sammi says

"I'll see you in another life, brother." Desmond's signature catch phrase since his first appearance on "Lost" has never been more true. (Refresh your memory here)

All my wishes came true (see the end of my last "Lost" recap) and this week's episode of "Lost," "Happily Ever After," was Desmond-centric and really shed light on the whole flash-sideways/alternate reality situation. We learned last week that the flash sideways world is in fact a reality in which the Man in Black has left the island and evil has spread. Widmore brought Desmond back to the island because he is the only person who can withstand huge amounts of electromagnetic energy (remember when the hatch blew up?). Clearly, somehow Desmond is a key to keeping the Man in Black on the island and it will involve the island's huge amount of electromagnetism. Widmore's people test Desmond's immunity to the energy which sends him into the flash sideways world--a world in which he not only works for Charles Widmore, but is his right-hand man. Oh, and he doesn't even know Penny.

Widmore gives Desmond the task of collecting Charlie from the police station and delivering him to his son's concert. Charlie is less than thrilled to see Desmond. Charlie explains that when he was choking on his bag of heroin on the airplane he had a vision of the love of his life. Desmond doesn't understand because it's stressed several times in the episode that Desmond has no family, no connections, nothing tying him down. In an attempt to kill himself or to show Desmond what he means, Charlie grabs the steering wheel sending their car into the water. Desmond escapes but Charlie is passively drowning. But of course, in true "Lost" fashion, that super sad music starts playing, Charlie puts his hand to the glass and Desmond flashes. He sees Charlie's hand go to the glass and written on it is, "Not Penny's Boat." (Watch Charlie's original death here) Desmond does what he couldn't do the first time around and saves Charlie's life. At the hospital Desmond is inside a MRI machine (hello, radiation!) and flashes again and sees his life with Penny.

Needless to say, he freaks out, but loses Charlie in the process. So it's up to Desmond to inform Mrs. Widmore that due to Charlie's absence, Drive Shaft will not be performing at the concert. Mrs. Widmore, is of course the all-knowing, Eloise Hawking. She takes Desmond's news extremely well....until Desmond overhears the name "Penny" on a guest list and starts asking questions. Mrs. Hawking quickly changes tones and demands that Desmond "let it go" and continue living his life as planned. Eloise is definitely aware of the alternate reality. Desmond returns to his limousine (the chauffeur is none other than George Minkowski, the communications officer from the freighter who died from the lack of a constant) feeling defeated until he is stopped by none other than Daniel Faraday-Widmore. Daniel overheard the exchange and tells Desmond he had a similar situation after seeing a woman named Charlotte for the first time. He went home that night and spontaneiously wrote a physics equation in his notebook, despite his lack of scientifically knowledge. He tells Desmond that it's an equation for an atomic bomb that would reset time. Desmond asks if he's going to detonate a bomb, Daniel's reply, "I think I already did." Daniel tells Desmond that Penny is his sister and how he can find her.

Desmond finds Penny at the stadium (where he initially met Jack 3 years before the crash of Oceanic 815). He shakes her hand and flashes back to the island where he has survived the electromagnetic radiation. He is no longer hesitant. He tells Widmore he'll do whatever he needs. But before any of that can happen, Sayid "rescues" Desmond from the bad guys. Desmond willingly goes with him. Back in the flash sideways world, Desmond and Penny set up a coffee date. Desmond asks Minkowski for the flight manifest and says he's going to show them something.

Time and time again Desmond-centric episodes have always been my favorite. I love the tie-ins and parallels with previous episodes. I was screaming when Charlie put his hand to the glass. This episode really proves that this series' focus is not about time-travel, science fiction, or even the ultimate battle of good vs. evil, when you boil it down, it is a character based show and is based on love. Think about the power couples- Desmond and Penny, Charlie and Claire, Sun and Jin, Daniel and Charlotte, and even Rose and Bernard....these relationships have transcended time and space and still mean something even in the flash sideways world where some of these people haven't even met each other yet. I can't believe there are only 5 episodes left. I'm going to be so sad when the show is over. I have no idea what's in store for the next episode but I'm sure we can expect to see what Widmore has in store for the Man in Black, or vice versa for that matter.