The Other Woman SE4 EP6

“It’s very stressful being an Other, Jack.”

Looking for Mr. Goodwin
In her backstory, we see Juliet meeting with her “therapist”, Harper Stanhope. Juliet is uncomfortable being the center of attention, being a celebrity. That’s all in your head. You’re not really special, after you’ve been here awhile, you’ll see that you’re just like everyone else, says her warm and empathetic “therapist” Harper. We at first think maybe this is a front story and Juliet is back on the mainland dealing with her reassimilation. But no, Juliet’s soft and curly hair should have been a giveaway that we are seeing the Juliet shortly after she arrives on the island. Then, who should poke his head in but Mr. Friendly? Nice to see you, Tom! Tom takes Jules to see Ben and tells her that Harper will soon have her crying for her mommy. This is very easy to believe. Harper looks like a predatory cat that will claw anyone’s eyes out who gets in her way.

Harper and Juliet take an immediate dislike to each other, but not so of Juliet and Goodwin, who happens to also be Harper’s husband. Now since we also already know Juliet was sleeping with Goodwin, it appears that Juliet is the Other woman. The only problem is, Ben has a bit of a crush on Juliet as well.

Ben grows suspicious when later, Juliet and Ben are talking in the lab while Ben is all gaga barely paying attention to what she is saying and Goodwin just happens to “drop by” with an extra sandwich. Juliet then goes to meet with Harper who asks what she thinks of Ben. “He’s great. Very smart and intense. Challenging. He’s been really good to me.” “Of course he has.” Harper meows. “You look just like her.”

Let's pause here to consider, whom does Harper think Juliet looks "just like?" I was thinking that it may be the elusive Annie, if in fact Annie is not actually Kate. Sig came up with the theory that perhaps Juliet looks just like Ben's mother. We know that Ben threw Jack and Juliet together to help manipulate Jack into doing the spinal surgery on Ben. Ben told Jack that it was no coincidence that Juliet resembled his ex-wife. Frankly, Jack's ex wife looks like a cross between Juliet and Harper. What would be the significance of that? OK, I'm over thinking again. Back to the wrap up.

Harper then confronts Juliet on her affair with Goodwin. She tells her to stop. “What matters is that you listen to me and you believe me. If you continue to have a relationship with Goodwin, there will be consequences and I don’t want him to get hurt.” Juliet says she would never hurt Goodwin. “I’m not talking about you,” Harper says. “I’m talking about Ben.”

Juliet and Goodwin’s relationship grows. They enjoy wine and a swim on the beach, longing to have more. Goodwin wonders why he doesn’t just tell Harper—he’s been sleeping on the couch for a year, why doesn’t he just tell her? Juliet doesn’t think it’s a good idea because Ben wouldn’t like it. Goodwin doesn’t think Ben’s crush is anything to worry about. Ben has Goodwin working with chemicals that would kill everyone on this island if he flipped the wrong switch (presumably at the Tempest). “What’s Ben gonna do?” Goodwin chuckles.

We soon find out as we see the flashback of the plane breaking up. Ben sends Goodwin on the mission to the tail section. Meaningful looks are exchanged between Goodwin and Juliet, Goodwin takes off, then meaningful looks are exchanged between Harper and Juliet. Harper’s look seems to say to Juliet, “You are the reason Goodwin has been sent off.”

Later, a giddy Ben answers the door for Juliet, who was under the impression that she was invited to a dinner party. Oh, it is a dinner party. Just for two. After an awkward pause, Ben thanks Juliet for how wonderful she’s been with Zack and Emma—the two kids Ana Lucia saved from the tail section. Juliet questions whether it is right to keep them since they are just children, since. “Who are we to question who’s on the list?” Ben asks. Well, since we’re talking lists, Juliet takes this obvious segue way to inquire if it isn’t time to bring Goodwin back since they have everyone on the list from the tail section. Ben, the nerd who never had a girlfriend since Annie, tells Juliet that Goodwin is making a case for Ana Lucia and has grown “inappropriately close” with her. “Goodwin stays where he is. His mission will be over soon.” Ben promises. Ominously.

Juliet is reading Jack’s file when Ben walks in. “He’s a spinal surgeon. Specializing in tumors. He can help you.” Ben doesn’t seem quite as excited as he should be. “You need to come with me.” Ben says. He then takes Juliet out to the jungle to show her Goodwin’s body. Juliet wants to know why. “Why did you bring me out here?” “You mean instead of his wife?” Juliet freaks, “You knew this would happen. You wanted him to die. Why?” She cries. Ben’s turn to freak: “After everything I’ve done to get you here, after everything I’ve done to keep you here, how can you possibly not understand? YOU’RE MINE!!!” Ben takes a little breath from his spaz, “Take as much time as you need.” And calmly walks away.

Tempest Fugit
Juliet, Sun and Jin are hanging out on the beach, when Jack walks up wondering where Charlotte and Faraday have gone. Jin says they went into the jungle. “Why didn’t you say anything?” Jack wonders. “You said they are friends,” Jin replies. “Aren’t they?” asks Sun. Well, no, but in the Jack camp, all information is given on a need to know basis. So they trek through the oncoming downpour into the jungle to track them.

Juliet is by herself and we hear the telltale whispering and round and round camera work that foretells the coming of something weird—and sure enough, there is the human cat, Harper, standing the rain with a message from Ben. Faraday and Lewis are heading for the Tempest. If they release the gas, they will kill everyone on this island. Since we already know that Faraday and Lewis have gasmasks, this doesn’t seem like such a stretch. Juliet needs to point her gun at them and kill them.

Jack comes across Juliet talking to the catty Harper and wants to know what’s going on because Jack, unlike everyone else on the island, needs and is entitled to know everything that is going on. So Juliet tells him she needs his help. She leaves out, however that she has been asked to kill Charlotte and Daniel.

Meanwhile, Charlotte and Daniel are making good progress until they run into Kate, who has had enough of Sawyer for the time being. Kate is suspicious of why they are out there; especially when Charlotte lies about the phones being dead when Kate clearly sees the power light is on. She asks to see what’s in Daniel’s pack, she sees the gas masks and Charlotte knocks her out with her gun.

Back with Jack and Juliet, Jack wants to know about the unfriendly feline. “Who was she?” Jack wants to know. Juliet: “I’m sure there are things in your past that you would rather not talk about, Jack.” “Yeah, but you read them all in my file.” Touché Jack. “We should have caught up to them by now,” Jack complains. “They base jumped out of a helicopter. Give them a little credit.” Juliet says. Soon, Juliet and Jack stumble across the incapacitated Kate. While Jack is occupied tending to Kate, Juliet uses this opportunity to take off to complete her mission. Meanwhile, Kate for the first time tells Jack that she is a fugitive wanted for murder and the people on the freighter know it.

Juliet makes it to the Tempest, where she discovers Daniel in his Hazmat suit furiously tapping on the keyboard while the alarms are sounding all over the place. Juliet tells him to stop and Daniel explains he’s just trying to render it inert—trying to make it safe. Here comes Charlotte from behind and they have a fight. Juliet gains the upper hand, points the gun at Charlotte who tells her to “Look me in the eye and tell me that you don’t think Ben would use this gas to kill everyone on the island. We know he’s used it before.” Well, that’s true. So Juliet hesitates because she doubts Ben so Charlotte and Daniel live another day. Of course the counter goes almost down to zero before Daniel finally succeeds in rendering the gas inert.

Kate and Jack make it to the Tempest where Juliet is emerging from the station with Daniel and Charlotte. Kate immediately draws down on them and Juliet tells her to back off, they are on their side. Which Kate doesn’t buy but is good enough for Jack. Kate follows Charlotte and Daniel back into the station, which gives Jack and Juliet some alone time for Juliet to explain to Jack that Ben told her to kill them. She also tells Jack that those people, Daniel, Charlotte, et al were sent here to wage war against Ben. “And Ben is going to win. And when he does, you don’t want to be anywhere near me. Because Ben knows how I feel about you and Ben thinks I’m his.” Jack, who never takes kindly to anyone telling him what he can’t do, leans in for a kiss with Juliet. “Ben knows where to find me if he wants me.”

Has the revolution begun yet, John?
Claire begins questioning John’s authority about finding out who Miles is. “All we know is who’s boat it’s not. Don’t you want to know whose boat it is?”

As much as I loved the Desmond episode last week, I so missed Ben’s witty repartee. And his wit is never so sharp as it is when he’s needling John Locke. How nice to see him back and in top form, kibitzing with Locke over the petty aggravations of leadership. “They are going to be soooo mad when they find out you don’t have a plan.” Ben remarks while happily munching on…chips..? Rabbit..? (By the way, this rabbit didn’t have a number on it, did it?) Whatever. Locke counters, “I suppose YOU have a plan.” “I always have a plan.” Ben says smugly. “Does it involve you raising $3.2 million dollars?” Ho ho ho! Touché, Locke! Even Ben is surprised that Locke knows about this.

Perhaps this incident leads Ben to the conclusion that Locke is stronger than he anticipated. Or perhaps Ben is indeed cashing in his last chip. In any event, Ben and Locke strike a deal over their common enemy. They go upstairs into the living room, where John opens a safe and pulls out the Red Sox tape, which Ben tells him he taped over. “The people on the freighter, don’t you want to know who they work for?” Ben asks. So they play the tape. And who should appear but Penny’s vile father, Charles Widmore, and he’s beating the crap out of one of Ben’s men.

Widmore is in charge of the freighter team. According to Ben, he knows all about the island and will do whatever it takes to exploit it. Locke, apparently breathing the stupid gas, wonders why this would be so. Ben launches into his story: “Three months ago in Gainesville, Florida the Virgin Mary appeared in some mold on the side of a building and 5,000 people came to see it. Your survived airline crash, one minute you’re in a wheelchair and the next you can stand up and do jumping jacks. How many people do you think would want to see that?” Ben hands Locke a file. “Everything I know about Charles Widmore is in this file. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.” Locke apparently sees the wisdom in this and is prepared to own up to his part of the deal—but he needs to know one more thing: “Who is your man on the boat?” Ben says, “Alright--- but you might wanna sit down.” It’s Michael. Oh wait, Ben doesn’t actually say that. But we see that it’s revealed next week and I’ll bet anyone out there dollars to donuts that it’s Michael.

The show ends with yet another friendly competition between Sawyer and Hurley, with Hurley beating Sawyer’s butt in horseshoes. Suddenly, here comes Ben with a nice little spring in his step carrying fresh linens. Sawyer and Hurley are dumbfounded. “What the hell are you doing out?” Sawyer growls. To which Ben cheerfully replies: “See you guys at dinner.”

Next Week
Sun and Jin episode and “The final members of the Oceanic Six are revealed” and Sun has three weeks to get off the island or she is going to die.