I personally didn't care for this episode very much. Jack isn't all that interesting of a character, and we have already had one Jack-centric episode this season.

A low point in Lost's history.
There's way too much Jack in this show. Why didn't Jack ask Cindy some, you know, questions? The whole flashback was silly. Was the "natives" (way to make a large modern city seem like some backwater, BTW) anger at Jack getting a tattoo supposed to mysterious or were they just assholes? Why did Jack get soooo angry at his flashback fling and insist so strongly on getting a tat? Why mark someone where no one will ever see it?
Remember Sawyer thinking his heart would explode if he tried to escape? Did I forget something or did he not seem eveb slightly worried about it in this episode, unlike the episode where he refused to escape?

Another great recap, Greybishop! You never cease to amaze me. It was witty, insightful and informative with helpful asides and even an info link! How cool is that. Keep up the excellent work!

Merick - Ben had already revealed to Sawyer that the whole heart explosion thing was a fraud. Showing him that they were on a different island miles away from their "home" was deterrent enough.

This whole episode was lamer than this season of Road Rules.

I think the whole irony of the tattoo is that it literally marks Jack as an "Other." But did I need a whole hour to establish that in a flashback? 5 minutes would have sufficed.

#4-Yeah, but I thought there was still some doubt. Some "is he lying now, or was he lying then?" I at least expected it to be acknowledged in some way, Ben isn't so trustworthy.

Where are all the comments this week? The episode was not as good as the last two but still a great recap. The beauty of lost is that you learn something new each week ranging from black holes, philosophy pop culture, religion, Chinese tats etc

I guess I'm just weird but I'm just enjoying the show. I figure any answers will come eventually. The one thing that bothers me is that I hope Ben stole Alex thus becoming her "father," Because it freaks me out to think that Beautiful Crazy French Lady actually "reproduced" (shudder) with Ben. The one thing that REALLY stood out though was that Karl didn't know a basic cultural reference. I thought that was a HUGE clue. Uhm, to something.

I gave up on this show some time ago but HAD to watch when the assholes who wrote this show were back-peddling the claims we'd seen so heavily promo'd before it even aired. I was not dissapointed, although after watching this show I felt compelled to take a shower. With Chlorox. The only part I enjoyed was watching Jack get the crap beaten out of him, but I could not shake the feeling that all Jack was missing was a crown of thorns and a big wooden cross.

I'm a little confused. Cindy remembers Jack from the flight??? Are flight attendants really good at remembering faces? ...and how did that little girl know that he knew Anna Lucia? She was kidnapped when the Tailies didn't know about the Lostaways on the other side. Neither did Cindy the flight attendant (she was kidnapped en route. Just a thought.

Great recap!! I agree that if they focused a whole show on Jack's tattoos it must have some relevance in the big picture. I love the show and I love that the writer's are not rushing the story they planned in the beginning just because there are those who want answers quickly. Sure, I want answers, but I'm enjoying the ride until they come. If at the final show at the end of the series, I still have questions, then I might be frustrated. Until then, I'm loving the show!

Great recap! Getting back to Jack's tatoo's, if you realize that in the "now" there are more tatoos above the chinese writings that must mean something also. There is a pyramid and the number 5 which the "sherriff" commented on when she first read his tatoos in the cage. I'm curious as to what they are going to end up symbolizing.

If I were Kate or Sawyer, I would have been asking Karl all the relevant questions (like who the Others are and what they are doing there, etc).

Why did Jack want a tattoo so badly? He sure was aggresive about it.

I gave up on getting answers. I know they aren't coming anytime soon and I don't want to go searching for them. It is still a nice show though (good scenery and pretty interesting characters).

Jack getting beat up by the natives for getting a tattoo was about the stupidest thing I've seen. It didn't make any kond of sense, and not in the good way that Lost usually doesn't make sense.

i wish they would join together the 2 storylines they are running, because I feel like I am watching 2 different shows, and I am not liking that.

Victoria, I respectfully disagree.
It made perfect sense.
Achara has a gift that her brother and his friends obviously believe in very strongly. By forcing her to use that gift for an outsider, Jack violated a "code" that they live by. It's even possible (assuming that the "gift" is a real and not imagined power that she actually has) that by using her gift in this way, she may have been stripped of it.
In "mystic" mythology, this is a pretty common consequence of using magical abilities in unsanctioned ways.
I was actually surprised that Jack didn't expect the beating, since he seemed willing to accept the consequences at the moment she started tattooing him.

geewits,
There's no way that creepy Ben could have procreated with mysterious French lady, as you'll remember back in a previous season when "Henry Gale" first came on the scene, that the French lady was the one who caught Ben in the net and gave him over to Sayid. There was no recognition there, so I'm taking that to mean they didn't bump uglies.

I'm betting that Alex was stolen as a youngster and raised to believe she was Ben's. They certainly bear absolutely no physical resemblance, and she favors French lady in that respect.

Pablo (#9) -- Cindy was there when Sawyer, Jin and Michael showed up and was taken during their trek to the main Losties' beach camp, so she'd be aware of them. And I'm sure there'd have been word of the captives and who they were circulating among the Others and the ones they took.

Getting back to Jack's tatoo's, if you realize that in the "now" there are more tatoos above the chinese writings that must mean something also. There is a pyramid and the number 5 which the "sherriff" commented on when she first read his tatoos in the cage. I'm curious as to what they are going to end up symbolizing.

Am I the only person who half expected the producers to bust out with "Somewhere Out There" while Karl and Alex were looking up at the stars? Very, very cheesy.

On a side note, did anyone else notice that Isabel was played by Diana Scarwid? (not totally confirmed, going on gut instinct here) She played Christina in Mommy Dearest. I was half expecting her to yell "NO MORE WIRE HANGERS" at Jack.

Aw, bullshit. This show has no continuity anymore and there will not be any answers until the viewership dwindles below 7 mil, then they'll have Jack or somebody wake up in a shower with Juliet or somebody talkng to him, just like Bobby in Dallas. The mystique they have built up hangs on people following "threads" that never connect. It's like trying to link together boiled macaroni. Ain't gonna happen. This show has lost one more viewer.

And Jack has to be the dumbest ass in the world when, instead of playing nice and asking the children and Cindy questions, he chased them away.

Sawyer's "I wanna go home" opening song was a great pop culture reference: from Jaws; when they are all freaked out about sharks, that's what they sing together on the little boat.

I saw this episode being filmed-- all the close-ups (like the singing, and the Kate/Sawyer argument re: directions) was done while the boat was docked and a crew member was rocking the boat up and down while Sawyer pretended to paddle. (Carl wasn't in the boat for those scenes; every time you see him, that was filmed seperately out in the actual bay of Kaneohe, Oahu.) And yeah, I met Josh Holloway right after filming this stuff and he is even hotter in person. So, boring episode, nirvana for Lucy.

Great recap, by the way!

Other Hawaii resident insights: "Kate" is adorable in person, but in a very cutesy freckled way; is all petite, as is Hobbit. Juliet is tall and gorgeous and much more striking (and friendly.) As mentioned above, Sawyer is sex on a stick.

wtf, ubiquitous -- #17 is a spoiler.

yeah - this was believable - because, like most doctors, Jack has no problems getting tattoos in Thailand with equipment that appears to have been used on other people. No worry there.

I never watch any promos of any kind (including the previews for next week) because Im aganst it, i dont want to know what happens before it does, because it ruins everything imo

so i didn't actually know about the 3 questions answered before i watched the episode, and i have to admit i have yet to find out what the questions can be; for sure not questions any fans ever asked himself.... like
- what does jack's tatoo say (not mean)?
- do others have another boat?
- why did jack got his tatoos?

anyways, it seems no one mentioned it here, but here's a nice "theory" about this episode: http://tinyurl.com/2d2ytp
it says it wasn't about jacks tatoos at all, but about how the others made jack do exactly what they wanted him to do!
pretty interresting stuff imo, explains a few things even

http://88.191.26.34/i_watch_tv/

beb45...when I saw Isabel I thought that she looked like Christina but wasn't sure.

In the beginning of the flashback I kept trying to figure out why Jack was hanging out with a thai hooker. Then I was anticipating the big secret/reveal to be that she was in fact a he. Alas...no such luck. Just a run of the mill tatoo definer.

beb (#19)- Thanks for telling me who played Isabel! I KNEW I knew her voice , but I couldn't remember from where.

GB- great recap! I'm still left wondering if when Ben promises to send people "home", he means the island he calls home and not their own home. I wonder if Michael and Walt will be where they are going...

I'm still trying to recover from the fact that Bai Ling was in this episode. I nearly fell out of bed.

Another great recap, Greybishop! You had me laughing throughout(the rips on Jack were particularly clever!), while also mentioning cool things like the "sea gypsies" of PhuKet. Interesting idea that Sawyer may have steered to a third island! Given the Others' love of theatrics, I felt like the hearing about Juliet, & the watchies' field trip to Jack's cage were staged for his benefit. Even strapped to a stretcher, Ben kills me! I love that guy and all of his creepy,harried evilness! I hope at some point we will be able to see Sawyer & him share a face off--the dialogue would be priceless!!

My enjoyment of this recap was dimmed by the fact that Bai Ling give me the creeps. Icky Icky Icky.

Episode was kinda a letdown. good recap though, and good comments!

Enjoyed your recap GB!
Jack seems sorta icky-wierd now, after that whole Phuket flashback. I mean, who does he think he is, to be demanding a tattoo? I wondered why Achara didn't just refuse, if it was so against the rules. (Story-line, I guess)
Also, I agree with Tony A. about Jack being stupid when Cindy and the kids showed up. You'd think he would get a clue by now and learn to use some subtle tactics and/or wording to get some info, instead of always SHOUTING!
It seemed to me that Cindy was looking a bit nervous when talking to Jack. She had that "I would really like to talk to you openly and tell you a few things, but they're watching and listening" sort of look on her face. She kept glancing around, like she couldn't really talk. Why couldn't Jack catch-on to that?

Thanks for the kind words folks! I'm glad the recaps have been getting nice reviews. It's always a little scary when you start doing something like this, but y'all have been very supportive and I wanted to tell you that it is appreciated.
As for Jack, I've been saying for almost as long as the show has been on that EVERYONE on the island has a nasty "I killed someone" or "I'm responsible for the death of someone" secret. I'd bet dollars to donuts that Jack is going to end up in that club because of something that happened in Phuket. This story may not really be about his tats after all...

I think the episode was a nice reminder of how much Jack's personality has evolved since the beggining of the show.

He started out like such a boy scout and now, though he still has that good guy "gotta keep my word" mentality, he's shown a darker side of him. He easily gets fustrated and his short temper gets the better of him in most situations. Just a matter of time before he does something really stupid in a blind rage.

I know your description came in part from the page you linked to, with imperfect English, but I just wanted to point out that saying "the animism" is like saying "the monotheism."

"Animism is a belief system that does not accept the separation of body and soul, of spirit from matter. As such it is based upon the belief that personalized souls are found in animals, plants, and other material objects, governing, to some degree, their existence. It also assumes that this unification of matter and spirit plays a role in daily life.[1" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animism

It's more a type of religion than a specific religion, and can be found, or was once found most everywhere.

Great recap though, I broke out into huge grins when I read the possibility of a mic still being there, or of a third island.

Thanks MamiyaOtaru!
I didn't have the time to delve into the specifics of the religion in question, so I thank you for sharing your knowledge with the rest of us!
Like someone said earlier, you just never know what you'll learn this week on Lost, or it seems, in the recap comments...
;o)

i have to admit, when i saw the ep was a (jumping) jack flashback in phuket i thought for sure we'd have another one of those LOST connections where he bumps into someone from mystery friggin' island.
& , of course, i thought it would be sawyer, based on their "you didn't think i knew where thailand was" convo they had when they were playing poker last season.
haven't watched it a 2nd time yet, but usually (ok, always) someone here @ tvgasm finds this stuff before me so i'll assume there was no james in phuket... yet.

did anyone notice in last weeks desmond ep the look on his face when the jewelry lady stepped “outside her character” & started talking all that crazy future stuff?
it was the same incredulous look eko gave yemi when he stepped "outside his character" & said "you speak to me as if i was your brother."
people may not always be who they appear to be, huh…

i think i know how charlie’s gonna get off-ed.
just in case i’m actually right about one of my theories i won’t post it here, as i’d hate to be accused of spoilage.
but I will say the root of my theory was born in the 1st 5 minutes of the season 3 opener.

elizabeth mitchell is just the latest in an incredible string of perfect casting choices since the end of season one.
eko, ben, desmond, & juliet added to jack, locke, sayid, sawyer & kate…
hope the writers do half as good a job on the last few seasons of LOST as the casting directors have.

& finally, LOST is a really good television show.
it’s not perfect & can sometimes be frustrating.
but compared to drek like american idol, desperate housewives & all things mtv, it’s friggin’ shakespeare.
relax & enjoy the ride LOST-fans.

"compared to drek like american idol, desperate housewives & all things mtv, it’s friggin’ shakespeare."
Amen, brotha. And pass ye olde Dharma dressing.

I'm so sick of Jack flashbacks. Didn't we JUST have one during the first half of this season? I think Jack and Kate have had the most flashbacks, but it is their flashbacks that I feel do nothing to advance the story/characters.
I think by this point its been beaten into our heads that yes, Jack has issues with his father, with having to be everyone's savior, and place his ridiculous set of rules/demands on people. Kate has issues with authority, cant stay in one place for very long, likes to run away from her problems.....WE GET IT.
Cant we get some more background on Sayid, Hurley, hell I'd even take a Claire flashback at this point.
To those who would say Locke has had too many flashbacks, I would argue that his flashbacks tend to be different and interesting in how they reveal how he became the person he is on the island. Also, there is still a major point of intrigue regarding his flashback, how he ended up in the wheelchair.
Maybe I'm just bitter but I think they need to cool it with the Jack/Kate flashbacks for a long while. There are other characters on this show too, something the writers seem to have forgotten lately...
That said, of course I'll still be watching every week..

wait, a locke flashback, msu11y28? is he even on the island still? it's been so long since we've seen him that i forgot he existed...

beb45 -- Mommie Dearest was on Bravo this weekend...between that the the epi of Lost I can't belive I couldn't place the sheriff. She looked so familiar!

Thanks!

ProphetofRage-Does your prediction for Charlie involve being thrown into Juliet's oven? Plowing him over when he finds "Downtown" Othersville? Help, I can't think of anything else from the first 5 minutes!

I didn't see anyone familiar in Phuket, either, I thought it may have been someone from Sun& Jin's story, since it is a popular Asian vacation spot.

Claire is the character most overdue for something to happen...doesn't Des' mojo sense anything about Aaron? Maybe she'll have a conversation w/ Karl that will lead to her telling him about Rousseau?

newbie,
it has more to do with a "relationship" that was intimated when the old lady came to juliet's door in the premiere.
remember someone working on the air-conditioning?
it was some "other man" who we just learned is actually a surgeon not an air conditioning repair-(other)-man
the scenes with this "other man" & juliet in "not in portland" seemed to scream "look, these 2 will have a history in the future", @ least to me (& my wacky theory).
& finally, how did this "other man" die?
oh, right...

btw, nobody mentioned it here yet, but how's this for a mind f@ck...

remember when ben told jack "i want you to WANT to save me"?
well, after all was said & done, with tattoos & trials & backyards & bai ling, that is EXACTLY what happened.
jack wanted to save ben.
hmmm, begs the question...
what exactly DID ben & juliet say to each other in the o.r.?

oh & greybishop, as long as the dharma dressing doesn't have bacon-bits in it, sounds great.
don't dig on swine... pig's a filthy animal, you know.

Prophet,
Now I get ya on the fate of our buddy Chuck, I agree...that island is going to start feeling very crowded soon!
Brilliant observation on Ben getting Jack to want to want to save him! That really does make the mind swoon & takes you back to all of the other scenes where Ben makes such comments! And, it appears he wasn't just being cocky when he told Sawyer that he was better at manipulation than him during the bunny-in-the-bag hike.
Great stuff!!

Oh, I forgot...Prophet mentioned "what exactly DID Ben say to Juliet" in the O.R.? PRECISELY! I am firmly of the opinion that Juliet was lying through her teeth...this could really get exciting if they make the Others as dastardly as I hope they are!!!

Can anyone recall a character whose name rhymes with "clench matey"?

Great recap, Greybishop! I would love to connect with you about something. Sorry to leave this message in comments but couldn't find a better way to reach you! Can you contact me via the forums?
Thanks!
Overcaster

yeah - this was believable - because, like most doctors, Jack has no problems getting tattoos in Thailand with equipment that appears to have been used on other people. No worry there.

Sorry I missed your comment Overcaster!
If you want to run anything by me, best to do it here. Sorry, but I don't post in the forums.
Best bet will be in the comment section of the most current recap. I look at those daily, just to see if there are any questions or comments that I should respond to.
I don't know if you'll see this, but if you do, feel free to ask away in the comments!