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"Recon" is the 8th episode of Season 6 of Lost and the 111th produced hour of the series as a whole. It was originally broadcast on March 16, 2010. The Man in Black tasks Sawyer with a mission.
Synopsis
Flash-sideways timeline (2004)
A naked James rolls off Ava who he is in bed with as she says "wow"! Ava looks at the bedside clock and reminds James that he is supposed to meet a guy in 18 minutes at 9 A.M. He jumps up and starts to dress and moves a briefcase to the bed. It falls open revealing a lot of money in bundled banknotes. Ava asks what he is doing with the money and Jimmy says that she wasn't supposed to see the money. He explains the money is for a potential investment. As he explains that he won't take long the woman draws a gun and points it at Jimmy. He tells her to take it easy. She says she can spot a con man because she's married to one. Jimmy says that she's a fool because the whole situation is a set-up, that there is a van outside, the room is bugged and is surrounded by cops. He explains that the cops just want her husband. Ava calls his bluff and Jimmy says the code word "La Fleur" and the police burst into the room. Miles leads the LAPD team in arresting a stunned Ava. Miles tosses James his LAPD badge and James addresses Miles as "partner".
James attempts to locate Anthony Cooper.
Back in the police station Det. James Ford is calling a list of Anthony Cooper's. He rings one asking him to verify he was in Alabama in 1976. As Miles arrives with a mug, he overhears James calling Anthony Cooper but James claims that he was an old buddy who he ran into in Palm Springs when he was there last weekend. Miles reminds him that he has a blind-date with a friend who works with Miles' father at the museum and it is that evening. James then spins another story but Miles seems aware that James is lying to him and says "You know you can tell me the truth" and asks whether James is lying. James says "Why the hell would I lie?"
Charlotte finds a family picture of young James and his parents.
James is dressed up and arrives at a bar. He rings Miles to ask what his blind date looks like and Miles explains that she's a redhead. There's a looker alone at the bar and James introduces himself. Charlotte and James dine out. She is an archaeologist. She says she's exactly like Indiana Jones. As they talk she asks that he tell her the truth about his life. Soon they are in bed together. Later she asks to borrow a "T" Shirt and he directs her to one of his drawers. Watership Down, A Wrinkle in Time and Lancelot are on the chest of drawers. Charlotte rummages for the "T" Shirt and finds a folder marked "Sawyer". A family photo slips out and while replacing it she sees an old newspaper cutting about a man killing himself and his wife and their nine year old boy surviving. The photo in the clipping is the same as the one Charlotte found. James comes in and falls into a rage. He tosses Charlotte out.
The next day at the LAPD, Charlie's brother Liam Pace is hassling the desk sergeant about Charlie's arrest at the airport on a drugs charge. He accosts James, but James says that that is not his department. Miles emerges and abruptly tells James to come with him. Miles is furious. He asks James whether there is something James wants to tell him. James mistakes the demand as having to do with James' treatment of Charlotte but Miles has discovered James was in Australia, not Palm Springs by tracing his credit card transactions. Miles indicates that Sawyer was indeed on Oceanic Flight 815. Miles talks about trust, but James rebuffs Miles saying that what he was doing in Australia was none of Miles' "damn business". Miles leaves saying that he is not James' partner anymore. James smashes a mirror.
That evening James arrives home. He only has TV dinners in the fridge - he prepares one and watches an old episode of "Little House on the Prairie". The character says that "if you live you life based on what's going to happen, before you know it your life is over". James is affected by this and he goes to Charlotte's apartment with a sunflower and six pack of beers. Charlotte is having none of it. She says she doesn't know whether he is lonely, guilty or completely mad. She closes the door in his face saying that he blew it.
James captures the suspect, and discovers a familiar face.
As Miles exits the LAPD offices, James is sitting in his car and calls him over. He reluctantly gets into James' car and James hands him the folder marked "Sawyer". James explains that his father shot his mother and killed himself and that Sawyer was the reason why. He says the only lead he has is the name Anthony Cooper. He says that when he finds Sawyer he's going to kill him. As they speak the sound of a police siren approaches and suddenly a blue sedan broadsides into the back of James' car. The driver makes a dash for it as James and a squad car pursue her. James slams the suspect against a gate. James is surprised when he realizes that Kate is the person he'd encountered at LAX when he passively assisted in her evading other law enforcement personnel.
Original timeline (2007)
Sawyer promises Jin that they won't leave the Island without Sun.
Sawyer is making tea at an open fire outside Claire's hovel. He wakes Jin and says Claire and Locke said they will be back by sunrise. Jin says that they have to get out of there but Sawyer says he's with Locke. Jin says "That is not Locke" but Sawyer says that he knows but whoever he is he says he can get them off the Island. Jin says that he can't leave because Sun is here somewhere. Sawyer says that if she's here Jin has his word that they will not leave without her. As they speak Locke and his group from the Temple arrive. Amongst them are Sayid and, bringing up the the rear, Kate. There are 20 of them in all. Kate greets Sawyer.
Claire packs a few belongings and goes to the cradle and tucks in the make-do skeleton doll of Aaron. Kate comes in and asks in disbelief "What is that"? Claire says "It's all I had". The man impersonating Locke calls everyone together and tells them that they're going to move. He says that he will make himself available to answer questions, but not at the moment. For now he wants to keep moving "to take advantage of the daylight".
The Man in Black comforts Zach and Emma.
Cindy wants to know what happened to the rest of the people who stayed at the Temple. The man impersonating Locke pauses before saying that the black smoke killed them. Sayid looks indifferently on as the children start to cry. The the man impersonating Locke walks up to Zach and Emma, saying that whatever happened is over and he promises he'll take care of them. Claire takes Kate's hand and Kate reacts with uncertainty to this gesture. Sawyer approaches Kate and asks about the other Oceanic passengers and Miles. With great concern Kate asks "So you're with Locke now"? Sawyer says that he is not with anybody.
Sawyer and the the man impersonating Locke have a private discussion.
The man impersonating Locke leads the group through a coastal forest. He says there is a clearing ahead where they will make camp and they should make sure that everyone has enough water because they will be there for a couple of days. Sawyer interrupts wanting to know when they are getting off "this rock". With controlled annoyance the man impersonating Locke suggests that they should talk about this in private. Once aside an angry man impersonating Locke points his finger toward Sawyer saying that he wishes he hadn't interrupted him. Sawyer sarcastically apologizes for forgetting his manners and asks how Locke knew to rescue people from "the smoke thing". The man impersonating Locke says that he didn't rescue them as he is the smoke thing. Sawyer says "Are you telling me that you killed all those people" but the man impersonating Locke again puts his twist on it, saying that he gave them the opportunity to leave peacefully but they didn't take it. When Sawyer asks why they didn't take that opportunity, the man impersonating Locke explains with conviction that those people believed that they were protecting the Island "from me" whereas all he wants to do is leave so it is either "kill or be killed". The man impersonating Locke moves off saying that he doesn't want to be killed.
Sawyer is slightly skeptical of Locke.
They arrive at the beach with a view of Hydra Island. The man impersonating Locke tells Sawyer that he is going to take an outrigger to the island to do some recon. He says that on the island is the plane which brought Sawyer's friends to the Island and that he has reason to believe that some of the passengers that remain there mean to do Locke and his group harm. Sawyer asks what will happen if someone tries to attack him. The man impersonating Locke says he's not worried about Sawyer because he's the best liar he ever met and all he needs to do is say whatever he has to to gain their trust, find out whatever he can and then get back to Locke. When Sawyer asks why he is doing all this Locke says "you get on that plane, you fly off this Island and you never look back". A sullen Sawyer starts his voyage across the water.
Once on the island Sawyer sees the cages where he and Kate had been prisoners. He finds the dress that she wore during her time as a prisoner and he reflects on that time he had with Kate.
The man impersonating Locke reprimands Claire for attacking Kate.
Kate sits down to talk to Sayid. She asks if he is OK and he says "no." She asks him if he believes Locke can get them off the Island and Sayid says yes. Claire suddenly attacks Kate from behind trying to stab her in the throat with a large knife. Kate screams for Sayid to help as she is overpowered but he looks on disinterestedly. The man impersonating Locke appears and throws Claire off Kate roughly saying that Kate did what she had to do by taking Aaron when she couldn't find Claire. He slaps Claire full in the face and grasping her says her behavior is completely inappropriate and that he'll deal with her in a minute. Kate is distraught and when the man impersonating Locke asks her if she's alright she screams "No, I'm not alright". She looks on in disbelief at the circumstances as Locke squats to talk with Claire.
Sawyer meets Zoe.
On Hydra Island Sawyer finds the plane. He checks its condition and then finds charcoal from a fire. Drag marks in the sand lead him to a pile of decaying bodies. Sawyer draws his gun when he hears and then sees someone running from him. He chases and then brings the person down. She calls herself Zoe and claims to be the only one left alive of the survivors from Ajira Flight 316. She says that while she was collecting wood she heard screaming and when she came back the others were all dead. She asks a lot of questions. Sawyer goes along with her, until they get to the outrigger and she asks him whether the people he is with have guns. This appears to tip Sawyer off, he knows she is lying and he pulls his pistol on her. She drops the act and whistles loudly and four men appear from the bushes pointing their rifles at Sawyer and take him prisoner.
Emotionally drained, Kate cries.
Kate is sobbing in a grove apart from the others. The man impersonating Locke approaches and apologizes to Kate for Claire's attack, saying that he has to take responsibility for Claire's behavior because he had told her that the "Others" had her baby. Kate asks why he would say that. "Have you ever had an enemy, someone that you needed to hate? Very powerful isn't it? Claire was devastated without Aaron, she needed something, something to keep her going, so I gave her something to hate. And then when you told her the truth, all those feelings, all that anger that she'd been holding onto for so long, it had to go somewhere". Kate replies, "very insightful coming from a dead man". He responds "Well no one is perfect". He tells Kate that he promised everyone he'd keep them safe and that still includes Kate and that in time everything would be alright. Kate asks where Sawyer went and the man impersonating Locke offers his hand to help her up and says, "I'll show you". She gets up without his help.
Claire embraces Kate, apologizing and thanking her.
Locke takes Kate to the beach and points out Hydra Island as the place he sent Sawyer. Kate recognizes it as the island that she and Sawyer were locked in cages. She asks Locke why he had to bring her here and he says this gives him another opportunity to talk to her. He explains that he is not a dead man and that he knows what she is feeling because his mother was crazy. He says that a long time ago before he looked like he does now he had a mother who was very disturbed and as a result of that he had "some growing pains, problems that [he] was still trying to work [his] way through." Problems that he could have avoided had things been different. Kate asks why he told her this story, he replies: "because Aaron has a crazy mother too".
Afterward Claire finds Kate and makes a heartfelt and teary apology. Kate remains very wary as Claire falls on her sobbing and thanking her for taking care of Aaron. Kate eventually returns the hug.
Widmore and Sawyer make a deal.
As Sawyer is taken to the submarine at the Hydra Island Dock, he notices that the armed science team is erecting pylons, similar to the sonic fence on the main Island. In the submarine, Sawyer passes a padlocked door. Zoe takes him to a cabin where Charles Widmore introduces himself. Widmore asks if Sawyer knows who he is. Sawyer replies that he is the man who sent a freighter to the island with orders for the crew to kill us all. Widmore muses "It's sad, really". Widmore denies murdering the people from the Ajira flight, but doesn't expect Sawyer to believe him. Sawyer is direct about John Locke sending him to the island and what Locke's purpose was. Sawyer acknowledges that the man who sent him is not really Locke.
Sawyer remains loyal to Locke.
Sawyer offers Widmore a deal. He will tell Locke that the coast is clear and that he didn't find anyone on Hydra Island. Then he'll bring the "old man" right to Widmore's doorstep in exchange for the absolute protection of anyone on Sawyer's boat and safe passage off of the island. They agree that each must take the other at his word alone and Widmore agrees to the deal.
Sawyer arrives back at the beach and Locke excitedly runs to help Sawyer who tells him all the passengers are dead. Locke says disingenuously "That's terrible. what happened"? Sawyer then plays his hand and reveals truthfully everything about Widmore; the submarine, the six armed men, pylons ("the ones to keep out that smoke thing") and the deal he did with Widmore. Locke gives Sawyer a look of satisfaction and says he appreciates Sawyer's loyalty. Sawyer responds "you said you could get me off this Island. A deal's a deal".
"We're taking the sub."
After nightfall Sawyer sits down next to Kate who is poking at a fire. He asks her what's for dinner and Kate sadly responds that she thinks it is rabbit. She asks what he's doing running errands for Locke. Sawyer claims that he isn't running errands for anybody and tells her about Widmore. Sawyer reveals that his plan is to let Widmore and Locke fight it out and while they have their hands full "you and me are getting the hell off this island." Kate is confused. Sawyer responds, "We ain't taking the plane, freckles, we're taking the sub".
Trivia
General
- Charlotte makes her first appearance since "Follow the Leader", a gap of 10 episodes, and Rebecca Mader makes her first appearance since "This Place Is Death", a gap of 19 episodes.
- This episode was originally broadcast on March 16 (3/16). It also addresses Flight 316's fate after most of the survivors left the plane to go to the main Island, and is the first time it has been shown since the flight landed.
- This episode marks the first time that Oceanic Flight 815 was specifically mentioned in the flashsideways timeline.
Production notes
- This episode marks Kate's 100th episode of the series.
- Nestor Carbonell (Richard), Henry Ian Cusick (Desmond), Michael Emerson (Ben), Jeff Fahey (Frank), Matthew Fox (Jack), Jorge Garcia (Hurley), Yunjin Kim (Sun), and Zuleikha Robinson (Ilana) do not appear.
- As of this episode, Cusick has been missing for 7 episodes, tying Harold Perrineau's absence in Season 2 for the longest streak of not appearing in an episode while still being a regular.
- For the first time in Season Six, this episode does not contain a Previously on Lost.
- This episode resumes the pattern of mirroring character-centricism in episodes from Season 1. ("Confidence Man")
Bloopers and continuity errors
- The tail number for Ajira flight 316 was N25705 when it originally appeared in the episode "316". However, in this episode the same plane bears the designation N9748C.
- In reality, N25705 is the tail number of a Boeing 737 currently in use by Continental Airlines. N9748C is a tail number reserved by the FAA for film use, and has been used in many other TV and film productions.
- When Sawyer is calling Anthony Cooper, we can see the monitor of his computer screen. It clearly shows Microsoft Office Word 2007 which was not available in 2004.
Recurring themes
| Recurring themes |
|---|
| Animals • Black and white • Character connections • Children • Coincidence • Death • Deceptions and cons • Dreams • Economics • Electromagnetism • Eyes • Fate versus free will • Games • Good and bad people • Imprisonment • Isolation • Leadership • Life and death • Literary works • Mirrors • Missing body parts • Nicknames • The Numbers • Pairings • Parapsychology • Parent issues • Pregnancies • Psychology • Rain • Redemption • Relationships • Religion • Revenge • Salvation • Secrets |
- The clock on the night stand read 8:42 (The Numbers)
- Claire attacks Kate for taking Aaron (Revenge)
- The man impersonating Locke talks about his issues with his mother (Parent issues)
- Claire apologizes for attacking Kate. (Redemption)
- Kate crashes into Sawyer's car. (Car accidents)
- All the redshirt survivors from the Ajira flight have been killed from an unknown cause. (Life and death)
- Sawyer still has feelings for Kate after coming across her dress in the cages. (Relationships)
- Zoe lies to Sawyer about being a survivor of Ajira Flight 316. (Deceptions and Cons)
- Sawyer refers to Widmore as "Chief" and to Kate as "Freckles". (Nicknames)
- Ava refers to Sawyer as "Dimples". (Nicknames)
- Sawyer and Charlotte have a one-night-stand in the flashsideways timeline. (Character Connections)
- In the flashwideways timeline, Liam Pace is trying to find his brother at the LAPD station where he asks Sawyer if he knows where Charlie is being held. (Character Connections)
- Sawyer says that he is playing the man impersonating Locke and Charles Widmore against each other in order to create a distraction that will allow him to steal the submarine. (Deceptions and cons)
- James attempts to con Ava into taking a briefcase with a tracking device in it to her con man husband. (Deceptions and cons)
Storyline analysis
| Storyline analysis |
|---|
| A-Missions • Crimes • Economics • Leadership • O-Missions • Relationships • F-Missions • Rivalries • S-Missions |
- In the flashsideways timeline, Sawyer attempts to trick Ava into leading the LAPD to her husband, a known con artist. (Crimes)
- It is revealed that Charles Widmore is seemingly against the Man in Black. (Rivalries)
- After Kate's car slams into Sawyers', Sawyer runs down a fleeing Kate, instantly recognizing her face. (Crimes)
- Sawyer and Charlotte have a one-night-stand. He then throws her out for finding his hidden "Sawyer" file. (Relationships)
Cultural references
| Cultural references (direct references only) |
|---|
| Art • Automobiles • Games • History • Literary works • Movies and TV • Music • Philosophy • Religion and ideologies • Science |
- Indiana Jones: Sawyer compares Charlotte to the globe-trotting archeologist. (Movies)
- Little House on the Prairie: Sawyer watches a rerun of Little House on the Prairie, which was an American television series from 1974 to 1983. He once confessed to Kate in the original timeline that he used to be a fan of the series. (Movies and TV) ("Tricia Tanaka Is Dead")
- Watership Down: this 1972 Richard Adams book is on Sawyer's chest of drawers. He told Kate in the original timeline that is was a "Hell of a book. It's about bunnies." (Literary works) ("Confidence Man")
- A Wrinkle in Time: is on Sawyer's chest of drawers. Written by Madeleine L'Engle it is a children's fantasy novel from 1962. Sawyer read it on the Island in the original timeline. (Literary works) ("Numbers")
- Lancelot: by Walker Percy, 1977. Sawyer read it on the Island in the original timeline.(Literary works) ("Maternity Leave")
Literary techniques
| Literary techniques |
|---|
| Comparative: Irony • Juxtaposition • Foreshadowing Plotting: Cliffhanger • Plot twist Stock characters: Archetype • Redshirt • Unseen character Story: Flashbacks • Flash-forwards • Flash sideways • Framing device • Regularly spoken phrases • Symbolism • Unreliable narrator |
- In the original timeline Sawyer is a criminal, whereas in the flash-sideways timeline James is a police officer (who is still planning to commit a criminal act — murdering the "real Sawyer"). (Juxtaposition)
- In the original timeline, Kate tells Sawyer that they're having rabbit for dinner; in the flash-sideways timeline a copy of Watership Down is seen in James' room. (Juxtaposition)
- Both the first words Sawyer speaks in this episode (in the original timeline) and the last words he speaks (in the sideways timeline) are, "Son of a bitch!" (Regularly spoken phrases)
- Miles asks James if he wants to "die alone". (Regularly spoken phrases)
- Sawyer reveals to Kate that his real plan is to have Widmore and the Man in Black fight it out while Kate and he steal the submarine and leave the Island. (Plot twist)
- The Man in Black tells of his crazy mother and his "growing pains", a story not only reflected by Claire and Aaron but also Danielle and Alex's and Locke and his mother. (Coincidence)
- Although it seems to be that James is still a con man in the flash-sideways timeline, he is actually a cop working undercover as con man. (Plot twist)
- With a single code word James springs a group of armed men (police) on Ava in the motel room. On Hydra Island, Zoe springs a group of armed men on Sawyer with a single noise. (Coincidence)
- The exact same theme that is used as Kate makes her escape from LA X is playing moments before James catches Kate running out of the alley. (sideways timeline) (Foreshadowing)
Episode references
- James' code word to call the police into the motel room is "LaFleur." ("LaFleur")
- Miles called Sawyer "Jim." ("LaFleur")
- James presents Charlotte with a sunflower. ("LaFleur")
- Sawyer encounters the polar bear cages on Hydra Island and finds the dress that Kate was forced to wear in one of them. ("A Tale of Two Cities")
- Liam Pace comes to the LAPD office to ask about his brother Charlie, who was arrested on the Oceanic 815 flight for drug possession. ("LA X, Part 1")
- In the LAPD office, James is trying to contact Anthony Cooper. ("Deus Ex Machina") ("The Brig")
- Charlotte finds copies of Watership Down, A Wrinkle in Time, and Lancelot on James' dresser. ("House of the Rising Sun") ("Deus Ex Machina") ("Maternity Leave")
- James watches an episode of Little House on the Prairie. ("Tricia Tanaka Is Dead")
- Sawyer tells Widmore that he knows him because Widmore sent a freighter full of mercenaries to the Island to kill everybody. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
- Charlotte tells Sawyer about her work as an anthropologist. ("Confirmed Dead")
- After a sexual encounter, James grabs a briefcase that falls open revealing a large sum of money in order to arrest a woman, rather than con her. ("Confidence Man") ("The Long Con")
- Charles Widmore's men appear to be constructing a sonar fence, which is known to repel the Smoke Monster. ("Left Behind")
Unanswered questions
| Unanswered questions |
|---|
|
- For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Recon/Theories
Original timeline
- Why was a room inside the submarine locked?
- How were the survivors of Ajira Flight 316 killed?
- How does the Man in Black expect to get the Ajira plane to take off?
- Who is the Man in Black's mother?
- What are the growing pains the Man in Black speaks of?
- What it is the history between the MIB and Widmore?
Flash-sideways timeline
- Why did Sawyer let handcuffed Kate get away in the airport if he is a cop?
