Television Review: Whatever Happened, Happened (Lost, S5X11, 2007)

Whatever Happened, Happened (S5X11)

Airdate: 1 April 2009

Written by: Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof
Directed by: Bobby Roth

Running Time: 42 minutes

The episode titled “Whatever Happened, Happened” represents a pivotal moment in the fifth season of Lost, serving as a crucial stabiliser following the chaotic temporal displacement of the previous instalment. With the conclusion of He’s Our You, the narrative found itself at a significant junction. The producers were confronted with a choice regarding the fundamental rules of the Island’s magic: they could adhere to the established canon that history is immutable and set in stone, or they could opt for a more cinematic approach often seen in Hollywood time travel fiction, effectively creating an alternate universe where actions in the past rewrite the future. By adopting the title phrase that would later become an unofficial motto for the series, this episode clearly opted for the former. It took a definitive side in the ongoing philosophical debate concerning predetermination versus free will, asserting that certain events must occur for the timeline to remain intact.

The necessity for such a crucial decision stems directly from the shocking cliffhanger of the previous episode. In a moment of desperation and rage, Sayid shot the teenage version of Benjamin Linus. This act threatened to erase not only a major future character but effectively dismantle the entire plot trajectory of the series, as Ben’s history as the leader of the Others is woven into the fabric of the show’s mythology. If Ben were to die, the consequences would theoretically ripple forward, erasing the very events that allowed the original castaways to return to the Island. Consequently, the script, written by executive producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof, signals its commitment to the immutable timeline right from the opening sequence. We see Jin waking after being struck by Sayid to find the boy’s body nearby. Upon discovering Ben is still alive, Jin rushes to the Barracks where Juliet Burke attempts a medical intervention. However, her lack of surgical skills and insufficient supplies render Ben’s survival highly improbable.

When Jack Shephard is asked to intervene as the qualified surgeon, he categorically refuses. His rationale is deeply rooted in character history; he believes he did not return to the Island simply to save the person responsible for the immense pain and misery inflicted upon his friends over the years. This refusal introduces a strong element of character agency against the pressure of fate. It is another matter entirely with Kate Austen, who volunteers to help and even donates blood to the boy. Ultimately, it is Sawyer who takes the drastic option of asking the Others for aid. He and Kate transport Ben to the Others’ territory, where they are met by Richard Alpert. Richard reveals a grim bargain: he can save the boy’s life, but as a result, Ben will “lose his innocence” and become one of them. This transaction ensures that the future leader of the Others is created through a sacrifice of his past self, taking the young Ben to the Temple to undergo his transformation.

Structurally, the episode returns to the early seasons’ narrative foundation based on character-centric flashbacks. In this specific instance, it focuses on Kate, exploring her maternal side. We see footage from 2005, after returning to the Island, where she visits Cassidy to fulfil a promise to Sawyer and financially support his daughter, Clementine. Then, in 2007, just before returning to the Island, she leaves her son Aaron with his biological grandmother, Carole Littleton. These sequences are not merely exposition; they serve to explain her motivations in the "present" timeline of 1977. It is this deep-seated need to protect and save children that drives her willingness to help Ben, playing directly into the classic “killing baby Hitler” dilemma inherent to time travel stories. Furthermore, these moments resonate with the emotional stakes of the romantic quadrangle involving Sawyer, Jack, Juliet, and Kate, grounding the fantastical elements in human emotion. The episode concludes with an epilogue, presumably set in 2007, in which Ben wakes up on Hydra Island and is greeted by Locke, who welcomes him “to the land of the living”.

Cuse and Lindelof have crafted one of the better character-centric episodes of the series, using Kate’s post-Island “past” and her complex issues surrounding motherhood to explain her actions. The script takes the logical and consistent route by rejecting the time travel cop-out and having the plot unfold in accordance with what the audience has been given as series canon. Therefore, Ben’s life is going to be saved, he is going to become the leader of the Others, and he is going to create all kinds of chaos and misery in the future. Ironically, it is Sayid’s attempt to prevent this outcome by shooting young Ben that ultimately makes him the monster he was destined to become.

Finally, the writers deal with the complexities of time travel intelligently by utilising the character of Hurley as a surrogate for a discerning audience. In discussions with Miles, he asks the obvious questions that many viewers would be pondering, specifically doubting the inability of the timeline to alter. He points out that 2004 Ben apparently didn’t remember Sayid, the very person who had him shot as a boy. This is resolved efficiently by Richard, who states that Ben “won’t remember anything” after he goes through what appears to be a ritualistic transformation in the Temple. By addressing these mechanics through dialogue rather than retconning, the episode reinforces the show’s commitment to a coherent, albeit tragic, narrative structure where the past cannot be changed, only fulfilled.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

==

Blog in Croatian https://draxblog.com
Blog in English https://draxreview.wordpress.com/
InLeo blog https://inleo.io/@drax.leo

LeoDex: https://leodex.io/?ref=drax
InLeo: https://inleo.io/signup?referral=drax.leo
Hiveonboard: https://hiveonboard.com?ref=drax
Rising Star game: https://www.risingstargame.com?referrer=drax
1Inch: https://1inch.exchange/#/r/0x83823d8CCB74F828148258BB4457642124b1328e

BTC donations: 1EWxiMiP6iiG9rger3NuUSd6HByaxQWafG
ETH donations: 0xB305F144323b99e6f8b1d66f5D7DE78B498C32A7
BCH donations: qpvxw0jax79lhmvlgcldkzpqanf03r9cjv8y6gtmk9