ABC’s Lost returns Wednesday night in all its deliciously frustrating, mind-messing glory. In a series filled with jaw-dropping, scratch-you-head moments, we’re presenting our ten favorites. It was hard to narrow them down, but these made us, drop the remote, call our fellow Lost-ies, log on to the message boards and say, out loud, “WTF?”
10. Desmond – Season 2
What we knew before: Not much about the seemingly impenetrable hatch or the history of The Island.
What we saw: A familiar face living inside it.
WTF? The first few minutes of Desmond’s debut cleverly convinces us that this is another flashback, but some sneaky camera work reveals he is infact living right along side – er, below – the current survivors. Not only that, he had been living with all the comforts of home - albeit a 70's home - but it was still a far cry from a grass hut.
9. Polar Bear – Season 1
What we knew before: The island is one big beach full of palm trees, sand and other warm climate things.
What we saw: A freakin’ polar bear
WTF? We may have fell asleep during 4th grade geography a few times, but we don’t ever recall it being normal to have polar bears in the tropics. This is not an ordinary island.
8. Smoke – Season 1
What we knew before: Something big, unseen force was roaming the Island, making noising and knocking down trees. A dinosaur? A monster?
What we saw: A big, shape-shifting, black cloud of smoke.
WTF? This wasn’t a message about air pollution - this smoke is pissed. Grabbing and dragging people one second, floating ominously the next. It’s unpredictable and unexplainable and really really scary.
7. Michael’s Killing Spree – Season 2
What we knew before: Michael’s bitterness and resentment toward some of the survivors – mainly Jin and Locke – was driving him insane. Having your son kidnapped on a raft in the moonlight might do that to you.
What we saw: Michael shoot and kill two women at point blank.
WTF? Okay, we knew he was one fish biscuit short of a polar bear meal, but to kill two people in cold blood?
6. Locke’s Dad shows up – Season 3
What we knew before: Locke’s dad was a conniving, kidney-stealing, shoving-son-out-window dirtbag….uh, who was last seen in Tallahassee.
What we saw: In yet another dank, rusty old metal room on The Island ... repeat: The Island – Ben opens the door to reveal Locke’s dad bound and gagged and a-hole-y as ever.
WTF? Clearly there are other ways to get to The Island other than crashed plane, and Ben can make that happen. He can also locate people in the “real world” and deliver them faster than FedEx. Which means he must have some serious connections.
5. Locke’s Wheel Chair – Season 1
What we knew before: Very little other than John Locke was a stoic guy with some serious survival skills – like he was born to hunt boars on a deserted island with a machete.
What we saw: Locke was a desk jockey confined to a wheel chair.
WTF? There’s more to that island than coconuts. It was the first hint that there were some spiritual, health-related powers to it. Also, it was shocking to see one of our fearless leaders act so timid and dejected. What more was he hiding?
4. Jacob’s Shack – Season 3
What we knew before: Not a lot other than very vague (even by Lost’s standards) mentions of his name and that he may or may not be calling the shots.
What we saw: Again, not a lot. One very creepy cabin in the dark jungle trash itself with one brief cut away to a silhouette of a man. It was more of what we heard – a faint, yet distinguishable whisper “Help Me.”
WTF? Creeping around the jungle at night is terrifying enough, but then a cabin throws a hissy fit proving maybe the most horrifying idea of them all: Ben may be right.
3. Ben moves the island – Season 4 finale
What we knew before: The Island is weird and full of weird powers and things, but it’s an island and therefore pretty immobile.
What we saw: Ben turn a very prehistoric-looking wheel in a very cold room and poof! No more Island.
WTF? Again, elementary school science tells us islands in general, shouldn’t move. Did it move in place? In time? Both?
2. The Hatch Blows Up – Season 2 finale
What we knew before: All that work of Season 1 and trying to pry it open was worth it. The hatch was a veritable Hilton for the Survivors of 815, providing food, shelter and all the Mama Cass songs you could want. Sure, it got a little old (read: mind-melding) punching in the same numbers every 108 minutes, but what else are you going to do on a deserted island and/or psychological social experiment?
What we saw: Locke refusing to enter the numbers, Desmond turn the fail-safe key, a burst of light and one big crater.
WTF? We went the whole season believing punching the numbers would prevent the world’s end, but wondering too if someone wasn’t just messing with us. When Locke refused to enter the code we were simultaneously horrified and delighted … and very confused.
1. Jack wants to go back – Season 3 Finale
What we knew before: The every one of the survivors, and some of The Others, want to GET OFF THE ISLAND.
What we saw: A drunk and bearded Jack wailing to Kate about going back.
WTF? Not only were we asking Why TF would he want to go back – this rugged hero who, for 80-some odd days had been doing everything he could to LEAVE - but When TF was he doing it? Rescue? Regret? Flash Forward ?
Pictures courtesy of Lostpedia
