Lost (ABC) Ties War on Terror, Vengeance to Island Mystery
Published May 05, 2005
After the long break, Lost was back with a vengeance this week, vengeance being the key word here.
In the aftermath of Boone's tragic, poignant death, the key players on the Island of Fate are left distraught, bleary-eyed, and looking for a scapegoat.
Enter Locke (Terry O'Quinn), who took off during Boone's final hours to have an as yet revealed rendezvous with the mysterious hatch.
Meanwhile, we're sent into the past and Sayid's (Naveen Andrews) final hours before boarding the doomed plane that would send him to his new home. We soon find out that he has been dealt a hard bargain by the CIA: deliver his friend (who has terrorist connections) or never see the love of his life again, a woman he has been seeking for many years.
The plot thickens (as it often does on Lost) as Sayid is forced to convince his fairly dim-witted friend to go through with being a suicide bomber. This must be done in order to deliver the explosives to the CIA before detonation and to, in theory, save his would-be murderer-friend's life.
Andrews-as-Sayid really shines in this episode, as does almost every character given significant screen time on this well acted, brilliantly scripted show. He plays the role with just the right balance of sensitivity and steel, really bringing to life what could have been a one-dimensional former Iraqi intelligence officer.
When Sayid's friend kills himself after finding out that he had been played, you know that Sayid had done the right thing, yet paid some incalculable price for it. This plotline dove-tailed beautifully to the island present, which found Jack (Matthew Fox) and more importantly Shannon (Maggie Grace... related to Topher Grace, perhaps?) after Locke's blood.
The nail-biter ending deals Sayid a very similar quandary: do the right thing (stop Shannon from killing Locke) and pay a terrible price for it (the loss of Shannon's feelings).
The ultimate reward for Sayid, of course, is that Shannon is Bad News with the tallest capital B and T one can construct. But it remains to be seen whether Shannon's thirst for vengeance has been satisfied, and who (or what) the next target might be.
But there are bigger questions to consider:
Is it possible the island is the most vengeful entity of all?
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- Lost (ABC) Ties War on Terror, Vengeance to Island Mystery
- Published: May 05, 2005
- Type: Review
- Section: Video
- Filed Under: Video: Action, Video: Adventure, Video: Suspense and Mystery, Video: Television
- Writer: Eric Berlin
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Comments on this articleComments
I don't remember ever hearing about Sayid's lost love until this episode, Justene. Then again, I've (sadly) missed a few episodes during my dark dark pre-DVR days.
I was thinking near the end of the show that Sayid is one chill guy for someone who had foiled a terrorist plot, watched his old friend kill himself, and then crash landed on a remote island, all within a month. That he found the time/inclination to get friendly with Shannon does seem a bit far-fetched... but then again there are polar bears and monsters of some sort on the island.
Shannon's going to be a major catalyst for trouble in the days ahead... that's the only thing I'm sure of for the time being.
Sayid's lost love was seen earlier in the first flashback episode devoted to his past as a member of the Republican Guard. As I remember it, her fate was deliberately kept vague. . .
She was introduced in the first Sayid-centric ep. Claire (IIRC) found her picture in the wreckage and gave it to Sayid. She was a childhood friend / crush who was brought to his prison to be tortured for information on others who were a threat to Saddam. Sayid treated her kindly and fell in love.
He then arranged for her to escape in a botched effort that led to him killing his superior and friend, then shooting himself to cover it. She escaped and we were left to believe that Sayid has been pining / looking for her ever since.
Damn -- that's sound like a great episode, I'm sorry I missed it (damned family coming to town...).
I'll have to wait to rent the full season on the old Netflix.
I also remember that sayid once said nadia was dead because of him, where she is still alive and actually he was on the flight to go meet her.
and as for sayid falling for shannon,.. i think in circumstances like that...where u dont know where u will be next , if even u will be alive the next day or not...these bindings automatically comes.....that doesnt mean he has stopped feeling for nadia his lost love....
but i was thinking had shannon been still alive and they were rescued and went back to L.A then who would he have picked..
because he promised shannon he will not leave him...would he have picked shannon or nadia is the big question....
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Shannon and he will reconcile. This way, the writers get to replay that seduction scene over again.
Earlier in the season, weren't we told that the love of his life was dead? Or did I fall into assuming it? If he didn't know where she was, I can see him acting as if she were dead, but when he was on the plane to see her? I felt a little cheated to discover that she was still alive.
BTW, after holding this torch for what, 7 years, he falls for Shannon after a month on the island? Did I mention I felt a little cheated?