Lost - March 28 Recap

The perfect crime: Before her life as a castaway, Nikki was an actress (working opposite this week’s guest star, Billy Dee Williams). When she wasn’t busy with her day job, she was having an affair with her much older and much richer director, Howie Zukerman. Although she professed her love for the old guy, he was nothing but a mark for her and her accomplice, Paulo. That’s right; Nikki and Paulo were criminal masterminds! They poisoned the old man and stole his diamond stash just days before boarding the doomed Oceanic flight.


The good old days: Flashback to the crash, as Shannon screamed hysterically, and the likes of Boone, Ethan and Dr. Artz were still alive. Amid the chaos, Nikki found Paulo, but she only cared about one thing: “Where’s the bag?” The bag contained Paulo’s nicotine gum and, more importantly, the diamonds. Later, Nikki got friendly with Artz, who schooled her in the Medusa spider, a variety whose pheromones could attract all the males of her species.


Personal effects: As for the current events on the island, the bodies of Nikki and Paulo were discovered. Everyone tried to make sense of it, with most fearing it was the work of the smoke monster. Trying to gather clues, Sawyer and Hurley sorted through Paulo and Nikki’s tent. They found some of Artz’s old bug collection and a working walkie-talkie, a souvenir Paulo brought back from an early trip to the Pearl Station.


Backlash: Suspecting it was the Others behind the deaths, Sun reminded the group that they would have killed her if she didn’t escape her earlier kidnapping. Charlie finally decided to come clean about the kidnapping, and how it was all Sawyer’s idea. A furious Sun approached Sawyer, who was busy prepping a double grave, and smacked him across the face. He got off easy.


Holding out: A few hours earlier, Nikki spied the nicotine gum on the beach. Knowing there’s no gum without diamonds, she devised a bizarre plan. Leading Paulo into the jungle, she confronted him about the gems. Her big plan to recover them? She tossed the Medusa spider on him. She explained that the venom would leave him paralyzed, seemingly dead, for hours. He barely had a chance to explain that he hid the diamonds from her to save their relationship, before she, too, felt a bite from one of the male spiders drawn to the scene.


Premature burial: Back to the present, Hurley and Sawyer put the finishing touches on the graveside service for Nikki and Paulo. After Hurley delivered the eulogy, Sawyer shoveled dirt over the bodies of the nearly departed. Yep, Nikki and Paulo weren’t quite dead yet. It was just the spider venom doing its thing. But the real deal wasn’t too far away. The dirt kept piling over them, as Nikki opened her eyes a little too late.