1.23 - Exodus, Part I

Title’s significance: Exodus is, of course, the second book of the Bible, depicting the flight from Egypt toward, eventually, the promised land. The raft represents the survivors’ best chance of reaching “the promised land.”

Recap: Flashbacks give us a pre-crash picture of the Michael/Walt dynamic (“You’re not my father!”), Jack’s airport bar meeting with Ana Lucia, Sawyer being deported from Australia, the marshal’s handling Kate onto the plane, Boone and Shannon bickering in the airport, and Jin and Sun having a bite in the airport café. On island, Rousseau comes to camp to warn the survivors that “The Others” are coming, so the timetable gets pushed up on the raft, but their progress is halted when a pillar of black smoke flies up, just like Rousseau said it would. To break open the hatch, Rousseau recommends dynamite, which can be found at the “black rock,” and Arzt claims he knows how to handle it. Sawyer tells Jack he met his father in Sydney. The dynamite expedition encounters the monster, which Rousseau claims is a security system. Walt gives Vincent to Shannon. When the survivors make it to The Black Rock, it turns out that it’s a ship. Sun and Jin patch things up before the raft sets sail, as the black smoke continues to plume.

Thoughts: Can we please have Damon and Carlton write all the episodes of the final season? Everything they write is just awesome, and “Exodus, Part I” was no exception – healthy balance of characterization, interesting flashbacks, driving the mythology forward and setting up for the next episode. This is also the first episode where I really noticed that the music on this show fits right in. I can’t help, though, a certain feeling of unease at the sailing of the raft, since I know how much their optimism is about to be crushed, just in the next episode alone.

Favorite moment: Hurley again: “I think Leslie’s a bitchin’ name.” But I think Walt giving Vincent to Shannon might be the most touching moment.

Characters introduced (in order):

• ANA LUCIA, flirted with Jack before boarding Flight 815

What we learned:

• When Rousseau landed, there were six members of her team.
• Rousseau’s baby was born two months into her stay on the island but was abducted a week after being born.
• Sawyer headbutted the Australian Minister of Agriculture and was deported from Sydney for that reason.
• Sawyer’s real name is James Ford.
• The marshal put Kate’s plane in the safety deposit box.
• Arzt’s first name is Leslie.
• Rousseau claims the monster is a security system to protect the island.
• In Sydney, Shannon reported Sayid to airport security.
• The Black Rock is actually a ship that wrecked on the island.

Questions:

• What is the pillar of black smoke?
• Jack tells Ana Lucia he’s not married “any more.” Why?
• Who was on the phone with Ana Lucia?
• Why did Montand lose his arm?
• What infected Rousseau’s team?
• What makes Rousseau claim the monster is a security system?

Things that are going to be important in Season Six:

• It’s come up before, but this finale’s flashbacks clue us in that there’s some kind of destiny surrounding the survivors, that they were destined to collide with each other. We can assume it has something to do with Jacob’s choosing them, but we have to get more information next season, right?
• Jin suggests the island is a place of punishment where people are brought to suffer. Is it?
• We’ve long suspected some Egyptian connection to the island, between the appearance of hieroglyphics and the four-toed statue. Is the title “Exodus” – referring to the original flight from Egypt – a clue?