The Variable
From LOST
| The Variable | ||||
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| Season | 5 | |||
| Episode | 14 | |||
| Air Date | April 29, 2009 | |||
| Writer(s) | Edward Kitsis Adam Horowitz | |||
| Director | Paul Edwards | |||
| Flashback | Daniel Faraday | |||
| Prev: Some Like It Hoth Next: Follow The Leader | ||||
Upon returning to the island, Daniel Faraday begins a quest to prevent the very disaster that led the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815's ongoing peril. Elsewhere, Sawyer and the other survivors reach a breaking point in their hidden positions within the DHARMA Initiative.
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[edit] Summary
In 1977, following the events of the previous episode, "Some Like It Hoth", Daniel Faraday (Jeremy Davies) has returned to the island, having spent three years in Ann Arbor, Michigan conducting research for the DHARMA Initiative. He has returned because Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox), Kate Austen (Evangeline Lilly) and Hugo "Hurley" Reyes (Jorge Garcia) have managed to travel back in time and join DHARMA. After learning from Jack that they were sent to island by Daniel's mother, Eloise Hawking (Fionnula Flanagan), Daniel visits Dr. Pierre Chang (François Chau) at the Orchid Station and warns him of a catastrophic event that is to occur at the Swan Station later in the day. Dr. Chang does not believe Daniel when he says that he is from the future, and Miles Straume (Ken Leung) does not confirm Dan's story.
Later at the Barracks, James "Sawyer" Ford (Josh Holloway), Juliet Burke (Elizabeth Mitchell), Jin-Soo Kwon (Daniel Dae Kim), Hurley and Miles decide that they will return to the survivors' beach, abandoning DHARMA. Kate, Jack and Daniel, however, decide to visit the island's native population, among whom is Eloise, and warn them of the impending disaster. They arouse suspicion from DHARMA's head of research, Stuart Radzinsky (Eric Lange), while trying to steal weapons, and a gun fight ensues. The three are able to escape, however, and Radzinksy brings his team to Sawyer and Juliet's house, where they find Phil (Patrick Fischler) bound and imprisoned in a closet. Meanwhile, Dan explains to Jack and Kate that he intends to detonate the hydrogen bomb (from the episode "Jughead") in order to prevent the construction of the Swan Station, which in turn will ensure that Oceanic Flight 815 never crashes on the island. Daniel enters the Others' camp with his gun drawn and demands to speak to Eloise, who shoots Daniel in the back. Before Daniel dies, he tells her that he is her son.
In flashbacks, Daniel's relationship with his parents, Eloise Hawking and Charles Widmore (Alan Dale), is shown. At a young age, Daniel is told by Eloise that his scientific mind is a special gift, and that his destiny relies on this. After Daniel graduates from Oxford University, Eloise gives him a journal as a gift and again reminds him of his destiny. Meanwhile, Daniel has received a research grant from Widmore, who Daniel does not know is his father. Years later, following the crash of Flight 815, Daniel has suffered severe psychological effects from performing experiments on himself and now lives with a caretaker. Widmore visits Daniel and tells him that he faked the wreckage of Flight 815 found in the Sunda Trench and that the plane actually crashed on the island. Charles invites Daniel to go to the island, which Charles claims will cure his psychological problems. Eloise later visits Daniel and further encourages him to go to the island, despite knowing that it means she will end up killing him in 1977.
In 2007, following the events of "Dead is Dead", Desmond Hume (Henry Ian Cusick) is brought to a hospital, having been shot by Benjamin Linus (Michael Emerson). While waiting, his wife Penny Widmore (Sonya Walger), is visited by Eloise, who apologizes for involving Desmond in everything that has happened. Penny later visits Desmond, who is expected to make a full recovery. Charles, who is also Penny's father, speaks with Eloise outside the hospital, but does not visit with his daughter.
[edit] Memorable Quotes
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"Any one of us can die."
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[edit] Background Information
[edit] Dramatis Personae
[edit] Guest Starring
- Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert
- Alan Dale as Charles Widmore
- Alice Evans as Middle-aged Eloise Hawking
- Sarah Farooqui as Theresa Spencer
- Patrick Fischler as Phil
- Fionnula Flanagan as Older Eloise Hawking
- Eric Lange as Stuart Radzinsky
- Sonya Walger as Penny Widmore
[edit] Co-Starring
- Spencer Allyn as Young Daniel Faraday
- Brad Berryhill as Eric
- Todd Coolidge as Paramedic
- Marvin DeFreitas as Charlie Hume
- Michael Dempsey as Tony
- Ariston Green as Workman
- Maya Henssens as Young Charlotte Lewis
- Wendy Pearson as ER Doctor
- Peggy Anne Siegmund as Caretaker
- Jennifer Sojot as ER Nurse
