The island has to let Michael die. Because if last night’s episode illustrated anything, it’s that fans, or at the very least this TV Addict, is never going to be fully satisfied by another Michael flashback.
Alas, there is a far more sinister force at work here. More powerful than both LOSTerminds Damon Lindeloff and Carlton Cuse combined. That force, puberty. And thanks to Walt, there is always going to be a piece of the Michael story missing. Big questions like how Michael and Walt got off the island, what happened between the time they escaped and the time they arrived in Manhattan, as well as an explanation for all of Walt’s creepy powers will remain unanswered. Because apparently there are only so many ways the show can hide the fact that actor Malcolm David Kelly has most likely doubled in height since the series premiered. [See: last night’s shot of Walt through the window, odds are good he was crouched on his knees!]
Nothing against actor Harold Perrineau, who did a fine job of portraying the immense guilt that haunted him for murdering Libby and Ana Lucia as well as betraying all of his fellow castaways. But Walt being MIA seriously crippled the potential WOW factor of his flashback.
In fact, aside from learning that the island won’t let Michael die [I wonder if affects Jack as well?] should flashback etiquette not mandate that the episode’s final shocking moments be dedicated to Michael and not numerous peripheral characters. This was, after-all the Michael episode fans have waited how many seasons for.
Karl and Rousseau being riddled with bullets leaving daughter Alex to scream, “I’m Ben’s daughter” caused this TV Addict to scream, “We’ve got to wait HOW many weeks to find out what happens next!”
Okay not really, but ABC spending all week touting Karl as the ‘big death’ is the TV equivalent to STAR TREK killing off a red shirt on an away mission and thinking fans will be surprised. Anti-climactic much?
And surely I’m not the only one who believes that Rousseau isn’t really dead. LOST has spent far too many episodes building up one of their most mysterious supporting players to simply kill her off without a proper goodbye [ie. flashback]. We still know so little about Rousseau’s research, her relationship with Ben and the mysterious illness that wiped out her entire team.
Thankfully, we’ll have five weeks to debate the details until LOST returns with a brand new episode. [see handy countdown clock below].