2.19 - S.O.S.

Title’s significance: Bernard builds a giant SOS (Save Our Ship) sign on the beach. In this context, though, with respect to Eko’s church, SOS could mean Save Our Souls.

Recap: Rose & Bernard get their own flashbacks this episode: we learn how they met, that Rose had cancer, that Bernard brought her to a faith healer, that Rose lied about Isaac of Uluru healing her, and that Rose knew about Locke’s paralysis. On island, Bernard worries that the survivors have given up on rescue while Ana Lucia breaks the news to Jack that “Henry” is on a hunger strike; Jack worries about the trap that “Henry” had threatened, but “Henry” isn’t speaking, either. Jack and Kate go to the line they aren’t supposed to cross and demand a trade – Walt for “Henry.” Bernard wants to build an SOS sign on the beach, but Rose believes it would only give false hope while criticizing his management style. Before getting to the line, Jack and Kate get trapped in a net but extricate themselves. Locke tells Rose that he’s done with the hatch while they allude to the island’s mysterious healing properties. Jack reaches the line, but The Others don’t show. Rose apologizes for lying about the healer but tells Bernard that the island has healed her; Bernard agrees to stay with her on the island, no matter what. Locke draws the blast door map from memory, and at the line Jack and Kate discover Michael stumbling out of the jungle.

Thoughts: The playful banter between Rose and Bernard, as well as the strong underlying emotion that often passes unspoken between the two, I’m sure were the factors at play when the writers decided to give bit-part cast members a centric episode. I’ve got to give major props to L. Scott Caldwell and Sam Anderson for making what could have been a pointless detour episode an interesting character study.

Favorite moment: Kate’s sheepish “Sorry” after she and Jack are ensnared in one of Rousseau’s traps and the ensuing bickering between the two. (I think this is the first time Jack’s made a “Favorite moment” on this rewatch.)

Characters introduced (in order):

• NEIL FROGURT (mentioned), a survivor who used to make frozen yogurt
• ISAAC OF ULURU, a faith healer

What we learned:

• The Others have a very specific reason for abducting Walt.
• Eko and Charlie are building a church.
• Rose and Bernard were flying back from Australia after visiting a faith healer.
• Rose had cancer before the plane crash, but the island healed her.
• With this episode, we learn that the island’s healing properties extend beyond just Locke.

Questions:

• Why won’t The Others turn over Walt?
• How does the island heal people?
• Where’s Michael been?

Things that are going to be important in Season Six:

• “People are saved in different ways,” Eko tells Bernard. But the island seems to be a unifying constant (no pun intended) in saving the survivors in one way or another. I think ultimately the island is going to save the survivors, but who’s going to save the island?
• How does the island heal people? We still quite don’t know, but I have a sneaking suspicion it has something to do with Jacob and “good people.”
• The eleventh hour appearance of Rose and Bernard in Season Five’s final minutes tells me the writers aren’t quite done with these two. If one Internet theory is correct, we might learn that Rose and Bernard are the Adam and Eve skeletons (thanks to some time travel machinations).