Wow. Far be it from me to resort to hyperbole, but that was my favorite episode of LOST ever. The combination of heavy storylines, intense personal drama and unforeseeable revelations wrapped into those two hours was unprecedented.
There’s just a ton to dissect. A ton. I sat in shambles as this episode faded to white (white!), lamenting the impossible task of breaking this thing down in the wee hours that remain before the sun rises. I’m starting here at 10:30 p.m., so if I miss something, please have at it in the comments section.
But enough “Woe is me, the poor LOST blogger” talk. Let’s get into it.
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Meet Jacob
Apparition. Imaginary friend. Ghost. Wrong. Jacob is as real as real can be. The first scene of The Incident introduced us to the mythological, mysterious leader whose orders have thus far been followed out of unadulterated fear.
After weaving some sort of tapestry (metaphor alert!) in his underground lair, Jacob is confronted by the Man in Black (henceforth known as MIB for our purposes) on the beach, as the two watch the Black Rock sail inshore. The conversation that follows, I believe, is beyond important, so I’m going to repost it verbatim.
Jacob: I take it you’re here because of the ship.
MIB: I am. How did they find the Island?
Jacob: You’ll have to ask them when they get here.
MIB: I don’t have to ask. You brought them here. You’re trying to prove me wrong, aren’t you?
Jacob: You are wrong.
MIB: Am I? They come, fight, they destroy, they corrupt. It always ends the same.
Jacob: It only ends once. Anything that happens before that, is just progress.
MIB: You have any idea how badly I want to kill you?
Jacob: Yes.
MIB: One of these days, sooner or later, I’m going to find a loophole my friend.
Jacob: When you do, I’ll be right here.
And in what is a rare fete for LOST, this very cryptic scene would be paid off by the end of the episode.
“You brought them here,” said MIB, referring to those aboard the Black Rock. MIB warns of the impurity of mortals, and Jacob counters with the proposition that every wave of people he brings in progresses closer and closer to goodness. The first experiment (that we see) is the Black Rock folk. The most recent: Oceanic 815.
Gathering the Flock
We learned last night that the passengers of Oceanic 815 were anything but randomly-thrown-together survivors. Jacob bailed Kate out of her first attempt at larceny (“Whoa-oh-oh-oh! Hangin tough!”). He then warned Sawyer against writing that fateful letter to the man who conned his mom – thus assuring that the defiant boy would finish the letter. He wished Sun and Jin well at their wedding, warning them to “never take it for granted.” Hell, he even freed an Apollo Bar from a vending machine to satiate Dr. Jack Shepherd after his first hurdle as a surgeon. This is hugely important, as it saved Jack from having to create a “Candy Lineup” (ala George Costanza) to discover who took his creamy, nougat-filled treat.
In post-Oceanic 815 time, he distracted Sayid from his lifelong love Nadia long enough to get her brutally killed by a hit-and-run assassin (Damn!). He also enlisted Ilana to “help him” (he likes that phrase, doesn’t he?) with a mission we later see come to fruition.
But in perhaps his most essential Border Collie maneuver, Jacob persuaded disillusioned sheep Hurley with a very low-pressure, high-impact sales pitch. His secret weapon: convincing Hurley that he isn’t crazy, but special. Sure, it’s semantics. But it’s enough. And as an insurance policy, he left Hurley with a six-stringed reminder of why exactly he needed to come back.
It seems Jacob’s quest to prove MIB wrong is a calculated one. He has hand-picked the group of people we came to know as the Oceanic 815 survivors for years, weaving together a complex quilt of morally ambiguous, alternately-motivated characters to come to the Island. Something about this certain mix of people, and their experiences, is essential to human alchemist Jacob’s ultimate formula. The right mix of people will prove to MIB some essential truth about the human race. And Jacob’s mission, as it turns out, is to tend to the various pots on the stove and bring them to just the right temperature, priming them to serve their purpose on the Island. Oh, and did you notice that Jacob physically touched each person he visited, as if imprinting them with a longing to go to the Island (hell, he may have even healed John Locke).
But what exactly are Jacob and MIB? See the “Conclusions” section at the end of the post for my take.
Now let’s look at the rest of the episode, in as chronological an order as I can muster.
HISTORY LESSONS (1977)
Submarine Sandwich (1977)
As the submarine love-triangulated its way off the Island with Kate, Juliet and Sawyer, the ladies convince Sawyer that they need to make a serious u-turn – physically and metaphorically – to stop Jack from blowing the Island to kingdom come.
Team Three’s Company’s first encounter: Rose and Tom Hanks from Castaway! I mean Rose and Bernard! Turns out they’ve survived that whole flaming arrow attack thing and made themselves a nice little “retirement” in a cabin in the woods. They even got a dog! Well, they found a dog.
Cutting to the Core (1977)
Conveniently, Sayid uses Faraday’s handy, dandy, notebook to discover that only the plutonium core of Jughead is necessary for the grand scheme. Sayid – apparently a nuclear weapons expert all the sudden – gets to work carefully removing the core, taking measured steps to not end up as the next Dr. Arzt. Meanwhile, Jack reassures 1977 Richard not to “give up” on old John Locke. I think an endorsement of Locke means we can consider Jack’s conversion to Man of Faith fully complete.
With the essential guts extracted from Jughead, the crew heads toward Dharmaville. But first, Richard knocks Ellie out cold to “protect” her from the uncertainty of Dharma wrath. Eye-liner boy takes this “advisor” role pretty seriously. And it’s a good thing he does. Jack and Sayid had to fend off suspicious Dharma flunkies (stupid Phil!), with Sayid taking a bullet to the gut and Jack getting his bacon saved – yet again – by good-old fun-time Hurley in the Dharma van. That thing comes in handy.
Road Block (1977)
As Hurley, Miles and Jin transported Jack and Sayid to their date with Dharma destiny, they’re intercepted by Sawyer, Kate and Juliet. Sawyer demands an audience with destiny-driven Jack, where he pleads with him not to detonate Jughead. Predictably, Sawyer is acting in the best interest of he and Juliet, his significant Other. And when the argument gets physical, who should stop it, but Dr. Burke. Acting with the experience of her own parents’ divorce (which the viewers are later clued in on), Juliet convinces Sawyer to let Jack go, that he’s right. And that if she and Sawyer are meant to be, they’ll find a way to be, post-Jughead. But she knows as well as we do: she’s letting him go because she has to.
Drill, Baby, Drill! (1977)
At the Swan site, Radzinsky overpowers Dr. Chang to restart the drill, claiming he was sent to this Island to change the world. As the gauge needles begin to quiver toward their upper limit, Jack finally convinces Kate that detonating the bomb is legitimately the right thing to do. And like the loyal puppy dog she is, Kate acquiesces.
Jack – carrying Jughead’s brain like Cory Schlesinger plowing through the Miami Hurricane defense in the 1995 National Championship game – makes a mad dash for the electromagnetic pocket beneath the Swan Station, uttering “see you in Los Angeles,” as he departs. And amidst one of the show’s most violent and dramatic fight scenes ever, the castaways gain the upper hand to give Jack a clear shot.
Thud? Boom! (1977)
That’s it? Nothing? A nuclear warhead gets dropped several stories into a hotbed of exotic electromagnetic material and…nothing? Well it wasn’t exactly nothing – the exotic matter began sucking in every bit of metal within reach, including a steel beam that pinned Dr. Chang’s arm, a metal rod that impaled Phil (finally!) and a set of chains that hog-tied Juliet into a sticky situation. And as our stunned faces looked on, her airtight grip on Sawyer’s hand gave way, and Juliet descended into the Swan Station’s eventual underbelly.
But Jughead’s mission wasn’t over, and neither was Juliet’s. As the two spent characters lay helpless in a heap at the bottom of the eventual Swan Station, Juliet got an idea. And with a few well-placed taps of a nearby rock, Juliet made good on Faraday and Jack’s time-warp experiment. Jughead exploded. And we faded to…white?
What happens next? See the “Conclusions” section for my thoughts.
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE FOOT
Follow the Leader (2007)
John Locke and his merry band of Others’ journey to Jacob’s doorstep was very reminiscent of the Season Three radio tower journey. A few certain leaders, a few dissenters, and a large group of wide-eyed followers trudging blindly toward possible doom while staring vacantly into the middle distance.
Locke’s certainty in this mission is admirable (later, we’d understand why). With Ben and Richard firmly falling in line, John Locke carries on toward the shadow of the statue with total confidence – and a newly-recruited hit-man in Benjamin Linus. Locke exploits Ben’s vulnerability, digging deep to discover that Ben really hasn’t ever seen Jacob. And then he takes a page out of Ben’s own book, turning Bug Eyes’ anger over his lot in life into a motive for killing Jacob (“Why the hell wouldn’t you want to kill Jacob.”).
A Meeting Centuries in the Making (2007)
Where else should Jacob reside but in the shadow of the Four-Toed Statue, that mysteriously archaic remnant of a past civilization whose meaning has been debated as everything from deceptive red herring to crucial puzzle piece. At this point, that sandled foot appears to be the latter. And with Richard pushing through the secret entrance, Locke and Ben enter, knives drawn.
But before we could see the fateful meeting inside the statue’s foot, Ilana’s crew arrived with a revelation for the ages. They found their “candidate” in Richard, who answered the “shadow of the statue” riddle with, "Ile qui nos omnes servabit," which is Latin for "He who will save us all.” As a reward for his answer, he was treated to the contents of that big metallic box. And once again, a mysterious box on LOST was revealed to contain John Locke’s corpse. “I don’t understand,” said Sun, “if this is Locke, who’s in there?” Good. Freaking. Question.
The Loophole (2007)
Finally, Ben gets his long-awaited meeting with Jacob. The man he’d feigned communion with throughout his reign as Supreme Other was finally taking time out of his busy schedule to sit down with the carpetbagger prince. And Ben wanted answers.
But their meeting was quickly upstaged by this nugget from Jacob to Locke: “You found your loophole.” Loophole. Where have I heard that? Oh, right! The first scene of the episode, in which MIB promised to find a way to kill Jacob as retaliation for constantly exposing the sacred Island to the immorality of mere humans.
I believe MIB found that loophole, in assuming the visage of John Locke, the one true Other whose ascension to power had been heralded as the Island’s saving grace. And by manipulating Ben – his ironically human assassin who he pushed to the brink by highlighting Jacob’s negligence – MIB had found a way to kill Jacob by circumventing the “rule” that he couldn’t. It’s not a huge leap to assume that this is the very “rule” that prevents Ben and Widmore from killing Jacob. But coincidentally, Ben was the very exception to the rule that allowed for the murder of Jacob, who Widmore so implicitly trusted throughout his reign as Head Dirty Jungle Dude.
And…breathe. I won’t pretend to fully understand all this. But here are my first impression theories…
CONCLUSIONS
Angels and Demons
I flat-out loved the Jacob and MIB story arc genesis last night. Who are these dudes!? Obviously, they’re the powerful humanlike epicenters of Island preeminence that we’ve all so desperately sought since day 1. It appears that Jacob and MIB are engaged in an ages-old battle over, essentially, the goodness of man.
I loved that Jacob was decked out in white, while Man in Black was dressed in, well, black. This doesn’t just allude to the whole dark vs. light, good vs. evil motif of the show, it puts faces on it. It turns John Locke’s loose backgammon metaphor into a more tangible conflict.
So who are these guys? As of 1 a.m., I’m going with “angels.” Or “demons.” Well, not literally. Either these guys are half-god, half-human creatures, or they’re very special human beings who live by a set of rules that govern their very cosmic, very important goings-on. They’re engaging in a massive game of chess with very human pieces in an effort to unearth the true nature of mankind.
But now the good witch is dead. Jacob’s gone, leaving MIB (as Locke) to reign supreme. And sensing MIB’s disdain for humankind, I’m ominously optimistic about what he’ll do to the myriad groups of vacationers currently calling the Island “home.”
I’d like to give some insanely massive kudos to Dharma Blog reader Bruce for somehow calling the MIB-as-Locke thing. Check the comments section of yesterday’s post, he had it up at 8:40 p.m. Well played. And a nod to reader Bret, who picked up on Jacob and MIB’s black/white contrast.
Incidental Contact
Eventually, that bomb went off. I loved it. Juliet sacrificed big time for her old buddy, Jack, at the expense of Sawyer’s happiness and her own life.
But who else heard Miles’ warning beforehand and thought, “Why the hell didn’t I think of that?” Maybe he’s right, that Jughead going off IS indeed the incident that Dr. Chang is referring to in the Swan Station orientation film. Or if it’s not the exact incident, does it replace the drilling-into-exotic-matter incident to create the same set of circumstances (the hatch being built, the numbers protocol, the crash of 815)? Miles’ theory tends to support the Whatever Happened, Happened mantra that he has championed, echoing his buddy Faraday. So my vote, for now, is on the explanation granted by Miles. Loved it.
But what if he’s wrong? Maybe the Jughead detonation did negate history. If so, where does that leave our Oceanic 815 and Freighter folk? Either waking up at LAX or dead as a doornail. Or here’s a more sinister theory: they wake up on the Island. Ajira 316 didn’t happen because of a Swan Station mishap. So maybe if Oceanic 815 never crashes, fate course corrects to get Jack and company onto Ajira 316 and deliver them to their destiny anyway. Hellllloooo, 1:30 a.m. theory-making!
Sheep in Wolves Clothing
I love John Locke. Hell, I can’t blame MIB for impersonating him, the dude’s a stud. But last night, I left with a sense of betrayal regarding John Locke. Let me explain.
I’ve spent this entire season riding high on a renewed sense of faith in John Locke. He has been the confident, no-nonsense Season 1 Locke that we all grew to love. He was in the zone, mowing down dissent left and right to forge his own path – instead of waiting for the Island to reveal one.
But with the revelation that the on-Island John Locke we’ve seen since the Ajira 316 crash was actually an imposter, I’m left feeling empty and sad for poor old John. See, he never actually did reclaim his Season 1 swagger. It was an act, perpetrated by MIB. Last week, we didn’t see John Locke use his Island know-how to tell Richard how to guide time-traveling Locke off the Island, convince him to kill himself and get the Oceanic Six back to the Island. We saw MIB coerce Richard into getting Locke to kill himself, so that MIB could assume his persona and carry out his plot against Jacob (using Ben as the hit-man). There are countless examples like this if you think about it: Locke didn’t really help Ben out of the tunnels, MIB rescued his future hired gun; Locke didn’t reassure Sun, MIB shut her up with false promises; Locke didn’t reenergize the Others under new leadership, MIB further brainwashed them into submitting to the Island’s powers-that-be.
And once again, after finally believing that John Locke had found his “purpose,” we were informed last night that the John Locke who was strangled by Ben Linus in that dank hotel room never rose again. For the umpteenth time in LOST history, John Locke was just a pawn in a game that was bigger than he could understand.
It’s a cynical conclusion, to be sure. To believe that the our idols and heroes are nothing more than instruments of greater unseen powers is a sacrifice of hopefulness.
But I have faith. Something – Jack’s crew, Richard’s moral compass or Desmond’s internal sense of right and wrong – will atone for the misdeeds performed in the name of John Locke. And that something will happen in Season Six.
That something may also have to clean up the Jughead mess. But I hope, along the way, it can restore some dignity to the John Locke legacy.
Maybe it’s the eternal optimist in me. Or maybe, like Locke, I just want to believe.
Namaste.
Charlie
THE INCIDENT!
Are YOU ready for tonight?
While a lot happened last week in Follow the Leader, it was a pretty textbook set-up episode for a finale:
1. All the characters are where they are supposed to be. And if you think about it, there are five groups of people to track this year, which is a significant (and confusing) increase from past seasons. We’ve got:
o the Jugheaders: Hot/Pregnant Eloise, Richard, Sayid, Jack
o the 2008 Others: Richard and Others living in the tents
o the Ajira 316ers: Illana, Bram, and Frank
o the Submariners: Sawyer, Juliet, and Kate
o the 1977 Dharmas: Radzinsky, Phil, and Horace (note: I think Horace might be on the sub, but more on that later)
While a lot happened last week in Follow the Leader, it was a pretty textbook set-up episode for a finale:
1. All the characters are where they are supposed to be. And if you think about it, there are five groups of people to track this year, which is a significant (and confusing) increase from past seasons. We’ve got:
o the Jugheaders: Hot/Pregnant Eloise, Richard, Sayid, Jack
o the 2008 Others: Richard and Others living in the tents
o the Ajira 316ers: Illana, Bram, and Frank
o the Submariners: Sawyer, Juliet, and Kate
o the 1977 Dharmas: Radzinsky, Phil, and Horace (note: I think Horace might be on the sub, but more on that later)
2. The drama has been seriously ratcheted up a notch: Ben/Richard versus Locke, Jack versus Kate, the island versus Jacob (more on this later), Jughead versus the energy from the Swan Station, Radzinsky versus Horace, and the Shadow of the Statue versus…well, everyone.
3. There is impending doom! Think about it: we are less than six hours from “The Incident” and we have some people screwing around with an atomic warhead. Maybe not the best idea.
4. Finally, just like last season, John Locke ended the episode with a line that shocked everyone. Remember what it was last year? “He wants us to move the island” (to which Charlie responded “HELL YEAH!”). This year, Locke decreed “so I can kill him”.
Aw, HELL YEAH!
Clearly this quote lends itself to deep dive (that’s what we call intense research at the Arbor Day Foundation!) on the man (maybe), the myth (definitely), the legend (absolutely): Jacob.
While Charlie and I have discussed him a number of times over the years, in-depth discussion of Jacob this season has been absent. Why? Well, Jacob has been absent the whole season. Sure, you can argue that Christian Shepherd is a manifestation of Jacob in some form…but even Christian hasn’t been around since Locke turned the Frozen Donkey Wheel. Now we have: “so I can kill him.” Looks like Jacob is back!
If you have been reading any articles about Lost this week, you’ve seen a lot of discussion and theorizing about the true nature of Jacob. Charlie and I have been bantering back and forth about it, too (I know you’re shocked). The theories have ranged from “Jacob is going to be a character we already know! Like Faraday/Sawyer/Jack!” to “Jacob doesn’t really exist – Locke is only going to kill the idea of Jacob.” No one knows what is going to happen, which is really awesome.
Let’s take some time this morning to discuss what we really know about this (alleged) all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-creepy character. HELL YEAH!
What We Know
Not a whole lot.
Over the last five seasons, there have only been 3 short-lived glimpses of Jacob. You’ll recall we saw him once sitting in a chair, and twice extreme close-ups on his eyes. As momentary as those moments were, they do prove (I think) that Jacob exists. Perhaps he is a spirit or a ghost…or a Black Rock Pirate (arrrrr!). Or something else. Regardless, I think it is safe to say he isn’t some imaginary friend (The Dharma Blog would like to point out that there is nothing wrong with having imaginary friends…), created by Alpert in an attempt to scare the Others into submission.
We have also seen Jacob and his cabin magically appear and disappear. He’s been visible to some people, but not other people. So, Jacob isn’t a normal living, breathing, human person. Actually, he is more bizarre than Alpert, which is saying a lot…that guy is weird.
So who and/or what is Jacob?
We have seen two characters “see” Jacob – Locke and Hurley. (Perhaps other characters have seen him, but we aren’t privy to this knowledge yet.) Since Locke is apparently the chosen one (arguably, but go with me on this), I get that he can see Jacob. But Hurley? Kind of bizarre, right? The only semi-plausible explanation I have read is that Hurley is semi-crazy and maybe that semi-craziness allows him the ability to see dead people (other examples: Charlie Pace, Mr. Eko, and Ana-Lucia Cortez).
The really fishy part of the Jacob story is that, although Richard and Ben have referenced Jacob often during the last five seasons, we haven’t seen them ‘see’ Jacob or communicate with him. It is important to note that Locke was granted an audience with Richard back in 1954 solely because he said “Jacob sent me”…which (I think) means that Richard knew about Jacob pre-1954. For me, this has been a primary reason why I’ve assumed Richard was legit. I mean, he knew about Jacob – that is like a Willy Wonka Golden Ticket.
But then there was his conversation with Ben last week. Alpert said he was “starting to wonder if John Locke was going to be a problem,” as if Ben and Richard shared an understanding of how this whole Jacob-thing was going to work…and Locke could potentially ruin everything they had built up over the past twenty years.
But hold up…what had they built up?
We’ve only heard Jacob say two words: “help me” (told to Locke, inaudible to Ben). I don’t know about you, but awhile ago, I came to the conclusion that Ben was never able to communicate with Jacob – he was just smart enough to work the system by referencing Jacob, which moved himself up the ladder to “Others, Leader of the” (also thanks to Richard’s lie about it being Jacob’s will when he saved Young Ben in 1977). Remember when we first saw Jacob’s cabin? There was that line of ash powder around it – which the show’s producers have said in interviews is a controlling mechanism…a magic circle, if you will.
Someone must have put it there.
And my money is on googly-eyed Ben.
Think about it. If Ben couldn’t see Jacob, he would probably want to control/cage him to prevent Jacob from outing his whole story (which would probably mean exile from the Others). It also would be a very plausible explanation for why Jacob said “help me” to Locke…he needed to be freed from the magic circle.
(I don’t know why that last line has given me the giggles…but it has. Freed from the magic circle. Oh, boy…I sound ridiculous.)
So, it makes sense that Locke would want to help Jacob – to free him, to help the Others find their way back from this divergent path they have been on, to prove that Ben is a dirty rotten scoundrel, and to get the whole team back together for the upcoming ‘island battle royale’ that seems inevitable. And perhaps the only way to help Jacob is to kill him – to release his spirit from this magic circle cage and allow him to once again roam free on the island.
But let’s be honest: I really have no idea. And that theory sounds dumb.
What about Christian Shephard, you ask? Although we have no idea who Jacob is, he did seem pretty old. Maybe Jacob can jump from dead body to dead body (see: dead Horace, dead Claire, dead Yemi). And maybe when dead Christian showed up on the island, Jacob upgraded to a younger body…the hybrid model, if you will.
Another Theory
Even though I like parts of this first theory, there might be another way to explain Locke’s comment: Jacob is actually really bad news.
What if Jacob is similar to Smokey Monster, a bizarrely powerful being that will kick your ass (see: ass-kicking of Keamy, Eko, Danielle’s French dude friends, and the attempt on Locke)? The Others might be serfs living beneath Lord Jacob…and the Others better do exactly what he says or else they will feel his wrath (see: ass-kicking). As hard as it may be to believe, this would make Ben and Richard the “good guys” (see: Ben’s comment from season 2 “We’re the good guys, Michael”), working together to contain Jacob and free the Others.
This theory posits that the island and Jacob are on different pages and want different things. Ben’s conversation with Locke last week actually supports this:
BEN: Your timing was impeccable, John. How did you know when to be here?
LOCKE: The Island told me. Didn't it ever tell you things?
BEN: No, John. And clearly it hasn't told you where Jacob is, or you wouldn't need Richard to show you.
LOCKE: You've never seen him.
BEN: What?
LOCKE: Jacob. You've never seen him, have you?
If the island and the Jacob were one/the same, Locke would not need Richard to take him to Jacob, right? So this conversation seems to imply that they are separate entities (opposing forces?). Locke can communicate with the island, not Jacob. The island is asking Locke to kill Jacob so it can be in control of everything/everyone.
Does any of that make sense?
And allow me to save you the time/effort of commenting on a rather large hole in this theory. Christian claimed he was speaking on behalf of Jacob and helped Locke turn the Frozen Donkey Wheel, which put everything in motion. If Jacob is anti-island, this doesn’t make any sense. I know, I know. I’m not sure how to explain this.
Let’s be honest: the explanation of Jacob we get tonight is likely to be 180 degrees from either of these theories. How many of us saw Lost morphing into a time-traveling show at the end of last season? I bet we will see another HUGE game-changer that no one will have predicted. HELL YEAH!
Richard Alpert.
And the award for “2nd Most Shocking Line of Follow the Leader” goes to…Richard Alpert!
SUN: These people... Jack Shephard, Kate Austen, Hugo Reyes. They were here with my husband, Jin Kwon. Were you here? Do you remember them? Any of them?
RICHARD: Yes, I was here 30 years ago. And I do. I remember these people. I remember meeting them very clearly, because... I watched them all die.
If you believe ‘whatever happened, happened,’ this comment from Richard means that our 815ers really did die in 1977 (or they vanished, which Richard equated to death). Now I know I brought this up last week, but come on: why hasn’t Richard caught onto this whole “time jumping” thing? Shouldn’t his comment to Sun have been “I watched them all either die or time jump”?
Not only that, but it seems likely that Richard had some knowledge of our Survivors in 2004. Jack, Kate, and Sawyer lived with the Others for a few weeks in Season 3. Richard gave Locke a file on Sawyer to manipulate Sawyer into killing Anthony Cooper (Locke’s daddy). Okay, at the very least, this means that when Richard saw these characters in 2004, he would have recognized these people from 1977…so in 2008, unless Alpert is real idiot, he really should be able to put together the pieces and understand that time traveling is going on.
What does all of this mean?
When Sun asks Richard about these people in 2008, if there was any chance that our survivors did time jump, Richard really would have referenced it (um, unless he was trying to be intentionally deceiving to Sun). So whatever happens to our survivors, it is going to be big (gulp), more complicated than time jumping (double gulp), and something that made it appear to Richard that they all died (sigh).
NO WAY!
Yeah, I know. CRAZY. Remember the lessons of Professor Daniel Faraday? He told his pupil, Jack that it is entirely possible that all our survivors could die in 1977 and they would be dead.
The writers seriously could kill off almost every main character tonight.
How???
The Incident.
Like it or not, our survivors are going to be involved in “The Incident” tonight. There are two obvious explanations for what is going to cause said event:
1. A release of scary energy caused by drilling at the Swan Station (per Faraday’s warning)
2. The Jughead going off in an effort to neutralize said energy.
Because ‘whatever happened, happened,” it seems like scenario 1 needs to…well, happen. However, scenario 2 seems like one that could cause everyone to die. Plus, scenario 2 means that the Jugheaders are able to move the 40,000lb bomb all the way to the Swan…for reals, yo: how are they going to do that? It can’t fit in a Dharma van. They can’t just ‘roll’ it. I posited last week that maybe Smokey will help move it, but that would be incredibly lame. Maybe the polar bears could help? No, that is also lame.
But seriously: the logistics of Jughead’s move to the Swan are too implausible to overlook. At the same time, if the Jugheaders are just like “Oh, well. It is too big. So much for that plan.”…I’m going to be angry. In some way, the Jughead will play a huge role in tonight’s episode.
So what do I think is going to go down? Scenario 1 is going to happen: erratic digging at the Swan is going to release the scary energy, setting into motion every event that happened up to the crash of 815. I also think Jughead is going to cause some huge tragedy (non-Incident related) that will either bring the 1977 survivors back to 2008 or make it appear that they all died…but I have no idea HOW that will happen.
A few other things before I wrap up:
Radzinsky: Radzy is clearly losing his marbles, which explains how he ended up locked inside the Swan Station (which may have saved him from the Purge, but also drove him crazy as he became one of the last people on the island). Sucks to be Radzinsky. And I am quite certain that Sawyer’s antiquated/poorly drawn map (which was his ticket to get on the submarine) will become the basis for the blast door map we were introduced to back in season 2.
Three’s Company, Submarine Edition: While we all want Sawyer and Juliet to leave the island and become 1970s millionaires…it just isn’t going to happen. There’s no chance. Plus, with Kate on the sub, it is just a matter of time before her wink and smile convince Sawyer to return to the island to save Jack from screwing everything up and changing the past. How will it happen? Some think Horace is driving the sub and will unshackle them and let them go. Some think there will be a quick pit-stop at the Looking Glass before departing for the mainland, which would allow them to get out. Some think Sawyer is going to hijack the sub and drive it back to the dock. Since ‘whatever happened, happened,’ the sub will eventually return to the mainland with all the Other mothers and children…so Sawyer/Juliet/Kate’s return to the island will probably happen early in the episode and be anticlimactic. I think...
Jack is in a dark place: This conversation made my heart hurt. Come on, Jack. Listen to yourself. Worst. Ex-Fiance. Ever.
KATE: And what about us? We just... go on living our life because we've never met?
JACK: All the misery that we've been through... we'd just wipe it clean. Never happened.
KATE: It was not all misery.
JACK: [Sighs] Enough of it was.
Guys suck.
1977 Eloise is pregnant with Faraday: Well, the consensus is that Eloise is pregnant with Faraday in 1977. My quick math says this means Faraday graduated from Oxford University when he was 17 years old. He is a freaking Doogie Howser!
And: SCENE!
Tonight, we’ve got three hours of Lost. Hour one (8/7 central): the Clip Show, hosted by Damon and Carlton (the producers). While we don’t expect it to be incredible, it will provide a nice set up for the finale. Hours two and three (9/8 central): the finale, “The Incident.” Woo hoo!
I would like to take this final preview of Season 5 to thank all the corporate sponsors of the Dharma Blog for your significant financial support and…wait a sec. We don’t have sponsors…YET.
Let me try this again.
I would like to take this final preview of Season 5 to thank all the readers of the Dharma Blog for another enjoyable season of incorrect theories, crazy comments, and many laughs. There are literally hundreds of you…many of you who Charlie and I don’t even know. It is hard to believe that after tomorrow, we won’t meet again (regularly) for another 8 months. Sure, we’ll have some random anecdotal posts over the next several months, but in truth, the Dharma Blog will be in hibernation with the Dharma Polar Bears.
The only way we will be able to survive this long hiatus is if we stick together (cue single tear). So keep those comments and theories coming. Email us whenever. Call us whenever. Or just head to our neighborhood bar, the Grapevine…we’ll probably be there. And you can bet we’ll be talking about Lost. We’d love to see you…and Charlie will buy the first round.
Tonight, let all the Dharma Blog readers raise their glasses to the greatest show on the face of this tree-covered earth. (No, not the Ringling Brothers circus. LOST, you fools!!)
Enjoy the finale!! HELL YEAH!!
Namaste,
Maggie
The Penultimate Chapter of Season 5
Everyone together now: WHAT???
Other than a few ridiculously cheesy lines and sub-par special effects (seriously, what was with that submerging submarine scene towards the end?? Clearly, the economy has affected Lost’s CGI budget…), “Follow the Leader” was pretty awesome. We had drama and we had action. We had gunshots and bloodied faces. We had complicated romance and lost love. We had dropped-jaw moments and periods of crazy realization.
At the same time, it was all a little hectic for me. We were moving a lot of storylines and characters at the same time…and my head is still spinning.
But in the end, it appears that everything is in place for next week’s epic season finale, “The Incident.” I seriously cannot wait.
So let’s break down tonight by time and place…the only way I can think to keep this all straight. I apologize in advance (especially to Lincoln) that my subheadings aren’t as witty as Charlie’s.
1977 Others Camp
Sure enough, we were forced to rewatch the premature demise of Daniel Faraday, which hurt just as much to watch this week. Jeremy Davies is a fantastic actor who has brought SO much to this show. Seriously, season 5 of Lost would be a shell of itself without that guy. I’m really going to miss him.
But back to 1977. Jack and Kate were watching from the wings, arguing about whether or not Faraday was crazy, when they heard the gunshot ring out. No time to react, though, because here comes Fabio-haired Charles Widmore to knock them both out and bring them into Others Camp as prisoners. Eloise turned to Jack and Kate for an explanation when she saw her own handwriting in Daniel’s journal (sidenote: so much for my theory last week that Eloise left MORE than just her “Love, Mother” note in the journal…oh well). Jack’s answer? “You haven’t written it yet.”
Jack spent the next several minutes explaining to Eloise what was going on, how it was a mistake for her to shoot Daniel, but how she could SO get a ‘do over’ on that and fix everything. He hit a chord with her (a chord that is called “Mother”) and she was in. What do they need to do? Well, go to the Jughead of course.
Okay, seriously? Jack doesn’t know what he’s doing. He is completely consumed with a seasons 1-3 Locke-like mindset (which Kate pointed out) predicated on the belief that he has some grand destiny to fulfill on the island…and that faith is all it takes to make that happen. Sounds familiar, huh? Well, this mindset keeps showing itself in many situations on this show…and in many characters. And tonight, it was Jack’s turn to take the torch.
After Eloise insisted that Alpert go along, it was time to start the Pilgrimage to our favorite buried hydrogen bomb with Jack, Kate, Eloise, Richard, Other #1, and Other #2. You know, it sucks to be a character with a name like “Other #1” or “Other #2” on Lost…it totally means you’re going to die. And that’s what happened tonight. Kate tried to leave the Jughead gang…and Others #1 and #2 threatened to shoot…but got shot instead by the sharpshooting Iraqi who went rogue and has been living in the jungle, Sayid. (Sidenote: anyone else think for a moment that Kate was really shot? I totally fell for that one…) Eloise and Alpert didn’t seem too worked up about the developments, and the revised team (plus Sayid, minus Others #1 and #2) continued on the journey.
So…turns out Jughead is actually under the Dharma Initiative Barracks in the “tunnels,” not in the Temple. (I was totally wrong on that.) Yet, truth be told, this makes a lot of sense. Dharma Blog reader Jeff reminded me about Charlie’s theory from the episode “Jughead” where Charlie connected Dharma’s infertility back to a leaky hydrogen bomb. Jughead, covered only by a cheap looking fabric tarp, is housed directly underneath the Dharma living quarters. Yeah, that really can’t be good for anyone’s health…in fact, it just might cause the termination of pregnancies if they aren’t careful…
Okay, so back to the tunnels. Turns out to get into them, you have to make like the Little Mermaid and swim through a series of underwater coves until you reach the tunnel entrance. I was totally channeling “National Treasure” during this scene – anyone else expecting to see ancient artifacts of solid gold when they started lighting torches? Yeah….me either.
Anyways. So Alpert said to Jack that they were going to get Jughead out “the same way they got it in”. Uh, right. And how did that happen? Is there some ramp or something? Or a pulley system? Or a mine-shaft-like-elevator? Or will Smokey swoop in and push it out? (I’m kidding…I think…) How, exactly, is this going to work? It is safe to assume that the removal of Jughead from his underground chamber will make for a very interesting series of ‘transport’ scenes next week. Think about it: they are trying to manuever huge Jughead out of it’s hiding spot (without Dharma knowing) miles away to the Swan station.
Side note: how will the detonation of the bomb not kill EVERYONE?
Then again, in the end, they will not succeed…right? Even if they use the Jughead in the Swan Station, this is going to be what the “Incident” is, right? Or have I been completely blind to what is about to happen? Some think that a Jughead detonation will somehow lead to a huge ‘course correction’ that will send our survivors back to 2008. This could explain why Alpert said to Sun “I saw them die.” Perhaps they vanished before his eyes…and he equates this to death. However, he’s time traveled twice now (at least)…surely he is catching on to how this works.
I mean, even I (sorta) get it.
1977: Dharmaville
In yet another shout out to seasons past, we had to watch our favorite con man, Sawyer, being tortured (a la “Confidence Man”, when Sayid and the gang were convinced Sawyer had stolen Shannon’s asthma inhaler…gosh, that seems like SO long ago). Only this time, he wasn’t facing a former Iraqi interrogator; he had dumb Phil, annoying Radzinsky, and flabbergasted Horace. They wanted to know where Kate was, and wouldn’t you know: Sawyer wasn’t sharing anything. As the Dharma members began to put the pieces together (you’d think for such a high-brow, science-smart organization, someone would have caught onto some of this con sooner…), it became clear that Sawyer and Juliet’s Dharma life was on the verge of destruction.
Just outside the camp, Jin, Miles, and Hurley were gathering together with supplies (courtesy of Hurley’s chef-access to the Dharma pantry) to head to the beach. They were interrupted by Pierre Chang, who wanted to know what was going on with this guy Faraday. Clearly, Daniel’s fatalistic vision of the future of the island hit a chord with Chang…a chord entitled “Father”. Chang was ready to find out the truth about these time-traveling jokers. In what was one of the funniest scenes in quite awhile, Hurle claimed that (A) he was 46 years old and (B) there was no such thing as the Korean War (sigh)…well, the game was up. A quick acknowledgment of his adult son, Miles (anticlimactic, didn’t you think?), and Chang was off to follow Faraday’s orders and evacuate the island.
Chang’s first stop was down in the Sawyer Torture Room. As he entered, Phil took things to the next level and hit Juliet. Chang objected and told them his plan to evacuate. The strike against Juliet meant Sawyer was ready to talk…as long as the two of them were allowed to get on one of Chang’s get-away subs. A few scenes later, we were at the sub dock watching Dharma Initiative women and children board the submarine. We saw Charlotte and her previously-unseen mother (didn’t look familiar to me; anyone else?) head to the sub. We saw Mrs. Chang (and adorable Baby Miles) in a semi-heated discussion with Pierre about their urgent departure…but the most powerful part of the scene of adult Miles’ realization that Pierre WAS a good father and didn’t abandon them. Almost brought a tear to my eye.
Once Sawyer and Juliet are on the sub (loved Sawyer’s “Good riddance” line…good riddance, indeed), we witnessed a pretty powerful scene where Sawyer told Juliet that he loved her. I LOVED THAT SCENE. Honestly, I was not at all pleased (I believe a guffawed…) when Kate descended into the belly of the submarine to join them…go figure Kate would ruin that moment. Awk-ward. Juliet’s face was hauntingly priceless and I really felt for her. Sawyer’s face of desperation was tragic and unsettling. I have a feeling that won’t be a pleasant submarine ride back to the ‘real world.’
But hold up, kids. I don’t know about you, but it sure looked like Juliet, Kate, and Sawyer were in the preview for next week’s episode, interacting with people still on the island (read: Jack). How the heck is that going to happen?
I think the sub really is supposed to leave with all the women and the children. However, having Kate, Sawyer and Juliet onboard changed that. After hearing Kate’s plea, perhaps Sawyer and Juliet agree to help her hijack the darn thing and go back to the island to save everyone from Jack’s seemingly illogical and insane plan. So what would this mean for Mrs. Chang and Miles? And for Charlotte? Will Sawyer, Kate and Juliet just get off the sub and send it on its merry way? Or will everyone return to the island and be exposed to whatever is going to happen?
Oh, well…that’s for me to ponder in the preview next week.
2008 Others Camp
I’m going to cut to the chase here: Locke wants to kill Jacob? Say WHAT? Isn’t that like saying you want to kill God???
So, when Jacob whispered “Help me” to Locke back in season 2 (“The Man Behind the Curtain”), what he actually meant was “please put me out of my misery and free me from this island”? Or did the island tell Locke to kill Jacob? And can we agree that there is a possibility that Jacob and the island are not ‘on the same team’, as it were?
Did Lost just totally pull a fast one on us…and change it from a Widmore v. Ben battle to Jacob v. island battle?
Oh, my head hurts.
…and now we return to our regularly scheduled program.
Things were pretty crazy in 2008. As Richard attempted to manipulate a ship in a bottle (a representation of the Black Rock, perhaps? Man, I hope we get a Black Rock/Richard flashback before this show is over…), a random Other informs him that “He is here.” Locke, that is, accompanied by Sun and Ben. Once Sun discovers that Richard has been around for quite awhile, she pulls out her folded 1977 Dharma Initiative Recruits photo and asks if he remembers Hurley, Kate, or Jack. Richard says he does…because he “watched them all die.” I hope you’re not disappointed to find out that I’m not even going to TRY to explain this loaded statement this late in the evening. It is just way too much. But please leave a comment with what you think is going on…
Locke’s newfound purpose in life clearly has a rigid schedule because he has no time to catch up…he has an errand to run and he wants Richard and Ben to come along (sorry, Sun). What was the errand?
OHH MAN! No he DID-N’T! That DIDN’T just happened!!
Yes, yes it did. We were back in episode 1 of season 5, “Because You Left.” Locke, Ben and Richard approached the fallen Beechcraft just moments before a recently-shot-by-Ethan man stumbled out of the darkness. Locke handed Richard a first aid kit and gave him instructions: remove the bullet from the man’s leg, give him a compass, tell him to bring everyone back in order to save the island, and tell him he is going to die. Who was the man? Locke, of course. And to use Ben’s words, “an out of body experience” indeed. (So much for our paradox theory that a person can’t exist in two forms in one time.)
So how did Locke explain this revelation and perfect timing? The island told him, he said. And, my oh my, the ramifications of that statement. Ben knew right away that the rules had, indeed, changed. Locke was channeling the island in a way that Ben never has…and it freaked him out. (Heck, it freaked ME out!)
Allow me to try to think this thing through. So the island told Locke that this particular 3 minute flash was going to happen at that very moment…but did the island also tell Locke to go there and give Richard those instructions? Or was it Locke’s decision to ‘be’ in that moment (again) and follow through with what flashing-Locke needed to hear? All very confusing if you ask me. Feel free to post your understanding of this revelation in the comments section so Charlie and I can pass your understandings off as our own for the next week. (We’re kidding…kinda.)
When they made it back to camp, Locke exercised his right to assembly and gathered the Others team together for a pep talk. It definitely felt like a political rally – Locke may be their new leader, but he is just one of them. He’s a regular guy! And he thinks it is pretty unfair that no one has met the Great and Powerful Jacob. So you know what? He’s going to go all leader-y and take them to meet Jacob!
Side note: anyone else really annoyed by Sun this ENTIRE episode? It could have been just really bad writing, but every line she spoke made me cringe. I actually said “Shut up, Sun” multiple times…and I’m a fairly nice person who doesn’t say ‘shut up’ a lot. So take it for what it’s worth.
Here’s a question for you: are Alpert and Ben working together? That look the two of them shared when discussing how Locke might be a ‘problem’ sent chills down my side. Honestly, up until now, I have been under the assumption that Alpert really was a good guy…an honest guy and an innocent guy; someone who really was looking after the island’s best interests. He hasn’t been scheming, manipulating, or killing anyone…he has been fairly harmless. I mean, he’s just doing what Jacob says, right?
It is this whole "pilgrimage to Jacob" that has me a bit suspicious of Richard. The look on Alpert’s face when Locke was pressing him about visiting Jacob was wrought with anxiety. Sure, it could anxiety about bringing the masses into the Others’ version of the ‘circle of trust’. Part of me wonders if it is anxiety because the game is up. Some have speculated that Alpert has been the one making the selection about who should lead the others based on the current situation…that he really has no spiritual connection at all with Jacob and is simply thinking practically. In other words, Alpert might be a sham…the master manipulator of everything. And after tonight, I could actually see this theory coming to fruition.
More Questions than Answers...
I am surprised at how much Richard doesn't seem to understand. I guess I always thought he understood the time travel. I know he always was surprised to see people skipping in time around him, but still...he seems to not really understand the dynamics of island time travel at all. Interesting for a guy who, in Ben’s words, has been the island advisor for “a very long time.”
On that note, even though we don’t really know what Richard is up to, what do you think Ben’s game is at this point? Is he really already disobeying the orders he got from Alex/Smokey in “Dead is Dead?” Is he setting up Richard...or working with Richard?
Eloise, not Charles, was the leader of the Others in 1977! Forget any notion of co-rule with Charles; nope, Eloise was Numero Uno. And I loved it.
Did anyone else catch when Charles expressed concern about Eloise’s “condition” right before they left for the Jughead? He said it as he placed his hand on her belly…I’m going to throw this out there: Eloise is pregnant. FOR REALS. So let’s flesh this out. If she is pregnant in 1977…is it Dan? That would make him pretty young on the freighter...27 at my count. Or is it someone else? Perhaps part of the fallout from the Incident will involve Eloise moving to the mainland to have and raise the son she now knows she is destined to kill.
The darn compass is back…and they took great care to point it out tonight multiple times, so I am even more convinced it represents a HUGE piece of the puzzle. We still have not been told where the compass originated from (Richard gets it in 1954 from Locke, who then gets it from Richard in 2007 to give back to Richard in 1954). Does the compass represent the reiteration of time on the island? Did it originate with the Black Rock?
So Locke’s instructions to bring back the O6 actually originated from Locke himself. Sure, some of it came from Ben and Eloise and Christian…but mostly, it was a self-fulfilling prophecy. So, is that it? Or, rather, what does that mean for the bigger picture?
Next week…two hours of madness!
So what did you think of this penultimate episode? Has Jack gone crazy or reached clarity? Will Sawyer get over Kate (even I’m getting sick of this…)? Is Richard a good guy or a bad guy? Does “Jacob” really exist, or did Richard make it up?
Get ready for the two-hour episode “The Incident” next week! And watch for a Dharma VLOG coming soon to a Dharma Blog near you. Charlie and I are going to attempt to get you all ready for the finale with a vlog…provided we can be in the same place at the same time at some point during the next week. I don’t know where or when he is right now…or where or when I am…ahhhh! Bright. White. Light.
(end scene)
Comment away! Please!!
Namaste,
Maggie
Other than a few ridiculously cheesy lines and sub-par special effects (seriously, what was with that submerging submarine scene towards the end?? Clearly, the economy has affected Lost’s CGI budget…), “Follow the Leader” was pretty awesome. We had drama and we had action. We had gunshots and bloodied faces. We had complicated romance and lost love. We had dropped-jaw moments and periods of crazy realization.
At the same time, it was all a little hectic for me. We were moving a lot of storylines and characters at the same time…and my head is still spinning.
But in the end, it appears that everything is in place for next week’s epic season finale, “The Incident.” I seriously cannot wait.
So let’s break down tonight by time and place…the only way I can think to keep this all straight. I apologize in advance (especially to Lincoln) that my subheadings aren’t as witty as Charlie’s.
1977 Others Camp
Sure enough, we were forced to rewatch the premature demise of Daniel Faraday, which hurt just as much to watch this week. Jeremy Davies is a fantastic actor who has brought SO much to this show. Seriously, season 5 of Lost would be a shell of itself without that guy. I’m really going to miss him.
But back to 1977. Jack and Kate were watching from the wings, arguing about whether or not Faraday was crazy, when they heard the gunshot ring out. No time to react, though, because here comes Fabio-haired Charles Widmore to knock them both out and bring them into Others Camp as prisoners. Eloise turned to Jack and Kate for an explanation when she saw her own handwriting in Daniel’s journal (sidenote: so much for my theory last week that Eloise left MORE than just her “Love, Mother” note in the journal…oh well). Jack’s answer? “You haven’t written it yet.”
Jack spent the next several minutes explaining to Eloise what was going on, how it was a mistake for her to shoot Daniel, but how she could SO get a ‘do over’ on that and fix everything. He hit a chord with her (a chord that is called “Mother”) and she was in. What do they need to do? Well, go to the Jughead of course.
Okay, seriously? Jack doesn’t know what he’s doing. He is completely consumed with a seasons 1-3 Locke-like mindset (which Kate pointed out) predicated on the belief that he has some grand destiny to fulfill on the island…and that faith is all it takes to make that happen. Sounds familiar, huh? Well, this mindset keeps showing itself in many situations on this show…and in many characters. And tonight, it was Jack’s turn to take the torch.
After Eloise insisted that Alpert go along, it was time to start the Pilgrimage to our favorite buried hydrogen bomb with Jack, Kate, Eloise, Richard, Other #1, and Other #2. You know, it sucks to be a character with a name like “Other #1” or “Other #2” on Lost…it totally means you’re going to die. And that’s what happened tonight. Kate tried to leave the Jughead gang…and Others #1 and #2 threatened to shoot…but got shot instead by the sharpshooting Iraqi who went rogue and has been living in the jungle, Sayid. (Sidenote: anyone else think for a moment that Kate was really shot? I totally fell for that one…) Eloise and Alpert didn’t seem too worked up about the developments, and the revised team (plus Sayid, minus Others #1 and #2) continued on the journey.
So…turns out Jughead is actually under the Dharma Initiative Barracks in the “tunnels,” not in the Temple. (I was totally wrong on that.) Yet, truth be told, this makes a lot of sense. Dharma Blog reader Jeff reminded me about Charlie’s theory from the episode “Jughead” where Charlie connected Dharma’s infertility back to a leaky hydrogen bomb. Jughead, covered only by a cheap looking fabric tarp, is housed directly underneath the Dharma living quarters. Yeah, that really can’t be good for anyone’s health…in fact, it just might cause the termination of pregnancies if they aren’t careful…
Okay, so back to the tunnels. Turns out to get into them, you have to make like the Little Mermaid and swim through a series of underwater coves until you reach the tunnel entrance. I was totally channeling “National Treasure” during this scene – anyone else expecting to see ancient artifacts of solid gold when they started lighting torches? Yeah….me either.
Anyways. So Alpert said to Jack that they were going to get Jughead out “the same way they got it in”. Uh, right. And how did that happen? Is there some ramp or something? Or a pulley system? Or a mine-shaft-like-elevator? Or will Smokey swoop in and push it out? (I’m kidding…I think…) How, exactly, is this going to work? It is safe to assume that the removal of Jughead from his underground chamber will make for a very interesting series of ‘transport’ scenes next week. Think about it: they are trying to manuever huge Jughead out of it’s hiding spot (without Dharma knowing) miles away to the Swan station.
Side note: how will the detonation of the bomb not kill EVERYONE?
Then again, in the end, they will not succeed…right? Even if they use the Jughead in the Swan Station, this is going to be what the “Incident” is, right? Or have I been completely blind to what is about to happen? Some think that a Jughead detonation will somehow lead to a huge ‘course correction’ that will send our survivors back to 2008. This could explain why Alpert said to Sun “I saw them die.” Perhaps they vanished before his eyes…and he equates this to death. However, he’s time traveled twice now (at least)…surely he is catching on to how this works.
I mean, even I (sorta) get it.
1977: Dharmaville
In yet another shout out to seasons past, we had to watch our favorite con man, Sawyer, being tortured (a la “Confidence Man”, when Sayid and the gang were convinced Sawyer had stolen Shannon’s asthma inhaler…gosh, that seems like SO long ago). Only this time, he wasn’t facing a former Iraqi interrogator; he had dumb Phil, annoying Radzinsky, and flabbergasted Horace. They wanted to know where Kate was, and wouldn’t you know: Sawyer wasn’t sharing anything. As the Dharma members began to put the pieces together (you’d think for such a high-brow, science-smart organization, someone would have caught onto some of this con sooner…), it became clear that Sawyer and Juliet’s Dharma life was on the verge of destruction.
Just outside the camp, Jin, Miles, and Hurley were gathering together with supplies (courtesy of Hurley’s chef-access to the Dharma pantry) to head to the beach. They were interrupted by Pierre Chang, who wanted to know what was going on with this guy Faraday. Clearly, Daniel’s fatalistic vision of the future of the island hit a chord with Chang…a chord entitled “Father”. Chang was ready to find out the truth about these time-traveling jokers. In what was one of the funniest scenes in quite awhile, Hurle claimed that (A) he was 46 years old and (B) there was no such thing as the Korean War (sigh)…well, the game was up. A quick acknowledgment of his adult son, Miles (anticlimactic, didn’t you think?), and Chang was off to follow Faraday’s orders and evacuate the island.
Chang’s first stop was down in the Sawyer Torture Room. As he entered, Phil took things to the next level and hit Juliet. Chang objected and told them his plan to evacuate. The strike against Juliet meant Sawyer was ready to talk…as long as the two of them were allowed to get on one of Chang’s get-away subs. A few scenes later, we were at the sub dock watching Dharma Initiative women and children board the submarine. We saw Charlotte and her previously-unseen mother (didn’t look familiar to me; anyone else?) head to the sub. We saw Mrs. Chang (and adorable Baby Miles) in a semi-heated discussion with Pierre about their urgent departure…but the most powerful part of the scene of adult Miles’ realization that Pierre WAS a good father and didn’t abandon them. Almost brought a tear to my eye.
Once Sawyer and Juliet are on the sub (loved Sawyer’s “Good riddance” line…good riddance, indeed), we witnessed a pretty powerful scene where Sawyer told Juliet that he loved her. I LOVED THAT SCENE. Honestly, I was not at all pleased (I believe a guffawed…) when Kate descended into the belly of the submarine to join them…go figure Kate would ruin that moment. Awk-ward. Juliet’s face was hauntingly priceless and I really felt for her. Sawyer’s face of desperation was tragic and unsettling. I have a feeling that won’t be a pleasant submarine ride back to the ‘real world.’
But hold up, kids. I don’t know about you, but it sure looked like Juliet, Kate, and Sawyer were in the preview for next week’s episode, interacting with people still on the island (read: Jack). How the heck is that going to happen?
I think the sub really is supposed to leave with all the women and the children. However, having Kate, Sawyer and Juliet onboard changed that. After hearing Kate’s plea, perhaps Sawyer and Juliet agree to help her hijack the darn thing and go back to the island to save everyone from Jack’s seemingly illogical and insane plan. So what would this mean for Mrs. Chang and Miles? And for Charlotte? Will Sawyer, Kate and Juliet just get off the sub and send it on its merry way? Or will everyone return to the island and be exposed to whatever is going to happen?
Oh, well…that’s for me to ponder in the preview next week.
2008 Others Camp
I’m going to cut to the chase here: Locke wants to kill Jacob? Say WHAT? Isn’t that like saying you want to kill God???
So, when Jacob whispered “Help me” to Locke back in season 2 (“The Man Behind the Curtain”), what he actually meant was “please put me out of my misery and free me from this island”? Or did the island tell Locke to kill Jacob? And can we agree that there is a possibility that Jacob and the island are not ‘on the same team’, as it were?
Did Lost just totally pull a fast one on us…and change it from a Widmore v. Ben battle to Jacob v. island battle?
Oh, my head hurts.
…and now we return to our regularly scheduled program.
Things were pretty crazy in 2008. As Richard attempted to manipulate a ship in a bottle (a representation of the Black Rock, perhaps? Man, I hope we get a Black Rock/Richard flashback before this show is over…), a random Other informs him that “He is here.” Locke, that is, accompanied by Sun and Ben. Once Sun discovers that Richard has been around for quite awhile, she pulls out her folded 1977 Dharma Initiative Recruits photo and asks if he remembers Hurley, Kate, or Jack. Richard says he does…because he “watched them all die.” I hope you’re not disappointed to find out that I’m not even going to TRY to explain this loaded statement this late in the evening. It is just way too much. But please leave a comment with what you think is going on…
Locke’s newfound purpose in life clearly has a rigid schedule because he has no time to catch up…he has an errand to run and he wants Richard and Ben to come along (sorry, Sun). What was the errand?
OHH MAN! No he DID-N’T! That DIDN’T just happened!!
Yes, yes it did. We were back in episode 1 of season 5, “Because You Left.” Locke, Ben and Richard approached the fallen Beechcraft just moments before a recently-shot-by-Ethan man stumbled out of the darkness. Locke handed Richard a first aid kit and gave him instructions: remove the bullet from the man’s leg, give him a compass, tell him to bring everyone back in order to save the island, and tell him he is going to die. Who was the man? Locke, of course. And to use Ben’s words, “an out of body experience” indeed. (So much for our paradox theory that a person can’t exist in two forms in one time.)
So how did Locke explain this revelation and perfect timing? The island told him, he said. And, my oh my, the ramifications of that statement. Ben knew right away that the rules had, indeed, changed. Locke was channeling the island in a way that Ben never has…and it freaked him out. (Heck, it freaked ME out!)
Allow me to try to think this thing through. So the island told Locke that this particular 3 minute flash was going to happen at that very moment…but did the island also tell Locke to go there and give Richard those instructions? Or was it Locke’s decision to ‘be’ in that moment (again) and follow through with what flashing-Locke needed to hear? All very confusing if you ask me. Feel free to post your understanding of this revelation in the comments section so Charlie and I can pass your understandings off as our own for the next week. (We’re kidding…kinda.)
When they made it back to camp, Locke exercised his right to assembly and gathered the Others team together for a pep talk. It definitely felt like a political rally – Locke may be their new leader, but he is just one of them. He’s a regular guy! And he thinks it is pretty unfair that no one has met the Great and Powerful Jacob. So you know what? He’s going to go all leader-y and take them to meet Jacob!
Side note: anyone else really annoyed by Sun this ENTIRE episode? It could have been just really bad writing, but every line she spoke made me cringe. I actually said “Shut up, Sun” multiple times…and I’m a fairly nice person who doesn’t say ‘shut up’ a lot. So take it for what it’s worth.
Here’s a question for you: are Alpert and Ben working together? That look the two of them shared when discussing how Locke might be a ‘problem’ sent chills down my side. Honestly, up until now, I have been under the assumption that Alpert really was a good guy…an honest guy and an innocent guy; someone who really was looking after the island’s best interests. He hasn’t been scheming, manipulating, or killing anyone…he has been fairly harmless. I mean, he’s just doing what Jacob says, right?
It is this whole "pilgrimage to Jacob" that has me a bit suspicious of Richard. The look on Alpert’s face when Locke was pressing him about visiting Jacob was wrought with anxiety. Sure, it could anxiety about bringing the masses into the Others’ version of the ‘circle of trust’. Part of me wonders if it is anxiety because the game is up. Some have speculated that Alpert has been the one making the selection about who should lead the others based on the current situation…that he really has no spiritual connection at all with Jacob and is simply thinking practically. In other words, Alpert might be a sham…the master manipulator of everything. And after tonight, I could actually see this theory coming to fruition.
More Questions than Answers...
I am surprised at how much Richard doesn't seem to understand. I guess I always thought he understood the time travel. I know he always was surprised to see people skipping in time around him, but still...he seems to not really understand the dynamics of island time travel at all. Interesting for a guy who, in Ben’s words, has been the island advisor for “a very long time.”
On that note, even though we don’t really know what Richard is up to, what do you think Ben’s game is at this point? Is he really already disobeying the orders he got from Alex/Smokey in “Dead is Dead?” Is he setting up Richard...or working with Richard?
Eloise, not Charles, was the leader of the Others in 1977! Forget any notion of co-rule with Charles; nope, Eloise was Numero Uno. And I loved it.
Did anyone else catch when Charles expressed concern about Eloise’s “condition” right before they left for the Jughead? He said it as he placed his hand on her belly…I’m going to throw this out there: Eloise is pregnant. FOR REALS. So let’s flesh this out. If she is pregnant in 1977…is it Dan? That would make him pretty young on the freighter...27 at my count. Or is it someone else? Perhaps part of the fallout from the Incident will involve Eloise moving to the mainland to have and raise the son she now knows she is destined to kill.
The darn compass is back…and they took great care to point it out tonight multiple times, so I am even more convinced it represents a HUGE piece of the puzzle. We still have not been told where the compass originated from (Richard gets it in 1954 from Locke, who then gets it from Richard in 2007 to give back to Richard in 1954). Does the compass represent the reiteration of time on the island? Did it originate with the Black Rock?
So Locke’s instructions to bring back the O6 actually originated from Locke himself. Sure, some of it came from Ben and Eloise and Christian…but mostly, it was a self-fulfilling prophecy. So, is that it? Or, rather, what does that mean for the bigger picture?
Next week…two hours of madness!
So what did you think of this penultimate episode? Has Jack gone crazy or reached clarity? Will Sawyer get over Kate (even I’m getting sick of this…)? Is Richard a good guy or a bad guy? Does “Jacob” really exist, or did Richard make it up?
Get ready for the two-hour episode “The Incident” next week! And watch for a Dharma VLOG coming soon to a Dharma Blog near you. Charlie and I are going to attempt to get you all ready for the finale with a vlog…provided we can be in the same place at the same time at some point during the next week. I don’t know where or when he is right now…or where or when I am…ahhhh! Bright. White. Light.
(end scene)
Comment away! Please!!
Namaste,
Maggie
Na na na na na na na na Leader!
For some reason, the higher-ups at my real, paying job don’t take my “No Wednesday business trips” demand seriously. They file it away between other unrequited requests such as “Furniture made of Fruit Rollups” and “Pants-Optional Tuesday.” Therefore, we’re switching things up this week with me (Charlie) taking the lead-up article beat, and Maggie busting out a sleep-deprived review in the wee hours of the night for your Thursday morning enjoyment.
And what a week to switch it up! We’ve reached the penultimate episode of LOST’s penultimate season. Double penultimate! As each season enters its home stretch, the twists and turns jump up and bite us like a smoke monster from beneath the Others’ Temple.
And so, we go hurling toward Season 5’s grand finale (“The Incident”) with tonight’s episode, “Follow the Leader.” The leadership motif is one of LOST’s longest-standing and most steadfast. It’s consistent. Like a rock. Like a constant. Like my love for Kate.
Tease-y Peezy Lemon Squeezy
Tonight’s DVR preview: “Jack and Kate fail to agree on the best direction to take to save their fellow island survivors and Sawyer and Juliet come under scrutiny from the Dharma Initiative.” And, as my DirecTV preview adds, “Locke solidifies his position as leader of the Others.” The other nice thing about late-season LOST episodes is that they give you a little bit of storyline for every character. Looks like we’ll get that tonight, so let’s take a look at this preview, piece by piece, and see how each of these parties might be following the leader.
The Hopeless Optimist
As the post-episode preview hinted at last week, Jack extols the values of Faraday’s half-baked plan to preempt The Incident and thus prevent Desmond, Oceanic 815 and the freighter folk from the trauma that ensnares them on the Island. That’s an interesting character (re)turn for Jack, who has spent the last few weeks floating apathetically through the drama unfolding before him. He seemed happy to submit to fate’s directive.
But the silver bullet with Dr. Shepherd is, and has always been, saving (or “fixing”) people. It’s the only thing that can derail his newfound allegiance to “whatever happens,” the only thing that can cast doubt over everything that Ben Linus, Ajira 316 and Dead John Locke have taught him. Last week, Daniel fired that silver bullet in the form of his time-altering master plan. And Jack, ever a sucker for savior work, appears ready to jump in head first.
The Honeymooners
For Sawyer and Juliet, time is running thin. They’ve turned Dharma lackey Phil into their very own bound-and-gagged R. Kelly (yes, that’s a Trapped in the Closet reference. Google it if you’re unfamiliar. You’re welcome). The other Dharma folk are starting to ask questions, and the LaFleurs are running out of excuses and stall tactics. Looks like that whole return-to-the-beach excursion just got severely expedited.
The Mummy Dearest
The guest list includes some unknowns this week, but it also lists young Eloise Hawking and young Charles Widmore among the cast. I’m excited to see the aftermath of Eloise’s familial nerdicide. Hopefully we’ll get some more insight as to whether or not this was the intended path (or supposed precognitive future) that Ms. Hawking was envisioning. As I mentioned last week, I think the shooting ends Ms. Hawking’s future-forecasting abilities because it robs her of her Constant, son Daniel. Side mystery: why is his last name Faraday, given his parents last names are Hawking and Widmore?
So Ellie will have hell to pay. And considering that the victim’s father – Charles Widmore – can’t be too far away, things could get extra dicey. “Hi honey, how was work? Not much happened here. Except a 35-year-old time-traveling version of our son Daniel showed up in camp and I kinda shot him. My bad. I made rabbit, though. Hope you’re hungry!”
Most importantly, what will Richard say about all of this? He didn’t seem thrilled about Ellie’s brashness last week, and certainly he’ll weigh in with his ageless, timeless wisdom.
The Savior
The return of John Locke! Throw your hands up in the air and wave them like you just rose from the dead on a mysterious Island!
It’s about time we revisit the journey of Locke and his merry band of two, Ben and Sun. Last we left them, Ben had been acquitted by Judge Smokey and dressed down by Deputy Alex, only to be emerge from the depths of the Temple and into the arms of Island Supreme Court Chief Justice John Locke (sorry, I ran out of judicial hierarchy parallels there).
Alex put Ben in his place, telling him in no uncertain terms that he was now second-in-command to Locke. And I think Ben bought it, enough to stop him from trying to defy it. He escaped Smokey and its ghostly sidekick once, he dare not tempt it again. Right?
I Need a Hero
Remember “Live together, die alone,” the Dr. Jack 2004 campaign promise made in the glow of the beach bonfire?
How about the “New sheriff in town,” oratory from Sawyer after he commandeered the arms supply from the rest of the survivors?
Or John Locke’s, “If you wanna live, you’d better come with me,” warning from last season’s divisive post-radio tower fallout?
And who could forget that nameless Other’s warning to Richard about what Charles and Ellie would think of his caring for an injured Ben Linus?
The theme of leadership has permeated some of the most integral turning points in LOST’s history. And it would seem that tonight would be an apt test of that very concept.
A lot of people need a leader right now. Kate and Jack need to dissect the fleeing lessons of time travel sherpa Dan Faraday. Sawyer must trust in himself – or siphon some confidence off his Dharma Darling Juliet – to lead himself and the other castaways out of (D)harm(a)’s way. Ben needs to believe in Locke. And Locke needs to continue to believe in himself, Jacob and the Island as he tries to keep everyone on fate’s course.
So Who Would You Follow?
Jack, right? He saved the 815’ers on countless occasions and led the Oceanic Six back to their destiny via Ajira 316. Of course, he’s gotten a lot of people killed along the way. And has often succeeded in spite of himself, claiming coincidences and good luck as byproducts of his visionary leadership. Ok, so not Jack.
Sawyer? Sure, he had his hiccups in Seasons 1-4. But Jim LaFleur is a new man, with purpose and power, calm, level-headed leadership that blends equal parts street and book smarts. But don’t be fooled. Jim LaFleur’s Dharma Utopia is his longest con yet, whether he knows it or not. It’s all based on a lie, and his ability to bend and twist that lie to save his own ass. As we’ve seen for the last few weeks, that house of cards is beginning to come crashing down.
So, Locke, of course. Locke Solid! Oh, come on. I don’t care how many moments of understanding or successful leaps of faith he’s experienced recently. He’s still John Locke. Flawed, scared, uncertain John Locke. Hedging your bets on baldie would be like placing a grand on a 50:1 horse to take the Kentucky Derby. And who would do that?
But Richard, Richard is the man, right? Richard, Eloise and Charles, the Holy Trinity of mid-70s Island leadership. Hey, maybe those three actually do represent an allegory for the Holy Trinity of Christianity where Richard is Jesus and…damn it. Charlie. Focus. Look, I love me some Richard, eyeliner and all. But this season, he’s been as clueless as an 815er in Season One. “Huh, you’re time traveling?” “Whaddya mean I have to bury this bomb?” There’s a part of me that thinks Richard is in over his head right now. And if Richard isn’t on top of things, neither are his hand-picked mortal leaders, Charles and Ellie.
Taking What We Can Get
The point is, whether you’re a Jack fan, a Sawyer man, a Locke believer or a member of the Alpertarian Church of Latter Day Saints, you’re wrong. None of these “leaders” has truly been able to put together a coherent, thought-out, all-encompassing plan to solve the conundrums the Island poses.
And that’s something I’ve always enjoyed about LOST: the fact that there isn’t one right answer to most of the deeper questions they pose. Sure, there is only one ending (tell me!), one man Kate can choose (pick already and shut up!) and one explanation for Hurley’s continued girth (it’s glandular!). But when it comes to complex themes like good and evil, fate and free will and universal interpersonal interconnectedness, there’s a lot of paths to take.
The “leadership” motif is the one most directly affected by the desires and idiosyncrasies of our characters, and I think it serves as a very elaborate, deep manifestation of the idea that there’s more than one way to skin a cat. Men of Science don’t win. Neither do Men of Faith. Conmen can only hold on so long. And sooner or later, your reign as The Man has to come to and end.
Every character has been branded with some moral ambiguity over the life of the show. And now that the Island’s diverse groups of inhabitants need someone to step up and take them in the right direction, the strengths and weaknesses of each character are going to be put under the microscope. And I think the people who come out of it smelling like a rose are the ones who can learn how to reconcile Jack’s logical leanings with Locke’s leaps of faith; and Sawyer’s do-what-it-takes attitude with The Others’ do-what’s-asked mentality.
Who do I think that person will be? Desmond. Absolutely. Okay, just kidding. I have no clue. But that’s why I love this show.
Namaste.
Charlie
And what a week to switch it up! We’ve reached the penultimate episode of LOST’s penultimate season. Double penultimate! As each season enters its home stretch, the twists and turns jump up and bite us like a smoke monster from beneath the Others’ Temple.
And so, we go hurling toward Season 5’s grand finale (“The Incident”) with tonight’s episode, “Follow the Leader.” The leadership motif is one of LOST’s longest-standing and most steadfast. It’s consistent. Like a rock. Like a constant. Like my love for Kate.
Tease-y Peezy Lemon Squeezy
Tonight’s DVR preview: “Jack and Kate fail to agree on the best direction to take to save their fellow island survivors and Sawyer and Juliet come under scrutiny from the Dharma Initiative.” And, as my DirecTV preview adds, “Locke solidifies his position as leader of the Others.” The other nice thing about late-season LOST episodes is that they give you a little bit of storyline for every character. Looks like we’ll get that tonight, so let’s take a look at this preview, piece by piece, and see how each of these parties might be following the leader.
The Hopeless Optimist
As the post-episode preview hinted at last week, Jack extols the values of Faraday’s half-baked plan to preempt The Incident and thus prevent Desmond, Oceanic 815 and the freighter folk from the trauma that ensnares them on the Island. That’s an interesting character (re)turn for Jack, who has spent the last few weeks floating apathetically through the drama unfolding before him. He seemed happy to submit to fate’s directive.
But the silver bullet with Dr. Shepherd is, and has always been, saving (or “fixing”) people. It’s the only thing that can derail his newfound allegiance to “whatever happens,” the only thing that can cast doubt over everything that Ben Linus, Ajira 316 and Dead John Locke have taught him. Last week, Daniel fired that silver bullet in the form of his time-altering master plan. And Jack, ever a sucker for savior work, appears ready to jump in head first.
The Honeymooners
For Sawyer and Juliet, time is running thin. They’ve turned Dharma lackey Phil into their very own bound-and-gagged R. Kelly (yes, that’s a Trapped in the Closet reference. Google it if you’re unfamiliar. You’re welcome). The other Dharma folk are starting to ask questions, and the LaFleurs are running out of excuses and stall tactics. Looks like that whole return-to-the-beach excursion just got severely expedited.
The Mummy Dearest
The guest list includes some unknowns this week, but it also lists young Eloise Hawking and young Charles Widmore among the cast. I’m excited to see the aftermath of Eloise’s familial nerdicide. Hopefully we’ll get some more insight as to whether or not this was the intended path (or supposed precognitive future) that Ms. Hawking was envisioning. As I mentioned last week, I think the shooting ends Ms. Hawking’s future-forecasting abilities because it robs her of her Constant, son Daniel. Side mystery: why is his last name Faraday, given his parents last names are Hawking and Widmore?
So Ellie will have hell to pay. And considering that the victim’s father – Charles Widmore – can’t be too far away, things could get extra dicey. “Hi honey, how was work? Not much happened here. Except a 35-year-old time-traveling version of our son Daniel showed up in camp and I kinda shot him. My bad. I made rabbit, though. Hope you’re hungry!”
Most importantly, what will Richard say about all of this? He didn’t seem thrilled about Ellie’s brashness last week, and certainly he’ll weigh in with his ageless, timeless wisdom.
The Savior
The return of John Locke! Throw your hands up in the air and wave them like you just rose from the dead on a mysterious Island!
It’s about time we revisit the journey of Locke and his merry band of two, Ben and Sun. Last we left them, Ben had been acquitted by Judge Smokey and dressed down by Deputy Alex, only to be emerge from the depths of the Temple and into the arms of Island Supreme Court Chief Justice John Locke (sorry, I ran out of judicial hierarchy parallels there).
Alex put Ben in his place, telling him in no uncertain terms that he was now second-in-command to Locke. And I think Ben bought it, enough to stop him from trying to defy it. He escaped Smokey and its ghostly sidekick once, he dare not tempt it again. Right?
I Need a Hero
Remember “Live together, die alone,” the Dr. Jack 2004 campaign promise made in the glow of the beach bonfire?
How about the “New sheriff in town,” oratory from Sawyer after he commandeered the arms supply from the rest of the survivors?
Or John Locke’s, “If you wanna live, you’d better come with me,” warning from last season’s divisive post-radio tower fallout?
And who could forget that nameless Other’s warning to Richard about what Charles and Ellie would think of his caring for an injured Ben Linus?
The theme of leadership has permeated some of the most integral turning points in LOST’s history. And it would seem that tonight would be an apt test of that very concept.
A lot of people need a leader right now. Kate and Jack need to dissect the fleeing lessons of time travel sherpa Dan Faraday. Sawyer must trust in himself – or siphon some confidence off his Dharma Darling Juliet – to lead himself and the other castaways out of (D)harm(a)’s way. Ben needs to believe in Locke. And Locke needs to continue to believe in himself, Jacob and the Island as he tries to keep everyone on fate’s course.
So Who Would You Follow?
Jack, right? He saved the 815’ers on countless occasions and led the Oceanic Six back to their destiny via Ajira 316. Of course, he’s gotten a lot of people killed along the way. And has often succeeded in spite of himself, claiming coincidences and good luck as byproducts of his visionary leadership. Ok, so not Jack.
Sawyer? Sure, he had his hiccups in Seasons 1-4. But Jim LaFleur is a new man, with purpose and power, calm, level-headed leadership that blends equal parts street and book smarts. But don’t be fooled. Jim LaFleur’s Dharma Utopia is his longest con yet, whether he knows it or not. It’s all based on a lie, and his ability to bend and twist that lie to save his own ass. As we’ve seen for the last few weeks, that house of cards is beginning to come crashing down.
So, Locke, of course. Locke Solid! Oh, come on. I don’t care how many moments of understanding or successful leaps of faith he’s experienced recently. He’s still John Locke. Flawed, scared, uncertain John Locke. Hedging your bets on baldie would be like placing a grand on a 50:1 horse to take the Kentucky Derby. And who would do that?
But Richard, Richard is the man, right? Richard, Eloise and Charles, the Holy Trinity of mid-70s Island leadership. Hey, maybe those three actually do represent an allegory for the Holy Trinity of Christianity where Richard is Jesus and…damn it. Charlie. Focus. Look, I love me some Richard, eyeliner and all. But this season, he’s been as clueless as an 815er in Season One. “Huh, you’re time traveling?” “Whaddya mean I have to bury this bomb?” There’s a part of me that thinks Richard is in over his head right now. And if Richard isn’t on top of things, neither are his hand-picked mortal leaders, Charles and Ellie.
Taking What We Can Get
The point is, whether you’re a Jack fan, a Sawyer man, a Locke believer or a member of the Alpertarian Church of Latter Day Saints, you’re wrong. None of these “leaders” has truly been able to put together a coherent, thought-out, all-encompassing plan to solve the conundrums the Island poses.
And that’s something I’ve always enjoyed about LOST: the fact that there isn’t one right answer to most of the deeper questions they pose. Sure, there is only one ending (tell me!), one man Kate can choose (pick already and shut up!) and one explanation for Hurley’s continued girth (it’s glandular!). But when it comes to complex themes like good and evil, fate and free will and universal interpersonal interconnectedness, there’s a lot of paths to take.
The “leadership” motif is the one most directly affected by the desires and idiosyncrasies of our characters, and I think it serves as a very elaborate, deep manifestation of the idea that there’s more than one way to skin a cat. Men of Science don’t win. Neither do Men of Faith. Conmen can only hold on so long. And sooner or later, your reign as The Man has to come to and end.
Every character has been branded with some moral ambiguity over the life of the show. And now that the Island’s diverse groups of inhabitants need someone to step up and take them in the right direction, the strengths and weaknesses of each character are going to be put under the microscope. And I think the people who come out of it smelling like a rose are the ones who can learn how to reconcile Jack’s logical leanings with Locke’s leaps of faith; and Sawyer’s do-what-it-takes attitude with The Others’ do-what’s-asked mentality.
Who do I think that person will be? Desmond. Absolutely. Okay, just kidding. I have no clue. But that’s why I love this show.
Namaste.
Charlie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
