This is supposedly a big "reveal" episode, picking up right where the previous Juliet episode left off. I think that first spoiler gives us an important clue as to what might be Charlie's eventual fate....
5 minutes in and this is already a great episode. Sayid rocks and Jack is already back to being his jackass self, totally devoid of any reason or logic.
Not a bad ep. Showed us quite a bit. Knew she was playing them from the start though. Why many times do they need to be fucked over before they go Chuck Norris on the Others' asses? What a bunch of fuckwits, they deserve to be subjugated. I'm officially rooting for the Others now.
I really liked it. there is probably more actual content in this episode than in any since the first season. Of course, there's always the question of who's lying to who....for instance at the end, she could be doing as Ben asks or she could be double-corissing HIM. don't be so certain it's not the latter.
Juliet told Jack that there were "some" amongst the Others who wanted change. Who are these other malcontents? Could it be the Others may revolt from within? Regardless, I can't see how Juliet owes much loyalty to Ben, unless he's holding the threat of somehow reactivating her sister's cancer over Juliet's head. This episode did confirm at least two things: The Others had contact with the outside world (until the Swan Station blew up), and have operatives working for them in the outside world. The outside world was aware of Oceanic 815's disappearance, and it was widely reported on international media. Is Jacob = smokezilla?
I'm wondering if the Losties are pulling one on the others by having Locke defect to them. It probably won't happen because that would make too much sense and a lack of common sense permeates these people. I'm not sure which side Juliet is on, other than her own. She wants off the island and will do whatever it takes to leave.
Juliet's duplicity was a foregone conclusion. The real questions are whether she actually went along with this plan for a big chance to betray Ben, whether Jack knows about that and is going along with it or is keeping an eye on her until she reveals the intentions he knows she's hiding, or if they both fully intend to betray the crash survivors because they believe it will serve the greater good in the end.
Well, if Juliet is not playing a double-agent role, then Jack's "leadership" of the Losties will not continue beyond her disappearance (presumably in a week). His unquestioning belief in her will be his undoing. At least they answered the question of why the Others kidnapped the children--because they can't have any of their own. Finally, a reasonable, concrete answer. One thing I thought was missing from Juliet's flashbacks was any reaction to her Other boyfriend getting killed. (He was the one that AnaL speared through the chest). Would've been interesting to see and perhaps provided another clue into her character.
Seems I was wrong about that being a clue to Charlie's fate. Some rumors had suggested that Juliet had been having an affair with Ethan, and that she would take revenge on Charlie for killing him in season 1. But instead, it was Goodwin she was bedding.
Did she really love Goodwin, or was she just using him to try and get off the island? Juliet is quite scheming. BTW - she's a wonderful actress, perhaps the best one on the show aside from John Locke.
I doubt she's a double-agent. Mostly because I really dislike Jack and want to see this blow up in his smug, superior face. And the next time someone sees Locke, they'd better try to kill him. He's been responsible for more mishaps with the group than anyone else, from the very beginning.
There's quite a bit of speculation going on as to whether or not Locke actually blew up the submarine. If you examine the still images from the scene with the explosion, the first thing you notice is that Locke is soaking wet when he appears on the dock after going inside the sub. Why is that? Why would he be in the water if all he did was board the sub, plant the C4 inside, and climb out back onto the dock? Still images from that scene also reveal that you can't actually see the sub behind Locke right before the explosion. I'm willing to bet that the submarine is still there, that Locke submerged it and faked it's destruction. How could he have piloted the sub? He found the DHARMA instruction manual in the cellar of the Flame Station. Why would Locke do this? Well, it may not be that he's a "double-agent" and that it was planned out with the Losties beforehand. But Locke has his own motivations, and he's using the Others to get closer to the mystical heart of the island.
BTW - did anyone else feel that the whole "implant in Claire has been activated and she becomes symptomatic" had a very "Scully"/X-Files vibe to it?
Well, I know it's a TV show, but I don't see a way to fake blowing up the sub. There wouldn't be nothing left of it, even a huge blast would leave a blasted-open hull and lots of debris. If there's nothing there at all, the Others (who may be crazy but aren't stupid) would go "Okay, where'd you hide it?"
Interesting Still not getting how and why the Others went from researchers to cloak and dagger wearing kidnappers. That Juliette would double cross somebody... well, could see that. She's a really good actress who can do it without saying anything. Show's got me hooked again after almost giving up on it in the first half of S3.
Wesley Crusher and the kids of the Enterprise-D guest star in season 4! Edit: actually, now that I recall that episode, that planet seemed similar to the Island. They could make it disappear from sensors and the adults couldn't have babies.
