LOST Recap Season 6 Episode 17 'The End' Part 1

I've 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'. I am honored to be posting the LAST  recap EXCLUSIVELY for Cultural Compulsive Disorder!!! Join me here each week for my futile Lost TV show ramblings, but tune in daily, for an endless array of movie, TV, music, comic book, fashion, and general geekdom that Mr. Mike D and his staff 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 always appreciated.

Although this is one of my last recaps. I will be cleaning floors, and doing laundry here at the C-C-D compound until I am called upon to navigate the waters of the "Grand LOST Rewatch' that will be upon us beginning in June!

The series finale episode has come and gone. I allowed us some time to process all of the overwhelming aspects of the show, which were a culmination of over six years worth of hard work and dedication. Dedication, not just from the shows creators, actors and producers but from all of us...the fans, who've dedicated a small portion of our lives to see this vision through. I was asked to sum up the finale episode with one word and I chose 'Epic'! Fortunately for me, however, I don't have to leave it at just one word. The following is my recap for that 'Epic'....

At LAX, daytime, The Oceanic plane is shown in an extreme close up view. The cargo hatch opens and a large crate is ejected slowly toward an awaiting lift.

In his office, daytime, Jack-X looks over x-rays, we might infer, belonging to John-X who is scheduled for spinal surgery that day at the hands of the good doctor.On the island, daytime, Jack crouches at a stream washing his hands and face for the task ahead.
In his home, Ben-X prepares himself some comforting tea. On the island, Ben loads bullets into the clip of his gun.
At the Hospital, John-X is wheeled away from his room and his wheelchair, on a gurney, that takes him off to his surgery.

At LAX, the cargo crate is loaded into the back of a cargo delivery truck.

In the LAPD locker room, James-X draws his badge from his locker and hangs it around his neck as he passes a broken MIRROR and tries to find a reflection in it. (The mirror he had broken in a previous episode after Detective Miles Straume-X threatened to dissolve their partnership over a breach in trust.)
On the island, James passes Hurley and sits down beside Kate on a log.

At LAX, the driver of the delivery truck drives off with the cargo crate that is stamped: HUMAN REMAINS CHRISTIAN SHEPHERD.

On the island, James tends to Kate's healing, wounded shoulder.

Outside of church, Kate-X sits, wearing her concert dress, in the passenger seat of Hurley's red camaro. The Oceanic cargo delivery truck pulls up near by. Outside the truck Desmond appears, dashingly dressed, in a suit. "You want somebody to sign for that," Desmond asks the driver who's busy unloading the crate. "You work here," the driver wonders, "you a priest or something?" the driver continues. "Or something," Desmond confirms asking him to bring the coffin around the back. The driver continues around to the back of the church as Desmond heads back to his passenger in the camaro. Kate wonders who died. "A man named Christian Shepherd," Desmond responds. "CHRISTIAN SHEPHERD," Kate-X laughs, "Seriously?" Kate-X wonders if he was a friend of Desmond's. "Not Exactly," Desmond responds vaguely as he reaches for the ignition key. "Hang on a second," Kate-X stops him. "You bust me out of jail so we can go to some concert and you won't even tell me why we're here," Kate-X pleads. "No one can tell you why you're here Kate," he answers mysteriously, "certainly not me," Desmond adds. "You're the one who brought me here," Kate-X points out. "I'm not talking about the church," Desmond says, "I'm talking about HERE," he tries to clarify. Kate-X demands to know who Desmond is and what he wants. Desmond tells her his full name, Desmond Hume, and that "I want to leave," he reassures her. "Leave? And go where," Kate wonders. "Let me show you," Desmond says.

In the parking lot of the 'Flightline Motel', Hurley parks his Hum-V. "I don't know why you got me out of prison, what you want, or who you are but, you must understand I can't be held responsible for...," Hurley's passenger, Sayid-X, begins. "Yeah, yeah whatever, dude," Hurley cuts him off reaching for the glove compartment and taking out a gun. "None of this is ringing a bell,dude," Hurley wonders, "You, me...a tranquilizer gun," he asks. Hurley gives up momentarily chalking it up, sarcastically, to he being 'insane' and insists Sayid-X stay in the truck and wait for him as he begins exiting the vehicle. "What if I don't," Sayid-X muses. Hurley moves slightly back into the Hummer toward Sayid-X. "Than that's your CHOICE but, if you stick with me you'll be happy you did." Hurley assures him. Hurley exits the truck and knocks on room 702 of the motel. Charlie-X answers, high on something or another, and, annoyed, points out the 'Don Not Disturb' sign on the doorknob. Hurley sports a Kool-Aid smile at the sight of, what looks to be, his long lost friend Charlie. "Who are you," Charlie-X asks "why are you grinning like a sloggin' idiot," He demands. Hurley reveals that he is there to pick Charlie-X up for the concert he is to play at with his band 'DriveShaft' and classical pianist Daniel Widmore-X. (The benefit concert that Desmond had to break to Eloise Widmore-X that he had failed to deliver Charlie-X for in a previous episode 'flash sideways')  "Didn't I make it clear to Widmore's OTHER monkey," Charlie-X asks angrily. "I don't care about no sloggin' concert," he insists. Charlie-X turns his back to the hefty hummer driver and heads towards his bed. Hurley reveals the tranquilizer gun from within his tent-sized suit jacket and shoots Charlie-X square in the back sending him falling forward, unconscious into the mess of his own bed. Moments later Hurley is seen on his way back out to his truck with the, snoozing, body of Charlie-X slung over his shoulder like a mink stole. He opens the back of his truck and unloads his unconscious friend into storage. "What was that," Sayid-X wonders. "THAT," Hurley divulges, "was Charlie."
Hurley's truck is now parked at the staging area for the 'Driveshaft' benefit concert. Miles-X pulls up nearby. To Miles-X's surprise in the passenger seat of the very conspicuous yellow Hum-V, Sayid Jarrah-X, the murder suspect supposedly transferred to LA County prison earlier that day sits waiting. The Hummer pulls off as Miles-X exits his car to get a closer look. Fearing something has gone a rye, Miles-X gets in touch with his partner, Detective James Ford-X, by phone back at the precinct. "You at county lockup," Ford-X inquires upon hearing of his partners siting of the suspect. "No," Miles-X explains, "I'm at my dad's museum...concert....benefit.....thing." he finishes. Ford-X insists it could not be the suspect because he had left in a van to county over an hour ago. "Oh, really." Miles-X says doubtingly, "Cause I just called and they said he never showed up," he insists. Miles-X points out that there was only one witness from the murder scene left alive, a Korean woman, who was brought to the hospital for gunshot wounds....Sun Paik-X. "Can you make sure she's all right," Miles-X asks. "Enjoy your concert, Amos. I'll keep her safe," Ford-X reassures his partner.

At the hospital, Sun Paik-X rests in her bed, her lover and father of her unborn child, Jin Kwon-X sits by her side. As Sun-X awakens, Jin-X asks how she is feeling in his native Korean. She responds, also in Korean, that she still feels a bit sore. "That happens when you get shot," he jokes. He kisses her and informs her that a doctor will be coming in to have a look at the baby. "If everything goes all right, they say we can leave soon," Jin-X promises her. "Leave and just keep running from my father," Sun-X wonders,continuing to dialog in Korean. "Am I interrupting," the visiting doctor cuts them off wheeling in a sonogram machine. The camera pans up to reveal, not very surprisingly, Dr. Juliet Carlson-X! She introduces herself to the lovebirds. "I'm sorry," she apologizes looking at her clipboard notes, "you don't speak English. I'll try not to talk too much," she assures them. Juliet-X has Sun-X lift her gown so that she can administer the sonogram. As soon as the sonogram paddle touches Sun-X, scenes flash through her mind. Scenes of her life on and off the island. She has been 'awakened' like Desmond, Hurley and Libby before her. "I...remember," Sun says to Jin-X overwhelmed. Jin-X is confused but the doctor moves forward with the procedure. "There it is," the doctor points out, "there's your baby," she reinforces. With that, Jin-X, too, experiences similar flashes of his life leading up to now. "Did you see that little flutter," Juliet-X asks. "That's the babies heart beat," she says. "Perfectly, perfect in every way," she finishes a bit robotically. Sun and Jin begin to cry as they realize what has happened. "I have your amnio results," Juliet-X interrupts. "Would you like to know if it's a girl or boy," she asks hoping they understand. "It's a girl," Sun responds in perfect English. "Her name is JiYeon," Jin adds in superb English as well. "That's a lovely name," Juliet-X says, "and for the record," she continues, "you two speak English just fine."

Jack-X walks the halls of the hospital as he comes up John Locke-X who is waiting there to be brought into surgery. The two exchange pleasantries and Jack-X, noticing John-X to be a bit pensive, asks if he is nervous. "You sure this is gonna work," John-X asks, shaken. Jack-X assures him that he is confident that the surgery will be a successful one as he turns to leave. "I'll see you on the OTHER SIDE," the doctor reassures him. "Hey doctor," John-X stops him, "back in LAX when we met at the baggage claim, you mentioned that they had lost your father," he points out. "Did he ever turn up," he wonders. Jack-X informs them that he received a phone call earlier stating that they had found the coffin. "Actually it might be here already," Jack-X admits. "Well, good," John-X congratulates him "I hope that brings you some peace." he finishes. "If I can fix YOU Mr. Locke," he says "that's all the peace I'll need," Jack-X informs him. I thought he told you to call him John? Sheesh!

Again, Jack-X is seen walking though the hospital halls. There, he bumps into Juliet-X who is looking over some paperwork. "Did you get the tickets for the concert tonight," she wonders of him. Jack-X takes the tickets from his pocket and leaves them with her. As his son David approaches he, too, wonders about Jack-X's tickets for the show. "I just gave them to YOUR MOM," Jack-X responds revealing David's biological mom to be Juliet-X. "Uh, who's gonna take yours," David inquires apparently revealing that his father won't be able to make it to the show that night. "Well if you don't have anyone else," Jack-X reflects, "maybe you can take your aunt Claire. I'm sure she'd love to get out of the house." He finishes. "I'm very curious to meet this mysterious sister you NEVER mentioned the entire time we were married," Juliet points out sarcastically. Jack-X insists his ex-wife will love his new sister. "She's extremely pregnant," he quips. They exchange pleasant goodbyes and head in separate directions. Juliet-X walks off toward the elevators with her son David in tow passing by James-X who exits the elevator and stops at the check-in desk where he asks the nurse for Sun Paik's room.

At dark, Hurley and Sayid-X are seen together, again, parked in the alley of a nightclub. Sayid-X wonders, again, if Hurley might tell him why they are there. "I'm not allowed to tell you," Hurley informs him "there are rules....just trust me OK, I trust you," he reassures Sayid-X. "And what," Sayid-X begins, "have I done to deserve your trust," he asks. Hurley turns to Sayid-X and speaks from the heart. "I think you're a good guy,Sayid," he starts, "I know a lot of people have told you that you're not. Maybe you heard it so many times you started believing it," he continues seemingly striking a nerve with his passenger,"but you can't let other people tell you what you are, dude," he winds down. "You have to decide that for yourself," he finishes. With that, Sayid-X apologizes to our robust awakener. "You clearly don't know anything about me," Sayid-X defends. "I know a lot about you, dude," Hurley insists. Just than, their conversation is cut short by a ruckus further up along the alley. Two men have stumbled out of the club and continue to fight out into the darkness. One man levels the other leading the helpless man's sister to come to his aide. The second man quickly dispatches her as well. Sayid-X has seen enough. Without hesitation he emerges from the truck and reguiles the second man with a few blows. Sayid-X bends over to help the battered woman up to her feet. A closer glimpse reveals her to be Shannon Rutherford-X. You'll recall the island version of Sayid had had a passionate, albeit brief, romantic encounter with Shannon's island counterpart before she was gunned down accidentally by Ana Lucia. For a time they were inseparable and she made him forget about his first love Nadia a bit. The two lock eyes and immediately experience their awakening, their glimpses into their whole lives up until now. Everything they have have experienced together on the island. They embrace and kiss passionately as Hurley looks on from the truck. The brother, Boone pops up in the passenger window, face bloodied. "I just got pounded, man," Boone informs Hurley, apparently already awakened himself, "Thanks for taking your sweet time," he scolds jokingly. Hurley brushes off his remark, "It takes as long as it takes," he informs him. "You know it was a pain in the ass getting her here from Australia," Boone continues the sarcastic guilt trip. "It was worth it," Hurley insists. The two look out again at the newly awakened couple. "Should I go get 'em," Boone wonders.
"Nah," Hurley returns, "'let's give 'em a minute."

On the island, daytime, Kate peers from behind the shrubbery at Jack, who stands in a stream looking out into the distance...his back toward her. From behind Kate, James emerges from the jungle and approaches Jack, the newly ordained 'protector' of the island. James asks him if he's OK and the two exchange pleasantries. "To be honest, Doc," James begins, "I'm kinda wondering what just happened up here," he asks. Jack laughs. "That makes 2 of us, "Jack responds. (Make that 2 million of us!) "So, you're the new 'Jacob', huh," James follows up, "you feel any different," he asks to which Jack replies that he doesn't note any change. "Well, Doc, how 'bout you come on down from the mountain top and tell us what the hell the burning bush had to say for itself," Sawyer sarcastically demands referring to Jack's final interaction with the islands previous 'protector', Jacob, the prior evening.
In the next scene, Jack, Kate, and James have joined Hurley back near the fire that contained Jacob's ashes but has since dissipated. You'll recall the peetering out of the flame brings about the final demise of Jacob. Jack fills the group in on what he now knows. "Jacob told me that we had to go to the bamboo forest out passed our old camp," He divulges. "Just passed it he said I'll find the place we need to protect," Jack finishes. Kate wonders what the place is, to which Jack describes it as the 'heart' of the island. "All he said was that it's a light," Jack finishes. "And that Locke Smoke thing wants to put it out," Hurley infers. "So, what if he does," he asks Jack. "Than that's it, for all of us," Jack threatens. Kate wonders why Locke (MIB) hasn't put the light out already. "Cause he ain't got what he needs," James insists, figuring out that 'what he needs' is Desmond. "That's where we were headed before your inauguration," James reminds Jack that Sayid had used his last words to tell them that Desmond had been trapped in a well by the man in black. Jack thinks there must be more to it because Jacob didn't specify anything about Hume. "Doesn't sound like he said ANYTHING about ANYTHING," James asserts. "He's worse than Yoda," Hurley says, to my delight, in the finale's first Star Wars reference. James insists they split up. The group will head to the source of the light "...and I'll go get the 'magic leprechaun out of the well," James quips. Jack agrees and let's James know they will leave a trail for him to follow in order to meet up with them after. With that James picks himself up and heads out. "I'd ask you to come along but that'd take all the fun outta me tellin' ya can't come" James says to Kate in a true 'Sawyer' moment of diffusing the tension of the group split under such dire circumstances. "I guess I'll just have to resist the urge to follow you anyway," Kate plays right along. "I got a bad feeling about this," Hurley adds in the finale's second Star Wars reference.
In the next scene Jack, Kate and Hurley are scene trecking through the brush. Jack explains to an inquisitive Kate that he volunteered for the job as island 'protector' because he was supposed to, because the island was all he had left. "It's the only thing in my life I haven't managed to ruin," Jack adds. Kate assure Jack that he hasn't ruined anything. (I infer that she means there might still be hope for the two of them romantically amongst other things that still can be fixed) "Nothing is irreversible," She points out. "This would be so sweet if we weren't all about to die," Hurley cuts in, reminding them about the jeopardy in which this movement to protect the island has put their lives. Jack smiles as the small tribe heads off to their destination.

Near the well, clad in his vintage John Locke suit, Smoke Monster winds up the rope that was used to extradite Desmond from the well. He's gotten over the initial shock of Hume being still alive and having been rescued. Ben stands nearby his new-old leader and notices they are being watched from behind a not-so concealing bush. "While you're watching why don't you join us," Ben announces to James at rifle point, who has made it to his destination too late to rescue Desmond himself. MIB asks to what he owes the pleasure of James' company. "I heard Desmond fell in a well, I came to help him get out," James retorts in a moment that has me momentarily visualizing James Ford as 'Lassie' in the scenario. "Looks like someone beat us BOTH to the punch," James jokes, peering down into the vacant well, "Oh well," he shrugs. MIB asks whether or not James knows why they are there as well and is pretty surprised to learn that James knows EXACTLY why...MIB needs Desmond to destroy the island. MIB explains to James that he doesn't plan on 'going down with the ship' but that James and the rest of the 'candidates' certainly will be. "We're not 'candidates' anymore," James divulges as he accosts Ben and grabs his rifle "I'll be seein' ya," he tells the two as MIB allows him to walk off. (I'm guessing MIB is not sure whether he can kill James or not? Whether or not James, himself, is the new 'protector'? Why not just bash his head into a tree like a soft coconut and see what comes of it? Any thoughts?) Ben wonders the same as I to which MIB responds simply that he doesn't 'need' to go after James. (guess that might be the answer. He just figures James will die in the island destruction and he doesn't have to bloody his own hands....um, er, smoke limbs. I still see no need to take the chance) Ben wonders if MIB was truly serious about sinking the island fearing his hopes of ruling over the island in MIB's absence have been distinguished. "I'm sorry I left out the part about the island being on the bottom of the ocean," MIB sarcastically apologizes to his cohort who has let himself be manipulated once again. MIB offers Ben a spot on HIS escape boat as a consolation prize.(Desmond's boat 'The Elizabeth' that the Smoke Monster has claimed for his own) He reasserts his plan to catch up with Desmond, using him to destroy the island. Just than MIB pauses and bends over to investigate the mud surrounding the well. "I think there was a DOG here," he announces. ('Lassie' perhaps?)

Vincent barks near the cabin of Rose and Bernard. The dog struts over to where Desmond Hume is resting after his rescue from the well and licks him awake ('Jack, wake up, you have work to do' I'm reminded) Rose and Bernard are glad to see their visitor awake and Rose sends her husband off to grab them some breakfast. Bernard exits into the jungle with Vincent, heading to check their fishing traps. Desmond sits up and asks Rose how long they've been living out in the cabin as most of their former tribe asks of them when passing through. "Well, we built this place in '75, lived here a couple of years than the sky lit up again," she begins, "so God only knows WHEN in the hell we are now," referring to the island's jumps in time. (Her words confuse me, by the way, if I'M even sure what date it is on the island presently.) With that, Rose politely asks Desmond to leave once he's been fed since his presence there breaks the couple's rule of not getting involved. "Whatever got you tossed inside a well," she begins to inform him, "that's the kinda drama Bernard and I don't want anything to do with." (Yeah, save the drama for your mama, brutha!) Vincent barks in near proximity alerting the two of the arrival of Lando Calrissian and...the imperials. Wait, no that can't be right. Oh yeah it's just Bernard flanked by the Man in Black and Ben. "Hello, Rose," MIB greets the aging maternal figure who has had her cancer stopped from spreading, seemingly, by the island's magical properties. He draws his 'Rambo' knife and approaches Mr. Hume. "I'll make this simple," MIB threatens, "come with me now or I'll kill them both right in front of you." Rose reassures Desmond that he doesn't have to bargain with the devil, so to speak, over their lives as he hesitates. "I'll make it hurt," MIB adds looking down at his sharp knife. Desmond asks for his word that he won't harm them and MIB gives it to him. (MIB seems a little defined by keeping his word although he might find creative ways to bend the specificities of the agreement itself.) "Than I'll do what you want." Desmond agrees. "YES Desmond....you will," he hisses.
Desmond is seen walking with the support of a large tree limb, which does it's best in reminding me of one of my favorite no-nonsense characters from season two, Mr. Ecko. MIB quizzes Desmond on his knowledge of their destination. Desmond's not sure where they're headed "...but I assume it's a place with a very bright light," he predicts again surprising his captor. (Seems as though the being that once had no faith in the ability of corrupted humanity to do the right thing in the face of temptation is beginning to see a slight difference in this particular group of strong-willed castaways.) The moment is interrupted by static emitting from Ben's half of the walkie-talkie pair that he has smuggled away in his purse. The other walkie-talkie, you'll remember, is in the possession of one, Miles Straume, who has since decided to wander aimlessly in the jungle rather than immediately getting himself dispatched by the Smoke Monster. "What was that," MIB demands of Ben. "What was what." Ben responds hoping MIB will dismiss the noise as he shuts the volume down.

On the other end of the walkie-talkie, Miles tries feverishly to get ahold of Ben. "Linus, can you hear me...come in," he pleads "I found Alpert," He exclaims. The camera pans down to show Richard unconscious but, not dead (to my delight) at Miles' feet in the shrubbery. Richard wakes up and Miles fills him in on what had happened to him. Reminding him that he tried to reason with the Smoke Monster who responded, in turn, by launching him into the jungle where he now lays. Miles offers to try and get Richard help but he dismisses it given the magnitude of what has happened. "You still have the C4," Richard inquires nervously. "Cause...we gotta go blow up that plane," he explains referring to their expedition to Hydra island to destroy the Ajira vessel they suspect might be used to aide in the Smoke Monster's island escape.

James runs swiftly through the jungle away from the well area where he encountered MIB and Ben Linus, feverishly trying to catch up with the remainder of his tribe. He happens upon them and startles Hurley in the process. "Easy there, Bigfoot," James calms him, "it's just me," he adds. James confirms to them MIB's plans to destroy the island using Desmond as some sort of pawn. He credits Jack for being right about the dastardly plans and insists they have to find Desmond before MIB does. "Doesn't matter if we find Desmond first or he does James," Jack philosophizes, "We're all going to the same place, anyway," He insists. "Than what," James wonders of the doctor. "It ENDS," Jack forebodes.

Richard and Miles have reached the dock where they load one of the outriggers with supplies they'll need for their journey to Hydra island to disengage the Ajira plane from the island's grand game board. Richard looks up predicting 'one hell of a storm'. (One wonders whether he's even talking about the weather.) With that, Miles stares at the ageless immortal with an odd sense of realization. "Welcome to the club." He announces to Richard. Richard is confused to see Miles pointing to Richard's hair while patting at his own. Asking him first if he would mind, Miles reaches for Richard's hair and pulls something out as if he were a wild monkey grooming his monkey counterpart. "Looks like you got your first grey hair." Miles points out to him as we realize something has happened within the recent events to cause Richard to finally begin to lose his immortality. (Must have been either being displaced so roughly by the Smoke Monster or most probably the fact that the islands former 'protector' and Richard's employer, Jacob, has since moved on to the afterlife taking with him the wish he had granted Richard of eternal youth) Richard smiles oddly. "What are you smiling at," Miles wonders. "I think I JUST realized that I want to live," Richard explains somewhat jokingly. "That's good timing you got there," Miles quips, patting his friend on the back.
The two are now seen paddling the outrigger toward the second island and are startled at a couple of thuds that come from the hull of their vehicle as they do. Peering overboard they see the body of one of the submarine's crew members bobbing in the tide as they come upon the wreckage of the sub sinking. "Help....help" they hear from opposite direction. They turn themselves and find that someone has made it out of the situation alive...Frank Lapidus, the Ajira pilot! (Good ol' Frank.) They pull him aboard and tend to him, getting him water to drink. Frank wonders what these two are doing out in these waters and they inform them that they are headed to Hydra island, more specifically the Ajira plane. "Whattya wanna do that for," Frank asks. They divulge to him that the smoke monster plans on leaving the island and that they plan to destroy the plane with C4 explosives to stop him from doing so. "Well, Frank begins, "if WE leave, that thing won't have a plane anymore," he suggests to them. "In case you haven't noticed," Franks adds,"I'm a pilot." He finishes, garnering smiles all around.

MIB treks through the shrubs flanked by Desmond and Ben Linus. Jack is seen doing the same with Kate, James, and Hurley. To the surprise of both groups but, without much hesitation they reach the clearing and are now walking directly toward each other. "Well, this is going to be interesting," MIB/Locke predicts. With that, Kate arms her rifle and begins to unload rounds of ammunition into the Man in Black unsuccessfully having no affect on him but, startling his team to take cover as she does nonetheless. "You might want to save your bullets," MIB suggests eerily. (This is an ironic suggestion given what we know of the final scenes of the series) Jack and MIB haven't stopped walking toward each other though. "So," MIB begins, "IT's you," he inquires knowingly about Jack's new role as island protector. "Yeah, it's me," Jack nods in his special head bobbing way. "Jacob being who he is I expected to be a little more surprised," MIB retorts. "You're the obvious choice don'tchya think," he muses. "He didn't CHOOSE me I VOLUNTEERED," Jack corrects him. MIB wonders knowingly if Jack is there to STOP him but Jack seems to be a bit more enlightened today. "I can't stop you," Jack insists. "In fact, I...uh...wanna go WITH you," he adds. MIB believes Jack to be confused of his intentions to destroy the island. "No, you're going to the far side of the bamboo forest to the place that I've sworn to protect," Jack acknowledges, "and than you THINK you're going to destroy the island," he discounts. "I THINK," MIB questions...somewhat surprised again. Jack informs his adversary that this isn't what's on the menu to MIB's surprise. "Than," Jack threatens "I'm going to kill you." Smoke monster wonders how Jack plans to accomplish that. "That's a surprise," Jack admits. (I wonder if he means a surprise for the MIB, a surprise for himself or quite possibly a surprise for both of them.) "OK than, let's get on with it," MIB dictates. The two teams walk together with MIB in his Locke persona taking the helm. James wonders to Jack, not very discreetly, how he plans on dispatching the MIB. "What's your surprise," he asks of the doctor. Jack reveals his 'surprise' to be Desmond as they've discussed. He's not sure of the details yet, but he can't imagine Jacob had brought Desmond all the way back to the island just so that MIB could make Desmond destroy it. "So Desmond's bait," James infers rather incorrectly. "No," Jack corrects, "I think he's more of a weapon," he reveals. "That's a hell of a 'long con',Doc" James proclaims. Smoke Monster/Locke unsheathes his knife as the team reaches a tangled enclosure of fresh bamboo. "Jack, Desmond...it should just be the three of us from here," MIB announces. (I'm happy to learn MIB doesn't need to KILL the rest of the travellers at this point, just part ways with them.  We'd do well to remember him more as this confused boy raised by an insane woman who just wants to leave his island captivity one day as seen in 'Across the Sea'. He doesn't seem to fit the 'embodiement of evil' moniker we tend to want to label him with some times) Jack nods in agreement as Desmond steps forward without hesitation. (To me, Desmond seems clearest of his role in the situation.) The three advance forward as Hurley reaches out to his leader, in what feels like it could be their last moment together. "Jack, I believe in you, dude," Hurley encourages. Jack shoots his friend a grateful look.

The three press on toward their destination. "It's gonna be a bad one," Smoke/Locke predicts, he too looking toward the sky. With that we realize they have made it to the cave of light we were first shown only two weeks prior. The 'heart' of the island. MIB wastes no time, securing the rope he brought from the well to a sturdy nearby tree. Jack knowingly ties the other end around Desmond's waist creating a bit of a harness. "This isn't worth it ya know," Desmond tries to enlighten his friend. "Him destroying the island, you destroying him," he continues, "it doesn't matter. You're gonna lower me into that light and I'm gonna go someplace else. A place where we can be with the ones we love and not have to think about this damn island again," Desmond adds. "And ya wanna know the best part, Jack" Desmond inquires whether Jack is still hearing him. "You're in this place," Desmond divulges. "We sat together on Oceanic 815. It never crashed. We spoke to each other. You seemed happy," Desmond tells him. He thinks he might be able to find a way to take Jack with him there. "Desmond, I tried that once. There are no shortcuts," Jack begins. (I get the sense he's speaking of both his return to the 'real world' in season four and his attempted suicide there, as well as his judgement call to blow up the hatch construction site in 1977 in attempt to send them all back to LAX, never having crashed on the island. All attempts at ending his immediate torment and starting something new for himself where he could be happier.) "There are no 'do overs'," Jack continues. "WHATEVER HAPPENED, HAPPENED. Trust me, I know. ALL OF THIS MATTERS." He finishes, cutting down any other foolish notions Desmond may have for them. "Shall we," MIB interrupts the heart-to-heart. Jack nods again as Desmond walks fearlessly into the light. The three look over the waterfall together straining their eyes to obtain a glimpse of what may lay ahead for them.

Miles continues feverishly to get ahold of Ben on the other end of the walkie-talkies, this time, with a degree of success. "Miles where are you," Ben wonders. Miles informs Ben that they are on their way to the Ajira plane. "Miles, listen to me," Ben pleads. "Whatever you do, don't blow up that plane," he exclaims. Miles informs him via walkie-talkie of their new plans to escape the island. Inviting him to get to the plane ASAP. On Hydra island, Frank is startled to see Claire emerging from the jungle, walking toward them at the shore, rifle pointing in their direction as she does. He calls out her name. Kate hears this through the walkie-talkie along with the following startling gunshots which prove only to be potshots intending to drive the new would-be Ajira crew away. "Don't come any closer," Claire threatens. "HE sent you to kill me. Didn't he," she demands. Richard informs her that they aren't with 'Locke' and begs her to lower the rifle and to join them. "...we have a real chance to get far, far away from him." Richard insists to her, "We can be free of anything HE ever did to us and never look back," he adds. "We can go home. Will you come with us, Claire?" Richard finishes, seemingly breaking her from her bad intentions. "No," Claire definitively remarks as she turns and walks back into the brush.

Back at the cave of light the trio finalize their plans. "All right," MIB dictates to Jack, "we lower him down...nice and easy," he says. "You know what to do once you get down there," Jack quizzes Desmond. "Aye, I go where the light's brightest," Desmond concurs. "Don't get yourself killed," Jack suggests. With that hey begin to lower Desmond down the waterfall into the source of the light, strenuously. Hand over hand, Jack and Smoke/Locke relieve the slack in the rope as Desmond advances downward. "This remind you of anything, Jack," MIB inquires of him. "Desmond going down into a hole in the ground. If there were a button down there we could fight about whether or not to push it." MIB continues. "Like old times," he finishes. Jack glances back at his adversary, fed up, as they both continuing lowering the rope. "You are not JOHN LOCKE," Jack assures him angrily. "You disrespect his memory by wearing his face...but, you're NOT the man," he insists to him. "Turns out he was right about almost everything. I just wish I could have told him THAT while he was still alive," he continues. "He wasn't right about anything, Jack," MIB corrects him from his point of view, "...and when this island drops into the ocean and you drop with it," MIB lectures, "...you're finally going to realize that," he finishes. "Well," Jack begins, "we're just gonna have to see which one of us is right, than," he postures. With that the two peer down into the cave, Desmond fully lowered to it's bottom as we are reminded of countless times these two forms have disagreed on the island's mysteries...and of life's mysteries in general. Difference is, the figures you see peering down into the 'heart' of THIS mystery are no longer the John Locke and the Jack Shepherd as we once knew them to be. With his new role as immortal, island protector, he his no more the bumbling Mr. Fix-It than the other is the omnipotent island tracker. Which fate will prevail over which logic? Which man's science over which man's faith?

END PART 1

Things I'm pondering

• The same church that Kate-X sits outside of as she waits for Desmond in the opening sequence is the same church containing the sole, off-island secret basement location of the DHARMA hatch, 'The Lamp Post'. The same church the Oceanic 6 converged in to gain instructions from Eloise Hawking on how to return to the island in season 4.  The 'Flightline Motel' where Charlie-X is held up when Hurley arrives to claim him is also the very same motel John Locke met up with his father Anthony Cooper to help with a money drop...and also the motel near which Helen told John Locke he would not marry him. I love it that they've been able to wedge in, not only a lot of character cameos for us this season but, location cameos as well...for one less glimpse and a reminder of where we've been and who've we met.
• Before the finale, I had confused myself into thinking that the concert most of our 'Flash Sideways' characters were headed to was would be one that David Shepherd was playing at. I wondered why anyone but his own parents would care very much to see his playing. Once the finale episode was in full effect I realized that the concert was the same benefit show that Eloise Widmore-X had been planning and that David Shepherd just had tickets to it because he he wanted to see 'Drive Shaft' play with classical pianist Daniel Widmore-X. Do I have that correct now? Little things like this that's what I always have trouble with.
• Up to this point has Jack Shepherd shown ANY signs of being 'special' now the he is the island's protector. I expected him to be a bit more Jesus Christ like..or maybe a bit more like Jacob. Does that just come with time? 
• How come Jacob was already burnt to ashes in the base of the statue but remained someone of an entity until he burnt his own ashes? Are we to infer that even after death a 'protector' can still converse with the mortals on the island until a choice for the new 'protector' has been selected from it's 'candidates'?
• I may not know all of the answers to all of the questions of the island and of this show but, as I write what is to be some of the final notes on this episode in general, I realize that what I DO know is these people. I may not know how a smoke monster becomes a smoke monster..but I think we're all in tune with Jack as he f*cks something up...again and bobs his head trying to explain himself.  That Sawyer really means he cares about you when he delivers a biting remark before he goes and puts himself in harms way...again. We DO 'get it'...we're just confused sometimes in thinking that what we DON'T get are the most important issues when they apparently just aren't. These people, these friends, THEY are what we understand and they are what this is all about.

Link to previous LOST Recap Season 6 Episode 16