Lost 3.12: "Par Avion"

Written by Christina Kim and Jordan Rosenberg
Directed by Paul Edwards

In which Claire considers a possible way to contact the outside world, which puts Charlie in a difficult position when Desmond warns him off, while the search for the Other’s village continues…

Status Report

This is a transitional episode in the most literal sense of the term. The Rescue Squad is moving from point A to point B, setting the stage for the next major confrontation with the Others, giving everyone back on the beach more than enough time to spin their wheels and deal with some interpersonal issues. So why not revisit Charlie’s fate and the effect it has on his relationship with Claire?

Much like the previous episode, the point of the flashback is emotional context. Trying to draw too close a correlation between the flashback and the “present day” is an exercise in frustration. In her memory, Claire recalls the guilt and responsibility of her harsh words to her mother, just before a tragic and effectively fatal accident. This takes place over the course of years, and so it’s a part of who Claire is, right up to the crash of Oceanic 815. So when Claire realizes that Charlie could be dying soon, quite possibly for her benefit, she chooses not to leave things between them on a negative note.

Because the memories must focus on regret, it must hinge on Claire’s feelings of responsibility. One could interpret her choice of lifestyle at the time of the accident as indicative of a difficult time in her life. She could be searching for some sense of herself, rebelling against her mother as the solitary authority figure. Her eventual transformation into the clean-cut, blonde Claire is a step towards adjustment of her own life, an embracing of responsibility for her choices, some of which continue to be a work in progress.

The revelation about Jack’s father is somewhat muted by the fact that it was rather predictable. It also doesn’t seem to fit well into the emotional context of Claire’s memory. One is left to assume that Claire’s encounter with her true father sets her on the path towards greater responsibility, but the goals of the writing staff are all too plain. The flashback was used as a tool to appease fans with a straightforward answer. But it does play into Claire’s psychological issues, so it works generally on that level.

This plays into a certain stereotype of the “emo Goth” teen or 20-something, which is a bit unfortunate. Yet it seems to fit the circumstances well enough, and it reveals a side to Claire that matches her apparent interest in the unusual and metaphysical in “Raised by Another”. Certainly the look works for Emilie de Ravin. The black hair framed her face perfectly, setting off those gorgeous blue eyes and expressive mouth. It’s a look that actually works better for the actress than her more conventional look on the island.

It’s good to see Claire take a central role, because of all the main cast members from the first season, her character has been sidelined the most. If Aaron is important to the mythology as a whole, then Claire’s role should also be paramount. Why she’s only been the focus of three episodes is a travesty, and it’s surprising that Aaron has very little to do with it. It’s all about Charlie and her frustration with his inability to tell a straight story.

Now Claire knows the truth about Charlie and Desmond, and she’s smart enough to realize that she plays a role in that destiny. Desmond comes around to save Charlie when he’s about to do something important for Claire. If Claire does care about Charlie, despite their struggles over the past few months since the crash, then she must recognize that keeping him close is better than pushing him away. After all, Charlie is prone to grand gestures.

Claire’s plan for sending a message to the outside world seems like an obvious ploy, and one they should have explored previously, but the timing appears to be rather specific. Claire notes that the birds are migrating, which may not have been the case during quieter times earlier in the series’ timeline. And the writers do a capable job of explaining why the plan would occur to Claire.

Claire’s message goes a long way towards explaining why efforts to leave the island have been sparse of late. It’s easy to forget that the entire season has taken place in less than three months, and that a lot has happened. The JackLocke tribe has also dealt with issues in leadership, especially of late. None of the leaders that have emerged since the crash are currently among the survivors, so it makes sense that they would be less focused on the big picture and more intent on day-to-day considerations.

Most of that leadership is off in the Rescue Squad, where tensions are more focused by Mikhail’s presence. As suspected, Locke is following a personal agenda when it comes to dealing with the Others, which is a nice connection to his comment about motivations in “Tricia Tanaka is Dead”. Locke intentionally destroyed the Flame Station, and he happily uses Mikhail to test the effects of the electronic fence. It seems that Locke is back to preventing anyone from getting them off the island, and rescuing Jack is a convenient means of advancing that agenda.

It’s not particularly smart, however, and Sayid is not pleased with Locke’s faith-based agenda. Sayid is a lot more pragmatic than Locke, and that’s always been an issue between them. After all, Locke was more than happy to assault Sayid to keep him from finding the radio tower in “The Moth”, and things have gotten worse since then. Sayid, as the de facto “sheriff” of the JackLocke tribe, is rightfully more interested in rescuing their warrior chief and main doctor.

Locke should be rather worried about the reception to his latest vision quest. Sayid pulls a great deal of weight with the rest of the tribe, as does Kate. Both of them now have reason to question his motives, even as Desmond’s reluctant role as a prophet emerges back on the beach. Many people in the tribe have reason to question Locke’s judgment and honesty. After all, he may be the “shaman” or “high priest” among them, but that role is largely self-appointed.

Desmond, on the other hand, seems to have no ulterior motive in protecting Charlie and acting on his visions. He doesn’t need anyone else to follow his lead or elevate him to a leadership role. That may not be a matter of choice, and it could and should place him in conflict with Locke. If Locke gets in over his head, the rest of the tribe may turn to someone else to find a mystical solution.

This situation could tie into Charlie’s current crisis. Charlie was Locke’s early protégé. Locke insisted that he had the answer to Charlie’s flaws, but he was unable to follow through on the promise of a new way of life. Charlie fell into resentment for Locke, and now Desmond is actively looking after his best interests. Is Desmond, like Eko before him, becomes a challenge to Locke’s role in the tribe, how will Locke react?

It’s interesting to note that Mikhail continues to fit within the mold of the Others by using the psychological weaknesses of the JackLocke tribe members against them. It’s almost impossible to distinguish the truth from the lies. Sure, Mikhail mentioned the list of “good people” from much earlier in the series, but was his explanation honest? Perhaps the culture of the Others is some kind of “hostile Utopia”, where they adhere to the ideal of psychological and physical “perfection” while happily wiping out (or leaving for dead) those who don’t meet the ideal.

Whatever the case, this is a solid episode that advances a number of subplots while moving characters into position for another major confrontation with the Others. This moment of transition gives the writers the time needed to revisit Claire’s character, which has been a long time coming. Hopefully this is a sign that her character won’t be shoved into the background for another season.

Final Analysis

Overall, this episode is essentially a transitional piece, but one that manages to overcome that limitation by focusing on a character that desperately needed the attention. Some of the revelations in this episode were predictable, but even if the answers are expected, they remain answers. This was a good character piece that fits very well with the beach-centric tales since the end of the hiatus.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10

(Season Average: 7.4)