OBS RECAP & REVIEWS: LOST S6 EPISODE 11 ‘HAPPILY EVER AFTER’
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This Desmond centric episode jerked its audience to attention and brought the series back to its true form, making it the best episode of Season 6 thus far. How this episode differs is once the story line veers to the Sideways World it stays there till the very end.
Recap and Review:
Desmond finds himself at he mercy of Charles Widmore, who wants to use him in an experiment. Obviously, Desmond is seething about the fact that he has been brought back to the island and attacks Widmore once he is told where he is. Widmore tries to explain to him the severity of the situation and the need for Desmond to help him.
Widmore’s associates scramble to test the generator for the experiment but there is a causality when someone gets stuck in the room and they switch the generator on. This was shown purely to ascertain the fact that only Desmond can withstand and survive a cataclysmic electro-magnetic event, as he did when the hatch blew up. For when Desmond is strapped down in a chair and the experiment begins…Desmond doesn’t die…he enters back in sideways world. This is where it gets tricky.
We have always seen sideways world as two separate entities thus far, with the Losties having merely a sense of deja vu when meeting another Lostie in that world. Nothing more. But with Desmond, the worlds are about he collide.
Desmond is told by Hurley were the baggage claim is after he exits form Oceanic Flight 815 that has landed in LA. Desmond then helps Claire retrieve her luggage from the carousel and tells Claire her baby will be a boy. Desmond then gets into a chauffeured limo and is taken to his employer, which happens to be Charles Widmore. He is put to work immediately with the task of babysitting the bass guitarist of Driveshaft (a band his son is also a member of) who was arrested on Flight Oceanic 815 and making sure he shows up to play at Widmore’s wife charity benefit. Widmore breaks out a 60-year-old scotch the toast to Desmond who is indispensable.
When Desmond picks Charlie up form the police station, Charlie takes off for the nearest bar. Desmond has a drink with him as Charlie explains what happened to him on the flight. Charlie also divulges the fact that when he laid eyes on a woman on the plane, (presumably Claire), he felt the sense of an overpowering love and saw a life with her, as if it had happened already. He believes it to be real and the truth. Charlie knows Desmond is unhappy and feels there is something missing and asks if he has ever felt that love. Desmond never has and is just there to do his job, and believes Charlie’s story is merely hogwash.
Desmond is driving Charlie when Charlie tells Desmond he will show him what he is talking about, the choices in life and how unhappy Desmond really is. Charlie grabs the wheel and forces the car off a dock into the ocean. Desmond frees himself and comes around the side of the car to help Charlie but the door is stuck. Charlie raises his hand to the car window, (just like he did when he was drowning off the island in Season 3 Episode 23 “Through the Looking Glass” Part 2.,) and Desmond sees a flash, and Charlie’s hand reads “not Penny’s boat”.
Desmond saved Charlie and at the hospital he is having an MRI performed when his entire life with Penny flashes before him. He stops the MRI midway and is now bent on finding Charlie for an explanation but the nurses refuse to give him any information.
Desmond sees Jack and tells him of his dilemma and Jack is perplexed that someone from the flight is in the hospital. Suddenly we see Charlie running down the hall and Desmond gives chase. When he catches up with him, Desmond questions Charlie about trying to kill him. Charlie says he was only trying to show him something. Desmond wants to see his hand. Charlie mentions to Desmond that he has seen something. Charlie believes none of this world matters since he has ‘seen’ what he saw. What matters is the feeling they felt. Charlie tells Desmond he must find out who Penny is.
Because Charlie refuses to play at the benefit, Desmond is forced to tell Mrs. Widmore this news. Desmond meets with Mrs. Widmore as she’s prepping for the event on a massive lawn. It is Eloise Hawking.
Desmond tells her the bad news and Mrs. Widmore supposed wrath never shows. Light on his feet with a sense of happiness he passes a few people discussing the guest list and hears them mention Penny. He asks for the list but Mrs. Widmore comes over and says it is confidential. She tells Desmond something has effect how he sees things and it is a violation. She urges him to stop looking for what he looking for. He is not ready yet. This throws Desmond for a loop.
Read the rest of Lost’s Episode 11 ‘Happily Ever After here and join in on theories and discussions.
