He gave very good face.

Does being woobified mean he's no longer a jackhole, or just that there's now a much larger fanfic contingent that won't treat him that way? 'Cause I have no real desire to wrap him in a woobie blanket and feed him soup, traumatic childhood or no. Unless "woobie blanket" and "soup" are euphemisms for "hot monkey sex," in which case I'm all for it.

Jess is me. I am Jess. I will not eat green eggs and boar.

What didn't make any sense to me is that if there's a baby boar, there is almost certainly a mommy boar nearby, and when she comes by she is going to be PISSED.

They probably killed the mother earlier, is my guess.

He gave very good face.

Definitely. There was a bit in the last scene, when he was deciding whether to tell Jack about Jack's dad or not, where he did something with just his eyes (without narrowing them or squinting)that I can't quite figure out what he did, but you could see him make his decision. Good stuff.

I just read the Entertainment Weekly recap (you have to have a subscription to access it, unfortunately), and I liked this take on Jack vs. Sawyer:

In the aftermath of ''Outlaws,'' Sawyer's importance to the larger unfolding drama that is Lost was elevated significantly. He is truly Jack's analogue — a complicated, tortured soul who is not as evil as everyone thinks, just as complicated, tortured Jack isn't nearly as good as everyone thinks. I loved Sawyer's final scene with Jack, spitefully withholding from his rival what he knows about Jack's dad. It's a testament to how sympathetic Sawyer has become (and how smug Jack has become) that I didn't mind seeing Sawyer hurt Jack this way. More so than Kate and Charlie, Sawyer has emerged as Lost's most moving and essential redemption story.

Liked his work during the "I Never" game, too. Playful, snagged, darkly bitter. He was workin' it this ep.

Jack? Complicated? Did I miss an episode?

It's a testament to how sympathetic Sawyer has become (and how smug Jack has become) that I didn't mind seeing Sawyer hurt Jack this way. More so than Kate and Charlie, Sawyer has emerged as Lost's most moving and essential redemption story.

See, and I didn't find Sawyer sympathetic, and I don't see where he's been redeemed in any way. I feel like I know more of his story now, but I don't see the redemption part of it. A little help? [ETA: I understand his desire for revenge, and I feel sorry for his childhood trauma, for sure. But I don't see the redemption angle. I just understand better why he is the way he is, but that doesn't redeem him.]

Actually, I think I felt sorrier for him after his previous "all about me" ep.

Not arguing with the smug Jack assessment, though. I was kind of, "Yeah, screw you," when he pulled his, "I asked you for the gun two days ago." Whatever, dude.

But I don't see the redemption angle. I just understand better why he is the way he is, but that doesn't redeem him.

Right. I mean, it's more understandable now why he is the way he is, but I think in order to count as redeemed, you have to stop being an asshole all the time, which he hasn't.

you have to stop being an asshole all the time

But he has -- he's being annoying, but he's not being dangerous, and is willing to act in the best interests of the community.

Maybe it's just where I started from. At the beginning, Sawyer looked like a bad boy and a threat, a wild card who couldn't be trusted.

Now he has a past as a tortured victim, and when push comes to shove, he's just in a pissing match with Jack. Since the torture, he hasn't been a liability.

He's not an antagonist, he's not even an anti-hero.

when push comes to shove, he's just in a pissing match with Jack. Since the torture, he hasn't been a liability.

Yeah, but he hasn't had a real conflict of interest with the rest of the passengers since the illusory inhaler incident. I'm not sure what could happen that would allow him the opportunity to be a real threat, now, but I'm not sure the potential is gone.