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Date Posted: 02:53:20 11/24/05 Thu
Author: Rufus
Subject: "When the Crying stops" Lost 2.8 Collision

Just as all the main characters from the front section of the plane has a story, so do the characters in the tail section. Tonight was Ana-Lucia's turn. We see in the teaser the meeting of Jack and Ana where they promise to meet for a drink. Present day brings us to the shooting of Shannon and it's immediate aftermath. Sayid goes after the woman with the gun and Mr. Eko comes to her aid. He ends up with a gun to the throat leaving Sayid open to capture.

In the flashback of Ana's life before the crash we see her in a therapists office with clearly gives the idea that she has been involved in an event that led to her suitability for patrol. The therapist asks about the neighbours with the screaming baby and she tells him they have moved. He comments about her new relative peace and she tells him she actually misses the noise. She confronts him about going back to work and he ends with "welcome back to the force, Officer Cortez". It's been speculated before about Ana's past and it's made clear tonight that Ana is or was a cop. When under extreme stress, Ana has reverted back to the training to deal with the situation. I have to wonder how many people are aware of her past as they all begin to treat her like she's lost it.

Ana goes back to work and a new wrinkle is discovered, her mother is her Captain and that Captain can't be both mom and superior when on the job. The Captain tries to shield her daughter by starting her back in the evidence room. This makes sense as Ana's been in an "officer involved shooting". For the rest of the episode we go from past to present. Ana is seen as less than sympathetic, specially when she tries to stop Eko from taking Sawyer to medical help. Then we see the day she went back to work and how she overreacts to a domestic dispute. She seems preoccupied with the crying baby in the arms of the woman who is fighting with her boyfriend/spouse. This back and forth between the baby and the man shows how easily Ana becomes unhinged.

Sayid interjects with "who is that woman?" and the tension just gets a whole lot worse. Add a gun and it's a coin toss whether someone else is gonna die soon.

Sayid: "She only has her guilt and a gun"

This from a guy who know all about guilt. Ana decides that the solution to her problem is to live separate from all others.

Libby: "You can't live out her alone.
Ana: "I'm already alone."

How did she get that way? The answer is to come as we see that it was Ana who was shot, four times as a matter of fact, and the guy who did it has been arrested. Ana won't identify him and he's set free. Four is an interesting number as it can indicate spiritual wholeness, which for Ana was shattered by the shooting.

"it is strange that, in Japanese, the same word, shi, means both 'four' and 'death'" Penguin dictionary of symbols.

It's when everyone leaves and Ana is left with Sayid that we learn the truth of why she is they way she is now.

Ana: "You have any kids?"

Sayid and Ana speak and Sayid refers to the many men he has tortured, and how maybe she was the one meant to kill him. Ana continues on "I was a cop", and describes her torment. She went to a call and while her partner took one side she found the suspect. She believes what the suspect says about being a student and in a moment "pop" went her world, she thought she was dead.

Ana: "I feel dead"

Now we learn about vengeance. Ana is seen in a bar eyeballing the same Jason she wouldn't ID earlier. She follows him out of the bar and calls his name. He's drunk and without her uniform/mask he doesn't recognise her.

Ana: "I was pregnant"

At that she shoot him. We finally see Ana the one who was frantic about the kids in the tail section. She promised the girl she would get her home. She couldn't save her own child and on the island couldn't save the children from the tail section. She is destroyed by her act of vengeance and Sayid is right guilt is compounded by more guilt. She cuts Sayid free then drops the knife and gun. Sayid is given his chance to get a share of vengeance but he simply says:

Sayid: "What good would it be to kill you, if we're already dead?"

This isn't compassion but resignation from a someone who knows that to feel torment you have to be alive, conscious of the pain. With the death of Shannon, Sayid will get no satisfaction from swift vengeance and maybe that shows how far he has come or just how good a torturer he is.

Back at the Front section camp, we see a Jack who only knows that Shannon is dead and that is enough for him to pile the weapons on for a collision with fellow passengers divided by geography til now. One sentence changes Jack's view of the situation.

Mr. Eko: "Ana Lucia made a mistake"

Jack heads out to the place where Shannon fell to find Sayid carrying the one he loved and lost and Ana who can only stare at the man she met at the airport bar only days ago.

Just as all the passengers who we get to see the past of, Ana has a past that influences how she relates to others and how she acts on the island. None of the passengers are blank slates, but complicated people with circumstances that have gotten them to the island. Who is the blamless, best person? Can we only base our conclusions about any character upon only what they do on the island? I was reading in an article with Damon Lindeloff:

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051122/ENT/511220327/1005

'Lost' world created by diverse teamBy Dinah Eng Gannett News
November 22, 2005


"The show is called 'Lost' because all the characters are lost in their lives," says Damon Lindelof, co-creator and executive producer of the show. "We're really telling redemptive stories. We show character flaws in the past, and explore ways these people can evolve on the island and redeem themselves."

"One of the most important messages of the show is that we are interconnected, and our survival as a human race depends on our ability to trust each other. Despite the intensity and darkness of our storytelling, there's a hopeful message of optimism. We relish the opportunity to do that across the board with actors who come from different backgrounds and perspectives."


On Lost there are no pat answers, no perfect people, just human beings who are on an island that will either change their world for the better or worse. Each character has a chance to shine or burn. Ana is just beginning a new chapter and how it ends depends upon what she does.

I didn't go much into the rest of the episode but have to note that Jack does in fact remember exactly who Ana is. Mr. Eko is still a bit of an enigma. In a bittersweet conclusion to this week we get to see the reunion of Walt and Vincent, Bernard and Rose, and, Jin and Sun. They are home.

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