Hearts and Minds

Hearts and Minds aired on January 12, 2005. It carries the first Lost writing credit for Carlton Cuse, shared with Javier Grillo-Marxuach. Cuse went on to run the show with Damon Lindelof and wrote 39 episodes in all. Rod Holcomb directed.

Where things stand: Kate and Sawyer have been fighting over a briefcase, and Shannon has been helping translate maps, proving she is more useful than people thought. Something found underground is still unexplained.

This hour is built around two people at once, Boone and Shannon, who arrived on the same flight and do not get along. Their relationship is complicated, and that is all you need going in. The official magazine covered this episode in its very first issue, in late 2005, and came back to it more than once.