Lost Recap Season 6 Episode 10 "The Package" 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...



Let's get involved here, peoples!!! So here... we... go!!!

An EXCELLENT episode, fans! Sorry to have placed some doubt in your minds last week with my 'Filler Episode' comments. Under-hyping this show is never a bad thing. The episode was ripe with action, suspense, and mystery as our favorite Asian victims of LOST island finally get more screen time with their first (and probably last) ever 'Flash Sideways'

'Flashsideways'. At the airport, A customs agent returns Mr. Paik-X's gold watch to Jin-X along with his suitcase. Presumably this occurs after a more thorough search stemming from the initial revelation that there was $25,000 in undeclared money in Jin-X's baggage. The agent doesn't return the money to Jin-X, but informs him if he wants it returned he will need to fill out the proper forms. This all falls on 'deaf ears' as they say, since the Sun & Jin in THIS Universe, apparently, do not speak Engrish. Jin-X leaves the airport without the money but with Sun-X in tow. He is more concerned with delivering the watch to Mr. Paik-X's client and, thanks to the lengthy search, he is about to miss their drop off meeting at a restaurant. The 'couple' decide to check in at their hotel first. Through a mix up at the front desk which has Jin-X ACCIDENTALLY staying in a room with Sun-X, we learn that this 'sideways' duo are, infact, not a couple.....or at least not married. This Jin-X is Mr. Paik-X's humble servant, but he is only with Sun-X in L.A. as her body guard while she does some shopping abroad. Jin-X requests separate rooms and they head to them.

After getting settled, Jin-X knocks at Sun-X's hotel room door to, once again, inform her that he is determined to make that restaurant appointment no matter how late he is. Sun-X implores him not to worry, that the restaurant is probably closed for the evening. Besides, her clothes are about to come off and she's gonna need some attention. These two have, in fact, been seeing each other behind her father's back and without his blessing. There's something Sun-X needs to get off her chest, namely her sweater and bra. Yowza! Clothes come off and Sun-X has got a great rack. They share a passionate kiss and jump in the sack. The next morning, Sun-X reveals to her dude that she wants them to run away together. She informs him that she has a private bank account she's been shoveling money into and admits that this was her plan when scheduling a trip to the U.S. all along, and not to do shopping. They exchange "I love you's" and Sun-X has one more thing she needs to get off her chest, something that Jin-X 'needs to know'. Just than, of course, there's a knock at the door. Jin-X ducks into the bathroom and Sun-X checks herself in the mirror (Yet another 'mirror moment' in the 'flash sideways' universe, this one leaving Sun-X visibly startled. I'm catching them all now, Jay) She opens the door to find Martin Keamy who claims to be a 'friend' of her fathers. "I believe you have something for me," he declares, inviting himself inside. Sun-X promptly gets the watch for Kreamy-X and, although he finds it to be exquisitely made, he's more interested in the $25k that her 'bodyguard' Kwon has been sent to deliver to him.

Another knock at the door reveals Kreamy-X's henchman, Omar-X, who has gone to Jin-X's room and has found no sign of him. Kreamy-X being the astute creep that he is, spots some champagne on the nightstand and believes Sun-X must have had a friend over for a private massage and happy ending. He instructs Omar-X to search the bathroom, and Jin-X is shown inside, shirtless for all the female viewers to ogle over.
Kreamy-X ushers Jin-X over to sit on the bed next to his not-so-secret-lover where he begins interrogating him as to the whereabouts of his money. The language barrier is getting him nowhere, however, which leads Kreamy-X to remark "Stop, (speaking Korean) I feel like I'm in a damned Godzilla movie." Slightly funny....racist, yet slightly funny. Kreamy-X sends Omar-X to bring 'Danny's friend' Mikhail, whom he stresses knows 9 different languages, speculating that Korean might be one of them. He'll get to the bottom of this Korean money fiasco soon enough.

 Mikhail arrives....Mikhail Bakunin, that is. Patchy-X if you're nasty. The Russian DHARMA Merc that just WOULDN'T die on the island in Universe 1.0. (Until of of course he grenaded himself underwater near the Looking Glass hatch...taking out Charlay in the process). This 'Patchy' is more like 'Patchless' though. It appears whatever occurred, in Universe 1.0, to cause the loss of his eye has not occurred in Universe X....or he narrowly avoided it. After some translating, Mikhail-X agrees to escort Sun-X to the bank where Sun-X has her private account, she will give Kreamy-X money of her own to cover the money that was confiscated at the airport. Once they have it, they will meet Kreamy-X and crew back at the restaurant and Jin-X will be waiting for her there. Jin-X utters one last thing in Korean. He pleads with Kreamy-X to keep the secret of their relationship between them and not inform Mr. Paik-X. The secret is safe with Kreamy-X, since he's a friend to all.

At the Bank, Sun-X, Mikhail-X and we viewers-X are surprised to learn that her account has been cleared out. That all the money has been transferred back to her fathers account. There's nothing further they can do. To the restaurant where Kreamy-X and Omar-X bind and tape up Jin-X, securing him in a stock room. Omar-X bumps Jin-X's head on accident on the way inside and the whole scene is starting to look very familiar. We've seen some of the same sights of this restaurant in Sayid-X's 'flash-sideways' a few weeks ago. Kreamy-X lovingly attends to Jin-X's bloody forehead and apologizes for Omar-X's carelessness. Kreamy-X, knowing Jin-X can't communicate in Engrish, informs him that the $25k was payment for the HIT Mr. Paik-X has put out on Jin-X for conspiring with his daughter. Jin-X was indeed carrying his own death notes all the way from Korea. Kreamy-X notes that Jin-X has broken Paiki-X's 'cardinal rule': '...hands off the bosses daughter'. However, even Kreamy-X knows 'the heart wants what the heart wants'. He's all business, but if you ask me, Kreamy-X seems to have a soft spot for Jin-X and his predicament. Jin-X misunderstands, of course, (NO ENGRISH! Remember.) and thanks him for his help to which Kreamy-X apologizes again and insists 'some people just aren't meant to be together'. Kreamy-X leaves him and locks the door on the way out. Words are exchanged outside the door as well as a few bullets. Jin-X bangs on the door with his feet alerting Kreamy-X's assailant, Sayid-X, that he is inside. Sayid-X passes Jin-X a box cutter so that he can help himself out of his own predicament and flees.

Mikhail-X arrives back with Sun-X and, upon seeing the body count, pulls a gun of his own. Jin-X pops up behind him as Mikhail-X tries to get some answers as to what occurred from Kreamy-X who lies dieing at his feet. A scuffle ensues, shots are fired. Mikhail-X fittingly, and gruesomely, takes a bullet to the eye and, shockingly, Sun-X has taken a few to the midsection. That really f*ckin' sucks, but what sucks even more is the revelation to Jin-X that she is PREGNANT. Argh. A tearful disaster!

On LOST island, 2007. Somebody is watching 'Team Locke/Smoke Thing' through some sort of night vision goggles or binoculars from our P.O.V. James offers Kate imaginary hot cocoa (shades of Charlay/Claire's imaginary peanut butter.....a sign this couple is getting just as cozy, perhaps?). Smoke Thing (in Locke meat suit) walks the camp and sets down next to Jin who is tending to his bandaged leg. His leg, you'll recall was caught in a polar bear trap presumably set by Claire in her 'infected state. Smoke Thing suggests Jin leave the bandage off and 'let the air get to it' ( just an old home remedy, or is IT suggesting Jin expose the leg to the islands natural healing properties?) Smoke Thing asks Jin if Sawyer's filled him in on the goings on over at the 'candidate' name cave. Jin's been told. Smoke Thing remarks that the name 'Kwon' remains on the list but neither of them, nor us, know which Kwon that refers to. (Jin, Sun...or their dumpling). Smoke Thing stresses that the only way they can leave the island is if all the candidates go together. (Interesting!) Jin stresses that will be difficult without Sun, but Smoke Thing is '....working on it!' Smoke thing next pulls aside Sayid, who's having serious soul issues due to the 'infection'. He can't feel any of the basics: '...anger, pain, sorrow' (sounds good to me, I'll take it!). Smoke Thing says that will be useful because he won't be able to '...feel what's coming' (Ouch..what's coming? More symptoms? The impending war?!) Nevertheless, Smoke Thing leaves the keys to the house with Sayid tells him to water the fern plants and let the polar bears out twice a day. Smokey has a few errands to run and he'll be back in the morning. Upon seeing Smokey's exit, Jin picks himself up and prepares to leave to find his wife "It's been long enough," he tells James (3 years and multiple time travelling stints..."long enough" ..AAAaaand how!) Jin tells james he'll start at the temple and than head toward the beach. This idea is all short lived because the camp is riddled with tranquilizer darts, fired from the perimeter. All of the 'Team Smoke Monster/Locke' staff are rendered unconscious, and Widmore's people reveal themselves and specifically seek out Jin and take him with them...leaving the rest.

Back at the beach, 'Team Jacob' leisurely rests in wait of Richard's return. Miles and Frank are playing a game of cards (what game exactly? I dunno. Looks like poker). Ilana is cleaning her rifle as Ben pesters her. He's extremely sure that Richard won't know anything useful, if and when he ever returns back to camp. (Sounds to me that his jealousy is kicking back in...... again). Ilana is animate that Jacob wouldn't tell her something that wasn't true. he told her Richard will know what to do next and she trusts that. She's expecting Hurley to return with him after he tracks him down. "Unless Alpert's covered in bacon grease, I'm not sure that Hurley can track anybody." Zinger! Score one for Miles Straum. Sun seams distraught. She huffs off and in the next scene we see her letting off some steam in what was once her flourishing tomato garden. Jack seeks her out and she confirms that all her tomatoes are 'dead'. (Analogize much?). Jack starts to tell Sun of his experience at the lighthouse, but she doesn't care. She doesn't want to hear about reason, purpose, or destiny either...she just wants to be left alone with her dead tomatoes. Jack leaves and Sun pricks her finger on a thorn just as Smoke Thing/Locke approaches and tell Sun that Jin is 'with' him at his camp and wants her to come with...but, he stresses, would "...never maker her do something against her WILL," he offers with his hand extended out to her. (temptation in the garden, anyone? No? Aight forget it, then!) Sun knows that Locke killed all the people at the temple and she's not buying any of this (even though it's pretty much the truth), nor going anywhere with Smokey. She's OUT! Sun's on the run and Smoke Thing is hot on her trail, still in Locke form, visibly annoyed. THUD! Sun crashes into a tree limb and now she's really OUT. Soon after, she is found, unconscious, by Ben who has a hard time interpreting what she says because it's all in Korean. She manages to get out one word...."Locke!" which is universal for 'disaster' these days..

Smoke Thing Locke returns to his camp with his smoke tail between his legs. He's failed to lure Sun there. He scans his unconscious followers 'til he finds Sayid who's probably least affected by the darts and most reliable in his present soulless state. Sayid clues Smoke Thing in on the ambush. "Where's Jin?" Well he's on island #2 near the Hydra Station being kept in the room Alex's boyfriend was punished at for trying to help Sawyer and Kate escape back in the day. Jin finds a switch and flips it only to be nearly immobilized by the deafening sound and visual onslaught provided by the movie projector. Jin manages, with his ears covered, to flip the switch back off just as Zoe enters the room. Jin tries to escape but get's tazered by Zoe. "Don't taze me Zo! Don't taze meh!" (Sorry, couldn't resist) Zoe refers to the room they are in as 'Room 23'. 'Room 23', you'll remember, is also where Walt was brought for testing after he was abducted by the Others in a sequence only available online. In the clip, The Others decide to release Walt after he wreaks some sort of havoc on them using his special abilities. Zoe produces maps of the island which, she says, identify pockets of electromagnetism. There is some writing on the maps that they can't decipher and since Jin signed them she figures he might know what HE wrote. It's all his writing! Awesome! Science, back to LOST! No more Jesus mumbo jumbo this week. Take it where you can get it, kids! Jin will only answer to Charles Widmore, and as luck would have it, Widmore has penciled him in for a midday office visit.

Back at Smoke Central, Smoke Thing/Locke asks his buddy Sayid if he's a good swimmer and doesn't wait for much of an answer as he passes him a gun which he tells him to wrap in plastic so it doesn't get wet. Riveting stuff. They're going to be taking the outrigger. In the background, infected Claire sulks at all the hullabaloo, the commotion, the hubbub, bub! Smokey, never one to let any his sheep sulk, asks her if there's something wrong. Claire overheard Smoke Thing speaking to Jin about all the 'candidate' mumbo jumbo and wants to know if she's on the list 'No!' Smokey answers (see straight answers to straight questions, I like MIB's leadership). neither is Kate anymore, he confides. Why not, my see-through brother? Why the f*ck not!? There will be plenty of room on the plane, he reassures her. She needs her and Kate's help, infact. There are 3 other 'candidates' (Sun, Jack, Hurley) he needs to lure to the plane. Claire is having doubts about returning to the real world. She thinks she will be a stranger to her own child (Apparently she isn't having the same issues with sorrow and anger that Sayid is experiencing...yet). Smoke Thing comforts her and notes that after Claire and Kate serve their purpose she can decide what comes next, 'whatever happens...happens' which seems to appeal to the portion of Claire's brain that wants to chop Kate up like Lizzy Borden. Smoke Things leaves her to her torment and heads off with Sayid on their mission. James stops them before they leave to see where they're headed THIS time. Smoke Thing fills him in and James wonders why he needs a boat. "...Can't you turn into smoke and fly your ass over the water?" James inquires. (valid question...yet why do the questions we seem to have in our heads seem to sound so much less pertinent when they are finally asked by the cast?). Smokey suggests that if he could do THAT he wouldn't be on THIS island. "No, cause that would be RIDICULOUS!" Zinger! Score one for James. Smoke Thing's going to get back Jin.

Back near team Jacob, Ilana's not so sure Ben's innocent in Sun's accident. "Why won't you believe me?" Ben pleads. "Cause you're speaking!" WOW.. Zinger! Score one for Ilana. Jack has diagnosed Sun with 'Aphasia'. She can understand Engrish as per usual, but can only speak in her native language. Something to do with the language center of her noggin, but he assures her it's temporary due to the trauma. A glow returns to Ilana's face as she sees Hurley return with Richard as she had prophesied.

Hydra Island...Sonic Barriers. Smoke Thing/Locke approaches and is stopped by gunfire. Smoke Thing assures them he's come in peace, although he'd probably rip all these non-candidates new assholes if they weren't protected behind sonic barriers. Charles Widmore reveals himself and they exchange pleasantries. He knows Smoke Things ISN'T John Locke, but everything else he does know is just a "...combination of myth, ghost stories, and things that go bump in the night." (Fun!). Smokey asserts that if Widmore has built the pylons to keep him out, he knows more than he lets on. Smoke Thing asks if Widmore has Jin (which he does) and Widmore tells him he doesn't. (Lie!) Smoke Thing notes that, "A wise man once said a war is coming the island....I think it just got here!" (This is what Charles Widmore told the real John Locke upon John's return to the real world...Smoke Thing is speaking utilizing with Locke's memories. Fantastic!)

Back at Camp Jacob, Richard gets caught up to speed on what he missed and suggests they head to Hydra Island to destroy the plane before Smoke Thing/Locke can use it for the purposes of evil! Sun's not having it. She's come back to the island to find her man, not help save the world. Her tirade does no good because no one in the group speaks Korean. Hurley infers correctly that she doesn't want to join them. On island 2, Widmore is angered to learn Zoe has captured Jin in the manner she did. "We had a time table!" he hurls at her. (Time table, eh? Is time THAT pertinent in this operation? Why?) Zoe is a geophysicist, not a mercenary(kinda like..."Dammit, Jim! I'm a doctor, not a miracle worker!") Jin steps into the room. (he's been kept unrestrained this whole time it might be worth noting) Charles remarks, "What's done is done!" (shades of 'Whatever happened, happened") and sends Zoe to the submarine to retrieve 'the package' and bring it to the infirmary. Charles exchanges pleasantries with Jin and, in a uber-touching moment, hands him Sun's camera found on on the Ajira flight...with photos of their baby YiJeon! This is the first time he has seen his daughter. She is now 3 years old. Heartwarming! Charles tries to appeal to Jin by stressing that he to has a daughter that has been kept from him as well (by Desmond, our hero!) and that any reunion either of them will have with their family will be short lived if that THING gets off the island. (Could it be that Widmore really does have the best interests of everyone in mind this whole time? Argh...this show makes my mind melt...right after my heart does.) Widmore will get the ball rolling by showing Jin the 'package' that has been kept behind locked door on the submarine....a package that is not a 'what'...but a 'who'. Indeed.

Back at Camp Jacob, Sun sits pondering things. She is joined by Jack who has brought her a few things. First a pad and pen. He notes that he once had a patient who couldn't speak and his nurse gave him a pad to help communicate while he recovered. He also found a 'stubborn tomato' that wouldn't die back at Sun's garden. (This, oddly, made me think of poor, little, unborn, baby YiJeon who is having trouble in his mother's womb back in Universe X. I hope she's a 'stubborn tomato'.) Sun uses the pad to indicate her trust in Jack going forward.

Camp Smoke Thing.....Smoke Thing/Locke returns without Sayid whom he has sent to retrieve the 'package' from the sub. Smoke Thing doesn't believe Charles DOESN'T have Jin (which Charles does) but it seems like all...or at least some of the whole scenario that just played out with Charles and Smokey by the sonic barriers may have just been a diversion to get Sayid closer to the 'package'...whom, by the way, is.....Desmond. Yes please, thank you!

Some Things I'm Pondering:

• Should I be bothered wondering who 'Danny' is when Keamy remarks that Mikhail is 'Danny's friend'? If so, I only know one 'Danny'....Daniel Faraday, who never seemed like the type to fraternize with he likes of hired killers in Universe 1.0 . Maybe he does in Universe X...or maybe I'm sending you out on another wild goose chase.
• Why do all of the 'candidates' have to leave the island with Smoke Thing in order for that to work? Is it because Smoke Thing can't get off the island unless guarded by the true candidate and he wants to take all of them to hedge his bets as to which candidate will become triumphant? , I'm assuming it's not because Smoke thing cares so much for the well being of the candidates left behind on the island. There's a piece to this puzzle that I'm missing, for certain. What is it, my legion? Thinking caps...ON
• Miles' card 'hand' is as follows: 6 of Spades, 6 of Clubs, Queen of Hearts, Queen of Diamonds, King of Clubs, King of Hearts, Ace of hearts, 10 of Hearts and 7 of Hearts. (I know 'cause I painstakingly paused and slowed down my DVR for 12 minutes). I'm convinced this is a nod at the candidates and/or the most important characters for the next several weeks. Seems as though each 'team' has a Queen, and a King. 6 of spades and 6 of clubs could represent 2 of the most important of the 6 candidates. Spades & Clubs representing weapons of war! Ace of Hearts? 10 of Hearts? Whom is which? This is fun! I'll think about it and leave a comment about it later. I'd love to hear your thoughts, whether I'm nuts or not...let's have some fun.
• Things I saw in the film as I slow motioned through it: Fireworks, one of the DeGroots wearing goggles, some ancient Aztec/Mayan type masks, the phrase 'Think About' than the words 'Your Life' followed by 'We Are The Causes Of Our Own Suffering'. There's a closeup of a Fluorescent Lightbulb (which, to my knowledge, wasn't available in the 70s when this film was supposedly made by DHARMA), which turns into a closeup of the moon, a Tibetan statue, than the phrase 'Everything Changes'. There's a really old skool film projector, an old skool compass ( the kind used for charting maps) and a musical keyboard. Is this the same film footage we saw when Alex's boyfriend was being punished? Is it, simply, a different portion? Is it possible it somehow has visuals exclusively for Jin?! What about that fluorescent light bulb?!?
• Dumb theory of the day. When I hear the term free 'WILL' used on the show lately I fantasize that all the characters are really just in comas in a hospital somewhere and their 'wills' (i.e. their literal paper contracts) bind them from having their plugs pulled out on them. Jacob and MIB are simply doctors and lawyers charged with helping them off life support or pulling the plug. Just a thought.
• What will Desmond's role in this conclusion be? He seems to be tasked with a pretty important role in this all. Will his mind traveling abilities be the reason? His ability to maintain a 'constant' ? I'm grasping at straws. Got any ideas? I promise to be intrigued.

Jin-X has LOST Mr. Paik's money. Sun-X LOST her top and may have LOST her baby. Mikhail-X has LOST an eye, and along with Keamy-X...his life. You and I...we're just...........LOST!!!

- Thats a picture of JB