Whatever Happened, Happened

Lager, I think this episode was a winner! I’m stunned about how little I have to bitch over an installment largely devoted to Kate. The pacing was perfect, and while there were no great revelations, the overall story proceeded forward. And it was mostly devoid of the traditional Kate pouting and purring. In fact, Jack was the true asshole of the story by refusing to help younger Ben and generally pissing off everyone. No, Kate is the one who gets some kind of altruistic inspiration when she briefly loses sight of Aaron in the grocery store. (Lager, I thought that scene was setting up a different kind a twist at first. I was sure when Aaron disappeared that he didn’t actually exist then; that something had happened to him earlier, and that he was a figment of her unconscious because she couldn’t deal with taking him with her, only to lose him. This would have explained why she dramatically ordered Jack never to ask her about Aaron again. Of course, we knew only seconds later that this wasn’t the case). This scene did mark a change in ‘tude for her. Selfish, scheming Kate gives up her posh post-settlement life to return to the island and find Aaron’s mother. Who would’ve thought? I hope this is an enduring evolution of her character.

Back at the island, the “current” story happening “now” (you know what I mean) moved along nicely. Very obvious that young Ben would still be breathing, but noteworthy that the island doesn’t seem to be healing him. Also predictable was Jack’s attitude towards dying little Ben. ‘Save your life once, shame on you. But save you twice…’ (Even if Jack thinks Ben will inflict an exponentially greater amount of suffering on the world if he is allowed to survive, isn’t this still a Hippocratic Oath violation, since it's Jack himself who is causing/allowing harm?) Jack had a great line to Kate in that scene: “You didn’t like the old me.” You could interpret that to mean she didn’t like him enough to follow through with their engagement, but I took it mean that Jack understands what Kate has been all about: using people at her pleasure, and then throwing them away. She never “liked” Jack the way he liked her. He was more of a convenience or commodity. Oh, on a random side note, I love how Hurley is the chef!

What I can’t wait to see is an episode devoted to The Others. Call me an airhead, but I still for the life of me can’t figure them out. Sometimes they are referred to as the “indigenous people” of the island, sometimes they appear to be rogue elements of the U.S. and British Armies. Sometimes they are disheveled and unkempt, other times they aren’t. Maybe you have a firmer grasp on them, Lager. In either case, can't wait for that back story.
-The Storm
8/10