‘Lost’ Season Two Recap: Ep. 3

“Orientation”

Michael, Sawyer and Jin are tossed into a trap in the ground by the imposing strangers they encounter on the beach and try to figure out how to escape. Ana Lucia (Michelle Rodriguez), a young woman who flirted with Jack at the airport bar in season one–is thrown in with them, only to turn against her fellow survivors. Are these the guys from the back of the plane? Meanwhile, we get a replay of the whole hatch scenario, this time from Kate’s perspective: She escapes the food-filled pantry she’s been locked into, overpowers Desmond using a gun found in the hatch’s armory, and damages the computer in the process. Then Desmond gets panicky. Jack wants to know what the hell is going on, and Desmond explains he was in a solo sailing race around the world when his boat ran aground on the reef. A man named Kelvin brought him to the hatch and instructed him to enter a series of numbers into the computer every 108 minutes in order to “save the world.” Desmond tells them to watch a film called Orientation for answers. The film details The Dharma Initiative, a counter-cultural research project started in the 1970s. It also provides key instructions for the operation of the computer in Station Three, i.e., the hatch, and hints at an unfortunate “incident” that made necessary the institution of this protocol. But it does little to convince Jack, who thinks it’s all a mind game–a psychological experiment. Locke, of course, is intrigued. We flashback on his character, who is now stalking the man who took his kidney, the man he thinks is his father. At a support group, he meets Helen and the two take an immediate shine to one another. Helen tries to help Locke get over his anger, but he can’t let go, even after his “father” ominously warns him. Finally, Helen offers up an ultimatum and suggests Locke let go of his past and take that next leap of faith with her into the unkown. In the hatch, Desmond is committed to fixing the computer Kate shot up. When he fails, he wishes the gang good luck and takes off into the jungle. Jack chases after him until Desmond finally recognizes Doc Castaway from the time they were running in the stadium. But no matter what Jack says, Desmond remains convinced the world will end if the button isn’t pushed. But it’s now no longer his problem as he runs off into, well, parts unknown. But how will the gang fix the computer and save the world? Kate fetches Sayid, who manages to fix the computer in the nick of time. Now, it’s Locke who must convince Jack to take a leap of faith and assume Desmond’s job.