I loved the message of the flashback in this. It really showed Claire's world from her POV and emphasized how alone she felt at that time in her life. She was in a terrible accident, but you don't see anyone visiting her. The police officer was uncaring, her Aunt seemed to hate her, even berated her for going home to get cleaned up after, showing no concern for how Claire was doing. She had a terrible relationship with her mother and then lost her. They also showed her at work, where she was alone. She seemed to have no co-worker friends or anyone else to lean on.

I think this flashback was great insight into Claire. It added to the story of her trust issues. She wasn't just gunshy of a relationship with Charlie because Thomas left her, she's felt alone her whole life and was always waiting for people to turn their back on her. I think what Charlie did brought up this major fear she had and that was why she went overboard and freaked out over what he did.

Claire carried around this guilt for having destroyed this relationship with her mother when she was all she had. She got angry and said things she didn't mean and then the accident happened and she never got to take them back. She has longstanding fear of abandonment and trust issues from people leaving her in her life so she finds it hard to get close to people.

Then on the island, Charlie, the only one that's stood by Claire and been there for her on the island suddenly changes his tune and disses her bird plan and she doesn't know why. Her fears that he is turning on her resurface and she lashes out. Then she finds out he may die and they don't know how much time they have left, very reminiscent of her mother. She decides life is too short to be angry and doesn't want to have regrets like she did with her mum. So she tells him she's not giving up on him and they'll get through it together. Redemption for Claire and hope for their relationship after all.

I think this was a wonderful flashback story and it gave me a lot of insight into where Claire is coming from and why she has been resisting getting close to anyone on the island. Well done. Poor lonely Claire. It made me see for the first time that Claire really does need Charlie in her life. He doesn't just cling to her, they cling to each other.

I thought the best flashback scene was in the hospital room when Claire is pregnant and visiting her mother. I thought she did a really good job. I did feel bad for Charlie when Claire got so mad at him. It was great though at the end when they made up and I think Claire will help him more than Desmond ever can. Even though essentially Desmond is keeping him alive.

I thought the best flashback scene was in the hospital room when Claire is pregnant and visiting her mother. I thought she did a really good job. I did feel bad for Charlie when Claire got so mad at him. It was great though at the end when they made up and I think Claire will help him more than Desmond ever can. Even though essentially Desmond is keeping him alive.

Desmond is keeping him alive. Claire is giving him a reason for living. Both are essential I agree.

I cried during that scene. She carried such guilt and so much regret for what happened. Emilie acted the hell out of it.

I couldn't agree more with you, Pace.

I adored this episode. Early on I thought, "Oh great..here we all are pushing for more Claire and Charlie scenes and now all we have is their fighting with each other again".

But I'm glad that by the end of the episode that things were resolved.

I always wondered if the reason Claire was so cold towards Charlie was just because of Thomas or if it was something more. Now we know, and I have to say, I am definately more understanding now of her distance from Charlie.
100%
I cried too.

That last scene was so incredibly heart breaking. She is really similiar to Shannon in a lot of ways, the whole abandonment issue and being so alone in the world. I felt so crushed when she walked into the hospital and started talking to her mother like that.
It is natural for teenager to go through what Claire went through, but most parents are able to see their children grow out of it and redeem themselves. But Claire's mother never got to see the bright, confident and loving women she became. She never got to see how thankful Claire was, how much she meant to her, how much she had influenced her. That whole final scene where Claire broke down just pulled at the heart strings, the poor girl is trying so hard to tell her mother she loved her, but probably knows deep down that it might not be getting through.
It also brings a new level to the whole mother issues that Claire has. I love that quote from Exodus where out of frustration she snaps, "no one taught me how to do this!" while looking after Aaron. She doesn't have her mum around to teach her what being a mum is all about... :(

I cried during that scene. She carried such guilt and so much regret for what happened. Emilie acted the hell out of it.

I loved Claire's mommy issues.

She's always struck me as lonely ever since I saw her in the adoption papers scene in Raised By Another and I think that's when she crawled under my skin for good. I'm not that much older so I wondered how I'd have dealt with that knowing I was all alone.

:claire:

I am a sucker for the flashbacks. I don't want them to end, and I usually get annoyed that the island scenes are taking away from the flashbacks. It was great to get insight into Claire- one of the least developed original characters to date. Great story, great performances. Excellent.

Yeah I always wondered why her mother wasn't with her at the whole adoption paper signing. I thought even back then that Claire's mother had either disowned her, or was dead.

Did anyone else get a pain in their heart when Claire turned on the nature show for her mum?

It shows how much time she probably spent in that hospital. Always sitting there and watching the shows with her mother, even if she was technically watching them alone.

That last scene was so incredibly heart breaking. She is really similiar to Shannon in a lot of ways, the whole abandonment issue and being so alone in the world. I felt so crushed when she walked into the hospital and started talking to her mother like that.
It is natural for teenager to go through what Claire went through, but most parents are able to see their children grow out of it and redeem themselves. But Claire's mother never got to see the bright, confident and loving women she became. She never got to see how thankful Claire was, how much she meant to her, how much she had influenced her. That whole final scene where Claire broke down just pulled at the heart strings, the poor girl is trying so hard to tell her mother she loved her, but probably knows deep down that it might not be getting through.
It also brings a new level to the whole mother issues that Claire has. I love that quote from Exodus where out of frustration she snaps, "no one taught me how to do this!" while looking after Aaron. She doesn't have her mum around to teach her what being a mum is all about... :(

Okay, I got sad all over again just reading your post. That's right, I remember now when she said no one taught her how to do this. She didn't have her to guide her through anything.


I loved Claire's mommy issues.

She's always struck me as lonely ever since I saw her in the adoption papers scene in Raised By Another and I think that's when she crawled under my skin for good. I'm not that much older so I wondered how I'd have dealt with that knowing I was all alone.

:claire:

So alone. The really did a great job of this. Even the crash site. Claire wakes up alone. No good samaritans, no EMTs, she has to crawl out of the car by herself and there's no one else there. She goes to her mother but there's no one to help Claire that we see. Even in the hospital the way they nurse and doctor were so detached from her. No one showed any concern for her at all. Even without what happened to her mother, car crashes are traumatic.

So alone. The really did a great job of this.

Oh, that reminds me of seeing her in the montage of them boarding the plane, when Arzt helps her with her luggage. Knowing why she was on the plane and where she was going... That one shot of her dragging her suitcase always gets to me. I'm such a sap.

When we see her after the crash she's alone and scared again, but Jack and Hurley run to her and it's the beginning of her finding a family on this island. I love all her bonding moments with Sun and Claire and other survivors.

Oh, that reminds me of seeing her in the montage of them boarding the plane, when Arzt helps her with her luggage. Knowing why she was on the plane and where she was going... That one shot of her dragging her suitcase always gets to me. I'm such a sap.

When we see her after the crash she's alone and scared again, but Jack and Hurley run to her and it's the beginning of her finding a family on this island. I love all her bonding moments with Sun and Claire and other survivors.

Yeah, this episode really makes you rethink all the other moments on the island that we've seen and I love that. Even Claire's diary. It really illustrates why Claire is so attached to her diary. It's really all she had to talk to. Her diary is like a substitute for her mum.

Awww, my poor lonely Claire, I am so glad Charlie is there to make her happy. This also explains why she latched onto someone like Thomas, who really had no job or anything. She was probably so desperate for human interaction after all those years. And then think back to that shot when Thomas walks out on her and she is standing alone in the living room screaming, all pregnant and awkard. Poor girl.
And to think of how lonely she felt even after the crash, no wonder she was so taken aback by Charlie, and how she has now latched onto him so quickly.

Great thread - Pace, you hit the nail on the head regarding Claire and Charlie. I can't add anything else to it. I never thought that Claire was being cold to Charlie, however -I always thought that Charlie was being overly possessive of her. Of course, now we can appreciate where both are coming from - Claire has been abandoned by the people she loves and finds it difficult to trust while Charlie has been searching for anything to ground him, to give him a reason to stay clean and live a decent life. They really are the perfect match...........if the writers destroy this by killing Charlie, I really won't be able to put my anger into words.

So many great scenes tonight; it would be nice if Emilie got some media love.......finally.....because she really is a terrific actress. Only Evangeline gets the media's attention from a female point of view, but I've overdosed on her at this point. Anyway, Emilie was heartbreaking tonight; I think my favorite scene was when Claire and Christian were having coffee. She was so angry, but her face softened and she smiled when he mentioned having sung to her as a child. She lashed out at him with all the anger you would expect of someone whose father just reentered her life.........and yet, down deep, she probably wanted to love him. What was saddest is that Claire probably didn't believe that he loved her.......and he did.

I actually just rewatched the scene from Maternity Leave where Claire cries over Aaron, telling him that they are a team and how much she loves him. I bawled over that one- what a brilliant scene. Aaron is one of the only good things that has ever happened to her - he won't abandon her, he needs her and loves her. It must make Claire feel good to be needed and loved.

Awww, my poor lonely Claire, I am so glad Charlie is there to make her happy. This also explains why she latched onto someone like Thomas, who really had no job or anything. She was probably so desperate for human interaction after all those years. And then think back to that shot when Thomas walks out on her and she is standing alone in the living room screaming, all pregnant and awkard. Poor girl.
And to think of how lonely she felt even after the crash, no wonder she was so taken aback by Charlie, and how she has now latched onto him so quickly.

Yeah, all this makes that scene when Thomas walks out even more poignant doesn't it? It was a complete abandonment. Remember how happy she was hanging the drapes because she said it was like something her mum would do? :frown:

I don't think she's allowed herself to latch onto Charlie in quite the same way. She's finally reached out a bit, but I think she's still holding back. After seeing this episode, I want to see these two live happily ever after more than ever. After all they've both been through in their young lives, all the family that has left them both, for either one to lose the other now would be beyond tragic.

What was saddest is that Claire probably didn't believe that he loved her.......and he did.


I love John Terry. The man has put so much heart into what could be a heartless pathetic character that I really feel for Christian and believe that he loved both his children but didn't know how to show it and it tortured him his whole life to be rejected by them.

I actually just rewatched the scene from Maternity Leave where Claire cries over Aaron, telling him that they are a team and how much she loves him. I bawled over that one- what a brilliant scene. Aaron is one of the only good things that has ever happened to her - he won't abandon her, he needs her and loves her. It must make Claire feel good to be needed and loved.

And to think she nearly abandoned Aaron -- twice. Once for adoption and once for Ethan. It's like how she is Charlie, she keeps pushing him away first before he has a chance to hurt her.

I agree that Charlie is looking to be grounded, but he has also been adandoned by his family. They really fulfill that same need in each other. This episode made me realize the relationship is not so unbalanced as it may appear. We just need more Claire insight. They really need each other.

Think back when she was pregnant and told Charlie that she thought everyone thought she was a ticking time bomb of responsibility. That she scared them.

I don't think anyone really saw her like that. Not on the Island.

I think she was probably comparing her Aunt to everyone else. It's likely that her Aunt treated her like some huge mountain of responsibility after the accident, and that's probably why Claire was so attached to Thomas and living with him. She didn't have anywhere else to go.

Also, notice how in the beginning..when they crashed, Claire was so sweet and nice to everyone, and now she's just a tad more distant, but only to those that are close to her. This is probably because she never thought she'd have to be around them so much, and she didn't have to worry about anyone getting too close to hurt her.

That's a really good observation. It's easy to have a superficial relationship, but the longer you're with someone, you either have to get closer or back off.

I can also see how she felt like she was a burden to others because her Aunt made her feel that way.

Really good thoughts and insights in this thread.

The line about hanging the drapes.... oh man, I forgot about that. Poor, lonely Claire. :frown:

It also really resonates with how hurt she was when Charlie wouldn't tell her that Ethan was coming back to get her. Everyone was looking at her funny, she was pregnant and alone, and now she was totally abandoned by Charlie, so she thought. It resonates even more deeply now.

It really was a good FB. It was nice to finally flesh her character out more. And to think, it only took 2 1/2 season to get to it? ;)

I love John Terry. The man has put so much heart into what could be a heartless pathetic character that I really feel for Christian and believe that he loved both his children but didn't know how to show it and it tortured him his whole life to be rejected by them.

And to think she nearly abandoned Aaron -- twice. Once for adoption and once for Ethan. It's like how she is Charlie, she keeps pushing him away first before he has a chance to hurt her.

I agree that Charlie is looking to be grounded, but he has also been adandoned by his family. They really fulfill that same need in each other. This episode made me realize the relationship is not so unbalanced as it may appear. We just need more Claire insight. They really need each other.

I wonder what else John Terry has been in -I've got to go look it up. He's so wonderful - I think I'm in love with him, LOL. You're so right, Pace - his character on a piece of paper is just so flawed, but he proves that characters are not just as written, but that they need actors to flesh them out. Every character on Lost is flawed, but that's not a bad thing; human beings are flawed and anyway, who wants to watch the Stepford Island? Josh Holloway makes Sawyer ridiculously attractive and charming even when you just want to kill the guy for being such a butthead; Foxy brings a real humanity to Jack, who could come off as cold and sanctimonious as doctors are often portrayed (well, Jack actually has at times shown a god complex....which is annoying, but it's true). His Jack is not perfect, but he's a good man. Jorge makes Hurley more than just the fat friend along for the ride; he brings enormous sensitivity and humor to what could be a thankless, depthless role. I could go on and on......

I wonder if Claire's relationship with Jack would actually solidify her own with Charlie. Trust issues don't just disappear overnight.....I'm sure she's still going to have moments, like when she finds out about Charlie's attack on Sun. .

However, when she and Jack get to know each other better, she will have a better understanding of her own history - that she wasn't really abandoned by her father (IMO - I believed Christian when he said that he visited her, etc........), which would imply that she was not worth caring about -that fate has not left her all alone in a cruel world. She has a brother, she has a baby who needs her, she has a man who adores her and who wouldn't abandon her for anything (who has "died" trying to save her several times).........Claire needs to be healed, period, before she is fully ready to truly trust anyone again.

Why is it Claire gets one flashback a season and they are always good, but meanwhile other characters, like Jack, Kate and Charlie, get two or three a season and they are almost always lousey? One more Lost mystery, I guess.

Why is it Claire gets one flashback a season and they are always good, but meanwhile other characters, like Jack, Kate and Charlie, get two or three a season and they are almost always lousey? One more Lost mystery, I guess.

Charlie hasn't had two since the first season. Kate only had one last year. I don't think it's the number of flashbacks that matter. It's just a question of whether they delve into different things each time or keep treading the same water. But I'm not one of those that thinks flashbacks are a waste if they're repetitive. To me, they always inform the island story that the character is going through at that moment and its what makes these characters so real to me.

Charlie hasn't had two since the first season. Kate only had one last year.....

Thank you, pacejunkie, for the claireification. :) It sure feels like they have had more flashbacks. Maybe it is that their flashbacks seem done and useless to me by this point. As for character development, their flashbacks usually just reinforce what we already know about the character.

I am all for flashbacks, but would not mind if there is never a Charlie, Kate or Jack one again.

3 in a row for Claire. 3 brilliant flashbacks.

I have to say I was a bit skeptical coming into this episode, I had already known that Christian was her dad and I had never really liked Christian but this episode has turned my opinions upside down. This episode was fantastic, the flashback was amazing and Emilie acted her heart out.
Her scene with her mother was very sad and she acted it so perfetly very similar to the scene she had in ML last year with Aaron.

(Do the writers not see this talent? Is that why she is so neglected?)

Anyway getting back on topic my opinion of Christian Shepard has changed I have a lot more respect for his character now than I did before.

And also great analysis of Claire pace, everything I wanted to say you said it and in more detail.

It seems the writers are stymied by their own early decision to make Claire a mother. They can't have a mother out traipsing about the jungle, risking death, with her baby back at the beach -- it would make her an unsympathetic character to most.

They seem to be working around that by including Claire in the Charlie death premonitions storyline. My fear is that (as others have postulated on this board) Claire will end up a sacrifice for Charlie.

Another way to keep Claire relevant is to revive the mystery about Aaron's fate and weave that in with her efforts to maintain the "family" she & Charlie are creating. It would be cool to see her become the strong character who triumphs over both death and fate!

I hope we see more of Charlie and Claire wokring side by side to change Charlie's fate and both of them prevailing. I like that they are making use of Aunty Sun and Uncle Jin more too. They could use the practice.