Lost/S.O.S.

S.O.S.
Season 2, Episode 19
Airdate	April 12, 2006
Production Number	219
Written by	Steve Maeda & Leonard Dick
Directed by	Eric Laneuville
← 2x18 Dave	2x20 → Two for the Road
Lost — Season Two

S.O.S. is the nineteenth episode of the second season, and the forty-fourth episode overall.

Rose is surprisingly and vehemently opposed to Bernard's plan to create an S.O.S. signal; romantic sparks are rekindled between Jack and Kate when they trek into the jungle to propose a "trade" with "The Others"; and Locke begins to question his faith in the island.

Starring: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Mr. Eko), Naveen Andrews (Sayid), Emilie de Ravin (Claire), Matthew Fox (Jack), Jorge Garcia (Hurley), Josh Holloway (Sawyer), Daniel Dae Kim (Jin), Yunjin Kim (Sun), Evangeline Lilly (Kate), Dominic Monaghan (Charlie), Terry O'Quinn (John), Harold Perrineau, Jr. (Michael), Michelle Rodriguez (Ana-Lucia), Cynthia Watros (Libby).

Guest Starring: L. Scott Caldwell (Rose), Sam Anderson (Bernard), Wayne Pygram (Isaac), Michael Emerson (Henry Gale).

Co-Starring: Donna Smallwood (Aussie Woman).

Plot Overview

The Island

• On the beach, Rose and Bernard are sorting and shelving the DHARMA-branded food. Bernard tells her that he spent 7 weeks on the other side of the island trying to stay alive so he could get back to her and, now that he's here, he's discovered that the other survivors have given up on getting rescued. Bernard gathers a group of survivors including Hurley, Libby, Claire, Jin, and Sun; and tells them they're going to build a massive sign along the beach so if a plane flies over they'll know they're on the island. Aside from the other castaways, Rose tells Bernard that the only thing he's doing is giving them false hope. Bernard later returns to the site for the sign with some rocks, but finds the group is much smaller as people have left. He tells the remaining people that they'll need to carry rocks from a lava field a half mile inland while he sketches out the letters in the sand. Hurley and Jin are both unhappy about this arrangement, but Bernard blows off their concerns. Eventually Jin brings some of the rocks to the beach and begins placing them down, but Bernard tells him he's doing it all wrong and argues with him. Jin eventually gets fed up with Bernard and leaves. Later, Rose brings Bernard some supper and finds that everyone has left except for Bernard. She apologizes to Bernard and tells him that Isaac never healed her in Australia, she lied to him about it, but after the crash she couldn't feel it anymore. She believes the island has healed her. Bernard realizes that she doesn't want to be rescued as she thinks it'll come back if she leaves. He tells her they won't ever leave.
• Bernard approaches Eko and Charlie to ask them for help with his sign, but both Eko and Charlie decline to help Bernard. He asks if he can grab some of the logs Eko cut down, but Eko tells Bernard he's using them and Charlie adds that they're building a church. Bernard is amazed, believing they're wasting their time on a church while he's trying to get them saved, and leaves.
• Inside the Swan's geodesic dome, Locke is sitting at the computer trying to draw the blast door diagram from memory but only getting frustrated by his attempts. The timer alarm goes off, but Locke ignores it until Jack steps in to ask if he's going to get it. After Locke presses the button, Jack checks in with Ana Lucia on fake Henry Gale's condition as he has apparently been on a hunger strike for the past two days. Going inside the armory to treat fake Henry's wound from Rousseau's crossbow, Jack tells him that he's going to trade him back to the Others for Walt. But Henry breaks his silence and tells Jack that they'll never give him Walt. Locking Henry back inside the armory, Jack informs Ana-Lucia of his plan and she gives him a gun. After Jack leaves, Locke wants to talk to Henry Gale, but Ana-Lucia tells him he can't go in because they don't have the gun. Locke tries to ask Henry through the armory door if he pushed the button, but Henry refuses to answer and only smiles to himself.
• Locke decides to leave the Swan on his crutches and sits down on the beach to watch the ocean. Rose joins him and Locke tells her that he's done with the hatch. She tells him he's just frustrated and will be out of his splint and running around the island in no time. Locke replies that Jack said it'd be at least four weeks, but Rose tells him they both know it's not going to take that long. Locke returns to the Swan and Ana-Lucia tells him he pushed his button while he was gone. Telling her it's not his button, he sits back down at the computer and starts drawing the diagram again with renewed vigor.
• Along the shore, Jack finds Kate prying open shellfish and Sawyer hovering around her. He tells her that he's going into the jungle to have a talk with their friend with the beard - Mr. Friendly. Sawyer assumes Jack is inviting him along because he needs a gun, but Jack lets him know he's inviting Kate and already has a gun. The two start their trek through the jungle and Kate tells Jack she's flattered he chose her over Sawyer. But Jack tells her he asked Sayid first but he turned him down, and he only asked her because they didn't want her: they caught her and could've kept her but didn't. As they continue walking, Kate notices a doll on the jungle floor and reaches for it. Jack tries to stop her, but a trap is sprung and the two are caught in a net. Kate is able to retrieve Jack's gun and tries to shoot the rope, but misses. Jack gets the gun, takes a shot, hits the rope, and frees them. As they continue onward, Kate tells Jack that when she and Claire went into the jungle they found another hatch - a medical station - and was going to tell him when he decided to let her back in the club. They reach the clearing where Mr. Friendly spoke with them and Jack begins yelling for them to come out. They wait at the clearing into the night when, out of the jungle, Michael appears and falls at their feet.

The Flashback

• Flashback: Rose and Bernard

On a city street in the winter, Rose is in her car trying to free it from a snow drift. On the sidewalk, Bernard tells her to just tap the gas lightly as she’s just digging herself in. Rose rolls down her car window and tells him she knows what she’s doing and he should step back. Rose keeps gunning the engine, getting nowhere, and decides to call AAA. Bernard tells her can get her out and gets behind her car to push it. Talking her through it, he’s able to help her get the car out, but falls down on his face. After thanking Bernard, the two introduce themselves and he leaves to get in his own car. Before he can leave, Rose asks him if she could buy him a cup of coffee and Bernard accepts her invitation.

Five months later, Rose and Bernard are at a restaurant overlooking the Niagara Falls. He gets down on one knee and proposes to Rose. Rather than give an answer, Rose tells him that she's sick and dying. She's been in remission for a couple of years but now it's come back and not going away, and her doctor says she has at least a year left. Unfazed, Bernard tells her she hasn't answered his question. Rose tells him "yes".

For their honeymoon, Bernard and Rose are in Australia. Bernard is driving them near Ayers Rock and Rose believes he's lost. They finally arrive at a small settlement in the middle of nowhere. Bernard finally reveals to Rose that he brought her to this place so she can meet Isaac of Uluru. He's a healer who has helped hundreds of people and Bernard has made a 10,000 dollar donation just to get Rose in to see him. Rose is very upset at Bernard for bringing her to see a faith healer as she's made her peace, but Bernard tells her he hasn't and asks her to try for him.

At the clinic, Rose is led into a room filled with crutches hanging from the ceiling and a wall covered in thank you notes and letters to Isaac. Isaac enters and asks Rose to take a seat. He tells her that there are certain spots on the Earth with great energy, like the one they're above. He isn't sure what this energy is, possibly geological or magnetic or something else, but it's possible for him to harness this energy and give it to others. Isaac attempts to heal her, but stops and tells her he can't do anything for her. Isaac informs her it's not that she can't be healed, but rather they aren't at the right place for her. He offers to return Bernard's donation, but Rose tells him not to. She's going to tell Bernard that she’s been fixed.

At the Sydney airport, Rose and Bernard are waiting to board Oceanic flight 815. Bernard gets up to go somewhere and leaves Rose seated at the terminal. Rose goes through her purse to get her medication, but one of the bottles falls out and rolls along the floor. The bottle comes to a stop by Locke's wheelchair. He picks it up and hands it back to Rose, and she thanks him for his help. Locke tells her she's welcome and leaves.

Notes

Mysteries

• Is Rose really healed?
• What happened to Michael?
• Why didn't the Others show themselves?

Answers

• Eko is building a church, now with Charlie's help. (2x18 - Dave)

The Cursed Numbers

• Bernard had 15 people willing to work on the sign and it eventually dwindled down to 4 before losing them alltogether.
• Locke told Rose that, according to Jack, his leg would take at least 4 weeks to heal.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Kate tells Jack about the Staff and how she found the costumes and fake beard.
• Locke is trying to draw the diagram from the blast door map.
• Michael is found by Jack and Kate.

Characters

• Rose: Knew about Locke being confined to a wheelchair before the crash. Believes the island has healed her.
• Henry Gale: Continues to play mind games with Locke regarding the button.

Referbacks

• 2x09 - What Kate Did: Kate apologizes for kissing Jack, but Jack tells her he's not sorry.
• 2x11 - The Hunting Party: Jack and Kate return to the place where Mr. Friendly talked to them.

Trivia

The Show

• Uluru Who?: Uluru is the Aboriginal name for Ayers Rock in Australia.

Behind the Scenes

• Awards: For his role as Henry Gale in this episode, Michael Emerson was nominated for an IVy Award for the 2005-06 season for Best Guest Actor or Actress in a Drama Series.
• Snow: According to the March 11, 2007 Official Lost Podcast, the snow used in Bernard and Rose's flashback was shaved iced. About ten to twelve dump trucks worth of shaved iced were brought from a company specializing in servicing refrigeration ships and dumped on a street in Honolulu.
• Piling Rocks: Daniel Dae Kim said that, when Jin got tired of Bernard and left him on the beach to pile the rocks by himself, the scene was supposed to end right there. However, the director never yelled, "CUT!" So Sam Anderson kept piling the rocks for "literally 15-20 minutes by himself." The entire cast and crew left the beach for the woods to see if Sam would keep piling rocks or do whatever, but Sam kept piling rocks until everyone started laughing and the director finally yelled, "CUT!"
• Missing in Action: Even though he is credited and referenced to by Jack, Sayid does not appear in this episode.
• Location, Location, Location: The restaurant overlooking Niagara Falls was filmed at Michel's at the Colony Surf in Honolulu. Isaac of Uluru's complex in Australia was filmed in and around Waialua on Oahu.
• In Real Life: The character of Rose and the events in this episode loosely mirrored L. Scott Caldwell's personal life. In Lost, Rose was dying from cancer but believes the island has healed her. In real life, L. Scott Caldwell's husband died from an advanced form of cancer a year after they married, during the pilot episode.

Allusions and References

• Norma Rae: When Bernard is trying to enlist Sawyer's help, Sawyer asks him if he's having union trouble at the sand factory and refers to him as "Norma Rae." Norma Rae is a 1979 film which tells the story of a woman who becomes involved in the labor union activities at the textile factory where she works.

Quotes

• Eko: We're using them.
  Bernard: For what, exactly?
  Charlie: A church.
  Bernard: A church?
  Eko: Yes.
  Bernard: Everybody on this island is building something. I'm trying to get us saved.
  Eko: People are saved in different ways, Bernard.
  Bernard: I think I liked you better when you just hit people with your stick. [leaves]
  Charlie: I like you just the way you are.