LOST Rewind: "Exodus, Part 1"

[CrimsonRabbit]

Welcome to the LOST Rewind for episode 1x23, "Exodus, Part 1"

Timestamp: Day 44 - November 4, 2004 (Credit PapaThor with the suggestion to timestamp.)

*Exodus feels almost like a series finale than a season finale. Many of the intra-Lostie conflicts have been resolved or will be resolved by the end of these episodes. The flashbacks recall the Losties pre-Island baggage demonstrating how far they've come since crashing on the Island and giving the episode an added poignancy. And the lingering question of how they will get off the Island seems to be answered with the launching of the raft. At this point, it's very difficult to see what the following season could be about, apart from what's in the hatch. But Walt's kidnapping and the destruction of the raft spin the show in entirely new directions, based on keeping the Losties apart from each other. Is this because the internal conflicts have been mostly resolved, so the easiest way to create drama is to break that newfound unity? The raft launch is more or less the last time everyone will be together till episode 2x08, "Collision." A similar, perhaps more excessive, length of separation among the Losties also kicks off Season 3.

*Jack considers the hatch a place to hide from the Others' impending attack. At the end of Season 3, he tells everyone he's tired of hiding and is ready to take them on. Is some of this due to The Others becoming more humanized over the course of the series? At the start of Exodus, Rousseau tells the Losties they only have three choices: run, hide, or die. But by the end of Season 3, they are no longer such terrifying boogeymen. By then, the Losties have learned an important truth: to borrow a line from Predator, "If they can bleed, they can die."

*Jack and Sawyer come to an understanding: Jack trusts Sawyer with the raft's gun while Sawyer finally tells Jack about his encounter with Christian. While Sawyer passed up the first opportunity to do so he didn't this time, giving all of Sawyer's interactions in Exodus a sense of finality.

*Sawyer seems to resolve his last on-island conflict (apart from his drama with Kate) by building the raft a new mast, thus making piece with Michael and Jin. He doesn't really get on the bad side of everyone again till episode 2x13, "The Long Con."

*What is the Dark Territory? The Black Rock is there. The monster roams about there, too. And Rousseau says that's where her crew acquired the Sickness and one of them lost an arm. But is there anything really different about this area than any other area on the Island?

*Jin tells Sun, "I'm in this place because I'm being punished." Can this still be considered true, since without the Island Sun wouldn't be pregnant? Or have the Losties focussed too much here on punishment and reward?

[Save The Humans]

*Jack and Sawyer come to an understanding: Jack trusts Sawyer with the raft's gun while Sawyer finally tells Jack about his encounter with Christian. While Sawyer passed up the first opportunity to do so he didn't this time, giving all of Sawyer's interactions in Exodus a sense of finality.

This is my very, very favorite scene ever in LOST! The fact that they simply didn't develop the Jack/James friendship in the following seasons is one of my greatest disappointments with this show. There is just so much they could've done with these two (and still could)! But nooooooooo. THEY had to go with the TRIANGLE!

What a waste!

Jin tells Sun, "I'm in this place because I'm being punished." Can this still be considered true, since without the Island Sun wouldn't be pregnant?

Conception occurring on the Island is NOT a good thing, remember! Jin feels he is being punished because of what he has become under Paik's thumb. We now understand Sun's guilt about this: it is because of her actions, asking for the blackmail payoff money, that Jin was recruited as one of Paik's thugs in the first place. Though happy she is pregnant by Jin, Sun knows what the pregnancy means--and must be wondering if SHE is on the Island because SHE is being punished! The Kwons' story gets more detailed by the season; the resolution of it over the next three seasons should be something to see!

The beauty of their Exodus scene, though, is that this is the first major reconciliation between them, a major step forward toward their actually resolving their issues and living out their lives as partners. It remains to be seen if that will actually happen, but at this point, there is definite hope for them. (It has, of course, been a bumpy road since. But by the end of S3, the two have again reached a point of togetherness. Of course, Sun knows there's only 2 months left, while Jin's thinking lifetime. S4 should be back to bumpy.)

*Sawyer seems to resolve his last on-island conflict (apart from his drama with Kate) by building the raft a new mast, thus making peace with Michael and Jin. He doesn't really get on the bad side of everyone again till episode 2x13, "The Long Con."

But of course, this was GOING to happen. James' self-loathing would NOT allow him to be on these people's thumbs-up list. In S3, though, those barriers were rapidly coming down--until Locke led him to Cooper. Now, we can look for more of the TLC James, pushing everyone away. (Including Kate.) Again, he is not worthy of being liked or loved. Especially not by himself! At the end of Exodus, I assumed James would live, and this would be the start of his self-redemption. But he's short-circuited that time and time again. I love James, but suspect his future is going to be dark, indeed!


Exodus is one of the best set of eppys LOST has ever aired. I sure hope you get a good response from people on this Rewind, Crimson!

[LightMeDark]

There were lots of ambiguous moments in this episode that could be pointed at as hints of a time loop or could easily be taken as meaning something else. I watched the ep a couple days ago, so none of them are really fresh in my mind (i'm sick), but things like Jack giving Sawyer the gun and saying that he'd see him soon are examples.

The Jack and Sawyer scene is one of my favorites, STH, and I was just waiting for this rewind to see you gush about it .

[Sam G]

The next thing I have in mind, for myself, when season 3 comes out on DVD, is to watch the episode per character. Like all of Kate's etc., etc and maybe try and watch them in the order of the FB's.

[Save The Humans]

The Jack and Sawyer scene is one of my favorites, STH, and I was just waiting for this rewind to see you gush about it .

So--was it as good as you'd imagined, or a letdown?

[LightMeDark]

Even better

[Jealous_Guy]

Originally Posted by CrimsonRabbit

The raft launch is more or less the last time everyone will be together till episode 2x08, "Collision." A similar, perhaps more excessive, length of separation among the Losties also kicks off Season 3.

Going back over Season 3, I'm noticing that there are actually a couple (possibly more) instances where characters go "away" for a while and then reunite again. When Kate and Sawyer return, there is a big reunion then, and when Kate and Sayid return later with Jack there is also a reunion scene for that. While I love the Sawyer/Kate hug at that point, I can't help but think "Geez, man, she just left only like 3-4 episodes ago!"

But at the same time, Sawyer did a lot of his "nice guy" stuff (with a little help from Hugo) while she was gone, so he was definitely taking some big steps toward becoming a better man at that point. Which makes his unfortunate run-in with Cooper all the more tragic. 'Cause he was THAT close!

Exodus is without a doubt one of the greatest episodes there is.

[Claudia815]

Originally Posted by CrimsonRabbit

*Exodus feels almost like a series finale than a season finale.

I did get that feeling back then and even moreso now. It's interesting to compare the tone and the atmosphere with TTLG, even the swelling, epic music. This time around, I have so much iside knowledge of the show, my head hurts. I know it will end in 2010, I know there's three more seasons, etc. But I watched season one in a marathon and I didn't watch a lot of TV so I had no idea if this was really the last hour of Lost or if there was more to come.

*Jack considers the hatch a place to hide from the Others' impending attack. At the end of Season 3, he tells everyone he's tired of hiding and is ready to take them on. Is some of this due to The Others becoming more humanized over the course of the series?

At the start of Exodus, Rousseau tells the Losties they only have three choices: run, hide, or die. But by the end of Season 3, they are no longer such terrifying boogeymen. By then, the Losties have learned an important truth: to borrow a line from Predator, "If they can bleed, they can die."

Yep. You've already answered that question. He's had one under his knife and seen another one die in their ill equipped OR and more importantly, when he was given the chance, he kicked Ethan's and kicked it good. They bleed just like the losties, he's seen their inner strife, he's seen them plot against each other... they're nothing like the supernatural almighty beings that Rousseau's tales suggested.

*What is the Dark Territory? The Black Rock is there. The monster roams about there, too. And Rousseau says that's where her crew acquired the Sickness and one of them lost an arm. But is there anything really different about this area than any other area on the Island?

Any blastdoor map experts out there? I really have no clue, but I'm guessing the map would tell us something if there really is something about that particular part of the island.

I can't believe nobody's mentioned Arzt going yet. (It's in part II, but I'm not going to make another post just for this...) After the initial shock, I laughed till I had tears in my eyes. Which makes me a horrible, horrible wench... but... Hurley was no help: "Dude! You've got some... Arzt on you..."

I liked Ana's introduction. I like all her scenes where she's drinking in bars with Shephard men.

[Sam G]

I do have to say that the Jack/Sawyer scene was one of my favorites.

[Liplocked]

Originally Posted by CrimsonRabbit

Welcome to the LOST Rewind for episode 1x23, "Exodus, Part 1"

Timestamp: Day 44 - November 4, 2004 (Credit PapaThor with the suggestion to timestamp.)

At the start of Exodus, Rousseau tells the Losties they only have three choices: run, hide, or die. But by the end of Season 3, they are no longer such terrifying boogeymen. By then, the Losties have learned an important truth: to borrow a line from Predator, "If they can bleed, they can die."

I missed the Predator reference! Locke’s boxed set of knives is marketed as ‘Predetor’. (but best not get me started of the light-bending Entity in the woods thing again. It’s all a bit ‘third man’ defence set around the Beechcraft/Boone incident.)

While you may be right about the separation of the group (above) as a counter to a number of issues having been resolved, Jack flags his growing conflict with Locke with a comment to Kate, that while perhaps not designed to put a rift between her and John, certainly wasn't meant to aide that relationship.

Prior to his suggesting to Kate, John was something to be wary of - and the look of contempt he gave John - Jack was to be applauded for his attempt to reach an understanding. Damn it but he always lets me down. I think he's making an effort - and I've no doubt it is an effort for him - but it's too short lived.

Originally Posted by CrimsonRabbit

*What is the Dark Territory? The Black Rock is there. The monster roams about there, too. And Rousseau says that's where her crew acquired the Sickness and one of them lost an arm. But is there anything really different about this area than any other area on the Island?

Who marked the area with the rags on the trees – Danielle, or someone else?