Lost - Solitary

You see…some things can be fixed

There’s no such thing as monsters.

If you think about it the name of this episode, “Solitary”, could be used to describe a number of characters, not just Nadia, held captive for torture interrogation techniques as seen in flashback to tell us of Sayid’s past. Nadia could have information on bombings and Sayid has become a reputable interrogator for the Republican Guard. The two [obviously] have a connection as evidenced by the photograph Sayid had been forlornly eyeing for the past previous episodes, going back to when they were kids. Sayid must lock her away in solitary to endure no light, company, and very little food, while Nadia gives up nothing but trying to reach him, hoping that he’ll see that where he stands with the Guard is wrong. Whatever the case, Sayid’s impacted by Nadia and even kills a superior (and friend) when his escape plan for her is discovered. Sayid had went on his own type of “solitary walkabout” on the beach, needing to break from the others due to nearly killing Sawyer after an interrogation (to locate supposedly confiscated asthma medication later determined he doesn’t have) goes awry. Sayid locates a cable, follows it to a trip wire, accidentally triggers the trap which locks onto his ankle and holds him upside down until a woman arrives looking for Alex. This woman is the one responsible for the distress signal, a French woman named Danielle (Mira Furlan; being a Babylon 5 fan, I knew immediately who she was), wrought with loneliness and clinging to a fragile sanity after being isolated (her own private hellish solitary) for sixteen years. She has Sayid bound because he is unfamiliar to her. Can he be trusted? Who is that woman on the photograph and what is that Arabic text on the other side? Sayid tells Danielle he clings to the hope of finding Nadia someday, if that is possible. This is why Sayid is so motivated to get off the island. Eventually rusting outside has Danielle pursuing its sound, perhaps convinced it is an animal of some sort. This is probably, to me, the next significant episode along with “Walkabout” as it once again establishes a mystery solved on the island: the voice of the woman sending out the distress signal. How those in her company—scientists shipwrecked on this island—perished, it seems, from a type of “sick”, with Sayid trying to encourage Danielle to accompany him back to those survivors like him from the plane crash. A seed planted by Danielle is the possibility that there are “plague carriers” somewhere, responsible for the death of her entrourage…and that she hears them whispering.

This is such a good episode for Hurley. He’s so right, too, about how there has to be some form of entertainment or a means to develop happiness and spirit to undermine the stressors being stuck on an island entail. For Hurley, he just needed to find a golf club and some golf balls. That was his passage into the light that can at least hold off the darkness that often wants to engulf all these plane passengers trying to get by each and every day. When Jack and Charlie take to the golf, others soon follow, some spectators and players. While oftentimes it did appear that individuals were in their own solitary (there I go again, I can’t help myself sometimes…), Hurley saw the way towards bringing them together. Even through the “solitary” of split camps, golf managed to huddle them all to each other…even Sawyer! And I liked how the episode didn’t show whether or not Jack sunk the putt for par to win…leave that up to the imagination.

I also really like the development of Mike’s son, Walt, and John Locke. Mike is not particularly fond of his son wanting to hang around Locke so much, but the kid is taken with him just the same. Walt wants to join Locke on hunts, to learn how to use the knife, and it is ideal for Locke who just seems all too willing to take the kid under his wing. But Mike has just been given access to his son so it is easy to see that he’d be a bit hesitant to let yet another person deprive him of being the father he hasn’t always been able. Yet—and please just go with me here—Walt is also in a kind of solitary. Walt wants to participate somehow with others—or at least Locke—on the island, be of some form or fashion part of the contribution. Or Walt can at least just be involved in something that gives him activity. Locke is more than willing to do that if Mike will loosen the rope some.

Two characters are somewhat introduced into the show. I wasn’t about to just cast them aside as their roles aren’t defined quite yet. Scott Paulin has this odd rash that appears to be getting worse, but Jack believes he might be a hypochondriac. Paulin’s Sullivan, however, does see them playing golf and wants to join in. I don’t think you introduce the caliber of a character actor like Paulin unless you have something in the works for him. Same goes for Locke’s new hunting partner, Ethan (William Mapother). Mapother is that character actor you often see in villainous roles playing nefarious or questionable types. Not saying that is the case for this show, but much like Paulin, he’s too good an actor to just introduce and abandon. And with Locke not getting a lot of attention since “Walkabout”, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this introductory piece in my writeup. It is Ethan who drops the bag with the club and golf balls for Hurley to investigate and uncover.

Just briefly back to Sayid. His role as interrogator is emphasized so greatly, I believe, so that we can see a type of rehab for him on the island. That he can look at what he once was and maybe fade that monster of a past into the dark so that the island can provoke the person he can be. Maybe that is just my own perspective on what the island can do. Look what it has done for Charlie. Or Jack. Or even Sawyer if you take into account his showing up with the others to watch the golf game. To further iterate the “solitary”, Sawyer mentions that no one wants him around and often cast a gaze of disapproval with him. But if he will listen to Kate (calling herself an outcast), and try to make an effort to not necessarily blend in as much as not be such a cipher, then even Sawyer might have a chance to make some sort of difference. Wishful thinking, perhaps? Sure, but as we have seen this island do some extraordinary things already, right?