| LOST: The Shape of Things to Come |
| Thursday, 24 April 2008 | |
 LOSTThe Shape of Things to Come aka: "The Linus Ultimatum" by Peter Sorensen In the ninth episode of Season Four, a body washes up on the beach and leads to another startling discovery on the island. Meanwhile, Keamy and his mercenaries finally reach the barracks, and all-out battle ensues, claiming more than a few lives. Also, Ben somehow becomes my new favorite character. From the very opening of tonight's episode until it's spectacular end, I was completely and wholeheartedly enthralled. There was not a moment that I wasn't beside myself with fanatic glee, there was not a second that my heart didn't race with anticipation. In a season marked by a heroic return to form and incredible writing, tonight's episode stands out as one of the most phenomenal hours I have ever spent in front of my television. Crafted from the pure storytelling gold mined from two of the greatest television writers in the business, tonight's episode included everything that a good episode of Lost needs: mysterious circumstances, strange forshadowing, action, adventure, romance, loyalty, trust, destiny, and of course: The Smoke Monster. Written by Brian K. Vaughn (of "Y: The Last Man" and "Ex Machina" fame) and Drew Goddard (wrote a little film called "Cloverfield", you may have heard of it), this pairing of genius minds has spewed forth what could quite possibly be considered one of the defining episodes of the series... but I don't want to get ahead of myself with so many episodes left to watch. I can't believe you're just giving him Australia. Australia is the key to the whole game. But down to "the neeety-greeeety": The episode kicks off with both feet, and just keeps running at a breakneck pace from that point on. Kate is busy being scorchingly hot and Jack self-medicates for a "stomach bug" when a dead body washes up on the beach. When they pull it out of the water we see that it's the doctor from the Boat, but more importantly: he's had his throat slit. Dan and Kate work out a way to communicate with the boat by Morse Code, and Jack takes Bernard aside for a private conversation. At the barracks, Alex is forced by the mercenaries to shut off the security fence but she trips the panic alarm, warning Locke (and then Ben) to the incoming danger. When Ben hears the code, he immediately grabs a nearby shotgun and orders them into his house to barricade it up. Sawyer goes after Claire, and Ben sets the tone of the evening by telling Locke "it's very important you survive this". Now, if that doesn't seed your brain with theories just wait. It gets better. Next thing we see is Ben waking up in the middle of the Sahara desert, steam rising off of him, wearing an Orchid Station winter parka. If his choice of attire is suspect, it gets more mysterious as Ben looks almost relieved to find himself there, as well as concerned about the bleeding wound to his right arm. A fresh wound. In case you haven't pieced it together yet, Ben didn't get to that desert by taking a bus, that's for sure.  Ben learns the hard way that making 'desert angels' are hell on your spine. Two men on horseback come upon Ben, and he tries to communicate with them. When that doesn't work, he gives up and lets the spring loaded baton he was concealing "communicate" all over both of their faces. As one of them begs for mercy, Ben first hits him with a witty comment, then hits him with the baton, field dresses his wound, steals the unconscious man's horse and rides off into the distance. At this very moment I had to actually stop and remind myself that I was cheering for BEN of all people, but it didn't matter. It was that good of a scene. Back at the barracks, Sawyer runs to find Claire when suddenly the entire area erupts into an all-out warzone. The mercenaries, hiding in the treeline, mercilessly fire on the buildings, killing everything and everyone in the open. Sawyer ducks and finds cover where he can, all the while trying to close in on Claires house. As he nears, one of the assassins fires a rocket launcher and Claire's house is blown sky high. Sawyer finds Claire amongst the wreckage though and (with the help of Hurley) manages to get her into Ben's house safely. It gets quiet, and Miles appears at their door with a radio for Ben. "They just want to talk", he says. Keamy stands out in the open and tries to convince Ben to come out, but Ben calls his bluff and refuses. Keamy brings Alex out of the jungle and threatens to kill her if Ben doesn't surrender. Ben tries his best to convince Keamy that she means nothing to him, and refuses to come out which costs Alex her life as Keamy guns her down without hesistation. Ben is broken. "He's changed the rules", he mutters in shock - then races to the secret room behind his bookshelf and locks himself in. Inside, he pushes the clothes aside and opens another secret panel, revealing a stone door with strange symbols on it, and enters. Back in the flashforward, Ben heads to Tunisia, finds out the date (October 21st, 2005) tracks down Sayid in Iraq(who just lost his dear wife) and hands over the identity of her killer - another member of Widmore's group. Ben trails the killer through the streets, but the killer eventually gets the drop on him. However, Sayid saves the day by shooting the killer. Repeatedly. Ben tries to talk Sayid out of joining his war against Widmore, but Sayid won't have it. After searching for Nadia for so long just to find her, marry her, and have her brutally taken from him? "Who's next?" he asks, setting up the arrangement we saw in "The Economist".  Sadly, Hud was eaten right after this. Daniel sets up the sat phone to transmit Morse Code, and asks the boat what happened to the doctor. They get a message back and Dan says that they said everything was OK and that they were sending the helicopter soon. Jack turns to Bernard, who reveals the intent of their earlier conversation and the truth about the message : it actually said that the doctor was fine - which yes, means that the island is now somehow AHEAD of the boat in the timeline. Jack confronts Daniel and asks if they ever planned to take them off the island, and Daniel finally confesses: no, they weren't. Jack stumbles off, obviously in great pain - that "stomach bug" must be a doozy. Did someone ship in some Dharma Brand Taco Bell? Outside of the carnage, Sawyer decides to part ways, and tries to take everyone with him. Locke can't let that happen, however because Ben saw right through Hurley's little slip-up in the jungle and knows that he's the only one who can find Jacob's cabin now. Locke and Sawyer face off at gunpoint, but Hurley makes the decision to stay with Locke... for the moment. Sawyer and the others head back towards the Beach, while Ben, Locke, and Hurley take their torches and head out into the jungle. Finally, back in 2005 - Ben, dressed in some snappy new clothes - sneaks into the penthouse apartment of Charles Widmore, and confronts him. This is a scene we'll be talking about for weeks and weeks, as Ben and Charles treat each other like old friends and rivalries (and Charles ditches his snooty accent for a gruff Australian one!). Ben admits that he can't kill Widmore - but now that Widmore has "changed the rules" by getting Alex killed, Ben vows to show Charles the magnitude of the mistake he made - by killing his daughter, Penelope Widmore. Widmore claims the island was his first and that Ben got everything he had from him. So, it's a draw: Ben looking for Penelope, Widmore looking for the island. But what does it all mean?
Sorry, this part is for members only and may contain spoilers. If you'd like to read it, please LOG IN or REGISTER. Man, it's great to have Lost back. Whats in the hidden room? What are "the rules"? Any chance of seeing a Ben-Locke-Jack kung fu battle royale? Post a comment below and let us know! Comments (5)
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