"D.O.C." (Season 3, Episode 18)

Anyone who knows me knows I'm not fond of the Sun and Jin flashback episodes and this latest is no exception. However, the final moments made it all worthwhile. There were no survivors of Flight 815? They were all dead? What the - ?! Since Season 1, the creators have firmly stated that the characters are not dead and the island is not Purgatory. If that is true, then we should consider the following possibilities:

1. Someone (Dharma?) recreated a second crash with other bodies for the authorities to find.
2. This is an parallel universe or alternate time line where another version of everyone survived.
3. The parachutist is lying. (More on that below.)
   

Best Line - "Oops." Hurley after accidentally shooting off the flare gun.

Did You Notice?

• Did anyone else think Jack was about to do something threatening to Sun in the opening garden scene?
• So Mikhail (aka Eye-Patch Adams) is still alive and didn't die in the sonic fence. In addition to curing infertility and cancer, can the island bring back the dead? Mikhail did tell Charlie that the island has a different set of rules. Or was he faking the shock he supposedly received when Locke pushed him into it? Here's a crazy theory: Is it a coincidence that it was Locke who pushed him? Were they in it together? Could Locke be the "man behind the curtain"? Is he a bigger con artist than his father? Is it possible he never needed the wheelchair? Why did Locke go off with the Others? Is John really Jacob?
• The parachutist speaks Spanish, Chinese, Italian, and English. However, when she spoke in Portuguese, Mikhail translated it as "thank you". On-line experts are saying what she actually said was "I am not alone." Did Mikhail think Hurley's accidental flare was sent by her to rendezvous with him? He was rushing through the jungle to where she was.
• For an Other, Juliet has a nice bedside manner.
• Why did Juliet specifically mention Kate (Austen) in her message to Ben when she spoke of getting samples from all the women?

The Numbers - 2 3 4 5 6 8 15 16 23 42 (108)

• Jin's mother told Sun to return in 3 days at 5 p.m.
• Charlie said it was an 8-hour walk back to camp.
• Jin had previously told Sun his father died when Jin was 16 years old.
• Desmond gave Mikhail 5 seconds to start talking.
• Juliet had nine patients die in the last 3 years.
• On the island, the sperm count is 5 times the average.
• Sun conceived 8 weeks ago.
• Sun believes she has 2 months to live.
• Juliet told Ben it was 6 a.m. in her tape recorded message.
• Charlie thought Mikhail might return with 5 of his mates.

Seeing Red. Feeling Blue. It's Not Easy Being Green? So in addition to the red and blue items appearing here and there, I noticed an equal amount of green in this episode. Appropriate for an episode about birth, since the color green is associated with life.

• Shirt worn by Jack.
• Shirt worn by Jin.
• Shirt worn by Desmond in the photo.
• Pattern in jacket worn by Sun.
• Toy train in the hatch's hidden room.
• Shirt worn by Desmond.
• Tarp on Kate's shelter.
• Wash basin on the beach.
• Shirt worn by Juliet.
• Blanket around baby Aaron.
• Shirt and pants worn by Claire.
• Ball on boat of Jin's father.
• Hoodie worn by Sun.
• Toy crate in hatch's hidden room.
• Jacket worn by Jin's mother.
• Top worn by Sun on island.
• Dress worn by Sun in first flashback.
• Dress worn by Sun when she visits Jin's father.
• Bottle on table of Jin's father.
• Palm fronds that make up Sun's shelter.
• Lockers in the medical hatch.
• Jungle itself which was unusually lush in this episode.

Previews - With just three more episodes before the two-hour finale, "The Brig" may finally answer a burning question from Season 1. Who is the real Sawyer, the con artist that ruined James Ford's life? Will it turn out to be Locke's dad as on-line rumors have speculated? I think we'll find out next week.