Lost Recap #12: Exodus Part 1
Season 1, Episode 23
Hero of the episode: Danielle, Sawyer Zero of the episode: N/A
Quote(s) of the episode: “The Others are coming.” –Danielle | “You want to keep a secret don’t tell the fat guy.” –Arzt on Jack’s plan to blow the hatch
Music vibes: hopeful to start as everyone works on the raft | joyful and sad as the raft sets sail
Little things: Sawyer’s telling Jack about his conversation with his dad | Charlie fills a bottle with messages from the survivors to be taken on the raft | Walt leaves his dog with Shannon | Sun and Jin reconcile
Episode notebook:
Danielle arrives at the beach with an ominous message. Time to hide from the “Others.” Time for the raft to be launched.
Black smoke is a sign that the “Others” are coming. Danielle’s child was stolen from her the last time she saw black smoke.
Everyone is skeptical of Danielle’s message. Is it all in her head or is the threat real?
Everyone pitches in to finish the raft. Jack and Locke think the hatch might be the best place to hide—if they can blow the hatch window.
Danielle leads a crew to the Black Rock, the ship she arrived on, to get the rest of the dynamite.
Flashbacks show what Michael, Walt, Jack, Shannon, Boone, Sayid, Sawyer, and Kate did in the hours leading up to flight 815. First appearance of Ana-Lucia (played by Michelle Rodriguez), she’s one of the many people from the tail section who are still alive. More on Ana-Lucia for season 2.
Night before the flight Walt was acting like a typical child, not listening to his father.
Jack had a drink with Ana-Lucia just before the flight. Sawyer was released from jail and deported out of Australia. Sawyer’s real name is James Ford. Sun and Jin have a little snack in the airport—next to an annoying couple. The marshal tells a security officer about Kate and her attachment to Tom’s toy plane (marshal confirms Tom is dead). Shannon gets Sayid in trouble at the airport—nice lady.
Sun gives Jin a list of simple words, phonetically translated from Korean to English. She wants him to be able to communicate with Michael, Walt, and Sawyer on the boat. Awww!
Sayid shows the raft crew how to use some radio equipment he made.
The raft is launched.
Episode recap: Danielle, a stranger to everyone but Sayid, arrives on the beach with a warning. “The Others are coming.” One of many times we will hear about the mysterious “Others.” Danielle has never seen the Others but is certain that they exist and are dangerous. So dangerous that it’s time for everyone to run and hide or stay and die. The last time the Others came, Danielle’s daughter, Alex, was taken from her. Rather than subject Sayid and the rest of the survivors to a similar fate, Danielle chooses to help them. Jack is reluctant to believe the newest visitor to the camp. She’s been alone for sixteen years, and often struggles between what’s real and what isn’t. But rather than take chances, the good doctor jumps into action.
Once skeptical of Michael’s plans for the raft, Jack makes a push to finish the build and get the boat in the water ASAP. The only way for that to happen is with everyone chipping in. But do they need to do more? Only four people can fit on the raft. Where is everyone else supposed to run and hide? The caves offer some protection, but there are openings on all sides. How do you keep the Others out? And that brings us to the hatch. Perhaps they can hide in the hatch—if they can get inside.
Locke, who is still hot to get inside the hatch for reasons that have nothing to do with survival, asks Danielle if she has anymore dynamite. Blowing up the hatch window could not only save the survivors but give Locke the answers to the mysteries of the island. Answers that will mean Boone didn’t die in vain. Danielle is willing to help, leading a crew of Locke, Jack, Kate, Hurley, and science teacher Arzt to the dynamite.
Everyone begins saying their goodbyes, as the raft will be in the water by the time the dynamite crew returns. These scenes are poignant, sad, and a bit foreboding. Sawyer tells Jack about his conversation with Jack’s dad (seen in Outlaws, episode 16), which gives the good doctor a bit of closure and comfort. I think this is one of the more underrated scenes in the show, actor Matthew Fox conveys show much emotion just with his face. In another tender moment, Sun and Jin reconcile. Walt leaves his dog, with Shannon, in hopes that Vincent can give her some comfort following Boone’s death. There are hugs all around just before the boat is launched. There’s a sense of happiness once the raft is in the water, they’re one step closer to being rescued. But that happiness seems too good to be true. As a viewer, you want to feel happy, but you can also sense another shoe is about to drop. Danielle’s warning just might come true.
Please come back next week for episodes twenty-four and twenty-five—the final two episodes of season 1.
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Monday: It’s Never Too Late to go Back to the Library but…
Thursday: Recap for Lost episode twenty-four and twenty-five