(Prev) You're Gonna Die, Charlie.

LOST: “Greatest Hits” - A Charlie Episode.
Tonight. 10/9c.

Tonight's episode is called Greatest Hits. Did you know Smashmouth has a Greatest Hits album? Seriously. Are you freakin’ kiddin me? Smashmouth. Greatest Hits. That assumes that (a) they have had songs that didn’t totally suck and (b) there were enough of them to constitute a whole album. I hate Smashmouth so much. In fact, as any close friend of mine knows, they are on what I not-so-affectionately refer to as my “Six Bullet List,” a morbid term that refers to the six bands/musical artists I would not hesitate to use a bullet on. Here, in reverse order (from sixth-most hated to all-time most hated) is the rest of that list.

6. Smashmouth
5. The B-52s
4. Shaggy
3. Sean Paul
2. Lenny Kravitz
1. Sheryl Crow

Make no mistake, Sheryl Crow. I straight up hate you.

Okay, now that you know that important tidbit of information about yours truly, it’s time to discuss this week’s episode. Here we go…


Charlie’s “FATE”
Fate. On LOST, the concept is heavily-tilled ground. We’ve examined it closely in the stories of Locke, Desmond and even Eko. It’s also a prevalent, over-arching, guiding principle of the story of LOST. Most recently, we have seen Desmond deal with fate very directly. His visions of the future have left him pondering his role, and specifically whether or not his efforts to alter his present have consequences on his future. One of Desmond’s primary recurring premonitions: the untimely death of young Charlie Pace (one of my favorite characters, by the way. I mean come on, we have the same name!).

For weeks we have dwelled on Charlie’s fate. Ever since Desmond handed down his death sentence in “Flashes Before Your Eyes” (one of the best episodes of this season, I might add), we have cringed at every perilous situation Charlie has encountered. Yes, the death of DriveShaft's (click on DriveShaft there, they have a MySpace page - very weird) bassist seems inevitable, right? Right? Not so fast.

Let me begin by saying that if I were a betting man, I’d put some money down on Charlie’s demise going down tonight. It’s been predicted in the plot, tonight is Charlie’s back story (a classic indicator of death) and you have to believe that there’s only so long one can outrun fate. But when have LOST writers ever allowed a plot element as grave as a main character’s death to unfold so predictably? Deaths on this show (Nikki and Paulo’s excluded) usually take us by surprise, and seem to post a big Dead End sign square in the middle of logical storylines (ain’t that right, Libby?). So there’s a “student of LOST history” side of me that has trouble believing they would kill off Charlie when so many people expect it to happen. Then again, it would be very much in the writers’ character to kill off a character the second people begin second-guessing their predictable death.

But you can’t kill a Charlie Pace with a mere accident. Or a gun shot. Or a Smokey encounter. Okay, maybe a Smokey encounter. But the “Charlie fan” in me wants to believe that Charlie will go out with a bang, of sorts. We have watched the progression of a character whose experiences span that spectrum of misdeed and redemption that so poignantly characterizes LOST. Remember Charlie’s initial modus operandi? It was rescue. Pure rescue. Then he seemed to settle into an acceptance mindset, even going so far as to write the word “Fate” on his fingers, as if he were putting his life in the hands of a higher presence. Later, he changed the “F” to an “L”, seemingly reverting back to his playfully realistic pre-Island self. But look at this story arc. A guy who only ever wanted to make music and please his family was led down a path into drug addiction, unfathomable stardom and, ultimately, abandonment by his family and loved ones and the disintegration of his beloved band. When the plane crashed, he was huddled over the toilet, desperately gathering the remnants of his heroin addiction in an attempt to escape his own tragic “fate”, or “lot in life” as it were. Then the plane crashed, he battled with his addiction, he lost his guitar, he fell for a girl who wanted nothing to do with his vice and he was left living out an existence with no light at the end of the tunnel. For Charlie, that light was escape: not just from the island, but also from the depths of his own sorry state. For Charlie, that light symbolized redemption; it symbolized reconciliation with his brother, Liam, and an end to his drug-riddled lifestyle. Charlie’s home was his family and his music. And all he ever really wanted was to go home. The light at the end of the tunnel dimmed, that is until John Locke made his move. He helped Charlie overcome his addiction (eventually), and in the process reunited Charlie with his guitar, giving the lad a much-needed reminder of what his life could be (and had been). After taming his personal demons and reconnect with Claire, earning back both her trust and his sanity. And he has Locke to thank for a lot of that – interestingly enough, John was able to step in and be the father/older brother figure that Charlie needed, despite John’s own family issues. Once Locke stepped in, the light at the end of thee tunnel reappeared for Charlie.

So take that into consideration and ask yourself: can they really kill Charlie? As heartbreaking as it may seem, the answer is, “Yes. They really could.” But they can’t do it without one last hurrah. Charlie knows he is doomed, and as his trust in Desmond grows, so does his obligation to destiny. That mounting obligation could very well lead him to one last dance: a sacrifice to the Island, a sacrifice of himself, and the last act of a man on a mission of redemption. Yes, this is probably Charlie Pace’s last night. But hopefully (for Charlie, fans of Charlie and those who sympathize with his plight), he will die in an effort to save the people he now calls family (Papa Locke, Wifey Claire, Son Aaron, Brother Hurley, Uncle Jack and Crazy Uncle Desmond). Charlie must die only in an effort to protect the Survivors. And whatever that translates into on the Island tonight is going to be a very intense, very authentic moment.


Battle Plans
Military success is contingent on frontline soldiers being able to respect those in charge (hear me, W?). No, this blog did not just transform into a left-wing rant factory. Rather, I’d like to take some time to examine the “escalating sectarian and regional tensions” on The Island.

Let’s see. We have two sides that misunderstand (and underestimate) each other. They both feel they have a right to a certain plot of land. They both have strong leaders who have personal beef with each other (Ben and Jack). They both believe that their current situation is a make-or-break survival scenario. In short, trouble’s a brewin’ down at the ole’ well. In the same way that the assassination of Arch Duke Francis Ferdinand served as the catalyst to World War One, the pseudo-treachery of Juliet could initiate a domino effect of Island warfare. Think about it. The Others trust Juliet, they believe she’s on their side. The Survivors don’t trust her and believe she’s still aligned with The Others. Both sides are wrong. Juliet is more than willing to betray The Others if it will increase her chance of escape – especially because to do so would help her feel redeemed for the way she was treated by them. And The Survivors, I believe, must overcome their distrust of Juliet and realize that she is angry enough at The Others to be a tremendous ally. Whatever side realizes Juliet’s true intentions first is going to have a huge leg up on the competition.

Enter Jack. The former Golden Boy of the Survivors, whose approval rating was at times higher than Charlie Pace after a bender. But the Survivors’ distrust of The Others is so strong that Jack’s Othersville vacation has rendered him untrustworthy and suspicious. And he certainly didn’t help his cause by canoodling (did I just say ‘canoodling”? Dear God.) with Juliet, whom the Survivors’ don’t trust as far as they can throw (which isn’t very far, because Juliet knows karate. And you just can’t throw a black belt too far without them turning around, mid-air, and delivering a devastating scissor kick to the head). Since his return to the beach, Jack’s leadership has been, at best, laissez-faire. He seems detached from his fellow castaways and content to confide in Juliet. It has gone so far that the Survivors did not trust him with the discovery of Naomi (the parachutist), a finding that he would’ve been the first to hear about if this were an earlier season. But it seems as if he’s on the cusp of redemption. His revelation last week that he knew of the plot against the Survivors – and was merely biding his time and weighing his options – could restore faith among some of Jack’s more loyal supporters. And with their support, more stalwart opponents like Sayid , Sawyer and Kate could soon follow.

On The Other side, Ben is experiencing a similar level of disapproval among his own people. His obsession with the fertility problem seems to have blinded him to bigger problems on the Island, and that has ruffled the feathers of a few in his tribe. Richard was so upset with Ben that he gave Locke the key to upending him: Sawyer’s story. Once Locke was in possession of that, it was easy to make sure Cooper would be killed, and thus Locke would have the leverage he needed to challenge Ben’s authority and learn some vital secrets. Now Locke and Ben seem to be competing in a World’s Creepiest and Most Spiritually Connected to the Island contest (by the way, the score after two rounds of that contest is 1-1. Locke gets 1 for hearing (and seeing?) Jacob, Ben gets one for shooting Locke. Locke’s theme song is now, “Shot through the heart. And you’re to blame. You give creepy island fantasy lands a bad name.”) And now, Ben is being questioned by his people in terms of his leadership, knowledge, connection to the Island and foresight. Burn. He better do something to earn their trust/respect/fear soon, or they won’t stand a chance – maybe that’s why he shot Locke.



And with that “State of the Island” speech in mind, we turn our attention to the matter at hand: War of the Worlds, Island Edition. The Others are coming, apparently with the mission of “rescuing” the pregnant women. The Survivors are waiting, apparently with the intention of “protecting” the pregnant women in the interest of sparing them the fate of (what I like to call) the Worst OBGYN Clinic Ever. As the loving brother of a pregnant woman (Hi, Karen!), I understand the protective instinct of the Survivors. They don’t know what’s best for the doomed Island pregos (yeah, that’s a medical term), but they seem to believe that The Others aren’t it. And who can blame them? A 100% mortality rate? Not exactly the kind of people you want to trust without a second (and third, fourth, fifth and sixth) opinion.

But the question becomes: how do the Survivors protect The Others? The Others are paramilitary killing machines – just ask The Dharma Initiative. The Survivors are merely a random group of people. Then again, the Survivors have Sayid, who can throw you up in the air and kill you five times before you hit the ground. (“My name is Sayid Jarrah, and I am a torturer.” Oh yes, my friends, it’s throw-down time.)


Outsiders?
As we near the end of this season, I am really interested in what has happened to a few characters that have been (either accidentally or purposely) marginalized. There are some people we haven’t seen in a while, and I wonder if they will factor back into the show soon. Here, with minimal inside knowledge, are the odds on a few characters returning to get some face time (either on the Island or in a flashback).

• Michael 50:1. Come on! Did they make it home? Are they helping with rescue? How many times did Michael look proudly at his son before staring off at the horizon on the trip home? That was, like, his favorite move.
• Walt 45:1. Okay, if Walt comes back I’m gonna lose my mind. He was always one of my favorites, and I felt we were cheated out of his story a little bit. There’s a lot that was left unexplained about his time with The Others, and damn it, I want to know.
• Penny 12:1. For all of our sakes, especially mine, let’s hope Penny comes back. If not to the Island, then maybe they show her conducting the Desmond search. Maybe she has to conduct it from Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha and while there she falls for a dashing young ad man from Lincoln, whose name she pronounces in that cheeky Scottish accent. Yep. I think those odds just increased.
• Rose and Bernard 5:1. Where are these two?! Was there any reason they were written out of the rest of this season, other than the Bernard’s general awkwardness? I mean shit, Rose’s cancer was cured by the Island, where is she?

I can’t do odds on dead people (it’s a rule… that I just made up because I didn’t want to do any more odds), but that doesn’t mean it’s not a distinct possibility. We’ve seen deceased castaways appear in dream sequences, flashbacks and hallucinations throughout this show, so don’t rule it out – especially with the finale coming up.

Let’s look at our departed brothers and sisters, with my probable reaction to their return in quotes after each name:

• Boone (“Eh”)
• Shannon (“Where’s the mute button?”)
• Ana Lucia (“Seriously?”)
• Libby (“Cool! Explain what the hell was up with you in that mental hospital with Hurley!”)
• Eko (“Oh hell to the hell to the hell to the hell yeah.”).

I don’t know if any of the living or dead (or soon to be dead?) characters will appear in the show anytime soon, but bringing someone back from the dead is always a good curveball. And it’s that special time of the year where the writers start pulling out things that make you realize that this whole time, you’ve only been looking at a very small piece of the picture. Watch closely.

Greatest Hits: A Haiku.
Goodbye, Dear Charlie.
If you see Jerry Falwell
You’re in a bad place.



Only two weeks left, time to finish strong. Enjoy tonight’s episode!
Charlie.

(Rev) I do believe in spooks. I do believe in spooks. I do, I do, I do, I do, I DO believe in spooks.

Pale face.
Cold sweat.
Shortness of breath.
Shaking hands.
Increased heart rate.
Chills, followed by being very hot.
Inability to form words or thoughts.
Weak muscles, unable to get up.

Signs of the flu? No.

Signs that Maggie is watching Lost: The Man Behind the Curtain.

As a perfect end to my birthday yesterday, I settled in to watch last night’s episode. After bidding farewell to Lakisha on American Idol (she shouldn’t have sang Stayin’ Alive…it just didn’t work), I was ready for a night of Lost mystery, adventure and enchantment.

And then I found out that Ben’s birthday was “today,” too.

Man, can this get any creepier?
No, me thinks no.

In keeping with the theme (and subject of this review), I’m the Cowardly Lion in Wizard of Oz. I am scared of a lot of things…okay, most things (top 3: weather, balloons [not mylar balloons…just normal balloons], and the dark). Part of the reason last night’s episode really got to me, I think, is because I let myself believe that what happens on the screen could actually happen. I allow my mind to be opened to the possibility of Lost as a real story, a true story. I allowed myself to be SCARED of the uncertainty. I didn’t know what was going to happen. Just like I learned in Sunday School to “open my heart and mind to receive the word of God,” last night, I “open my heart and mind to receive the word of J.J., Damon and Carlton.”

And what a “word” it was.

Ben’s Childhood
The young Ben looks like Harry Potter, with a touch of the “young Charlie Stephan”. No lie. There were parts of this episode when I thought I was watching Harry “Charlie” Potter talk to Jesus (Richard). Sounds like a joke, huh? What do you get when you introduce Harry “Charlie” Potter to Jesus? …Okay, I have no idea what the punch line of that joke would be.

But moving on. Ben lies. He lies and he is good at it. Ben was born in Oregon and came to the island as a young elementary-aged chap. (Lie: “My name is Benjamin Linus and I've lived on the island all my life.”).

Ben was the shy, quiet son of an alcoholic janitor named Roger. On the island, he lived a very normal life. You know, he went to school and did volcano experiments (interesting reveal during the classroom scene that there is a volcano on the island, huh? Any connection between the volcano and the grey sand surrounding Jacob’s hut? Keep reading.). He played on the swings with his best friend Annie. (Something tells me the story of Annie is not over yet – Ben is holding on to the doll she gave him. Is it a reminder of his childhood (where he came from)? Or is it a reminder of her?) He had a pet rabbit. He participated in fire drills….uhh….tornado drills….uhh….hostile drills. (I kept thinking what it would have been like to have my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Sellmyer, pull out a rifle and tell our whole class to take our positions for the hostile drill. Craziness.)

Ben was unhappy. His father blamed him for the death of his mother. He was lonely. He wanted a friend.

So when he saw the apparition of his dead mother on the other side of the sonic boom fence, of course he was going to go after her. Poor kid. Little did he know that the jungle was home to Jesus (Richard). Ben was so distraught over his life, he asked Richard for freedom. And Richard agreed to give it to him…in due course. There was one little thing they needed to do first…

The Purge
The gas returns. Richard and Ben, Inc. managed to kill the entire Dharma hippie colony by opening up a few cans of death. What a horrifying scene when Ben returned to the barracks and saw all the bodies strewn about…some of them with their eyes still open. Everyone appeared to have just been killed without warning…Horace was reading the newspaper on a bench, a few of the people appeared to be in the middle of a soccer game of some kind. It was an immediate, sudden death that came about them…and it was surreal to see.

What does this mean? Ben has a capacity to kill…a capacity that he probably believes dates all the way back to his entry into the world. He believes that he started his life as a killer…and will always be one. It cannot spell anything good for our island friends…

Is Locke dead?
Locke was shot and is now lying in a pit of purged Dharma bodies. That stinks big time. But is Locke dead? I don’t think so. It isn’t that I believe that Locke will not die this season…I hate to say it, but he might. However, as dramatic as it appeared, I don’t believe the single shot from Ben into the purged pit is going to be “big enough” to kill off our Locke. Personally, I think Locke has to tell someone about what he heard from “Jacob”…and then he can die. Who is he going to tell? Well, I think Locke is going to stumble to his feet, start wandering…and run into someone. Maybe Alex? Maybe Sawyer or Sayid? That’s my theory.

Mikhail gets the living daylight kicked out of him.
Loved that scene. Pow pow pow bam bam bam! You are beat up! Yesssssssssss. Locke wins. Two points for Locke.

Jacob’s House
Grey powder perimeter. No electricity. Rocking chair. Table. Jars of RED LIQUID.(bloooooooooooooooooooooood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHH!). Cobwebs. Broken glass. Man, that was scary…almost as scary as the Lincoln Jaycee’s Chamber of Terror at 16th and O Streets during Halloween. Nevermind: it was scarier.

That grey powder has to be volcanic ash. (MUCH MORE about this later…)

I’ll be honest: I missed the 11 frames of Jacob last night that everyone is talking about this morning. (I might have been hiding under the blanket, shaking violently and saying a silent prayer for my safety.) There are many websites that have still-framed Jacob, so check those out if you haven’t yet. (losteastereggs.blogspot.com)

But in spite of this, there are many remaining questions about those 5 minutes of fear:

1. The action that took place inside the house was reminiscent of Smokey the Monster: bodies being thrown around, items flying around, glass breaking, etc.

2. The action appeared to be instigated by Locke turning on his flashlight. Is this because Jacob didn’t want to be seen? Was Jacob hiding in the corner??

3. Ben is definitely the kind of guy who might have an imaginary friend…how freaky was his pretend conversation with the rocking chair?? Regardless of whether or not Jacob actually exists, I feel like Ben’s past has an imaginary friend. I mean, for crying out loud: he lived on the island, he had very few (if any?) friends, he hated his family, he was lonely…I think he had a friend. It was too “real” when he talked to the chair.

Jacob, Dharma, Richard…how does it all fit together?
So who is Jacob and what is his role? What does he do? He doesn’t have electricity and Ben acted as if he doesn’t see him very often. So how does he communicate with the Others? Was Jacob part of Jesus Richard’s group? While we may have discovered answers to who the Dharmas are and what they were doing (I need to watch Dr. Candle’s film again that was showing in the check-in area that young Ben was watching, but he said something about studying the animals on the island), we now have the questions about what Jesus Richard’s group was doing on the island.

Were they born on the island?
They were referred to as “hostiles” and “original inhabitants”…but what does that mean

As TJ always says, any answers that are provided on Lost always mean more questions…and we got a boatload last night.

Volcanic Ash means…
I think the volcanic ash around Jacob’s house was a huge clue to a mystery of this island. After speaking with Tara A. Rothschild, Energy Policy Advisor to United States Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE), as well as consulting the United States Geological Survey website (and wikipedia…), I found out a lot of interesting facts about volcanic ash:

* Volcanic ash consists of tiny jagged particles of rock and natural glass blasted into the air by a volcano. Ash can threaten the health of people and livestock, pose a hazard to flying jet aircraft, damage electronics and machinery, and interrupt power generation and telecommunications. Wind can carry ash thousands of miles, affecting far greater areas and many more people than other volcano hazards. Even after a series of ash-producing eruptions has ended, wind and human activity can stir up fallen ash for months or years, presenting a long-term health and economic hazard.

* Because wet ash conducts electricity, it can cause short circuits and failure of electronic components, especially high-voltage circuits and transformers. Power outages are common in ash-fall areas, making backup power systems important for critical facilities, such as hospitals.

* Eruption clouds and ash fall commonly interrupt or prevent telephone and radio communications in several ways, including physical damage to equipment, frequent lightning (electrical discharges), and either scattering or absorption of radio signals by the heated and electrically charged ash particles.

* Volcanic ash can cause internal-combustion engines to stall by clogging air filters and also damage the moving parts of vehicles and machinery, including bearings and gears. Engines of jet aircraft have suddenly failed after flying through clouds of even thinly dispersed ash.

SO: Your Assignment:

1. The island’s volcano: Nature’s Beauty or HUGE PROBLEM? Write me a 100 word essay on your thoughts. The winner gets a signed photo of Senator Hagel.

2. Were the Igloo Portuguese Men looking for a volcanic erruption on their radar? Did the hatch explosion cause a volcanic erruption? Is this a HUGE KEY to this show? Write me a 100 word essay on your thoughts. The winner gets a signed photo of me.

Juliet and Jack: What is their plan?
To trust Juliet, to not trust Juliet. To trust Jack, to not trust Jack. I don’t know what to do, actually. I want to believe that they have a plan…that they have been hanging out in the shadows trying to figure out how to “purge” the Others just like the Others “purged” the Dharmas. But do we have the capacity? The knowledge? We are like the British during the Revolutionary War, right? I don’t think we have the knowledge, the know-how, the organization, the common passion to succeed! Our group is not a unified front. They don’t trust each other. And if we’re not working together, it isn’t going to work. (“Live together or die alone,” remember?) So if this island raid is really going to happen, J&J need to get rally the troops and figure out how we are going to do this, how we are going to win. Because right now, there is too much distrust and secret alliances to be successful.


Let the countdown to next week begin.
Namaste,
Maggie

PS: Interesting website I just found. No connection to this week’s episode, but it is crazy weird. Connected to Lost? Absolutely. http://www.hansoadoptions.org/ eehhhhhhhweird!!

(Prev) Let’s Get Biblical

LOST: “The Man Behind the Curtain”, a Ben-centric episode.
Tonight. 10/9c.

A warning: This post is a little long. But there are some really interesting things to know before you watch tonight, that I think any fan (from the casual observer to the dateless wonder) would be well-served to know.

And also, let me warn (and simultaneously shock) you by noting that I am not now, or have I ever been, a biblical scholar. I went to church youth groups and Confirmation, but as a child was much more fascinated by thoughts such as, “How is poop made?”, “Why did Kelly leave Zach for Jeff, the frat-tastic manager of The Max (played by the reprehensible Patrick Muldoon. Total ass face.)?” and “Why does my mother refer to me as ‘the happy accident?’” But this post includes a few biblical references and parallels, most of which I have gleaned from reliable religious sources such as Wikipedia and my own shaky memory. So no e-mails pointing out flaws in my biblical minutia, unless they are offensive to you, in which case let me know and I'll take care of it. Enjoy!

Jacob’s Ladder Unfolds
Tonight promises the unveiling of the most highly-anticipated mystery man in recent LOST history: Jacob. Often simply referred to as “him”, Jacob's identity, importance and role on the island all seem to be of central importance. The Others’ cryptic references to this man have led viewers to recklessly speculate about his identity and purpose (I'm guilty of this too -- just check the Bonus Tracks).

Background.
Let’s look at what we know (and don’t know) so far.

• During his life-or-death chess game with Ben’s back surgery, Jack arouses the ire of a few Others, who angrily pout that “Shepherd wasn’t even on Jacob’s list.” What is it with these people and lists? Obviously Jacob’s list differs from the one Ms. Klugh gave Michael as part of the deal for Walt, as that list explicitly called for the good (?) doctor.
• Several Others have spoken of Jacob in terms of extreme adoration. “He is a great man, but not a forgiving man” as Ben put it. Mikhail (Patchy) called him "magnificent." And the New York Times said, "A non-stop family thrill ride from beginning to end!" Okay, not the last one. But the sheer fear and reverence that the rest of the Others hold toward Jacob would indicate that he is a man of great power, such as when Tom called Ethan out for going against “his” wishes during his exploits with Claire (in an episode that should’ve, in my opinion, been called, “(Messed Up) Adventures in Babysitting”).
• In the brainwashing video that Karl was watching in the mysterious Room 23, the quote, “God loves you as he loved Jacob,” a sentiment that Karl regurgitated to Sawyer and Kate around the time of Sawyer’s pull-up-a-backwards-chair-and-have-a-man-to-man-after-school-special-chat with the young, star-crossed lover.

Oh My Dear God.
The latter fact provides me a segue to get into some God Talk. The character of Jacob in the bible has many interesting potential parallels with the Jacob we barely know on the Island. The following cross-references of biblical and Island factoids are taken from Lostpedia, and I have added my thoughts below each.

Jacob is literally translated in Hebrew as "holds the heel," and is a play on words that means "trickster" or "deceiver."
Fairly self-explanatory, this Island is built on a solid foundation of trickery and deception.

Esau was the firstborn, but Jacob conned him into selling his birthright.
Again, fairly obvious. The theme of “conning” is prevalent in this show. If you don’t believe me, you didn’t see last week’s episode – which happened to feature, the longest, sickest, most convoluted con in history. Furthermore, much of the conflict between Jacob and Esau came as they both sought their father's approval. Let's not even get into the daddy issues some of our favorite characters have ("Has anyone seen my kidney?")

Esau was an outdoorsman/hunter while Jacob was studious, reserved, and "dwelled in tents."
Hey, I know a group of people who seem to worship a guy named Jacob. And they sooo dwell in tents!

According to the Book of Malachi, God "loved Jacob but hated his brother Esau" (Malachi 1:1-3). This is the only time God specifically says he "loves" an individual in the Hebrew books.
Again, in the brainwashing film, the idea of “God loving Jacob” is present, and it’s obviously a strong enough element that it sticks with Karl (by the way, Karl? That name's about as biblical as “Duane”. My advance apologies to anyone named Duane who stumbles upon this blog. But come on. Duane? "And God so loved Duane.")

Jacob was later given the name "Israel," which means "Struggled with God," with an implication of prevailing.
The struggle of man vs. god (or science vs. faith) has reared its contentious head a number of times in this show, specifically between Jack and Locke. It has also been hinted at as a major cog in Ben’s paradigm.

Rachel was apparently barren, but later amazingly gave birth to Joseph and Benjamin after failing to become pregnant for years. She died whilst giving birth to Benjamin.
I couldn’t make this stuff up. Again, if you can’t catch that parallel, you need to do some serious self-examination.

And finally…
In Jewish history, the tribe of Benjamin's women and children were all killed, and the remaining members of the tribe could not longer proliferate. The historical solution they came up with was to kill the men from another sub-tribe and take their women and children.
Are you shittin’ me?


Okay. Take a minute. That was a lot to take in. Ready? Okay. The inner conspiracy theorist inside all of us must be having the day of his/her life. There are some eerily resonant and relevant ties between the biblical Jacob and things we know about the Island. If the writers hadn’t repeatedly squelched the “They’re all dead and in heaven/hell/purgatory” theory, I would be promoting it like it was going out of style.

The Ladder.
One more note on Jacob. His little ladder. In the bible, it served as a sort of conduit between the physical world and the spiritual one, upon which Jacob could see the angels ascending to heaven. And that, my friends, is an interesting historical interpretation of the Island: that it is, in fact, some sort of byway (or rip in the universe) that provides its inhabitants an up close and personal look at the afterlife. I. Have. Chills.

So, what does this all mean? I wouldn’t touch that with a ten-foot pole, for fear that tonight's episode will pick apart any theory I could spout out right now. If you want a CRAZY theory, here's one. But honestly, I wouldn’t even want to be right about anything tonight, lest we spoil the epic nature of this episode. I just wanted to arm you with some knowledge to get you thinking, and it might be some good stuff to have in your back pocket as you watch tonight.


We Are So Not in Kansas Anymore
Tonight’s episode is titled, “The Man Behind the Curtain,” a reference to the Wizard of Oz.
In that story, the man behind the curtain is the man who has pulled the cloak of fantasy over the main characters, presenting them with a world that didn't exactly "exist". Again, at the risk of pointing out an obvious parallel, could tonight begin an unraveling of the delicate fabric of deceit that coats island? Is Ben’s undoing imminent now that Locke has fulfilled his destiny? And where, if anywhere, will this essential crack in the foundation occur?

The writers have a penchant for weaving their favorite literary themes and titles into this show. Sawyer’s Book Club usually featured the con man reading some obscure work of literary significance that - upon further research (by those more obsessive than I) - had some similarities to and clarifications of what was happening on the Island. And a favorite work of at least a few of these writers: The Wizard of Oz. Remember Ben’s cover story when he was captured? He said he was Henry Gale, and that he had crashed his hot air balloon on the Island – a clear nod to Wizard of Oz. (Oddly, a man named Henry Gale [not Ben] did crash on the island in a hot-air balloon; something that’s never been explained, but was awesome. Ben's lie, if you remember, was exposed by Sayid on one of his “I Want The Truth, and Yes, I CAN Handle The Truth” missions, where he found Henry Gale's driver's license, and the real Henry Gale looked a little different than Ben.

But enough mythology, let’s talk about the actual show. Tonight we focus on Ben, in a story that will most likely be told to us as it is told to Locke, by Ben. Ben owes Locke answers, and as Locke receives them, so will we. I can honestly say I have not been this excited about an episode…probably ever. Seriously. I don’t want to over-hype things (when have I ever done that), but tonight’s offering will likely be a watershed moment in the history of the show. There is a perfect storm brewing: our first flashback of an Other (unless you count Juliet, and I don’t), the revelations of Island secrets, the unveiling of the hallowed Jacob and the promise of some incredible moments between Locke and Ben: the duo with undeniably the best on-screen interplay on all of television. Strap yourselves in, friends. This one’s so good, I couldn’t bring myself to speculate as much as usual. Tonight is a night to sit back and enjoy, and let the best show on television tell us a wonderful story.


Haiku Time
Let’s get answers, from
The Man Behind The Curtain
Like "Where the hell's Walt?!".


I promise I have a life,
Charlie.

(Rev) They're NOT dead.

These are the kind of episodes that have me wrapped around Lost’s little finger. What a night. Let’s dive right in…

Murder in the Brig
Thanks to Our Charlie’s research yesterday, I understood what a Brig was before the episode started. However, I didn’t make the connection that Tom Sawyer’s final hour was going to go down in the brig of the Black Rock. What a scene. The skeleton remains, chained up like puppets. The sun shining through the cages. Locke sharpening his knife while listening to the screams inside the Brig (eerily familiar to the abuses our Survivors inflicted upon Ben while he was locked up in the gun closet inside our hatch, huh?...)

There were two men who needed Tom Sawyer to be dead in order to “live.” Locke needed Tom Sawyer dead before he could “follow his path” and “find his purpose” with Ben and Company (Ben said “kill your dad, then you can be in the cool-kids club”). James Ford needed Tom Sawyer dead before he could sleep with both eyes shut…and move on. The pain that Tom Sawyer inflicted (physical, emotional, spiritual, everything…) was so deep that you just knew Tom’s final hour had arrived. Who was going to do it? Richard (remember him as the recruiter who gave Juliet the drug-laced lemonade on Day 1) gave Locke the file of James Ford, which revealed his past misgivings, including the untimely death of the shrimper. James Ford had the capacity…and Locke had the guy. It was a perfect match.

I struggled with this scene because I struggled with whether or not James Ford really had it in him to kill this guy. Part of me thought there was no way he could do it – he tried to act like a tough guy on the outside, but inside, he still was the child hiding under the bed as his father’s dead body slumped over after the gun shot. But then I reminded myself that every step James Ford has taken since the death of his parents has been in search of the killer, in revenge for the death. This had been building up for much too long to let an opportunity like this pass him by.
And with that passion (and that chain…), Tom Sawyer went from staged car accident in Tallahassee, to island in the Pacific, to the movie theater in the sky…

Has Sawyer “found his peace?”
So when you live every day of your life trying to find one man and kill him, what do you do when it is “mission accomplished?” James Ford’s identity is gone…literally and figuratively. Literally, the man he allowed himself to become (Sawyer) is dead. Figuratively, his “life” is dead…his purpose in life is dead. So who is James Ford? What drives him? We don’t know…and he doesn’t know either. James Ford is going to have a tough time for awhile. He is lost…in every sense of the word. I don’t know how he will find his new path. He needs not only a new name…but a new way to live. Will Kate play a role in this? Probably…but at the same time, James needs to do this on his own if he is going to survive this ridiculously long chapter of his life: The Long Con.

Danielle – “Don’t mind me; I’ll just take this box of explosives and be on my merry way…”
Did it bother anyone else that Danielle came into the Black Rock, took a box of unstable explosives (same kind that killed our 8th grade science teacher back in Season 1), and left? Nevermind that Locke was sharpening a knife while listening to the sounds of yelling from behind a locked door. I don’t know – Danielle seems pretty phased from everything that is going on. She has seen Alex – she knows her daughter is alive. All signs point to something drastic happening. We know that the driving factor in Danielle’s life right now is to find her daughter (check) and get her back. Next stop? Large explosion that creates enough chaos to allow for a kidnapping? Me thinks yes.

Naomi – Just searching for people.
Okay, so our Italian-Portuguese-Chinese vixen who fell out of the sky as if from a tornado in Kansas…she is a people hunter. She finds people. Doesn’t matter where you are, what you are doing, who you are, or why she is supposed to find you…she’s going to fly around in her helicopter and haul you home. (How do I get a job like that?? I’m really good at googling…surely that equates to a skill at helicoptering…). Anyways, she revealed the big “mystery” from last week: Penny Widmore hired Naomi’s company to find the coordinates (thanks for the coordinates, Portuguese Igloo Men), find Desmond (“He’ll look like the man in this photo”), and bring him back to England. Naomi has been searching for weeks…and she can’t find the darn coordinates. But then the clouds part and the island is revealed….along with a suction tornado that spins her astronaut body down to the island. Whoops. Good thing she brought her not-iPhone with her.

Biggest question this raises? Penny had the Portuguese Igloo Men looking for an “incident” that would lead them to these coordinates, right? So what the heck were they looking for? How did she know there was going to be an “incident”? Even deeper…how did she know something would show up on the radar? How did she know what would show up? If the hatch explosion turned the sky purple and showed up on the radar…then what the heck? How did Penny know??

Sayid has a hard time trusting people.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: “I know Sayid, I trust Sayid. I trust his judgment.” …Okay, so I really don’t know him, but I do tend to think he is on the right track. Naomi was taken aback by his line of questioning, but I’m glad he did it. Afterall, Sayid has come across multiple people on this island just randomly…and has every right to not trust everyone he finds. (i.e. Danielle….Ben….Desmond….Juliet….Ana Lucia (she killed his Shannon, remember?)) All of this aside, I am glad he made Naomi recount the story. I’m also glad that the not-iPhone has been given to Sayid’s Electronics for repair.

I’m going to stick by Sayid for the remainder of the season. He goes with his gut…and I like the guy.

Kate can’t keep a secret.
Kate clearly still has a thing for Jack. When you have a “thing” for someone, you tend to divulge secrets. For me, this happens when I have 1 too many glasses of wine and disclose the location of the hidden office football to a certain young gentleman on the other side of the hall. For Kate, this happens when she comes across the M.A.S.H. tent where Naomi is recovering. Hurley just looks like he is hiding something…Kate immediately knew something was up. Yet, when Sayid said “Don’t tell anyone,” she hears “Go tell Jack.” So she does. And in a bumbling mess, she tells all…and Jack has a really strange response…

Jack and Juliet – What are they hiding?
So while Jack and Jules listen to Kate shed light on the existence of Naomi, they both have a very strange demeanor. A few things right off the bat:
1. I do not believe that J&J knew about Naomi.
2. When Jules says “We should tell her [Kate],” I believe this was in response to Kate’s comment about the possibility of communication via not-iPhone. I think Jules wanted Kate to know that it just isn’t possible for Naomi to communicate with the ship…that there is a bubble of some sort around the island that will prohibit the signal from leaving.
3. Other individuals I have spoken with believe that Jules wanted Kate to know what is going to happen in three days…the whole Beach Kidnapping thing that Ben et. al. are going to pull. While I do think J&J are working together on a master plan of their own, I don’t think they would clue Kate in on the plan. Jack may still care about her, but Jules certainly sees her as a threat to marrying the spinal surgeon of her dreams.

Oceanic 815 was underwater and full of bodies.
GROSS. I mean, that is absolutely disgusting. From the story Naomi told, it sounded “Titanic-ish.” That is, it sounded like the plane remains in its’ underwater grave…and that they sent little water cameras down there to check in out. So if the plane is to remain there (and not be brought to the surface), then it makes total sense that the bodies would just wither away into the nothingness of the ocean, never to be DNA-identified or anything. However, what the heck? Since when does the NTSB allow a U.S.-bound plane with many Americans to be left on the bottom of the ocean? This is ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous! Why didn’t they bring the plane up? How come no one noticed that there wasn’t a Hurley-like person on board? Or Kate the fugitive, who is being escorted by a U.S. Marshall? Something doesn’t match up. Something doesn’t feel right. Clearly the U.S. Government is behind the whole thing. (kidding…)

Locke is special, but so is Desmond, right?
Is there a connection between these two characters? They obviously both have huge impacts on the bigger storyline of this island. Who is “more” important? I’m not sure. I look at it this way: Desmond has been sent to the island by someone; Locke has been brought to the island by someone. Could the “someones” be the same? Maybe…but maybe they are two different people with the same “end goal.” Idea: Desmond was sent by Mr. Widmore, Locke was brought by “Jacob” (still am holding out for a big Jacob reveal before the end of the season.)

The Biggest Conspiracy ever.
Mittelsos Biosciences…the Widmore Corporation…the Hanso Foundation…the Dharma Initiative…Oceanic Airlines…

Put them all together and what does it unscramble to spell? THERE IS SOMETHING GOING ON AND I DON’T UNDERSTAND IT BUT MR. WIDMORE IS BEHIND THIS WHOLE DARN THING AND IT ALL COMES BACK TO EITHER DESMOND OR LOCKE, BUT I AM NOT SURE WHICH ONE.

Okay, so it doesn’t spell that. But it should.

This show makes my brain want to explode because it is working on overdrive.

Three days.
The time period of three days has both Biblical and pop culture significance. I will now share some of these with you:
1. Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
2. The story of the crucifixion of Jesus was three days and three nights.
3. Three days is used in the Old Testament as an expression for a short, indefinite period of time.
4. While interpreting dreams in prison, Joseph told the baker that within three days, Pharaoh would lift off his head and hang him on a tree.
5. In the Little Mermaid, Ursula told Ariel that before the sun sets on the third day, she must get Prince Eric to kiss her or else she would remain a mermaid forever.

Last question: Are we at the Disneyland from hell?
I didn’t sleep well last night. I’m going on a roller coaster for the first time in my life on Saturday at King’s Dominion in Richmond. For some reason, I’ve convinced myself that if I go through a tunnel on the roller coaster, the other end of the tunnel will be on this stupid island. And I will be stuck there, living in the burlap tents and eating Dharma Cheerios for the rest of my life. However, I am going to take my Sprint cell phone with me…and I’m willing to make a call in “analog roam” mode to let you all know what I’ve discovered. If I do survive, I look forward to discussing the next three episodes with you all – it is going to be awesome.

Namaste,
-Maggie

(Prev) Talkin' It Up, on the Barry Gibb Locke Show

LOST. Tonight. “The Brig.”
10/9/8/7 pacific time.
If you don't understand the title of this post, please watch this clip first. It will make your day better, and you will be able to sing along to the song below.

Talkin' It Up, On The Barry Gibb LOCKE Show.

Talkin' about Daddy Issues
Talkin' about Connections with the Island

Talkin' It Up, On The Barry Gibb LOCKE Show.
Talkin' about Others
And their, crazy crazy plans.

Okay now that was just ridiculous. Let's talk LOST.

Brig Pimpin’
Tonight’s episode is cryptically titled “The Brig”, and because we often kick ourselves for not getting more out of the title of an episode (see: “One of Them”, where we were introduced to Ben “Henry Gale” Linus, then proceeded to wonder for 2 months if he was really an Other. I mean, the title of the episode was “One of Them”. Am I the only idiot on that one?), I’m going to spend a little time with this one.

As a card-carrying member of web 2.0, my first stop was wikipedia. There I learned that one definition for brig is a kind of ship used in, among other things, naval battles. It’s primary use was in the War of 1812, which pre-dates any Island events that we know of. Brigadier General is also a military rank, so maybe Brig is a nickname for that (“Yo What Up Brig Daddy” or “Eh Briggie!” or “Briggie Smalls” - okay, that’s two mid-90s rap references in one opening paragraph. And that’s my limit). Given the military history of several of our characters (Sayid, Desmond, Kelvin, Mikhail), it would be reasonable to assume that tonight’s episode might have a bit of a military twist. The Brig shows up in several book titles, as well as in a Star Trek series, and given the writers’ penchant for weaving their favorite literature into the story (and creator JJ Abrams’ love for all things Star Trek) we could see another “Catch-22” situation, where the main theme of a literary work parallels the events of tonight’s episode.
So what do these things mean for tonight? Well, we know the following:

• The Others are in need of a ship because of Locke’s commando operation on their sub. Could they have a brig? Could the sub have been a decoy? Is The Brig a way off the Island? And, if so, is someone leaving the island? Perhaps this weaves back into Juliet’s “deal”, whatever that may be.
• The producers and writers have alluded to a mounting “war” or “battle” between Others and Losties. Seems to me both sides would be in need of a “leader” or “general” or “brig” or a “Notorius B.R.I.G.”

Okay, that second one’s a little bit of a stretch. I think Brig is in reference to a ship. But chances are, “it’s something totally cool that I don’t even know about.” (name that Movie in the comments section. Don’t google it, nerds.)

Locke Out (Not in the Church youth group sense, in the “let’s talk about Locke” sense)

After a torturous 5-week respite from the “Locke just found his dad on the Island” twist, tonight we return to the Book of John. We have SO MUCH to talk about in regards to everyone’s favorite Hunter/Gatherer with Daddy Issues, that I’m going to spend the rest of the preview discussing Locke.

Also, he’s my favorite character, as proved by this picture (for those of you not adept in reading backwards, that reads, “John Locke is my biological father”. I’m hoping that the producers of LOST stumble upon this blog, thus ensuring my position as a future recurring character on LOST: Charlie, the John Locke-Helen love-child. Sweet.



Now, Where Were We?
In case you’ve forgotten, the last time we saw Locke, Ben had just told him that there was a “magical box” on the Island, out of which anything could materialize — be it a dream or a nightmare. In a moment ironically both obvious and impossible, Locke reveals that the latest product from this “box” is John’s father, alive and well (and by “alive and well” I mean “bound and gagged”). The show ended with Locke clearing the cobwebs of disbelief from his mind as he looked up on his father. Meanwhile, papa Cooper looked vulnerable and terrified, feelings that only intensified upon seeing his estranged son – whom he paralyzed and then presumed to be dead after the crash – walking and talking on a remote Island with a cult of Scientists from Hell. Phew. So let’s talk about tonight.

Daddy Dearest
Anthony Cooper might give Alec Baldwin a run for the Most Despised Father of 2007 title. Every heartbreak that has come ole’ John’s way has resulted from his relationship with his father. He conned him out of a kidney, refused his friendship, ruined his chance at marriage, spun him into a cycle of depression and, oh yeah, pushed him out a damn window leaving John paralyzed and unable to participate in the only things that made him feel alive (Australian walkabouts, for instance). Everything Locke has done since the accident has been despite his father, and many of his actions, mannerisms and behaviors on the island were shaped by the tragic relationship he had with his father.

Turf War
Until now, Cooper has always held the position of authority over Locke, operating from his comfort zone and pulling not-so-delicately on John’s heart strings. He’s a con man, and he made sure to manipulate every encounter with John so as to put himself in control. But now, Cooper is bound and gagged. And to make it worse (or better, depending on your perspective), he’s in said position on an Island with which his disgruntled son feels a special connection — in other words, we’re in John’s backyard now, and shit’s about to get real.

Payback’s a Bitch
Forgive my use of the b-word, mom, but tonight’s episode should feature the theme of retaliation. John Locke’s two most prolific torturers — Ben and Cooper — are together, and we know from the preview that Locke will kidnap Ben, then recruit Sawyer — who also has beef with the Spectacled One — to kill him. So obviously John ain’t exactly in the forgiveness mood, rather he seems intent on an eye for an eye strategy. And he’s going to play on the anger that lives within Sawyer (lingering from the kidnapping/torture/imprisonment fiasco) to get Sawyer to do his bidding. But why can’t John kill Ben himself? Maybe he’ll be busy with that other guy who’s been such a torment to him. And if you think Locke’s angry at Ben, wait until you see him with his now-vulnerable daddy.

Bargaining Chips
But don’t throw in the towel yet, Ben lovers. See, Ben has the ultimate ace in the hole when dealing with Locke: Island knowledge. Locke is the most spiritually connected to the Island of anyone, thus he is also the most curious about what the hell is happening there, what it’s all about and why he was “chosen” to go there. Ben knows most, if not all, of these things. If he needs to play the “I can tell you something about yourself” card, he can. And yes, he will. We know how Ben reacts when his back’s against the wall, and tonight it’s gonna be pinned so close to a concrete wall that he won’t even have room to poop his pants. Think about it: Locke and Sawyer staring you down and demanding answers, solutions and payback. If you’re Ben, you might have to pull out some big guns to stave off this attack. The benefit for us? Some f*$%@* answers! Maybe. Who am I kidding, this is LOST. For every answer we get, we’ll also receive 3 new questions.

If Your Appetite’s Not Whetted Yet, Just Wait
Tonight’s Tiview (Tivo Preview) states: “A newly focused Locke breaks away from "The Others" in an attempt to persuade Sawyer to help rid them of a great nemesis that has caused nothing but pain in both of their lives.” That alone is enough to make me want to skip work today just to prepare for this. Let’s examine.

Newly-focused Locke: This could explain his sunny acceptance of his plight, and why he frightened Kate so much when he told her, in no uncertain terms, that he was going away and didn’t seem to mind. Earlier this season we suspected Jack of playing possum, appearing to be happy with the Others in order to earn their trust and eventually escape them — and we were mainly right about that. But if Jack is the Donatello of mind-games, Locke is Master Spinter (Yes, references to both Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and a few late 90-s rappers in the same post. Success.). Locke’s got something up his sleeve: a new focus, a game plan and a mission.

Breaks Away: Escapes? Bargains? Hmmmm. I hope they show this, as I think it will be the impetus for the unfolding of John’s plan.

Pain in both of their lives: BOTH Sawyer and Locke? Well that could be Ben, and that would be the obvious choice. But if LOST had a different name, it would be, “IT’S NEVER GOING TO BE WHAT YOU THINK.” That would be too long for marketing purposes, so they went with LOST. But I digress. Again, BOTH of their lives?!? If you don’t want to know what I think this could really mean, skip past this section and down to the haiku.

There is rampant speculation that Cooper is not just Locke’s dad, but also the Real Sawyer — the man who killed James Ford’s (the man we know as Sawyer) father after conning his parents. Now that’s a common enemy. If this were revealed tonight it would be a major reveal, and the resulting actions of Sawyer and Locke could be both series-changing and unforgettable. Oh that would be good.



In Closing, A Haiku
Locke’s real daddy
And the island’s weird daddy
Are both in deep shit


The guy with a button that says, “John Locke is my biological father” and another that reads, “Dude, you got some...Arzt...on you”,
Charlie.