One of
the best things, in my opinion, about big-ensemble dramas like Lost, Heroes, and Once Upon a Time
is the huge variety of character interactions you can have. It’s especially fruitful in early episodes,
when the cast is still getting to know one another and the showrunners haven’t
hit upon their favorite pairings yet (romantic or otherwise.) As a result, you tend to get a
see-what-sticks potpourri of interpersonal relationships while everyone waits
to see what rises to the top. Kate and
Sayid’s relationship is one of these early explorations, and though the two
characters ultimately wound up spending most of their screentime in separate
spheres, they continued to catch my attention every time they shared
storylines. (A few season 1 flashback
spoilers.)
Like any
character on Lost, Sayid and Kate
both have complicated, insanely dramatic histories. Quiet, technologically-gifted Sayid is a
former Republican Guard interrogator, and though he’s spent years running from
that past, the mere fact of his ethnicity and religion places him in an uncomfortable
position after surviving a plane crash in a post-9-11 world. Personable, athletic Kate more quickly wins
over the trust and camaraderie of her fellow survivors, but she’s been running
as well – she’s lived a transient life as a fugitive after committing a crime
that, for more than a season, is shrouded in secrecy.
Perception
and identity (past and present) are important on the island. Everyone has secrets or hidden shames held
for different lengths of time, and just about everyone has had the entire camp
turn against them at least once. With
Kate and Sayid, however, their backstories really don’t play a part in their
relationship. It’s not about her being an
outlaw or him being a reformed torturer.
Rather, it’s about both of them being resourceful survivors volunteering
their skills and intelligence to help everyone stay alive. Both are frequent volunteers for jungle treks
to find water, food, radio signals, and anything else that might sustain them
or aid in their rescue. Since Kate is an
experienced tracker and Sayid has a flair for MacGyvering together electronic
equipment from scavenged luggage, they’re valuable assets.
In this
way, they’re a lot alike, and that allows them to work well together. Both are brave and adventurous, they can
think on their feet, and they can hold it together when they’re being threatened. Both have had dark experiences in their lives
and know their way around guns and unflinching decisions better than many of
the other survivors (although it’s staggering how many passengers on one random
plane flight have killed before. If you
fly Oceanic, doze with one eye open!) As
such, they’re often on the same page, banding together on treks to support one
another’s ideas, sharing instincts, and communicating easily with no more than
a look or a nod.
I am rewatching the show and I think it seemed possible the writers intended on a love triangle between Sayid, Kate, and Jack because of some of the comments made by onlookers in the early, 1st season but the idea was scrapped because of Sawyer and Kate's chemistry. I had heard the Kate x Sawyer plot was not the original plan.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I agree that their platonic relationship really works for both characters. I like them better as people when they're working together, you know?
Sayid treats her very differently than other people, which made them a cool pair of friends.
Also, Sayid honestly seemed a little under appreciated next to other characters, but not by Kate.
Cosign all of that. And yeah, they do feel a bit shippy early on. I remember there's an early episode (I think it's when they're trying to triangulate the signal for the radio tower?) where Sayid makes a comment about not trusting Sawyer with Kate. IIRC, Kate assures him she can take care of herself and Sayid, to his credit, lets her do just that. He has a lot of respect for her as a person, which I dig.
DeleteAnd yes, Sayid is most definitely underappreciated. He and Kate get each other and work well together, which is why I love them so much.