Lost Episode 3.21 Greatest Hits

Jack and Juliet lead the beach camp into the jungle. Jack tells them that he knows what Ben's plan is and he has a way to fight back. Rousseau connects two wires to a battery and KA BOOM! A nearby tree explodes. Jack explains that Juliet is going to mark the tents with white rocks as instructed by Ben, but when the Others come there isn't going to be anyone inside the tents. They'll be filled with dynamite from the Black Rock, and they're going to blow the Others to hell. Charlie catches Desmond looking at him strangely and knows he just saw a flash but Desmond denies it.

As everyone prepares for the attack, Naomi asks Charlie who are the people they are going to war with. Charlie tells her it's a long story. He tells her that he's also from Manchester like she is and that he was in a band called Drive Shaft. The name rings a bell for Naomi and realizes Charlie is the dead rock star. She tells him that Drive Shaft put out a new album, a "Greatest Hits" thing, after the accident.

Sayid tells Jack he hasn't been able to transmit with the sat phone because Rousseau's distress signal is overriding the frequency. Since Naomi's boat is only eighty miles off shore, he wants to go to the radio tower and turn off the message. That will allow her boat to receive the sat phone signal. But Juliet says no, they won't Ben is using a Dharma station to jam all signals from the island with a station called the Looking Glass.

Desmond reveals to Charlie that he did have a vision. He saw Claire and Aaron getting into a helicopter that lifts off and leaves the island. Charlie is excited. But Desmond tells Charlie for there to be any rescue, Charlie has to die. Charlie asks how. Desmond describes a room full of equipment. There's a blinking yellow light, and Charlie flips a switch. The light goes out and then he drowns. Charlie wants to make sure if he does that, if he puts himself in danger, Claire and Aaron really do get on that helicopter and off the island. Desmond assures him they do.

Sayid shows Jack and Juliet a schematic of the Looking Glass station from the folder he took out of the Flame Station. Juliet says the Looking Glass station was used to guide the sub back and forth, but there was some accident and Ben said it was flooded. Sayid points out that if they follow the cable out into the ocean, it should lead to the station. It has a "moon pool" which he can swim through, get inside and disable the relay switch. Jack says no, it's a suicide mission. There's no way to get back. Sayid says if they don't, they'll never get off this island.

And then Charlie volunteers to do it. He'll swim down and turn off the switch. Jack says no. Charlie tells him he was the junior swim champion of Northern England. He can hold his breath for four minutes. Jack says there's no reason to do it now. They can deal with it after they take care of the Others.

Rousseau realizes they don't have enough wire to trigger the dynamite safely from a distance, and Jack gets a group together to start stripping wire from the plane wreckage. As they are stripping wire, they notice someone sailing towards the beach. A guy leaps out of the boat and runs ashore. Sayid tackles him, but Sawyer recognizes that it's Karl. He tells them he is okay Karl was prisoner in the cage next to him. Karl tells them the Others are coming not tomorrow night but right now!

People are worried. Rousseau says there's not enough time or wire to set up the dynamite. Sayid suggests they shoot the dynamite. They'll need three sharp shooters. Jack decides they also can't risk losing their chance to contact Naomi's boat. He orders everyone to leave the camp and make for the radio tower. He turns to Charlie and asks if he's still up for a swim. Charlie says yes, and Claire is suddenly worried for him. Jin and Bernard volunteer to be the shooters along with Sayid. Jack wants to be the third shooter, but Sayid tells him he can't he's got to lead the group to the radio tower.

Charlie says his good bye to Claire. She knows he is volunteering for something dangerous and doesn't want him doing it. Charlie lies and says everything is going to be all right. He'll be with her at the radio tower before she knows it. He kisses her one last time and walks away knowing he'll never see her again. As everyone in the beach camp gathers their things to head out, Claire lifts Aaron out of his crib and doesn't see Charlie's D.S. ring. He left it for her and Aaron, passing it along to his "family."

Charlie and Desmond row out to the point where the cable goes straight down into the ocean. They're over the Looking Glass station. Charlie then hands a list to Desmond and asks him to give it to Claire. It's the five best moments of his life, his own greatest hits:

5) The first time he heard himself on the radio. On a deserted road in England, Drive Shaft's van has a flat and Charlie is changing the tire in the rain. Charlie argues with Liam, saying the band is a joke. They're broke and no one is buying their album. Charlie tells Liam he quits but then they hear "You All Everybody" on the radio for the first time. Hearing his words and his voice is almost too much to comprehend. Unbridled joy whips through the guys, and all thoughts of quitting are forgotten.

4) Dad teaching him to swim at Butlin's. At a summer camp, a nervous young Charlie stands at the edge of a pool while his gruff dad tells him to jump in, he'll catch him. Liam warns Charlie their dad won't. Then his dad's voice turns gentle and soothing. Charlie jumps in, and his dad does catch him. Charlie swims with his dad's help, laughing and utterly delighted.

3) The Christmas Liam gave him the D. S. ring. Christmas morning on their Finland tour, Liam gives Charlie the D.S. ring as a gift. The ring is a family heirloom passed down through generations and given to Liam by their mom because Liam was the first born. The initials D. S. stood for their ancestor, and it's why they named their band Drive Shaft. Charlie says he can't take it but Liam insists. He acknowledges that he's a junky and a mess and he'll be lucky to make it to thirty. Liam says Charlie is different. Charlie is going to get married and have a family, and the ring has to stay within the family. Liam wants Charlie to take it because he'll know it's safe. Charlie is clearly touched.

2) Woman outside Covent Garden calls him a hero. While trying to avoid a downpour, Charlie hears a woman being mugged scream for help. He runs in and hits the mugger with his guitar case. The mugger releases the woman and runs away. Charlie admits he was scared. The woman says he's a hero, that three other people walked by and didn't help her. Charlie tries to dismiss it, but she's insistent. He's a hero, and don't let anybody ever tell him differently. Charlie is deeply moved.

1) The night he met Claire. On the night of the crash, Charlie sees a pregnant woman struggling to get comfortable by a fire. He is struck for a moment, and then he approaches her with a blanket. He can see she's clearly worried, and he tells her they're going to be all right. Charmed, she thanks him. They smile at each other. There is chemistry between them, and it's the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

Desmond is touched by the list and offers to dive down in Charlie's place and flip the switch. Charlie pretends to go along with this change of plans but then knocks Desmond out with an oar. He says they both know Desmond isn't suppose to take his place. Charlie stuffs his greatest hits list in Desmond's pocket, grabs the weight belt, takes a deep breath, wipes away his tears and jumps into the ocean.

With the weight belt, Charlie drops quickly. He swims along the underside of the station looking for the moon pool entrance. He finds it, swims up into it and surfaces into the station. He sucks in air and then realizes it isn't flooded. Juliet was wrong. And more importantly, Charlie is alive! But then he hears a door open and sees two women enter. And they have guns pointed right at him.