1.08 - Confidence Man

Title’s significance: Fairly transparent title here, alluding to Sawyer’s “occupation” off-island.

Recap: Flashbacks reveal that Sawyer lived as a con man before coming to the island, but he abandoned it after meeting a kid that reminded him of himself. Sayid tells Jack what happened in the jungle but admits he doesn’t know who attacked him. While the cowboy is skinny-dipping and hitting on Kate, Boone raids Sawyer’s stash looking for Shannon’s inhaler, and Sawyer gives him a what-for. Kate bargains with Sawyer – a kiss for the inhalers – but she declines after reading his letter. Charlie promises to procure peanut butter for Claire. With his Republican Guard background, Sayid tortures Sawyer, who reveals to Kate under duress (and after locking lips) that he never had the medicine. Sawyer and Sayid tousle, and Sawyer’s arm gets hurt. With Michael’s help, Sun develops an organic cure for asthma (eucalyptus), but Jin gets jealous. Kate deduces that Sawyer wrote the letter he carries around, and he’s waiting to give it to the man who conned his family. Charlie gives Claire the peanut butter he found – it’s imaginary but also “the best bloody peanut butter I’ve ever tasted.” Sayid takes off to map the island.

Thoughts: I think Josh Holloway was perfectly cast as Sawyer, and this episode gives him a chance to shine. Having said that, this episode wasn’t extra spectacular. Sawyer has a backstory, but the episode didn’t do much else other than play with the Jack/Kate/Sawyer love triangle. Also, the episode-ending musical montage is getting a little stale; does anyone remember when this annoying technique stops?

Favorite moment: Charlie questions the fact that Hurley hasn’t lost weight on the island (a real-world concern, too): “I’m a big guy. It’s gonna be a while before you wanna give me a piggyback ride.”

Characters introduced (in order):

• JESSICA, Sawyer’s lady who he happens to be conning
• DAVID, Jessica’s husband
• KILO, Sawyer’s “boss”

What we learned:

• Shannon is asthmatic.
• Kate reads Sawyer’s letter, which reveals that he’s responsible for the death of a kid’s parents, who he had conned. But all is not as it seems, since Sawyer’s letter is actually for the man who conned his family.
• Locke says that whoever attacked Sayid must not want to leave the island and therefore must be profiting from being on the island. He implicates Sawyer.
• Claire is the only Australian who likes peanut butter.
• Sawyer took on the con man’s name once he became a confidence man, too.

Questions:

• Who was the original Sawyer?
• What happened in Sayid’s past to make him promise never to torture again?
• What will Sayid find while mapping the island?

Things that are going to be important in Season Six:

• This is the second episode in a row where a zipper or a latch on a suitcase popped at an inopportune moment. Coincidence? (Probably.)