5.06 "316"

Ms. Hawking tells Jack, Ben and Sun how to return to the island.

The title of this episode is “316”. Could be in reference the to flight number our O6 take back to the island or is it in reference to the Bible scripture, John 3:16? “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Could “God” in this reference be Jacob and the “Son”, Locke? Those that believe in them have eternal life, like Richard? This same Bible verse is also hidden in the source code of the “Ajira Airways” website.

Off the Island – 2008

Ms. Hawking takes Ben, Jack, Sun and Des down to the basement of the church. There’s a “Caution High Voltage” sign on the door. They enter in through a hatch door with a never-before-seen DHARMA logo on it. Inside the room, a large pendulum, hanging from darkness, swings back and forth as old computers change the numbers on a latitude/longitude machine. There’s a chalk board with formulas on the back wall. Stone pillars placed around the room remind me of the 4-toed statue we’ve briefly seen on the island. Ms. Hawking tells Jack that this station is called “The Lamppost”. CS Lewis also had a lamppost in his Chronicle of Narnia novels. The lamppost was used to mark the exit from Narnia to the real world. BTW, CS Lewis is also Charlotte’s initials. Charlotte Staples Lewis. The Lamppost station is “how they found the island”, Ms. Hawking explains. Jack asks Ben if he knew about this place and he says no. Based on the look on his face, I believe he may actually be telling the truth. Of course, he’s such a pro at this lying thing; Ms. Hawking even says he’s probably lying.

Des got Hawking’s address from Widmore. Why wouldn’t Widmore be using her to find the island and get back himself? I’m guessing he doesn’t know about this station so it could be safe to assume that Ben doesn’t either.

Jack sees a photo of the island on the wall that reads “9/23/54 – U.S. ARMY – OP 264 – TOP SECRET – EYES ONLY”. Oceanic 815 crashed there on 9/22/04, one day shy of 50 years from when this photo was taken. As Ms. Hawking begins to explaining the station to the group, she asks for Jack’s attention. She tells them that the room was built, years ago, over a pocket of energy. She says that these pockets are located all around the world. We know that one is on the island; could another be in Tunisia, where Ben “landed” after turning the FDW? Where Charlotte found the polar bear? She says that they’d gathered evidence that the island existed but couldn’t find it. Then a “clever fellow” (Faraday?) created the pendulum and told them that rather then looking for where the island was supposed to be, to start looking for where it was going to be. She says that “this fellow” presumed, correctly, that the island was always moving; explaining why the Losties were never rescued. That would mean that it’s been moving since the day they crashed on it… before even? I can’t wait to see some proof to back that up. If it were moving all the time, how come they never ran into themselves? Where were the light and the humming sound? How could the Others travel to the mainland so easily? How would Ben have the exact coordinates to send Michael and Walt away or to travel by submarine? We’ve only seen and heard the light and humming twice, other than when Ben turned the FDW. First when Des almost missed pressing the button and ultimately crashed Oceanic 815 and then when he turned the failsafe key. Are those the only 2 times since the crash? Hawking tells them that the “fellow” and his team have determined that the movements are not random and have created equations that can determine where the island will be at a certain points in time. These are their windows to get back. She tells them that their window will close in 36 hours.

Des can’t believe his ears. He thinks they’re nuts for willingly returning to the island. He tells them that only reason he’s there is to deliver a message. He tells Hawking that her son, Daniel Faraday, asked him to tell her that he and the others on the island need her help. She doesn’t even flinch at the mention of Daniel’s name. She says that she is helping. She, nor anyone else, asks how Des got the message. Did she already know he was coming with it? As he walks away Ms. Hawking tells him that the island isn’t done with him yet. He tells her that after wasting 4 years of his life pushing the button that she told him was “his purpose”, he’s done with it. He warns Jack that he and the others are just being used and begs him to ignore whatever she tells him to do and storms off, brotha’. I thought for sure he was going to just reach out at one point and just stop the pendulum from swinging since he kept walking right past it.

Without pause, Ms. Hawking tells Jack that there’s a flight, Ajira Flight 316, flying through their window and that in order to get back they all need to be on it and to try to recreate the original flight as best they can. She tells him that he needs to get as many of the same people on the flight as possible. If he doesn’t, the results would be unpredictable. In private she gives Jack an envelope with his name written on the front. She tells him that it’s Locke’s suicide note. Jack is obviously distressed to learn that Locke hung himself. She then tells him that he needs to take Locke’s body in replacement of his father’s and that he needs to give Locke something of his fathers. Jack doesn’t understand why Locke needs to play proxy to his father and thinks the whole thing is ridiculous. She tells him that that’s why it’s “called a leap of faith, Jack”.

Out in the church, Ben is sitting in a pew, either praying or scheming. Jack asks him where Sun is and Ben tells him that she left. He asks where Locke is…err, his body, the coffin. Another Freudian slip? Ben tells him that a friend is looking after “it”. This friend, as we know, is Jill the butcher. Ben asks what he and Ms. Hawking talked about and Jack said that it was nothing that matters. He asks who this woman is and how she knows these things. I’m confused as to why he or anyone else, hasn’t asked about her relationship to Daniel.

Ben stands and points out a painting hanging in the room. Caravaggio’s The Incredulity of Saint Thomas. He tells Jack of Thomas’ bravery in persuading others to go with Jesus to Judea, where he would probably be murdered, by telling them “Let us also go, that we might die with him”. This bravery was not remembered though, instead he’s remembered as “Doubting Thomas” for wanting to touch Jesus’ wounds after resurrection, to be convinced. Jack asks if he was convinced after touching them. Ben tells him “Of course he was. We’re all convinced sooner or later, Jack”.

Ben goes to leave and Jack asks where he’s going. He tells him that he’d made a promise to an old friend, “just a loose end that needs tying up”. He tells him that he’ll meet him at the airport after picking up Locke’s coffin. We all know what the promise was and where he’s headed. Watch out Penny! Of course, Des left like an hour ago, how the heck did he follow him? *shrug* Of course, should Ben be heading for Penny, what are the chances that Widmore didn’t have Des followed on his own and there will be someone there to protect her?

Jack’s sitting in a bar, staring at a drink, but never drinks it. There’s a blonde woman sitting a couple seats from him, and for some reason I can’t help but wonder if she’s important somehow. Anyway, his cell phone rings. He’s vague but not happy about something someone did. Could this woman be playing proxy to Ana Lucia? Will she wind up on flight 316?

He’s now walking down a corridor with a nurse. She tells him that “he’s” got to start following the rules or "he’ll" have to move to their “fully assisted facility”. Jack says that he understands. He enters a hall where a magician is performing for a group of people. The magician uncovers a white rabbit with a black ring around its eye. It’s been a while since the black & white theme has played a part in our show, or maybe just a while since I’ve noticed it. FYI – “White Rabbit” was the name of the first episode that Jack saw his recently deceased father up and walking around. Jack quietly gets the attention of an older gentleman, Ray, in the back of the room and asks him if he’s ready to leave. As they walk down another corridor, Jack asks where he was headed this time. Ray tells him that it doesn’t matter, anywhere “is better than here” he says. They enter his room and Jack notices that he even packed a suitcase. Ray says that he always does because one of these times he’ll get away and they’ll never find him again. I don’t understand why this man is in this home. He seems to me like he’s plenty competent to take care of himself. Jack offers to ‘help you unpack, Granddad”. Why was he calling him Ray? Ray (I can call him that, he’s not my grandfather) asks Jack how he’s been and how Kate is. Jack tells him that they’re not together anymore. Ray says that now he’ll have more time to visit but Jack tells him that he can’t. He’s going away. When Ray asks where, Jack tells him “somewhere better than here”. Touché. As he unpacks the suitcase he finds a pair of dress shoes on the bottom. He asks Ray if they’re his and he tells them they’re not, they belonged to his dad (Christian). Jack’s mom sent them to him after Christian passed away. Jack asks if he can have them. “Be my guest” Ray responds.

WTH? Why the sudden introduction of an entirely new character that we’ll never see again since Jack is leaving for “Guam” tonight? Seemed odd to me. Maybe TOO odd. Does Ray have some kind of connection to the island too? Was it just a coincidence that he tried to run away tonight? Or that he “mixed” the shoes in with is stuff? I’ve learned there are no coincidences on this show.

Jack returns to his messy house. Empty bottles are EVERYWHERE. He searches for a full one. Finding it, he goes to pour himself a drink when he hears something from his bedroom. Again, why do the previews have to ruin this stuff? I knew it was Kate since they showed the kiss in last weeks preview. She’s lying on his bed, she’s obviously been crying. Jack asks what she’s doing there. She asks if he’s still going to the island, he tells her yes. She says she’s going with him. He asks her what happened. “Where’s Aaron?” he asks. She tells him not to ask questions. Never ask about Aaron again or I’m not going, understand? “Yes” WHAT?!?! Screw her. He’s your nephew and she’s obviously done something wrong. How could he just say yes? Anyway, I have a few theories as to where Aaron may be. My first thought is that she gave him to Claire’s mother, Carole. Or maybe she gave him to her own mother. My last theory is that she gave him to Cassidy, Sawyer’s baby-momma. Remember, Kate knows about her because that’s what Sawyer whispered to her before jumping from the helicopter. Aaron would be safest with her because she has the smallest connection to the island of the three. My only question is why she’d keep it from Jack. What could she have done that’s so terrible that she can’t tell Jack? I’m guessing she did something in her past that no one knows about that’s come back to bite her in the ass. Something that, even now, she can’t bring herself to tell Jack. Something that possibly Ben knows about and used to actually *get* Aaron from her? I don’t know. This one’s got me stumped for sure.

She kisses Jack and, well, we can all guess where it goes from there. I wonder here, is she just using him for comfort or is there more to this encounter? Ms. Hawking told them that they had to recreate the 815 flight as best they can. Has someone forced Kate’s hand into getting pregnant so she can play the role of Claire? And if she is *supposed* to get pregnant, she has to do it before she returns to the island because if she got pregnant while she was there, she’d die.

The next morning Jack makes some juice and coffee for Kate. He’s spunky but she seems like she just wants to leave. They sit at the table and she notices the shoes. She tells Jack that they’re probably not the best choice for the island. He tells her that they were his father’s and how he didn’t have dress shoes for his dad when he dressed him for his coffin and instead just put white tennis shoes on him because he wasn’t worth the time or effort to get nice shoes. That’s why he’s always wearing those shoes! Kate asks why he doesn’t just get rid of them if they make him feel sad. Hmm.. could there be more to what she just said then we think? Could it have something to do with where Aaron is? Just then his cell phone rings. Kate tells him to answer it; she’ll see him at the airport and leaves. How’d she know about the airport?

Ben’s on a pay phone at the pier, covered in blood and looking pretty beat to hell. He tells Jack that he’s been delayed and asks if he can bring Locke’s coffin to the airport. He tells him where it is. Jack asks what’s happened; Ben asks him to just do it, please. Who did this to Ben? Desmond? Penny? Widmore’s men? Or maybe Sayid. He didn’t beat up anyone in this episode yet.

Jack shows up at “Simon’s Butcher Shop” but it’s closed. I’d like to point out here that I noted back in “The Lie” that Charlies’s father is a butcher. His name was Simon. Hmm. Only catch… his butcher shop was in England; this on is in LA. Jack knocks and Jill comes to the door. Ha ha! Jack and Jill. Knowing full well who he is, she shows him into the cooler and tells him that she’ll bring the van around back for him. After she leaves, Jack opens the casket and puts his father’s shoes on Locke. First of all, I thought for sure that he’d be wearing white tennis shoes when Jack opened the bottom half of the coffin. Secondly, the entire time he was talking to him and swapping the shoes, I was waiting for Locke to talk back. All in good time. After he put the shoes on him he tucks the unopened suicide note into his vest and tells him that he’s heard everything he’s had to say. He wanted him to go back, he’s going back.

At the airport, the attendant question Jack’s relationship to Locke and explains procedure for bringing the coffin onboard the plane. After receiving his boarding pass Jack spots Sun. When he walks away to see her, the man in line behind him offers his condolences. Jack says thanks. This man is credited as Caesar. I believe we’ll be seeing more of him.

Jack greets Sun and tells her that he was afraid she may have changed her mind. I thought maybe she’d have Ji-Yeon with her. Guess she’s ok about getting stranded on the island again, for God knows how long, without her little girl. Could she not have had her flown in since they spoke with Ms. Hawking yesterday? *shrug* She tells Jack that she has to go to the island if there’s even a chance that Jin’s alive.

Sun and Jack see Sayid in the distance being led to the boarding gate, in handcuffs, by a Marshall. Jack and Sun look at each other, confused. What’s going on here? Could Ben have turned Sayid in for one of the dozens of murders he’s committed for him since returning home? That’s one way to get him on that plane.

In a very familiar scene, we see Hurley reading a comic book sitting in the airport. BTW, this Spanish comic book is called Y: The Last Man Vol. 3: One Small Step. It’s written by one of the writers for the show. Anyway, woo-hoo! Hurley made it! He hears a woman announce that his flight is boarding and that there are plenty of seats available for all the stand-bys. Hurley jumps from his seat and tells her that there are no available seats because he bought them all. She confirms and tells him that these people just want to get to their destinations. He scans the crowd, seeing families and children and tells her that they can take the next flight. What a good guy. Trying to protect these people from what’s about to happen. Speaking of that… how did he know to be here? My guess… one of his dead friends. Probably Charlie, hence the guitar case he’s carrying. Could he be bringing the guitar in hopes that Charlie will be alive on the island? Maybe it turns out to be the one that Locke finds for him with the 815 wreckage. Or maybe it’s just filled with Apollo Bars. LOL

Jack sees Hurley and seems a bit giddy. He’s excited to see him and asks how he knew to be here. Hurley coldly tells him that it doesn’t matter. Ok then. They board the plane.

As he boards, Jack and Sayid share a look. Sayid looks jumpy, like he needs to talk to Jack but can’t because of the Marshall sitting beside him. Could it be that Sayid is just shocked to see Jack boarding the plane? Is he noticing that all of the O6 are there and it’s dawning on him what’s about to happen? Oh, and the Marshall’s credited name is Ilana, which, again, leads me to believe we’ll be seeing more of her too. He walks by Sun, who’s admiring her wedding ring. He makes it to Kate’s seat and leans in, telling her that he’s happy she made it. She almost struggles to make eye contact with him. Caesar puts his items in the overhead compartment a few seats in front of Jack, Hurley sits beside him across the aisle. As the flight attendant says that they have everyone Ben comes running in. He’s looks like hell. His face is all cut up, his left arm in a sling. He enters the plane and sees Sayid. He has a legitimately surprised look on his face. Hmmm… maybe Sayid’s arrest wasn’t his doing. Hurley sees him and freaks out. “He can’t come” he tells Jack. Jack tells him that Ben has to be here if they’re going to go back. Hurley tells Jack that no one told him that “he’d be here”. “Who told *you* to be here Hugo?” Ben asks. The flight attendant asks if everything is ok. Jack says yes, right Hurley? Like a good boy, Hurley says “yes, I’ll be fine Jack” and sits down. When the flight attendant hears Jack’s name she tells him that something of his was found in his cargo. Well go figure. Something of HIS was found in HIS cargo? Shocking. It’s Locke’s suicide note. Ben asks what it is; Jack tells him it’s nothing. Jack asks Ben what’s going to happen to the other people on the plane (guess they got tickets before Hurley bought them all up), Ben, oh sweet Ben, says “Who cares”.

Take off.

Why aren’t they dressed better? Seriously? They know where they’re going. Why the hell is Jack in a suit? Where are the hiking boots Kate suggested earlier? Really?

When the seatbelt light goes off, Jack moves up to sit beside Kate. Another thing. Why aren’t they sitting together? They’re completely spread out all over the place with empty seats everywhere. Anyway, Jack notes that this is “crazy”. Kate asks which part. He says that Sayid & Hurley are here. How? She says ala Ben, “They bought a ticket”. Suddenly it seems that Jack’s taken the role of Locke and Kate’s taken Jack’s. Jack thinks it’s odd that they’d all end up back together. She notes that just because they’re on the same plane, they’re not “together”. Wow, that’s cold. The love and admiration that Kate and Hurley once had for Jack is definitely missing today. Just then the pilot can be heard over the loudspeaker. He introduces himself a Frank J. Lapidus. Wait. What? Holy crap! That one took me by surprise! Jack too. He gets up and asks the flight attendant if she can tell Frank that he’s on board. She calls him and a clean shaven, almost unrecognizable Frank emerges from the cockpit. He greets “Doc” and notes how it’s a small world. Wasn’t Frank supposed to go “under cover” like Des? What happened when Widmore found out that he made if off the island? Anyway, he tells Jack that he’s been flying this route for about 8 months. Just then he notices Sayid and Hurley, then Kate and Sun and asks Jack, “We’re not going to Guam, are we?” Great line! I like Frank.

It’s now night. Jack and Ben are sitting across the aisle from one another. Ben’s reading Ulysses by James Joyce. Jack asks how he can be reading. Ben says “My mother taught me.” This line seems innocent enough but we all know that Ben’s mother died giving birth to him. Why would that be his instinctual response? He tells Jack that he’s reading because it’s better then just waiting for something to happen. Something makes me feel like Ben’s done this before. Jack asks him if he knew that Locke hung himself. Ben says no. Lying again. Jack tells him of the suicide note and how it’s been “following” him around like Locke needs him to read it. Ben asks him if he’s afraid to read it. Jack asks if it was his fault that Locke killed himself. Ben says no and offers to give Jack privacy to read the letter. He gets up and heads towards the front of the plane. Could he be headed to the restroom? Bernard was in the tail-section restroom when 815 crashed.

I loved how they re-created the first plane trip yet all took on new roles.

815 – Cpt. Seth Norris 316 – Cpt. Frank Lapidus
815 – Kate was a fugitive 316 – Sayid’s a fugitive
815 – Marshall Edward Mars 316 – Marshall Ilana
815 - Charlie had a guitar case 316 – Hurley has a guitar case
815 – Claire was pregnant 316 – Kate could possibly be pregnant
815 – Bernard was in the restroom 316 – Ben could be in the restroom
815 – Rose had Bernard’s wedding ring 316 – Sun has Jin’s wedding ring
815 – Christian was dead 316 – Locke is dead

“Jack, I wish you had believed me. JL” Instantly the plane hits turbulence. The O6 know just what’s happening. Hurley turns to Caesar and tells him he to buckle his seat belt then puts on a eye mask. Suddenly there’s humming and a bright light. Are they experiencing a “flash” rather than a “crash”?

On the island - 1970s

An eye opens, it’s Jack’s. Miss the eyes! Jack’s lying in the jungle, reminiscent of the pilot episode. LOVE THIS SHOW! Take a look at these comparison shots.

Pilot






And this episode






He hears Hurley in the distance yelling for help. He sees him in the lagoon below a water fall. I believe this is the same lagoon where Sawyer and Kate found the Marshall’s briefcase. Jack dives down the waterfall to Hurley who apparently can’t swim, like Charlie claimed. He pulls him to shallower waters and notices Kate lying on the rocks near the edge. He swims over to her and wakes her. She asks if they’re back. Jack says they are. She asks what happened but none of them remember. They don’t even know if/where the plane crashed. Kate asks where Sun, Sayid and Ben are. They decide to split up and search. Just then they hear something approaching and music playing. It’s the VW van! Shiny brand new!! Someone in a DHARAM jumpsuit steps out toting a rifle. They point it at Jack, Kate and Hurley. Hurley recognizes the man as Jin! Jin lowers his gun and seems to have a small smirk on his face. Does he recognize them? My guess it that, after Locke turned the FDW the Lefties were stuck in early DHARMA time and just took on DHARMA identities. That would explain Jin Workman and why Daniel was below the Orchid in the season premiere. Could this be it? Were the Oceanic 815 survivors meant to be in the 70s all along? Is that what makes them all so special? Are they their own parents or the parents of other important characters? If they’re DHARMA why would Richard want them back? Could they be Others infiltrating DHARMA? Does Richard need their help to purge DHARMA? So many questions. Aren’t they supposed to be answering questions now, not creating more! Also, has it been 3 years for them like it was for the O6?

Bad news? Looks like we won’t learn anything about this next week. Good news. We WILL find out what happened to Locke after he turned the FDW and how he ended up “dead”.

Another thing… When they skipped back from when Jack, Kate and Hurley “landed” on the island to when Ms. Hawking was explaining to them how they’d get back, it’ said “46 hours earlier”. Didn’t she tell them that their window would close in 36 hours? Did they not go through the window they were supposed to? Also, though I’m glad it didn’t take the entire season to get them back, I wish they hadn’t shown us in the first minutes of the show that they’d get there tonight. Also, that Hurley and Kate were with Jack. Kind of ruined the surprise when we saw Hurley in the airport. And lastly… this can’t be how Ben always gets on and off the island. If so, he would have known about the lamppost. Maybe it just has to be done this way because it’s moving. But didn’t Hawking says it’s always moving. Pardon me whilst my head explodes a little bit.