I’ve decided to explore an issue many lost viewers have become sick of, including myself-that damn love triangle.

First of all, it’s necessary to explore Kate’s character to get a better understanding of what attracts her to two such different men.

Kate is a complicated character. Is she a good person who has done bad things, or a bad person who wants to be good? Whatever the case, Kate is full of self hate. She doesn’t want to be weak, and she certainly doesn’t want t be like Wayne, who was “bad” and her biological father. Sam on the other hand, the man who she thought was her father is exactly who she should be like. He is “good.”

Now here’s another question, why did Kate murder Wayne? Where there other reasons besides the fact that he was abusing her mother, and possibly Kate as well? Was it just the fact that knowing he was “ a part of her” that caused Kate to snap? Or all of these reasons. Take note that Kate took out an insurance policy on the house in her mothers name, so that she would be ok. Was Kate trying to protect her mother? Was she trying to do a good thing, something she believed would make her more like Sam? Sam later revealed he never told Kate the truth because he somehow knew she’d kill him. He tells Kate he didn’t kill Wayne because he “doesn’t have murder in his heart.” What is this supposed to mean? Is him implying that Kate is “bad” simply because she is Wayne’s daughter? Kate sure expresses this to Sawyer when she believes he is possessed by Wayne. Her reason she gives him for the murder is:

“Somehow you asked me a question. You asked me why I did it … It wasn’t ’cause you drove my father away, or the way you looked at me, or because you beat her. It was ’cause I hated that you were a part of me. That I would never be good. That I would never have anything good. And every time that I look at Sawyer, every time I feel something for him, I see you Wayne! It makes me sick!”

Ok, so Kate hates that she’s a part of Wayne, that she’s bad, and she idolizes Sam who is good. See a parallel here? Think Jack=good, Sawyer=bad. And this is where the real dilemma comes in, because Kate has two very different types of love for these guys.Let’s start with the hero-Jack. Jack is “good” kind, noble and always tries to do the right thing. See how he is “good” like Sam-Jack is everything Kate wishes she could be. And so, Kate is in love with the idea of Jack. She is in love with the idea of being with someone who is so noble and good. Notice how when ever Kate upsets Jack, she pretty much crawls for forgiveness when ever he gives her the cold shoulder, even if she was right. She’s so desperate to be good like Jack, that she do anything to “get back in the club.” For him.

Jack on the other hand is in love with the idea of who Kate could be. He no doubt wants to fix her. But lets face it, Kate may find redemption by accepting her actions and moving on, but she will never be ‘fixed.’ She will never be the person Jack wants her to be. One of these reasons is because Kate finds it hard to be truthful with Jack. Think of all the times she’s deceived him. She’s ashamed of her past and tries to keep it hidden from him. Think of the lengths she went to in Whatever the case may be. She got him to help her dig up the marshal, then swiped the key and pretended that it wasn’t there. Jack saw through this, but gave her the toy airplane anyway. He asked her what is was and she refused to tell him. In the end they had an argument which left Kate in tears, while Jack walked away.

Jack is often frustrated by Kate’s deceitfulness, or actions which he does not understand. While he used to be more understanding, more of late he just gets into shouting matches with her. Sure, Jack may love her, but he doesn’t get her, (in the sense Sawyer does) as much as he wants to. Unless he can accept Kate for who she is (which seems unlikely) I don’t see Jate as a good relationship. Relationships need equals, but at the moment Kate is certainly not an equal to Jack in their relationship. In the words of one great fan, Kate needs a partner, not a coach.

Now lets take a look at Kate and Sawyer’s relationship.

Kate herself has said Sawyer reminds her of Wayne, and Wayne=bad. And this is one of the real reasons Kate struggles with her feelings for Sawyer. Because Sawyer is bad and she needs to be good.

Lets explore Sawyer’s character a bit. He’s by no means a “good” guy like Jack. He’s usually only thinks of himself. He hordes things, seeks revenge, is antisocial and a conman. He is also very vulnerable and chooses to hide this weakness with swaggering confidence.

In many ways he’s not that different to Kate, and it is because of this that he gets her in a way Jack can‘t. Sawyer often sees right through her, and vice versa.

Sawyer is understanding of Kate. He is someone who has fallen in love with her for who she is. Her criminal past doesn’t bother him (while it certainly would bother Jack) and he has a strong connection to her. Kate is drawn to him as well. Though at first she makes it clear she wants nothing to do with him, she soon finds herself seeking him out. Sawyer even comments on this in Outlaws during a game of ‘I never.’

“I never cared about having carte blanch because I just wanted to spend some time with the only other person on this island that just don’t belong.”

Kate seems to trust Sawyer. She often confides in him when she feels she cannot confide in Jack. She loves him, but is often frustrated when Sawyer refuses to change for the better. For example, in The Long Con Sawyer has gained a somewhat better reputation in the campsite. He decides to go back to his old self, and cons everyone out of the guns, playing Kate in the process. Understandably Kate is upset. She asks him way he as to be that way, and Sawyer tells her “Tiger don’t change it’s stripes” showing he either doesn’t believe, or isn’t willing to change. For now Kate believes the latter, and here is where the problem comes in.Kate seems to trust Sawyer. She often confides in him when she feels she cannot confide in Jack. She loves him, but is often frustrated when Sawyer refuses to change for the better. For example, in Sawyer has gained a somewhat better reputation in the campsite. He decides to go back to his old self, and cons everyone out of the guns, playing Kate in the process. Understandably Kate is upset. She asks him way he as to be that way, and Sawyer tells her showing he either doesn’t believe, or isn’t willing to change. For now Kate believes the latter, and here is where the problem comes in.While Kate is able to love Sawyer for who he is, despite his past, she still longs for someone “good.” Sawyer, while the “right” choice for her, isn’t the “good” one, if you get me. So while Jack is the good, sensible choice, he will never actually be the right choice.

Kate seems to trust Sawyer. She often confides in him when she feels she cannot confide in Jack. She loves him, but is often frustrated when Sawyer refuses to change for the better. For example, in Sawyer has gained a somewhat better reputation in the campsite. He decides to go back to his old self, and cons everyone out of the guns, playing Kate in the process. Understandably Kate is upset. She asks him way he as to be that way, and Sawyer tells her showing he either doesn’t believe, or isn’t willing to change. For now Kate believes the latter, and here is where the problem comes in.While Kate is able to love Sawyer for who he is, despite his past, she still longs for someone “good.” Sawyer, while the “right” choice for her, isn’t the “good” one, if you get me. So while Jack is the good, sensible choice, he will never actually be the choice.Now, the writers told us Kate would choose in 306, which was I do hence, Kate’s choice is Sawyer. However, its not long before Kate and Sawyer start to argue, and Sawyer soon turns back to his old ways. When they almost back at camp in Tricia Tanaka is Dead, Kate attempts to patch things up, asking “James” to apologize. After the refusal she sighs, “welcome back Sawyer.” Showing that the old Sawyer is back, and she ain‘t happy about it.

Kate then sets out to look for Jack straight away, without Sawyer. Many viewers saw this as Kate deciding she loved Jack, and not Sawyer. However, I believe Kate would have gone back either way. After all, even if she did choose Sawyer, that doesn’t eliminate her friendship or feelings for Jack-remember, she needs to deal with these too.

In The man from Tallahassee Kate’s plan to rescue Jack backfires when she learns he has made a deal with the others-he’s going home. (though thanks to Locke, he won’t make it) I believe Kate lost a lot of trust in Jack in this episode. What happened to “live together, die alone”? Even if it was for the greater good as Jack implied, Kate certainly would see it as abandonment-much like Sam leaving her alone with her mother and Wayne.

And this brings me to the promo for this weeks episode left behind. No doubt you’ve all seen the fight between a handcuffed Juliet and Kate. Juliet provokes Kate, telling her the reason Jack told her not to come back was because she broke his heart. Kate responds by punching Juliet. This seems to foreshadow that Kate still has feelings for Jack. Well yeah, she most probably does, but this doesn’t mean she’s going to dump Sawyer in favour of him. Remember, Kate hasn’t dealt with her Jack issues yet, she needs to get over them before going back to Sawyer.

So what am I trying to get at by all of this? I believe Kate chose Sawyer, and she’ll at least stay with him for the time being. (though she’s gonna have to work on him if she wants him to commit) We could see some significant character development from Sawyer because of this, no doubt Kate will be encouraging him to give up Sawyer and become James.

Juliet and Jack will most probably get together, and why not? Not only is the relationship interesting, but there is great chemistry. It’ll be interesting to see the Losties reactions to Jack being in a relationship with a former ‘Other.’

I don’t think Jack and Kate will be together for a while. I will add that Jack seems to be becoming less good. After all, he did make a deal with the Others for just himself to go home, and he’s certainly taken with Juliet. Who knows what he will do next? So maybe in future seasons it’s plausible he will be able to accept and understand Kate better, but that is certainly a long way off.

My prediction? The triangle will end…. And the square shall begin.