LOST – Greatest Hits

TELEVISION this exciting episode was a great set-up for the two-hour season finale next week, and drew me much closer to Charlie than before. I liked how Charlie’s back story was really his five happiest memories, or the “greatest hits” of his life. In his second favorite moment, we don’t see Desmond this time, watching him sing “Wonderwall” by Oasis, but we do get another island connection. The woman he saves outside Covent Garden is Nadia, Sayid’s girlfriend. And in memory #3, his DS ring, stands not only for Drive Shaft but for Dexter Stratton, a great-grandfather on Charlie’s mother side. I have no idea why that name was chosen but there must be some significance and will probably be referenced again down the line, right?

Again, we get what is supposed to be another reality check from Naomi. She tells Charlie that she knows him as the rock star that died in the plane crash, that there was a huge funeral, and a successful “greatest hits” record was released.

Charlie tells Hurley that he can’t join them because he’s too big for the boat – then gives Hurley a big, fat bear hug.

We finally find out what that ever-present cable leads to – the Looking Glass hatch. But what does the cable lead to on the island? And does the island power the hatch or does the hatch power the island? According to Desmond’s vision, Charlie will drown in the hatch and as a result, Claire and Aaron will be rescued in a helicopter. When Desmond and Charlie row out to sea, using the cable as a guide to the hatch, Charlie is determined to sacrifice himself and whacks Desmond in the head with an oar to insure he doesn’t interfere. What I’m wondering is whether Desmond is telling the truth since this is probably the first time that we don’t get to see Desmond’s death vision of Charlie. Perhaps, again he will be the one to save Charlie from the women-with-guns in the hatch.

Regarding the women in the Looking Glass, one of whom is named Greta, I thought this was a bit of a stretch but worth mentioning. Greta is the diminutive form of Margaret, a name which means 'pearl.' Saint Margaret is the patron saint of expectant mothers. http://www.lostpedia.com/wiki/Greta

The very first thing we saw in the episode was Karl, running to the boat and rowing frantically to warn the castaways about Ben’s plan to attack a day early. Did Ben change his plan because he was unnerved by the Jacob and Locke meeting, or unbeknownst to us, could he have been tipped off about the castaway’s retaliation?

When Jack tells the castaways that he has a plan, a very pleased Danielle Rousseau blows up a tree, demonstrating how they will thwart the Others. Can’t wait to see her in action in next week’s finale! It was nice seeing the long-lost Bernard, who just so happens to be a sharp-shooter, and his wife Rose, who cracked me up when saying she almost likes the almost-optimistic Jack better since he’s been back. And here’s to Sayid for forcing Jack to be a leader and take their people to a safe hiding place.

I hate getting into this because I can't wrap my head around the reasons why, but I’ve read rumors that Young Ben’s friend Annie is Kate. We didn’t see Annie in the second half of Ben’s back story. Perhaps she was taken away and doesn’t remember, or she could be Ben’s mole. Kate and Annie both like Apollo candy bars and in Kate's first flashback episode, when the farmer finds her in his barn, she introduces herself to him as Annie. It has something to do with the aging-on-the-inside-not-on-the-outside theory, sort of like Richard. And in the beginning of season three, Ben has dinner with her on the beach. Here is just one link to this theory. http://www.freewebs.com/tyco815/

This site always has nicely detailed close-up shots from the episode. http://losteastereggs.blogspot.com/

Tonight, after a 75-minute “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC is airing “Lost: The Answers,” a recap of the series with producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof, exploring questions that have yet to be answered. This special will also air in the hour preceeding the season finale on Wednesday, May 23.