Namaste was like an episode from one of the earlier seasons of Lost: Instead of featuring major plot development, this installment offered a closer examination of the characters. Although there weren’t any earth-shattering revelations, the show was sprinkled with tidbits of Lost lore to reward regular viewers: baby Ethan, a first look at the infamous Radzinsky, the runway that Kate and Sawyer helped build, the whispers, and even a visit from young Benjamin Linus.
Before anyone had time to process the news that Kate, Jack and Hurley had landed in the 1970s, Sawyer whisked them away to continue his streak of masterful deception and get the new arrivals integrated with the rest of the Dharma Initiative. Mr. LaFleur seems to have settled quite well into his new leadership position, but tension between him and Jack seemed to indicate that Dr. Shephard wouldn’t give up his old role so easily.
Lost’s Love Quadrangle
Jack seemed even more flustered by Sawyer’s love life, both past and present, than he was by seeing Sawyer in charge. Dr. Shephard couldn’t hide his discomfort during Sawyer and Kate’s reunion, and he seemed even more dismayed to find out that Sawyer was shacking up with Juliet, who seems to have gotten over Jack since he left. However, she, too, seemed dismayed by the prospect of Kate and Sawyer’s reunion.
In fact, Juliet and Sawyer almost seemed to resent their friends’ return. After all, they built a fine little life for themselves during their three years with Dharma, and Jack, Kate and Hurley — not to mention Sayid — pose a serious threat to that. It’s probably not a coincidence that Jack received a “Workman” assignment, and one can’t help but wonder if Juliet enjoyed watching Kate twist in the wind before coming to her rescue.
Sticky Situations for Sun and Sayid
Of course, the members of the love quadrangle weren’t the only characters facing problems in this episode. Sun is separated from her husband by 30 years of time, and Sayid has found himself in the same situation that will later face the little boy who brought him a sandwich. In the present, Ben also found himself in trouble after Sun curtailed his plans with an oar to the head.
Lost Does the Time Warp Again
Daniel Faraday’s whereabouts remain a mystery; all Sawyer would say that he was no longer around. Is he dead, or has he simply left Dharma? Either way, it’s a shame that he wasn’t available to discuss Lost’s increasingly confusing rules of time travel, most notably how much — if at all — the character’s actions in the past affect the present.
Were Jack, Kate and Hurley always in the Dharma photo from 1977, or did they only appear once they traveled back in time? Do the mysterious whispers indicate the interaction of the past and present at that location on the island? And is Ben prohibited from traveling back to 1977 because he’s already there at another age — and does that mean Sun is Pierre Chang’s baby from the beginning of the season?
And what about that runway? Were the Others building it because they knew Frank would need it to land? It’s probably futile for viewers to attempt to answer these questions themselves. Namaste laid the groundwork for some major developments throughout the rest of the season, so the audience should just sit back and enjoy the ride. If Lost’s characters can adapt to time travel so easily, surely its viewers can do the same.
