He’s Our You SE5 EP10

A twelve year old Ben Linus brought me a chicken salad sandwich. How do you think I’m doing?

This episode marks the return of the traditional Lost format: Real time interspersed with flashbacks focusing on one character. Tonight we see Sayid, and while this episode makes some strides in telling us how Sayid grew to hate Ben, it does not tell the whole story. A good episode with a solid ending—I truly didn’t think Sayid would go through with his “mission” until the target finally dropped to the ground. Of course, he could get thrown in a pit and Walt could come to see him, so whatever. He may not be dead.

Chicken Salad Sandwich
The opening scene is in Tikrit, Iraq. We see a young boy being told by his father that he must kill a chicken to be a man. The boy cannot do it. His younger brother (we presume) comes out, lures the chicken in with some feed and quickly snaps his neck. So I guess the writers were thinking that it was going to be some kind of “OMG” moment when they revealed that the chicken killer was Sayid, but really, was there any doubt after the neck snap?

Sayid is in Russia, pursuing his prey, which he overcomes easily. He meets Ben outside, eager for his next assignment. “Where to next?” Sayid asks. “Nowhere,” Ben replies. “We’re done. You’ve killed all the people that posed a threat to your friends. Congratulations. Mission accomplished.” Sayid is at a loss. Killing for Ben is all he has known. “What should I do now?” “Go live your life. You’re free.” Ben replies.

Sayid is in Santo Domingo at the hippie Habitat for Humanity camp, trying to turn over a new leaf and be a good person. Then Ben shows up for a heavy manipulation session. He tells Sayid that Locke is dead. “I’d say he was murdered…” Oh, would you Ben? Really? “…as retribution for the work we’ve been doing. They found him and now they’re sitting outside of Hurley’s psyche ward. You need to come back and kill them. If they can find Locke they can find you.” Then he brings out the big guns, “Every choice you’ve made in your life---murder, torture-- was not really a choice at all, was it? You’re a killer, Sayid. It’s what you are.” Sayid protests, “I’m not what you think I am.” “Then I apologize.” Ben says insincerely. “I was mistaken about you.” But you can almost hear him thinking, “No I wasn’t.”

We revisit the scene at the boatyard where Sayid tells Ben if he ever sees him again it will be very unpleasant for everyone. Got that? The writers are hitting us over the head with a sledgehammer: Sayid has a grudge against Ben. Sayid wants to kill Ben. And what’s going on in the other timeline? Oh, that’s right: Ben’s bringing Sayid chicken salad sandwiches. It’s like that episode where Michelle fell on the ice and lost her memory, so DJ, Steffi, Uncle Jesse, Joey and Danny have to tell her stories of the past two seasons in flash-back form until she gets her memory back.

Sayid is drinking McCutcheon scotch in a bar when Alana shows up and starts hitting on him. McCutcheon scotch is what Widmore drinks, but not what Desmond drinks because Widmore wouldn’t waste it on Desmond. Sayid asks Alana, “Are you a professional?” “A professional what?” she responds. And I agree. As far as pick up lines go, that one leaves much to be desired. After they get over the awkwardness of Sayid’s inept line, Alana tells Sayid that Sayid looks sad and “I like sad men. What do you do?” She asks “I’m between jobs,” says Sayid, still depressed that there are no more people to kill. “What did you do?” Alana asks. “The only thing I was ever good at. And now, I’m trying to change.” Alana understands. “I know why are sad now. When you are that good at something someone is always going to tempt you into staying the same.”

So naturally, Sayid’s lame pickup line notwithstanding (and really that should have been his first clue. I mean, wouldn’t you have thrown your drink in his face, much less go back to his room, unless you had an ulterior motive?) So it looks like there's going to be some hot sex, until Alana tells Sayid to take her boot off, and instead of just doing it, he tries to be all seductive like and gives her the perfect opportunity to kick him in the face. Damn. She WAS a professional after all.

“Who hired you?” Sayid wants to know. “The family of Peter Avellino-- the man you killed in cold blood on the golf course.” “You’re a bounty hunter?” “It doesn’t matter.” Alana says.

Sayid and Alana are getting on the plane, but when Sayid sees who else is there in pre-board, he’s like a little girl. “Can’t we get another flight?” he whines to Alana. “Man up, Sayid, “Alana responds. Once they are on the plane, Sayid asks Alana if she works for Benjamin Linus. Alana seems genuinely perplexed but God knows if she really is. “Who’s Benjamin Linus?” She wants to know. “A genocidal, manipulative maniac.” Sayid answers. “Why would I work for somebody like that?”Alana wants to know, and really Sayid, when you put it that way, it just seems so distasteful. Sayid tells her he did indeed work for someone just like that.

Then that someone gets on the plane and meaningful stares are exchanged.

Dharma Time
In 1977, which for all intents and purposes could have been the very same year as the boyhood chicken incident we just witnessed, Lil’ Ben brings Sayid chicken salad and a book. Ben’s in the mood to talk, but Sayid isn’t. But that’s ok. Ben can hold a conversation all by himself. He does it all the time, even now. “Did Richard send you? He’s your leader right? It’s just a camera, they can see but they can’t hear. Four years ago, I ran away into the jungle and told Richard I wanted to join you. He told me to be patient. And if you’re patient too, I think I can help you.”

Horace comes into the cell with some pruning shears and cuts Sayid’s bonds. Taking note of the handcuffs, Horace asks, “Either you’re in trouble with your people or you’re a spy. So which is it?” Sayid doesn’t answer, which makes Horace suspicious.

Juliet is brooding over the return of Kate, Jack, Hurley and Sayid. “It’s over isn’t it?” Juliet asks. “Us playing house?” Sawyer doesn’t know what she’s talking about. Why do women always bring up this relationship crap when I’ve got a situation on my hands? “Nothing’s over.” He tells Jules. Then Horace shows up to voice his concerns over Sayid’s silence. “I’m just going to have Oldham do his thing on him.” Sawyer, who knows what Oldham is all about, says, “Let me have a go at him. He’ll talk to me.”

Sawyer asks Sayid how he’s doing, to which Sayid responds that he’s met Ben and he can’t understand how Sawyer can live here with him. “Yeah, sweet kid, huh?” Sawyer acknowledges. Sawyer then rushes In to Sayid’s cell and head butts him (after first apologizing, of course). Sayid wants to know what he’s doing. Sawyer explains the plan:”I’m beating your confession out of you. You’ve given me some Other info and now you want to defect.” Sayid responds with his signature line, “Now why in the world would I want to do that?” Sawyer tries to explain how this plan would be helpful to both Sayid and Sawyer, like a “win-win”: “I’ve built a life here, and a pretty good one. These people trust me. You need to do everything I say.” Ok, so maybe it’s just a “win.” Sayid recognizes that and refuses to cooperate, so Sawyer tells him he’s on his own.

In the lunchroom, Kate Jack and Hurley are swapping information and trying to get together a plan. Or maybe just trying to decide how to react to everything they see. Kate thinks she can get info out of Juliet. Hurley scoffs. “Why would she tell you anything if Sawyer wouldn’t tell Jack anything?” Kate is confused. Jack and Hurley are uncomfortable. “They’re together.” Hurly explains. “I thought it was kinda obvious. I mean, who couldn’t see that coming?”

Roger Workman comes in to swab out the jail laughing at how Sayid got caught by the inept Dharma hippies. “Yet you’re the one who mops up for them,” Sayid retorts. SNAP! We then witness a lovely domestic scene when Ben brings Sayid another sandwich and Roger Workman is there to witness it. He beats Ben right in front of Sayid. Does this insight into Ben’s formative years soften Sayid’s heart? Well, no. But we don’t know that yet, do we?

Sawyer, forced into taking Sayid to see Oldham, tells Sayid, “Last chance. Got anything to say?” Sayid does not, so it’s off to Larry’s other brother Daryl Oldham. When Sayid asks Sawyer who this guy is, Sawyer answers “He’s our you. “ And viola! A title for episode 10 is born. Larry’s other brother Darryl Oldham puts a couple of drops of something on a sugar cube and forces it into Sayid’s mouth. He tells Sayid to save his energy. “Whether you struggle or not, one thing’s for sure, friend: You will tell us the truth.”

Oldham begins questioning Sayid, asking him why he is in handcuffs. “I am in handcuffs because I am a bad man.” Sayid begins babbling, almost blowing Sawyer’s cover. Then Sayid tells them the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, including the uncomfortable impending doom of the entire Dharma initiative. But what freaks out Radzinski is not the fact that they are all going to die; no. What freaks out Radzinski is the fact that Sayid knows about the Swan. How does he know about that? “I’m from the future,” Sayid says. Larry’s other brother Daryl Oldham considers that he may have given too much truth serum, “Half a dropper?” He asks Horace. “No. That was just enough,” Sayid answers and cackles like a madman.

Flash to Juliet and Kate in the motor pool where we find that the “Back off” comment in the previews was a total rip-off. Here we’re thinking we’re going to get a juicy cat fight over Sawyer and instead Kate and Juliet are all nicey-nice. Juliet says, “I didn’t know how to tell you without it sounding like me telling you to back off.” Feh. What a disappointment.

Dharma big shots are gathered in a living room to discuss the fate of Sayid, whom they are still convinced is a hostile. Plus, as Radzinski incessantly reminds everyone, he knows about the Swan and all the other stations. Horace, however, is more concerned with the violation of the truce. “We kill him. Or we consult Ann Arbor.” Radzinski wants to kill him. Sawyer tries to make the case for a defector, “He obviously has problems with his people.” “He knows things.” Radzinski protests. The argument is settled when Amy makes her case: Amy wants to kill him—for the safety of the children. “We have no choice,” Horace lamely explains. They all vote, but Sawyer does not raise his hand. Horace turns around, “I’d really like to say it’s unanimous.” So Sawyer votes yes to kill Sayid.

Sawyer visits Sayid in prison on the sly. He wants to release Sayid, but Sayid is staying put. “When I woke up in the jungle, I thought there was no purpose to it.” Sayid explains. “Now I know why I’m here.”

Sawyer ‘s buggin’ over this whole returning-to-the-island-as-destiny theory, so he approaches Kate and wants to know why Kate came back. Of course, before Kate can answer, the burning hippie bus enters the scene. Sawyer’s disgusted, “3 years, no burning busses. Y’all are back for one day…” gripe is priceless and is a line you will ONLY hear on Lost.

With all the commotion from the burning bus, Sayid is left unattended, which allows Lil’ Ben a perfect opportunity to ask Sayid for a favor. We can probably safely assume that the burning bus was a device of Lil’ Ben’s to create a diversion that would allow him this particular opportunity. “What happened to your glasses?” Sayid asks, noting that they have been damaged and clumsily repaired. “Your father? For bringing me a sandwich?” Ben nods, silent tears streaming down his face. Sayid understands. “My father was a hard man too.” Lil Ben is crying openly. “I hate it here.”Ben tells Sayid that he will let him out if Sayid agrees to take him with him—to Sayid’s people. Sayid agrees happily. “It’s the whole reason I am here.”

Sayid and Ben flee to the jungle, but a hippie bus makes them. Luckily, or not so luckily, it’s Jin. Jin’s prepared to let them go, but wants to talk to Sawyer first. Sayid can’t have that, so he—what? Knocks Jin out? Or breaks Jin’s neck? Lil’ Ben is impressed. “Wow! Where’d you learn to do that?” he asks Sayid. Who doesn’t answer in a conventional way, “You were right about me." I am a killer.” And he whips up his gun and shoots.

Now right up until Ben crumples to the ground I thought Ben was not shot. It thought Sayid shot wide at the last minute because he realized he couldn’t kill Lil’ Ben for all his loser father and miserable childhood existence with these Dharma freaks. But Sayid didn’t miss. Sayid never misses. And Ben goes down. But is he dead? We don’t really know that for sure, do we?

Next week:
More of same crowd. Still no Locke, Sun, Frank or Ben.