The Staff of Life: Sun Learns the Date of Conception on "Lost"

Say what you will about the first half of Lost's somewhat uneven third season, but this most recent run of episodes has been fantastic and recaptured that magic that was lost (no pun intended) during the awkward scheduling choices last fall.

This week's episode of Lost ("D.O.C.") actually answered some questions while focusing on one of my favorite Losties: the beautiful Sun, who proved that the gritty determination that she displayed in "The Glass Ballerina" wasn't a one-time phenomenon.

Preggers. We've all been wondering what the fate of Sun's pregnancy would be, given the fact that we learned that all of the women who have gotten pregnant on the island have died before their third trimester. Meaning that either (A) the island managed to cure Jin's infertility and he is the father of Sun's baby or (B) Sun got pregnant before she arrived on the island, courtesy of her lover. Either way, Sun loses. So it was with bated breath that we learned that Jin is in fact her baby daddy (it's something to do with how the island more than quintuples sperm count), a joyous revelation that also means that potentially Sun will only be with us for another two months (in Lost time). Say it's not so, Damon and Carlton. I'd be absolutely distraught without Sun on the island.

Jin. Poor Jin. Sun thinks she's freeing her new husband from the shame of his birth when it fact she dooms him (and their marriage) by asking her father for that $100,000. In return the seriously creepy Mr. Paik says that if the money is for his son-in-law, Jin will no longer be a floor manager but will in fact have to work for him to pay off that debt. And pay it off he does as Paik forces him to become a brutal enforcer. Hmmm, do we think the army is where Jin learned some kickin' tae kwon do?

I love the fact that neither of them knows what the other does: that Sun knows Jin's father is alive and that she visited him shortly after their wedding (and he visits him shortly before that doomed Oceanic Flight 815), that they were both planning on running away, and that Jin's mother is not only alive, but is/was a completely mercenary prostitute who left Jin with his father (who might not even be his biological dad). Still, I cannot believe that she actually turns to blackmail when she sees that Sun has married her son. Worst Mother Ever.

Juliet. I knew that she wasn't evil! I just knew it. Still, one can't help but wonder why she's going along with Ben's machinations after everything that's happened between them. But if there's one thing that Juliet is all about, it's self-preservation. I loved the reveal of the tape recorder hidden in the Staff Station and how she left her message for Ben before clicking off the tape and whispering, "I hate you." Ah, Juliet. Welcome back to the side of the angels. Still, one can't help but shudder at the thought that she's playing these castaways so easily: first she gained Jack's trust, then Claire's, and now Sun's to boot. (Though she did seem genuinely happy with Sun during the ultrasound; she's not totally a bad apple.)

So just what does Juliet want from Oceanic's women? Samples and lots of them. I don't think Kate's pregnant (though given the fact that she and a sperm count-raised Sawyer are having unprotected sex leaves that under consideration), but Juliet is obviously looking for a common link among the off-island women and she'll be providing these DNA samples to Ben. Which leaves me to wonder if Sun really is doomed after all or if Juliet said that to sway her to her side. Curious. Still, I can't help but think that Ben sees all of these women as potential baby-incubators as he tries to get to the heart of the baby "curse" affecting the island. Still, it explains why babies and children are such precious commodities in this place.

And that secret room decorated like a nursery? Um, it's where they brought the women to die...

Mikhail. I knew Patchy McPatches wouldn't be dead! There's no way that the show's producers would just casually kill off a character with such potential (though the body count has been awfully high this year). I'm very curious, however, to know just how Mikhail managed to fake his death in the sonic fence (foaming mouth powder perhaps?) and whether the fence was even turned on (I'm thinking not) in the first place. I loved the fact that he tried to steal the satellite phone ("You wouldn't respect me unless I tried.") and his awesome fight with Jin, whom he severely underestimated. But just what was Mikhail running from and towards? Did he see the flare that Hurley inadvertently fired? Or was he after any survivors from the helicopter crash? It's obvious that he didn't expect to find Des and the others there. Very curious.

Naomi. Still, it's a good thing that Patchy was there to save the life (at least temporarily) of the injured Naomi, in a particularly gross medical procedure that sprayed a hell of a lot of blood all over the place. (Ick.) While we didn't learn much about the mysterious Naomi this week (except that she's a kick-ass polyglot), she did leave my jaw hanging on the floor when she told Hurley that it's impossible that they are the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 as the plane was found... without any survivors!

Just what did Naomi mean? Before everyone starts off with the purgatory theories, I think we have to remember that Ben's group was aware of the crash from their communications feed at the Flame and they've proven themselves particularly adept at making some pretty crazy things happen. My theory: they faked the crash and the discovery in an enormous cover-up so that search parties would stop looking for the survivors... and then they would have all the guinea pigs they need for the island's bizarro tests and experiments.

Meanwhile, what did Naomi whisper to Patchy? Lostpedia translates the whispered phrase from Brazilian Portugese as "I am not alone." Whether that's actually true or who might have accompanied Naomi to the island remains to be seen...

Next week on Lost ("The Brig"), Locke, who's apparently finally snapped out of his moral fugue state, kidnaps Ben from his tent and urges an incredulous Sawyer to kill him as he cannot, while Naomi offers some shocking information to the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815. Is it Wednesday yet?

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Survivor: Fiji (CBS); My Name is Earl/The Office (NBC); Smallville (CW); Ugly Betty (ABC); Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? (FOX)

9 pm: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS); 30 Rock/Scrubs (NBC); Supernatural (CW); Grey's Anatomy (ABC); Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy (FOX)

10 pm: Shark (CBS); ER (NBC); October Road (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: Ugly Betty.

On tonight's installment ("Petra-Gate"), Betty goes out of her way to avoid former friends Daniel, Christina and Henry, Amanda flirts with a designer she assumes is gay, and Alexis is asked out on her first date as a woman.

8 pm: My Name is Earl.

On tonight's episode ("GED"), Earl returns to school to prepare for his GED after getting turned down for a credit card, as he doesn't have, you know, a high school diploma, a job, or a house. Is it just me or does this show seriously need to step it up, given the strenghts of fellow NBC laughers The Office and 30 Rock?

8:30 pm: The Office.

On tonight's *new* episode ("Product Recall"), Dunder-Mifflin is forced to implement some serious damage control when a shipment of paper is found to contain an obscene watermark. Hmmm, isn't quality assurance Creed's job?

9 pm: 30 Rock.

On tonight's season finale of 30 Rock ("Hiatus"), Liz and Floyd try to work out the kinks in their long-distance relationship, Jack's impending wedding brings his mother (guest star Elaine Stritch) to New York, and Kenneth searches for the missing Tracy. (Sniffle, sniffle.) For those of you on the East Coast (or, er, not doing anything at 6:30 pm PT), Tina Fey will be liveblogging at NBC.com after the broadcast.

9:30 pm: Scrubs.

On tonight's episode ("My Turf War"), J.D. is left out in the cold when Elliot's wild sorority sister Melody arrives in town and decides to turn the girls against one another. Oh, J.D., you insufferable cad.

10:30 pm: This American Life on Showtime.

Based on the popular NPR radio series, this brilliant new Showtime drama seeks to capture first person accounts of single themes. On tonight's episode ("Pandora's Box"), sadly the last in the show's first season, innovation brings some surprising results for people trying new things, including some scientists who accidentally discover a way to erase memories and a Chicago hot dog vendor who brings out some intense emotions in his customers.