"Something Nice Back Home"

Episode Rating: B+

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS

After last week's action-packed, insanely fast-paced joy ride, tonight's installment seemed a little bit disappointing. For one, we didn't see Locke or Ben at all, and quite frankly their storylines are a lot more interesting than anything on the beach. I see the necessity for leaving them out though. Tonight's episode had a point it was trying to make, and Locke's story wouldn't have really fit.

While "Something Nice Back Home" was more sluggishly paced than most episodes this season, but there was a lot of good content contained within. The main on-island plot revolved around Jack getting appendicitis, and this was actually the worst part of the episode. Everything else was pretty great, but the surgery plot seemed unimportant to the main thrust of season 4; this entire plot was in place mainly to do some foreshadowing on the Jack/Kate relationship seen in the flash-forward.

But before we get to that, let me try and label some possibly non-existent importance to the appendicitis storyline. Now, keep in mind that this is pure speculation, but there is a possibility that before the season ends, complications will arise in Jack from the surgery, causing a need for him to get off the island. Some of the other Oceanic Six members have very strong reasons for leaving the island; Sun is pregnant and Aaron is a baby. Perhaps Jack's illness is foreshadowing his necessity to get off the island.

The real thrust of this episode was the flash-forward. There was plenty of information contained here, and all of it gold. This flash-forward was the direct precursor to the events seen in the season 3 finale "Through the Looking Glass," where a pill-popping, whisky-drinking Jack kept calling Kate until she came to see him at the airport; he then proceeded to yell "We have to go BACK!!!"

The flash opened with Jack and Kate in a loving, healthy relationship. I was kind of happy to see this, but as readers may know, I'm a fan of Sawyer and Kate, not Jack and Kate. I think Kate and Jack are wrong for each other in so many ways. Anyway, we learned that Jack and Kate hooked up after Kate's trial (shown in the episode "Eggtown") and the two are playing mama and papa to Aaron.

The best information was contained in this part of the story. Before now, I was starting to suspect that the Oceanic Six, or at least Kate, had been brainwashed in some way. They weren't acknowledging that they had left people on the island and Kate seemed to be fully convinced that Aaron was hers. But a conversation near the end confirmed that they know exactly what happened. The Oceanic Six all chose to leave, and unfortunately, Sawyer chose to stay behind. I expect to see an emotional scene in the finale where Sawyer says goodbye to Kate, and crying from characters and viewers ensues.

But Jack and Kate's relationship won't last long; in Jack's other flash-forward, they were very estranged.

Jack went to see Hurley, who had gone completely nuts; or had he? Hurley actually has his head in the right place, but no one else agrees with him. When Jack does decide to go back to the island, he'll have an ally in Hurley. Anyway, Hurley didn't think they were in the real world. I don't totally believe Hurley, but I think they are in an alternate reality-evidenced by the fact that Jack had no appendix scar.

Hurley's premonition of Jack seeing an apparition came true when Jack saw his dad in the hospital, though it was only a brief glimpse. The stress of all this turned Jack to drugs and alcohol; and we all know that's a combination with a short road to insanity.

But that wasn't the only time we saw Christian Shepherd. In the episode's most shocking (or mildly predictable, considering how well you've formed your theories) we saw a very real Christian Shepherd take baby Aaron from Claire (and Claire said "Dad?" in the exact same way Locke said the word when Ben made his father materialize last season). Claire went off into the jungle with him, and left Aaron behind for Sawyer to take care of.

I'm guessing most people mouthed the phrase "WTF?"

To be honest, I saw this coming-maybe not Christian taking a baby, but I did predict Christian showing himself to Claire or Jack. In season one, Jack found his father's coffin empty, and saw his father walking around the island numerous times. In the season 4 premiere, we also witnessed a brief glimpse of Christian sitting in the cabin with Jacob when Hurley found the cabin. I've had the feeling that Christian was revived from the grave for a while now, and that theory has been solidified.

So, what will come of all this? I'm predicting that Claire is going to go to Jacob's cabin with Christian, where Locke and Ben will find them on next week's episode. Perhaps Jacob will hold her captive, causing Kate to take Aaron off the island.

The best thing about this episode is that it put quite a bit of things into place; every plot strand so far seems to be coming together, and I think we'll be able to tell how this all ends before the season finale rolls around.

Another moment that set the stage for the finale was when Jin told Charlotte to get Sun off the island, no matter what. This exchange made my mind race; I have a boatload of new theories now. I think Jin will be the one (with some help) to get a helicopter for the Oceanic Six. The castaways will hijack this helicopter, and fill it with those that want or need to go. Sun, Aaron, and Kate, who has agreed to raise Aaron, as well as Jack (possibly due to appendicitis) Hurley (not sure why) and Sayid (again, not sure why). Whatever the case, Jin will stay behind. Now, I don't think he will die. He's going to live, but still be on the island. In Sun's flash-forward, there was no mention of him actually being dead, and the tombstone would be in place to keep the conspiracy of the Oceanic Six going.

Another mind-bender was when we saw pilot Frank walking through the jungle with the freighter's soldiers. We have no idea what's been going on with the freighter, but I think we'll find out next week. I think Sayid and Desmond are in mortal peril.

Before signing off for the week, I want to give some praise to acting in this episode. Matthew Fox was great as Jack; he's always better when portraying internal conflict. Elizabeth Mitchell continues to give life to Juliet, and Evangeline Lilly gave one of her best performances as Kate yet. Daniel Dae Kim was electrifying in his brief scenes as Jin-that was so cool when he threatened Charlotte.

I think that this and last week's episode were laying the groundwork for the finale of the season. Next week's episode will continue to do this, and by the end of next week the stage will be set for the epic 3-hour finale. This wasn't the best episode of the season, but in context with the rest of the plot, this was some delicious food for thought; I'll be chewing on it until next Thursday.

REFERENCE EPISODES:

(Episodes Tonight's Installment Reference, Directly or Indirectly, or Were Mentioned in My Article, Sorted in Air Date Order)

"White Rabbit"-Jack followed an apparition of his father into the jungle, and found an empty coffin that was his dad's.

"D.O.C."-The episode where Juliet took Sun to the medical station

"Through the Looking Glass"-season 3 finale, in which we were introduced to 'junkie' Jack

"The Beginning of the End"-introduced Hurley's post-island insanity, and we saw a glimpse of Christian Shepherd in Jacob's cabin.

"Eggtown"- the trial was referenced in the flash-forward