Lost Recap #11: The Greater Good
Season 1, Episode 21
Hero of the episode: Charlie, Sun, Sawyer, Sayid Zero of the episode: Jack
Quote(s) of the episode: “I should have said no.” --Locke reflecting on the first time Boone asked to go hunting; “This is one time you better not be telling the truth.” --Sayid after Locke confesses to hitting him
Music vibes: ominous as Kate is looking for Jack
Little things: Shannon silently stroking Boone’s hair before his funeral. | Kate forcing Jack to rest | Hurley trying to quiet the baby by singing | Sawyer calms the baby by reading to him
Episode notebook:
Sayid is the first person we see, so flashbacks will be about him
Shannon is a little too quiet. Too reserved. Ticking time bomb.
Sayid wonders what he can do for Shannon.
Flashbacks to Sayid being recruited by the CIA to infiltrate a terror cell. A friend of his is part of the group. CIA uses information on Nadia as bait. Sayid is still in love with her.
Jack is convinced Locke crushed Boone’s leg, causing his death.
Boone’s funeral is peaceful to start, until Locke shows up.
Jack is weak from giving Boone a blood transfusion, but not too weak to attack Locke.
Sayid infiltrates the terror cell but is reluctant to inform on a friend, who might be misguided.
Claire is afraid to rest, afraid someone will take her son. Charlie and Sun convince her to rest and take over babysitting
Locke feels guilty about Boone.
Shannon recruits Sayid. She wants him “to do something” about Locke. Does she want info or revenge?
Locke knows Sayid doesn’t trust him. He confesses to hitting Sayid (episode seven, The Moth), and foiling his plan to triangulate the source of the distress call.
Shannon takes matters into her own hands.
Episode recap: Boone is gone, but not forgotten. He’s remembered for his bravery. Boone was the first in the water when a fellow survivor was drowning. He didn’t save this woman, but Boone was always willing to put the needs of others above his own. A sentiment expressed by Locke. During Boone’s funeral, Locke tells a story of half-truths. A story of Boone climbing up into the plane to salvage the radio, his added weight causing the aircraft to crash to the ground. Some of that is true, but Jack doesn’t believe any of it—convinced Locke did something sinister to Boone.
Shannon shares Jack’s beliefs. She recruits Sayid to help. Does she just want answers? Or does Shannon want revenge? Sayid starts with getting the truth, something he was very adept at working in the Iraqi military. His new mission has parallels to his recent past.
The CIA “recruits” Sayid to reconnect with a friend, Essam, who is part of a terror cell in Sydney, Australia. “Recruits” is a soft way of putting it. The CIA dangled a carrot in front of Sayid to get what they wanted. Sayid has been drifting from city to city, searching for his lost love—Nadia. His love for Nadia is stronger than his friendship with Essam. But Sayid is full of doubts. Is his friend really a terrorist or just misguided?
On the island, Sayid isn’t sure what to make of Locke but is up to the challenge if it helps Shannon with her grief. Sayid isn’t very subtle at poking Locke for information. Locke answers question after question during their trek to the downed plane, well aware that Sayid is just waiting for him to tell a lie. After seeing the plane wreckage for himself, Sayid believes Boone’s death was an accident but is certain Locke is still hiding something. That is not enough to satisfy Shannon. She wants revenge and will get it on her terms.
Shannon steals the keys to the gun case, takes a gun, and sets off to confront Locke. Allow me a minute to rant. I can believe Shannon knew about the guns after they were used to confront Ethan; Sayid probably told her about the guns. However, I don’t believe Sayid would tell Shannon where Jack hid the guns. The fewer people who knew the location was the safer option, which is why Jack didn’t tell many people. How did Shannon know where the guns were? A small plot hole that nagged at me.
Back to the island, Shannon holds Locke at gunpoint while Sayid, Jack, and Kate try to calm her down. Emotion not logic is driving Shannon to a decision she might regret—a decision she can’t take back. Sayid has to tackle Shannon, but not before she gets off one shot. A shot that grazes Locke’s forehead, not enough of an injury to warrant Jack’s attention. Jack is quick to help others, but not Locke. I was a little surprised by that, but maybe the good doctor is realizing that he doesn’t need to fix everyone. Locke will have to work to fix not just his physical injury, but the emotional one he caused Shannon. Will telling the full truth or some of the truth help Locke? Sayid knows Locke was holding back about the hatch. The episode ends with Sayid telling Locke to take him to the hatch.
Almost done with season one, and so looking forward to getting into season two—when we get inside the hatch! Please keep reading my recap for episode twenty-two is posted.