Lost: Season 2, Episode 20 "Two for the Road" Review

"If you've come to apologize, I forgive you for hitting me with your crutch."

-"Henry Gale"

"Two for the Road" focuses on Ana Lucia (Michelle Rodriguez) as she brings food to Henry Gale (Michael Emerson).  He attacks and nearly strangles her, but she is saved by Locke (Terry O'Quinn) knocking Henry out.  Seeking revenge, Ana Lucia tries to get a gun from Sawyer (Josh Holloway).  He refuses, so Ana seduces him and steals the gun after they have sex.

Jack (Matthew Fox) and Kate (Evangeline Lilly) return to the hatch with an unconscious Michael (Harold Perrineau).  When he wakes up, he tells them that the Others are basically savages and only have two guns.  He wants to lead a rescue operation to save Walt (Malcolm David Kelly).  Jack, Kate, and Locke head to the beach to get the guns back from Sawyer, who realizes that Ana Lucia has taken his gun.  Locke realizes something bad is about to happen at the hatch.

Hurley (Jorge Garcia) plans to take Libby (Cynthia Watros) on a picnic, but forgets the blankets.  Libby heads to the hatch to get them.

Ana Lucia gives Henry a knife to cut himself free and is about to shoot him, but can't bring herself to do it.  She tells Michael everything and he offers to kill Henry for her.  She gives him the gun and tells him the combination.  Michael apologizes and shoots and kills Ana Lucia.  Libby walks in on the scene and startles Michel, so he shoots her as well.  Finally, Michael opens the armory and stares down Henry before shooting himself in the arm.

In flashbacks, Ana Lucia's mother and boss, Teresa (Rachel Ticotin), confronts Ana about her murder of Jason McCormack (Aaron Gold).  There's no evidence to link Ana Lucia to the crime, but Teresa still wants to help her.  Ana quits the force and becomes a TSA Agent.  At the airport bar, she meets Christian Shephard (John Terry), who is traveling to Sydney and asks her to come along as his bodyguard. 

A few days later, a very drunk Christian has Ana take him to the house of a woman named Lindsey (Gabrielle Fitzpatrick), where he demands to be let in so he can see his daughter.  Ana ends up dragging Christian away.  He asks her to go get drunk at a bar with him, but she declines.  Christian leaves and Ana goes to the airport, where she calls her Mom, who offers to pick her up when she lands back in Los Angeles.

What Works:

Michelle Rodriguez is fantastic in the final episode of her character arc.  She gets to be tough as nails and very vulnerable.  The phone call to her mom is heartbreaking, but I also love seeing her razz Sawyer.

Locke and Jack actually get on common ground for the first time this entire season and boy is it refreshing.  I was getting a little tired of the two of them constantly fighting.  Jack actually admits he was wrong about Henry and the two of them get on the same page about getting the guns from Sawyer and going after Walt.

Hurley and Libby's storyline is very sweet and that makes it all the more tragic on the rewatch.  Killed over blankets, man.  It's brutal.

The flashbacks are an interesting batch.  Ana Lucia probably has the weirdest reason for being in Australia out of the entire cast.  It's great seeing more character connections.  Not only do we get Ana and Christian, but they bump into Sawyer outside of a bar as well. 

Finally, the ending of this episode is one of the all-time greats.  It's definitely one of the five most shocking cliffhangers in the history of the show and it doesn't lose its impact.  Harold Perrineau is excellent as he comes to terms with what he has to do and the murder of Ana Lucia is so tragic.  And then Libby walks in and makes it even worse.  It's hardcore, but incredible.

What Sucks:

I do think the middle of the episode drags a bit.  We kick things off with the fight between Henry and Ana and end the episode with a bang.  It gets a little slow in the middle, but this is a minor complaint.

Platinum Polar Bear:

The Platinum Polar Bear goes to the most useful character in an episode.  For "Two for the Road," there aren't any standouts, so I guess I'll give it to Locke for saving Ana from Henry and for finally getting on the same page as Jack.  This is Locke's 7th time winning the award, which puts him in first place.

Verdict:

"Two for the Road" is another great episode of Lost.  Michelle Rodriguez, Michael Emerson, and Harold Perrineau all give excellent performances, we finally get Jack and Locke on the same page, the flashbacks are interesting, and the ending is phenomenal.  It drags a little in the middle, but "Two for the Road" has absolutely got it going on.

 9/10: Great