This Place is Death...(or The Return of Old Smokey)

Well.

We finally see some more of the smoke monster. He has been suspiciously absent for a season or two. He made his return in fine style by dismembering one of Danielle's friends and driving the rest of them insane. I do think it is interesting that even though Jin was there (and he wasn't the first time this happened to Danielle's group) the result was the same. It seems to be confirming what Mrs. Hawking told Desmond....you cannot change what will happen. "The universe has a way of course correcting." Desmond could prevent Charlie's death a dozen times but in the end Charlie had to die one way or the other. They same seems to be true here. Danielle and her baby had to end up alone on that island with the others.

Jin did learn a valuable lesson, that Sayid could have warned him about had they been at the same place in time: Never approach Danielle when she has a gun in her hands. She just shot her husband/boyfriend. She's not gonna hesitate to shoot a crazy disappearing Korean.

I was surprised that it didn't take long for Jin to end up back with everyone else. I kind of expected that story line to go on a little longer. How did Jin know Charlotte spoke Korean? Could he just tell that she was understanding what he said or has he met her somewhere before? Now that I think about it, they have met before on the island and she did translate for him, right?

I almost cried when Jin told John to tell Sun he was dead....but then 10 minutes later we realize that she is never going to hear that message, so no big deal. I felt like that was kind of a waste of suspense. We all would have been on pins and needles if Sun was getting conflicting messages about whether Jin was alive or dead and trying to decide whether or not to return to the island. Won't Sun's daughter have to go too? She was after all on the island?

It was interesting to see that Charlotte got a personality and became quite lovable on her deathbed. I've never been really thrilled with her character but I really liked her for the last 7 minutes before she died. I still think the relationship between Charlotte and Daniel is not romantic, but instead is familial. I just don't know in what way, yet. I do feel like they may be brother and sister. In her delirium (or time travel or whatever) she said, "Why can't Danny come with us?" as if she were a little girl asking if her little brother could tag along. I don't know. Her mother definitely lived on the island and her Dad is a horrible person...so that fits with Eloise and Whidmore. We shall see, I guess.

Which brings me to Eloise. Was there anyone out there still wondering if she was Daniel's mother and the woman who understands the "windows"? They seemed to make it all suspenseful and dramatic with lots of crazy music, but really, was anyone surprised? I think we all pretty much knew that Eloise, Mrs. Hawking, Daniel's mother, and petite-British-girl-with-rifle were all one in the same. I'm glad they have found her though, and that we might get some more information about time travel now. I'm completely terrified that Desmond will go back to the island.

As John lay in the well with a really gross compound fracture of his leg, and we heard someone coming, Brian and I guessed Richard? Whidmore? Ben? Mrs. Hawking?, but we never suspected Christian Shepherd! Wow. (Actually Brian did guess Jacob, but he didn't know it would be Christian that showed up.) So are Christian and Jacob one and the same or is dead Dr. Shepherd just the body that Jacob is currently using? Maybe Jacob is the smoke monster and he kills people so that he can use their bodies...or in this case he conveniently finds a dead body that drops on to his island and inhabits it? Just a thought.

Here are some other random thoughts I had last night:

Wouldn't you love to have time travel to save you from dangerous situations? Mugger approaching you in a dark alley? Time travel to a beach in Tahiti. Half-crazed, dehydrated, pregnant French woman shooting at you? Travel forward in time 20 years to reunite with all of your friends. Must be nice.

I really hope someone has the pleasure of shooting Ben right between the eyes before this show goes off the air. If for no other reason than he always has to be so cryptic and secretive. Why can't he just sit everyone down and explain it all from the beginning?!!

Best line of the night:

Charlotte: Just Klingon. (in response to Daniel's query about how many other languages she speaks). Star Trek fans everywhere were rejoicing, let me tell you.

Best scene from next week: Jack and Kate kissing. Yes!!

If you want to read more thoughts and theories check out the links at the LOST Books blog.