'Lost' - "The Cost of Living"

The action is getting fast and furious as Lost aired its next to last episode until winter. What is the cost of living? Well, it seems that death is the cost of living, at least on the island.

Oh, and I really think there's only one island despite what we saw last week. I believe Ben showed Sawyer some sort of illusion. Had there been another island that close, how could they have not seen it?

Back to the island and the latest about those kooky fun-loving castaways and their demons...

This episode mainly centered around Eko, in flashbacks and on the island in the present. Last season, we saw a bit of Eko's backstory. Remember, his brother Yemi apparently died in a plane crash of some drug smugglers. When he found the plane on the island, Eko kept the cross that caused the smugglers to think Yemi had been himself. Oh, perhaps you had to be there. Anyway, the flashbacks told more of the story of Yemi, Eko, a bit of their childhood, and the violence which ultimately would be the cost of living.

The show opened with an Eko/Yemi childhood bit in which Eko stole food and was admonished to apologize. "You have sinned." He thought he did what he had to do; he was hungry, he ate something.

Cut back to the "now" on the island, Eko's still in grave condition from the hatch blast and Charlie, Hurley, and Sayid are concerned about him. Drifting in and out of consciousness, he has his own flashbacks to the drug running and his brother Yemi appears onto him. Yemi told him it's time to confess, time to be judged. Uh-oh. That doesn't sound so good and I don't think a Jesus stick is going to help him.

Eko came to only briefly enough to mention his brother to Charlie, then he vanished without a trace from the camp. Locke, meanwhile, wanted to gather a group to head to the Pearl Station (hatch) in hopes of finding a clue which would help them find Jack, Sawyer, and Kate who are still in the clutches of the Others. Desmond thought the computers there could communicate with other computers. While others (not THE others) wanted to find Eko, Locke said that he'd be going to the same place. Locke knew Eko would head to where the drug plane crashed right near the Pearl Station. So, two birds, one stone, and all that. "Don't mistake coincidence for fate," warned Locke.

In Eko's Flashback Sequences
After the initial childhood sequence, they focused on Eko after he "took over" for Yemi at his village. Yes, as the "new priest." An altar boy saw him washing his hands in the holy water and Eko told him he was "washing away his sins." Right then and there the kid had to know he wasn't the real deal.

The armed militia men with whom Yemi had a deal to give most of the vaccine supplies in return for protection came around and Eko refused to deal with them. To prove their seriousness (and ruthlessness), they shot a village woman just to make their point.

When the militia thugs returned after the vaccine shipment arrived, Eko still refused to deal with him. Lead Thug said that he was superstitious and couldn't kill a man of God. Thus, he was going to cut off his hands instead. Eko fought back and (seemingly) killed the men. "You do not know who I am," he said.

The last flashback sequence was Eko preparing to go to London as Yemi was set to do. The locals were boarding up the church. The altar boy's mother warned Eko to repent and to start making his peace now.

On the Island With Jack and the Others
Jack got a personal invite from Ben to Colleen's funeral (the one Sun shot). He wasn't told he was going to a funeral, but he did get a nifty gauzy-white flowing shirt. He started asking Ben questions about his health and the tumor in the x-ray he had seen. Ben played dumb and said he felt fine, didn't know what Jack was talking about. Sure, Ben.

The funeral itself was different from your basic funeral. Colleen's body was on a raft set out to sea, then set afire. And, all the while, tinny loudpeakers played a song which I know that I know, but can't place. It's an older jazz/blues tune about an aching heart and holding someone tight. I guess I'll have to wait for the website with Lost Music to reveal it. (It's driving me crazy!)

At the funeral, we found out that the spine tumor x-ray is indeed Ben's. He told Juliet that she wasn't supposed to tell Jack about it.

After returning to the dry dolphin tank he's called home since being captured by the Others, Jack was visited by Juliet bearing a cheeseburger. Ben arrived and wanted to speak alone with Jack citing doctor/patient confidentiality. He told Jack about some plan they had to "break" him, get him to want to do the surgery and so on. He mentioned that Juliet resembles Jack's ex-wife. Then he claimed he wanted Jack to want to save his life. He asked, "Do you believe in God? I do. Two days after the tumor was found, a spinal surgeon falls out of the sky."

After Ben left, Juliet went back in to the dolphin tank, this time bearing a video she claimed was To Kill a Mockingbird. But, it definitely wasn't. Jack said he didn't want to watch, yet she insisted on putting it on and leaving the volume off. Hidden from the closed-circuit monitors and microphones, the video itself was a series of messages to Jack. Juliet held up a series of signs which said that Ben was evil, a liar, very dangerous and that some on the island want a change. They want Jack to do the surgery and for Ben to unfortunately die. After all, it's a serious surgery with complications. No one would know. She told him it was up to him. He didn't commit.

The Pearl Station Hatch and Eko on the Island
As Eko headed to the hatch and drug plane crash site, we got glimpses of the black smoke wisps. Oh, no! When he saw a huge smoke more-than-a-wisp, all of a sudden it went away and there was Locke, new dude Paulo, Sayid, and the rest of the party heading to the Pearl Station. Later, Eko would ask Locke what he saw. Locke saw a beautiful bright light. "That's not what I saw," said Eko. Me, neither!

While the rest of the party headed down the hatch, Eko remained above. Down in the hatch, new gal Nikki gave them the idea to try to get the other monitors in the bank going. Nothing was on them until... eep! A man with an eye-patch looked into a camera, then blocked it. Yay, a new mystery! (I say with sarcasm.)

Yemi once again appeared to Eko. Yemi told him he's ready to hear his confession. Eko followed him to a stunningly gorgeous spot where he showed Yemi the cross necklace. When Yemi asked him if he was ready, Eko told him he asked for no forgiveness. He didn't sin. He did what he had to do to survive. "When I was a young boy, I killed a man to save my brother. I didn't not ask for this life. It was given to me and I've done the best I can."

Yemi just turned to him and said, "As if I were your brother."

Eko shouted, "Who are you?" Then the smoke monster grew, snagged and dragged him. The folks in the hatch heard a ruckus and found Eko dying in the woods. He whispered something to John Locke, then died.

What did he say? Well, John said he said, "You're next." Yikes!

Answers? Questions?

• An answer - We now know the tumor x-ray subject is indeed Ben
• A question - Yemi indicated that he wasn't Eko's brother. So I have to think that he's not really Yemi?
• A question - Why did that smoke monster look like an elephant snagging Eko? Was that just my impression or did others see the resemblance?
• A question - Wasn't there a glass eye found in one of the hatches at one point? Is it Patch-Eyed Man's eye?
• A question - I don't think that Jack will botch a surgery to appease Juliet, but what if Juliet gains control of the Others?
• A question - What if the whole Juliet asking Jack (secretly) to off Ben is part of Ben's plan to "test" Jack?
• A question - Why did one of my digital shots taken during the episode superimpose Jack over Juliet (see above)? Was it coincidence or fate? It wasn't on the screen. Oh, don't tell me it was just shutter lag!

As usual, there are more questions than there are answers. They think just because they're Lost, we should be, too.