LOST- Episode 35: The Hunting Party

  Previously on LOST: The Others took Walt, while Jack, Kate and Sawyer might have a little triangle thing going on.

  Things open up in flashback again this week as Dr. Jack and Dr. Dad discuss the latest hopeless case Jack might take on since his reputation as a miracle worker has gotten the public's attention.  A beautiful, young woman and her father want a surgery done on the old man.  Dr. Dad doesn't like the prognosis, but Jack, of course wants to give it a shot. 

  In the present, Jack wakes up in the hatch's bunk bed and finds Locke unconscious in the gun room.  Michael appears from behind and says "stick 'em up" before locking Jack and Locke in the gun room.  He says it is his right and he is going after Walt.  Cue the creepy LOST title screen.

  When Locke wakes up, Jack makes sure he doesn't have a concussion and asks him why Michael was let in there.  Locke is more concerned about who is going to push the button over the next four hours.  FOUR!  Jack says that all they can do is hope that Sawyer shows up to get his bandages changed.

  Speaking of Sawyer, he is napping on the beach when Kate wakes him up to remind him about the bandage change.  Cut to the next scene, where Kate and Sawyer arrive in the hatch just in time to save the day.  Locke tells Sawyer the combination to open the door while Kate punches the numbers into the computer.  Once he is set free, Jack arms himself and prepares to go after Michael.  Sawyer insists on coming. 

  Jack flashes back to when he was running tests on the frail and crippled old man with the hot daughter.  Hot daughter stops by to find out that things aren't going so well.  When she tells Jack how late it is, he realizes he has been working all night and hurries home.  When he gets there, he finds Mrs. Shepherd just waking up for her day.  She dismisses his apologies- long hours are the price you pay for being a miracle worker.  Before he can fall asleep, Sarah tells him that she took a pregnancy test, but "don't worry- it was negative."  Not exactly an exchange a happy couple would have.

  In the jungle, Locke quickly picks up Michael's trail and heads off.  Jack informs Kate that she is not coming because someone has to push the button.  Also, it makes a lot more sense to take an injured, disagreeable hothead with no discernible skills over a proven fighter with hunting and tracking skills who happens to be completely healthy.  Why?  I don't know, but Jack is the leader, I'm just the recapper.  I leave the big decisions to him.

  Later, as the trek continues, Sawyer questions why Kate couldn't come.  Jack tells him he should go back and ask if he hurt her feelings.  Locke asks Sawyer if anything looks familiar from his trip home.  Sawyer's answer is typically sarcastic but it does enable Locke to deduce that Michael is not going back the way he came. 

  At the beach, Jin notices Kate filling Hurley in on the latest wacky island adventure.  Through Sun, he finds out what happened and begins packing so he can catch up.   EEEEEERRRRRRRRR.  Put on the brakes, pally.  Your wife just cracked the whip and said you can't go.  Oh, and wear a stupid hat, too.  I can't read Korean but I saw Jin's mind and I'm pretty sure he said, "I came back for this?"

  When the hunting party stops for a breather, Locke asks Jack what the plan is if they do catch up to Michael.  Locke thinks it is highly unlikely that Michael can be convinced to come back with them.  "Who are we to tell people what they can or can't do?" he asks.  This question gives Jack a flashback where he and Hot Daughter sign on the dotted line so that there is no going back from the risky surgery.  Dr. Dad walks in and notices the sexual tension.  After H.D. leaves, Dad warns Jack about crossing the line.  "I guess you would know," replies the snotty, ungrateful son.

  In the present, the trio climbs a steep hill and Locke reveals to Sawyer that he knows his real name to be James Ford.  Turns out Hurley showed him the manifest after the census, which must also be how he knew the name Hugo out of nowhere.  Who said this show never gives us any answers?  They are interrupted by the sound of gunfire and fearless leader Jack shouts for Michael and goes running toward the sound.

  They don't find Michael, but they do find his shell casings- less than he fired.  Don't know if that means anything other than they weren't looking hard enough, but they seem to think it's important.  Sawyer says it is getting dark and insists that they keep moving which allows Jack to figure out that Sawyer may or may not care about Michael and is probably just out for revenge.

  Jack then thinks back to the aftermath of his failed surgery.  The old man died.  No miracle this time.  Dr. Dad tries to comfort him, telling him that it is no one's fault, but that doesn't help much when you have a serious god complex.  Dad also says that as chief of surgery,  he has already told Hot Daughter what happened and she left.  This angers Jack even more since he may have wanted to hit that, but when he gets to the parking lot, he finds H.D. waiting for him.  Her name is Gabriella, but that doesn't matter since this is her last scene- unless of course she shows up on the island- that's already happened to Jack twice this season.  Oh yeah- they make out, but Jack does the right thing and backs off.

  Night has fallen on the hunting party and Locke has lost the trail.  Jack and Sawyer don't believe him and deny his request to head home.  Jack says that if they go back, they will never see Michael again and his (presumed) death will be on their hands.  A weirdo lurking in the darkness shouts out that he agrees with Jack but he should listen to Mr. Locke.  Who is this guy?  Well, there's no denying he looks an awful lot like the leader of the Others' boat crew- the ones who took Walt.

  Sawyer identifies Beardo as the guy who shot him and decides to shoot first and ask questions later.  Instead of hitting its target, the bullet somehow ricochets and nicks Sawyer on the neck.  Beardo laughs at this and suggests that Locke build a fire so they can all sit down and chat.

  Meanwhile, in the hatch, Charlie and Hurley are looking through the record collection and are puzzled by the utter obscurity of all the artists.  The boys play one and Hurley reveals that he has a little crush on Libby.  Charlie wonders if Claire misses him yet, but Hurley reminds him that it has only been one day.  Sayid walks in and is shocked to learn about the hunting party so late in the episode.  Something tells me this might stir up the leadership issues Sayid had with Jack in the first season. 

  Back in the jungle, Beardo says he came in peace and no one is going to get hurt.  Locke asks how he knows their names but gets no answer.  He does answer Jack's question and assures him that Walt is fine and is very special.  Beardo goes on to admonish Jack and company for, well for being rude guests, I suppose.  Eating food that doesn't belong to them- opening doors they have no business opening- I'm looking at you John Locke, etc...  He says that this is their island and the crash survivors are only living there because They are allowing it.  Jack doesn't buy it and suggests that his people outnumber Beardo's.  Beardo answers this by shouting, "Light em up!"  Suddenly, Jack and company are surrounded by a circle of torches, suggesting that Jack has slightly miscounted.  Beardo draws a line in the sand and makes a threat- a threat Jack does not react well to.  Beardo shouts for Alex to "bring her out" and reveals that Kate had been following the hunting party- until she was captured.  Beardo demands their weapons or Kate dies-a stipulation Jack has to reluctantly agree to.  Once the guns for girls program ends, Beardo and his torches disappear into the darkness.

  The next morning on the beach, Jin tells his wife that he doesn't like being told what to do.  Sun says that she didn't like it for the last four years.  FOUR!  Jin answers with the Korean equivalent of 'touche' and smiles at her.

  As the hunting party gets closer to home, Kate tries to apologize to Jack for messing everything up, but gets little response.  This is because he is busy remembering his post-op arrival home.  He admits to Sarah that he kissed Gabriella, and promises to be home more and work on the marriage.  It's all moot however, since Sarah has met someone else and has already packed her stuff to leave the good doctor.  Jack cries and Sarah tells him that he will always need something to fix.

  Back at camp, Locke gets a scowl from Sawyer for saying, "See ya, James."  Then Sawyer tells Kate that if he had been told to stay behind, he would have done the same thing she did.  Meanwhile, Charlie looks on with envy as Locke plays with Aaron. 

  Elsewhere, Jack finds Ana-Lucia and asks her how long it would take to train an army.  Again with the disrespecting of Sayid- a trained soldier!  I swear I smell trouble.

  Next week: Is Charlie using again?  What danger is Aaron in?  Are the Others finally getting around to taking him?  Plus, there's another unplanned fire.