Lost Episode: "Ab Aeterno" Recap and Review

Lost Episode Recap and Review
Ab Aeterno (and a little Recon)
A Richard-centric episode (FINALLY!)

I did not do a review of Recon, the Sawyer-centric episode, last time for a few reasons, most importantly of which because I felt that it was a filler episode. It was smack dab in between the amazing Ben-centric episode, and the most anticipated Richard-centric episode. That being said, I’ll begin by pointing out a few aspects of interest regarding Recon.

1) FORD AND STRAUME: The Chronicles of Buddy-Cops…I smell a spinoff!
2) It was somewhat reassuring to see Jin safely hidden in the background amongst the rest of Team Flocke
3) I loved the LAPD duo of Ford and Straume. Go figure that in Sawyer’s flashsideways, he chooses a path of righteousness and upholding the law
4) Who else was SHOCKED to see Sawyer getting down and dirty with our favourite redhead, Charlotte? It was nice to see her (alive) off the island; she looked good!
5) I was on the edge of my seat when Claire jumped Kate. I was praying for some blood. I was just as giddy when Flocke bitch-slapped the silly out of Claire.
6) So we’ve seen Liam Pace at LAPD station looking for Charlie. This leaves me very hopeful that we will soon see my beloved Charlie soon.
7) We finally get a little inside look at Team Widmore and his sub. I wonder what is hidden behind the locked door!
8) Flocke and Kate have a heart to heart about crazy moms. Flocke speaks to Kate AS IF he is the real John Locke and not some bloody smoke monster. Hmm.
9) Claire apologies to Kate for trying to stick her like a pig. Damn, and I was hoping she’d try it again. *fingers crossed for another attempt!*
10) So in the end, we see that Sawyer is playing BOTH Flocke and Widmore, in hopes that while they’re busy fighting, he and Kate can commandeer the sub and get the fuck out of dodge.

Onto the real juice…
Ab Aeterno (Richard-centric episode)
Since midway into Season 3, Losties have been BEGGING for some Richard Alpert action. We finally get our lowdown on everyone’s favourite ageless wonder; and this episode did NOT disappoint! Most of the episode deals with wonderful flashbacks, so please bear with me as I try not to jump around too much.

As we open…
We open with Jacob visiting Ilana in hospital (Season 5 finale shout out) asking her to protect the remaining 6 candidates, to which she agrees. Back on the Island in present day, the Beach Crew hang around the fire as Sun regurgitates to everyone what Ilana told her about the Candidates. Ok, so now most of our people are aware that Jacob has named them as Candidates to take his place, which Ilana protecting them. Ilana tells them that Jacob informed her that “Ricardus” aka Richard will have a plan of action. At this point, Richard loses his shit. He giggles like a little school girl and has no idea what to do. He tells them that they are all dead and they’ve never been on an island. They are in hell! (At this point, Losties are severely hoping we aren’t back to the purgatory theory first presented by Anthony Cooper in “The Brig”). Richard decides to begin listening to someone else, and sets off to find Flocke. Richard has LOST IT. Meanwhile Hurley speaks in Spanish to a presumed dead person, and everyone is sad they can’t make s’mores on the campfire. No surprise there.

The Canary Islands: 1867
Ricardus, complete with grizzly Adams beard, ferociously rides his horse to his house. He beings to speak Spanish to his wife, Isabella, who is bedridden and looking mighty sick. He vows to save her, takes a silver cross necklace as payment, and rides off to find a doctor. He comes to the doctor’s house, and pleads for medicine. Dr. McDouchebag demands payment. When a few coins and the necklace don’t seem to float the Doc’s boat, they begin to struggle. Ricardus accidently pushes the doctor, who hits his head hard on a table and dies. Oops. He grabs the medicine and gets the fuck out of there. He returns, only to find that his wife has passed away. At this point, authorities have followed him and swiftly throw him into prison.
In prison, he makes his last confession to a priest. The Father does not grant him forgiveness, however. The only way to return grace is through penance, but he does not have time to do such, because they will hang him in the morning. “I’m afraid the devil awaits you in hell. May God have mercy on your soul.” Cheers mate!

Luckily, Ricardus has been learning to speak English with help from the Bible. A British bloke named Jonas Whitfield is in search of men who can speak English, and this Ricardus is saved from the hangman’s noose and sold into slavery. His quarters? Why, the Black Rock of course! (Losties have guessed this is where Ricardus came from, but this is the first solid confirmation that he was indeed aboard the Black Rock).

The Black Rock sails right into a fearsome storm. Other slaves try looking out between the cracks of the ship. In the POV of one of the slaves, we see the giant Taweret statue. The slave replies that the Island is guarded by the Devil (our giant statue friend). The ship crashes HARD into the statue, taking out most of the statue, but leaving behind the four-toed foot. ANSWER: The Black Rock destroyed the statue. A tidal wave carries the ship into the jungle to where it has laid since.

Ricardus comes to, just as Whitfield starts stabbing all the slaves below deck. There are apparently only 5 officers left, and the crazy Brit says if he frees him, it would only be a matter of time before Ricardus killed him (sounds like early onset island illness as Rousseau raved about). Just as Ricardus is about to be stabbed, we hear the ominous mechanical sounds of Smokey, who wreaks havoc on everyone except Ricardus. Phew, that was close! Suddenly, the camera pans up on Ricardus in a super up close and personal shot. We see the glory that is Nestor Carbonell’s eye lined eyes (WHAT COLOUR IS THIS? I ONLY USE ONYX. THIS IS FUCKING COBOLT! –Lost Comic Con anyone?)

Ricardus is left alone in chains. It rains, and he desperately tries to catch some water in his mouth. More time goes on, and he tries to pick the lock with a loose nail. More time goes on, and he finds himself face to face with a boar. The boar flees, but not before pushing the loose nail out of reach. Even more time goes by. He wakes to hear a woman asking if anyone is there. He sees Isabella! She tells him that they are both dead and in fact in hell. She is there to save him from the devil before he returns. She looked the devil in his eyes and saw evil. Before she can help him escape, we hear that familiar mechanical sound, and she flees. As she disappears, we hear what appears to be Smokey pwning her. Time goes by yet again, and Ricardus wakes to feel someone touching him. Welcome back the original Man in Black. MIB gives Ricardus water. He tells Ricardus that he is a friend, and that Ricardus is in fact, dead. MIB tells him that he has been on the Island long before their ship came. Ricardus explains how the black smoke took his wife. MIB says “That probably means HE has her”. MIB frees Ricardus, under the condition that Ricardus will help HIM and do anything he asks. Once freeing him MIB says, “It’s good to see you out of those chains!” (Hmm, where oh where have we heard that before?) At this point, I’d like to point out my mind had already been blown!

MIB says that they both must escape, but the only way to escape from hell is to kill the devil himself. They roast a boar and eat. MIB tells him to walk due west, and once he gets to the shore, he will be able to see what is left of the statue. That is where he will find the devil. MIB gives Ricardus a dagger (the same Dogen gave Sayid), and tells him that he has one chance to stab him, and not to let the devil speak one word to him, or it will already be too late (same line Dogen fed Sayid as well). MIB admits that he is the black smoke. He says that the devil has betrayed him, took his body and his life. He says killing the devil is the only way to see his wife again!

Ricardus walks until he reaches the shore. He sees the four-toed statue, and approaches it. As he approaches the entrance, Jacob appears and kicks the SHIT out of Ricardus. If ever we thought Jacob was a pussy, those thoughts have been shattered. Apparently Jacob has a black belt in jiu-jitsu. Jacob is seriously concerned about who gave him the dagger. He also admits that he has no idea about Ricardus’ wife. Jacob asks if Ricardus happened to meet the Man in Black. Ricardus tells him that he was told Jacob is the devil, and that they are all dead and in hell. Jacob admits that he is in fact NOT the devil, Ricardus is NOT dead, and he DID NOT see his wife. Jacob them throws him him into the water, showing him that he can easily drown him. He dunks him (3 times) and asks if Ricardus still thinks he is dead. Why should he stop? Ricardus finally utters “Because I want to live”. Jacob stops, admitting that saying that was sensible. They need to talk! (Anyone else pick up on the symbolism of Jacob dunking Ricardus 3 times into the water as a baptism?)

They get down to brass tacks. Jacob pulls out a bottle of wine, and gives Ricardus a drink. He also informs him that no one is allowed into the foot temple unless he himself invites them in. When asked if he is the devil, Jacob firmly says no. He tells him that he is Jacob, and that he is the one who brought Ricardus’ ship to the island. When asked why, Jacob shows him the bottle of wine (prepare for the analogy of a lifetime): “Think of this wine as what you call hell…malevolence, evil, darkness. Here it is, unable to get out, because if it did, it would be able to spread. The cork is the Island, the only think keeping the darkness at bay. The Man in Black thinks that people are corruptible because they are susceptible to sin. I bring people to the island to prove him wrong, and show that humankind is fundamentally good, but I don’t interfere with anyone’s actions until they get to the island.” (This is, in a big way, a revelation to LOST. We are finally being overtly told that the Island keeps “evil” at bay from spreading into the rest of the world. Of course, we must remember that we cannot fully assume that Jacob is being completely honest. I think it is fair to take his analogy at face value, but I for one cannot conclude that Jacob himself is not purely good, as I cannot conclude that MIB himself is not purely evil. This never-ending dichotomy of good vs. evil is so difficult to pinpoint. We are presented with the black and the white. This/He is good. This/He is evil. That is what we are shown. But just as good and evil are not as straightforward in the real world, I cannot believe that it is as straightforward on the Island either. I think we still have a little ways to go until we fully understand both MIB and Jacob’s true intentions. Who says there isn’t some good and evil in the both of them? Surely we have seen a helpful MIB, just as we have seen a manipulating Jacob. There is a lot more to this story, but I digress.

At this point, Jacob realizes that he could the help of Ricardus. He asks Ricardus if he will act as an intermediary on Jacob’s behalf for the people that he brings to the island. (We also are told that Jacob has brought other people to the island in the past, however they have all died. This is likely the answer as to who built the giant statue: former people brought to the Island by Jacob.) In exchange, Ricardus asks to see his wife again. Sorry, no luck. He asks if he can be absolved of his sins. Sorry, try again. (Important note, Jacob is NOT God, as he cannot bring the dead back to life or absolve one of sins.) Finally Ricardus asks to be immortal. Jacob replies, “That I can do.” And so, he touches Ricardus, bestowing upon him the gift of ageless immortality. There’s your answer to Richard’s agelessness, folks! Ricardus goes back to find MIB. MIB realizes that Jacob got to him. Ricardus gives him a gift from Jacob- the white rock we have previously seen in the scales. MIB says if he goes with Jacob, he will never see his wife again. He also tells Ricardus that if he EVER changes his mind, his offer still stands. He then gives Ricardus something that he “must have dropped”. It’s the silver cross necklace belonging to Isabella. A like that, he’s gone! Ricardus finds a place and buries the necklace.

Present Time Again
Phew, that was a wallop of a recap. Back in the present, Richard finds the spot where he buried the necklace so many years ago. He unburies the necklace, and says that he has changed his mind. Then, shouting to the heavens, he yells that he has changed his mind; he was wrong, and he hopes the offer still stands with MIB. No response. He turns, only to see Hurley there. Hurley asks him what offer still stands. Richard asks, “Did you follow me?” In the true nature of him, Hurley answers, “Well, kinda.” Hurley says that his wife, Isabella sent him (so that’s the dead person Hurley was speaking to in the beginning!) Hurley says that Isabella wants to know why he buried her cross. She saw him dig it up, and is standing right next to Richard. The audience and Hurley see Isabella standing next to Richard. Richard, of course, cannot see her. Isabella knows that Richard does not believe Hurley, so she tells Hurley to tell Richard that his English is beautiful (translated by Hurley as “she says your English is awesome.” She wants Richard to close his eyes. He does so, and she says “It was not your fault that I died Richard. As much as you wanted to save me, it was my time. You’ve suffered enough Richard.” Richard says, “I miss you. I would do anything for us to be together again.” Isabella says “We are already together.” She kisses him and disappears. Richard stands, tearing up and extremely vulnerable. He puts the necklace on himself, and thanks Hurley. Hurley says that Isabella says there is one more thing; something Richard has to do. He has to stop the MIB. “You have to stop him. Stop him from leaving the island. Because if you don’t, (*dramatic pause*) we’re all going to hell.” Pan out, we see Flocke overlooking Richard and Hurley. Dun dun dun!

Flashback Again
MIB sits, looking out at the water. Jacob comes upon him very friendly. “I see you got my present.” MIB says, “Don’t gloat, it doesn’t become of you.” Jacob, “So you tried to kill me?” MIB, “You expect an apology?” Jacob says that as long has he is alive; he will not let MIB leave. MIB swears to kill Jacob, and swears to kill whomever he gets to replace him! Fin!

My Thoughts
Holy moly, where to even begin. This episode offered us a lot of revelations and confirmations regarding Richard. We know who he is, how he got to the Island, how he got his gift of agelessness, and a lot of back-story on the statue, MIB, Jacob, the Black Rock, and even a little tidbit on the Island itself. The information was quite clear in my opinion. This was simply put, a background story to inform us on Richard Alpert’s beginnings. This episode left me satisfied, excited, and reeling for more. I don’t feel it necessary to dig too much into what the episode revealed. A lot of it was stuff we all thought we knew, but had no confirmation. The analogy of the Island being a cork was, I think, a very important piece to the puzzle of Lost. For me, the impression this episode left on me was how fucking amazing Nestor Carbonell is. I wholeheartedly think he could very well snag an Emmy nomination for this performance. Nestor was given this mysterious character to play around with for nearly 3 and a half seasons. He has until this episode, played Richard as a mysterious and most intriguing character. In this episode, he showed us his real acting chops. From losing all hope, to playing a helpless Spanish man who lost his wife, to being a slave, to being completely vulnerable, we saw sides of Richard, as well as Nestor, that truly spoke to the heart. His performance had me crying multiple times throughout the episode. I believe that many people count Richard as one of their favourite characters; myself included. After this episode, I think we all have a serious soft spot for Richard. I cannot wait to see how his character continues to grow, now that we know of his past. What a fantastic episode.

Next episode we get back into the regular formula of the flashsideways character-centric episodes. This is another much anticipated episode. It will be a Sun/Jin-centric episode. I don’t know about all of you, but I have been DYING to get my Sun/Jin fix. Promos for the episode show Smokey telling Sun that he knows where Jin is. I don’t know if anyone else noticed Sun sprawled out unconscious on the ground. Perhaps Smokey is making his first move to “kill whomever Jacob gets to replace him”. I love Sun and Jin. I can only hope for a happy reunion in store. I know we all want to know how the hell Jin went from being detained at Airport Customs, to tied up in a closet in Keamy’s restaurant as we saw in the Sayid-centric episode. It should be a good one! Happy Viewings!

Ps. In the Lost Podcast, Damon and Carlton ASSURED us that Desmond will be popping up in the very near future. I don’t know/think that means tomorrow night’s episode, but hopefully the one after that. As a Desmond fanatic, I can tell you if I don’t get my Desmond fix soon, I may go crazy! They also revealed the title of the LOST FINALE. Are you ready for it guys? The Finale of Lost will be called…..THE END. No seriously, it’s called The End. Fitting, don’t you think?

Next Episode: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 9pm/8c
Episode Title: The Package (a Sun/Jin-centric episode)
Summary: Sun and Kin desperately continue to search for each other. Meanwhile, Flocke confronts his enemy.
(I hear Keamy is back. Thank the lord, and thank those gorgeous giant muscles of his that could crush my head!)