Orientation (Lost)

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“Orientation”
Lost (TV series) episode
Dr. Marvin Candle narrating the orientation film
Episode no.	Season 2 Episode 3
Guest stars	François Chau (Dr. Marvin Candle), Michael Lanzo (Waiter), Jeanne Rogers (Moderator), Roxanne Sarhangi (Francine), Katey Sagal (Helen), Curtis Jackson (Security Guard), Kevin Tighe (Cooper), Henry Ian Cusick (Desmond Hume)
Written by	Javier Grillo-Marxuach & Craig Wright
Directed by	Jack Bender
Production no.	203
Original airdate	October 5, 2005
Episode chronology
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"Adrift"	"Everybody Hates Hugo"
List of Lost episodes

"Orientation" is the 27th episode of Lost. It is the third episode of the show's second season. The episode was directed by Jack Bender, and written by Javier Grillo-Marxuach and Craig Wright. It first aired on October 5, 2005 on ABC. The character of John Locke is featured in the episode's flashback.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

[edit] Plot

On the beach, Michael and Sawyer discover Jin, being chased by five people whom Jin identifies as the Others. The three are knocked unconscious and dragged to a pit.

At the underground compound, the confrontation between Jack, Desmond, and Locke provides enough of a distraction for Kate to sneak behind Desmond, ending the standoff by striking him with the butt of a shotgun. Desmond fires his gun as he falls, damaging the computer. Desmond claims that everyone will die unless the computer is fixed, so Kate suggests that Sayid could repair the machine and goes to retrieve him using an alternate exit from the compound.

Desmond explains that three years earlier, his boat crashed on the island. He then met a man named "Kelvin", who enlisted his help in his sole duty: entering a code into the compound's computer and pressing the "execute" button every 108 minutes. Desmond claims that "the end of the world" will come if the button is not pressed.

He directs Jack and Locke to watch a film. This film describes a project called The Dharma Initiative, and explains that the viewers must enter a code into the computer every 108 minutes for the next 540 days, after which replacements will arrive. Jack believes that all this is just a social experiment, while Locke believes the film should be taken at its word.

Desmond attempts to power up the computer, without success. Desmond panics and hurriedly leaves.

Elsewhere, another prisoner is dropped into the pit where Sawyer, Michael and Jin are imprisoned. She introduces herself as Ana Lucia Cortez, another survivor of Oceanic Flight 815. Ana Lucia was in the rear section, which landed in a different area from the other survivors. Sawyer tells her that he plans to shoot the guard the next time he appears. Ana Lucia suddenly grabs Sawyer's gun and calls for the guard, and it dawns on the prisoners that she has deceived them.

In flashbacks, Locke is participating in a support group, where he emotionally recounts the deception perpetrated by his father. Afterwards, another group member approaches him in sympathy. The member's name is Helen, however, her voice indicates that she is a different Helen from the one Locke is seen talking to over the phone in the episode Walkabout.

Later, it is shown that the two have become romantically involved. After spending the night together, Helen wakes up to find Locke getting dressed, claiming he is uncomfortable sleeping in an unfamiliar bed. He goes out to sit in his car outside his father's estate. His father confronts him, saying he knows that Locke has been stalking him, and tells him that he's not wanted.

For their six-month anniversary, Helen gives Locke a present: her house key, under the condition that he stop going to his father's house. Locke agrees, but is unable to keep his word. Helen eventually follows and confronts him. She says he is afraid of moving past what his father has done, and of moving forward with her. She tells him it is meant to be difficult, because what she is asking from him is a leap of faith.

At the facility, Sayid successfully repairs the computer. Locke tells Jack he should be the one to hit the button, but Jack refuses. As the alarms sound, Locke asks Jack why it is so hard to believe, and Jack responds by asking why Locke finds it so easy. Locke tells him it was never easy, but that Jack needs to make a leap of faith of his own. With only one second to spare, Jack presses the button, and the clock resets.

[edit] Trivia

According to the official Lost podcast, Dr. Marvin Candle, of the Orientation film, has a prosthetic left arm.

Lost
Production:	DVD releases \| Episode list \| Season 1 \| Season 2 \| Season 3 \| Soundtrack
Main characters:	Ana Lucia \| Ben \| Boone \| Charlie \| Claire \| Desmond \| Hurley \| Jack \| Jin \| Juliet \| Kate Libby \| Locke \| Michael \| Mr. Eko \| Nikki \| Paulo \| Sawyer \| Sayid \| Shannon \| Sun \| Walt
Supporting characters:	Alex \| Bernard \| Christian \| Cindy \| Ethan \| The Others \| Pickett \| Rose \| Rousseau \| Tom
Organizations:	DHARMA Initiative \| Hanso Foundation \| Oceanic Airlines
Elements:	Crossover list \| DHARMA Initiative stations \| Flight 815 \| Mythology \| Thematic motifs
Miscellaneous:	Gary Troup \| In popular culture \| Lost Experience \| Rachel Blake \| Video game