The Constant: Best LOST episode ever or best TV episode ever?

February 29, 2008

Seriously this episode of LOST had it all. I’m reminded of The Illusionaters catch phrase, “Prepare your mind, for a mind explosion!”, after watching the episode. Much of the time-travel sup-plot that we’ve had throughout the series is thrust front and center during “The Constant”, an episode which ties all the time-bending stuff together (including Desmond’s past two episodes) and answers tons of questions (as well as leaving many more interesting Qs) without leaving us with annoying time paradoxes.

The episode gives some hints to the meaning of easter egg phrases like “Lost Time” and “Only fools are enslaved by time and space” and explains things like Daniel Faraday’s card-trick game from last episode and possibly why he was crying about Flight 815. The whole thing feels a little bit like Back to the Future 2 on acid and further proves the importance of writing crucial messages on your hand. So, here’s the things I learned from last night’s LOST episode. Click ahead to read the recap. Spoilers and MP3s abound!

Time moves slower on the island than in the outside world.

What this means: Frank, Sayid, and Desmond leave the island at Dusk. They arrive at the freighter around mid-day. That’s way more than 31 minutes. Also, Daniel said that their perception of how long the helicopter had been gone, was not really how long the helicopter had been gone. It also seems though that the amount of time they spend on the island doesn’t effect what time it is when they get off the island (about 4 months have passed on the island and off). Maybe the island is “unstuck in time”… Does this explain Richard’s agelessness? How bout those mothers whose X-rays appeared to be 70 years old when they were 26? How bout Walt’s sudden growth spurt? This definitely raises some interesting questions and no doubt will be important for the rest of the show.

MP3 Maria Taylor – Lost Time

There is a connection between Widmore Corporation and Hanso Foundation, and it’s the Black Rock.

What this means: As Lost-watchers know, the Widmore Corporation is headed by Penny Widmore’s father, Charles, and makes everything from home pregnancy tests to hot air balloons as well as funds boat races around the world. Magnus Hanso in the owned and possibly captained a slave ship called the Black Rock that mysteriously disappeared (although we all know where it landed). Years later his great-grandson started The Hanso Foundation and funded a little something called the Dharma Initiative. This episodes links the two mega-corporations together when Charles Widmore buys the first mate’s (another Hanso) private journal. Does Charles Widmore know that the Black Rock landed on the island and is now looking for it? Did him buying the journal eventually lead to funding the search that resulted in finding the 815 wreckage? Did he plant the wreckage? All this seems more probable after this episode.

MP3 Broken Social Scene – Superconnected

If you enter into the island incorrectly and have been exposed to some radiation, there could be deadly/awesome side-effects.

What this means: Daniel explains in this episode that if you don’t follow the exact correct barrings when entering or exiting the island you could experience fatal nosebleed and/or being “unstuck in time” (but if you get get hit by a pink laser that’s set to 2.342 and oscillates at 11 hertz you also get the same effect). We know that Minowski the communications guy suffered the side-effects, as well as our hero, Desmond (who experienced some crazy radiation when the hatch exploded). There’s also some major hinting that Daniel is trippin’ as well, which would definitely explain his card trick memory loss from last week. We also know if you have a “Constant” you can survive the time travel stuff and come away just fine. But, why could Minowski remember stuff from recently like the Penny call while Desmond still thought he was in 1996. More importantly, could this finally be an explanation to what “The Sickness” is that Rousseau’s team suffered from? Why didn’t anyone on the plane get the side effects (unless they died to soon for us to notice)?

MP3 Illinois – Nosebleed

Desmond and Penny’s romance is so much better than any of the other LOST romances.

What this means: To the showrunners, we need more Penny/Desmond scenes, their romance is so much more meaningful, interesting, and downright heartwarming, than any of the other pseudo-romances on the show (I’m looking at you Jack/Kate/Sawyer). I’m not afraid to admit that I started tearing up in the last moments of the show when Desmond convinces Penny to keep her pick up her phone on Christmas Eve, and then we get wonderful moment when they finally talk to each other and find out she’s been looking for him for three years and know’s about the island and their love will go on all that good stuff. It makes you think that there could be a happy ending in store after all for this show. As Doc Brown said, “The time-traveling is just too dangerous. Better that I devote myself to study the other great mystery of the universe: women!”

MP3 Huey Lewis and the News – Power of Love

Also, there was some interesting new info about Ben’s “man on the boat”. Now we know he’s friendly enough to break Desmond and Sayiid out of the sick bay and he enjoys sabotaging communication equipment. Further evidence for Michael? I think so!

Posted by Taylor in Television