Exodus Part II, Review

[Sydney]

Amy Berner, from DarkWorlds.com, reviews the season finale.

We end the first season of LOST with more of what we saw last week: a recap of what we have seen and how it has become the island community of today. From their experiences in and around the airport (Number Alert: the 4, 8, and 42 on Hurley's dashboard) to boarding the plane (Number Alert: it was Gate 23), we see where they come from and how far they come. It's a fascinating transformation, and it's the main reason that the show is so good. LOST focuses on characters, and aspects such as the Scary Unseen Thing and the Others primarily serve as extra details to add spice to the mix.

It's a PART 2 sort of episode, so we pick up right where we left off. As one example, Chief Jack, Shaman Locke, Kate, and Hurley, are at the good ship Black Rock. Their tour guide, Rousseau, skedaddles, leaving the others to examine the ship. Hurley remains outside with Arnst, who whines about not being one of the cool kids and other perceived slights (“Some of us have actually lost weight.”). Then, in the middle of a science lesson about nitroglycerin and dynamite, he blows himself up.



I could continue a blow-by-blow of that group's cross-island journey, but let me just hit the high points. First off, the lines between Locke and Jack are being drawn deeper into the sand, as conflicting ideologies such as these – science and faith - can't easily co-exist. Jack recruits Kate for his “side,” but who can tell which person will have whose back when the time comes? Jack does bring up a good point in that people want him to be a leader, but complain when he leads. But, to continue the thought, Locke, conversely, does not actively lead, but has become a leader nevertheless based on his actions. Two very different styles to go along with the differing ideologies.

Second, Hurley and his numbers. He repeats them to himself like a mantra, just as the man in the institution did. He's distracted almost the entire episode, and then, when he sees the numbers on the Hatch, he freaks and tries to stop Locke. He is ignored, and Hatch go boom to reveal... a really deep hole. Well, tunnel, or air duct, but it's a long and empty space.

And finally, the Scary Unseen Thing. The surprisingly mechanical-sounding Scary Unseen Thing, complete with randomly-appearing black smoke, which chases and almost captures Locke. After an initial scare, he doesn't seem to mind being captured and dragged into a hole in the ground, but Jack does.

Then, there's Rousseau, who didn't just disappear. At the rapidly-emptying camp, Claire just can't pack fast enough, and Charlie waits with her, even after being denied a gun. Rousseau arrives, sends Charlie after Sayid and kidnaps the baby. (Baby Aaron, as it turns out.) Sayid and Charlie go after Rousseau and the little tyke, pausing unsurprisingly at the Nigerian plane. Ever since the plane was discovered, it was a forgone conclusion that Charlie would find the heroin, but I doubt if he would have if the stakes weren't s high. Continuing on, they reach the source of the Sinister Black Smoke and find Rousseau, distraught that the Others aren't there to take the child in trade for her own. But then, this wasn't the child they were looking for after all.

Considering the name of the episode, the name of the baby is interesting, as Aaron was a major biblical figure in the book of the same name and those that immediately followed. Coincidence? This is LOST, people. Ain't no such thing.

On the raft, Michael, Jin, Sawyer, and Walt optimistically begin their journey, although it isn't mishap-free. They receive a boat's signal and fire their flare, only to be discovered by the bad guys. And the bad guys, the Others (or so we believe), want Walt. When the kid isn't handed over, they shoot Sawyer and destroy the raft. Raft #2 goes up ion flames, leaving the guys in the water while the non-rescue boat races away. Not good.

Then again, maybe Psychic Walt should have seen this coming.

So what do we have? Walt kidnapped by people we believe to be The Others, who happen to have a perfectly serviceable motorized boat. Baby Aaron safely returned to his mother, but Charlie back on drugs and with a near-endless supply. A really deep hole where the badly-numbered hatch used to be.

And, oh yeah, months to wait until the second season begins.

- Reviewed for DARKWORLDS.COM by Amy Berner.