Tonight's episode derives its name from the season two episode "Everybody Hates Hugo." Like this season's "What Kate Does," (which has a similar naming choice) the episode shows how different the flash-sideways is from the on-Island timeline. However, unlike "What Kate Does," "Everybody Loves Hugo" was much, much better than its titular counterpart. In fact, like "Happily Ever After," before it, this episode was one of the best yet -- I'd place it in the top twenty of the series, definitely.
But let's get to what we're all thinking about, first: Ilana's demise. The first member of season six's main cast to bite the bullet, Ilana died Arzt-style: after bragging about her overqualification to be handling the dynamite, she promptly used the dynamite to blow herself up. You could see it coming from a mile away, but that didn't make it any less satisfying -- or fun -- to watch. For us at home, at least. Hurley didn't get it so good -- he had to once again get rained on by chunks of human meat.
But Ilana's death definitely served a purpose. Perhaps not the one Richard had in mind, but it definitely did. It basically validated the redemption-then-death storylines of the entire series; the Island kills off whoever it doesn't need. While this could be seen as the flipside of the "Island isn't done with you yet" coin, it also means that every character left standing will have some role to play before they're killed. Because, let's face it: Ilana won't be the last. And they'll all probably be a little less funny.
The Black Rock also got the wrong end of the boomstick, thanks to Hurley, who destroyed the last remaining reservoir of dynamite in order to keep Richard from using it to blow up the Ajira airplane. It was sad to see one of the most familiar set pieces of the series destroyed, but it was also surprisingly vindicating, as if the writers were telling us, This is it, guys. Really, this is it.
Of course, with all the death and destruction, we also got quite a few answers. Michael Dawson finally returned after dying in the freighter explosion in "There's No Place Like Home," and his appearance to Hurley was more satisfying than all of his appearances before that. There were no cries of "Waaaaalt!" Instead, he kindly explained to Hurley (and us) what the whispers were -- the souls on the Island who couldn't move on after death, because of something bad that they had done while there. Michael's murders of Ana Lucia and Libby were his ball and chain, and he apologized to Hurley for killing Libby. "I'm really sorry," he said. The apology was the right amount of melodramatic to be believable; after all, there was no way for Michael to put into words the harm he had done, or the pain he had caused. That's probably the last we'll ever see of him, and it was a great send-off for the character.
Speaking of Libby, she was back in a big way this week. She popped up in the flash-sideways timeline, and she actually did more good than Desmond did in helping Hurley's Island memories bleed with his sideways ones. She wasn't on the plane in the sideways timeline, but she'd been experiencing those bleeding memories after seeing an image of Hurley on the television. Though she was in the mental institution, she eventually got through to Hurley (with a bit of help from Desmond, who told him to pursue Libby). A kiss from her helped bring Hurley's memories over the universal gap.
Back on the Island, Sayid took the Man in Black to meet Desmond, who had been tied to a tree. Desmond, still in his chilled-out state of mind, seemingly impressed the Man in Black with his zen-ness, and explained why Widmore had brought him there. The Man in Black then took him to a well in the Island, which he said the welldiggers made because it was the spot where their compasses started to spin. This, of course, is explainable because there are huge amounts of electromagnetic energy under these wells. After all, that's why the frozen donkey wheel is down there -- it somehow triggers the electromagnetism to move the Island.
But then came the night's biggest twist: as Desmond and Man in Black looked down into the pit that was the well, Man in Black asked Desmond why he showed no fear. Desmond, not realizing that the hippies from DHARMA and the Man in Black probably didn't get along, responded with the rhetorical, "What's the point in fear, brotha?" Man in Black, perhaps angered that he didn't have the same effect on Desmond that he had on everybody else, promptly shoved Desmond down the well, headfirst. The fact that we didn't get confirmation that Desmond was dead of course means that he'll be back, alive, on the Island. If Desmond plays his cards right, he might end up with only a broken leg, like Locke did when he fell down a well.
The Man in Black then returned to his camp, informing Sayid that Desmond was no longer anyone to worry about. He was then greeted by Hurley, Jack, and the rest of the former beach camp members (except Richard, Ben, and Miles, who ventured off to the DHARMA barracks for more explosives). There was some enigmatic staredowns going on between Jack and the Man in Black. As the music built to a head, I found myself begging for the episode not to end there -- it would have been a horrible cliffhanger, like "Recon"'s was. Thankfully, the episode didn't end here; we got this little addendum.
So even though Island Des was probably totally cool with being pushed down a well, Sideways Des was not in the least bit cool with it. He got the last flash-sideways of the episode, and he spent the early part of it getting the staredown from Ben Linus, who thought he was probably a predator. After all, Desmond was just sitting in the school parking lot, watching the kids. Desmond quickly made up a lie that he was looking to enroll his son at that school, which Ben obviously didn't believe. However, upon seeing a wheelchair bound John Locke making his way across the parking lot, Desmond decided to suddenly leave. He did so, even though Locke was in the way. Locke and the wheelchair both faced the brunt of Desmond's car, and Locke ended up lying in the road, alive but very badly damaged. Ben rushed to his aid, staring in fury after Desmond, who was speeding away.
Now, we all know why Desmond did this. It's part of the bleed-over that's happening. Desmond, consciously or not, was harboring some ill will toward Locke for pushing him down the well, especially since his Island self had no idea that the Man in Black wasn't actually Locke. That's simple Algebraic connections right there. But what if we looked a little bit beyond that? Could this have further implications in the Losties universe?
We know that the Man in Black's main goal is to make his way off the Island. Jacob's used the cork-in-the-bottle theory to explain why he can't -- the Man in Black's influence will turn the world into hell. And, since we know that the Island (or the cork) is no longer an issue in the sideways timeline, does that mean that the Man in Black has escaped? Of course it does. But I think his method of escaping might not exactly be physical, like it's planned to be in the Island timeline. What do I mean? Let me explain further in a short little rant theory.
In the sideways timeline, we're seeing memories bleed over more and more from the Island timeline. While so far we've been viewing that as a good thing -- after all, why wouldn't it be? -- I'm starting to think that these Island memory bleeds might actually be the Man in Black's method of escape. After all, it was him that pushed Desmond into the well, and it's presumably that push that led Desmond to run over Locke in the sideways timeline. So, by extension, the Man in Black's influence has already "escaped" the Island, and has begun spreading in the real world. After all, Desmond's hit-and-run is going to have consequences, and probably none of them will be positive. So is this Man in Black's method of escape -- through the flash-sideways timeline? Is Desmond unwittingly helping the Man in Black in his mission to the other side? And -- perhaps most chillingly -- did the Man in Black know that this would happen when he pushed Desmond down the well? Did he plan for this?
It's an interesting theory that I'll continue to flesh out and develop as the final episodes of the season start to unfold. I'd love to hear your feedback on it. In the meantime, I'll give you my feedback on this episode: a solid A.
I thought the reason Desmond ran over Locke was to give him a near death experience and make him remember the island. At the end when Lockes hurt his expression is as if hes remembering sumthing
I don't agree with you over why Desmond hit Locke.I believe he's trying to show Locke his other life by giving him a near-death experience…("I have to show them something")
Then why didn't he try and give Hurley a near-death experience?
Because he saw out that Hurley found his way through via love. He knows he has to act quickly, so he did what he needed to once he saw Locke
Because he pushed her toward Libby. This is something that is very significant to Hurley in the real time line. Locke having a near death experience by getting thrown off a rooftop is something significant for him. Therefore Desmond hit Locke to emulate that near death experience so he would see memories of the real time line.
But Desmond never found out how Locke was paralyzed. Locke has had no near-death experiences that Desmond knows (or that we know Desmond knows) about.
Why didn't Hurley see his reflection in the flash sideways.
I believe Desmond hit Locke to bring him to the hospital to connect with Jack. Jack said to Hurley on the island that he finally accepted the fact that he couldn't fix anything. In the flash sideways, Jack will fix Locke's paralysis, something he offered to do in the first episode LAX.
it doesn't matter that desmond didnt know lockes' past. he just knew if he couldnt show him thru love that he could show him thru a near death experience.. from charlie trying to do the same thing to desmond.
A good point. I didn't notice this anywhere either. Interesting take on how you assume the series is going to end with the MIB triumphing. I disagree, but still, veeery interesting.
your theory is wrong dude….coz Des ran over Locke in 2004 time and Flocke pushed Des down the well in 2007 time….so Des in 2004 cant have a memory of Flocke pushing him down the well, bcoz it simple hasnt happened yet…Liked your review, though u have to think over again on ur theory…
ya u maybe right
Was that young Jacob in the jungle? Judging by MIB's reaction, who else could it be?
Desmond is now the constant, seeing both realities at the same time and knowing how it all ends. "I got no where to run" – He knows his fate, no point in trying to escape it."What's the point in fear?" – He knows how it all ends now, he knows all the came before, and all that comes after.
I agree with this thread. Desmond said very clearly in the last episode that he planned to show something to the 815 passengers. First he went to Hurley, heard him mention that he was talking to a girl who saw some kind of alternate life where they're together, and Desmond knew Hurley was already on his way. Next on his list was Locke, who he was obviously watching and observing, and saw no indications of Locke finding his own way, and so he took matters into his own hands, exactly like Charlie had in last week's episode.
I don't think that the year has much to do with it. Sideways Des (in 2004) saw images of his son's birth, which didn't happen until 2005 or 2006 in the original timeline.
Such a great episode – http://www.atomicpopcorn.net/lost-6-12-review-m…..I think Desmond hit Locke also for some reason – hmmm – GREAT episode
The "Desmond hit Locke in revenge for the well" idea is bunk. 1. Desmond has this elevated consciousness thing going on, and knows more than he is saying. I do not in fact think Desmond thought he was talking to Locke on Island. He knew very well it was not Locke. He lied. It's all part of the plan.2. Revenge is a petty thing, and seems beneath the newly awakened "all you need is love" Desmond. 3. There is more than one way to awaken our sideways friends – there's love (Des and Hurley) and there's trauma/near death (Charlie and Desmond underwater). There may be other ways. Des wants to awaken Locke. 4. Revenge makes no sense in the sideways because sideways Locke is not the same as the Island Locke (fake one OR real one) and was in no way responsible for Desmond's well diving, so it's empty revenge.
[...] TV Overmind [...]
Well to me Desmond is reminding of Jacob. He is doing some of the same Tactics that Jacob did to pick out the candidates. I also think that Black Locke knows this and that is the reason why he threw Desmond down the well.
I think Desmond knows the end. And he is the only one who could do that because of his abilities. During the MRI he saw all the things unfolded. This is why he is so calm and willingly in 2007 ("What's the point in fear, brotha?"), and that's why he did such an awful thing like running over Locke.
Well, I read a theory some time ago and I think it's a very good one, so here it goes: The show is all about the characters more than anything else. We've been seeing all their development and how they've changed through time because of the island's experiences. It's also all about love and how by love, mostly, they've changed. Well, the two parallel universes are running at the same time. It's like a dam separating waters. The characters at LAX are having memories of the island's. It's like the dam having little holes that let the "water" of one universe (the island) escapes to the other one. What will happen?? Well, this theory proposes that at the end the "dam" will break and the characters of LAX will have total and absolute conscience of what they lived at the island. How the dam is gonna break? All of the characters at the island will die. This is how the dam breaks and because of it the characters at LAX will have a sense of plenitude and all of them could end up being better people because of their lives at the island. They will remember all the people and all the things lived there. So at the end everybody that were meant to be together by love will be together: Jack & Kate, James and Juliet, Daniel and Charlotte, Charlie and Claire, Sun and Jin, Hugo and Libby, Miles and Ana Lucia? (he has a mysterious police girlfriend), Ben will have a great relationship with Alex, Locke & Helen, Rose & Bernard, Sayid & Shannon (because Nadia is already married?), Michael & Walt having a great relationship. Desmond and Penny, (Boone, Mr Ecko are left aside). It seems possible because we've seen the island under water on episode # 1 so it's plausible that everybody on the island would die. What this theory doesn't explain is what happens with MIB or Jacob, who wins?? Does MIB escapes or else what happened?? With Desmond letting all Oceanic 815 know about the parallel universe I see this more possible than ever. It's like Desmond is helping in doing the holes to the dam so the "water" can escape to the other side. Definitely Desmond knows more than we do and that's why he's so relaxed about everything. His dam already exploded and he is very conscious about the 2 universes. Well, that's about it. Hope you have enjoyed it!!