Lost Redux: Sayid in a Tux? Lordy Lord, Our Prayers Have Been Answered!

By Jennifer Godwin Feb 15, 2008 10:45 AMTags
Lost, Episode 3: The EconomistABC/MARIO PEREZ

If you haven't yet seen the latest episode of Lost, "The Economist," it would be silly to wander in here and get all spoiled, because it's superfantastic and surprising. On the other hand, if you have, hop on in your chopper, set your bearing to 325, and zoom on in for some Lost lovin', won't you?

While I scrape my chin off the floor after tonight's big reveal that Sayid works for Dr. Evil Compulsive Liar Freaky Pants as a hitman in the future...Say what?!!! Let's first address the most important development of tonight's episode:

Sayid. Tuxedo. Gah.

I felt like saying grace afterward: "Thank you for these gifts you've given us."

And then I actually took the Lord's name in vain several times.

Because...goddamn, that man is fine. But back to that other stuff that's like, you know, important to the plot and and mythology and stuff...

WHAT WE'VE LEARNED  

World Turned Upside Down:  Sayid, who not too long ago was using a pair of pliers to drag a little truth out of inveterate liar Benry, is now working for him. Killing people, no questions asked, off a list. You remember the lists don't you? So many, really: there's Jacob's list, which we don't understand; there's the lists of Oceanic 815 survivors that were turned in to Ben by infiltrators Ethan and Goodwin; and there was the list of hostages Michael was supposed to bring back from the beach.

And now there's a list of people who need to be eliminated off the island in the future, and Sayid is taking them out, one by one. On Ben's orders! To top off this giant Jenga tower of crazy puzzle pieces, Ben thinks it's "good" now that "They" know Sayid is on the hunt. This show rules the world. (In other news, I would like Ben's awesome hidden-bookcase walk-in closet full of secrets installed in my house. Home Depot, can you drop by?) 

Brace(let) Yourselves: If I'm not mistaken (or on the sauce) Sayid's hot blonde German biscuit was wearing the same bracelet that Sayid took off of Naomi. Was hers also inscribed with "I will always be with you, R.G.?" And if so, who is this R.G? And more importantly, doesn't this pretty much signal that the Freighter v. Ben war goes on even after they get off the island? Is Sayid killing Freighters? And if so, who the bloody hell are these people and who the frak is R.G.?! If only this show were like Jeopardy and the questions were actually answers in question form. Hmph.

31 Minutes:
So, let's see, what do we know about the Island as of this installment of Lost? No one from the outside world can see it, you probably want to take a submarine if you'd like to visit and, just as a tiny footnote, it runs 31 minutes later than the rest of the world. Based on the equipment he brought and all the professorial mumbling going on, I'd guess Daniel understands about 75 percent of the Island's mojo. Of course, figuring out the last 25 percent will probably kill him, but, hey, life's rough like that.

As for Daniel's warning to Frank to just stay on the "bearing," no matter what, well, I'll give you a sack of gold coins with a big dollar sign on it if that doesn't turn out to be a compass bearing of 325. In case you don't recall compass bearing 325, that's the route from the season two finale that Ben told Michael would lead to the outside world. I think there's one way in and one way out of that Island, and if you don't stay on the yellow brick road...well, the flying monkeys attack your jumbo jet and crash it into the ocean.

Sonic Secrets:  By the way, the 31 minutes was apparently originally 31 seconds in a previous version of this episode. For the dish on that as well as a deleted scene involving Miles, Kate, Sayid, the sonic fence and what I'm guessing are the Whispering People, check out Doc Artz's blog.

Holy Moly:  Um, yeah, hi everybody, I'm pretty sure Sawyer totally just proposed to Kate. The mind boggles at the thought of those two "playing house." Tune in next week to see what it actually looks like... And make sure you've weighed in on our Skate v. Jate Debate! Tonight had some interesting Skate and Jate moments.

Sucks To Be a Six?  In the future, it seems Jack's a drunk, Hurley's crazy, Kate cries about Jack, and Sayid's become something between John Shaft and Shere Khan from The Jungle Book. He's suave and lethal, the bad mofo who gets all the chicks, but he is not a really good guy. Also in the future, Sayid cries sometimes, too, but in a more manly "I've just been shot in the chest and dragged myself through the city in a dignified but slightly wobbly manner so that I can have my open wound stitched up by the devil, but don't worry it's all good," kind of way. Is there any chance the remaining two of the Oceanic Six are skipping through a field of buttercups, holding hands and singing folk songs? Also, any bets on who they are? (Vote below!)

Helicopter Shots:  Waaay back in the day, when a young upstart named J.J. Abrams directed the Lost pilot, he was very specific about not wanting any aerial shots of the crash site, so as to reinforce the audience's sense of confusion about what the heck just happened. We didn't get our first view of the Island from above until the Losties set sail on that beautiful raft. Nearly three years later, the helicopter shot in "The Economist," with what appeared to be visual nods to the jungles of Apocalypse Now, was nothing short of exquisite, and I think it's the rarity of the overhead view that makes it so haunting and magical. Well-played, Jaybrams! Well-played.

Dear "Another Sawyer" & Other Frienemies:  Yo, Miles, come sit over here by me so we can have a little talk. No, no, right here, it's safe. I promise the mace on my keychain is just for self-defense. We just need to talk about this business of you using nicknames like "Tubby" on one of our beloved Losties. Until you are actually Sawyer, you need to not ever talk like that to Hugo again. Are we clear? Cool. The rest of ya'll are still on my "tentatively okay" list, but Locke, you are on indefinite probation for talking to Hurley like that. And you should know better, too. You know the younger kids look up to you. We expect you to set a better example. Now run along and have fun. We'll see you next week!

WHAT'S TO COME

Anyone have a theory as to who Ben's man on the boat is? We're working on one that involves a certain Lostie we already know...You know whom we're talkin' bout, right? Would be awesome, no? Post your thoughts on that below!

Next week is a Kate flashforward, and we'll find out why she wasn't in jail in "Through the Looking Glass," who her 'he' is from the finale (as in, "He'll be wondering where I am...") and, oh yeah, she'll also tell us if she's preggers! Plus, there's a shocker that's just as good as the Ben/boss reveal tonight, IMHO.

But you know, I'm sure some of you have better things to watch...If you are clinically insane.