Lost Recap Season 6, Episode 11 "Happily Ever After" by Jeff Bond

I have been writing LOST episode recap blogs on my own for years now. Posting them everywhere from my large email friend-base to MYSPACE, to Lost board websites, to FACEBOOK, to the blog site's of other friendly 'Losties'. This season I am honored to be posting the remaining recaps EXCLUSIVELY for Cultural Compulsive Disorder!!! Join me there each week for my futile Lost TV show ramblings, but tune in daily, no.... hourly, for an endless array of movie, TV, music, comic book, fashion, and general geek-dom that Mr. Mike D provides. Take a moment right now to make C.C.D one of your favorites, and please become a follower of the blog. Just click follow over on the right hand side, sign in using one of the accounts provided (Google, AOL IM, Yahoo, etc) and watch your picture pop up. Comments are also appreciated...

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WOW WOW WOWEE WOW. What a stupendous episode! Did we expect any less from Desmond Hume? The one thing I must complain about, though, is that THIS episode and THIS episode only seemed like it lasted all of 20 minutes. Even when I sat down for a re-watch. Definitely deserved to be 2 hours long......if only to make it feel like it lasted a full hour. I think I mind-traveled just watching it. An hour on the clock...a few seconds in my mind. Oh well, let's have at it, shall we? There was a few lines of dialog that need to be soaked in in it's entirety, so I've included a few direct quotes if you don't mind.

On the island, Desmond awakens to find Zoe at his bedside. She introduces herself to him and confirms he's been unconscious for 3 days. He's not in the hospital any longer, they've moved him. She has administered a shot to help him wake up from the sedatives they gave him in order to get to the island by submarine. Desmond dismisses all this and wants to see his wife. He wants to see his 'Constant', Penny. Charles Widmore steps out from the shadows, apologizes, and informs Desmond that it won't be possible to see her. He reminds him he was shot by Benjamin Linus but he reassures him that both Penny and his son are safe. He didn't have the time to explain what was going on to Desmond, but if he had he probably wouldn't have come anyway. "Where?" Desmond asks. "..the Island!" Widmore announces. Desmond musters up all his strength and attacks Charles, in a fit of rage. "Take me back!!" Desmond pleads as he bashes Widmore in the head. Charles backs away and wipes the blood from his forehead. "The island isn't done with you yet!" he scolds.

Widmore exits and on his way out is stopped by Jin who has, no doubt, heard some of what just happened. "Why is Desmond here?" Jin asks. Charles will SHOW him 'why'. He turns to his crew and orders the 'test' to begin immediately...earlier than scheduled. (or "Shed-duled!" as Charles would say in his proper English accent). Zoe informs Seamus of Widmore's orders and Seamus seems reluctant. The generator hasn't run in maybe 20 years, to Seamus' estimation. "Can we get a FUNCTIONING EMP field going?" Seamus asks the crew. What is believed to be a 'faulty circuit' stops the start-up. Crew member 'Simmons' is sent out to the small building housing the EMP to check the 'solenoids' (Today's Vocabulary Word is 'solenoid' A 3 dimensional coil wrapped around metallic core which produces a magnetic field when electric current passes through it). While out there, Simmons is subsequently fried to death when another crew member carelessly finds the problem to be just a 'bad breaker' and switches the EMP back on. (Roger, Roger....BOOM) Widmore surveys Simmons' dead corpse. Unmoved, he orders Desmond be put inside the same EMP housing. Desmond struggles to free himself, but the guards quickly subdue him and bind him to a chair with duct tape while asking if he has any metal on him (keys, change,etc.) "Of course not, you idiot!" Charles quips. "If everything I've heard about you is true, you'll be fine", Charles calms Desmond. (What exactly has he heard? Everything, everything? Tell us!). Charles apologizes again and tells Desmond after this 'test' is over he's going to have to ask him to make a 'sacrifice'. "I hope for all our sakes you'll help me", he adds. Desmond asks what Widmore knows about sacrifice and Charles rolls out his laundry list: Son died, Never met grandson, missed last season's finale of 'Desperate Housewives" (I added that last one in, his list wasn't as long as I thought it would be.) If Desmond doesn't help, everyone will be gone forever. Widmore and crew leave to view the 'test' on Desmond through monitors as he gets free of the chair where he was secured. Widmore orders the EMP turned on and Seamus seems to hesitate, so he does it himself. The EMP turns on and it overwhelms Desmond's body (Kinda like you ladies do to him in your minds. Skanks!) Now for a quick physics lesson from someone who didn't take even a day of physics class:

ELECTRONIC MAGENETIC PULSE (or EMP)- A burst of electromagnetic radiation that results from an explosion (especially a NUCLEAR explosion...or NUCULER as Former President George Bush would say) or a suddenly functioning magnetic field. The resulting electric and magnetic fields may couple with electrical/electronic systems to produce damaging current and voltage surges. Think 'Ocean's 11' (thanks, Vito) when the crew shuts down the the whole electrical grid of Las Vegas, temporarily, by detonating and EMP bomb. Internet chatter says that it wouldn't work quite like it did in Ocean's 11..you'd need a 'nuke' to do it and Don Cheadle's character fell short of actually detonating a nuclear bomb...he would have been killed doing so. Good thing LOST island still HAS a nuclear bomb in this timeline...'JUGHEAD' which was never actually detonated. I guess this might be where Desmond's 'sacrifice' comes into play in coming episodes)

FLASH to Universe-X, Desmond-X stares at the flight chart for the Oceanic arrival of Flight 815 at 10:42 (...8, 15, 42...the numbers!) He's seems more preoccupied with his own reflection in the chart's glass (Universe-X Mirrors!) than the actual arrival time/gate. Hugo 'Hurley' Reyes-X passes him, en route to baggage claim #4 (nummmmbers) and startles Desmond-X out of his retard coma. He remembers him from the flight and thought he'd save him some legwork and just tell him what carousel their bags were at. Desmond-X heads to carousel #4 and sees Claire-X struggling with her luggage. "Boy or Girl?" Desmond-X wonders, aloud, after seeing her Jiffy Pop like stomach. She responds that she doesn't know...yet. He helps her with her luggage and offers her a ride with his driver since she appears to be alone. Thanks but no thanks. They cordially part ways and Desmond-X announces "Boy!...that's a boy." (Does Desmond-X know just a wee bit more about the other passengers than they seem to know about each other in this universe?)

Desmond spots his driver, Ben Jahrvi from 'Short Circuit'! Umm, I mean George Minkowski-X...formerly Dr. Minkowski from the freighter in Universe 1.0. Desmond-X tells him he was in Sydney ''...closing a deal for the boss'' and declines dinner and whore hook-ups from his faithful driver. (couldn't think of much irony in Minkowski being JUST a chauffeur in Universe-X..I was trying to inject one. Any thoughts?). Minkowski-X points out Desmond-X has no wedding ring and figured he'd be interested in some 'strange'. No thanks. Soon after, Desmond-X arrives at the bosses office where he is welcomed by the man himself....Charles Widmore-X! "Welcome to Los Angeles, my friend!" (very cordial!)

Back from commercial break, Desmond-X stares longingly at Widmore-X's boat model. (shades of the boat race in Universe 1.0 that Desmond wanted desperately to win to earn Charles' respect.) A painting is scene on the far wall.(Didja catch it?) Scales, one side holding black rocks the other side white ones. The scales are evenly balanced. Widmore-X has a problem he shares with his buddy (and right hand man) Desmond-X (what a love fest!) His son is a talented musician who will be playing at his mother's request at a charity function. The son has come up with the 'crazy' notion of combining both classical and rock music for the event.  Problem is the band who is set to accompany him, DriveShaft, is short their bassist, Charlay Pace-X, who is sitting in and LA jail cell after his incident on flight 815 where he tried to swallow a bag of heroin and almost died. His mission, if Desmond-X chooses to accept it, is to get on over to 'county' and spring the Merry the Elf (yes I know i know...'Hobbit'...'Merry the Hobbit'..nerds!) and deliver him to the charity fundraiser. Desmond-X accepts, which prompts Widmore-X to break out a bottle of the ol' MacCutcheon whiskey, which Desmond 1.0 was never good enough to imbibe. This incarnation of Desmond, however, deserves nothing but the best, of course. "Nothing's too great for you" Widmore-X exclaims. Desmond-X arrives at the precinct and approaches the building where, again, he seems slightly taken aback by his reflection in the glass door...removing his sunglasses to get a 'deeper' view. The officer introduces Charlay-X to him and releases him into his custody, since bail has been paid. Charlay-X is "...unable to leave the state", however. Charlay-X disregards all conversation involving him and makes a bee-line for a pub directly across the highway from the precinct narrowly avoided 3 or 4 hit & runs. Desmond-X follows after him and sits down for a drink of "..whatever he's having".

Charlay-X asks if Desmond-X is 'happy' to which Desmond-X rattles off a quick list of all his blessings of being a wealthy single man. Charlay-X means the kind of happiness that comes with 'love'...'spectacular consciousness altering love'. (oh, brutha.) Charlay-X relays to him the whole scenario from the plane, starting with a look he got from Kate's Marshall that made him think the Marshall knew he was 'holding' drugs. The rest is history, but while Charlay-X was unconscious, he reveals, he had a vision of 'raptuosly beautiful blonde'. (Eloise?....haha just kidding, probably Claire) He get's the feeling as if they'd always BEEN together. Desmond-X shrugs it off and suggest Charlay-X write a song about it. (haha) Enough! Desmond-X offers Charlay-X a choice: "Keep drinking, or come with me" he says. (there's always a choice, brutha...alaways a loaded one, it seems.) Staying to drink will result in 'extermination' of Charlay'smusical career. Going with Desmond-X, however, and in 20 minutes he'll be in a 5 star hotel and have one of the most powerful men in L.A. owing him a favor. Doesn't sound like much of a choice to Charlay-X, so he heads out. Desmond-X and Charlay-X buddy it up in Desmond's car on the way to the drop off point. The worst song in the history of the world comes on the radio, DriveShaft's 'You all, Everybody' (oh, brutha.). Charlay-X bathes in it's awfulness for a bit, counting his millions in his mind.

They approach the marina where, in Universe 1.0, Desmond docks his boat and is shot by Ben Linus. This time around Charlay-X offers him a choice. Let Charlay-X show Desmond what he's talking about, or get out of the car. Now that's REALLY not much of a choice. Before Desmond-X can react, Charlay-X grabs the wheel and navigates them directly into the harbor, sinking the car. Desmond-X escapes and tries furiously to free Charlay-X who appears motionless from the impact. Desmond-X abandons ship and heads up for air. (speaking of abandon...where's Mr. Abbaddon in this universe. I dug that guy). Back down into the water for a 2nd try. Charlay-X comes to and moves his palm toward the side window....echoing his 'Not Penny's Boat' moment in Universe 1.0...but something's different, Desmond-X is completely aware of that 'Not Penny's Boat' moment. Almost as aware as we are. A moment that happened to a completely different Desmond. He has trouble distinguishing the 2 moments from each other. Charlay-X has nothing written on his hand, however, in this Universe-X moment. Desmond-X shakes off the moment temporarily and pulls Charlay-X out of the car and up to the surface to safety. Sirens are heard in the distance. Still in this 'flash', again, Desmond-X awakens. He's being checked over by the doctor after being admitted with Charlay-X for what happened at the marina. The doctor asks, routinely, if Desmond-X has experience any 'hallucinations' ..or is ''...seeing things that aren't there". Desmond-X hesitates to respond, he seems to believe he has but, he has a more pressing issue. He must find the man he came in with. The doctor won't help him, she orders a MRI CAT Scan be done on him instead before he is released. He's not going anywhere until they find out "...what's going on in that brain of his". (Well goooOOOood luck, nurse Betty! We've been wondering for years.).

In the CAT scan room, the nurse asks if Desmond-X has any metal on him (shades of the Hydra island events earlier...presumably to warn us the same things might happen to him in the MRI machine as occurred in the EMP room). Interesting to note that Desmond-X gives Widmore-X's name as a 'contact' person to the nurse. Had he needed a 'constant' in this Universe...he might have chosen his buddy Charles instead of his love Penny, who seemingly does not exist here....chummy. The nurse gives Desmond-X earplugs because the machine is super loud (reminds me of the earplugs used by the Other's to guard against the effects of the sonic barriers) and gives Desmond-X a panic button to push if and only if he needs to stop (reminds me of the button pushing and fail safe key designated to the original hatch in Universe 1.0) Upon entering the MRI there is even a sound heard upon tart-up that is reminiscent of the numbers resetting themselves in the hatch. All coincidence, of course. No sooner does the MRI start scanning Desmond-X's brain, than he starts having 'flashes' of Penny and his son, Charlie, frum anutha life! 'Eggscellent...it's all coming together as planned, Pinky'.

Desmond-X of course, panics and jettisons himself from the unit. Now he REALLY has to find Charlay-X! The nurse at the hospital front desk can't help with privileged information...but maybe Jack-X can. (CAMEOoooo!) I was on the plane with you...you were on the plane with me...we were on the plane with Charlay-X...help a brutha out! Wait a second, no need. Charlay-X, clad in only a hospital gown, runs by with orderlies in tow. (reminded me of Michael Meyers escaping from the asylum...just sayin') Desmond-X corners Charlay-X who stresses that he didn't try to kill him. Desmond-X wants to see his hand, on which NOTHING is written. Charlay-X insists Desmond-X must have felt 'it'...the overwhelming sense of love that he had felt in HIS near death experience. Desmond-X protests to an unbelieving Charlay-X who may have the line of the night in response: than "...why are you accosting a man in a dressing gown?!" (haha...I can dig it, can you dig it? I can dig it.) "None of 'THIS' matters!" Charlay-X proclaims.(what doesn't matter? The Universe-X 'Flash sideways' we've been wasting our time with for half the season?) All that matters is that they felt 'it'. (oh, brutha!) Charlay-X suggests that Desmond-X stops worrying about him and starts his search for Penny. Desmond-X calls Widmore-X from the hospital to deliver the bad news. He won't be delivering Charlay-X to the fundraiser. What a disappointment this Desmond is becoming. Widmore-X suggests (more like orders or demands) that Desmond-X be the one to break the news to Mrs. Widmore...in person.

Minkowski-X pulls up with Desmond-X at the fundraiser location. He asks, knowingly, if Desmond-X has ever met Mrs. Widmore-X. He hasn't. Minkowski-X wishes him 'good luck' inferring, to me anyway, that she may be a bit of evil sea hag. Desmond-X walks the outdoor dining area where Mrs. Eloise Widmore-X (aka Ms. Hawking) can be seen micromanaging the table settings.....and her son Daniel Widmore-X can be seen (and heard) playing piano off to the side. Desmond-X introduces himself and Eloise-X insists it's a 'travesty' they haven't meat before (uh-huh...I'll say!) since she'sheard so much about him. Desmond-X does what he came there to do, apologize for his part in botching the 'Drive Shaft' cancellation...which Eloise-X suggests isn't a big deal. He tried his best and what 'happened...happened'. Desmond-X turns to leave and Eloise-X goes back to obsessing over place settings when Desmond-X overhears the guest list being spoken aloud. Specifically the name Penny.....wait for it...Milton' (nothin' there...sorry. 'Milton' anybody? 'Milton'?) This prompts Desmond-X to want to see the list. Eloise-X is animate that he cannot. (secrets, secrets) "Come with me!" she demands. (uh oh....now you've gone and did it!) Eloise-X dismisses the staff and gets very blunt with Desmond-X. "Listen to me," she starts, "I want you to STOP," as if speaking to a trained animal."Someone has clearly AFFECTED the way you SEE things. This is a serious problem!" she insists. "It is, in fact A VIOLATION." (oh yeah?! Of what? Time Travel Law?) "Whatever you're doing, whatever it is you THINK you're looking for, you need to STOP LOOKING FOR IT!" Eloise-X continues. She doesn't know why Desmond-X is even looking for MORE than he already has. He has the one thing he always wanted, a perfect life where he's got what he has always wanted...her husband's approval. (Looks like someone has seen to it that Desmond-X has gotten what Desmond 1.0 has always been searching for..but at what cost!?) She finishes her tirade by insisting that he can't see the guest list because he's simply 'not ready'. (How very revealing! I feel dirty. It probably has something to do with the photo of Eloise I posted) This dialog is all very reminiscent of our first meeting with Eloise in Universe 1.0. A surreal moment in Desmond's timeline in which Eloise scolded him and suggested he needed to stay on the proper path. I'll need to watch that all again more closely in the grand rewatch I will be having after the finale hopefully, clears up much of the puzzle. Defeated, Desmond-X returns to his car and driver, but is stopped from leaving by Daniel Faraday...er...um...Widmore-X who simply must include a stranger in on his madness. "Do you believe in love at first sight?" he inquires. Apparently Daniel does. He saw 'her' in a museum where works. "Blue-blue eyes, red hair," he describes. (Charlotte-X...yay!) She was eating a candy bar for lunch. (yep...definitely Charlotte-X!) Daniel-X offers that he felt like he ALREADY loved her. the same night he saw her, he woke up and wrote formulas in his journal. Although he had no idea what any of it meant because THIS Daniel ventured down the road not taken and became a musician...not a physicist. He learned through a math whiz friend of his from CalTech, however, that quantum mechanics is involved in what e had written. So advanced, only someone that studied physics all his life would be able to come up with it. (Apparently Daniel 1.0's thoughts have been seeping into Daniel-X's conscious much like we'v witnessed Desmond's conscious do, today)

OK, here's some terms that I saw on the chart in Daniel-X's Journal. although I'm certain some of it must have been in Daniel 1.0's Journal as well. Space Time Interval,Object @ Light Speed, Real Time, Time Line, Motion, Space Like, Real Space Although the term that stuck out the most was 'Imaginary Time' (oh brutha...I'm really hoping I haven't wasted too much effort on an 'Imaginary Time'-line) Daniel-X explains, in lay men's terms what the diagram might represent. "Imagine something terrible/catastrophic was about to happen (yes...yes...go on...) The only way to stop it is releasing a HUGE amount of energy...like setting off a bomb!" he explains. "What if all of THIS wasn't supposed to be our life," he shifts gears. "...We had some other life.....we changed things. I don't know want to set off a nuclear bomb," he stresses. "I think I ALREADY DID!" Desmond-X looks as if he thinks Daniel-X hasn't had his daily tranquilizers and I wouldn't blame him if I hadn't already heard and/or seen this all play out. Whatever the case may be, Desmond-X doesn't know anything about this 'love' that he 'already' may havewith Penny. "I don't know anything about this woman", he begins. "I don't know if she exists. She's an.....idea." (a 'constant' idea ;) "..she's my half-sister", Daniel-X admits. (dum dee dum dum..duuuuum!) Daniel-X tells Desmond-X where to find her.......jogging the bleachers in the same stadium Desmond had once trained in for Widmore's boat race! "Penny?" Desmond-X asks her. Why yes...yes it is...and with a shake of the hand of his 'constant' he again is rendered unconscious in this universe....

..and awake in Universe 1.0! The test is over and Desmond has survived to Widmore's delight. He has only been unconscious in this universe for a few seconds but he spent almost a full day in the other. (I haven't quite wrapped my mind around the time involved in his jumps...but he wasn't conscious of the jumps throughout the day, only at certain points. Is it possible that he mind-travelled 5 or 10 times within the time eluded to for the 'test'?) Either way, THIS Desmond needs no further explanation as to what Widmore needs him to do. Sign him up! A few moments have past and Zoe leads Desmond through the jungle with 2 other crew members that might as well have been wearing red shirts because they are as good as dead anyway. Out of the shadows, Sayid emerges. He snaps a couple of necks before suggesting that Zoe run back to papa. My immediate question is why not snap her neck too. I haven't disliked a crowbarred in character this much since Paolo and Nikki. "I don't have time to explain but these people are extremely dangerous" Sayid informs Desmond, "..we have to go now" he adds. "Aye...of course." Desmond responds with a knowing look. (What the hell just happened here? Did Widmore just have his prized 'package' escorted through the shrubbery by 3 buffoons? Was it on purpose? Did Widmore just knowingly hand Desmond over to Smoke Thing's people in an act of treachery or is this all part of the planned sacrifice that Desmond has submitted himself to. Desmond did seem a little all TOO knowing. What did we just see!? What did you see?)

Flash to Universe-X, Desmond-X is on the floor as Penny-X looks over him. He fainted, "Have we met before?" Penny-X wonders. "I think I would remember it if we did" Desmond-X quips. (Oh they have and he does!) In a tender moment, Penny-X agrees to an impromptu first date with Desmond-X for coffee on the corner Sweetzer and Melrose. In one hour..after she showers of course. Desmond-X returns to his limo and releases a deep exhale, like one might do when one encounters 'rapturous beautiful love'. Minkowski-X asks if he 'found what he was looking for'. To which the Scot with the stoopid Kool-Aid smile replies "Yezzz." Desmond-X instructs him just to drive and Minkowski-X asks "Anything else?" There is one more thing. The passenger manifest from the Sydney flight. Desmond-X asks if Minkowski-X can get his hands on it, because he needs "...to show THEM something!" LOST!

Things I'm Pondering:

• Has it only been 3 days since Widmore and Eloise discussed things outside of the hospital where Desmond was brought after Ben shot him? 3 days since Widmore took him from that hospital I'd say. Not sure whether he did so that same day, but I guess we can assume it was around that same time while Desmond was recuperating from his gunshot wound That all seems like 'forever ago', though.
• Not very pertinent. -I like where all this 'Desmond sacrifice' stuff is headed. The EMP set up seems to be a smaller representation of the electromagnetic pockets that Zoe eluded to last week on Jin's maps. My thoughts are that Desmond is going to station himself between those 2 pockets, underground...where the nuclear bomb 'JugHead' still lays below the original hatch. KABOOM! This will probably be how they finally trap and subdue the Smoke Thing. I really hope Desmond doesn't really have to be sacrificed to do so. How retarded am I on a scale of 1 to 10 with this theory? 10 being 'Super Retarded'. (Sorry retards!
• How much longer do we have to put up with Zoe. Useless.. If this Desmond sacrifice gets botched and it does play out the way I theorized above, I hope there's no chance Smoke Thing will be able to inhabit Desmond if he dies down in the hatch....and get off the island by mind jumping using Desmond's ability. That'd be toooooo spooky. -
• Smoke thing is Eloise. Whoever said Smoke Thing was originally a man. Maybe he's always been a woman. I have nothing to back this up...but I've been thinking about how long Charles & Eloise have been on the island with no back story. I've also been revisiting the theories of who 'Adam & Eve' are in the cave with black and white rocks in their paws. This all sounds so crazy. Forget I brought it up. Hopefully one of these final episodes will be a Eloise flashback to show how she arrived on the island in before the 1950s.
• How does Eloise-X know so much? Has she been filling herself in through some sort of mind traveling of her own?
• My initial thoughts on this whole flight manifest deal was that Desmond was going chase after all of the passengers in Universe-X and round them all up. What good with this do though? they all have a new lease on life in this Universe. Things are looking swell for most of them there. No, kiddies, I think me may quietly scope out all the passengers in Universe-X and report back to their Universe 1.0 dopplegangers as to how well they're other selves are doing so that they feel good about all their hard work on the island paying off....really mattering. Solidifying them as the 'Voltron Team' they need to be. Whattya think?

I neeeeeeeed your 2 cents on this episode, people. I really felt pretty useless during this episode. Science is prevailing in the storyline but I don't know much about all this physics. Hopefully you can enlighten me a bit more.

Another episode down the pike. Another recap for the books. This was surely one of THE best as with all Desmond-centric tales. Next week is all about Hurley. I'm rooting for him to be the final 'candidate'. He deserves it! I, apparently just deserve to remain........ LOST!

Lost Recap : Epsode 10 "The Package"