Jack Takes a Big Leap of Faith on “Lost”

Since the beginning, “Lost” has been as much about relationships as it has been about electromagnetic phenomena and smoke monsters that go bump in the night. There were the bad dads who practically everyone on the island left back home, the romances that formed or those that annoyingly threatened to without resolution, and of course the friendships among the beleaguered band of castaways.

But one of the best island dynamics wasn’t based on love, friendship or bad blood. For Jack Shephard and John Locke, it all came down to conflicting ideals. It was the man of faith versus the man of science. Jack played the part of the levelheaded cynic, while Locke represented the true believer. Their interpersonal struggles led the island inhabitants in different directions but left an odd bond between them.

Of course the only bit of Locke left on the island nowadays lies six feet under. The man walking around with Locke’s looks is just a doppelganger. Still, when Smokey sat across from Jack for the duo’s first chat, it felt like old times — only Jack was the one who wanted to believe.

When Jack asked Smokey if he had appeared as Jack’s father, Christian, shortly after the plane crash, the look on the doc’s face betrayed his disappointment. He wanted to believe that was really his father. It wasn’t.

Smokey, on the other hand, was no fan of faith. In fact, according to him, it was Locke’s pesky habit of clinging to it that proved his downfall. “(Locke) was stupid enough to believe he was here for a reason,” Smokey spat.

While history sort of repeated itself with the odd on-island role reversal, anyone witnessing the events in the alternate reality couldn’t help but cheer on Team Faith.

What else would explain the way that the scattered Oceanic gang continued to be drawn together? Sure, some of them had a little help from alt-reality bender Desmond, whose hit-and-run landed Locke in the hospital, and whose interference in Claire’s proposed adoption led to a meet-up with Jack. But some of the alt-castaways needed no help at all.

Joining Locke in the hospital — but appearing none too glad to see him — was Sun. That gunshot wound she suffered in an earlier episode ensured her a gurney alongside the familiar face. And thanks to Locke’s double dose of spinal injury, Dr. Jack was soon on his way to join them.

The hospital wasn’t the only hot spot in alt L.A. Detective Sawyer interrogated Kate at the police station. As one might imagine, it was flirty interrogation. Ick. Thankfully, Detective Miles threw a bucket of cold water on that nonsense by pointing out some surveillance footage featuring wanted baddie Sayid.

Poor Sayid. No matter the reality, that man just can’t get a break. In the alt, he’s arrested before he can bid his beloved Nadia a proper farewell. Over on island time, things aren’t much better.

With Widmore demanding his “package” back, Smokey ordered zombie-eyed Sayid to hike to the well and do away with Desmond. Apparently Desmond’s fall down the well — which suddenly looked about one-fifth as deep as it did before — didn’t do any real harm. But the gun Sayid pointed at him could.

Desmond’s fate would have to wait, as an increasingly impatient Smokey hoped to get the rest of the gang to the plane. It was time for takeoff, as far as he was concerned. The plan split the group in two, with some leaving on foot with Smokey and some going by boat with Sawyer.

Thanks to Sawyer, the boat folks — made up of Kate, Sun, Frank, Hurley, Jack and surprise-turncoat Claire — would never rendezvous with the others. They hoped to make it to the sub for a separate escape. Well, most of them.

Once Jack had a moment to consider the plan, he channeled his inner-Locke and questioned if they really should go. “We were brought here because we were suppose to do something,” he reasoned.

Sawyer suddenly figured he heard enough of Jack’s Locke-isms to last a lifetime and gave him the option of staying on the boat or making a leap of faith right off the side. Jack jumped.

Which means Jack missed the most anticipated reunion on “Lost.” When Sawyer’s boat made it to the other island’s shore, Sun set her eyes on Jin and they ran into each other’s arms. It was a little cheesy, very predictable, but still oh so sweet. *sniff*

Not that they had any time to relish the moment. No sooner had the Kwons shared a smooch than Widmore’s flunkies were on the scene, toting guns and ready for action. The boss man had no intention of honoring his deal with Sawyer. Before fulfilling the implied threat to take out the boat crowd, Widmore fired missiles at the other island.

Jack narrowly avoided one blast. It’s unlikely he would have survived at all had it not been for Smokey, who carried Jack into the jungle and reassured him with the world’s least reassuring words.

“You’re with me now.”

Ree Hines can’t believe the end is almost here. Join her on Twitter and reminisce about your favorite “Lost” moments at twitter.com/ReeHines.

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