Every Man for Himself (Lost)

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"Every Man for Himself" is the fourth episode of the third season of Lost. It aired on October 25, 2006, making it the 51st episode of the series. The episode was written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and directed by Stephen Williams. The character of James "Sawyer" Ford is featured in the episode's flashbacks. When the episode first aired, it was watched by 17.087 million American viewers.^[1]

Plot

Flashbacks

Sawyer is in prison, trying to befriend Munson, a man who has hidden ten million dollars. He warns Munson that the warden is trying to con him out of his money. Eventually, Munson, worried that his wife will find where he has hidden the money, enlists Sawyer's help in moving the stash. Sawyer then reveals this information to the warden, in exchange for a reduced sentence and a part of the money, which he puts in a bank account for Clementine Phillips, a baby that Cassidy has told him is his daughter. The warden sarcastically congratulates Sawyer on lying and cheating his way out of prison.

With the Others

Juliet again speaking to Jack, when he questions the Others' hierarchy; Juliet insists that she does not take orders from Ben, but Ben quickly interrupts the conversation and calls Juliet away. Outside, Kate and Sawyer watch as the Others carry a critically injured Colleen, who was shot by Sun the night before. Sawyer realizes that the injury was inflicted by someone back at camp. Sawyer then devises a plan to break out from the cage; he uses the water dispenser to form a puddle just outside the cage door, and intends to electrocute an off-guard Pickett. However, Ben overhears him via surveillance and switches off the electricity prior to visiting him. When Sawyer attempts to carry out his plan, Ben knocks him unconscious and has him carried into the Hydra station.

Sawyer wakes up to find himself strapped to a table, where Ben, Tom and two other Others watch over him. Sawyer is gagged before one of the Others plunges a large hypodermic needle into Sawyer's chest via the sternum. Back in his holding cell, Jack hears Sawyer's screams via the intercom. Sawyer awakens once again, and notices a patch on his chest. Ben enters, carrying a rabbit in a cage; he shakes the cage vigorously, causing the rabbit to suddenly collapse, presumably dead. Ben informs Sawyer that they fitted him with a pacemaker; should his heart rate reach 140, his heart would explode. Ben threatens to implant one in Kate if Sawyer should tell her of his ordeal. Tom brings extra clothes to Kate and while she is changing, Sawyer's heartbeat increases, and Kate turns to ask what is that. Sawyer claims it is nothing and pours water on his head that was given to him to wash himself so he can calm down. Meanwhile, Juliet returns to Jack and begs him to help operate on Colleen. He is hooded and escorted outside; a loud alarm noise prevents Jack from hearing Kate or Sawyer screaming "JACK!" and "DOC!".

Upon arriving at the operating theatre, Ben scolds Juliet for bringing Jack, but she reminds him that he is a doctor. Jack notices some x-rays, but Juliet informs him that they are not Colleen's. As Danny is escorted out of the room, Jack and Juliet resume the surgery. Juliet admits to Jack that she is merely a fertility doctor, but still takes orders from him. Colleen goes into cardiac arrest, but the defibrillator is broken; Jack tries administrating CPR, but eventually pronounces her dead. Danny, aware that the Oceanic Flight 815 survivors are responsible, takes his anger out on Sawyer, who refrains from fighting back. Kate pleads with him to stop; Danny ceases his rash actions only after Kate admits to loving Sawyer. Jack is left cuffed to the table; when Juliet enters, Jack informs her that there was nothing they could do to save Colleen. He then asks about the x-rays, which he knows belongs to a forty year-old man with a spinal tumor. Jack asks who he's there to save.

Kate notices a gap in her cage, and manages to climb through. She tries to free Sawyer, but he bitterly refuses. Kate returns to her cage, insisting that she won't abandon him, and tells Sawyer that she lied about loving him so that Danny would stop hurting him. The next day, Ben takes Sawyer for a walk to high ground. Sawyer learns that he has no pacemaker; it was merely a con to prevent Sawyer from leaving, and shows him the same rabbit from the day before. It had merely been sedated, not killed. Ben reveals to Sawyer that they are on a completely different island, one that is approximately twice the size of Alcatraz and overlooks the main island; escape is impossible. Upon asking why he was conned, Ben tells Sawyer that in order to gain a con artist's respect, they must be conned themselves.

At the beach

The episode begins with Desmond offering to fix Claire's roof, but is interrupted by Charlie.

Desmond seems eager to move Claire and Aaron out of their hut by offering to repair their roof. After they refuse, he builds a lightning rod next to their hut with the help of Paulo's golf club. Desmond tells Hurley to watch, suggesting that something will happen. The next moment a storm brews, waking up Claire's baby, then lightning strikes the golf club instead of Claire's hut. Yet again, it seems Desmond had a glimpse into the future.

Awards

Michael Emerson and Josh Holloway submitted this episode for consideration on their own behalf respectively in the category of "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series" at the 2007 Emmy Awards.^[2]

References