Season 6, Episode 12:
Everybody Loves Hugo
"It's like a date we never had."
As Hurley continues to find his voice and play a pivotal role in the unfolding events, he is visited by the ghost of Michael and told to stop Richard and Ilana from destroying the Ajira plane on Hydra Island. Sayid brings Desmond to the Man in Black. In the flash-sideways timeline, Hurley meets Libby, a mental patient who claims to be remembering things about him and her together on an Island.
Tropes in this episode include:
- Alternate Universe Reed Richards Is Awesome: Flash-sideways Hurley used his lottery winnings to become a beloved philanthropist while turning Mr. Clucks into a global phenomenon. Ultimately a subversion, since the two versions of the character are actually the same person.
- Barred from the Afterlife: Michael reveals that he is trapped on the Island, unable to "move on", because of his crimes in life, and that the Whispers are other similarly trapped spirits.
- Character Development: Hurley begins to fully cement his role as a leader among the survivors, with Jack letting go of his need to fix things and firmly taking a back seat to Hurley's decisions.
- Cross-Referenced Titles: With Season 2's "Everybody Hates Hugo". Both are Hurley centric, although this episode contrasts the beloved and confident Flash-sideways Hurley with that episode's lonely, self-conscious Hurly right before his life is upended by his lottery win.
- Dead Person Conversation: Michael's ghost appears to advise Hurley on what to do next, and apologizes for killing Libby.
- Dropped a Bridge on Her: Ilana is very abruptly blown up when she drops a bag of dynamite. The showrunners have stated this was a quick way to write her out of the show when they realized that they didn't have time to include her originally planned arc.
- Foreshadowing: The Man in Black tells Desmond that the well he throws him in is a pocket of electromagnetism, and that the people who dug it were looking for "answers". This is elaborated on in "Across the Sea".
- Innocuously Important Episode: Although at first glance the episode is mostly setting up the pieces for the more dramatic twists to come, it features the Surprisingly Sudden Death of Ilana, many hints to the true nature of the Flash-sideways, and demonstrates Hurley's growing leadership qualities that ultimately lead him to become the Island's protector at the end of the series. It also features Jack vocalizing the realization that he can't take charge of every situation anymore, instead putting his faith in Hurley's judgment, which is repeated in the Grand Finale when he passes off his role of Island protector to Hurley, claiming that he's the best person for the job.
- Locked Out of the Loop: Desmond has no idea that Locke is dead, or that the Man in Black is the Smoke Monster taking his form.The Man in Black: Do you know who I am?
Desmond: Of course. You're John Locke. - Loved by All: As Pierre puts it, "everybody loves Hugo" in the Flash-sideways, from his employees to the many people he has helped through his charity work.
- Love Transcends Spacetime: In the Flash-sideways, Hurley and Libby start to regain their memories of the original timeline when they go on a date together.
- Older Than They Look: Apart from some grey hair, Dr. Chang looks very much like he did in the 70s, despite having an additional twenty years on him.
- The Reveal: The Whispers are the spirits of dead people who are Barred from the Afterlife.
- Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: Hurley convinces Dr. Brooks to allow him to talk to Libby against Santa Rosa's rules by offering to make a large donation to the institute.
- Shipper on Deck: In the flash-sideways, Hugo's mother ships him with everybody, telling him, "You need a woman in your life, especially one who has not nursed you."
- Too Dumb to Live: The way Ilana was handling the dynamite, which had already been said to be very unstable, you should be counting the seconds until she explodes.
- Trash the Set: The Black Rock, one of the Island's most iconic locations since the first season, is blown up by Hurley just six episodes before the end of the series.
