Sundown SE6 EP6

Apparently, I’m evil.

Ok Losties: I know this may be a little late arriving, primarily because of internet connectivity problems, but please, cut me a large economy sized break here: I am on vacation and still faithfully blogging for you. This was a largely satisfying episode with some juicy stuff, so let’s get to it.

My brother’s keeper
Sayid’s alternate life opens with him arriving in a cab with flowers. We are not surprised to see Nadia answer the door and two little children run up to him. But we are surprised when the children call him “Uncle Sayid: and Sayid’s brother Omar asks him why Sayid is brining flowers to his wife. Nadia has a good life, married to Sayid’s brother. Omar owns drycleaning business that he has recently expanded. Very soon after Sayid arrives, his brother gets a phone call which he explains as a business call, but it seems a little too serious to be dry cleaning business call. Sayid’s niece and nephew ask their uncle if he brought them anything from Sidney and he tells them to go look in his bag. Alone for the time being, Nadia wants to know if Sayid got her letters, and if so, why he hasn’t answered? Before Sayid can answer, the enthusiastic kids return with their awesome presents from Australia picture of Nadia they found in Sayid’s bag.

Later, Omar tells Sayid that he is in trouble. “I borrowed money from a man who says I owe him interest for every month I own my business even though I have paid him back.” Sayid wants to know what his brother wants from him. “I need you to convince them to leave me alone. I know what kind of a man you are. I know you were in the Republican guard. I know what you are capable of.” Omar has everything invested in this business and he has nothing left. When he sees that Sayid is still unwilling, he pulls his trump card: “You will do this because you care about Nadia.” Sayid denies it. “I am not that man anymore.”

For those of you that have forgotten, Sayid’s brother Omar was incapable of killing the chicken his father asked him to, so Sayid stepped up and did his brother’s duty for him. A very similar back story played out during the childhood of Eko and Yemmi.

Sayid decides the next morning to take his leave from his brother’s family and tells them he must go to Toronto for “work.” The children are unhappy that Sayid is leaving; they like it when he’s around and “Mommy likes it when he’s there, too.” Sayid puts his niece and nephew on the bus and Nadia comes out of the house crying. Omar has been attacked, he has been stabbed and his lung has been punctured. The police are calling it a mugging, but both Sayid and Nadia know that it is not a simple mugging. Nadia does not want Sayid to go after the men who are responsible; she wants him to stay at her home and wait for the kids and make them feel safe. “Whatever you are going to do, I don’t want you to do it.”

Later, after Omar has been stabilized, Nadia asks Sayid, “Did he tell you about the loan?” When Sayid acknowledges that he has, Nadia says in disgust that the loan and the mess they are in is Omar’s responsibility and he brought it on himself. She does not want Sayid to clean up his brother’s mess. “If you care about me, why would you push me towards your brother?” Sayid explains, “For twelve years I have been trying to wash my hands of the horrible things I’ve done.” He shakes his head and says with deep regret,”I can’t be with you because I don’t deserve you.”

As Sayid leaves to go pick up his niece and nephew, a van of three toughs pulls up and forces him into a van. He arrives at a restaurant where a fourth tough is cooking eggs: “Want some eggs?: He asks. Keamy makes good eggs. “Martin Keamy,” he says by way of introduction. Keamy begins monologue-ing, telling Sayid about the trouble his brother is in, letting Sayid know that he is responsible for putting his brother in the hospital without actually coming right out and saying so. “It’s a dangerous world, Sayid,” Keamy tells him. “You never know when…. “

...Sayid is going to turn the tables on you and kill everyone!!!!

Keamy, still thinking he can bargain with Sayid, tries to talk Sayid out of killing him. He says the debt is forgiven, but Sayid doesn’t buy it and kills Keamy before we have a chance to even see his delicious pumped-up arms again. Having dispensed of his brother’s debt, Sayid is going to make his exit when he hears someone struggling in the walk-in refrigerator. It is Jin, who has been worked over and held hostage. “Who are you?” Sayid wants to know. “I’m the man your man could smell like if he gave up lady-smelling body wash. Now look at me, look at your man, now back at me: No English. I’m riding a horse.” Or something like that.

The battle for Sayid’s soul
Sayid storms into what passes for Dogen’s office and demands answers for why he tortured him. Dogen answers, “For every man there is a scale. On one side of the scale is good, the other side is evil. Your side tipped the wrong way. I think it would be best if you were dead.” Sayid’s not accepting this judgment without an argument, “You think you know me, but you don’t. I am a good man.” A statement that results in a kickass Sayid/Dogen fight.

Now pause for a second here and stop and think about this: Sayid honestly believes he is a good man, and as audience members, we truly like Sayid, and often find ourselves rooting for him to succeed. But is Sayid a good man? He has spent much of his life torturing people for Saddam Hussein. On the island, he tortured Sawyer and Ben. During a good part of his time off the island, he worked for Ben Linus as an assassin. He is loyal to his friends but ruthless towards his enemies and he has a certain mercenary quality to him. I think it is safe to say that Sayid is not a good man, and that’s why Dogen started fighting him, because Sayid is many things, but a “good man” is not one of them.   The outrageousness of Sayid's assertion is probably what pushed Dogen over the edge into fighting him.

So Dogen gets the upper hand and is ready to kill Sayid when the baseball falls off the desk and diverts his attention. Dogen changes his mind about killing Sayid and decides to banish him instead. “I want you to leave and never come back.”

Sayid goes out into the courtyard and breaks the news to Miles that he has been banished. When Miles asks why, Sayid tells Miles that Dogen finds him to be evil, “Which is ironic, since they were the ones who saved me.” Miles clears up this misconception quickly. “No they weren’t, man. They tried to save you, but you were dead for two hours. When you sat up, they were just as surprised as the rest of us. So whatever it was that saved you, it wasn’t them.”

Outside, Not Locke is getting ready to send Claire into the Temple. “Are you ready?” he asks her. “Why does it have to be me? Why can’t you send Sawyer or Jin or do it yourself?” Claire asks. Not Locke not explains that it has to be her. “Are you going to hurt them?” Claire asks. “Only the ones that won’t listen.” When Claire looks dubious, Not Locke reminds her, “I always do what I say.”

So in walks Claire. She tells Dogen that Not Locke wants to talk to him. Dogen tells Claire to tell Not Locke to come in which he won’t do. Claire says “No you go out.” And so forth for a little while. Dogen tells Claire that Not Locke will kill him if he leaves. “Then send someone he won’t kill,” Claire snaps back. Dogen sends Claire the hole and thinks that Jack and Hurley would fit the go-out-and-talk-to-Not Locke bill nicely, but when he tells Lennon to find them, Lennon says “They’re gone, man.” Suddenly, Sayid is looking pretty good to Dogen. He tells Sayid to follow him into the Temple. Sayid of course, wants to know what’s up with Claire. “She is under the influence of an angry man. This man is evil incarnate. I want you to kill him.” He hands Sayid a ceremonial knife. “He will come to you as someone you know, someone who has died. If you allow him to speak, it is already too late.” “Why would I ever do anything for you?” Sayid wants to know. “You said there is still good in your soul. Then prove it.”

Kate runs into Sayid as he is leaving the temple and she is coming back. Kate’s confused as to why Sayid is leaving. ”What’d I miss?” She wants to know. “Ask Miles,” Sayid responds. When Kate arrives back in the temple, Miles is surprised to see her return. “Wow. I guess Sawyer sent you packing,” which is dead on, as anyone could see from Kate’s face. “Oh by the way, the Australian chick is back,” This is great news to Kate, as Claire is the whole reason she came back. “She just strolled in here acting all weird. Still hot, though.”

Meanwhile, outside the temple walls, we see the smokey wind and here the ticka ticka: Cue Not Locke. “Hello Sayid.” Uh oh, too late. He spoke. Sayid stabs him anyway, but Not Locke pulls the knife out. “Now why’d you go and do that?”

Not Locke hands Sayid the knife back. “You want it back? Take it I won’t bite.” “What are you?” Sayid asks. And again, another non-answer from Not Locke: “You seem to have some idea about that since you stabbed me in the chest without even saying hello.” Sayid acknowledges that this was pretty rude. Not Locke continues: “The man who sent you out there thought I would kill you. He knew that you would not be able to kill me. You are not the first person he sent out here, are you?” “No,” Sayid says, a little ticked off that he has been used like a pawn by Dogen. “I want you to deliver a message and it will make more of an impact coming from you.” Sayid needs a little more convincing. And like Satan tempting Jesus: “What if I told you you could have anything you wanted?” Sayid shakes his head, “The only thing I ever wanted died in my arms and I’ll never see her again.” Not Locke smiles, “What if you could?” And just like that, Not Locke has his messenger.

“There is a man in the jungle half a mile south of here,” Sayid announces as he strolls back into the temple. “He wants you know that Jacob is dead. None of you have to stay here anymore. You are free. He is going to leave this island forever. Those of you who want to come with him, can join him. You have till sundown to decide.”

Cindy asks what if they decide to stay? “Then you will die,” Sayid responds.

Kate, in that single-minded way of hers, still wants to see Claire. She strong arms Lennon who agrees to give her two minutes with Claire. When Kate sees Claire in the hole, she wants to know why she’s down there. Claire tells her that they have Aaron. Kate smiles, “I took him. I’ve been raising him for the last three years,” Kate continues to tell Claire all about Aaron and how she’s been raising him thinking that Claire is actually going to be happy about this (Claire seems to have completely forgotten the part where she abandons Aaron and walks off into the jungle without him) What Kate is completely oblivious to is that I’m-going-to-kick-your-ass-as-soon-as-I-get-out-of-this-hole look that Claire has on her face. Kate reaches down to help Claire out of the hole. “I’m not the one who needs to be rescued Kate,” Claire tells her. “He’s coming Kate. He’s coming and they can’t stop him.”

After Sayid’s announcement, Miles is all WTF. “I was asked to deliver message and that’s what I did. Now I have to return this knife.” Dogen is disappointed, he says Sayid let Not Locke speak (which is technically correct) but Sayid begs to differ: “I stabbed him in the chest, then I let him talk to me.”

Sayid asks Dogen why he is defending the temple. Dogen tells him his story: “I was a successful businessman once in Osaka. My associates took me out to celebrate. I picked my son up from baseball. He was twelve. The accident was very bad; I survived…but my son….” Died. This is the son we met last week who was in awe of Jack’s son. Dogen continues, “Then in the hospital, a man came to me. He offered me another job. I would have to come here, to this island, and my boy would live. But I could never see my boy again.” “Who was this man?” Sayid asks. “His name was Jacob.” “Jacob drives a hard bargain,” Sayid observes. Dogen agrees, and counters, “The man outside, I take it he offered you a similar bargain?” “Yes,” Sayid admits. “At sundown, will you stay or go?” Dogen asks Sayid. “I’d like to stay.” Sayid answers as he stabs Dogen and drowns him in the temple hot tub. Lennon walks in and sees what Sayid has done. “You idiot!” He yells at Sayid. “Dogen was the only thing keeping it out!” “I know,” Sayid says as he slashes Lennon’s throat.

The barriers thus removed, Smokey storms the temple and those that don’t get out of his way, get mowed down. Miles and Kate take off, Miles goes one way and tries to get Kate to follow him, but Kate goes to get Claire. Kate tries to get her out of the hole, but Claire tells her they will be safer in the hole. Just then Smokey turns the corner, Kate flips down into the hole and Smokey passes over head, while Kate watches with an expression of rapt amazement.

Meanwhile, Alannah and her party, including Ben, Sun and Lapidus, have entered the Temple.  Alannah finds Miles (who on the run tells Sun he's seen her husband) and Ben has finds Sayid at the hot tub. “Sayid, there’s still time,” Ben says, offering a hand. Sayid turns around and with a small strange smile on his face tells Ben, “Not for me.” Ben backs away and meets up with Alannah, they press the secret button and escape.

Smokey’s reign of destruction having ended, Sayid, Claire and Kate walk in slow motion through the carnage. They all look strangely unaffected by it. It’s noteworthy that only Kate stops to pick up a gun from one of the fallen temple guys. They walk out the temple to join Not Locke and some of his recent converts. Not Locke does not seem all that pleased to see Kate with them.

Thoughts on this episode:
I think the alternate timeline is the life that Smokey offers them—the life without Jacob’s influence—the choice they will get to make at the end of the series will be which life they want. In Sayid’s alternate timeline, Sayid gets to see Nadia again, but she is married to his brother and he does not deserve her. Not Locke says in this episode that he “Always does what he says.” He promises Sayid that he will be able to see Nadia again, which in his alternate timeline, Sayid does, however, Sayid cannot be with her. It’s like his own private circle of hell, watching his weak brother have a normal, happy life with his true love. This is Sayid’s price for following Not Locke: he has gotten everything Not Locke has promised, but his life is a torture. It will be interesting to see Jack figure this out, since he gets so upset at the thought of things that are beyond his ability to control.

Sayid had a battle for his soul in another restaurant backroom, back in season three, when, in his backstory, a restaurant owner’s wife identifies Sayid as the man who tortures her. The restaurant owner holds Sayid hostage and tortures him until he admits to the wife that yes, he did torture her.

Jin and Sun are now on opposite sides of the battle--however, I don't recall Jin pledgin allegiance to Not Locke.  The discovery of Jin in the walk-in by Sayid may be a clue as to where Jin ends up.  It's interesting that both Jin and Sayid are mercenaries who do horrible things to people for the men they are working for.

Speaking of that walkin refrigerator, I loved that Sayid found Jin in the there. It is so fitting that Jin ended up there as a result of his work for Sun’s father. The roles of Paik and Widmore are two pieces of the puzzle I am anxious to see answered.

Kate, by default, is alos on the opposite side of the battle from Jack.  Somehow, Not Locke's expression when he sees Kate tells me that Kate being in the middle of Jack and Sawyer is going to cause some problems for Not Locke before the end of the series.

The bargain Jacob offered Dogen is very similar to the bargain Ben offered Juliet regarding her sister’s cancer. If Ben made this offer on behalf of Jacob, it’s worth noting that Ben could have indeed been talking to Jacob all along.

Next week:
Looks like Ben’s going to meet his doom, which is unfortunate because that means there’s going to be nine episodes without one of the very best characters on television.