MUSINGS OF A SCI-FI FANATIC: LOST S1 E21: The Greater Good

"Storm coming." -John Locke-

Boone Carlyle's funeral (Michael Giacchino's score is titled Booneral) takes place here in LOST, Season One, Episode 21, The Greater Good.

Following Boone's relatively unexpected death in Do No Harm after an untimely fall in Deus Ex Machina it all becomes rather apparent and sobering that LOST as a series is certainly more than willing to terminate one of its primary ensemble cast members when the story calls for it. It makes sense that one wouldn't survive such a fall. If this were the 1980s and The A-Team we might experience a completely different outcome. Given the large ensemble cast the episode makes it very clear others will die.

One of the aspects to LOST that this writer appreciated is when the series slowed things down for a touch of reality as it does here to pay respects to Boone and capture the genuine sadness of the castaways who somehow find a little solidarity in looking at their loss. If you're one of a select few survivors and one of you dies things tend to realistically hit home a bit and there is a genuine sense of loss portrayed in the entry.

The passing of Boone is handled with the kind of care given the birth of Claire's baby in Do No Harm. These are emotionally true moments that strike a cord and are executed with credibility throughout the series.

Though The Greater Good would refer to people working together for a common cause or a greater good, the episode highlights a theme of picking sides or pitting one side against another. The Greater Good is also known as Sides in fan circles.

Highlight: The moment John Locke informs Sayid he was the one who struck Sayid from behind with a stick while he was attempting to triangulate the signal. This event occurred in Episode 7, The Moth. It's another LOST question answered. More importantly, those character dynamics are in full play with Locke at gunpoint by Sayid whom Shannon is hoping will kill Locke believing he was responsible for Boone's death.

It's the final moments tied to this dynamic between Locke and Sayid that resonate. Locke thanks Sayid for believing him, for choosing his side. Sayid admits he allowed Locke to survive because he senses he may be the key to their survival on the island. He also proves that he was not played by Locke and demands to be taken to the real hatch.

Sayid the interrogator works his magic while we learn a little more about the former Iraqi Republic Guard in likely one of the least compelling flashbacks of Season One.

For a lighter moment it's hard to beat Sawyer lulling a baby with his accent.

The irony of The Greater Good is that everyone on the island isn't working for that and all have competing agendas. That kind of conflict generally makes for terrific drama. Unfortunately, The Greater Good isn't the greatest of the season, but still good enough.