Ep 5. White Rabbit
- TVPG
- October 20, 2004
- 67 min
-
8.3 (7,726)
In "White Rabbit," the fifth episode of Lost's first season, the focus is on Jack's past and his current struggles on the island. The episode opens with a flashback to a young Jack running through a forest, calling for his father. As he reaches a cliff, he sees his father's body lying on the ground far below. His father had been an alcoholic and Jack had been trying to save him, but failed.
On the island, Jack is dealing with the aftermath of the crash and the deaths of some of the passengers. He is visibly shaken and struggling to come to terms with his role as a leader. He's been trying to find water and has been rationing everyone's supplies, but tensions are high and people are starting to question his leadership.
While searching for water, Jack spots a figure in the jungle and goes after it, both to prove himself to the other survivors and to satisfy his own curiosity. As he chases the figure, he has flashbacks to his father and their complicated relationship. When Jack finally catches up to the figure, he discovers it is his father, alive and well on the island.
This revelation sends Jack into a tailspin as he tries to reconcile his past with his present situation on the island. He becomes even more obsessed with finding water, digging deeper and deeper in the ground until he collapses from exhaustion. While he is passed out, he has a vision of his father, who tells him to let go of his need to fix everything and to accept that some things are out of his control.
When Jack wakes up, he sees a vision of a young boy in the jungle and follows him, eventually discovering a stream and leading the group to it. This success doesn't completely solve all of the problems on the island, but it does give Jack a renewed sense of purpose and confidence.
Overall, "White Rabbit" is an episode that explores the relationship between a father and son, grappling with themes of redemption and responsibility. It also shows the difficulties of leadership and survival in an extreme situation, and how the past can continue to haunt us even when we are trying to move forward. The episode is both emotionally resonant and action-packed, with a number of surprises along the way.