I also gave it 3 stars. Still good but as far as Lost standards, not like so many of the others. The flashbacks on this one were probably one of the worst.
The Achara woman in Jack's flashbacks is not a very good actress.
And maybe it's because I didn't grow up in their culture but I thought their extremely strong beliefs behind her gift and the tattoos she gave were far fetched. In my mind, I think it would make more sense if we saw the guys who jumped him have tattoos on their arms but they didn't. It didn't seem like a serious ritual among their people if it's not something they all have done but heaven forbid an outsider get one of her "who you really are" tattoos.
The flashbacks take place in Puckett. That's where Jack said he learned to play poker when Sawyer asked them while they were playing against each other for the guns.
I do like when they make these connections for us!
It was so great to see Cindy, Emma, and Zack again! Though they seem pretty settled into their lives amongst the Others now. I can't really blame them. It's not like they had a choice. They were all kidnapped. What are you going to do about it when you're taken against your will and there's really nothing you can do about it? You're outnumbered, trapped on a foreign island, outsmarted in regards to said island or how to survive on one and defend yourself. You've got nowhere you can run to, no authorities to protect you. It's probably better for the kids to not try to fight it and to not stress or worry them with fighting the reality of your situation.
Is the life the Others providing you better as Karl claims? Well, it's better than fighting it and being in cages. Also, they have houses and electricity and a life that's closer to civilization than living in makeshift tents on a beach.
We got to see the darker side of Jack again in the flashbacks. His stalkery side. One the one hand, I can kinda understand. Achara has basically put herself into his life but refuses to tell him anything about her. Why is she being so shady? Especially when someone hands her a big envelope of money right in front of you and she just explains it as "having a gift." What is he supposed to think? It seems he's started to develop feelings for her otherwise why bother following and finding out? If a person keeps everything from you and you're starting to worry about developing feelings, I kinda don't blame him. You're at the point where you need to know if the truth is something you can accept or if you should cut ties and run.
As far as him forcing her to put the tattoo on him, that felt the slightest out of character but then again, Jack's always been obsessed with figuring out who he is. His father and the people around him have always told him he's this or he's that and he's believed them but I don't think he ever took the time until later in life to stop being what people tell him he is and to try to figure out who he really is. That's the only reason why I could think having someone with a gift to be able to see who someone really is was so important to him and as far as putting it on him in tattoo form, a reminder to himself of who he really is.
Hm, I sense there's something not just "evil" in the Others. At least I think we should think that, lol. It was somehow the way Tom asked Jack what he thinks what kind of humans they are. For the first time Kate seemed to sense that "something more" too, when Carl told them that they had given the children a better life than they had to live before. That's probably even the truth.
Oh, but I was pretty sure that Juliette is a captive too.
I'm not sure if the Others are "evil" necessarily. They don't think of themselves as such. I think they have more of a savage, old fashioned lifestyle. Some people, like Ben, do really seem evil. But it's more the dictator, power gone to their heads kind of evil. I think most evil people don't think of themselves as such. There are bad things that the Losties have done, as Tom pointed out, but like the Others, Jack didn't take a moment to think about those things. However, the beatings or deaths the Losties have inflicted on the Others were out of defense.
As I said above regarding Karl claiming the Others were giving the children a better life, it is a live more akin to civilization but Karl's point of view is shaped from probably a whole life amongst the Others. Even though he fights against them sometimes, he's still raised to be brainwashed in their ways and beliefs. I do wonder though how long Karl's been there and how he got there. We know Alex was Danielle's daughter and was born there after Danielle shipwrecked on the island. But what about Karl?
Juliet is definitely a captive. As we saw in the previous episode, she's there because she was offered a job that was supposed to last only months. She's been there years now against her will. We've seen her tell Ben that she wants to go home and we've seen her try to bargain with him in order to go home.
Oh nooo, Kate os already getting sick of Sawyer... -.- Well, I probably would too, of I was her!
Also, I was awaiting that, otherwise were would be the drama? ^^'
Well, I don't think Kate is sick of Sawyer. I think she regrets what she did because she let her emotions get the best of her and thinks she did things for the wrong reason. I think she does have feelings for both Sawyer and Jack and that's what is making her thoughts and feelings all jumbled. Sawyer is totally being an ass though. He's being harsh and telling her what to do. I think he's upset that he can see she still has feelings for Jack but he also sees that going back and trying to "save" Jack would only get her captured, hurt, or even killed. I think he's a combination of hurting that he sees she still cares about Jack, worry over her safety, and self doubt, thinking she only slept with him because she thought he was going to die.
I don't think that's totally true. I think when he said that out loud, Kate didn't argue it because she was both surprised and offended by the accusation. Plus I think she might be thinking that it's better to let Sawyer think that. She's afraid of getting too close because she's had that before and it broke her heart because she had to abandon it.
I wonder what's the "real" meaning of Jack's sign, the tatoo.
That's a good question! I think years ago when this ep aired (10 years ago now!!) they talked about it online but I can't remember what it was. That was too long ago! I'm sure it's on the interwebs somewhere.
Favorite quotes/moments:Karl: We give them a better life.
Kate: Better than what?
Karl: Better than yours.
Sawyer: Sure you are, Bobby. [Karl looks puzzled] Bobby, the Brady Bunch?
Karl: What the hell's the Brady Bunch?
Sawyer: I've been with a lot of girls -- some of them worth the trouble, some not. Every now and again there's one -- one you name dumb stars with.
Karl and Alex both looking up at the stars at the end