Locke's legs... cant wait to see if he's paralyzed when he gets off the island...

Lula! said...

I have to watch again...'cause I had to view it on abc.com this morning, due to the tornado and our power outage. So I didn't have complete and utter silence.

Will rewatch...then comment accordingly.

Great recap, Shannon. You rock.
p.s. Sawyer and Jin? Yeah...I totally almost cried. That. Was. Awesome. Look how far they've come. A few months ago they wanted to kill each other. Sigh...

FROGGITY! said...

Okay. Top moments: 1) Eloise Hawking (I saw it coming, but it's always nice to be vindicated with regard to LOST). 2) Locke going down the well, looking directly at Miles and saying 'I'll see you later' -- was that because Miles can talk to the dead?! Cool. 3) Charlotte's revelations. 4) FINALLY seeing a backstory on Rousseau. I have been waiting for that for 5 seasons!

I felt this episode was dark, creepy, and AWESOME. I loved it. The name 'this place is death' totally fit it.

I want to know if Locke putting the wheel back on track caused them all to be caught in one specific time. Will the flashes stop? And if so, will they all be caught in 2004 or 1970 or ancient days? So curious.

Jill@Barnes Yard said...

I was kind of saddened last night because it felt like the show was wrapping itself up...I don't want it to ever end!!
Anyway, Charlotte plays the best dying girl! I felt sorry for Dilbert when she died. I really, really hope he is not her dad. It seemed like she knew the difference between her dad and the scary guy. I love all of Myles' witty remarks. What was the deal with the washed up music box and violin? Am I missing something?

Kristen said...

I was wondering if Charlotte is Daniel's daughter, too!! And then I thought I was being all crazy and making things up. But now that dear Shannon has mentioned here I am wondering if I was on to something...

This episode was awesome. So much happened and I felt like we were progressing forward toward more answers with it.

I was so happy when Jin found our peeps -- he and Sawyer with their adorable little moment. So cute.

And I actually felt bad about Charlotte. I didn't think I would since I am not a fan but I did. Especially when she started talking about being on the Island before as a child.

I'm wondering about Locke's legs too! I said that to my husband last night. Locke really needs to be more careful with his limbs. ; )

So much goodness in this 'sode.

Melissa said...

Definitely one of the most answer-filled episodes. I agree about being sad because it feels like they are wrapping things up. I don't want the madness to end.

I have no new theories. I'm spent. I just sat there when Christian, a.k.a. Jacob, came out. I freaked. That whole scene was incredible.

Loved. loved. loved. this epi'. Smoke monster....rather gruesome, but I loved it. That whole thing is still a mystery to me. What's up with Rousseau's man getting up all in her face with the gun? What did that tunnel do to change him? Why does Charlotte speak Korean? I know we established that she could much earlier, but I still am mystified as to why she knows the language.

Okay, anyone else get the chills when Charlotte said Daniel was the crazy guy? Why did she just tell him that then? Did she remember at that moment or did she always know?

I could just go on and on and on with my inquisition about this show. In the end I hope it lives up to all it seems to be.

Denise Grover Swank said...

Did anyone else realize that if Jin hadn't stopped Danielle, she would have gone down into the temple underground? She obviously didn't go the first time, because the other members of her team got "the sickness" and she didn't. So who stopped her the first time? Jin? Daniel says they can't change the past. But Danielle would surely remember a Korean man who disappeared before her eyes, and she didn't let on that she knew him in previous seasons.

I was excited to see Sawyer and Jin hugging so exuberantly. Sawyer is a changed man. I felt sorry for Sawyer when the well disappeared with Locke still in it. He finally starts attaching to people and they keep "leaving" him.

Denise Grover Swank said...

I don't think that Daniel is Charlotte's father. She seems to remember her father and she remembers Daniel as "scary." (He must have been wearing his tie.) but I think we'll see Charlotte again as a little girl.

Denise Grover Swank said...

Okay, one more thing. I hope we find out why Charlotte speaks Korean!

Denise Grover Swank said...

Okay, something else. Why do you think that Ben moved the island? Do you think he really thought he was supposed to do it or was he setting Locke up?

Oh yeah, I did my own recap on my blog There's Always Room For One More, if you're interested. http://www.theresalwaysroomforonemore.com/2009/02/lost-episode-505-this-place-is-death.html

SunshineBarlowe.com said...

I'm a bit overwhelmed. This was a great recap..

I was a bit saddened (to my surprise) that Charlotte died.. and shocked by her revelation. Maybe she is Daniel's daughter? Weird.

Loved the reunion between Sawyer and Jin.
And when Desmond came walking through the shadows - he looked more handsome than he has ever looked (Lula - I know you were happy).

The smoke monster was referred to as "the islands security system"...so what does it do..drag people down to the hole, brain wash them, then have everyone kill everyone?

I wish I had more to say but this show has me baffled.

As usual.

Jill@Barnes Yard said...

You know what I love? That Danielle was this cute, little cherub faced girl and she turned into a gun toting, trap setting, bad @$$ woman.

Manic Mommy said...

Has anyone thought of Charlotte as Whitmore's daughter/Penny's sister? I don't know if the timing would line up.

I think that Ben is just plain 'bad' and planned to move and leave the island for his own reasons.

Tony C said...

Has anyone seen themselves in a different time period? Have I missed this?

Knowing things can't be changed in the time continuum (as explained by Daniel), when are they that Charlotte dies? They would have to be back in present day or in the future. If she died in the past, it would change the timeline.

Sawyer is losing it! He's going to crack before the end...sorry ladies.

Evolving Mommy Catherine said...

My first thought when Charlotte said that Daniel was the mean man who had told her she could never come back or she would die was that during one of the time jumps Daniel and the island losties make a stop in Darma time. Remember when we saw Daniel in the tunnel with the workers in the season opener? I figured Daniel talked to young Charlotte in an attempt to scare her into not coming back to the island and therefore changing her future...but it didn't work.

Probably Daniels lame attempt at trying to change the future and save her life.

It never occurred to me that Widmore could be Charlotte's dad too. Hmmmm, that's an interesting thought.

Evolving Mommy Catherine said...

My first thought when Charlotte said that Daniel was the mean man who had told her she could never come back or she would die was that during one of the time jumps Daniel and the island losties make a stop in Darma time. Remember when we saw Daniel in the tunnel with the workers in the season opener? I figured Daniel talked to young Charlotte in an attempt to scare her into not coming back to the island and therefore changing her future...but it didn't work.

Probably Daniels lame attempt at trying to change the future and save her life.

It never occurred to me that Widmore could be Charlotte's dad too. Hmmmm, that's an interesting thought.

Ash said...

I want to wet kiss the writers for quickly clearing up the whole Jin time travel thing!!

Thank you, thank you for not making us keep track of another person on another level!! I imagine that is important - that people can't get "lost" (ha). The same people always travel together.

Personally, I'm thrilled that Charlotte is dead, so that they can stop showing that horrible in previous episode shot of her bleeding and stumbling - enough!

VERY good episode.

www.AForestFrolic.typepad.com said...

Wicked scene where the smoke monster ripped off frenchies arm :-( And I too loved when Jin and Sawyer reunited. I'm dieing to find out who Charlotte's dad is, interesting...to say the least. And weird that Daniel is the 'scary man.' And I do wonder how the french men changed after going down that hole? Why did Danielle kill them all (and why did her baby daddy try to shoot her)...I'm so confused, ahhh! Wondering what Sun is up too, I really thought she was going to snatch Aaron too. And yes, I will cry when Lost ends for good too.

Jamie :-)

Rhea said...

I was bummed Charlotte died also. She was a good character. I hope we learn more about her back-story. Someone who lived on the island is bound to have a good story! And we need to know who her parents are...

Christian Shepherd is such a mystery to me. He's dead. And he seems integral to the island. What's going on with him. And what's up with CLAIRE?!!

AP Mommy said...

Ok - so I think that the two babies - Aaron and Ji-Yeon are going to be paired up eventually while the adults go back to the island and it won't be a kidnapping sorta thing I think Kate will go along with it.

Then somehow Claire will wonder where Aaron is when Kate comes back to the island... although I think Claire is dead and that's why she can acknowledge her father now since he's also dead - but that all confuses me.

Also how are they going to fix the time gap? Has 3 years past on the island when the 6 (4, 5, ??) go back since off the island that is what has happened. Or does Aaron once again become 2 months old and Ji-Yean back into utero? Or does time pass slower on the island and they've only been there 90ish days?

I loved this episode!!!! Great recap!

Evolving Mommy Catherine said...

I am wondering if the children will even make the trip back to the island. Logically how can Sun get to Ji-Yeon and still make it to the island with everyone else in time? And why didn't Ben mention Aaron when he was telling Jack who needed to go back? Any ideas?

Miss Blondie said...

I love your new theory Shannon! Maybe they are all stuck in the 70's!!! As usual, it was another fantastic episode!! Loved it! But do you think that maybe Christian is Jacob?? I really want to know who Jacob is. Or maybe he has been time traveling and thats why no one can see him and only a few can hear him???