The series opens on Jack's eye as he awakens to find himself in the middle of a jungle. Vincent comes bounding out of the trees, but when he realizes this man is in no mood to play fetch he peaces out. Jack makes his way to the crash site on the beach and goes into doctor mode, patching people up and saving lives. This is Jack's default setting-- the reluctant hero that needs to be fixing things.After tending to others, Jack inspects his own injuries. As she is the only one around, Kate is enlisted to sew up Jack's wounds. Cause sewing up a bloody gash is exactly like sewing drapes! This is a poignant scene that is referenced many times in the future, so it is worth scrutinizing. Jack tells her about the mistake he made during his first solo surgery and how he conquered his fear by counting to five. Once he got his focus back, he sewed the patient up, and she made a full recovery. It's pretty cool to hear this story again now that we've seen it played out. The part Jack leaves out is his dad's role in recommending the five second time out. Jack saw it as a scolding in front of his surgical team, but most likely Christian thought it was a useful technique to regain composure. He was trying to motivate not scold. Kate inadvertently reveals her deepest flaw in this scene. She tells Jack she would run for the door if she was placed in that situation. When he disagrees with her and points out that she isn't running now, there is a moment of realization on her face. A stranger has challenged and encouraged her to do that which was against her nature. Stop running. This is a glimpse at the redemption the Island offers, and she found it in her first hour there. If Kate ends up with Jack in the end it would be a nice bookend to one of the first scenes of the show, but with Kate who ever knows what she really wants!
That night, as the survivors are gathered around campfires and discussing their chances of rescue, a strange mechanical noise and subsequent flattening of trees in the jungle causes understandable alarm. We have a few insights into "the monster" now, but, as one of the show's most enduring mysteries, there's a lot left to be discovered. Ah Smokey. Let's hope those rumors of a spin-off for you are true! Smokey and the City. Everybody Loves Smokey. Smokey Knows Best. I would tune in!
Now on to another enigma. John Locke. From the perspective of post Season 5, I find it very interesting that we are meant to be suspicious of Locke from the start. The music turns very dark and ominous when he is present, and that scene where he smiles at Kate with the orange peel in his mouth has always completely creeped me out. But with all that's happened in five seasons, I was lulled into a false sense of security about Locke because I viewed him as a sympathetic character what was ultimately well meaning. I believed he was indeed special and had a connection with the Island. I should have been asking myself if a connection with the Island is necessarily a good thing since it turns out Locke was merely a pawn being used by a malevolent force whose only goal was the demise of Jacob. Though Lock himself wasn't a villain, we were always supposed to be on guard against him from day one.
Jack and Kate journey out into the jungle the morning after the crash to find the transceiver in the cockpit. Charlie tags along in order to find the heroin he stashed in the loo. After finding the pilot alive, he informs them that no one will know where to look for them since the plane was 1000 miles off course when it went down. Then the smoke monster tears the pilot from the cockpit, beats him to a pulp, and tosses him in the treetops like a bloody rag doll effectively terrifying the trio. But silver lining...Charlie will get inspiration for a great acoustic song out of this!
The first of many fistfights is taking place on the beach when they get back to camp. In this corner, the Iraqi torturer who has a way with the ladies. And in this corner, the redneck con-man who also has a way with the ladies. Come to think of it, is there any man on that plane that doesn't have a way with the ladies? Anyway when Hurley tries to make peace he has the misfortune of being the first recipient of the snarky nicknames that will forevermore be rolling off the tongue of Sawyer. "Lardo". That's just mean, Sawyer.
After Jack breaks up the brouhaha, Sayid takes the transceiver and discovers that to get a signal they need to take it to higher ground up the mountain. Island hike! And nothing screams tropical jungle like polar bears. Sawyer's best line comes after shooting one right between the eyes with the gun he lifted off the U.S. Marshall. When Kate asks where it came from (the gun), Sawyer says, "Bear Village? How would I know?" What a smart ass. That's why we love him. Maybe that's what did it for Kate as well.
When they finally get to a clearing where the signal comes in clearly, they hear Rousseau's distress call. Shannon translates the French message that everyone was dead and it had killed them. Sayid uses his Mathlete skills and determines that the message has run continuously for 16 years. Doh! Their chances of rescue have just decreased dramatically.
Back at the beach, Jack is trying his hardest to save the Marshall who has shrapnel in his gut. He's fighting a losing game, and unfortunately he picks the worst possible scrub nurse. Hurley passing out at the sight of blood was frustrating for Jack and of no help to the Marshall, but it made me laugh when he collapsed on top of the poor guy's head.
What wasn't too funny was Jin's overbearing and tyrannical attitude toward Sun when it came to communicating with the rest of the group or what he perceived as her lack of modesty. Remember how much we hated him in the beginning?! He has come a long way. Most of the shady things he did back in Korea were for Sun's sake. He has taken responsibility for his part in their struggling marriage and even forgave Sun for her infidelity. He might get the award for most improved.
But the award for most important scene in the pilot episode definitely goes to the exchange between Walt and Locke on the beach. Locke's explanation of backgammon is a direct parallel to the scene that takes place on the beach between Jacob and his nemesis in The Incident. He talks about the history of the ancient game. Two sides. One is dark. One is light. All the conflicts we've seen thus far must be feeding into something that is much more sweeping and grand. The cosmic game of good and evil maybe?
But can we trust that Jacob is the light side simply because he was wearing white and has blond hair? Those evil geniuses, otherwise known as the writers, just love to screw with us, so we can never be completely sure. DARLTON! *shakes fist at sky*
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