The unfortunate thing about being spoiled with new episodes every week is that eventually a break occurs. No one waits for new seasons for a longer or more anxious time than "Lost" fans -- seven months between season three and four -- and while they promised to have all 16 episodes straight in a row, the writers' strike threw everything on television for a loop.

Now fans are lucky to be getting 13 episodes at all, let alone only a month break from now until April 24. So hold on, Losties, we've been through harder times before. Remember when Ana Lucia was alive? See, it could be worse.

Speaking of Ana Lucia's untimely death, her murderer is back, and he has quite the story to tell Sayid and Desmond. Last week's episode was named "Meet Kevin Johnson" and was the flashback/explanation for what has happened to Michael since he left the Island with Walt. He did get back to New York City and is in a depressing shape similar to future Jack in "Through the Looking Glass." He started out the flashback sitting in his car, pinning a note to his chest, and driving at high speed into a wall. This is one of five suicide attempts in this episode, and unfortunately, none of them take. During his second try with a gun, a very "friendly" face shows up: the Other Tom, a.k.a. Mr. Friendly. He was last seen getting shot by Sawyer, so in comparison, he looks pretty good in this episode.

He tells Michael that the Island will not let him commit suicide, and he still has work to do. No rest for the wicked, apparently. Michael tries to shoot himself twice more, and the gun jams. As a side note, Michael told Walt that he was a murderer, and now the boy is no longer speaking to him. Tom gives Michael a mission to atone for his past mistakes: jump on the freighter that Widmore is sending, and kill everyone on board...or everyone on the Island will be dead.

Naturally, Michael puts up some protest at continuing his murderous streak but gives in when Walt's hatred of him comes up. He joins the Boaties and meets Naomi, Miles, Frank, and Minkowski. He balks at hurting any of them, until he sees the big group of soldiers shooting automatic weapons off the deck. However, when Michael sets off the bomb in the engine room, nothing happens. Oops. He gets a phone call from Ben later on explaining that the Others would not kill the innocents on the boat, which makes them different from the people on the boat who will murder all of them. He wants Michael to sabotage the ship, and if he does, he'll be one of the "good guys." Does anyone else get a chill every time Ben says that?

Back in the present, Sayid and Desmond listened to this story, and Sayid decides to turn Michael in to the Captain. This does not seem a particularly smart move on Sayid's part, which is surprising since the Iraqi torturer always has his head on straight. Also, Ben convinces Rousseau, Karl, and Alex to run to the Temples to meet up with the rest of the Others. Karl and Rousseau are shot by a sniper, and Alex yells that she is Ben's daughter. Poor Alex.

Libby makes a few appearances as a ghost haunting Michael, and since "Lost" creators Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse claimed Michael's story would be a redemptive one, this seems like the first step to causing a sympathetic view for him. Personally, it didn't work. This was a fine episode, with the regular amount of strong acting and subtle writing, but Michael has been a difficult character to like even before the shooting. Let us not forget that this was the man who intended to put Walt up for adoption before they crashed and did not even want to take him in the first place. It is difficult to sympathize with a man who so constantly claims that saving his son at any cost excuses his behavior, and although he appears sincere, it does not altogether ring true.

The next episode will be on April 24 and is titled "The Shape of Things To Come." It looks like some very serious danger is coming the way of the Losties and rescue for a very special six.

Story by Chelsea 'Dee' Doyle
Starpulse contributing writer