Lost certainly has heart, although not all of its characters may have for long. In a side story, heartache visits New Otherton, and Kate has a Hart to heart with Claire. Awwww, kind of a Valentine’s Day theme.
Joan Hart is the alias Kate chooses at the hospital where Claire is finding Aaron becoming labor intensive. When Claire clutches Kate’s hand as they watch the ultrasound, the fugitive realizes that she’s inadvertently chosen the right name.
By the way, “What Kate Does” reflects “What Kate Did” in Season One. Perhaps Kate truly is destined to do some things more than once. She might not deliver Claire’s baby, but she ensures that she will have the child safely. LA Kate also may be fulfilling Island Kate’s wish to keep mother and baby together. In “What Kate Did,” we learn she’s a murderer; she takes a life. In “What Kate Does,” she helps save a life, or at least makes sure Claire and the baby are safe.
Unfortunately, on the island, Dogan claims that Claire has lost herself. Darkness claims her heart. Hmmm. Heart of Darkness. Catchy title.
It also seems like Claire has been taking fashion tips from Rousseau, who (no surprise to those who heard Mira Furlan wouldn’t be returning) died a long time ago, according to “loose lips” Justin. Never mind. He won’t be talking to anyone but Miles, or maybe Hurley, from now on. Thus ensues another parallel scene from an earlier season. Instead of Sayid becoming entrapped by rifle-toting Rousseau, Jin runs afoul of Claire’s trap and first sees her when she shoots the Others from whom he is trying to escape.
Back at the temple, Dogan warns Jack that Sayid could also have a change of heart, and not for the better, if he doesn’t take the poison pill. That seems like a drastic diagnosis and treatment to me. I’m not sure I’d let either of them treat me, based on their bedside manners so far this season.
Who would’ve thought at Dr. Goodspeed (aka Ethan Rom) would turn out to be the good doctor? In a lovely twist, he tries to convince Claire not to take drugs to stop the labor, a reversal of his actions on the island, when he liked to stick Claire with needles to “protect” her unborn child. Dr. Goodspeed seems content to let Claire keep her (unborn) baby a little longer, unlike his island counterpart who wanted to take the child any way he could.
The other theme, if a little heavy handed, running as rampantly through the episode as Kate on Sawyer’s trail, is Redemption. “This is your chance to redeem yourself,” Dogan announces to Jack, who may not be looking for redemption but seems in need of it. Of course, Dogan’s methods may be a bit dodgy, and I don’t know about his “pass/fail” testing methods to determine who lives or dies. Let’s see. So far I wouldn’t trust this guy to be my doctor, pharmacist, or judge.
Nevertheless, who should be given a second chance is questionable, especially to Sawyer. He finds it unjust that Juliet stays dead whereas “an Iraqi torturer who shoots kids” is resurrected. Perhaps Dogan overheard him or was having second thoughts about Sayid’s second coming. How ironic that the torturer is tortured yet again on the island. How ironic that seemingly heartless Dogan worries about the darkening of Sayid’s soul/heart.
Broken hearts are yet another aspect of “What Kate Does.” Sawyer tosses Juliet’s would-have-been wedding band into the lagoon, and Kate either feels sad that Sawyer loved and lost, or she’s unhappy that now she’ll have to traipse all the way back to the temple to see if Jack is still interested.
More touching to me than either Sawyer’s or Kate’s tears was a brief scene in which Hurley is curious about the afterlife. He wonders if there are angels or white light, but Sayid doesn’t remember anything but being shot. In last week’s episode, Hurley reminded dead Sayid that he’d be around for a chat anytime the spirit was willing. Hurley now accepts that he can talk with the dead (without questioning whether he is crazy) and believes in an afterlife. It seems he just wants to get a few more details. I keep remembering Hurley dressed as a Biblical prophet in Charlie’s vision from “Fire + Water” a few seasons back. I wonder if any further connection between his talent for talking with the dead and spirituality will be made. Oh, well, I’m probably just trying to find more ways for Charlie to return during Season Six.
The pace of this episode slowed from last week’s rapid-fire introduction to two timelines and a big family reunion. I like the parallels between scenes new and old. I like the cameos by the ghosts of seasons past. I think I was just spoiled last week with so many revelations and reunions that this week’s character development lagged a bit. However, this hour still goes more quickly than any other. I should ask Dan Faraday about that.
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