This episode brings us the chilling Christian Shephard apparition in full effect. Jack is struggling mightily with everyone looking to him as the leader. His hero complex has kicked into high gear, but when he fails to save a drowning woman he is reminded of his father's telling him he isn't cut out for leadership. As a boy, Jack stuck up for a friend who was being bullied and earned a black eye for his trouble. This prompted his father's devastating judgement that Jack does not have what it takes to handle the inevitable failure that comes with great responsibility. As a result, our good doctor is carrying a load of crippling doubt in himself as well as resentment of his dad.In flashbacks, it is revealed that Jack has gone to Australia to find his father and bring him back to the States at the behest of his mother. Unfortunately, Christian drank himself to death , and Jack has to bring his body home. Which means Jack boarded Oceanic Flight 815 with his father's coffin as well as the guilt that he was the reason his father was drinking his sorrows away. This makes Christian's appearance on the Island that much more disturbing, but Jack chases the specter into the jungle despite the creepiness factor of it all.
As Jack is chasing Daddy Dearest around the Island, the rest of the camp is in chaos due to the water shortage and Claire's collapse. Locke offers to go search for fresh water leaving Kate and Sayid to monitor the camp. Lucky for Jack, Locke finds him just in time to pull him off a cliff. Then Jack has what can only be described as a laughing fit that makes him seem less stable than Black Rock dynamite. This prompts the first discussion between Locke and Jack on science versus faith.
Is Jack going crazy, hallucinating because of trauma and lack of sleep or is his father really walking around the Island? Is the Island special, and did they crash there for a reason as Locke claims? These discussions are always a pleasure to watch. Some of Lost's best moments occur when these two are debating an issue. Locke might have won this first round because he convinced Jack of his role as leader, but he sure didn't convert Jack to the Island religion. Jack actually might have started to feel more sane hearing Locke talking about looking into the eye of the Island and finding beauty cause he sort of looks at Locke like WTF?! But as far as a typical Locke/Jack discussion goes this one had civility and camaraderie. Locke leaves Jack to figure out his issues and continue his journey alone. It leads him to the caves and fresh water that the survivors so desperately need.
But it also leads him to Christian Shephard's empty coffin. So, the question that remains is where is the body? We see him appear to many people on the Island. But why is it that he is always in the suit and sneakers when Jack sees him, but in a tan outfit when Claire, Sun, Locke etc. see him? Is the smoke monster involved in this or Jacob's nemesis (maybe one in the same)? We know Smokey can take on the appearance of others. And whatever has taken on the appearance of Locke in Season 5 certainly didn't inhabit his body since Ilana found his corpse in the cargo hold. So, is the actual body of any use as a vessel or just evidence of the fraud being perpetrated by Smokey/Jacob's nemesis? Answers will be coming next season I am sure. I think there will have to be some interaction between Jack and his Ghost Dad before the end. Something tells me he won't be as friendly as Bill Cosby.
Jack heads back to camp and finds the others about to wail on Boone for taking the last of the water. Jack gives the ubiquitous Live Together, Die Alone speech. Awesome then, and still holds up as one of the themes of the show. In Season 1, Sawyer is the every man for himself proponent while Jack makes all decisions in the interest of the whole group. But it seems most have made their way over to Jack's way of thinking in the course of 5 seasons.
In other island developments:
- Charlie is truly a wonder. His dad teaches him to swim as a child back in Britain. He then gets stranded on an island and can no longer remember how to swim. He must have re-taught himself because in a few short months he goes on an amazing underwater adventure in the Looking Glass station. But then he drowns. Oh Charlie, the water is not your friend!
- Kate jumps Sawyer in the jungle because she suspects him of hoarding water. Foreshadowing for a future cage match? Yes.
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