Getting Lost: “Jughead” Review

Posted by Mike and johnnysweeptheleg

We guessed from the episode title that the character of Jones would be significant. We were right — even if it was for all the wrong reasons. We were hoping his full name would be Forsythe P. Jones. Instead “Jughead” referred to a hydrogen bomb, while Jones turned out to be something far more sinister: Charles Widmore. Looking back, we probably should have seen it coming as soon as Miles sensed the fresh grave. Aside from being a typically creepy Lost moment, it was a signal that the name Jones belonged to a buried soldier and that there was a reason that this particular character’s identity had been disguised. But, as usual, we’re much better at figuring things out several hours after we’ve watched the show rather than before or during an episode. What can we say? We’re slow.

johnnysweeptheleg’s Lost in a Moment:

What I love about Lost is that it makes you want to go back and watch old episodes over and over again, after each new secret is revealed. For instance, I need to re-watch the third season’s “Through the Looking Glass.” I thought Charlie wrote “Not Penny’s Boat” on his hand. But now I may be mistaken. “Not Into Birth Control” seems more appropriate.

This episode opens to Penny giving birth to Baby Charlie. I’m 99% sure that rather than pouring some Guinness, this is Desmond’s nod to a fallen homey. But with all of the time travel and this being Lost, you can’t close the however-unlikely-door that is this kid somehow becoming the future heroin hound.

Meanwhile, back on the island, Faraday’s squad is captured by more of the militarists, who are actually Others. GI Jane leads them back to camp and introduces Faraday to Richard Alpert. Alpert tells Faraday that he loves how he accessorizes — in particular, his continued commitment to the tie. He suggests that with a shave and borrowing some of his guyliner, Faraday could pull off a whole Pete Wentz look. Oh, and that he realizes Faraday probably came back for his bomb. Bomb? Faraday, whose confession of being in love with Charlotte will probably metaphorically blow up in his face, decides to play along and asks to be shown the literal bomb.

GI Jane leads Faraday to the Hydrogen bomb (named “Jughead”), where he reveals that he gets a familiar feeling about her. Will this be a throwaway comment? Or will she turn out to be someone we know? Perhaps Faraday’s mother? Theresa somehow? I don’t know. I’m like a weatherman. I throw darts at a board and see if I eventually hit a bullseye.

Faraday recognizes that the bomb situation is dire. There’s a crack in the casing, which needs to be filled with lead and buried. Y’know, like what happened to Ana Lucia and Libby.

Ouch! I know.

Concurrently, Locke has followed “Jones” without his knowledge, and crashed Camp Others demanding they take him to their leader. Locke introduces himself to Alpert and reveals that Jacob sent him. Alpert, while still skeptical, is much more receptive to hearing Locke out now. He dismisses “Jones” by referring to him as Widmore, which immediately sparks Locke’s interest. As you may recall, in the episode titled “The Other Woman,” Ben shows Locke a video marked “Red Sox,” which is really all about Widmore and how he’s responsible for the freighter and wants to exploit the island.

So how does Widmore come to leave the island? And does Ben’s arrival to power have anything to do with it? Two-for-one special on all questions!

Locke and Alpert talk one on one, and we learn that it’s currently 1954. Locke tells Alpert to visit him in two years, when he’s born, to validate everything he’s told him. And now we know why Alpert was so upset when Little Locke chose the wrong items when he visited him last season. Before Locke can get Alpert to divulge how to get off the island, there’s another flash of light, and everyone’s catapulted through time again. This results in Charlotte going all Studio 54 at 2am and having a massive nosebleed until going unconscious.

If this doesn’t make your head spin already, things are just as mind-blowing off the island.

Desmond has gone in search of Faraday’s mother in Oxford, and can’t find any signs of her or Daniel. Thankfully, a nosey janitor tells Des that Faraday left after doing something to a girl. This girl turns out to be Theresa, a woman in what appears to be a semi-comatose state, in what possibly could be due to her participation in his time travel experiments. Theresa’s sister tells Desmond that Widmore has been paying all of her medical bills, which sends Desmond right to Widmore’s office.

Ben/Widmore and Desmond/Widmore scenes are like a perfect chess match. Neither man likes one another, nor wants to divulge anything more than necessary. Every move is calculated. Therefore, when Widmore admits to funding Faraday for 10 years prior to sending him away, and gives Desmond the Los Angeles address of Faraday’s mother (who has to be Ms. Hawking, right?), one has to wonder what his ulterior motive really is.

Desmond tells Penny he’s calling off the search for Mama Faraday, but Penny has a different plan. Desmond will visit her in Los Angeles. And Penny and Charlie will follow.

After vowing — to Widmore’s face — that he would hurt his daughter, it doesn’t bode well to have Ben and Penny in the same city at the same time. But damn if it doesn’t make for great TV!

Questions Answered

What is Ms. Hawking’s relationship to the island? Did we get an answer to this question? We don’t know. What we do know is that Ms. Hawking’s first name is Eloise — or possibly Ellie, for short. Plus, we’re more convinced after this episode than the last that she is Daniel Faraday’s mother.

Who employs the soldiers who attacked Sawyer and Juliet? First of all, they’re not soldiers — they’re just wearing the uniforms of the soldiers they recently buried. And they are Others, so you could say they’re employed by Richard Alpert and/or Jacob.

Why is Widmore confident that Ben can’t find Penny? After Desmond’s visit to his office, he doesn’t seem quite so cocky anymore. And with a plan set into motion by episode’s end that would place both Penny and Ben in Los Angeles, he probably shouldn’t be.

When and how did the island belong to Widmore, and how did Ben take it from him? Well, we know he was on the island in 1954, as an Other. That could constitute partial ownership, at least in Widmore’s mind.

New Questions To Be Asked

Will Ben and Penny encounter one another in Los Angeles?

Are Ellie, Ms. Hawking and Daniel Faraday’s mother all one in the same?

Why did Widmore fund Faraday’s research and pay for Theresa Spencer‘s care?

How and why did young Widmore leave the island?

Photo credit: ABC/MARIO PEREZ