Jacob's Foot: The Brig

THE 'LOST' EPISODE OF THE DAY

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The episode: The Brig

Original Airdate: May 2, 2007

Written By: Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse

Directed By: Eric Laneuville

Content (from lostpedia.com/ABC Press Release): The Others offer Locke the chance to join them if he shows his commitment. Unable to do what they ask, Locke recruits Sawyer to do it for him. Meanwhile, Desmond questions whether or not the Flight 815 survivors trust Jack enough to tell him about the woman they saved.

Why It's Worth Re-Watching: This is one of the most underrated episodes of the series. I have very little evidence to prove it but whenever a LOST episode countdown is posted on a website, 'The Brig' is always ignored. Anywho, about the episode itself: this is the episode when the real Sawyer is killed by Sawyer, and Locke officially begins his journey to become the leader of The Others.

The number one reason to re-watch this episode is for the performance given by Josh Holloway. He absolutely owns the material Lindelof and Cuse wrote. This is an episode that resolves some major character conflict with Sawyer. The scenes between Sawyer and Locke's father are great especially with how Holloway plays Sawyer from slowly realizing who the man is that Locke brought here to his visceral reaction when Locke's father refuses to finish the letter. Sawyer, for those moments he's strangling Locke's father, reverts back to the man he was when he killed Duckett on a rainy night in Syndey, the man driven by revenge. My favorite part of this sequence is when it's all over, and Sawyer's kneeling on the Black Rock floor, visibly shaken and with tears in his eyes. When I first saw the episode, I wonder how this incident would change Sawyer because that reaction he had in The Black Rock, and then outside when he vomited.

The second biggest reason to re-watch this is for John Locke. We find out his issues with his father are what's preventing him from being able to ascend further on The Island, from becoming the leader of The Others. Richard tells Locke that his people had been waiting for Locke and were excited for him to come when they heard he was paralyzed and then able to walk once on this Island. Healing is prominent in this episode. Physical AND emotional healing. Ben credits Locke this: A week ago I couldn't move my toes. But the minute you showed up, I started to feel pins and needles. And this is only the beginning, John." Richard later tells Locke that Ben's doing what he's doing (specifically the execution of Locke's father in front of his people) only to humiliate Locke because he knew Locke wouldn't be able to do it. But then Richard tells Locke that Locke's father has to go, and that's where emotional healing comes in. Locke's been hurt far worse emotionally by his father than than 8 storey fall he took. Locke cannot assume leadership until he is healed as a whole. He cannot realize his potential, his specialness without being healed of the wounds created by his father.

Throughout the flashbacks with Ben and Locke, Ben's threatened leadership hovers above it all. It's clear when Richard tells Locke that Ben's been wasting their time with things like fertility problems and that they are looking for someone to remind them that they are here for more important reasons. This episode is also a set-up for the following episode, 'The Man Behind The Curtain,' in which we see what Ben does what he's really, really threatened. And these flashbacks feature some wonderful Locke/Ben scenes (as if Ben/Locke scenes could be anything but terrific). My favorite, in this episode, is when Ben uses 'Don't tell what I can't do' on Locke.

There's another great moment, in the teaser, when Locke burns the red folder that contains the history of James Ford. Symbolically freeing Sawyer from the past.

Sawyer is also given the tape recorder with the Others plans to raid camp but we find out later that Juliet ratted herself out.

As for the other happenings in the episode, word begins to spread around camp about the arrival of Naomi. No one wants to tell Jack because they don't trust him (Kate spills the beans to Jack though). Naomi basically tells the truth in this episode about the purpose of the Freighter except for a few tiny lies like she was hired by Penny Widmore and here to rescue Desmond when she was really hired by Charles Widmore with the purpose to extract one Benjamin Linus.

It's an absolutely terrific episode that's only justified by the viewing of it. I could write all I want but in the end you've just got to re-watch it. It's a powerful story. Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse wrote an absolute gem. John Bartley (the director of photography for this one) did a tremendous job. The episode is beautiful looking. Laneuville did one heck of a job helming the shoot.

And now, just for fun, here's what I originally wrote about this episode on May 2, 2007 (complete with original power rankings by me and STEVE!)

May 3, 2007 3:01pm

Well, LOST continues to knock it out of the park week after week. What a rebound from season two. I'm so pleased. Josh Holloway knocked it out of the park in "The Brig". I didn't know he had it in him, but damn. What a performance! Locke's Dad is dead, who is also the real Sawyer. I think many people saw that coming since episode 18 in season 1 when we're introduced to Anthony Cooper. Lindelof and Cuse wrote a gem. I encourage all fans of LOST reading this to listen to the official LOST podcast. It's entertaining and informative. But back to the episode: a lot happened. Sayid got the radio from Naomi, Kate told Jack and Juliet about Naomi, Sawyer faced off with his personal devil, Rousseau got a whole lot dynamite, Jack and Juliet know something and are not telling Kate, Locke went to find Ben and the Others, The losties do not trust Jack, they are still "dead", Sawyer has the tape recorder. Did I cover everything? 5/5.

Now for the power rankings. There's some movement in me and Steve's list. Ben has dropped to 12 on Steve's and 13 on mine. Jack replaced Kate in steve's top five. Other movements: Claire is at 9, Sun is 10, Charlie's 11, and Rousseau is 12 on mine. On Steve's, Rousseau jumped to 8. Claire is at 10 and Sun is 11. No change in my top five.

Steve’s 5/2/07

1. Sayid

2. Locke

3. Sawyer

4. Desmond

5. Jack

6. Kate

7. Jin

8. Rousseau

9. Hurley

10. Claire

11. Sun

12. Ben

13. Tom

14. Juliet

15. Charlie

16. Aaron

As of 11:25 PM 5/02--Chris

1. Sayid

2. Desmond

3. Kate

4. Sawyer

5. Jack

6. Locke

7. Jin

8. Hurley

9. Claire

10. Sun

11. Charlie

12. Rousseau

13. Ben

14. Juliet

15. Tom

16. Aaron



The full episode can be found here: http://www.hulu.com/watch/90215/lost-the-brig#s-p1-n3-so-i0