lost: the candidate (or, lost writers pull the harry potter book 7 let's-just-kill-off-characters-because-we-can card)

THAT'S BULLSHIT.

(I realize the likelihood of me turning around after next week or the week after and saying "OMG the Lost writers are AWESOME" after castigating them this week is high, but bear with me.)

Okay, so clearly, I did not like this episode, but not for the obvious reasons. I know what you're thinking--oh, you're just upset because they killed off arguably three of the most popular Lost characters and made Hurley cry. NO. I mean, yes, but no. NO. NO. NO.

I didn't like the episode because of the utterly terrible way in which said characters were killed off. I mean, I would have understood (despite being really upset) if they'd killed off, say, Ben, back in his episode, because at least his story had a definitive end (i.e. redemption arc). But these deaths were so cheap:

-Sun and Jin: they spend the past two seasons apart, are together for one episode, then DROWN in a submarine? And wouldn't it have made more sense for Sun to have said: "Hey, Jin, we have a KID. You should leave me so our daughter isn't an ORPHAN and raised by my asshole father." Okay, something more emotional than that, but you get the idea. I honestly thought that was coming considering they mentioned the kid earlier in the episode and was really surprised it didn't. Jin should have pulled a Rose Dawson if you know what I mean.

-Sayid: He spends the majority of the season as a zombie, then (we assume) resurrected kinda by Desmond, but then nothing until he saves everyone by running away with the bomb (although gotta say, kudos, Sayid, for that). No real exposition on Sayid's un-zombification.

-Lapidus: Poor guy didn't even get his own episode. I'm assuming he's dead even though we didn't actually see a body.

Bitter interjection: HOW can Kate get shot in the chest and survive a sinking submarine but Sun and Jin can't?? HOW?????

Okay, grudgingly, a few good bits:

-Terry O'Quinn's CRAZY ASS expression when he told Claire she didn't want to be on that sub. Made me do the nervous giggle.

-All Jack/Locke interactions in either universe. They're great together.

-I'm starting to really love Jack again, after a good year or two of flat out hating him. Hooray for the return of heroic-ish Jack. And I have to say, Matthew Fox's crying is very effective for me. Everytime he does it I feel just terrible.

And some other random observations:

-Man, alt-Claire is really trusting of random men who offer her their services isn't she? First Desmond and now Jack. Granted he is her long-lost half-brother but still. And I better get an answer on that music box.

-What the hell happened to Richard and Miles?

-I don't even know what to make of the alternate universe anymore. I just want people to be happy. Can everyone else (ESPECIALLY Locke and Jack) just live happily ever after in the end? Pretty please?

-So according to Sayid Jack is the next Jacob, yes?

I know characters are going to die, but I really hope they don't continue down the route of doing it just because they can or because they think they should have a high body count. Not that it makes one difference because the writers/producers know it's not like I'm going to boycott the last 4 episodes. Sigh.

I'm now going to make myself feel better by watching the Babies trailer.