Season 3 Episodes

Episode 17

Catch-22

Desmond, Hurley, Jin and Charlie are trekking through the jungle. Charlie and Hurley are absorbed in a heated debate about who would win a race between Superman and the Flash. Charlie steps on a rope that unleashes a hidden cross bow, the arrow launches straight through Charlie's throat. This is yet another of Desmond's premonitions. However this event is followed by images of Hurley dragging a rope from the sand and a flash in the Sky and a picture of Penny and Desmond.

Desmond asks Hurley to tell him where this rope is, "because someone is coming".

Desmond's flash back sees him as monk in a monastery who has successfully completed his vow of silence.

Hurley and Desmond borrow Jack's first aid kit, Hurley releases that Desmond knows someone will get hurt. Mean while Sawyer pays Kate an afternoon visit in the hope of rekindling some of their in-cage passion. Kate declines.

In order to re create the events in his premonition, Desmond recruits Jin to come with them for a camping trip. The final person Desmond approaches is Charlie. He does not believe that a camping trip is Desmond's motive for heading into the jungle and asks him whether he saw something bad. Desmond lies to Charlie telling him that nothing will happen to him. Desmond has another premonition with the addition of someone hanging from a parachute.

Desmond's next flashback sees him and the monk are bottling Moriah Vineyards wine while discussing the meaning of sacrifice. The monk tells Desmond not to under estimate the meaning of sacrifice. At this point another monk escorts a man in who wishes to see Desmond. The man swiftly punches Desmond in the face and leaves.

Kate and Jack are at the camps food tent and comments how strange it is not to be trying to escape from somewhere. Jack tells her to enjoy it as something is certain to happen at some point. He then leaves to eat with Juliette. A clearly devastated Kate visits Sawyers tent to take him up on his earlier offer.

The camping team set up a fire while Desmond shows Charlie the picture of him and Penny. He tells Charlie that Penny had said you can find anyone with enough time and money. At that point they hear the sound of a helicopter high above but the sound of propeller diminishes and it sounds as though the helicopter crashes into the sea. A red light can be seen ejecting from the falling aircraft. Desmond wants to go in search of the parachute but Charlie insists they wait till morning.

Desmond knocks on a door which is opened by the man who punched him. He asks to see his sister Ruth, she invites him in. He tells her that he is a monk and that he got the calling just before their wedding. She tells Desmond that next time he wants to break up with someone don't join a monastery just tell her he's scared.

Back in the jungle Desmond finds a pack hanging from a tree. Inside contains a satellite phone with a flat battery and a picture of Penny and Desmond. Walking further, Charlie and Hurley begin the fateful conversation concerning Superman and the Flash, Charlie steps on the trip wire. Just as the arrow fires Desmond pushes Charlie to the ground, saving him once more. Charlie is doubtful that Desmond has originally intended to save him, however their argument is broken by the discovery of a parachuted person hanging from a tree.

Desmond's final flashback sees him being excused from the monastery for getting drunk. The monk tells him that he has spent too much time running away and not thinking about what he is running towards. The next day is helping to load crates of wine into a car. The driver emerges and is none other than Penelope Widmore.

Desmond frees the person from the tree and excitedly tries to remove the helmet convinced that she is Penny. When the helmet is removed we see that she is not Penny but as she regains consciousness she recognises Desmond.