Lost episode recap – “What Kate Does” S6E3 airdate 02/09/10)

Before we begin, you should know, if you don't, that I'm not particularly fond of the character Kate.  She flipflops (Sawyer/Jack, badass/delicate princess, want to leave the Island/want to stay on the Island) and is generally annoying.  Mr. Mouse likes her because she's "hot."  Anyway -

The LAX cab that Kate has hijacked struggles to get out of the airport; when it has to stop for pedestrians, Claire tries to make a run for it but Kate yanks her back into the cab. Then at a traffic light, the cabbie himself jumps out and Kate climbs into the driver’s seat. A little way further on, however, Kate kicks Claire out, keeping her purse and refusing to let her take her suitcase.

Back at the Island, the Losties bring a woozy Sayid up to speed, i.e., the Others have captured them, Hurley’s sort of in charge (per Miles), Sayid’s gut wound is completely healed, etc. The Others interrupt, trying to take Sayid away for some questions. Jack says he has some questions of his own, starting with why are they being held here as prisoners. Sol promises that once they’ve spoken to Sayid, they’ll answer all Jack’s questions. Some burly Others restrain Jack and a tussle starts, until Sawyer takes a pistol and starts shooting into the air. He tells the Others that he doesn’t care what they do with the rest of the Losties but he’s leaving. Kate’s all, “James!” but he just glares at her and snarls not to come after him. Then he leaves the Others’ compound.

After the commercial, the Others take Sayid away. Sol asks Jack where he thinks Sawyer went but Jack refuses to answer. Kate, ever helpful, says she can track him and bring him back: “I can be very convincing when I want to be.” Oh, spare me.

In the alternate world, Kate drives up to a scruffy mechanic (played by the character actor who was that scary bad wizard who hooked Willow on magic in BtVS S6) and convinces him to help her get the handcuffs off her wrist. When she goes into the bathroom to change her clothes, she finds Claire’s bag is full of baby stuff and has a pang of conscience.

Island. Jin and a couple of Others (Aldo - ? and Justin) are accompanying Kate. Before she goes, she tells Jack to take care of Sayid. They have a little moment when they look like they might kiss – Jack even sort of moves in for it - but they don’t. Make up your damn mind, Kate.

Meanwhile, the Asian Other has Sayid strapped to a table and is poking wires into his now healed belly. Then he cranks up a generator and zaps Sayid with electricity, torture-style. Sayid is scared and screaming, asking why are they doing this to him? In answer, the Other stabs him with a red-hot poker. Sayid screams again, understandably, and then he cries. Later, Sol comes in to let Sayid loose from the shackles, and apologizes for testing him like that. “A test for what?” weeps Sayid. “Don’t worry,” says Sol, “you passed.” More Others lead Sayid out and Sol watches them go, muttering to the Asian Other: “I just lied to him, didn’t I?” Asian Other: “Yes.”

Alternate world. Kate drives back towards the airport and finds Claire, sitting poutfully at a bus stop. She returns Claire’s purse and luggage and asks where she was headed. Claire doesn’t really want to say at first, so Kate’s all fine, whatever, and makes to leave. Then Claire has a change of heart and says she was going to Brentwood, where the people live who are adopting her baby. “Get in,” says Kate and Claire does, surprising them both.

Island. Aldo the Other is super-abrasive and annoying and snotty about Kate’s purported tracking skills; the other Other, Justin, is less annoying. Kate decides that she isn’t interested in leading them to Sawyer, however, and swiftly takes them out with her jungle-ninja skilz. “What are you doing?” protests Jin. “Escaping,” says Kate.

Back at the Temple, Sayid tells Jack, Miles and Hurley that the Others tortured him but didn’t ask him any questions. Jack pushes his way into the back room, demanding to know WTF. The Asian Other, through Sol, says that Sayid is “infected” and hands Jack a gnarly greenish-gray pill to give to Sayid. They explain that the “torture” was actually diagnosing him with this infection. They ask Jack how Sayid got hurt. “Helping me,” says Jack. And were there other people who got hurt or died because they were with Jack? Yes (lots). Then, according to the Others, giving this pill to Sayid is Jack’s chance to redeem himself - otherwise the infection will spread and that, apparently, will be dire. I have a question too: Jack, you’re a doctor, so why don’t you ask what kind of infection this is? After five seasons, I’m ready for the Losties to ask some follow up questions every now and again.

Miles and Hurley quiz Sayid about being dead. “You’re not a zombie, right?” asks Hurley. No, replies Sayid with a straight face, I’m not a zombie. Heh. Jack comes back to talk to Sayid privately and the other two give them some space. Jack tells Sayid what the Others said about his “infection” and hands him the pill. Sayid wants to know what Jack thinks. Jack says that the Others were the ones who saved Sayid’s life, not him … but Sayid says he trusts Jack, not the Others, and if Jack wants him to take the pill, he will.

Jin – whose English is quite fabulous these days – separates from Kate, saying that he thinks the Others can help him find Sun. So Kate sets off after Sawyer on her own, telling Jin good-bye because she has no intention of going back to the Temple herself, with or without Sawyer. BTW, there’s some dialogue here that I missed because Mr. Mouse, from the other room, asked me why Jin can speak English now - he hasn’t watched this show since S1.

Alterna-world. Kate and Claire arrive at the adoptive parents’ house and, since they’ve done a little bonding on the ride, Claire asks Kate to come in with her. When the prospective mom answers the door, she immediately bursts into tears, saying that her husband left her a little while ago and there’s no way she can take the baby now. Claire freaks out, as you would - and then Kate freaks out, shouting “She came all the way from AUS and you couldn’t call?!” – and then Claire grabs her belly and shrieks that the baby’s coming right now!

Island. Kate searches the Dharma compound, looking for Sawyer. She finds him in his old cottage, pulling up floorboards in the bedroom. As she watches from the doorway, he lifts out a shoebox and opens it, tears in his eyes. Embarrassed, Kate backs away but makes a noise while doing so and Sawyer finds her. He is angry at having been followed. When he asks what the hell she’s doin’ here, she mumbles that she was worried about him. Scowling, he brushes by her, leaving the cottage.

Alterna-world. Kate rushes Claire to the hospital, agreeing to stay with her until they figure out what’s going on. Claire is panicking while the nurse dithers around so Kate goes to find a doctor: it’s Ethan Goodspeed (yikes!). But in this reality, he’s actually nice, with a great bedside manner, telling Claire that either she can have the baby early or, if she doesn’t mind some needles, they can give her some drugs to stop the labor. Claire thinks about it for a bit, but says she’s not ready. A monitor goes off and Claire panics again, shouting if Aaron is okay. Ethan confirms that he is, but Kate gets a weird look on her face upon hearing that name. She squeezes Claire’s hand.

Island. Kate finds Sawyer down on the Dharma dock. She tells him that she wants to find Claire and she had been hoping that he would help her find her, so she can bring Aaron his mother back. Then she apologizes for interrupting Sawyer and Juliet’s escape from the Island (in the 1970s on the submarine) but he says it’s not her fault, it’s his: he kept Juliet from leaving the Island because he didn’t want to be alone. He’s got an engagement ring in his hands: he was going to ask Juliet to marry him. He throws it into the ocean: “I guess some of us are meant to be alone.” Then he tells Kate she can probably make it back to the Temple by nightfall and leaves her sitting there on the dock. Kate wipes tears from her face and snuffles.

Temple. Jack has a sit-down with the Asian Other (his name is Tobian or something like that). Tobian notes that Jack did not give Sayid the pill. Jack says he won’t do it unless he knows what’s in it. Tobian insists that Jack must trust him. Jack: “I don’t trust myself so how can I trust you?” then he takes the pill himself. Tobian launches himself at Jack and pounds on his stomach until Jack spits up the pill. What is in it? Jack demands. “Poison,” admits Tobian.

Note: If anyone can tell me what this guy’s name really is, I would appreciate it. Right when he said his name, Mr. Mouse asked if he was “the guy from the movies,” meaning Dr. Chang, and while I was saying no, and I missed the actual name. Stupid not having a DVR.

Alterna-world, hospital. A couple of cops stop by Claire’s hospital, asking questions about Kate … who is hiding right next door. When they’ve gone, Claire asks what Kate did. “Would you believe me if I said I was innocent?” asks Kate. Friend Mouse says: NO, NO I WOULD NOT. But Claire says yes, and then hands her credit card to Kate to aid and abet her. They wish each other luck.

Island. Kate fills her canteen from a Dharma compound faucet. Sawyer walks right past her without saying anything. She stands, and turns to go.

Temple. Tobian pours Jack some tea. Sol, incredulous that Jack tried to swallow the pill, seems a little annoyed that he hasn’t been offered any. Jack wants to know why they wanted to kill Sawyer. Tobian explains that they think Sayid has been “claimed” by something evil … the same something evil that took “[Jack’s] sister.”

Jungle. When Jin pauses for a drink at a creek, Aldo and Justin nab him, more than a little cranky at having been knocked unconscious by a girl. Aldo is about to shoot poor Jin - who, while trying to run away from them, manages to step in a bear trap (ouch!) - when someone else shoots him. Then Justin is shot. Jin looks around wildly: “Claire?” and yes, it is Jungle Claire, dirty and scruffy and apparently now a deadshot with a rifle.

Previously on Lost / next time on Lost