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"Two for the Road" is the twentieth episode of Season 2 of Lost and the 45th produced hour of the series as a whole. When Ana Lucia is attacked by Henry Gale, she begins to contemplate taking matters into her own hands. Meanwhile, Michael is reunited with his friends and tells them he wants to go back for his son.

Synopsis[]

Previously on Lost[]

Flashback[]

2003[]

Ana Lucia is confronted by her mother as to her whereabouts when Jason McCormack was killed. Cortez takes her to the morgue, where she shows Ana Lucia his body. Cortez spells out why she knows Ana Lucia killed the man who had tried to kill her and accepts that there will be no proof. Her mother offers her help and when Ana Lucia refuses her mother tells her she will have to get help from somewhere else - because she must respect the fact that she is a police officer. Ana Lucia gives her police badge to her mother and quits.

2004[]

AnaMeetsChristian

Ana and Christian meet.

Later, Ana Lucia is shown bored, working as an airport security officer. In a bar, she meets Christian Shephard. The two commiserate sharing how each of them have just lost their jobs with family members. Christian offers Ana Lucia work as his bodyguard in Sydney on the basis that she needs help and the role of fate. The two decide to adopt false names for their relationship. Ana Lucia calls Christian "Tom," while Christian calls her "Sarah".

2x20LChristian

Christian's "mission".

In Sydney, after Christian spends four days drinking, he wakes and visits Ana Lucia's room in the middle of the night to get her to take him on his mission. Still drinking Christian visits a blonde woman in the suburbs while Ana Lucia watches from the car. The blonde woman and Christian argue at the door; he tells the woman that he paid the mortgage on her house and has a right to see his daughter and starts to get violent. Ana Lucia drags Christian away and they leave. Later, the two discuss what they are each running away from; Ana Lucia tries to encourage Christian to return to the States, but he refuses and suggests a drink at a bar instead. Ana Lucia is done with running and refuses. Christian heads for the bar, nearly knocking over Sawyer in the process.

Ana Lucia is at Sydney Airport, waiting in line with Jin, prior to boarding Oceanic Flight 815. Jack is at the ticket counter, earnestly telling the ticket agent about his need to get his father's body home as quickly as possible because he needs it to be "over". Ana Lucia overhears and calls her mother to tell her she tried to get as far away from her as she could but that she now just wants to come home.

On the Island[]

Michael lies unconscious as Kate tries to revive him. Jack is convinced they have pushed him into the jungle but Kate tells him that Michael is alone. Jack agrees to carry him back to the hatch.

2ftR1

"Henry" attacks Ana Lucia.

Ana Lucia is cutting fruit for the prisoner and takes it to him. He won't answer anything. She says that he is "different" because most killers like to talk. He whispers something, she leans in close to hear clearly, but he attacks her and nearly chokes her. He snarls, "You killed two of us." He also says that these two were "good people", that they were leaving her alone and that she, Ana Lucia, is the killer. Locke arrives at the cell and knocks "Henry" unconscious with a crutch.

Ana Lucia is with Libby and reluctantly explains that the guy in the hatch tried to kill her, that although she is fine the guy in the hatch won't be. Libby asks Ana Lucia not to do anything stupid.

Locke enters the armory, wanting to know why Henry tried to kill Ana but not him when he had the chance. Henry replies that it is because John is one of "the good ones." Locke wants to know more about that, but Henry says that none of it matters now because he is going to die. Either Jack comes empty-handed and he loses his value, hence they will kill him; or Henry's people will kill him because He is not a forgiving person. Henry failed his mission. He says he was on his way over to bring back Locke when he was captured. Jack and Kate soon arrive, bringing Michael back to the hatch.

2ftR2

Jack tends to Michael.

Ana Lucia approaches Sawyer to get a gun. The first time, Sawyer tells Ana Lucia to go to her buddy Jack, as "he has himself a gun," then sarcastically 'remembers' that he is still out with Kate. Ana Lucia just as sarcastically calls Kate Sawyer's "girlfriend," which hits a nerve.

Meanwhile, Hurley asks Sayid about the radio; he hopes to impress Libby by imitating the hero of the movie Say Anything. Sayid suggests a picnic instead, and tells him about the beach where he took Shannon.

Later, as Sawyer is walking through the jungle, he hears Ana Lucia following him. When he stops to confront her, she again unsuccessfully demands a gun, and then attacks him. After a struggle, he overpowers her, and she responds by seducing him. As she dresses Ana Lucia warns Sawyer that if he tells anyone about them she will kill him.

Hurley is grabbing food from the beach pantry and reacts guiltily when Libby sees him. He reveals that it is food for a picnic he was planning with her.

SawyerAna

"Don't you want my phone number?"

Ana Lucia returns to the hatch and when Jack asks about her head wound Locke covers for her and says that it was his fault. Michael revives and tells Jack, Kate, Ana Lucia, and Locke that he found the Others, saying that there are only 22 of them, living squalid lives in canvas tents and tipis, and that they have a hatch of their own with only two armed guards. He says he didn't see Walt or Cindy or any of the kids but that he will lead them back there. Jack and Locke discuss this, and then decide it's time to get the guns from Sawyer. Kate accompanies them, leaving Michael and Ana Lucia in the hatch.

Hurley and Libby set out for the picnic, but Hurley gets lost and they wind up back where they started with Jin cleaning fish nearby. Libby suggests they have a picnic right there, but Hurley has forgotten to bring blankets, or anything to drink. Libby says she'll get the blankets and he can get some wine; Hurley jokes that if he gets drunk, he'll remember where he knows her from.

Sawyer is reading a manuscript; Jack throws it into a fire and demands to be taken to the guns. Sawyer goes for his own gun and, finding it missing, realizes that Ana Lucia stole it when they had sex. Locke, suddenly realizing why she would do that, informs Jack about "Henry" attacking Ana.

2ftR4

Michael shoots Ana Lucia.

In the hatch, Ana Lucia gives Henry a knife and instructs him to free himself. He does, and as she points a gun at him he says "so this is it." Ana Lucia says it is. Later she is shown sitting morosely. Michael talks with her; she tells him about Henry, about how he tried to kill her, and how she couldn't bring herself to kill him. Michael offers to do the job for her, and she gives him the gun. Michael looks at the gun somberly, says, "I'm sorry," then shoots Ana Lucia in the heart, killing her instantly. Libby walks in, holding blankets for the picnic with Hurley, and she is shocked to see Michael with the gun. Startled, he shoots her twice in the abdomen through the blankets, and she collapses with a look of shock and betrayal on her face. Michael then opens the door to "Henry's" cell. The two look at each other; Michael, shaking with fear and shock, deliberately shoots himself in the shoulder.

Trivia[]

  • The title, "Two for the Road", refers to Ana Lucia and Christian Shephard going to Australia, as well as both Ana Lucia and Libby being shot by Michael. There was also a cut line from the bar scene in which Christian says "I always have two drinks for the road because it’s good luck and I don’t want to crash."
  • Christian and Ana Lucia refer to each other as "Sarah" and "Tom." Sarah and Tom are the names of both of Christian's childrens' significant others: Sarah is Jack's former wife, and Tom is the father of Claire's baby.
  • Lost's first alternate reality game, The Lost Experience, launched in the United States with the airing of this episode. A commercial for The Hanso Foundation aired in which a toll-free telephone number was given, containing clues to a number of elements that would be later explored during the game.
  • This episode features the only three-way past character connection in a scene on Lost. Ana Lucia and Christian, Jack's father, are sitting in the car and, as he is opening the door, hits Sawyer.

Production notes[]

  • Daniel Dae Kim (Jin) appears without speaking any lines.
  • For the scene in front of the Last Call bar, the crew could not get all the steering wheels on the right side of the vehicles (as would be appropriate for Australia), so the film was reversed left-to-right in editing. To achieve this effect, the art department reversed many elements in the shots, including the letters on the signs, shirt pockets, and rings. A mole can be seen on the wrong side of Michelle Rodriguez's face. (Lost: On Location (Season 2))
  • Writers Elizabeth Sarnoff and Christina M. Kim were nominated for a WGA award for "Writing for an Episodic Drama" for this episode.
  • Following the dramatic cliffhanger of this episode, the closing title is not accompanied by the usual "thud" sound.
  • This episode marks the first appearance of Gabrielle Fitzpatrick (Lindsey Littleton). Lindsey and Christian's link to Claire will not be established until "Par Avion".
  • A Lost: On Location for this episode is available on the Season 2 DVD.


Cut material[]

Lost2x20TwofortheRoad40

"Call me 'Hugo'".

  • After Ana's first flashback scene, the script called for a scene where she is cleaning her head wound in the hatch's bathroom, and Locke would ask her what Henry had said to her. She would go on to describe how she killed "two of his friends".
  • There would have been a scene in the jungle showing Jack and Kate making their way back to camp with Michael. Noticing Jack is exhausted, Kate would have taken one of Michael's arms and helped carry him back, telling Jack "You don't have to do everything alone."
  • I Miss...: Hurley and Libby would have talked while exercising, leading into Libby's scene with Ana on the beach.
  • In his first scene with Ana, Christian would have mentioned the episode's title, saying that he always has "two drinks for the road" for good luck. Ana would have preemptively rejected Christian's advances (to which he would have replied, "Darlin', I couldn't if I tried"), and he would have offered her a manila envelope full of money - coincidentally, one similar to the one Ana would receive in her final scene on the show.[1] In their final scene, Christian would have responded to Ana's question of "Why are you here?" with "Why are you here?", which again would have coincidentally foreshadowed one of the final flash sideways scenes.[2]
  • Sawyer's first scene with Ana would have featured further humorous banter. Sawyer would have called her "Small Fry" and would have mocked the idea of her wanting to merely talk to him. Annoyed at being asked for a gun, he would have suggested the Island repeal the Second Amendment - which he would have then defined, as though Ana hadn't heard of it.[3] Their next scene would have spent more time on their undressing one another.[4]
Lost2x20TwofortheRoad59

Hurley waits.

  • In their last exchange before her death, Hurley would have asked Libby to call him by his real name - Hugo.[5]
  • Ana would have caught Kate wearing her shirt but allowed her to keep it. This gag had earlier been used in a different deleted scene between Libby and Claire and finally made it into a finished episode in season three with Kate and Alex.[6]
  • Before talking to her mother in her final flashback, Ana would have just reached her answering machine before hanging up. The episode would have then relayed Jack's flashback with Ana from "Exodus, Part 2" in its entirety before Ana's phone rang so she and her mother could speak.[7]
  • The final scene, after Michael turned the gun on himself, would have been Hurley on the beach, with his picnic basket and wine, waiting.[8]

Bloopers and continuity errors[]

  • In the original broadcast version, Ana Lucia's mother referred to Jason McCormack as "Jason Elder." This was fixed in the Season 2 DVDs.
    • The subtitles on Hulu incorrectly say "Jason Alder," even though the audio is the corrected McCormack version.
  • In a flashback Ana Lucia's mother tells Ana Lucia that Jason McCormick's body is in the morgue with five bullets in it while in "Collision" Ana Lucia clearly shot him six times, three at long range, three at close range.

Analysis[]

Recurring themes[]


Copcarnumbes

The numbers appear on the cars.

  • Christian spends four days of drinking before going to see the blonde woman. (The Numbers)
  • It's four in the morning when Christian summons Ana to begin her bodyguard duties. (The Numbers)
  • Michael fires the gun four times: once at Ana Lucia, twice at Libby, and once on himself. (The Numbers)
  • It is raining when Ana Lucia and Christian arrive at Lindsey's house. (Rain)
  • Christian has an argument with Lindsey about his daughter. (Parent issues)
  • "Henry" mentions to Ana that she killed two Others. (Life and death)
  • "Henry" refers to the two Others that Ana Lucia killed as good people and tells John that he is "one of the good ones." He tells Ana that Goodwin thought she was worthy, but that Goodwin was wrong about that. He also calls the man in charge a "great man." (Good and bad people)
  • Michael says he counted 22 Others at their camp. Adding Henry makes 23. (The Numbers)
  • Ana is at Sydney Airport while Jack is arguing with the ticket agent about bringing the Christian's body back to the USA, and Jin is standing in line. (Character connections)
  • Jack tells Chrissy that he needs to land at LAX in 16 hours. (The Numbers)
  • Ana calls her mother from the Sydney airport and confesses to having killed Jason McCormack. (Redemption)
  • Unlike previous instances where Ana murdered people out of defense or revenge, she now feels unable to kill "Henry." (Redemption)
  • Ana Lucia is killed by Michael by a gunshot to the chest. (Life and death)
  • Ana Lucia plans to kill "Henry" after he tried to kill her. (Revenge)  (Life and death)


Cultural references[]

  • Two for the Road: The episode shares its title with this 1967 movie starring Albert Finney and Audrey Hepburn. It was considered somewhat experimental for its time because the story is told in a non-linear fashion, with scenes from the latter stages of the relationship juxtaposed with those from its beginning, often leaving the viewer to extrapolate what has intervened, which is sometimes revealed in later scenes. (Movies and TV)
  • "The Hard Way": This song by Kasey Chambers is heard on Christian's car radio. (Music)
  • "Walkin' After Midnight": This song by Patsy Cline is heard on the car radio as well. (Music)
  • Little Red Riding Hood: When Sawyer catches Ana Lucia sneaking around, he asks if Little Red Riding Hood is going to follow the Big Bad Wolf back to his stash of guns. This refers to the famous folktale about a young girl's encounter with a wolf. (Literary works)
  • The Tragedy of Julius Caesar: Jack and Sawyer get into an argument over the guns. When Locke joins in, Sawyer responds to him, "You too, Brutus?" This is a quote from this tragedy written by William Shakespeare in 1600. The phrase is widely used in Western culture as an epitome of betrayal. (Literary works)
  • Say Anything: Hurley tells Sayid to check out this 1989 movie. It is considered one of the greatest modern movie romances. (Movies and TV)
    • "In Your Eyes": This song by Peter Gabriel is also mentioned by Hurley. The scene where the main character of the movie appears outside his former girlfriend's bedroom window at night, while holding a boombox over his head playing the song, is a standard pop culture reference for romance. (Music)
  • Midnight Cowboy: When Christian opens his car door, Sawyer runs into it and calls out, "I’m walkin’ here!" This is a famous quote from this 1969 movie. (Movies and TV)
  • The Flintstones: When Hurley is looking for the secluded beach so that he can share a romantic getaway with Libby, he gets lost. After he passes the same landmark three times, Libby points out that this is like The Flintstones. This is an American animated television series, which regularly used "rolling backgrounds" to represent movement. (Movies and TV)
  • Crime and Punishment: This novel by Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky may have inspired several key elements of Michael's story. (Literary works)
    • In this episode, Michael kills Ana Lucia in order to free "Henry," but is forced to kill Libby as she accidentally witnesses the murder scene. Similarly, in Crime and Punishment, Rodion assassinates a pawnbroker, but is forced to kill an innocent witness, the pawnbroker's sister Lizaveta, the Russian equivalent of Elizabeth.
    • In "Meet Kevin Johnson", Michael goes to a pawn shop to trade a Rolex watch. In Crime and Punishment, the main protagonist Rodion Raskolnikov exchanges his dead father's watch for a loan by a pawnbroker. (Literary works)
  • Bad Twin: Sawyer is reading the manuscript of this metafictional tie-in novel before Jack throws it in the fire. (Literary works)


Literary techniques[]

  • Ana Lucia and Christian have both recently ended parent–child working relationships. (Juxtaposition)
  • Christian says to Ana, "Open the damn door." (Regularly spoken phrases)
  • Referring to the gun Ana recently stole from Sawyer, Michael comments, "At least he didn't get that one." (Irony)
  • After shooting Ana Lucia and Libby, Michael opens the gun vault and, instead of shooting the prisoner, shoots himself in the arm. (Cliffhanger)  (Plot twist)
  • Ana says to Libby "the guy in the hatch tried to kill me." She is later killed by a guy in the hatch, albeit a different guy than the one she was referring to, but a guy in the hatch nonetheless. (Foreshadowing)
  • The prisoner tells Ana Lucia that she's the killer, while he's attempting to kill her. (Irony)
  • Ana Lucia suggests to Christian that they "get out of Sydney. Let's just go back". Christian replies, "I can't ever go back." (Foreshadowing)


Storyline analysis[]


Episode connections[]

Episode references[]

Episode allusions[]

External links[]

References[]

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