The Package

I liked "The Package" but there wasn't a ton that left me thinking this week (except for the Des-centric preview). It was a really good episode though. Definitely entertaining throughout. It going to be a short recap this week due to my travels to DC to check out GW, so lets get straight to the bullet points.

- The first of four highlights for me this week - Sun trusting Jack. It's been a long time since Jack's had the respect and trust of the group, so it was good to see Sun back on board the Jack train. The contrast between her reaction to the MIB and Jack could not have been more clear; they both reached their hand out to her, but she run from the MIB but grabbed hold of Jack. Loved it. Jack has his mojo back in full-force. I just want to see him driving some of the action once a gain.

- The second highlight was the less-than-triumphant return of Mikhial! I couldn't believe we saw that cycloptic bastard again and I was way more excited than I probably should have been. The bullet to his eye was just the icing on the cake. I let out a chuckle after that one. The universe course-correcting perhaps?

- The third highlight was the return of Room 23. When we first saw this place in "Not in Portland", it was like Easter egg porn for the boards. There was a ton to read into, but not really much in the way of substance or hints to any greater mystery. Still, it was awesome then and it remains awesome now. A nice trip down memory lane.

- The final highlight should be obvious - Des! Des! Des! It's been far too long since our favorite Scotsman treated us to an "aye" or a "brotha", but this week's episode "Happily Ever After" promises to fix that. I couldn't be more terrified of Sayid lurking in the water, ready to do the bidding of the MIB. He didn't try to put a stop to Claire as she attempted to plunge a knife into Kate's throat; I doubt he has any sympathy left in there for Desmond either. He said it himself: he feels nothing. But one big question remains - How is Des supposed to stop the MIB? We know he's "miraculously special" in some way that has to do with time, that the rules don't apply to him. So how does that apply here? I can't wait to find out.

- The Sideways world was interesting enough this week, but unlike the other flashes this year, I felt like it didn't tell a complete story. We're left totally hanging with what happens with pregnant and shot Sun. I can't imagine there's going to be another Jin/Sun episode this year, so we're going to have to find out the conclusion of that story from some other character's flash. I've been predicting for a while that all those sideways stories are going to converge and I believe that now more than ever.

- Poor Sun and Jin. Like Keamy said, they're just not meant to be together. But if we can listen to the newly sage-like Jack Shephard for a minute, his little tomato metaphor suggests there might be hope for them yet. They have been stubborn in their commitment to one another even though all the circumstances in the world have tried to tear them apart. And now they're closer than ever to reaching each other. If they can just hold out a little longer, if they can avoid the seductive persuasions of the MIB (whom both seem rather repulsed by), I think they're going to be okay.

- One last note, and it's just something that popped into my head when thinking about old episodes: We used to explain everything that happened on the Island in terms of the Island's own agency. Now, we almost assume that either Jacob or the MIB are the ones pulling the strings on all the mysterious stuff that happens (visions, etc.). Think back to "Further Instructions" - Locke lost his voice after the hatch explosion. It seems unlikely that either Jacob or the MIB was anywhere near him to make that happen. Same deal with when he landed on the Island in the first place and regained control of his legs. We used to explain these things as the Island's will. We haven't done that in a while. It's just interesting. Maybe we're right to drift away from these types of explanations. But maybe we're wrong. Jacob said the Island acts as a cork to keep evil from spreading around the world. Not him. The Island. I'll predict that by the end of the this story, we will have more clearly defined differences between Jacob, the Island, and the Monster. I just don't know what those differences are right now.

Here's to hoping I'm more inspired to write next week. My guess is Des will have that effect on me. Until then...