(S03E04) This was an interesting episode. I remember reading about how this season was being split into two parts. First we'd get six episodes and then a nice long hiatus before the return in 2007. I remember reading that article because it said the two parts of season three would have distinctly different feels and themes. Well this episode certainly set-up what's in store for us in the next two installments before the break.

A Sawyer-centric episode, "every man for himself" has become our favorite con man's new slogan. As much as he'd like to find and help Jack, his priority is to get himself and Kate to safety first. Funny how priorities change though right?

First off, let's discuss the flashbacks. They certainly weren't the best flashbacks we've seen Lost give us... these were actually a little dry and 100% predictable. However, I loved how they related to the events of the rest of the episode, right up to the title. Sawyer spent some time in jail, following his "long con" with Cassidy (played by Kim Dickens). Turns out, Mr. James Ford has a daughter and her name is Clementine. Not sure how I felt about that. Cassidy presses charges against Sawyer for stealing her money, he gets busted and slapped with a prison sentence, and then she shows up to flash off some baby pictures? I thought that was kind of cold. Hurtful... but he did con her.

Now while in prison, Sawyer served with a guy named Munson. We found out that Munson had ripped off the government for millions. Now anyone with half a brain should have immediately realized that Sawyer was going to con that guy and he did. He worked out a deal with the warden and some guy from the treasury department to commute the rest of his sentence if he could secure the location of the stolen money from Munson and he did. So Sawyer became a free man and even made a commission from the recovery. He put the money in a bank account for his daughter though. See? He's not so bad. I hope we get to see more of Cassidy and Clementine in future episodes though. Now there was one thing about the flashback that I absolutely loved, but I'll get back to that.

On the island, lots going on. This episode picked up soon after Sun had shot Colleen on the sailboat. Her body was transported back to their compound (village? hamlet? town? whatever it is...) and Sawyer saw it as an opportunity to escape. So he drummed up a plan and it doesn't really matter what it is because Ben can still watch everything from his security station. Sawyer got a serious beat-down from Ben and his retractable night-stick and woke up strapped down on a table.

Upon opening his eyes, he was promptly knocked back out when a giant needle was shoved into his chest. When he woke up again Sawyer watched as Ben shook a bunny rabbit until it died. Ben went on to explain that the rabbit had a small pacemaker inside him. Since his heart rate shot up, the pacemaker caused the bunny's heart to pop. Sawyer now had the same device inside of him... not good. Fortunately, Ben also gave Sawyer a heart monitor watch so he would know if he was getting too excited. And he did, but not because he was trying to escape. Sawyer was just watching Kate change clothes. Funny scene. But it did get our man thinking. He can't try and escape because his heart rate will be too tense and then his love pump will be mushified.

Back inside with Jack, I found it interesting that he challenged Juliet's position within the ranks of The Others. I think she respected him for asking that. Regardless, she still required Jack's help to try and save Colleen's life. However, it was too late. Even Jack couldn't save her. He did see the x-rays hanging outside of the operating room. Apparently The Others have a terrible hospital... nice rooms, no crash carts. Who needs a defibrillator when you're sitting on top of a giant magnetic field, right? Or are they... I'll get back to that.

The x-rays. 40-year old male. Giant tumor on his L4 vertebrae. Jack is a spinal surgeon and there is no doubt in my mind that he was meant to see those images. So who is he supposed to save? My money is on Ben but we'll see. We did find out that Juliet is a fertility doctor so it seems likely that she was the one, along with Ethan, who tended to Claire during her captivity.

Now following Colleen's death, Danny (or Picket or Broken Nose Man) was angered. Colleen and him were an item... aww. So Danny took out all his aggressions on Sawyer and beat the hell out of him . He only stopped when Kate admitted that she loved him. She later denied that, when she almost escaped, but I think she meant it. She's just as headstrong as Sawyer is which is why they're a better match than her and Jack. I was surprised that Sawyer never broke down and told her what was in his chest though. He loves her, that's a certain.

I'll say this though, regarding Danny and the death of Colleen. I really have no sympathy for The Others, including Juliet. They lie, they manipulate, they torture. And then they get indignant when everyone else won't come along peacefully? In Sun's position, any one of the other Losties would have pulled that trigger too.

Moving on, Ben finally took Sawyer for a stroll. Turns out that there is no pacemaker, but that made sense. Especially since Sawyer was one of the few that lie could have worked on. But as Ben said, to earn a con man's respect, you have to con him. All he put in Sawyer was doubt and that made Sawyer seem weak in front of Kate.

Now in the flashback, Sawyer was reading Of Mice and Men in prison. I loved how he quoted the book to act all smart and when Ben quoted the book back, Sawyer had no idea what it was from. Ben's message though? You can't run because you're on a different island. There are two of them and we saw them both. Creepy! I didn't see that coming but it sort of makes sense. That's why finding the others has been so hard... there's water in between them. It would also appear that the hatch explosion didn't affect The Others at all. But they were probably able to see the fireworks.

So what does all this mean? Was DHARMA spread over the two isles alá Jurassic Park? And what about Ben? If he does have the tumor as I suspect, I don't think Jack will be willing to operate on him. Unless this is the favor Ben had referred to before he popped in the Red Sox footage a few episodes ago? This would at least explain why Jack has been separated and taken better care of as opposed to Kate and Sawyer.

Desmond didn't really add anything this time around. He can predict the weather too apparently. I think that might actually come in handy though. And Paulo? Still bugging me. I know he was there, but he wasn't there... you know? It's just weird still. Overall though, a good episode. What did everyone else think?