The Beginning of the End

Lost Season 4 begun last night after months of waiting and problems resulting from the writer’s strike. Was it worth the trouble? I’m not sure.

“The Beginning of the End” begins with a pile of fruit. There’s just a pile of fruit, innocently sitting there, minding their own business. And then a speeding car runs through them. Poor pile of fruit. Their life was so short.

Police cars chase the speeding Camaro through the streets. We see a man watching the car chase on the news… and it’s revealed to be Jack, who seems annoyed. Minus the beard. He looks better without that freaky beard.

The police eventually catch up to the car and order the driver to get out of the car. We slowly see the person emerge… and it’s Hurley. The police tell him to get on the ground, but he makes a run for it. As you can imagine, he doesn’t get very far before he’s pushed into a wall and handcuffed. As they pull him away, he shouts, “Don’t you know who I am? I’m one of the Oceanic Six!”

And then the LOST title appears.

Okay, small interruption. What exactly is happening here? It’s obviously not happening on the island, because of all of the cars, the police, Hurley running away from the police, Jack watching the car chase on the news… it’s definitely happening in the outside world. But it’s not a flashback. Jack knows its Hurley in the car. This means that the two have met. Where did they meet? They were both survivors of Flight 815, a plane which crashed on a mysterious island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean.

This scene is a flashforward. And we better get used to them.

The idea of a flashforward on Lost first appeared during the Season 3 finale. Throughout the 2 hours, we kept flashing back (or forward, I guess) to Jack back in the “real world,” who was addicted to drugs and trying to cope with being a “hero.” At the end, we see Jack meet up with fellow survivor Kate, and it’s revealed that this is taking place AFTER they get off the island. This was a big burst of excitement in the fan community, because let’s face it; the flashbacks were getting quite old. Did we really need to see how Jack got his first car?

Flashforwards are going to be everywhere in Season 4, and possibly in the further two seasons. In fact, I think they’re going to be more important than what’s currently going on at the island.

From the first episode of Season 4, we know that there are six people that get off the island (Oceanic Six). We know they’re covering something up (they keep lying). We know there’s something else going on (the mysterious Oceanic Airlines attorney who shows up at the mental institute).

Lost has always had lots of questions. Now, with the flashforwards, I think we’re about to get some more answers. Hopefully.

Going back to Lost, after the title pops up, we go back to Hurley in an interrogation room, who is being questioned by Ana-Lucia’s old partner. We see what started off the car chase: Hurley is in a convenience store, minding his own business, when he suddenly freezes. He sees something. And then runs, destroying half the store in the process.

The cop goes on to talk about Ana-Lucia, about how she was on Flight 815, just like Hurley. He suggests that Hurley knew her. Hurley lies and says he didn’t.

He is left alone in the room to watch the video. He looks into the small panel of glass. There is water outside. A figure swims towards him, which looks a lot like Charlie. He presses his hand against the glass and it breaks. Water pours in and Hurley screams. The cop comes back in and the water disappears. He asks what Hurley is doing and that he’ll put him in a mental home if he needs to. Hurley hugs the cop and thanks him.

And then we’re back on the island. Hurley is talking to Jack on the walkie-talkie and Jack tells him how they’ve contacted the freighter and that they’re all going to get rescued. He does an awesome wink at Ben, who is still bleeding and tied to a tree.

Kate approaches Jack and wonders why Locke would kill Naomi. Jack doesn’t know, but if Locke interferes again, Jack will kill him.

Sun, Claire and Rose have a womanly chat about their partners and having babies in hospitals.

Ben whispers to Rousseau. He wants her to take his daughter as far away as possible because everyone that stays there is going to die. Rousseau hits him and simply responds by telling him that Alex isn’t his daughter. We see a shot of Naomi with the knife in her back.

We cut back to the beach, where Juliet is digging graves while Sawyer drinks beer. Hurley tells Bernard that he was a millionaire and how when they get rescued he’s going to be free. He then runs toward the ocean and does a cannonball and everyone is glad he kept his clothes on.

When he comes back to the surface, he notices Desmond arriving back on the boat thing. Desmond tells them that Jack can’t contact the boat because Naomi was a liar. Everyone questions him continuously until Hurley asks where Charlie is. Desmond says he’s sorry and calls him a brother like always. Everyone is sad because Charlie is dead.

Jack gets a call from the guy on the freighter (who has a different voice from the finale). He wants to talk to Naomi. Jack makes up an excuse because Naomi is dead, but they can’t find the body. Jack asks Ben where she is, and Ben mocks him by saying he doesn’t know.

Back at the beach, everyone questions what Charlie’s last message means (“Not Penny’s Boat”). Sayid says they can’t contact Jack because the freighter people might be monitoring their transmissions. Hurley throws the walkie-talkie into the water, solving none of their problems. He then tells them they better get going.

Rousseau tells Jack she found a blood trail and suggests they go find her. Jack wants to take Ben with him because he doesn’t trust him but we don’t know exactly what Ben did to Jack while he was with the Others so the two might be having an affair behind Kate’s back. Jack tells the rest of the people to go back to the beach and wait for rescue. Kate tells Kate she found another trail, but Jack says he’s going with Rousseau. He tells Kate to lead the people back to the beach. They hug, while Ben watches.

The people at the beach all grab guns and head off while Hurley has a flashforward. He’s back in the mental institute; taking meds and playing connect four. He is informed he has a visitor, a mysterious black man. He says he’s an attorney for Oceanic Airlines and wants to talk. He talks for a bit about how Oceanic want to put Hurley in an improved facility where he could see the ocean, but Hurley doesn’t want to see the ocean. Hurley says he’s fine where he is, but the attorney asks if he’s really fine in a creepy way. Hurley asks for a business card but the attorney says he’s left them at home. Hurley stands up and the attorney asks if they’re still alive. Hurley begins to shout and the attorney disappears.

While the beach people walk through the jungle, Sawyer approaches Hurley and asks him if he wants to talk about Charlie. Hurley dismisses him and falls behind. He’s sad. Poor Hurley. His life really sucks.

He wanders through the jungle for a few seconds and realizes he’s lost. He comes across a mysterious house which appears to be Jacob’s hut. Whispers can be heard. Hurley is worried.

Rousseau, Jack and Ben follow the trail and it’s a dead end. Ben mocks Jack again. Jack looks for the phone but it’s missing. Ben says he saw Kate take the phone and is following the other trail. Jack continues to lead Ben around like a pet. Hot.

Kate, wandering through the jungle on her own (why won’t they learn?) receives a phone call from the freighter. They ask where Naomi is and Kate says they’re looking for her and quickly hangs up. Blood begins to drip on her and Naomi leaps out of a tree and puts a knife to Kate’s throat. She demands the phone. She just spent the last three days trying to get everyone rescued and in return got a knife in the back. I’d be pissed too.

The phone rings again. Naomi grabs the phone and answers it. She talks to the guy on the freighter (George) and fiddles with the phone. She tells George to tell her sister that she loves her. She then apparently dies.

Hurley approaches Jacob’s hut and looks in the window. There’s a torch on the table and a strange painting of a dog (Vincent?) on the wall. A rocking chair begins to creak and an outline of a person resembling Christian Shepherd can be seen. An unknown face suddenly pops up in front of the window (some say it’s Locke, but I don’t think so) causing Hurley to stumble backwards and away from the hut. He drops his torch and runs through the jungle… only to come back to the hut. He closes his eyes and convinces himself there’s nothing there. When he opens them, the hut’s gone. He falls back and finds John Locke standing above him.

Locke gives him some water and asks him questions. Locke asks about Charlie’s message and Hurley says that Jack shouldn’t have called the freighter. Locke agrees and tells Hurley that the two of them are going to have to talk Jack out of getting everyone rescued. If they can’t, Charlie died for nothing.

Hurley and Locke find the rest of the people from the beach waiting at the cockpit wreckage. Sayid asks what Locke is doing there (because Locke got to eat chicken and blow up submarines while Sayid was tied to a swing set for three days). Locke says they need to warn Jack about the people on the boat. He wants support. Something approaches and everyone prepares to kill. It’s the rest of the survivors. Sun runs up to Jin and hugs him. Rose does the same to Bernard. Sawyer looks for Kate. Claire looks for Charlie. Desmond approaches Claire to tell her what happened to Charlie, but Hurley does it instead. He cries. It’s sad. Poor Hurley.

We go back to the institute where Hurley is painting a picture. Some random guy comes up to Hurley and tells him there’s a guy staring at him. Hurley looks around and sees… Charlie! Charlie tells Hurley not to run away. It’s revealed that Hurley ran from the store because he saw Charlie. Charlie slaps Hurley to prove that he’s there, and the two sit down and have a chat. Charlie tells Hurley he has to do something. Hurley closes his eyes and counts to five while Charlie repeatedly states that they need Hurley. When he opens his eyes, Charlie is gone.

Hurley and Claire continue to cry. Rousseau and Ben appear, followed by Jack who immediately punches Locke. The two fumble over a gun until Jack grabs it and points it at Locke’s head. Locke tells Jack he’s not going to shoot him and Jack pulls the trigger. It’s not loaded. Jack continues to punch Locke and is pulled away.

Locke explains that all he has ever done has been in the best interest of everyone. Jack asks him if it’s insane. They argue about Naomi and Kate appears. She hands Jack back the phone and explains that the freighter people are coming. Locke says they need to get far away from here. He plans to head to the Barracks because they’ve been abandoned and have protection (remember that cool sonic fence?). Locke tells everyone that if they want to live, they’ll have to come with him. Jack says no one will go with Locke because they’re not crazy. Hurley interrupts and tells everyone about Charlie and about how he warned everyone about the people on the boat. Hurley says he’s not going to listen to Jack and stands with Locke. The large group of people begin to separate. Claire and some nameless people join Locke. Rousseau and Ben join as well, followed by Alex and Karl. Bernard and Rose agreed that they’ll never leave the island but decide to stay with Jack. Kate watches Sawyer go with Locke and asks him what’s doing. Sawyer says he’s doing what he’s always done… surviving. It begins to rain. Locke’s group disappears into the jungle while Jack’s group watches.

Back at the institute, Hurley is shooting hoops. Jack enters the gym and challenges him to a game. The two discuss surgical stuff and reporters. Jack wants to grow a beard. Hurley says he’d look weird with a beard. I think everyone agrees. Hurley wants to know why Jack is really here. Jack says he’s checking on him. Hurley suggests that’s he nuts and that he’s going to tell. Jack asks if he is going to tell. Hurley doesn’t answer. Jack leaves. Hurley shouts he’s sorry that he went with Locke and how he should have stayed with Jack. He says that “it” wants them to go back and Jack says they’re never going back. Hurley tells him to never say never.

Jack and Kate wait at the cockpit for their visitors. They remember Charlie. Kate comments on the thunder, but it’s not thunder. A helicopter approaches. People parachute from the helicopter and Jack and Kate run to meet one. They come across a strange, bearded man who asks Jack if he’s Jack.

And then it ends. It’s a pretty good episode. Lost premieres are normally kind of weak (mainly because they focus on Jack) but this one was a bit of an improvement. However, the cliffhanger was rather disappointing. We knew people were going to land on the island. So?

But… it’s still new Lost. And that’s always good. I’m still worried about the flashforwards and how much they’ll reveal, but I can cope. Hopefully.