Wow. This episode was so cool. I loved it when sawyer and jack had their little discussion and you almost saw a human side to sawyer er john or whatever hsi name his now. And he was getting on kate's case for being a fugitive and lying about her past? Pot meet kettle.

I loved how they showed some new people who where on the flight but not in the front half of the plane. Like the mexican lady who was talking to jack at the bar. The worst part is over? Wonder what thats about.

Great to see Jin show his feelings for Sun. It must have been incredibly difficult for him to do so.

Speaking of feeligns when Arzt came running out of the jungle with the monster (some security system I'm not sure if i want one for my farm or not have to wait and see if its paper trained) behind him I wasnt sure what was goign to happen. Of course Locke had his jedi powers to help him keep calm, Or something.

The Black Rock is a 18th century sailing ship? Whoa.... Where are they going with that? I looked it up in google but didnt find anythign really definitive, cornwallhas a feature in their harbor called that, the black rock canal, the black rock yacht club, a few other things but nothing about disappearing ships with that name (just in case there was somethign to that).

So wonder what next week's two hour will bring. Looks like a bumpy ride and I'm not just talking about on the raft.

I didn't catch what Sawyer's real last name was. Anyone remember?

Boone was actually in this ep, unlike last week when he was credited anyway. Wonder how many more flashbacks he'll have in the future.

The Blackrock being a old ship is very interesting. Seems this island's been doing it's thing for quite a while. Maybe Adam and Eve really were Adam and Eve! ;)

How would blowing the hatch open help them hide? How would they reclose it if it was damaged?

What was it? "If you want to keep a secret don't tell the fat guy." LOL

Security system? W? T? F?

Can't wait for next week. If something happens to Turnip Head, they HAVE to have some jerk say "maybe a dingo ate your baby" to Claire. If not I'll never watch again! (Until next season, anyway...)

It was very subtle (if it happened at all) but at the very beginning of the show during the Michael/Walt flashback, did we see Walt call the elevator in the hotel with his mind? Michael is chasing Walt down the hallway, and Walt is racing for the elevator. Walt goes off camera for a second while they switch shots back and forth, but it seemed to me that when we heard the "ding" of the arriving elevator, Walt is still two or three steps away from the button (I rewound it a few times to see--how did we live before TIVO?). It could be just an editing mistake that I am reading too much into or maybe I am just way too into this show, but I think that was a subtle clue. Anyone else catch that?

Of course Australian hotels might just have Star Trek technology installed in all their hotels... That would be cool too.

Anon, I believe it was Forth.

This was quite an episode. Considering the long goodbyes I figured they wouldn't just get out 20 feet into the ocean and then sink...

I don't know that the flashbacks this time were all that important or revealing. We had what? Four? Walt and Michael. Boone (sniff!) and Sharon (and Sayid). Kate and the marshal (OK - so we were told all about the little plane). Jack and the woman at the bar. One of my concerns is that for budgetary reasons they would spend more time on flashbacks next season than on the island story. The island scenes sure made up for it though.

As soon as Arzt went along on the trip I thought "Redshirt." Even he seemed surprised that he didn't get killed.

The scenes between Jack and Sawyer, and Jin and Sun were both very affecting.

If I'd taped it, I might have been able to translate the Korean that Sun wrote into English. I can read it phonetically.

The woman talking to Jack at the airport. Could that have been her comic book that Walt was reading? It was in Spanish. ("Everyone is connected.") (BTW, what's so strange about drinking at 10 to noon? )

A lot of questions were answered, but more raised. I like that.

Just checked the official web site and it was Ford, not Forth.

Regarding flashbacks, there was also Sawyer and Jin and Sun.

Influx, you forgot the Sawyer flashback, which is highly relevant in view of his treatment of Kate.

Thought there were more -- memory ain't what it used to be... (btw, I was 18 when the very first Star Wars came out -- "no bloody Episode IV, B, C, or D"! Only tangentially related to this thread because the (ostensibly) final Star Wars premiered late the night this episode aired.)

I was looking on the offical website to see if their pictures where any clearer of the raft to see somethign that was bothering me last night.

In some ways it looked like they took a catamaran and laid bamboo over the pontoons to make it look primitiveish or whatever you wanna call it.

James Ford is Sawyer's real name. Too bad it wasn't John Ford then it would be a great nod to a master director.

One thing though about the radar unit if they just tie it to the mast it will only tell them what is out there in one direction so I wonder if they'll take that into account or not. Also radar signals can eb picked up further than you can get a return on so it might help them to have it since a sporadic radar signal in an area where there isnt supposed to be one (especially aircraft band radar at ocean level) might draw some attention. Although that is another thing with the low height they'll have a lot less range. But also the antenna will increase the radar return of the raft.

So should be interesting. I can't wait for the next week's two hour wild ride.

Good first half of the finale.

---Note:
In the closing scene of Act 2 of this episode, Sawyer finally tells Jack about his meeting with his dad in the bar in Australia a week before the plane crash, which was seen back in Outlaws.
---Leslie Arzt is the doctor/teacher's full name, and he teaches ninth grade, as revealed near the end of Act 3.
---There's a wooden sailing ship on the island.

Hurley asks in the closing scene of Act 1 how they know they can all fit inside the pod. Locke responds that there's no handle on the outside, which means that there must be another way in, and another entrance means more space. Huh? What the hell is he talking about? What does another entrance have to do with more space? What if the "other entrance" is underneath, most of the pod is what's already visible? For that matter, what makes Locke think there's another entrance? The pod could've been sealed off around whatever it's holding, perhaps without any intention on the part of its creators for anyone to get in or out.

Danielle says there are three options when the Others come: Run. Hide. Die. What about fight? And why doesn't she tell the castaways who or what these "others" are?

Which ep(s) established that James Ford are Sawyer's real first and last names?

And I almost forgot: The scene in which Jin and Sun reconciled was wonderful.

I think Sawyer's full name came out in this one, in the flashback in the police station.

I thought of "fight" as the third option, before she said "die".

I had the impression that the ship was petrified rather than wooden, hence calling it the Black "Rock". OK, I know it was originally wood.

If he doesn't like being called "Leslie", what's his aversion to being called "Les"?

Maybe Locke knows that there's enough space inside because he saw inside it? Remember the light that came on when he was looking in the window. Still, I can see how it doesn't follow from what he told the others.

But do we know that that is in fact his real name, and not an alias?

And yeah, I thought of "Les" too, Influx.

We know it is his real name as the cop read it out of his file and didnt make any smart remark about it.

I mentioned that last week when we say the coming attractions for this week. She could be a bit more forthcoming with infor, but then again maybe she doesnt have that info. And she might not have said fight as an option as they may be immune to bullets or somethign and she has tried to fight?

And maybe he doesnt like being called less as in less is more or something?

BTW, what's so strange about drinking at 10 to noon?

Influx, I've been meaning to talk to you, and well, I'm worried that you might have a drinking problem.



We know it is his real name as the cop read it out of his file and didnt make any smart remark about it.

Plus he seemed, to me at least, a little concerned when the cop said it, like "holy c.r.a.p, how'd you find that out!?"

Danielle says there are three options when the Others come: Run. Hide. Die. What about fight?

In her opinion the others can't be beat. Fight = Die.

James Ford is Sawyer's real name. Too bad it wasn't John Ford then it would be a great nod to a master director.

Yeah, but there's already a John on the island. Not that there couldn't be two, but they tend not to like doing that on TV or movies, even though it happens ALL THE TIME in real life that people have the same name.

Well, if my highly improbable theory that they're on R'lyeh is correct, then the monster must be Cthulhu and fighting would definitely not be an option.

Pretty good episode. My tape ends when the raft sails though. What happens afterward? It cut to the black smoke and then my tape ended.

The scene between Jack and Sawyer was good. As was the one between Shannon and Walt. The one between Jin and Sun was the best though. These actors know how their stuff.

I was glad to hear the "security system" return. When it stomped right before the commercial I had to rewind it to make sure I'd heard what I thought I'd heard.

Seeing that ship in the middle of the island was pretty cool. Was Black Rock actually its name?

Maybe the island is artificial. Or someone is running something on it.

Luigi Novi: Danielle says there are three options when the Others come: Run. Hide. Die. What about fight? And why doesn't she tell the castaways who or what these "others" are?
My guess is that she believes that trying to fight them will only lead to Option #3. I can understand why she doesn't explain to them exactly who "the others" are. She doesn't seem to be all there. My question is why don't the castaway press her until she does tell them exactly who they are (Sayid does bring up the fact that they have no info. or intelligence on these people)? Are they afraid she'll shoot them if they interrogate a little.

JoshM -- That was where this episode ended, so you didn't miss anything (except next week's previews!)

When it cuts to black and you hear that "thoonk" sound -- that's it.

I believe the backstories were really just Walt, Kate, Sawyer, Sun, and Shannon. That other characters appeared in their flashbacks just illustrates how they're all connected. I assume we'll see Michael's tonight... along with Jack, Locke, Jin, Hurley, Claire, and Pippin... errr... Charlie.

I agree about Rousseau and why fighting is not an option. Fight equals die, in her opinion.

I'm also very suspicious of Arzt. First he was trying to stop them from launching the raft. Now, he's going along with the group to find the dynamite. He's also the one to attract the "monster".

This is a stretch... but Arzt is an anagram of "Zrat", or (as Rousseau might say) "zee rat." It's also an anagram of "tzar" (which brings the Romanovs to mind).

A good episode, even if they forgot to include a backstory for Charlie at the airport.

Walt was revealed to be quite a brat in the beginning of the ep: he throws a tantrum and flees because dad won't let him watch the "Power Rangers" (or something similar) at 5:23 in the morning.

Arzt is rather insensitive. He tells Jack not to leave secrets with the "fat guy" (Hurly). He's not exactly "Mr. Anorexic" himself. Teach also refers to Rousseau as "Madame Nutso". I would hardly consider someone who survives 16 years on an island alone to be "nuts". Eccentric, maybe (many people would be talking nonstop to themselves after 16 years, she doesn't). Of course, from a realistic perspective, the survivors would be angered by her vague answers, but it's understandable from a dramatic point of view. Artz's cries in the jungle sounded very much like a chimpanzee.

I like that an explanation was given for how Kate came back into contact with that toy plane, though it was far-fetched of course.

Sawyer's talk with Jack reinforced the idea that Sawyer has a heart, despite what the Australian Police said about him earlier.

At the airport, Shannon seemed to come off as mean-spirited when she informed security that an "Arab" man left a bag behind. It does raise the fact of how difficult travel would be for Sayid, today, with all the "racial-profiling" (terrorism, etc).

Walt's talk with Shannon was awkward. He didn't have to insult her intelligence by implying she could hold conversations with the dog. At the eps end, Walt convinces the swimming dog to turn back. Unlikely, to say the least. Most children with dogs would be so attached to them that they would fight to take the dog along. Many people couldn't part with their pet, though he did leave Shannon to care for the dog.

I also liked how Sun gave Jin notes with Korean/English words. At least the writer addressed the concern of how the heck Jin would communicate with the other survivors.

The Black Rock...what's a 300 year old sailing ship doing on the island? In a tropical island, it should have rotted and fallen to pieces long ago. It's sails are still standing though.

The end shot of the raft looked very "Waterworld-ish".

I doubt they forgot anyone's backstory. We didn't see backstories for Jack, Locke, Claire, Hurley, Sayid, Michael or Jin, either. Methinks they'll be in Part 2 tonight.

Actually it didnt seem too far fetched for me. The marshal discovered or figured out the importance of the plane and put it there for bait.

I'm not sure walt meant she could have a conversation with him (unless walt can understand animals and doesnt think it important enough to tell people, or he told them off camera and they went yeah right kid) but more she could talk to the dog and get her feeligns out. I bet he did that quite a bit. Sometimes you don't need to have another side to the conversation to at least feel better. Also Walt gave shannon the dog because he knew she was hurting more than he would hurt it seemed to me. As for the dog going back maybe it did understand him, felt the force of the island and knew his destiny was back there or somethign else. Who knows for sure.

The saisl where not standing. A couple of the masts where though.

Walt was revealed to be quite a brat in the beginning of the ep: he throws a tantrum and flees because dad won't let him watch the "Power Rangers" (or something similar) at 5:23 in the morning. - Rona

Don't be so hard on him, Rona. His mom died. Then the man who raised him abandons him, and he's left with some stranger who claims to be his father. Give the kid a break. Walt is also used to getting what he wants (presumably because his adoptive father was afraid of him).


I would hardly consider someone who survives 16 years on an island alone to be "nuts". - Rona

Well, I don't call a woman who would capture and torture total strangers completely sane, either. She's clearly not playing with a full deck.


At the airport, Shannon seemed to come off as mean-spirited when she informed security that an "Arab" man left a bag behind. - Rona

Or responsible. I mean, most airports I've been to make constant announcements to report people who leave their baggage with you.


The Black Rock...what's a 300 year old sailing ship doing on the island? In a tropical island, it should have rotted and fallen to pieces long ago. - Rona

Why assume it's 300 years old?

Darth Sarcasm: We didn't see [a backstory] for Jack
Yeah we did. We see his conversation with Michelle Rodriguez.

Rona: At the eps end, Walt convinces the swimming dog to turn back. Unlikely, to say the least. Most children with dogs would be so attached to them that they would fight to take the dog along. Many people couldn't part with their pet, though he did leave Shannon to care for the dog.
Well, he's already decided to and accepted leaving Vincent behind. And he knows that there isn't room on the raft and he probably doesn't want Vincent to drown/get eaten. The island is the safest place for the dog to be.

Rona: I would hardly consider someone who survives 16 years on an island alone to be "nuts".
Luigi Novi: What does one have to do with the other? It seems that you're confusing intelligence with sanity. The fact that she possesed the strength, intelligence and determination to survive there for 16 years doesn't mean that 16 years of isolation might not have a considerable emotional or mental effect on her.

I assume we'll see Michael's tonight... along with Jack, Locke, Jin, Hurley, Claire, and Pippin... errr... Charlie.

Um... Merry. Not Pippin.

Maybe I didn't look closely enough, but could you see the name of the ship in the shot in this episode? I didn't realize that the name was the "Black Rock" until the next ep.

Did anyone else see the "missing scene" that was shown on Good Morning America this morning? I'm posting here rather than Part 2 because I believe it occurs before Jack, Kate, et al. leave to get the dynamite.

It focuses on Charlie and Claire, but we see Russeau sucking eggs in the background. Claire is explaining to Charlie why she has not named the baby (or at least, not admitted to having named him). Basically, she was sure that "someone" was after the baby, and she was going through this whole "if I don't name him, I'm not bonding to him" denial thing.

We didn't see [a backstory] for Jack. - Darth Sarcasm

Yeah we did. We see his conversation with Michelle Rodriguez. - JM

THANK you! When I watched Part 2 last night, I kept wondering where Jack's story was. I had forgotten all about it. Whoops!

ABC re-ran this last night as the second of a double feature.

The only problem is that they went straight from "Do No Harm" to this episode, skipping "Sides" and "Born to Run".

Rona,

Walt's talk with Shannon was awkward. He didn't have to insult her intelligence by implying she could hold conversations with the dog. ...

I haven't seen this ep. yet (and maybe the translators will misunderstand and mangle that piece of dialogue), so what exactly does Walt say? I mean, many people talk with their pets, not because they expect the pets to understand them, but to help them? (And there's Locke's story about a golden retriever...)

..At the eps end, Walt convinces the swimming dog to turn back. Unlikely, to say the least. Most children with dogs would be so attached to them that they would fight to take the dog along. Many people couldn't part with their pet, though he did leave Shannon to care for the dog.

Isn't Walt convinced that sth. will happen on the raft? Yes, it would be difficult for him, because he's attached to Vincent, but if he knows that it's better for Vincent to stay on the island rather then go on the raft...
Besides, the raftees have only a limited supply of drinking water and food. If they aren't found soon, having a "useless" dog on the raft could lead to tension from the others. Maybe Walt doesn't want to see Vincent being eaten...

The Black Rock...what's a 300 year old sailing ship doing on the island?..

I doubt the ship's 300 years old, if there's dynamite inside, because AFAIK, dynamite is a more "recent" invention (Nobel?). Does it say anywhere that it's 300 years old, or is it only implied to be old?
And the island *is* magical - Locke or Sayid said pretty early that none of them could've survived the crash, Locke can walk, so a ship not rotting is pretty normal by that standard...

Darth,

I would hardly consider someone who survives 16 years on an island alone to be "nuts". - Rona

Well, I don't call a woman who would capture and torture total strangers completely sane, either. She's clearly not playing with a full deck.

I understood Rona that Rousseau's in good shape, or "normal", compared to the conditions she had to face (16 years alone, with the whispers and "Others"), though not "normal" compared to "normal" people.
And Sawyer didn't need a lot of excuses to act like a half-crazy jerk from the start... (yes, he didn't torture himself - but he taunted the guys who were worried about Shannon's asthma and egged them on to torture him; clearly he hasn't got all his marbles, either.)

At the airport, Shannon seemed to come off as mean-spirited when she informed security that an "Arab" man left a bag behind. - Rona

Or responsible. I mean, most airports I've been to make constant announcements to report people who leave their baggage with you.

I haven't seen this ep. yet, but from the recap at TWoP (TV without pity), Shannon wasn't reporting Sayid because she thought his bag might be dangerous, but because she wanted to show Boone the power she (as beautiful girl) has to make other people's life miserable (or not). And if that's true, it's pretty mean-spiritied. (She couldn't have known that Sayid would be able to clear himself quickly - if he was just an average Middle Eastern man, the police would've held him for quite some time.)

From Wikipedia:

The DVD contains two further flashbacks at the airport. Sayid is shown buying a tie (which is revealed to be used by Sawyer as he secures the raft) before being accosted by airport security. In Claire's flashback, she is at a coffee shop, sitting at a table handling her cup shakingly. The pilot walks over to her to comfort her. He tells her that he sees pregnant women all the time on long flights. He says that he will make the ride extra smooth for her. She later tells him about the psychic she met in "Raised by Another" and the events that took place in the episode. The pilot tells Claire about his mother. He says that his mother went to a psychic. The psychic told her to marry a guy with a name that started with "R". She went for "Roger". She dumped her husband, Bernard, and she never found a man named Roger. In later years after the separation, Bernard made millions of dollars.

Can we assume that this Bernard is Rose's husband? Are he and Rose rich? Will this be used in the upcoming episodes? Hmmm.....

At the end of Walt and Michael's flashback at the airport, Walt asks his father to buy him new batteries — although the type of Gameboy Walt was playing contains rechargeable batteries that cannot be removed or replaced. This implies that Walt indeed did overhear the entire conversation, and quickly formed an excuse. Although it may be due to the writers' isolation from society while filming this show that this inaccuracy went unnoticed.

What's interesting is that I didn't know that about Gameboys, but I still immediately understood his request for batteries as an excuse after overhearing Michael ask his mother to take Walt in for him.

Can we assume that this Bernard is Rose's husband?

Given the way that everything is linked, I wouldn't be surprised.

Arzt complains to Hurley that some of them have actually lost weight while on the island. But in the flashback at the airport when Hurley tries to cut in line at the metal detector, Arzt pretty much looks the same.

"This one goes here and THAT one goes there!"

Ha ha!

Video nit by the Chief: Can't believe I missed this one, but as Vincent runs out to the ocean to go after Walt, the cameraman can be seen in the water.