Missing Pieces Episode 8: Buried Secrets

Another year, another edition of "Missing Pieces." Course, on the Island, it's still 2004, not 2008, although I sincerely wonder of the people on the freighter are in 2004. After all, Oceanic Airlines proudly announced the start of flights this past Monday. (Although Sam is NOT happy about that, as you can tell. Welcome to the new Lost ARG, people.) I'm fairly convinced this ties into the events of the freighter, the events of Season 4, and Jack's "Golden Pass" from Oceanic Airlines seen in "Through the Looking Glass."

But let's put that theory on hold for a second and look directly at this week's installment, entitled "Buried Secrets." And in looking at this, let's keep in mind what I think is the overall purpose of these mobisodes: to flag things the producers feel are important to keep in mind as Season 4 progresses. Last week's episode may have featured Leslie Arzt, but primarily centered around poking holes into Jack's leadership skills. What can we learn from this week's edition? Let's find out.

Synopsis

We see Jin on the shore, tending to a makeshift fishing pole. We also see handcuffs attached to his wrist, so we're somewhere in Season 1. Cut to Sun, spying on him from the first layer of jungle adjacent to the beach. With a heavy look in her eyes, she turns away, walks a few feet into the jungle, and pulls out a California license, ostensibly fashioned for her by her "decorator" in Korea. She attempts to bury it in the sand, but while doing so, we hear Michael calling out for Vincent.

Michael stumbles onto Sun, and apologizes for startling her. She replies to him in English, which means this encounter takes place after the events depicted in "House of the Rising Sun." Michael sense something is amiss, sees the license, and promises Sun he won't ask any questions. Sun then confesses to Michael her plan to leave Jin, that he isn't the same man that she married, and that the Island is her punishment for ever contemplating leaving her. (Interesting, since Jin all but says the same thing to Sun as he leaves on the raft at the end of Season 1: "I'm in this place because I'm being punished. I made you suffer. You don't deserve any of this.")

Michael hugs Sun in an effort to comfort her, and as they pull apart, they stop, lean in slowly to kiss (hey now!), only to be interrupted by Vincent's barking. Vincent comes on the scene, Sun quickly exits, and Michael all but says, "Dude...so not cool," to Vincent.

Thematic Resonance

I'll confess: I forgot all about the "Michael/Sun romantic tension" storyline from Season 1, due to two things:

1. They really didn't spend much screentime together, if any, during Season 2
2. The redemption of Jin as a likable character, coupled with the pregnancy storyline, pushed a lot of Michael stuff out of mind

But, this tension between Michael and Sun absolutely existed in Season 1, no doubt. The question then becomes as follows: why reintroduce it now? If, as I stand before, the goal of "Missing Pieces" is to highlight a few key areas to contemplate as Season 4 starts, then it stands to reason that the producers shone a new light on a supposedly old topic for a reason.

That reason obviously ties in with the return of Michael as a full-time character on the show, on the most basic of levels. But it might also tie into a potential schism between Sun and Jin during Season 4. Remember: Jin is still in the dark about his pre-Island infertility. Something tells me he might learn the truth about that this season, along with finally learning of his wife's plan to leave him.

Well, how could he do that? Well, I've stated on several occasions that the freighter belongs to Sun's father. Built by Heavy Paik Industries, the Helgus Antonius could have people aboard familiar with the situation in the Paik family, and could very well use such information to their advantage once they reach the Island. It's possible that Papa Paik agreed to build the ship for the specific purpose of extracting Sun from the Island, in addition to aiding his friends with the Widmore Corporation.

Such a plot point hinges upon the fact that Papa Paik knew that Oceanic 815 would crash on the Island in the first place. For some, that's an unreasonable assumption. To me, it reeks of possibility. Given how important time is in the show, we should take a fresh look at the two Rolex watches given by Mr. Paik to Jin before the plane crashed. One watch was to be delivered to Sydney, the other to Los Angeles. Well, what if the purpose was otherwise?

Imagine, if you will, two synchronized watches. And not just synchronized in terms of the time, but on a much more fundamental level: synched in terms of a symbiotic relationship in which one functioned in relationship to the other. And supposed the watch is Sydney is the control for a particular experiment in time, with the watch going to the Island used as both a way to track how time worked on the Island while also, potentially, emitting a signal that could triangulate the location of the Island?

Fantastical, to be sure, but plausible, I believe, within the world of Lost. After all, it's very likely Widmore's been sending people for decades in efforts to triangulate the Island (by balloon, boat, helicopter)...why wouldn't Paik, an associate of his, not do likewise?

Overall Importance to "Missing Pieces"

Clearly, Sun and Jin are likely candidates as we look into identifying the "Oceanic 6," those passengers that get off the Island and prompt the re-opening of Oceanic Airlines and a host of yet-to-be-seen events. But given the attraction shown in this week's mobisode, coupled with the inevitable tension between Sun and Jin, and the reappearance of Michael, is it inconceivable that Jin isn't one of the six?

Given the nature of pregnancy on the Island, it's impossible for me to consider the possibility of the show letting Sun straight up die in Week 23 of pregnancy (Juliet states that death occurs near the end of the second trimester, which is roughly 23 weeks, no?). The show is cruel, but not that cruel. There are a variety of scenarios in which Jin could stay that would make sense:

1. Paik ordered only Sun rescued, not him
2. Jin refuses to leave, having been hurt by revelations about Sun's desire to flee before the crash and the truth about his infertility
3. Jin forms a boy band on the Island with Hurley, Vincent, Smokey, and Jacob, calling themselves "The Island Boyz"

I mean, there are a lot of options here.

Speaking of Vincent...I really haven't brought up the importance of his presence here, since it's a large topic that deserves its own entry. But I would point out that an appearance by Vincent is almost always as important as the appearance of rain, and that a good chunk of "The Lost Experience" dealt with a website that dealt with the psychic abilities of yellow Labrador retrievers, so...you be the judge. Did Vincent lead Michael towards Sun? If so, why did he then interrupt the kiss?

Interesting questions, and ones to which I may have a theory or three. But I'll stop with the theories for now and open things up to your own.

Are you a fan of this week's installment? Does it point to trouble on the horizon for the Korean couple? And what should be the name of the first single for "The Island Boyz"?

Ryan also posts every 108 minutes over at Boob Tube Dude.