Last week's brief meeting with Sayid and Desmond notwithstanding, the last time we saw Michael Dawson, he and Walt were in a small boat, heading for what Ben promised would be rescue if they followed the correct bearing.

Speculation abounded for over a year about what might have happened to Michael once he left our sight. Every possibility was explored, but as is so often the case on Lost, all of the extreme possibilities turned out to be red herrings and the simplest (if not the most likely) thing happened. Michael got back to the real world, apparently just as Ben promised he would.

The episode opens in the barracks. Locke has called his splinter tribe together at his house for a town hall meeting. He brings Miles in to tell the group why the freighter group is on the island. Despite having spent an unknown amount of time doing isometric jaw exercises with a live grenade, Miles is able to tell them that his group is on the island to get Ben.

"Um...we kind of like, knew that forever ago."

Sawyer is in favour of turning Ben over as quickly as possible, but there's a hitch. Ben explains that once he's turned over to the freighter group, the rest of them are to be killed.

Remember when Ben told Locke that the video tape was his last bargaining chip? Surprise, surprise, Ben is not only not out of chips; Ben is a chip.

Claire pipes up to remind Locke that he's suggesting they protect a man that tried to kill him. Hurley further points out that Ben won't tell them who his man on the boat is.

"It's Michael."

"What?" Hurley, who lost his prospective blanket warmer at Michael's hands, is none too pleased.

"My spy on the freighter is Michael."

Sawyer hasn't said anything for a while, so he gets to ask the clarifying question.

"I'm sorry. You mean the same guy that killed two women in cold blood to set this little bastard free? And then sold all of us out so he could get off the Island? That Michael?"

"Yes James. That Michael."

Whatchoo talkin' bout, Willis?

On the freighter, Sayid and Desmond are asleep in their berth when an alarm sounds. They rush up on deck to see what's what. Michael is among a group gathered to watch Captain Gault mete out some high seas discipline. After beating the last man into submission, he addresses that gathered audience.

(*Similar sound sidenote: I didn't run a direct comparison, but I swear that alarm was the same sound as the one in the hatch.*)

"I'm not beating these men to scare you. I beat them to save your lives! Do you remember what happened to the last two men who took off in this boat? You remember what happened to Minkowski? As soon as we get the engines fixed, we're back in the hunt. In the meantime, everybody just hold on."

He then calls for "Johnson" to clean up the mess and stalks off. Is it just me or is there something to the fact that Michael's job on the ship seems to be that of blood-mopper-upper? Could it be some sort of symbolic penance for his murderous past? I also wonder if it's significant that he is ordered to clean up blood but we never actually see him doing so.

As Michael heads to the blood-cleaner-upper supply closet for his blood-cleaner-upper supplies, Sayid intercepts him and blocks his way.

"Hello, Michael."

"Not now, man."

Sayid keeps himself between Michael and the blood-cleaner-upper supplies. "Yes. Right now." As he climbs the stairs, the captain spares a glance for his newest passengers and his blood-cleaner-upper, but keeps on climbing. Sayid asks the obvious question. "Why are you on this boat?"

"I'm here to die." And mop up blood.

And don't forget my cabaret show in the dining room after dinner. I do a mean "Try to Remember".

Back at the barracks, Sawyer follows Locke and Miles out of the meeting to confront Locke about the one secret that wasn't discussed. The three million and change that Miles is trying to extort from Ben in exchange for telling the freighter group that Linus is already dead.

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Posted in Lost by GreyB at 2:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Last Comment: akgirl7 on Apr 29, 2008 04:04 PM.