Lost- Episode 4- The Walkabout

   I was psyched for this episode because we were finally going to learn more about the mysterious Mr. Locke.  All we know about him so far is that he likes board games and he believes in miracles.  I would too if 48 people survived a plane crash.

  We open with a flashback to Scene 1 Episode 1, this time seen through the eyes of Locke.  He appears understandably dazed and makes quite a dramatic effort to put his shoe back on.  Walt's dog awakens him as well as everyone else by barking at something rummaging through the plane wreck.  Jack thinks it's Sawyer again, but no dice, he's right behind him.  Soon we find out what happens when animals attack and everyone scatters.  When the creatures run off, Mr. Locke informs us that they were boars.  He looks pretty pleased about this.

     The speaking parts discuss what to do with the bodies since they're attracting animals.  Dr. Jack says burn them- everyone else seems a little more cautious and respectful of the dead.  Next day, Sayid seems upset about Jack's decision and the fact that Jack is the one who makes the decisions.  He tells Kate that he is making an antenna to track the signal the French woman put out.  He rightly points out that if a distress signal has been playing for sixteen years, it must have a power source.

   Sawyer and Hurley fight over the last packets of airline peanuts- here comes Jack to break it up again.  Crisis # 57 is revealed- there's no more food.  Mr. Locke helpfully suggests they hunt- making his entrance by throwing a knife in the general direction of Sawyer.  Way to make a point.  And if you're wondering how he got a set of hunting knives on the plane, well, he checked them of course.  Hmm.

  We flashback to a closeup of Locke getting a phone call where he is addressed as Colonel and told the rendezvous point is secure.  Alas, it's all a camera trick because when the camera pans back we see poor Mr. Locke stuck in an Office Space cubicle (complete with TPS reports).  His boss rudely gets on his back for personal calls at the office, even if they were for role-playing purposes.  Locke gives bossman Randy the evil eye, but gets back to work.

   Back to the present, Jack wonders why Kate always wants to go on the adventures into the mysterious jungle.  She shows him Sayid's antenna.  Meanwhile, Michael tries to convey to Sun that he wants her to babysit while he goes on the wildboar safari.  Wasn't there anyone around who speaks English?  I'm just saying.  And where is her hardcase partner to put a stop to this nonsense?  

  Claire asks Jack if he would like to lead the funeral service at the body burning that night, but he blows her off.  Our good doctor seems awfully cold to the idea of remembering those who were lost (for good).  What kind of doctor lacks sympathy?  I'm sure we will find out eventually. 

 Elsewhere, Boone scoffs at the idea that Shannon can catch fish.  So later, just as Charlie is about to hit his ever-dwindling stash, Shannon asks him if he knows how to fish.  I have a feeling she's used this strategy before- the one that says guys will do anything for a beautiful girl.

   Boone talks Jack into talking to the old black woman who is sitting alone mourning her husband and not eating.  Now an exclusive report from Jack's thoughts: "Why is everyone deferring to me?  Did I ever actually declare myself the leader?  Oh well, I'll do it."  Anyway, Rose ain't talking to nobody, not even the leader.

   Locke finally corners a boar but Michael blows it by loudly questioning the Colonel's hand signals.  Everyone goes down and Michael has gotten gored in the leg for his troubles.  Mr. Locke checks to make sure his foot is still there.  Flashback to the office breakroom, where Locke is playing a wargame complete with little GI Joes.  Randy stops by to ridicule him again.  He was never in the service, he'll never go on a Walkabout (Australian safari adventure thing).  Locke mumbles that he took vacation time, he is going and oh yeah, don't tell him what he can't do.  When Locke wakes up from the flashback, he ignores the injured Michael and goes off to find the boar, leaving Kate and us wondering why he is acting so strangely and why he called her Helen.

   Sorting through the wreckage, Claire finds an envelope with Sayid's name on it.  It's a picture of an Arabic woman which he fingers longlingly.  

   Flashback again, Locke is on the phone withHelen telling her how great it was to tell Randy off (gee, that's not the scene I saw)  He invites her to go with him on his expedition but she says it's against the rules to see customers.  Ouch!  Is anything what it seems with this guy? 

  Back to reality, Kate climbs a tree to try and get a signal with Sayid's antenna.  Unfortunately, G.I.M. (Giant Invisible Monster) decides to strike, knocking the device out of Kate's hands and breaking it.  At the same time, Locke thinks he's onto a boar but is actually onto GIM.  I scream at the TV "No, not Mr. Locke!  He's my favorite!"

    Michael and Kate return less than triumphantly- Walt wants to be impressed with Dad but it's hard when they are missing one team member and Dad has to admit he lost a fight to a boar.  Charlie brings a fish to Shannon but has his bubble burst when Boone reveals that he has been manipulated.  At the shore, Rose pipes up about her husband.  Jack invites her to the funeral to say goodbye to him, but she tells him he is not dead.  Denial ain't just a river, baby.  Oh, and Jack, try to ignore that mysterious man in black looking at you from a distance.

   Kate pulls Jack aside and tells him that Locke is gone, but before he can even mourn he sees that weird MIB again and goes after him this time.  In the woods we find that, hooray, Mr. Locke is not dead!  And he comes bearing a 200 lb boar!

   That night, the funeral begins with Claire reading off everything she could find out about the dead.  Everyone is there except Jack who sits on the beach alone.  Michael thanks Locke for killing the boar.  Locke responds with a look on his face that says, "Hey, I didn't do anything except hide behind a tree and pee my pants while GIM did all the killing and I made off with the body like the scavenger that I am."  Yes, I got all that from one look- the show is that darn good. 

   Final flashback and this one is a shocker.  Locke is denied his place on the Walkabout because he is in a wheelchair!  But it's his destiny, man!  Don't tell him what he can't do!   Back to the crashsite where suddenly, Locke can walk!  That was the miracle he told Walt about, that was why he kept wiggling his toes to make sure they were still there- because he could!  That's why Randy ridiculed him for signing up for a "Walk"about!  So there ya go all you invalids- just get in a plane crash and everything will be all right!  Inspiration in the form of Lost.

Next week: Jack admits he might be crazy and hangs from a cliff.  Plus, there's someone in the water!