'Lost': Don't grieve for Jin

After the shocking revelation at the end of this week's "Lost," one might be tempted to fall into a funk. Up to now, all the characters who have gone to their reward on "Lost" have had at least a little bit of an edge to them -- Ana Lucia, Mr. Eko, Charlie, even Shannon wasn't a completely lovable character. But to see Sun weeping at Jin's grave and realizing he would soon meet his untimely demise was a twist that could make even the most callous viewer shed a tear.

So go ahead and get weepy if you like. Don't feel guilty, it's healthy. But just know that despite strong evidence to the contrary, I don't think Jin is dead.

During Sun's flash-forward, we saw her give birth to the baby she was impregnated with before her trip to the island. (Note: Thanks to everyone who wrote in to correct me on this one. I had completely forgotten that the island had worked its magic on Jin and allowed him to father a child on the island. And here I was thinking Sun was still lying to him last night about the true paternity...) Assuming the bizarre time travel shenanigans going to and from the island didn't do anything to prolong the pregnancy timeline, it's safe to assume that these scenes took place just a couple of months after the Oceanic Six's rescue. That means that when Hurley appears to visit Jin's grave with Sun, it's before his trip to back to the psych ward and his decision to return to the island. It must also come before bearded Jack's tearful plea to Kate that they have to go back. So the mentality of the Oceanic Six at this time must have been one that did not involve thoughts of return in any way. In their minds, whoever had been left behind on the island was as good as dead -- they would never see any of them again.

The date of death on Jin's tombstone was 9/22/2004, the date that Oceanic 815 crashed, which is proof that Jin never left the island. It's possible that he really did die, but my suspicion is that if we were to return to Sun in flash-forward mode at the same point in the timeline as bearded Jack and crazy Hurley, we'd see a woman haunted by visions of her husband and thinking it was time to head back.

In other developments, Michael returned. And it's all but confirmed that he's Ben's spy on the boat. Not that anyone should be surprised by that -- it's probably the least surprising surprise of the new season. Now the big question is exactly how he went from speeding off in a little motor boat at the end of Season 2 to working as a lowly janitor on Charles Widmore's freighter. And how will they explain away his son Walt's sudden growth spurt? I'll bet that kid is shaving by now. It appears as if we'll learn most of that information next week.

Besides those two revelations, this week was a quiet episode, which is not to say that it was boring. Jin and Sun haven't always been the heart of the show's intrigue or drama, but their interaction tonight while dealing with Sun's pre-island affair was sweet and human. Not every episode can be stuffed with anagrams and literary allusions, much as I sometimes feel like they should. Tonight was a reminder that without heart, the show would quickly flounder. Maybe it was the brief appearance by Bernard, who has somehow become the Boba Fett of "Lost" lore -- that semi-obscure background character that has somehow become one of the most beloved people on the series. If "Lost" ever gets a spinoff, look for Bernard to star in it. Maybe Bernard and his wacky Canadian brother open up a surf shop in Hawaii. ABC, are you listening?

-- Patrick Day

Comments

[Ben]

Actually, Sun became pregnant on the island - that's why Juliet was so concerned for her life.

[MacCutcheon]

Jin and Sun should open a learn english in 6 weeks camp

[Hailey]

"During Sun's flash-forward, we saw her give birth to the baby she was impregnated with before her trip to the island. "

As far as we know - unless Juliet was lying - Sun was impregnated on the island. The above statement from the third paragraph is incorrect.

[Robyn]

I thought Juliet determined that Sun's baby was conceived on the island, which made it Jin's. Did I miss something? I know Jin was supposed to be unable to have a kid, but I thought that was just a diagnosis that was proven incorrect by the fact that the baby was conceived on the island. If she was impregnated by her pre-island fling, then we wouldn't have all this worry about her dying in three weeks...right?

[Lostie]

Correction: Sun was not impregnated before the crash on the island. Women who get pregnant on the island die. She got pregnant on the island, hence why she was at risk of dying and desperate to get off the island.

[Debbie]

There is an error in your third paragraph. According to the tests run by Juliet earlier in the series, Sun became pregnant on the island, ergo why she has to get off the island. Women who get pregnant before coming to the island are fine.

[manx cat]

I agree with debbie, the point that Sun was impregnated on the island has to be a point that was repeated several times in this episode, it was one of the central conflicts of the episode, as that was why Juliet did not want Sun to go to Locke's camp.

And Charlie wasn't a lovable character to you?? Seriously, you're a Lost fan?

That the date on Jin's grave was the date of the plane crash doesn't mean he's alive on the island, it just means that he's not one of the Oceanic 6. The writers had no problem writing Charlie off the show, and that should prove that any character could be next, including Jin.

Really LA Times, stick to American Idol discussions or get some new writers who can at least keep the central points of the plot right and actually give fans of a show something they can be engaged in and come back to. Because this is not it.

I recommend people check out Lostblog.net and thetailsection.com for a much more in depth, detailed discussion.

[kat]

Charlie was way more lovable than incest-loving Shannon

[Jen]

Last night was again an outstanding episode. The flashback and flash- forward mix was brilliantly played.
I love the writers of Lost, but I was a bit disappointed in what I think was a lack of detail in last nights episode.
According to last night's episode, Jin was 8 weeks pregnant, in the middle of her first trimester. Juliet claims that pregnant mother's have trouble in the middle of their second trimester, which is week 18-20.
But also according to Juliet, Jin will die in 3 weeks, which doesn't even get her out of the first trimester. I know it's a ticky tacky detail, and probably only women and doctors would notice, but it was a bit distracting to me. Especially when I know that the writers get it right most of the time.

Other than that......it was great!

[keith]

Help me, wasn't that Jin in the Sun Flash Forward buying the Panda ? So if he's dead, then Sun is not aware of him being alive ? And why is Jin not allowed to see Sun & the baby ?

[DAS]

Jin was not in Sun's flash-forward. He was in a separate flash-back buying the panda as a gift for a potential business associate for his boss. They made it seem like he was in the same flash-forward but it was a trick.

[Mike B.]

Thanks, Jen. You cleared up my big question: Isn't Jin really alive since we saw him in Sun's flash forward? But yes, you've solved it -- it was a flashback of the old Jin working for Sun's father. Now that makes more sense. The writers were brilliant this season to switch to flash forwards, but now they have mixed it up again with a brilliant mix of flash forwards and flash backs. It just makes it a tad more confusing!

[Sharon Miller]

Jin was in a flash-back; Sun was in a flash-forward. The writers were playing with us!

[Kevin Brown]

"Up to now, all the characters who have gone to their reward on "Lost" have had at least a little bit of an edge to them --"

What about Boone, wonderfully played by Ian Somerhalder? What did he do to deserve to die?

[EHomp]

that was Jin's Flash BACK, and Sun's flash forward.
Toward the end as he left the hospital, he mentioned he had only been married for a short time, (2 months ?).

[June Lee]

To Keith - it is my understanding that Sun was appearing in flash-forward and - while we all may have assumed Jin was in the very same flash-forward - he was, in fact, appearing in a flashback - back to when he and Sun were married only two months. Personally, I found this a little bit of a let-down - it was a long way to go for a little bit of info (IE, that Jin might be dead - or is not one of the O6). But a new and interesting play on the flashes nonetheless. Perhaps this is a new layer of the game - that we won't always know the time frame we're watching...a parallel to the notion that the island inhabitants are up against the same.

[fayanne kanner]

Jin was not in Sun's flashforward...Jin was in his own flashbackward (gotta love those LOST writers!). If you notice, he had a really old big Nokia cell phone in his scenes and when he was leaving the hospital the nurse asked him something like "Leaving so soon?" and he said "It wasn't my baby" and the nurse replied "Well maybe someday "and Jin said "Don't rush me, I've only been married two months" The writers wanted us all along to think he was buying the Panda for Sun but he was buying if for the Ambassador's new grandchild on behalf of Sun's father (who was his boss). That's why he never saw the woman and her baby in the room.