Harking back to the title from Season Two, Episode twelve of this final season of Lost is a Hugo centered story. In Season Two, Everybody Hates Hugo was the episode which saw Hugo taking charge of a recently discovered food store. The “hating” came from Hugo being put in charge of what could and couldn’t be taken from the food they found. So, why now in Season Six does everyone love him?
Well the first line of the episode uses the line of title as part of a speech being given at the opening of a hospital wing opened by Hugo in LA. Obviously we are in flash sideways territory, and as with all of those flashes, it contains a familiar face in an unfamiliar role. The speaker at the opening is none other than, formally known as head of the Dharma Initiative on the Island.
In the opening flash, Hugo’s mother tells him that she is arranging a date for him. The date doesn’t turn up, but someone else does Libby. As we know, on the Island Libby was killed by Michael back in Season Two. She tells Hugo that he doesn’t recognize her but everything she said was true, at which point they are interrupted by her doctor taking her back to the mental institution.
Many will also remember that Libby was seen in the flash backs of Season Two as being in the same mental institution as Hugo himself. This event signals, like so many other flashes this season, which the people from the Island are all seen to have a second (or possibly first) chance to get something they couldn’t have or had taken from them while on the Island.
Later, Hugo is approached by Desmond in one of his Mr. Cluck restaurants. He tells Desmond they were both on the Oceanic flight a week earlier. Hugo tells Desmond about Libby and what she said about already knowing him. Desmond asks if he believed her. Hugo tells him that he did. Desmond tells Hugo to try and find out where she knows him from, and that he should find out before he gives up on her.
Hugo goes to the Institution where Libby is and after bribing the owner with a donation he is able to see her. She asks if he has remembered but he says that he hasn’t. She tells Hugo that when she saw him in a commercial she saw memories of another life – a life when there was a plane crash and they were on an Island together. She says that when she arrived at the institution she could remember being there too and remember Hugo being there. He tells her he can’t remember anything about her or being in an institution. Hugo asks her if she would like to go on a date sometime when he finds out she is there voluntarily and can leave.
They have a picnic on the beach. They kiss and at that moment Hugo has a flash of the time he spent with Libby on the Island. From the roadside, Desmond watches this happen then drives away, seemingly to find the next person on his quest to remind the passengers of Oceanic 815 of the Island.
Desmond’s next stop is the school where Ben and Locke work. Ben knocks on his car window and asks what he is doing. While Ben talks to him, Desmond keeps his eye on Locke who he has seen crossing the road in his wheelchair. As he finishes talking to Ben, Desmond drives off and runs over Locke, leaving him on the floor.
On the Island, the good guys are about to leave to destroy the plane Locke is planning to leave the Island on. Hugo visits Libby’s grave and while there sees the ghost of Michael who warns him that he’s going to get everyone killed.
Illana collects some of the dynamite from the store at the Black Rock and prepares to leave for the plane. Hugo attempts to discourage her, which inadvertently leads to her blowing herself up.
Meanwhile, in Locke’s camp, Sawyer and Kate question why they are waiting around for things to happen. Locke tells them that they need to wait for Hugo, Sun and Jack to come as they can only get off the Island together. Before he can say more, Sayid returns to the camp with Desmond. He takes Locke to Desmond, telling him that he was what Widmore had been hiding on the submarine.
Back on the beach, Richard tries to persuade Jack that they have to go through with the plan to blow up the plane. Hugo stands alongside Richard and agrees that they have no other choice a change of heart compared to his opposition to it previously.
Locke speaks to Desmond, asking him why Charles Widmore brought him back to the Island. Desmond says he doesn’t know. He says that he was thrown in a shack and blasted with electromagnetism. Locke asked if Desmond knows who he is, to which he replies “John Locke”. Locke tells Sayid to go back to camp while he takes Desmond to show him something.
Jack, Richard and the others head through the jungle. Ben points out that Illana came to the Island, served her purpose by telling them they were candidates then was blown up when the Island was done with her. As they reach the Black Rock, Hugo comes running towards them as the screaming to run. The Black Rock explodes behind him and it is clear he has done it. He tells Richard that he did it to protect them because Michael told him to.
Locke leads Desmond into the Jungle. As they walk a boy appears. Desmond asks who it is, but Locke tells him to pay no attention and leads Desmond away.
At the ruin of the Black Rock, Richard tells Jack that they need to find more explosives. Hugo says they can’t do that. He says Jacob is standing next to them and says they have to speak to Locke. Richard tells the group that he is lying because Jacob never tells them what to do, and if they don’t destroy the plane and Locke escapes from the Island it will all be over. Everything. Richard asks who is going with him to destroy the plane. Ben and Miles accompany Richard, while Jack, Sun and Lapedes go to talk to Locke. This indicates that the four candidates are now on their own and heading right into where they should be.
On the way through the Jungle, Hugo confesses to Jack that he didn’t see Jacob. Jack says he knows, but he came along because ever since Juliette died he just wants to let go and maybe this is the chance. Voices break into their conversation and Hugo says he knows who they are. Michael appears to him again. Hugo says he knows that he is stuck on the Island and there are others on the Island stuck the same. Michael tells him they are the ones who can’t move on because of what they did. Michael points him in the direction of Locke’s camp and tells him that if he sees Libby again he should tell her he’s sorry for what he did to her.
Locke takes Desmond out to the well which he was once seen climbing down to move the Island. Locke tells him that the well was dug a long, long time ago by people looking for answers on the Island. He says that Charles Widmore is not a person looking for answers but looking for Power. He then asks Desmond why he isn’t afraid being out in the middle of the jungle where no one can find him and he isn’t afraid. Desmond says there is no point being afraid in anything at which Locke grabs him and throws him down the well.
Locke returns to the camp and tells Sayid that they don’t have to worry about Desmond anymore. Sawyer begins to ask Locke about where he’s been when Hugo arrives in the camp. He tells Locke that he doesn’t know who he is, but they have to talk to him and he wants Locke’s word that he won’t do anything. Locke gives him his word and Sun, Lapedes and Jack step into the camp. Jack sees Locke (the man he last saw in a coffin), and Locke simply smiles at the man we know to be his true adversary after Jacob’s death.
There are a few questions raised again, but mainly from the flash sideways. It was clear from last week that Desmond was going to begin drawing people from the Oceanic flight together in some way, but what is the purpose of running over Locke? Will it lead him to the hospital where Jack works? Also, is the well Locke has pushed Desmond into the same well that both his former self and Ben Linus traveled into to move the Island? If so, then has Locke, or more specifically The Man In Black, made a mistake in thinking he has rid himself of Desmond when he could have placed him in the one place he really didn’t want him to be.
One thing is for sure, we haven’t seen the last of Desmond yet and with only five episodes to go there are some frantic episodes to come.