Episode 6:14 (The Candidate)

Another FABULOUS episode.  Things are really picking up, as they should be with only three episodes left in the entire LOST series.  The Candidate didn't have many hilarious moments, but it was an episode that will live in LOST history, so I feel obligated to recap the episode, despite the sad tone.

First we need to see if we learned any new answers to the 42 questions this week.
6. Man In Black (Jacob’s Nemesis) – Since Walt and Locke played backgammon in the pilot episode; fans have known that black and white hold symbolic significance in the world of LOST. So when Jacob’s Nemesis shows up on the beach wearing black while Jacob is wearing white, we knew that the scene was significant. But who, exactly is the man in black, why does he want to kill Jacob? How did he get to the island? Is he really bad, as his black shirt leads us to believe? How does he have the ability to become ‘Flocke’? Also, is there a biblical connection to the story of Jacob and Esau, in which two brothers fight for ‘birthright’ to rule over their father’s wealth and authority? Seems awful likely to this humble fan.

After the death of Sun, Jin, and Sayid we can safely (finally) say that the Man in Black, Flocke, Smokey is bad.  That's the biggest lesson from this episode, and one of the bigger questions that was left to be answered.  Now we can move on with the plot and root for Jack. 

Also, I think we learned a few new things about Flocke. 

First, it appears that he need to kill all the candidates, make sure they are all crossed off the list, in order to leave the island.  He said that he needed them all together to leave, but really it looks like he needed them all together so he could kill them. 

Second, Jack seemed to be right in his assessment that Flocke can't kill the candidates.  Much like he couldn't kill Jacob, the candidates are off limits.  This explains why in Episode 4 of this season (The Substitute) Flocke saw the boy in the jungle when he was with Sawyer and the boy said, "You know the rules, you can't kill him,".   Is Flocke going to utilize his relationship with Sclaire (This is what I would like to start calling Scary Claire, okay?)  to get her to kill the leftover candidates (Sawyer, Jack, and Hurley)?

Now for The Strange, The Kick-Ass, and The Hilarious.

Off Island
The Strange
1. Why would Bernard have to do emergency dental surgery on John Locke and Anthony Cooper?  I mean, Locke's paralyzed and Cooper is in a vegetative state.  Teeth, not important in the long run. 
2. Jack keeps running into people from 815, but doesn't seem freaked out.  Why not?
3. John Locke muttering "Push the button" and "I wish you would believe me".

The Kick-Ass
1. At the end of the episode, Jack tells John, "I with you would believe me."  Those were the words written in Locke's suicide letter to Jack.
2. Claire's music box played "Catch a Falling Star", the song she use to sing to Aaron, and the song her father use to sing to her. 
3. Jack eats an Apollo bar from the vending machine.  The same candy bar he tries to get out of the machine in Season 5, Episode 17 (The Incident, Part II).

The Hilarious

On Island
The Strange
1. Sayid's transformation from dark to light.  Seems that he's been able to overcome the "sickness" in his heart.  Was this transformation because he didn't kill Desmond?
2. Sayid's last words to Jack.  He told Jack where Desmond was, told him Desmond was important, and told Jack he was going to be the one.  Does that mean "the candidate"?

The Kick-Ass
1.DESMOND'S NOT DEAD.
2. SEAMUS IS DEAD.  That guy was lame.

The Hilarious
1. Sawyer and Kate back in the sex cages again.  A little funny.