The Brig

"The Brig" is the nineteenth episode of the third season of Lost. It aired on May 2, 2007, making it the 66th episode of the series. The episode was written by Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse and directed by Eric Laneuville. The character of John Locke was featured in the episode's flashbacks, focusing on his time with The Others.

[edit] Plot

Kate wakes up during the night next to Sawyer, and after they briefly talk she leaves. Sawyer steps outside to relieve himself and spots Hurley and Jin standing outside a tent. After a quick conversation with them, Sawyer heads into the jungle, where he is confronted by Locke. Locke tells him that he has infiltrated the Others' camp and has taken Ben hostage, and needs Sawyer to kill him. Sawyer questions why Locke would come to him, and Locke explains that, thanks to the files the Others have on all of the Flight 815 survivors, he knows that Sawyer killed a man in Sydney. Locke turns and leaves, and Sawyer reluctantly follows.

The next morning, Charlie encounters Jack when he goes into the kitchen tent to retrieve some food for Naomi, whose presence in the camp remains unknown to all except Charlie, Hurley, Jin and Desmond. Then Jack asks should there be another camping trip or expedition, he is to follow, clearly wanting to resume his "leadership" role and take part in anything. Back in the tent, as Jin gives Naomi the food while Desmond questions whether Jack's loyalties lie with the survivors or with the Others, namely Juliet. Because Naomi still needs medical attention, the four men decide to let Sayid in on their secret.

As Locke and Sawyer trek through the jungle, Locke proceeds to reel off certain points of Sawyer's life, provoking Sawyer to attack him. Locke then reveals that he cannot bring himself to kill Ben. The two continue their walk. They eventually find themselves at the Black Rock, the derelict slave ship. Locke leads Sawyer inside and takes him to the brig of the ship, where a man is chained, gagged and hooded. Locke locks Sawyer in the brig with the prisoner.

On the beach, Sayid tells Charlie he admires his decision not to tell Jack about Naomi. Once inside, Naomi explains that she was hired by Penny Widmore, whom she is yet to meet, to search for Desmond. She also repeats that the wreckage of Flight 815 was found off the shore of Bali, four miles underwater, and all passengers on board were dead. While searching for Desmond, she received coordinates which took her to the middle of the ocean. However, on her return to the search vessel, the island mysteriously appeared out of nowhere, and her helicopter lost power as she managed to jettison. Sayid doubts her story and asks for the whereabouts of her helicopter. Naomi, apparently offended, shows Sayid her satellite phone and quips that she will not rescue him.

Inside the Black Rock, Rousseau enters and is surprised to see Locke. She takes a crate of dynamite and then leaves. Still in the brig, Sawyer begins to lose patience with the prisoner. He removes the hood, only to find that it is not Ben - it's Anthony Cooper. Both are equally confused, but Cooper explains that he was involved in a car collision and the last thing he remembers is being lifted into the ambulance as the paramedics placed an I.V. in him. He has concluded that they're in Hell. He then goes on to explain how he conned Locke out of a kidney. Suspicious, Sawyer asks the prisoner for his name. Cooper tells him, but admits that the name Anthony Cooper is just an alias, and among other names, Tom Sawyer is another he used. Sawyer finally realizes that Cooper is the "Sawyer" that he has been seeking throughout his life, the man responsible for his parents' deaths (in Jasper, Alabama, apparently Sawyer's hometown). Sawyer orders Cooper to read the letter he wrote as a young boy, but Cooper mocks him and tears the letter in two. Sawyer, enraged, chokes Cooper to death with his chains. Sawyer finally, after many years, reverts back to James. Locke frees him and, once outside, he tells Sawyer about Juliet's purpose for being among the survivors, and gives him her tape recorder as evidence to present to the other survivors.

Anthony Cooper is dead

Back on the beach, Sayid and Hurley try to fix Naomi's radio, the technology of which appears to be slightly more advanced than what Sayid has seen. He manages to fix it, but the static that's picked up attracts a curious Kate. At first, Sayid is reluctant, but seeing no other choice, he tells Kate about Naomi, and asks her not to tell Jack. Despite this, Kate heads straight for Jack and asks to speak privately. Jack, however, demands that whatever she has to say can be said in front of Juliet, with whom he was speaking. Kate tells them about Naomi and that no one on the beach trusts him anymore. Jack and Juliet then debate whether or not to tell Kate something. Juliet wants to, but Jack replies, "Not yet."

Flashbacks show the past eight days from Locke's perspective. Locke asks Ben and Tom why his father is on the island and, when he ungags him, Cooper viciously bites him. As they leave, Ben invites Locke to join them as they prepare to abandon their living quarters, and Locke accepts. A few days later, Locke and the rest of the Others set up camp in a clearing in the middle of the jungle. As Locke helps Cindy put up her tent, she tells that the Others are excited that he's here with them. Ben then summons Locke and tells him that he needs to kill Cooper in order to become one of them. That night, however, Locke is unable to bring himself to do this. The next morning, he is confronted by Richard, who explains that Ben knew he wouldn't do it and intended to embarrass him. He then shows him Sawyer's file and suggests that Locke persuade him to kill Cooper instead. The next day, Locke wakes to find that the Others have packed up and are ready to move on. The Others abandon him as Ben warns Locke not to follow until he kills his father and brings his corpse back to the Others.

As the episode ends, Locke throws his sacked father's corpse over his shoulder and heads into the jungle.

[edit] Awards

Kevin Tighe submitted this episode for consideration in the category of "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series" on his behalf for the 2007 Emmy Awards.^[1]

[edit] References

^ 2007 Emmys CONFIRMED Episode Submissions. The Envelope Forum, Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.

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