This episode was a little disappointing for me. The opening scene seemed completely unnecessary; what's that? Jack's going to ask the 6 to lie tomorrow? Kate's going to KEEP Aaron?!? From a storytelling point of view we learn nothing and it just bloats the episode. The adventures of those left on the island are bound to be interesting, with the time swings bringing them to various important parts in the islands history. However, maybe this is just me but I don't feel that "Sawyer misses Kate" is a particulary suitable C storyline, nor one that needed to be dragged through the whole episode. Yes we already know that, no we don't need to be hit over the head with it, "How did it make you feel seeing Kate again?" asks Juliet. This is a woman who knows everyones backstories, can psychoanalyse and has a PHD in medicine and she asks one of the most two-dimensional characters on the show how he feels about seeing the most important woman in his life again...Maybe it's just me.
Interesting revelations came with the ravaged beach camp, the outrigger, the Ajira Airways bottle, and the unseen attacking group. This is probably a skip forward, as A) the camp is there, and has been wrecked and looted. B)There has been no reason thus far for there to be an Ajira Airways bottle on the island. It seems that events off the island are turing into a poor soap opera. They know it's not Kate's child!!! You shouldn't be practicing medicine here Doctor!!! Who is trying to claim Aaron??? Nobody cares, but to the writers defence they don't have a lot to work with, the 6 will probably return to the island at either the climax of season 5 or late in season 6. Until then there is guaranteed to be plenty of 'intrigue' and 'backstabbing' and characters being left open-mouthed by shocking character 'revelations'. Be prepared to here plenty of, "So it was you all along!!!"s.
We've been waiting for it since Season 1- Rousseau's backstory! Who knew her science team also doubled up as a Abercrombie ad campaign? Still, new characters. Maybe we'll get some questions answered. Although with the frequency of the flashes it seems unlikely that we'll ever see the full story which after all unfolds over 16 years.
Oh yeah and Jin's still alive. After being on an exploding freighter. After being face down in the ocean for nearly a week. After being blown just far enough from the freighter that he still skips with everyone else, yet the freighter doesn't. Jin fans rejoice, everyone else prepare to suspend your disbelief........now!
So where do we stand at the end of this episode?
What happened to the camp? Who was shooting at the survivors? Will Faraday manage to get to the Orchid by the time skips to the 70's? Oh wait he does... Will the Oceanic 6 manage to put their differences aside and get back to the island? We don't care!!!