Lost/Confidence Man

Confidence Man
Season 1, Episode 8
Airdate	November 10, 2004
Production Number	107
Written by	Damon Lindelof
Directed by	Tucker Gates
← 1x07 The Moth	1x09 → Solitary
Lost — Season One

Confidence Man is the eighth episode of the first season of Lost, and is the eighth episode overall.

The onset of an asthma attack threatens Shannon's life, and the only man who can help her is Sawyer, whom Boone believes stole her inhalers from the fuselage. When Sawyer refuses to help, Jack must decide whether to resort to violence to retrieve the medicine. Sayid is forced into a similar decision when Locke becomes the prime suspect in the attack that destroyed his radio equipment.

Starring: Naveen Andrews (Sayid), Emilie de Ravin (Claire), Matthew Fox (Jack), Jorge Garcia (Hurley), Maggie Grace (Shannon), Josh Holloway (Sawyer), Malcolm David Kelley (Walt), Daniel Dae Kim (Jin), Yunjin Kim (Sun), Evangeline Lilly (Kate), Dominic Monaghan (Charlie), Terry O'Quinn (Locke), Harold Perrineau, Jr. (Michael), Ian Somerhalder (Boone).

Guest Starring: Kristin Richardson (Jessica), Michael DeLuise (David).

Co-Starring: Billy Mayo (Kilo), Jim Woitas (Boy).

Plot Overview

The Island

• Jack treats Sayid's wound from his attack. He tells Jack how they were trying to locate the source of the distress call, but he was hit from behind and his equipment was destroyed. Jack assures him they'll figure it out, but Sayid tells him he'll do whatever he needs to find the man responsible. Sayid questions Locke about his whereabouts when he was attacked. Locke tells him the only witness was the boar he was skinning and suggests that Sawyer was the attacker. He gives Sayid his knife, "just in case there's a next time".
• At the beach, Charlie tries to convince Claire to move to the caves, but Claire tells him she likes the beach and wants to be there for when they get rescued. He tells her that if he can get her peanut butter, then she has to leave the beach and come to the caves. Charlie questions Hurley about the possibility of him having or knowing where to get any peanut butter, but Hurley doesn't have any food. Charlie eventually brings Claire imaginary peanut butter that they both share.
• Boone arrives at the caves, his face bloodied by Sawyer, and tells Jack that Shannon has asthma. Her inhaler ran out several days ago, but he packed refills in his suitcase and believes that Sawyer now has them as he was reading a book that was in Boone's luggage. Jack confronts Sawyer about Shannon's inhalers, and Sawyer tells him he attacked Boone because he was a thief going through his stuff. Kate asks Sawyer what he wants for the inhalers. He wants a kiss from her. Kate tells him he doesn't believe his act and Sawyer gives her his letter and makes her read it. Shannon has an asthma attack. Jack is able to talk her through it, but the attack cements his decision to get the inhalers from Sawyer by force. Sayid volunteers to get Sawyer to talk and knocks him out. He and Jack drag Sawyer into the jungle, tie him to a tree, and Sayid tortures him. Sawyer finally agrees to give up the inhalers, but he'll only tell Kate and only for a kiss. Once he gets his kiss he reveals that he never had Shannon's inhalers and that he found Boone's book washed up on the shore. Sayid doesn't believe Sawyer and thinks he was the only who attacked him, and goes after Sawyer. Sawyer is able to free himself from his bindings and the two struggle, but Sawyer is stabbed in the arm with Locke's knife, hitting an artery. Jack is able to save Sawyer's life. Sun tells Michael she may be able to help Shannon and the two collect eucalyptus leaves. She's able to make a mixture which helps alleviate Shannon's asthma.
• Sawyer reveals to Kate the story behind his letter.
• Sayid tells Kate he has to leave, that someone has to walk the shore and map the island, and sets off along the beach.

The Flashback

• Flashback: Sawyer

Sawyer's in bed with a woman, Jess. She asks about a meeting he's supposed to be at and Sawyer notices that he's late for it. As he rushes to get ready, his suitcase opens and a large quantity of money spills out. Sawyer tells her that it's everything he has, $140,000. There's an oil mining operation in the Gulf of Mexico and $300,000 buys one share, but as soon as you invest a government sponsored fun kicks in and triples your money in two weeks. He tells her that he has a meeting with an investor for the remaining sum he needs, but Jess tells him there's another option - her husband. Sawyer meets in a restaurant with Jess and her husband, David. Sawyer tells David that he understands he's reluctant and that he doesn't know him well, but he knows Jess as they work together at the auto dealership. Jess prods her husband to go through with the deal, and Sawyer lets David take home his $140,000 for the night to feel secure. Later, Sawyer shows up at a pool hall to talk with a man. The man tells Sawyer he has until noon tomorow to come up with the $160,000 he gave Sawyer, plus 50% or he'll make Sawyer suffer. The next day Sawyer shows up at David and Jess' house and gets the $160,000 from them. But as Sawyer finishes the transaction, David and Jess' young son comes into the room. At this sight Sawyer tells them the deal's off. David tries to stop him, but Sawyer leaves the money behind and walks out.

Notes

Mysteries

• Who is the real Sawyer?

Answers

• The piece of paper Sawyer was reading was a letter he had written as a boy to the real Sawyer. (1x02 - Pilot (2))

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Sayid believes Sawyer was the one who attacked him.
• Jack saves Sawyer's life.
• Sayid decides to leave the survivors.

Characters

• Charlie and Claire's relationship grows closer.

Trivia

Behind the Scenes

• The Letter: For the Pilot, Josh Holloway was told the letter his character was reading was essentially a suicide letter.
• Nielsen Ratings: On its original airing this episode scored 18.21 million viewers for ABC, being the highest rated show of the night among TV networks.

Quotes

• Jack: You think you can just take something out of a suitcase and that makes it yours?
  Sawyer: Look. I don't know what kind of commie share-fest you're running over in Cave Town, but down here, possession's nine-tenths. And a man's got a right to protect his property.
  Jack: Get up.
  Sawyer: Why? You wanna see who's taller?
  Jack: Get up!
  Sawyer: You sure you wanna make this your problem, doc?
  Jack: Oh, yeah. I'm sure.
• Jack: I'm gonna kill him.
  Kate: That's not gonna help us get the medicine.
  Jack: Maybe not, but it'll feel good.
• Kate: What do you want?
  Sawyer: Excuse me?
  Kate: What do you want, Sawyer?
  Sawyer: Freckles, I got so many answers to that question, I wouldn't even know where to start.
• Sawyer's letter: Dear Mr. Sawyer, you don't know who I am, but I know who you are, and I know what you've done. You had sex with my mother, and then you stole my dad's money all away. So he got angry, and he killed my mother. And then he killed himself too. All I know is your name. But one of these days I'll find you and give you this letter, so you'll remember what you done to me. You killed my parents, Mr. Sawyer.
• Sayid: Locke. Where were you last night, around sunset?
  Locke: Well, I'm afraid the only witness to my whereabouts is the boar that I was skinning for our dinner.
• Claire: Is food the only thing that you miss?
  Charlie: You're pregnant. I mean, do you not crave anything? Pickles? Fried ice cream? Chocolate...
  Claire: Peanut butter. I'm the only Australian who loves peanut butter.
  Charlie: I can get you peanut butter.
  Claire: Yeah. Sure you can.
  Charlie: Yes, I can. And when I get you peanut butter, you'll have to vacate this sandy shore of depression and move to the caves. Deal?
  Claire: Deal.
• Charlie: All I need's a bag of peanuts.
  Hurley: I have no food, all right? And for the record, I'm down a notch on my belt.
  Charlie: Oh!
  Hurley: I'm a big guy. It's going to be a while before you're gonna wanna give me a piggyback ride, okay?
  Charlie: Sorry. Sorry. That was bad form.
  Hurley: Yeah. I'm used to it.
  Charlie: So... there's not even a bag of...
  Hurley: Dude...!
  Charlie: Okay. All right. I'm sorry.
• Sawyer: Let go. I know you want to.
  Jack: Shut up, and stop moving.
  Sawyer: You've been waiting for this, haven't you? You get to be a hero again, because that's what you do. You fix everything up all nice. Tell him to let go, Freckles. We already made out. What else have I got to live for? Hey, Jack, there's something you should know. If the tables were turned... I'd watch you die.
• Kate: This letter wasn't written to you. You wrote this letter. Your name's not Sawyer, is it?

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