As I continue exploring some of my favorite moments from the past five seasons of Lost, this week I get to the moment that is probably my favorite of them all. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the more polarizing scenes in the show.
I’ve never considered myself a shipper at all, in regards to just about any program, but with Lost I seem to have found my one exception: Desmond and Penny. For me, they really are the heart and soul of the show. While Kate and Jack and Sawyer and Juliet (and Ana Lucia) have spent five years playing relationship musical chairs, Desmond and Penny’s emotions have never wavered. They were always meant for each other. Even when her father orchestrated Desmond’s exile onto the island for years, they were still committed to each other.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to you then that one of my most favorite moments of Lost came at the end of “The Constant,” when Desmond was finally able to reach out to Penny and talk to his long lost love, fulfilling a promise made in his altered past.
In “The Constant” we saw Desmond jumping back and forth between the present and the past, a consequence of the island’s wacky mojo. In order to stop this, he needed to contact his “constant,” the one thing in his life that existed in all his time periods and that he cared deeply about. There was never any doubt that this would be Penny.
Throughout the episode we saw Desmond changing his past, trying desperately to get back to Penny whom he had broken things off with out of desperation and weakness. Finally he reached her and begged for her phone number, promising to call her on Christmas Eve in 2004. She was skeptical and pretty much brushed him off, giving him her number just to get rid of him.
Finally, however, the moment came when she picked up the phone and it was Desmond on the other end. For me, it was perfect, the acting, writing, the music, the whole production, it all came together to make an epic moment in Desmond’s story arc. I’ve embedded the scene below for your viewing pleasure.
It’s been my experience that people were either blown away with the scene, like I was, or they think it was a little overdone and bordered on cheesy. I suppose being so invested in the characters helped me, but I honestly don’t understand how people couldn’t have been moved by the phone call. Rewatching even now I still get goosebumps, and my heart is usually a shriveled little ball of ice, so that’s saying something.
In any case, as the series comes to a close, I am very curious to see what roles Penny and Desmond will be playing in the end game, if any. They pretty much got their happy ending last season and I would hate to see that messed with. At the same time, though, I would still like to see the characters on the show in some capacity. With Sonya Walger anchoring FlashForward, I’m not sure Penny will be appearing in the final season or not, but I can’t wait to find out.
Clacked by Bob Degon
on Oct 05, 2009 @ 12:30 EST5EDT
I agree with you 100%, this is an absolutely brilliant scene. I remember being so confused watching the episode initially (this being Lost, and all), but not only did it all come together in the end, but that scene never fails to bring me to tears. As you said, the music, the acting…and when it is put together with Penny in Charlie’s final scene, when she and Desmond are SO CLOSE yet can’t get there…truly great.
Bob,
Thanks for breaking my heart with that clip & making me want more LOST. I hate you for the time being… what next? a post about Journeyman? The Unusuals? excuse me while i go over to that corner over there >>>> & cry a lil…
Great scene, Bob. It was a little jarring to be grounded back in the real world like that (as it must have been for Desmond), but awesomely powerful scene.
This will probably always be my favorite moment of the entire series. Just reading this entry I got chills thinking about it. And because I’m sitting here at work I was afraid to watch the video, cause I’m pretty sure it’ll make me start crying…just like it did the first time I saw it.
Desmond & Penny will always be my favorite couple on the show. I almost hope they aren’t back simply cause it could only mean bad things for them. Unless of course they somehow save the day for everyone at the end of the series. That would seem fitting to me.