Ep 23. Live Together, Die Alone (1)

In Lost season 2 episode 23, titled "Live Together, Die Alone (1)," the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 continue to face challenges on the mysterious island. The episode starts with Desmond, a character who was introduced in season 2, running from the Others and ending up in the middle of the survivors' camp, where he meets Jack, Locke, and Sawyer. Desmond shares with them his experience of being on the island for the past three years and how he crashed there on his own sailboat. He also reveals that he has been pushing a button inside a bunker every 108 minutes to prevent something catastrophic from happening.

Meanwhile, Sayid and Jin are captured by the Others and taken to their camp where they meet a woman named Cindy who was on the plane with the survivors. She reveals that they have been living on the island for a long time and that they are not the only ones. She also tells Sayid and Jin that they are being taken to see their leader.

Back at the survivors' camp, Jack and Locke discover the hatch where Desmond has been pushing the button. They try to find a way inside, but are unsuccessful. They then decide to try and blow the door open using dynamite that they found on the Black Rock, the shipwreck of a slave ship that they discovered on the island. However, the plan doesn't go as expected, and they end up running out of time to push the button.

Meanwhile, Desmond's backstory is revealed through flashbacks. He used to be a soldier who was dishonorably discharged from the army and was attempting to sail around the world to prove his worth to his former girlfriend, Penelope Widmore. However, he crashed on the island and was taken in by a man named Kelvin who was also pushing the button before he died. Desmond then took over the responsibility of pushing the button, but he has started to doubt its purpose.

The episode ends with a cliffhanger as the survivors' communication system is destroyed by an unknown entity, Sayid and Jin meet the Others' leader, and Desmond refuses to push the button anymore. The countdown reaches zero, and the episode cuts to black.

"Live Together, Die Alone (1)" sets up the season finale as the survivors face the potential consequences of not pushing the button and encountering the mysterious Others. The episode explores themes of isolation, trust, and the lengths people will go to in order to survive. It also hints at a larger mythology surrounding the island as more information about Desmond's backstory is revealed.