(Cross-posted at Zap2It’s Guide to Lost)

OK, boys and girls, here we are with Week 2’s “mobisode” recap for the “Missing Pieces” chapter entitled “The Adventures of Hurley and Frogurt.” And by God, that’s a lot of quotation marks for one sentence, isn’t it? This week’s mobisode takes place during one of the more important moments of the show: the murders of Ana-Lucia and Libby in the Swan by Michael.

Synopsis

We see Hurley ducking out of a tent on the beach. Unlike last week’s fake-out, this is happening on the Island itself, although we can’t quite be sure just yet when this takes place. A voice calls out Hurley’s name, and as Hurley turns around to meet the voice, a wine bottle drops from his bag. The man behind the voice? “Frogurt,” aka Neil, first alluded to in the Bernard/Rose-centric episode “S.O.S.” and all-but-forgotten since. Turns out Neil and Hurley share a similar taste in women, with Neil trying to intimidate Hurley into backing off his romantic interest so Frogurt himself can make his move.

We learn that the bottle of wine in Hurley’s possession is in fact for his picnic date with Libby, which places these events on November 24, 2004, just one day after the events of “S.O.S.” More importantly, this week’s mobisode takes place at the same time Libby is returning to the Swan to get blankets for their date. As such, the action unfolding in this week’s edition is sadly ironic, with Hurley unaware of the fate that is befalling Libby at that moment as his makes his romantic stand to Neil.

Thematic Resonance

Even those of us who avoid spoilers like the plague know that Libby will be returning to Lost in some unknown capacity during Season 4. She will most likely appear in flashbacks, unlike she, Ana-Lucia, and the others rise from the grave and seek the flesh of the living. Not terribly likely. But given the fact that she will make some appearance this season, clearly this week’s mobisode wants to put her back into the mind of the viewer.

Furthermore, the loss of Libby is constantly on Hurley’s mind, his guilt over her death clearly an unresolved issue. (If you didn’t tear up at his apology at her grave, then I’m not sure I want to know you as a human being.) Thus, this marks the second week in a row in which a major character is involved with someone whom has made a significant emotional imprint upon them.

Overall Importance to Missing Pieces

So here’s a theory completely out of left field, with nothing other than the just-under five minutes of footage aired so far in this “Missing Pieces” series: what if all of these “flashbacks,” if you will, are derived from psychic research done by whomever is on the freighter after their arrival on the Island in Season 4?

By “psychic research,” I’m talking about investigations into the subconscious minds of the Lostaways, performed either in a Room 23 type of scenario or simply by someone with extraordinary mental powers under the employ of The Hanso Foundation, Widmore Corporation, or anyone else out there interested in harnessing the Island towards their own purposes? These are bits of information not easily gleaned from a conscious subject, willing or not. These are specific memories gathered in order to determine psychological weakness. Both Jack and Hurley feel responsible for the deaths of loved ones, a fact a morally grey/black organization could use to their benefit.

After all, think about the title of this series: “Missing Pieces.” Sure, it could literally be referring to a series of vignettes involving our characters that we haven’t seen before, but couldn’t it also have another meaning? Couldn’t it also refer to the information sought by those who question/interrogate/imprison those on the Island upon reaching its shores?

Now, let’s take this even one step further: what if the missing pieces all concern those whom have either worked for the Hanso Foundation or stood in opposition to it? What if the purpose of this psychic research is to discover information about those people. In last week’s mobisode recap, I posited the theory that Christian Shepard somehow knew about a plan to place Aaron in harm’s way. Remember also that he was not in the coffin when Jack found it in the cave. Maybe the Foundation is still looking for him, and using Jack’s brain to garner any and all clues they can?

Remember also the surprise ending to the episode “Dave,” in which Libby is shown to be a fellow patient in Hurley’s ward. This ending didn’t contradict her claim to be a clinical psychologist, but did call it into doubt. Furthermore, her connection with Desmond throws her into further suspicion. She, like Christian, has connections with multiple people on the Island, and could have more before all is said and done.

I’ve mentioned here numerous times my assertion that Libby was paid by Charles Widmore to put Desmond on a boat in order to crash on the Island. This would place her on the payroll of the Widmore Corporation. As for her presence in the mental ward with Hurley, it’s possible she was once again undercover in her capacity as clinical psychologist. Remember, in “The Lost Experience,” the Valenzetti Equation was being run over and over again by autistics in order to prevent worldwide annihilation. Wouldn’t Hanso/Widmore want a clinical psychologist on their payroll on the inside of a mental ward in which one of the patients kept muttering the Numbers over…and over…and over again?

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OK, lads and lasses, that’s all for this week’s recap. As always, leave your thoughts, theories, and Dharma cabernet below.

Are you enjoying “Missing Pieces”? Will there be an overall theme to these, as I’ve suggested, or should we just enjoy them as tiny morsels of goodness? And will Frogurt be the next Nikki/Paolo?