Last night’s episode was a game changer. Finally, we saw a connection between the alt-reality and the island as both Charlie and Desmond recalled flashes from their time on the island. What did the jogging? What else, but love?
Until now, the show hasn’t connected the two alternate universes, but the ex-islanders made breakthroughs during what seemed like parallel experiences. Charlie claimed he saw Claire’s face as he nearly choked to death on his own bag of Heroin and Desmond was treated to three different deja-vu moments of Penny (my favorite island love story) including a hallucination of Charlie’s final message to Desmond before he died. “Not Penny’s Boat” (Did anyone else have a Holy Shit moment there?)
Still we’re not sure exactly how much they know or what they expect. Let’s break it down:
Desmond: His part in the LOST universe may be bigger than anyone ever expected. His ability to survive another electromagnetic cataclysmic event is valuable to Widmore, but why we’re not sure yet. It seems as though he’s able to travel between the sliding doors of the sideways reality and the events on the island and recall them both, but his 180 to obey Widmore post “testing” is a bit unsettling. Desmond is clearly a key player here.
Charlie: The rock star addict first connected with events on the island while choking in the airplane. He pictured Claire, though he doesn’t know that yet, and has taken on the attitude that nothing else matters because he now knows what’s real. (I wonder: Was it the near death experience by choking – similar to drowning, no?– that sparked his flash?)
Daniel: Daniel Widmore, eh? In No Crashland he’s a musician, but one night he does a little quantum mechanics sketching only to recall the feeling that he was responsible for setting off a nuclear bomb. He tells Desmond that he thinks he altered reality somehow.
Eloise: We’re not sure what Eloise knows. She tells Desmond to stop searching for something and that Daniel isn’t ready yet. Could she be the most tuned in to the island?
Whidmore: He is still in control, but assures Desmond that his life is pretty much good the way it is. Could he be connected with the alt reality as well? Or does he just have a serious hunch about all of this?
Penny: Another name switcheroo. Penny Milton? I’ve heard the John Milton theory, and yeah, that could work, but there’s got to be more to it.
Jack: Jack recognized Desmond on the airplane which was the first sense we got of “Does he remember?” but there is also speculation that he is just recognized from their first meeting in the stadium, forever ago. Which would you like to believe?
Next week, we’ll get an hour with Hurley (yay!) and hopefully, we’ll get more of sense of what’s happening with Desmond and the rest of the crew who are starting to remember. After all, Desmond did claim that he’s going to get everyone on the plane together…
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