Lost Lover at Law

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noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 15:37:00 +0000

I've added no new content to this blog. So I'm tired of spammers using my work to post random links in various languages that I don't endorse. I've shut off comments. I apologize for any inconvenience.

Lost - the Final Recap

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 15:31:00 +0000

And so, my friends, we've reached the end. As I've said before, this post will be my last. Not because there's nothing more to say about Lost, but because the time has come to "Let go (Jack)."

So what was Lost, when all was said and done? Put simply, it was one of the two most complex, fully-realized and brilliant pieces of narrative fiction in the past decade (the other was the Harry Potter book series). Lost did not just entertain (though entertain it did, what with the beautiful locales, charismatic stars, sly humor, and sci-fi wonder). It made us think. It made us struggle to come to terms with its meaning (and, even after its conclusion, continues to do so). It was very much a religion - not in the sense that it should replace any other faith or be thought to offer the answers to everything in life, but rather because it presented us with all sorts of wonderment and made us struggle to come to terms with the meaning of its myriad puzzles. That's what a good religion does - it doesn't tell you the answers, it merely provides you the tools and invites you to ask the right questions.

That's not to say the whole of Lost cannot be understood. I'm particularly impressed with Doc Jensen's master theory of Lost, i.e. that the island was not just a setting, but rather a living, feeling, thinking protagonist, that became aware of its future at the moment that Sawyer and company time-traveled back to a time before the birth of Jacob. Check out Doc's theory at this link: http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20313460_20393488,00.html

Of course, as with all works of art, pop or otherwise, Lost is and was subject to a number of criticisms. Before I praise the show further, let's air the dirty laundry. Here are my five biggest criticisms of Lost (in no particular order).

1. The over-use of unreliable narrators. A mystery is hard enough to solve, particularly when the final resolution of the story doesn't purport to give over the answers. What we, the viewers, were probably most frustrated by was Lost's tendency to give us information out of the mouths of people we knew better than to trust. Ben Linus. Charles Widmore. Anthony Cooper. And, of course, Smokey/ MIB/ Flocke. Their characters were richer for the ambiguity of their statements about what was really going on, but the sheer volume of lies these people spewed made the task of "solving" Lost that much more difficult. To this day, I still do not believe Flocke that he was Christian Shephard, at least not all the time.

2. The writers' inability to be the complete masters of their destiny. Hey, credit where it's due, and Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse controlled the sprawling mega-myth of Lost better than anyone ever has or ever likely will in a multi-season TV setting. But as they've said often, unlike J.K. Rowling, who alone wrote Harry Potter and was not subject to outside control, Damon and Carlton could not control everything. They could not make the end of Mr. Eko's character arc nearly satisfying enough because they could not keep Adewale Akinnoye-Akbaje happy enough to stay in Hawaii. They had some plotlines that meandered because they had run out of stories to tell in the time before they negotiated their end-date. And I'm sure that a higher budget (not that Lost wasn't already extremely costly) would have produced some cooler effects, like actually seeing Smokey turn into a human form.

3. The sheer volume of loose threads and unanswered questions. When all is said and done, I'm actually kind of happy that Lost left a lot to the imagination. But some things that were treated as supremely dire plot points were never resolved. What was with the fertility problems? What were the rules, and why could they be so easily changed? What did Charles Widmore want? What were the Others really all about? A fairly clever compilation of the unresolved mysteries can be found here...

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1936291

4. The wacky viewing schedule. It was only in the last two seasons that Lost finally figured out how best to air its episodes - in virtually uninterrupted weekly segments. In all honesty, the best way to watch Lost is in binges, by popping in the Blu-Ray disc versions of each season. But from reruns that tended to confuse viewers (given the non-linear nature of the story-telling), to long hiatuses (especially Season 3, the three-month break after episode 6), ABC often had a difficult time figuring out the best way to present the story in a way that held viewer's attention. And the frequent time-slot changes were unbearable. In particular, this should never have been a 10:00 pm show, given how much energy and focus it took to watch.

5. The artificial extension of mysteries. At times, it felt as if Lost made a mystery last even where the characters, if they acted true to character, would have solved it (or given us the tools to solve it). Sometimes, characters acted mysteriously just to give us a payoff at the end of an episode, or even 2-3 episodes later, when there was no reason to be so mysterious. Also, why on Earth did Widmore whisper his plan to Flocke, other than to prevent the audience from hearing it? And, of course, there was the Flash-sideways, the season-long, often frustrating plot device that seemed wedged in just to create one final mystery to solve in the remaining moments of the finale.

Not that any of these "problems" undoes all that Lost accomplished artistically, mind you. I'm just sayin...

Recap – Writing This Blog
I vividly recall my own experience with Lost, and of starting and plowing through this blog. In the late summer of 2004, before DVR had crept into my home, my wife and I saw promo after promo for this castaway adventure series ABC planned to air on Wednesdays at 8:00. We already had a firm commitment at that time - Smallville on the now-defunct WB - and were not too keen to intentionally create a viewing conflict. But the Lost pilot, "from the creator of Alias" (one of our favorite shows at the time) aired a couple of weeks before the Smallville season premiere, so we figured we'd give it a whirl.

We were hooked.

Of course, at first, it seemed just like another well-produced J. J. Abrams series (we didn't follow credits enough to realize J. J.'s involvement waned substantially after the pilot), and, despite the frustrating first season resolution (what's inside the mystery hatch? A mystery hole!), the finale was so well-executed, we knew we'd be around for the long haul.

Then Season 2 rolled around. A few episodes in, one of my wife's clients (a reader of this blog, if I'm not mistaken) got into an email chain with her about Hurley's dream sequence from "Everybody Hates Hugo" and pointed out how Walt's image appeared on Hurley's milk carton. We Googled this, saw it was true, and suddenly discovered both the online Lost community, and the full depth of Lost's intricacies. Suddenly, the way I watched TV was transformed forever. No longer could I watch a well-plotted show passively, while paying bills or reading the newspaper. Nope, this was appointment television, demanding close attention.

Within days I had gotten into an email-based virtual water-cooler chat with a number of fellow Lost fans at the office, and amongst my childhood and college friends, and soon added some of my wife's friends. This email tree, itself, became an appointment for the rest of Season 2, to the extent that my mother, concerned over a Today Show story about clerical workers being fired for misuse of company computers, warned me not to "blog" on the company time. In my typical fashion, the advice I ended up taking was to take this email chain and turn it into, well, a blog. And that was when Lost Lover at Law was born, in October, 2006, with my recap of the Season 3 premiere episode, "A Tale of Two Cities."

Why did I do this? As a lawyer and husband (and, over the course of the next 3 years, a father twice over), my spare time was always at a premium. But, in a full-on John Lockian missing of the point, I felt that by scrutinizing each episode to its most minute detail, and writing what I was seeing, I would be able to gather all the hidden clues to enable me to solve the show. Silly man of faith! It would not be until Season 6 when I finally realized that "solving" Lost was beside the point (though, dammit, I still wanted answers!) But by then, this blog was my hobby, and my chance to communicate with people all around the world (and have them post their porn and illicit pharmaceutical ads on my comments page - thanks, you spamming bastards).

And I'm glad I did it. But it's time to stop. As I said, Lost has many, many mysteries left to untangle, and I really do plan to get a copy of the complete series Blu-Ray set. But the time for prognosticating is ending, at least as an amateur vocation.

Thank you all so much for reading what I've had to say the past 4 years (and for those of you on that old email chain - Dave, Aviva, Kelly, etc. - the past 5).

Thanks to Doc Jensen, Lost Users, TheTailSection.com, Doc Arzt, lost-media.com, and so many others for giving me so much food for thought, and in so many cases, material I directly plagiarized as a short-cut.

Thank you all for forgiving my use of a "blog" medium to publish what was really a series of lengthy essays, better suited to a more hyper-linked website that I lacked the technical expertise to create and maintain.

Thanks so much to those of you who have engaged me in discussion, both on this blog, and in reactions to it on FaceBook, and to those of you who would egg me on to "post already!" when my recaps got delayed.

And thanks to the good folks at Google, who gave me this environment to pour my thoughts into, even if you never sent me a check despite my voluntarily putting your ads on my page...

Final Thoughts
People have asked me what I plan to do to replace Lost, or what I'll blog about next. My answer is "nothing." Lost stood alone in its achievements. I'm not saying nothing could ever top it - my critiques above certainly suggest I believe something can, though it may take years for a network to greenlight such an idea.

This blog didn't turn into a new career, and with the hobby at a natural close, I'll turn to other pursuits.

But I'm glad we had this time together.

And on a final, final note - look again at my theory explain the flash-Sideways (previous post), and their connection to Jughead. Look at this as a way to believe that the writers - who never "lied" to us - didn't "waste" our time with both the time travel and flash-sideways seasons. And think back to Lost, in general, as an excellent exercise in training our minds. Life is not always about finding the answers. It's often really about just figuring out what the right questions are.

And with that, for one last time, Namaste!

"The End" - Part 2 of 3

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 19:40:00 +0000

Foreword

In case you missed it, this is the second part of my finale recap. Part 1, which dealt with the Island story (except the last few moments) can be accessed by scrolling waaaay down, or by clicking on the title of this post.

This portion of the post deals with the “Sideways” story from “The End,” and the final moments of the island story. As was the case in Part 1, these are my thoughts and impressions. Click on the following link for Doc Jensen’s thought-provoking recap of the Sideways story wrap-up: http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20313460_20388269,00.html As you’ll see below, Doc and I differ on a few salient points. Ok, on the meaning of just about everything. In any case, read on, and enjoy.

Sideways World (If That’s Even an Appropriate Nomenclature)

Christian’s casket is offloaded from a plane, bearing a routing sticker indicating that it has flown through Guam (where Ajira 316 was supposed to land). The casket is brought to a church – the same church that, in island world, housed DHARMA’s Lamppost station.

Meanwhile, Jack looks at Locke’s x-ray.

Aside Number 1 – Gotcha, Dan! Where’s the “Jack2” or “Alterna-Locke”? Well, in light of what we learned in this episode, I’d have to say that such naming conventions are no longer necessary, or even appropriate. As such, I will discuss the characters purely in terms of their “real” names (with all apologies to “Sawyer,” the man’s name is James Ford).

Dr. Linus is in his kitchen.

Locke is wheeled to surgery.

Detective Ford eyes the mirror he broke.

Kate waits in Hugo’s Camaro outside the church. Desmond signs for the casket, and has it brought inside. The delivery man asks if he works there, and he says, "I do indeed, brother." "Are you a priest or something," the man asks. "Or something," Desmond responds.

Hugo drives Sayid to a motel – the same one where Sayid once kept a safe house. Sayid explains that he can’t be held responsible for anything that happens from here on. Hugo pulls a tranq gun out of the glove compartment. He says, “none of this is wringing a bell, huh? You, me, a tranquilizer gun?” Sayid frowns, “you’re insane.” Hugo gives up for the moment and has Sayid wait in the car. "What if I don’t," the Iraqi ponders. "Then," Hugo sighs, "that is your choice. But if you stick with me, you’re going to be happy that you did."

Aside Number 2 - here we get the first, best sign of the rule regarding island flashes - it requires a moment that calls for substantial recall of a salient moment. So how did Hugo flash by kissing Libby? If I had to guess, I would say that he spent a lot of time dreaming about "what if" she hadn't died, and they had had their picnic.

So what's with all this "Hugo" stuff? Where are the "Hurley" references? You will notice, if you check again, that he never once went by "Hurley" in the sideways stories. Yes, I am mindful that they are still the same character. But we'll discuss that point more, later.

Hugo knocks on room 102, and finds a very drunk Chalrie inside. Hugo smiles at him, “grinning like a sodding idiot,” in Charlie's words. He shakes off the lack of recognition. “Didn’t I make it clear to Widmore’s other monkey? I don’t care about the sodding concert.” Hugo tries a new tactic – “what if I told you that playing the show will be the most important thing you will ever do? Would you come, then?” Charlie tells him to sod off. Hugo apologizes, then tranqs him, and sticks him in the back of the Hummer. Sayid asks what was that, and hugo responds, “that was Charlie.”

Desmond returns to Kate in the car. She asks who died. "A man named Christian Shephard." "Christian Shephard? Seriously?" She asks. "Seriously" responds Desmond.

Aside Number 3 - this was a clever moment, having a character, removed from her island memories, comment on the often overtly meaningful names given to characters on Lost. Of course, the true meaning of Christian's name becomes apparent at the end of the episode...

Kate wonders why she’s there, but Desmond says noone can tell her why she’s here. "I’m not talking about the church," he clarifies. "I’m talking about here." She asks who he is. He says he’s her friend, and what he wants is to leave. "Leave and go where," she asks. "Let me show you," he offers.

Miles sees Sayid arrive in the hummer and calls Ford, since Sayid is supposed to be at County. He tells him he checked and the transfer never happened. Miles dispatches Ford to protect the witness, Sun Paik.

Sun awakens. Jin says the OB is coming in, and when they see all is ok, they can leave. The doctor is Juliet – Dr. Juliet Carlson. She sees the chart says "no English." As she performs the sonogram, Sun flashes to the time in the medical hatch that she and Juliet first saw Ji Yeon, and suddenly she remembers. Jin checks on her. She says to him, "I…remember." Then Jin sees the image, and hears, “there’s your baby,” and flashes to all his memories with Sun on the island. They flash together, right to their reunion and mutual death. Sun asks, "Did you see?" Juliet shows them the heartbeat. In English, Sun tells Juliet she knows it’s a girl. And Jin says, “her name is Ji Yeon.” Juliet says, for the record, they speak English fine.

Aside Number 4 - that we see Sun and Jin flash all the way to their island deaths is a big hint of where the story is going. How does someone remember dying, and end up happier for it? Also, Jin's recall moment was the most subtle - he had seen Ji Yeon only as digital photos on the island, and seeing her as a songram flashed him in Sideways world. I wonder if Sun is "really" pregnant, at all? The answer in my mind is yes, and, in light of the rules for Sideways world, I think the relevant point is that she's "with" her parents.

As for Juliet, it really was great to see her again, particularly in light of how under-utilized Elizabeth Mitchell's talents are on "V.". And, once she appeared, and was named "Carlson" - her maiden name - and not "Burke" - her island world married name, wasn't it pretty obvious how her story would play out?

Jack greets Locke just before beginning the surgery, and asks if he’s nervous. Locke asks if he’s sure it’s going to work. Jack says he’s confident it will work. He jokes that he might kill him, but didn’t want to worry him. He says "I’ll see you on the other side," another hint of what's really happening, and these two characters' complete obliviousness to it all. Locke asks him if they ever found his father’s coffin. He says he got the call that morning, and it’s arriving. Locke says he hopes it brings him some peace. Jack says, "if I can fix you, Mr. Locke, that’s all the peace I’ll need."

Jack greets Juliet, and, of course Dr. Carlson is David’s mother. Jack can’t make the concert, but suggests they take Aunt Claire. As they leave, Juliet almost encounters Det. Ford coming out of an elevator.

Sayid asks Hugo, as they sit parked outside a bar, what they’re doing there. "I can’t tell you," Hugo explains. "There are rules, dude." "Who’s rules," Sayid demands, asking one of Lost's great unanswered questions. "Don’t worry about it," Hugo deflects. He tells Sayid he’s a good guy, and he shouldn’t let other people tell him what kind of person he is. Sayid laments that Hugo doesn’t know anything about him, but Hugo insists he knows a lot about him. A fight breaks out on the street, and a woman warns the assailant to leave her brother alone. Sayid steels himself, then goes to help. The woman, of course, is Shannon. And as he helps her, they both flash to their island past, and, their memories restored, are suddenly in love. Boone, having staggered to Hugo's window, talks about what a pain it was to bring Shannon back from Australia.

Aside Number 5 – How to put this gently…the great thing about Shannon’s death was that it was both sudden and shocking, and that it also didn’t kill a character who added anything to the show. I always loved Sayid’s quest for Nadia, and thought they were made for each other. I suppose the fact is, for what he had done to her, Sayid didn’t deserve her, and the fact that his faustian bargain with Flocke was to reunite him with Nadia meant that he should never be with her again. But Shannon? The convenient hookup who got bratty, then got killed? That’s his eternal soulmate?

I did like how Hugo helped Sayid finally overcome his biggest weakness – the tendency to let other people define him, and how that helped him flash back to his island life. Sayid was always such a tragic character, that it was great to see him earn some peace, especially after his explosive demise.

And now it looks like Boone may have been island-activated for quite some time. I think he was being ironic (as opposed to dramatically ironic) when he commented in the pilot that, if the plane went down, he was sticking with John Locke.

At the concert, Claire, David and Juliet are in line, but Juliet gets a call from the hospital, and has to go in. Charlie is awakened by Charlotte, who sees he has a piece of paper that says “Bass Player. Wake me for the show.” Charlie says, “I was shot by a fat man.” Behind them is Daniel. He and Chartlotte see each other and have a knowing look. He says he plays piano and she seems impressed.

Aside Number 6 – my attempt to reconcile this with full knowledge of the outcome is that, since Daniel and Charlotte crushed on each other, but never made the love connection on the island, this encounter is not enough for them to regain their island memories. Of course, Daniel seems to have some of his, accessible through dreams, anyway, which was how he remembered detonating jughead.

David and Claire go to table 23 (Shephard!), where Desmond and Kate sit. Kate and Claire recognize each other from their brief Thelma and Louise routine.

Dr. Chang introduces the concert, with Daniel playing, accompanied by Drive Shaft. A proud Eloise beams. Miles and Charlotte sit at their table and look as if they almost know him. Reluctantly Charlie starts to play, but doesn’t sing when he sees Claire, and stares at her, gobsmacked (“is this,” he seems to be thinking, “my vision of true love, made flesh?”). She notices, and assumes its someone else he’s looking at, then smiles…and promptly goes into labor. She gets up to “go to the bathroom,” and Charlie watches her leave. Kate follows. Claire goes backstage, under a picture of a shark that looks like the DHARMA shark. Kate finds her and helps her to a couch.

Desmond enjoys the concert, until Eloise joins him. “I thought I made it clear that you were to stop this,” she scolds. “Perfectly clear,” he responds (and man will I miss the way that Desmond accent sounds when he’s being petulant). “I chose to ignore you.” “And once they know, what then,” Eloise asks” “Then, we’re leaving,” Desmond responds. They look at Dan. “Are you going to take my son,” Eloise asks, deeply concerned. He takes her hand. “Not with me, no,” Desmond reassures her. She frowns, but then looks at peace.

Aside Number 7, AKA “The Big One.” In my mind, this discussion between Eloise and Desmond was the most revealing clue, in retrospect, as to what the Sideways world was all about. We know from later in the episode that entry into Sideways world was accomplished by dying, and that our characters all gained entry at various points in history, depending on their actual dates of death. There is substantial debate as to whether or not Sideways world can correctly be described as Purgatory, and Jeff Jensen certainly felt this to be the case. I’ll discuss the Purgatory-ness of Sideways world later. But for now, here’s my theory. Many have already told me – directly or through their own recaps (in the case of Jensen) – that they disagree, but ultimately, this blog is “Lost Lover at Law,” and I shall marshall the evidence that supports my theory.

First of all, whatever its metaphysical meaning, I believe Sideways world was created by the detonation of Jughead. Second of all, I believe one’s existence in Sideways world is the opportunity to live the life each character may have had, but without either or both of the influence the island and its synchronicity (and Jacob) exerted, or some other single aspect that haunted each character.

I also believe that Eloise Hawking, perhaps by being the single Others leader who came closest to qualifying to be Jacob’s replacement, may have been exposed to Source-y radiation (like Desmond) and, as such, had gained some of the same future-flashy abilities as Mr. Hume. But I also think her extra island experience gave her a better ability to read those flashes, and know their meaning.

With that foundation, I believe Eloise, from the moment she shot Daniel, was determined to undo her “mistake.” She came to realize that, what’s done is done, but another world could have been created under certain circumstances that would have given her and her son a posthumous life together free of the island forces that led to his death. In this world, Daniel could become the musical virtuoso he was always meant to be, and she and he could live together in a way that did not require her constantly molding him into the driven physicist who was needed to make that other world happen. The reason she knew the Jughead plan would work was that she had Desmond-type visions, where she saw that it had worked. Whether she ended up in Sideways world knowing it had worked or had to be “island-awakened” to gain that awareness is immaterial. She got there. Finally, I believe that everything that happened on the island, including the return of the Oceanic 6, was deliberately engineered by Eloise for the purpose of bringing about Sideways world. Here is my evidence:

1) Eloise was insistent, first with Desmond, and then with the Oceanic 6, that they had to return to the island and fulfill their destinies. She gave dire threats to cajole each of the characters into complying. She did this because, if they had not gone back in time (which her future flashes told her would happen), there would be no Jughead, and no flash-sideways.

2) When Desmond was shot by Ben, and Eloise was at the hospital, she told Penny she didn’t know whether Desmond would recover, because she didn’t know what happen from that point on. This tells me that her future flashes shifted gears so that, after she dispatched the Oceanic 6 on their Jughead mission, she could only “see” the Sideways world. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that the same thing happened to Desmond, since we got no real indication that he ever detected any future beyond this point, either, except for the Sideways world he misinterpreted.

3) Sideways Daniel, despite not having been “island-activated” gained enough insight through his dreams to “remember” having detonated Jughead. For this to happen without a full regaining of his island memories, I think the event needed to have a special significance to the Sideways world.

4) Juliet’s final message to Sawyer – “it worked.” Sure, it took on the double-entendre from their Sideways vending machine encounter, but for that moment to carry back to the island world in her consciousness, I think both meanings needed to apply.

5) I just cannot reconcile the notion that an entire season (Season 5) of the series existed simply to motivate an in-person look at DHARMA with no further meaning other than to set up the mother of all red herrings. Season 5 was a full year and a half after the writers negotiated their end date and began plotting out how Lost would go. While I do believe they deliberately intended to leave the question open to debate as to whether or not Sideways world was related to Jughead, I think if we could read their minds, we would learn that it was. I think that, to the extent that other viewers disagree with me, it may be because they have imposed their own spiritual or religious world-view upon their viewing of Lost. But since mine does not have a well-defined notion of what the afterlife is, I am more of a blank slate capable of taking my meaning just from what the show presented.

Of course, over the past couple of weeks, various other thoughts have come in and out of my head about what evidence does and doesn’t support this theory, and if it comes to me after I post this, I’ll do an update in part 3 of my final post. But for now, there it is. Now, discuss.

Charlie goes back and finds Kate helping Claire. Kate sends him for water and blankets, and knows she has to deliver the baby. As Claire pushes, Kate flashes to the island, to the other time she delivered Aaron. She tears up, then gets back into it. She remembers everything as she takes Aaron, and when Claire sees him, she starts to remember, too. “Aaron,” she cries. And they’re proud, not just of the baby, but of their memory. When Charlie looks at Claire, and she looks back knowingly, he says it’s just a blanket. Kate tells him to give it to her. Claire takes his hand, and he remembers everything. She says, “Charlie,” And their whole relationship comes back. He tears up and kisses her, with Kate and Aaron there for the show. Charlie knows Aaron right then and there. Desmond comes back, and asks if Kate understands. She chokes up. “So, now what,” she aks and he smiles at her.

Aside Number 8 – my corollary theory is that, because of the involvement of Jughead, a person’s appearance and age in Sideways world matches up with how they were on the island. If Sideways were a separate purgatory, unconnected to the island, why would each character appear as they did in island time? Why would Ji Yeon be a fetus, and Aaron an infant? And why would island-enlightened parents still recognize their children as their children?

Jack’s neck cut reopens as Locke is wheeled to recovery. Locke wakes up earlier than he should have. Jack stays with him. Jack tells him not to move, but John says, “it worked.” He says he can feel his legs. Jack tries to pooh-pooh this, but then John wiggles his toes, and, as he does, he flashes to when he first awoke on the island, and then all his memories. “Ohhh…did you see that,” John smiles. “You don’t remember?” Jack starts to flash, but shakes it off. “What we need to do…” Jack says, trying so hard to stay in the moment. Locke interrupts, “what we need to do, is go. Will you come with me?” Jack says he needs to see his son. John says, “you don’t have a son, Jack.” Jack asks the nurse to get him something to rest. “Jack,” Locke says, “I hope that someone does for you what you just did for me.” And Jack turns and leaves.

Aside Number 9 – Could this be further support for my theories? John Locke died scared and alone and confused. Why would his moment of clarity not bring back those same feelings? Because he now knows, due to the connection between the island and Sideways, that his time there did make a difference.

Detective Ford goes to question Jin and Sun, but they’re checking out. He asks if they saw Sayid. She says no protection needed. “All due respect,” the confused detective insists, “I have a job to do here ma’am.” “It’s ok,” Sun assures. “I have faith.” As they leave, Jin says, “we’ll see you there.” James gives his best WTF look and asks, “See me where?” He encounters Jack in the hallway, and Jack directs him to the vending machines. James thinks he knows him, then shakes it off. The Appollo bar he tries to buy gets stuck, so he tries to reach for it. Juliet sees him and offers to help. He says he’s a cop, and she suggests, playfully, “maybe you should read the machine its rights.” She tells him if he unplugs and plugs it back in, the machine drops the candy. He goes to do just that, and accidentally kills the lights. She hands it to him. “It worked.” And then they both flash. They jump back. “Did you feel that?” he asks, as neither of them has fully given in to their respective flashes. “We should get coffee some time,” she suggests, re-flashing her death moment on the island. “I’d love to but the machine ate my dollar,” he responds. “I only got one left”. She says, “we can go dutch,” and their relationship comes back to them. They embrace. She cries, “kiss me, James.” “You got it, Blondie,” he repeats what he said during their last kiss on the island. And they kiss deeply.

Aside Number 10 – To me, this was the most powerful moment of the finale. For as little screen time as it enjoyed, I believed the Sawyer/ Juliet relationship as the most “real” relationship on the island (except, perhaps, for Jin and Sun). I had suspected for some time, without knowing precisely what Sideways was, that Juliet’s dying words somehow involved her channeling their Sideways meet-cute from the “future,” and that, of course, panned out. Perhaps Juliet’s presence when the bomb and the Swan energy pocket interacted gave her, in her dying moments, Desmond-type powers? In any case, I was positively weepy when these two got back together in this moment.

Jack tries to find David at the concert, but it’s done, and people are leaving. He goes for his phone, but then sees Kate. She says it’s over. “You looking for someone,” she asks. He says, yeah, and talks about his son. He looks at her and she looks for him to remember. “I’m sorry,” he says. “Where do I remember you from?” “I stole your pen,” she offers. “Oceanic 815? Coming from Sydney? I bumped into you and stole your pen.” “That’s how I know you,” Jack asks, his innate empiricism actually compelling his bigger meaning realization. “No,” smiles Kate. “That’s not how you know me.” She touches him, and he starts to flash. She says, “I’ve missed you so much.” He backs away. “What is happening to me,” Jack wonders aloud. “Who are you? I don’t understand.” “I know you don’t understand, Jack,” Kate reassures, “but if you come with me, you will.”

Aside Number 11 – Jack’s eventual inability to fight off his island recall brings to mind the ultimate weakness of his character. I’m ok with the notion that empiricism has a place in face of miracles. But to ignore the facts and sensations one encounters because you don’t have the explanation? That’s not empiricism. That’s giving over to cognitive dissonance. “I don’t understand so I will ignore until it goes away” is a stupid and dangerous way to live life, and I always faulted Jack’s character for acting that way.

At the church where Christian’s casket was delivered, Locke gets out of his cab. The driver brings around his wheelchair and helps him in. With a big smile, Locke rolls himself over to where Ben sits, staring at the church. “Hello, Benjamin,” Locke beams, full forgiveness in his gaze. “Hello, John,” Ben responds, humbly (perhaps for the first time). John smiles. “Is everyone already inside?” “I believe most of them are, yes,” Ben responds, and then apologizes for what he did. “I was selfish. Jealous. I wanted everything you had.” John asks, “what did I have?” “You were special, John, and I wasn’t,” Ben explains. John smiles at him. “Well, if it matters, Ben, I forgive you.” Ben thanks him, “it matters more than I can say. Ben says he has some things he still needs to work out, so he’ll stay there for a while. “You know, I don’t think you need to be in that chair anymore,” he suggests to John. And so, John stands up, and watches the chair roll away. “Good-bye, Ben,” Locke smiles. Ben nods at him, and John ascends the stairs. Hurley steps outside. “Hey, dude.” Ben beams, “hello Hugo.” “We’re all inside, beckons Hugo.” “I don’t think I’m coming in,” Ben politely responds. Hurley says, “you know, you were a really good number 2.” “And you were a great number 1, Hugo,” Ben responds. Hugo thanks him, and goes back inside.

Aside Number 12 – my take on Ben’s decision not to go inside is that, he never really enjoyed a nuclear family unit, and his newfound Sideways life with Danielle and Alex Rousseau gives him just that. I think, much as Eloise wanted Daniel to have time with his musical life, Ben wants to enjoy this existence before moving on.

My brother, Carl, has a different take. Carl believes that Ben has succeeded Hurley as “No. 1” on the island, and that one of the powers that comes with that station is the ability to move freely between island and Sideways worlds. While an interesting notion, I prefer my more “character-centered” explanation. Still, both Carl and I seem tickled by the notion of the further island adventures of Ben and Hugo (one of several possible spinoffs!) According to Michael Emerson, there will be a bonus feature in the Lost complete series box set that shows a 12-14 minute scene of Hurley and Ben running the island in the time after Jack’s passing. I, for one, would really enjoy seeing that.

As for Locke and Ben, I have nothing to add – the scene so eloquently spoke for itself, and it was great to see these two fine actors have one final shared moment before the series closed out.

Jack and Kate pull up in Jack’s old Bronco. She asks if he knows where they are. “Where I was going to have my father’s funeral,” he responds, still clinging to the Sideways life. She apologizes. She says she brought him here, because this is where he is going to have his father’s funeral. She sends him around back, and says she’s going inside to wait for him, once he’s ready, to leave.

In the church, in the room where Jack and Eloise once had their private meeting, Jack sees a rosary, then spots his dad’s coffin. He goes to open it. Behind him is a stained glass window with the symbols of many faiths. As he touches the casket, he flashes again. He is taken aback, but then embraces it, and his island history comes back to him. He lifts the casket, but it’s empty. “Hey, kiddo,” Christian’s voice calls.” Jack turns. “Dad,” he asks, confused. “Hello, Jack,” Christian smiles. “I don’t understand,” Jack protests, “you died.” “Yeah, yes I did,” Christian responds, smiling. “Then how are you here right now,” Jack asks. “How are you here,” Christian asks knowingly. Jack realizes. “I died, too,” he suddenly realizes. He cries. “That’s ok, son,” Christian reassures. They hug. Jack cries as they embrace. They say they love each other. Jack asks if he’s real. “I sure hope so,” Christian jokes, “yeah, I’m real, you’re real. Everything that’s ever happened to you is real. All those people in the church, they’re all real, too.” “They’re all dead,” Jack asks, feeling for a moment as though he failed his people. “Everybody dies some time, kiddo,” Christian explains. “Some before you, some long after you.” “Why now,” Jack asks. “Well, there is no now, here,” Christian explains. Jack asks where they are. “This is the place that you all made together so that you could find one another,” Christian further elucidates. “The most important part of your life was the time that you spent with these people. You needed all of them. And they needed you. To remember, and to let go.” Jack smiles, “Kate, she said we were leaving.” “No,” corrects Christian gently, “moving on.” “Where are we going,” Jack asks. “Let’s go find out,” Christian suggests. Arm in arm, they go into the church, and the whole principal cast is there, all greeting each other.

Intercut with the walk into the church is Jack’s death march on the island, out to the bamboo forest, to the spot where he first awoke on the island, by the lone sneaker, still dangling. His nose is bleeding like Minkowski, Charlotte, and Desmond – all victims of “island energy.”

Jack’s hug to Sawyer in the church is especially touching, as is the smile he shares with Kate.

On the island, Jack stumbles to that spot where he first awoke after 815 crashed. He lies down in the forest.

He sits down with Kate in the church.

As he stares up to the sky through the bamboo… as his friends sit down in the church…Christian holds his shoulder. Vincent barks, and comes to sit by dying Jack on the island, just as he ran by in the pilot. Jack is happy to see him, then looks up.

In the church, Jack is happy, at peace. Christian opens the back door, and a bright light washes over the assembled. They are all dazzled by its brilliance.

On the island, the last thing Jack sees is the Ajira plane taking off. Then Jack’s eye closes, the mirror image of the first scene of the pilot.

And with that, Lost ends.

Aside Number 13 – a popular, but misguided, interpretation of this last sequence was that all the main characters died when flight 815 crashed. Others believed that the Ajira plane crashed on take-off leaving the island. These theories were bolstered by the odd choice of ABC (and not the writers of the show) to run b-roll footage of the flight 815 crash site over the end credits. But that is not the meaning of this finale at all.

First, Jorge Garcia read the last page of the script on his last “Geronimo’s Jack’s Beard” podcast: "The plane clears frame, finally free of the island. Jack Shephard has finally done what he came to this place to do. He has found his purpose. He has found love and been loved. He has finally found a way to love himself. The bamboo sways across t...he blue sky, and Jack Shephard's eye closes one final time. He is gone."

Second, there is Christian’s line to Jack – that they all died at different times, some before Jack, others long after.

Third, there was Kate’s line about having missed Jack for so long.

And then there’s Ben and Hugo reminiscing over their time running the island. This only began after Jack turned over the reins to Hurley.

Finally, there’s Ben’s presence at all at the church (even if he did not go in). If Ben was never on flight 815, what would he be doing there with all the people who were?

Nope – the characters really did crash on the island. They really did have adventures there. They died as we saw them die, except for Kate, Hurley, Ben, Claire, Miles, Frank, Richard, Sawyer, Ji Yeon and Aaron. Those characters went on to live their lives, eventually dying, with their souls landing in the timeless “place” that was Sideways world.

So was Sideways world “Purgatory?” I share with you a discussion I had with Greg Smith, a friend of a friend. My take was that it was not Purgatory. Purgatory is a place where people go who have not quite earned themselves a path to either Heaven or Hell. Every character on Lost was going to get to move on to the light (the Lost version of Heaven) as soon as they remembered their pasts. The criteria for entry into this cosmic way point – which, as noted above, was created (in my mind) by the H-bomb blast – was being touched by the island. Purgatory, in my understanding, is an eternal place for those who do not qualify for Heaven, and yet do not find themselves consigned to Hell.

Greg responded, “I agree mostly with you except that I don't think Jughead had anything to do with the Sideways - it was just a part of the trick.... We've had a lot of discussions in the office about this. I've concluded that Jughead did nothing more than set off a time flash, transporting all the Losties back to the ‘Present.’ Strongest evidence for this is Juliet being transported to the hole... I might wager that there was no explosion at all, and the power of Jughead was dampened/restricted by the electromagnetic force of the future-swan. As the Sideways was not caused by Jughead, then we have to assume that the Present they are transported to is on the same time line as the Jughead incident. And since the Swan still appears to have been built, and there's no giant crater that would have been caused by an atomic blast. Lastly, when I use the term Purgatory - I'm speaking very broadly of aspiritual waystation of sorts... nothing in any theistic sense...”

Casey Flaherty, who introduced Greg and me for this discussion, weighed in on my take on Purgatory, too. “Not to get all 16-years of Catholic school on you, but I do not necessarily agree with your description of Purgatory. Purgatory is traditionally a place of purification for those who have died in a state of grace. That is, they are guaranteed a place in Heaven once they have paid for their sins…Indeed, I am not aware of any state for souls that have not been designated for assignment to Heaven or Hell (seems to obviate the importance of what is done in this world). The state that comes quickest to mind is Limbo, which has been discarded. Limbo, however, is largely nonpersonal because it is predicated on Original Sin and the temporal arrival of the Christ. I am not a theologian, not religious, and in no position to comment on Lost.”

I’ve said my peace on this, except to note that 6-faith stained glass window, which, to me, was placed at the church to tell us that no one religion’s views was being endorsed or depicted by Lost. Rather, this “afterlife” was the creation of the Lost executive producers – one Catholic, one Jewish, and neither expressly channeling either faith.

And that, my fellow Lostophiles, is the end of part 2 of my finale recap. I’ll return once more for my full recap of Lost as a series and a moment in popular culture. Until then, Namaste.

Episodes 617-618: "The End" (Part 1 of 3)

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Sat, 29 May 2010 14:51:00 +0000

Foreword

So, Lostophiles, we've reached the end, fittingly enough, with an episode titled, "The End." What follows is the first of three parts for my last ever post. In part one, I recap and interpret the end of island story...except for the very end. In part two, I will recap and interpret the end of the sideways story, as well as the final few beats of the island story. Then, in part three, I will look back at the series as a whole, and my experiences thinking and writing about it.

Unlike most of my recaps in the past three seasons, I came up with my interpretations on my own, largely while watching, but also while “sleeping on it.” That said, I have read, seen and heard others, and will call them to your attention from time to time.

So, with that in mind, let's pick up with the island story...(Cue that "whoosh" sound we're all going to miss http://www.losthatch.com/sounds/sound_effects/flashback_strings2.mp3)...

The Island – Jack Qua Jacob

Jack’s hands shake as he takes them from the water, his new life as protector beginning.

Kate watches Jack’s moment, but then it is Sawyer that joins Jack. Sawyer wonders what happened, and Jack says, “that makes two of us.” Jack says he doesn’t feel any different. In one of the great Sawyerisms of all time, James asks, “why don’t you come down off the mountain top and tell us what the hell the burning bush had to say for itself?”

Jack gathers his foursome, and tells them about the light, and the heart of the island, and how Flocke wants to put it out, and that would be “it for all of us.” Sawyer surmises that FLocke needs Desmond. Hurley says Jacob is worse than Yoda in his not saying anything substantive. Sawyer is dispatched to get Desmond, and bring him to the Source. He tells Kate he’d ask her along, but that would take the fun out of telling her she can’t come, and she smiles that she’ll just have to resist the urge to go anyway. Hurley has his second Star Wars moment – “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

Aside Number 1 – This opening sequence with four characters who we first met in the pilot offered a quick summary of what was to come, but also a brilliant look back at wh these people were, and their history together. The Sawyer/Kate exchange, in particular, was one of many “for old times’ sake” moments in the episode.

Kate asks Jack why he took the job, and he says, “because I was supposed to.” “Why,” challenges Kate, “because some stranger wrote our names on the wall?” Candidly, Jack admits, “I took it because it’s the only thing I have left. The island is the only thing I haven’t screwed up.” She tries to assure him nothing is irreversible. Hurley silent throughout this exchange, quips, “this would be so sweet if we weren’t all about to die.”

Aside Number 2 – previewing a bit of my final thoughts, it’s dialog like this that hammers home the fact that Lost really was a character-based drama more than it was about the mysteries contained within its plot, and when we look back on the show, I have a feeling our lingering memories will be more along the lines of “oh, that’s so Hurley of you” than “I think I want to deteritorialize ursus maritimus” (bonus points if you get that reference).

Ben spots Sawyer watching Flocke retract the rope that had been lowered into the well, and “invites” him – at gunpoint – to join them. Flocke, smelling his final victory, actually smiles at him. He asks if James knows why he’s here. “I’m guessing you need Desmond to destroy the island.” Flocke is impressed. “That’s absolutely right.” Ben can’t believe his ears (which is odd, given that the last episode ended with Flocke specifically telling Ben he was going to destroy the island). Flocke insists he’s not going down with anything, but James and the other candidates are. James smiles that rakish Sawyer smile and assures him they’re not candidates anymore, then head butts Ben and takes his gun and walks off. Flocke tells Ben he doesn’t need to go after him, and then assures him, despite his lie about leaving him in charge, he would still sail away with him when the island collapsed. Flocke then spots dog tracks.

Aside Number 3 – since we never do get any kind of resolution on this, I’m going to find in this moment further support for my theory about Smokey, and how he works. There was never any evidence that MIB was a particularly exceptional hunter or tracker. That was all John Locke. In case you forgot my theory, it is that Smokey was always down in that Source cave, and MIB actually died at Jacob’s hand. Smokey is not, and never was fully human, at least not as MIB, and instead takes on the personality and characteristics of the dead bodies he copies. In the case of Locke, this makes him an expert hunter tracker, but also someone who refuses to listen to anyone telling him his personal limitations. I’ll discuss the weaknesses of this theory – which I do acknowledge – later.

Desmond awakens at casa de Bernard and Rose. Bernard greets him, and he and Vincent (the track-leaver) go for fish. Desmond asks Rose how long they’ve been living here. “Well, we built this place in 75,” reflects Rose, “and lived here a couple of years, and then the sky lit up again. So God only knows when in the hell we are now.”

Aside Number 4 – in the Geronimo Jack’s Beard podcast for this episode, Jorge Garcia’s girlfriend, Beth (who goes by the online handle “Sidekick 22”) questions if this was an error, since time jumps make things disappear. The answer to that is simple – no. Time jumps only make things disappear when they send you back in time before the current structure was built. Since the last time jump was 30 years into the future (to the present – Aaaaaaaigh!), Rose and Bernard’s structure was still there.

Umm, so then why did nobody find it in the intervening 30 years? First of all, who’s to say they didn’t? Second of all, Rose and Bernard were able to avoid detection during the island’s most populated time in history – the height of the DHARMA initiative. If they stayed hidden then, I see no reason their little hut wouldn’t still be there, perhaps in need of minor repairs, after that last time jump.

Rose levels with Desmond – after breakfast, she’s going to ask him to move on. They broke their non-involvement rule with him. Bernard returns with Flocke and Ben. Flocke greets Rose while pulling out his knife. He tells Desmond, “come with me now or I’ll kill them both right in front of you.” Rose, non-involvement no longer an option, assures him he doesn’t have to go,” and Flocke says, in perhaps his most evil line ever, “I’ll make it hurt.” Desmond gets Flocke’s word he won’t touch them, ever. “Then I’ll do what you want,” he agrees (with, as we soon learn, a really wrong idea about why he has nothing to fear). “Yes, Desmond,” Flocke says with a whole lot of smug self-satisfaction. “You will.” Desmond tells Flocke he assumes he’s being taken to a place with a very bright light. Desmond knows this because, well, “it’s just a hunch.” The walkie goes off in ben’s pocket, but he pretends he hears nothing when Flocke asks about it. Ben subtly turns it off.

Aside Number 5 – Flocke knows from Widmore that Desmond has survived the kind of E.M. bursts that the source will expose him to, but apparently doesn’t know the effect they’ve had on Desmond, i.e. his ability to perceive across time. Either that, or he just doesn’t care about Desmond’s lie about having a “hunch.” It was also great to see Ben’s last connection to his momentary stepping into the light – the walkie set he split with Miles – was still active, and that Ben still wanted to keep that from his new “master.”

Miles, unable to reach Ben, has found Richard. Richard asks if he still has the C4, because they need to go finish what they started.

Sawyer catches up to Jack and his crew. He starts to tell him they need to find Desmond, but Jack says there’s no point in racing to find Desmond, because they’re all going to the same place, anyways. Sawyer, wondering perhaps why he bothered walking into the lion’s den, asks, “what then?” “Then,” Jack says, “it ends.”

Aside Number 6 – I get the sense that at this point, Jack doesn’t so much have any additional knowledge per se abut what will happen at the Source. Rather, he just has a John Locke-level faith that things are supposed to work out, bolstered by his own empirical evidence of having seen some of the island’s miracles first-hand.

Richard and Miles get the outrigger ready. Richard notes a hell of a storm is coming. Miles says, “welcome to the club,” and demonstrates Richard’s first gray hair. Richard smiles, and explains to Miles it’s because he just realized he wants to live. Miles smirks, “good timing.”

Aside Number 7 – I think what we’re meant to take from Richard’s first sign of aging in 141 years is the notion that Jacob’s personal effects on the island and those he touched have been extinguished with his death. What the castaways probably don’t realize is that they are no longer protected by Jacob’s touch, and that Flocke can, probably, kill them all at will now. Of course, they probably never knew to what extent they were protected, so it’s not like they’re going to behave any differently. Kudos to Nestor Carbonell for bringing home this last great Alpert moment. I hope for Richard that the past century and a half have taught him that he’s not necessarily consigned to Hell for the accident that killed the doctor and failed to save his wife.

As they row, Miles and Richard hear debris floating, and see a dead body from one of the sub sailors. They hear a cry for help, and see, floating in a pile of life vests…Frank Lapidus! He asks what they’re doing. Richard tells him the “blow up the plane to prevent Flocke’s escape from the island” plan. “Well,” smiles Frank, “if we leave, that thing won’t have a plane anymore.” Richard asks how, and Frank says, gesturing to his increasingly beat up uniform, “in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m a pilot.”

Aside Number 8 – I had held out hope that, since we didn’t actually see Frank die in the sub, he had not. Still, the producers certainly made it seem as though he might have, making Frank’s unsinkable nature that much more fun as a surprise. I want some Lapidus luck. He missed flight 815 by sleeping in. He survived the e.m. attack on his helicopter. He narrowly missed blowing up on the freighter. He survived his fuelless helicopter crashing into open ocean, and was rescued from a life raft floating in the middle of nowhere. He survived the crash-landing of Ajira 316. And, now, he was the last survivor of Widmore’s sinking sub. That said, I’d just as soon never be in any kind of vehicle with the man!

Flocke, Ben and Desmond encounter Jack’s group on a hill – the same hill where Ben once intercepted them on the way to the broadcast station. (Note – I base this on the similarity of the terrain; I’m sure Lost has reused many Oahu locales for multiple locations on the island. Still, I like the notion that this was “the place” for these adversarial détentes on the island). Flocke says, “ is going to be interesting.” Kate, grabbing the rifle Sawyer had taken from Ben, starts shooting (and Ben and Desmond drop and take cover). Flocke walks through it, and suggests she might want to save her bullets. He walks up to Jack, apparently sensing his water-drinking recent past. “So it’s you, huh?” “Yeah, it’s me,” Jack says, in the typical unimaginative heroic retort. “Jacob being who he is,” observes Flocke, “I expected more of a surprise. You’re sort of the obvious choice.” Jack corrects that he wasn’t chosen, and that he’s not there to stop Flocke. Jack says Flocke thinks he’s going to destroy the island, but that’s not what’s going to happen. “What’s going to happen, Jack?” In another in Jack’s long series of threats to island adversaries, Jack responds, “I’m going to kill you.” “How are you planning to do that,” asks the incredulous smoke monster. “That’s a surprise,” Jack says, with a hint of a twinkle in his eye. “Ok,” shrugs Flocke. “Let’s get on with it.”

Aside Number 9 – Another John Locke trait inherited by Smokey is this blind faith that he’s meant to complete whatever his current task is. It’s as though he cannot fathom the potential that he may not survive this encounter, perhaps because he’s lived for thousands of years.

Flocke leads the group. Sawyer asks Jack how he’s going to kill Flocke. The answer: Desmond. But he doesn’t know how, except he assumes Desmond is a weapon (which was why Jacob brought him back). Again - big leap of faith, Doc! Flocke insists just he, Jack and Desmond continue on. Hurley tells Jack, “I believe in you, dude.”

As they walk through the bamboo, thunder claps, and Flocke says, “it’s going to be a bad one.” Flocke sees the cave from which he sprung, and declares, “we’re here.” They both tie a rope around Desmond and a tree. Desmond tells Jack this doesn’t matter, the destruction of the island. Because he’s going to go someplace else, where they can be with the ones they love, and never need to think about the damn island again. Desmond tells Jack he’s there too, and they landed together on 815. Desmond says he thinks he can bring Jack, too. Jack says there are no shortcuts, no do-overs. All of this matters. He already tried this before.

Aside Number 10 - More on this in part 2 of my recap, but as I interpret this, Desmond's future flashes apparently have given him the ability to "see" the flash-sideways. The extra extra sensory perception appears to have been enabled by his Widmore-induced second EM blast. Given those perceptions, Desmond made the same misperception the audience has to date - that the sideways world is a parallel, "better" world, and that, by virtue of having seen it, he knows he will get there. I don't think Desmond would have been so inclined to walk to his apparent doom with such inner peace if he knew he would be compelling Penny and Charlie to live their whole lives without him, i.e. that one literally must die to get into Sideways world.

Ben’s walkie goes off, and Miles says they’re going to fly the plane, and everyone needs to get over there. Claire walks out of the jungle and shoots at Miles, Frank and Richard’ feet. Kate asks what happened, and to talk to Claire, who assumes they’ve been sent by Flocke. Richard tries to convince her they can escape and never look back. Richard says, “you can come with us, Claire,” and Claire says, “no.” And she walks off, in a huff.

Aside Number 11 – per Jorge Garcia on Geronimo Jack’s Beard, Claire and Flocke were supposed to have a scene last week where he cast her aside, but it was cut to fit the episode to time. I think that may have made her reactions here make a lot more sense. Given the whole “Claire is crazy” dynamic this season, I think the producers figured we’d just roll with her acting in a way that, objectively, makes no sense.

Desmond smiles as he says that he knows, when he’s lowered, he should go where the light is brightest. Jack and Flocke lower him down. Flocke talks about how this brings back old times, them staring down a hole with Desmond and electromagnetism in it. “If there was a button down there to push,” Flocke says nostalgically, “we could fight about whether to push it.” Jack reminds him he’s not John Locke. “You disrespect his memory by wearing his face,” Jack says with a certain amount of self-righteousness, “but it turns out he was right about pretty much everything.” Flocke says he was wrong about everything, and Jack will realize it when the island drops into the ocean. They stare down the hole, the duplicate of the last shot of Season 1.

Aside Number 12 – And here it is – the further evidence in support of my theory that Smokey eventually comes to believe he is the person whose form he emulates. Flocke just reminisced about memories that John Locke had had before he died, and he did so fondly, only to be reminded that he thought Locke was a chump. I wonder if his insistence on that point was itself to try to fight off the extent to which Locke’s personality was supplanting his own.

Bear in mind, that approximately 1700 years (give or take) transpired between Smokey’s “birth” in “Across the Sea” and the next time we saw him on the shore in “The Incident” as MIB. That’s presumably enough time for him to have forgotten he was never anything but a smoke monster and completely embraced his identity as Samuel.

Wait a second – what’s this about “Samuel?” Well, according to Kristen Dos Santos at E! Online, in the scripts where man in black appeared, he was listed as “Samuel” in certain drafts. Sure, we never got the name on screen, and even Titus Welliver, who played MIB, never seemed to adopt that name for the character. But somewhere in the Lostverse, MIB was called by some people, “Samuel.”

But then I promised earlier to discuss the flaw in my theory. I’m sure many of you have guessed it by now. If Flocke was really always a smoke monster, and, in particular, one that existed before Jacob became the island protector, then how is it he “became” human enough to kill in this episode? Doesn’t that suggest, Dan, that he had a human form to return to? Hmm...an interesting point. But the same flaw dogs the other prevailing MIB theory – that his soul was ripped from his body and became Smokey, leaving his former body dead on the creek bed. Because if that was his body, then when Smokey lost his Smokeyness, it should have been the cave skeleton, and not Flocke, that became kill-able. And that, my friends, would be the zombie season of Lost.

So I’ll toss out this little extra theory nugget: first, my theory stands, i.e. that Smokey had an existence before MIB and was not his ripped-out soul. I now add to it the following: you can’t really kill Smokey, at least not for all time. Rather, under certain conditions, he takes on the final attributes of whatever human form he’s emulating, and can be “killed” in such a way that he ceases to be a threat...unless and until conditions similar to MIB’s floating into the Source cave exist, at which point the Source recreates Smokey. Given the common theory that “Mother” had some degree of Smokey-ness to her, perhaps her having passed to Jacob the guardianship of the island was, in part, how it was that her smokey-ness became killable by MIB. But she, actually split the two aspects of herself into Jacob (Guardian) and MIB (monster), with the smoke monster only capable of being released after MIB’s mortal death. More on this theory, later, and more on the fact that I can still generate theories like this after the series has ended in part 3 of my finale post-a-pallooza.

At the base of the well, Desmond sees the skeletons of others who tried to get to the light. Then he sees a pool, with a series of aqueducts feeding it. In the middle of the pool is a rock, sort of a plug, from which the energy seems to emanate. As he steps into the water, the E.M. energy radiates, with the humming sound that is so familiar from the Swan station. He lifts out the plug, causing the familiar increased magnetism sounds, which then fade out as the ducts stop feeding the pool. The light fades, too, and the pool disappears. The light goes out, and the glow of lava shines through where the plug had been, with steam pouring out. Desmond screams, no! Flocke taunts Jack, “it looks like you were wrong.” He gets up, and says, “good-bye, Jack” as the ground starts to shake. Jack follows, and when he punches Flocke, they both notice that he made him bleed. “Looks like you were wrong, too,” Jack taunts back. But Flocke grabs a rock and smacks Jack in the head, then stumbles away.

Aside Number 13 – I took Desmond’s reaction, the “nooo!” to indicate that he just realized he was wrong about the flash-sideways, and thus also wrong to not fear death on his return trip to the island. As for Jack and Flocke’s dual mistakes – Desmond’s activity did start the process of destroying the island, but it also did make it possible for Jack to kill Flocke...well, doesn’t that make you think of the typical parental punishment for kids fighting over a toy, i.e. to take it from both of them?

I’m also thinking back to “The Man Behind the Curtain” where young Ben in his class with friend Annie was taught about the volcanic origin of the island. I don’t pretend to understand the science of it all, but it looks like the Source room worked somehow by using the ancient plug to unite water and volcanic energy to generate the “unique electromagnetic energy” found on the island. I guess to ask for more understanding on that is to ask just how it is that the midichlorians make you have The Force...

The quakes intensify, and Sawyer and company are smacked around. Ben pushes Hugo out of the way of a large falling tree, only to have the tree land on him.

Jack awakens in the pouring rain. He goes back into the cave and pulls the rope, calling to Desmond, but gets no response. Jack chases off after Flocke.

Kate assures Ben they’ll free him. She, Sawyer and Hurley struggle to do just that. Another tremor causes Sawyer to say Locke was right. The walkie goes off, and Kate answers. As Richard and Frank repair the plane, Miles tells Kate that Claire doesn’t want to come. Miles, at Ben’s direction, asks how long the repairs will take. Frank says 5 hours, maybe 6, but Richard says they have about 1. Ben says he knows how they can get to Hydra island that fast – Flocke has a boat.

Flocke stands at the ladder over the cliff, Elizabeth in the water below him. Jack finds him, and charges from the higher ground. He fly-tackles his nemesis, and they struggle. Flocke drops his pack, and Jack starts to choke him. Flocke gets the upper hand, but his knife starts to shake away. They dive for it. Jack chokes Flocke as the cliffs fall away. Flocke gets the knife and stabs – right where an appendix scar would be (and where, I'm told, Jesus was speared during the crucifiction). Flocke goes to slash Jack's throat, and starts to cut it. He says, "I want you know, Jack. You died for nothing." But then he gets shot, by Kate, who says, “I saved you a bullet.” Flocke looks up at Jack. "You’re too late," he gloats. Jack kicks him over the cliff face, and he falls, much like John Locke falling out of the window. He lands on a ledge, dead.

Aside Number 14 - Jack's sideways injuries have just been explained. The appendix scar was a red herring we thought was meant to refer the audience to Jack's appendix having been removed by Juliet. And the recurring neck wound was the cut by Flocke's knife.

An interesting story about the shot where Jack got stabbed in the abdomen. According to Jorge Garcia, while they were shooting the scene, Matthew Fox (Jack) experimented with different knife-catching "pads," and in some takes wore nothing. On the final take, he went with a kevlar pad. Meanwhile, Terry O'Quinn (Locke/ Smokey) had both a real knife and a retractable one that he was supposed to grab out of frame before stabbing Jack. On that last take, O'Quinn forgot to make the switch, and stabbed Fox with the real knife. Fortunately, the mistake was made on the same take for which Fox wore the kevlar pad, the only one that would have prevented a real knife from actually puncturing through to his gut!

Finally, a note on the death of Smokey. As cool as Kate's 80's action-movie type line, "I saved you a bullet" was, I kind of wanted the smoke monster to be a little harder to kill than one gunshot and a kick over the ledge. Supposedly, this was the one "big bad" who had menaced our characters from day 1, and his death was so anticlimactic, particularly after Jack had to go through the whole "you're the new Jacob" thing before Flocke could be killed. Of course, the story didn't end here...

Kate helps Jack back from the edge, but he’s clearly hurting. He tells her he’ll be fine. "Find me some thread," they joke, referring back to their first encounter, "and I’ll count to five." The others come. Kate says, "Locke’s dead. It’s over." But then there’s a tremor. Sawyer frowns, "sure don’t feel like it’s over."

Aside Number 15 - apparently, in the pissing match over which of them was wrong, Jack and Flocke failed to consider the possibility that both of them were right. Indeed, Desmond's monkeying about in the Source cave both killed Flocke and destroyed the island. Oops.

Frank resets the Ajira plane's electronics, but there’s something wrong with the hydraulics. He sends Miles to fix them. Ben calls and asks, "what’s going on with your timetable?" "Don’t bother me!" Lapidus shouts, and tosses the walkie aside. "Sounds like they’re making progress," Ben shrugs direly. Jack knows – whatever Desmond turned off, he needs to turn on again. Kate insists he doesn’t have to do this. " Let the island sink, Jack," she implores him. "I can’t," he responds. He asks if Sawyer can get the boat across in time. Sawyer shakes Jack’s hand. "Good luck to you, James," Jack says, one final note of grace for his former rival. "Thanks, Doc, for everything," Sawyer responds. Ben tosses Sawyer the walkie. "If the island’s going down," Ben proclaims, "I’m going with it." Hugo knows he can't go down the ancient ladders, so he’s with Jack. Jack tells Kate to go, get Claire on the plane. She cries, "tell me I’m going to see you again," but he subtly shakes his head. She kisses him, hard. They profess their love for each other. Jack turns and stumbles away, with Hugo and Ben helping him.

Aside Number 16 - Poor Hugo. Already having been consigned to a life of insanity, then the "mis"fortune of his lottery numbers, all because of his weight, at last has his final fate determined by the inability to safely navigate the ladders.

Miles gets the hydraulics patched up. He tells Richard, "I don’t believe in a lot of things, but I do believe in duct tape." Sawyer says via walkie they’re heading over, but Frank says they need to leave while there’s still a ground to take off of. James knows – they have to jump for the boat. Kate goes first, and then James follows.

Jack leads Ben and Hugo to the Source cavern. He’s in bad shape. Hugo asks (already knowing the answer) "how we going down there?" Jack confirms, "we’re not. I’m going alone." Hugo protests. "You can’t! Desmond didn’t make it. How the hell are you going to survive?" But Jack looks away. Hugo tears up. "No way I’m letting you die," he whines. "You’re not supposed to die. The island needs you." But Jack corrects, "it needs you. It only needed me to do what I gotta do. It needs to be you." Over Hurley's protests, Jack says, he believes in him (the same message Hurley gave Jack earlier). Hurley says he’ll take it, "but as soon as the light comes back, I'm going to pull you up and give it right back to you." Jack asks for something to drink out of. Ben gives him an Oceanic bottle. Jack soops up some dirty water, and gives it to Hurley. Drink this. Hurley drinks. Jack says, “now you’re like me.” Hugo tries to stay strong.

Aside Number 16 - was there any doubt at all that, when Hurley said in the prior episode, "I'm just glad it's not me," that those would become the quintessential famous last words? And what must Ben think, watching all this, having devoted his life to this island, only to see Hurley, a misfit who just wanted to help his friends, become the island's grand protector? Based on the way Michael Emerson played the scene, I'd say he was in awe, finally seeing in Hugo the same potential Jacob did.

Frank tries to start up, and the engines start to turn. "That, my friends, is pure music."

Ben and Hurley try to slowly lower Jack into cave, but with another tremor, he falls. He unties himself and finds Desmond lying near the source. He rouses him. Desmond says, "the light. I put it out. It didn’t work. I thought I’d leave this place." Jack helps him up. "I’m still here," Desmond continues. "You were right Jack." "Well, smiles Jack, "there’s a first time for everything." Desmond tells him to put the plug back, and insists it has to be him to do it. But Jack says to go home to is wife and son. "What about you, Jack?" Desmond asks. Harkening back to their first conversation from seven years earlier, Jack says, "I’ll see you in another life, brother."

Aside Number 17 - all of this was, of course, foreshadowing to the final reveal of the true nature of the flash-sideways. You have to feel for Desmond, who now doesn't know what to make of his misinterpretation of what he had come to learn about the sideways world. But then again, he presumably survives to return to his wife and son.

James and Kate climb onto Hydra beach, and find Claire. They see another piece of the main island fall into the ocean. Kate collects Claire. They see the plane start to go. Miles hangs out to help Frank spot. Claire says she can’t go. The island made her crazy. She doesn’t know how to be a mother anymore. "None of us do," Kate reassures, "but you’re not alone. Let me help you." This gets her, and the three of them run to the plane. Frank pulls back, then starts to spin it around. Saywer tries to call to them, but Frank doesn’t hear. As he starts to push the throttle, he sees James stumble out in front of them. He throttles down. "Boys, we got some late arrivals. Open the door!"

Jack rolls towards the source. He gathers the strength to lift the plug, and moves it into place. As he does, the shaking continues.

Miles throws open the door, and he and Richard help Claire, then Kate, then Sawyer onto the plane. Miles teases his "boss," "way to wait to the last second." Sawyer smiles back, "good to see you, too, Enos." Frank tells them all buckle in. He pushes the plane forward. Kate takes Claire’s hand. The plane launches up, them turns to avoid a mountain. "Amen," frank whispers. Kate and Claire continue to hold hands. Sawyer looks out the window.

Aside Number 18 - as if to create full and complete symmetry, we now have the "Ajira 6." Of course, only two of the six were on flight 316.

At the source, Jack looks on, feeling that he failed. Then the water starts to flow in from the aqueducts, and the glow resumes. Jack laughs as the sound of the E.M. energy returns. Ben looks down the well, and knows he did it. The light’s back on. Hurley tells him to pull when he feels a weight on the rope. Jack laughs as the glow restores, and Hurley pulls up… Desmond! Hurley calls to Jack, who laughs with pride. Hurley calls – "Jaaaaack."

Outside the cave, Ben tends to Desmond. Hurley stares at the rope and the light. He asks, mostly to himself, "Jack’s gone, isn’t he?" Ben nods. Hurley fights back tears. Ben assures him Jack did his job. "It’s my job now," Hugo sobs. "But what am I supposed to do?" "I think," Ben, finally free of the drama that has so shaped his life, "you do what you do best. Take care of people. You can start by helping Desmond get home." "But how," Hurley asks. "People can’t leave the island." Ben shrugs that that’s a Jacob thing. "Maybe there’s another way," Ben offers, "a better way." Hurley asks him to stay and help. "I could really use someone with experience," he practically begs, "for a little while. Can you help me, Ben?" Ben, truly floored to finally find his destiny, and all due to the grace of a former enemy, responds humbly, "I’d be honored." Feeling comforted, Hurley responds, "cool."

Aside Number 19 - don't look now, Lostophiles, but just about every remaining question about the island's mysteries was just answered, albeit not in the most satisfying way. I think Ben's little aside about Hurley's ability to do things differently than Jacob did is meant to tell us that, if there's something about island physics, or the "rules," that we're left feeling was arbitrary, the explanation is, basically, "oh, that was just Jacob being Jacob." Which is not, of course, to suggest there was no further room for interpretation of what Jacob's rules actually were, and how they flowed from what we know about Jacob's personality and experience. A cop out? Sure, kind of. But come back (whenever it's done) for part 3 of this final recap, for my discussion of this very issue.

Jack awakens outside the cave, washed out by the once-again running waters. He’s no better off than he was before, and, indeed, has sprung the now familiar nose bleed that non-Desmonds seem to get from too much exposure to island-style radiation. But he staggers to his feet, and climbs out of the water.

Aside Number 20. I'll leave this portion of the recap here, since the final final island beats are best summed up in connection with the Sideways ending with which they were intercut. So keep a look out over the next week or so for that very story (which, of course you all already saw...but, given the scuttlebutt on the internet and at water coolers everywhere, you may not have understood, at least not the way I did). Until then, all, Namaste!

Episode 616 - Jacob Tells Us "What They Died for" (Sort of)

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Sat, 22 May 2010 01:45:00 +0000

A return to the main narrative! The Jack/Jacob meeting we’d long been awaiting!! The candidate chosen!!! A major villain dispatched!!!! All this, plus the return of Ben, Miles and Richard, all in the last ever hour-long episode of Lost, “What They Died for.”

Island – Team Jacob

As Jack stitches up Kate’s wound (the mirror image of the scene from the pilot) Kate tells him pointedly about Ji Yeon, and how Jin hadn’t met her yet. She frowns – “Locke did this to them. We have to kill him, Jack.” He nods. “I know.”

Aside Number 1 – Jeff Jensen, for all his Jin-enabling from two weeks ago, had this to say about the Kate/Jack exchange: “I'd like to think Kate was speaking for all those who were outraged by Jin's so-called ''selfishness'' by invoking her name and memory.”

Sawyer watches debris wash up on shore, as if waiting for someone to come out. But all he sees as Kate puts her head on his shoulder is a life jacket. Hurley and Jack join them, too. Jack says they should get going. He tells them about Desmond in a well, and how, if Locke wanted him dead, they’re going to need him.

After some small talk about how to get to the well, Sawyer asks Jack why Flocke didn’t kill Desmond. Jack says “who knows? Maybe it was one of his rules?” Sawyer is guilt racked that he killed their friends with his attempt to disarm the bomb, but Jack insists it was Flocke who killed them. Sawyer seems less than sure.

Aside Number 2 – Jensen’s take on Jack and Sawyer, and their long history, culminating in this moment: “In their few scenes together this season, Sawyer has done nothing but heap physical and emotional abuse upon Jack for his Juliet-destroying Jughead recklessness. Yet with the tables turned, Jack gave him grace as well as the gift of perspective. Hopefully Sawyer will use it to see a way out of his crippling despair and toward the heroism that will be needed of him in the final act. I've always hoped that the end of Lost would offer some understanding/reconciliation between Jack and Sawyer. My favorite moments with the pair have nothing to do with them fighting. (Of course, they're probably my fave moments because they're so different from their usual dynamic.) Sawyer telling Jack about meeting his father in season 1. Sawyer and Jack in The Hatch and talking about Ana Lucia at the end of season 2. Jack teaming with Sawyer to free Frank Lapidus at the end of season 4. Perhaps the finale will see them resign their animosity once and for all and bind them permanently as allies in survival and partners in redemption.”

Hurley sees young Jacob in the jungle. The boy demands the ashes Hurley took from Ilana’s things. He says they’re his. Hurley demands to know what he wants them for, but the boy takes the ashes, and runs, and Hurley loses sight of him. He tries to follow, but instead he finds grown Jacob with the ashes. “Dude,” a relieved Hugo begins, “I’ve been waiting for you to show up”. Jacob says his ashes are in the fire, and when they burn out, he’ll never see him again. He says to tell his friends, “we’re very close to the end, Hugo.”

Hurley leads the group to Jacob, and they all see him as he greets them. Kate asks if he’s the one who wrote their names on the wall, specifically Sun’s, Jin’s and Sayid’s. When Jacob confirms he did, she angrily demands, “Is that why they’re dead?” Very empathetically, Jacob tells her, “ I’m very sorry.” And promises if they sit down, he’ll tell them what their friends died for. “I’ll tell you why I chose them,” Jacob promises, “and why I chose you. And then I’ll tell you everything you’ll need to know about protecting the island, because by the time that fire burns out, one of you will have to start doing it.”

Aside Number 3 – I have now watched this scene over again, and find myself a little dissatisfied in Kate’s acceptance of the “why they died” explanation that follows. Her righteous indignation at Jacob for leading these people to their gruesome deaths is fully justified, and shared by the audience. By now, each of these characters has gotten a sense that the island protects those it still needs, but tosses aside those it doesn’t, not only allowing them to die, but perhaps encouraging it. Jacob’s explanation that follows here is pretty good for explaining why the castaways were brought to the island. It does very little to justify their deaths.

The sitdown begins with Jacob telling the assembled, “I brought all of you here because I made a mistake a very long time ago. Because of that, there’s a very good chance that every single one of you is going to die.” He clarifies that this “mistake” is the monster. “I’m responsible for him,” Jacob confesses. “I made him the way he is, and he’s been trying to kill me ever since.” Sawyer asks why he had to be punished for Jacob’s mistake, i.e. because he was doing just fine before he got dragged to that rock.

Aside Number 4 – I’ll let Jensen’s interpretation cover the recap of Jacob’s response: “Jacob responded to Sawyer's complaint by rising to his feet and calling bulls--t on him. On all of them. He hadn't plucked them from some 'happy existence.' They were all miserable, spent, and wasted. He said they were all like him: 'flawed' and 'alone.' They all needed to be on The Island as much as Jacob did. Sawyer could have gotten up in Jacob's grill and challenged him further. Still, I got the point. From a timeless, spiritual perspective, the castaways are better off than they were before they crashed on The Island. Yes, they have suffered, yet their adventures together have brought them to a place where they find themselves more self-aware and liberated from ruts of self-destructive behavior. Jacob has also given them something which I'm not sure they yet fully recognize and appreciate, at least not in the Island world: a community of fellow souls deeply invested in each other's survival, growth, and flourishing.” You may all notice that you’ve been quietly humming “kumbaya” while reading this, but Jensen’s point is valid – even Sawyer seemed silenced by this. And, in the wake of his refusal to let go and trust Jack on the submarine, I think we can all agree: for James Ford, lesson learned.

Kate asks why her name was crossed off in the cave, and he tells her - he crossed her name off because she became a mother. But that’s when the real kicker about the lack of rigidity concerning island “rules” kicks in. Per Jacob, “It’s just a line of chalk in a cave. The job is yours if you want it.”

Aside Number 5 – with his power dwindling here, I wonder how much Jacob knows about what is to come. Still, I get the sense from this, not that Jacob now values motherhood less, but rather that he assumes that Claire will not only return to Aaron, but raise him well.

Jacob tells them about the light in the cave, and the need to keep it safe from the monster. He hopes they can kill Flocke, which he hopes is possible, because Flocke wants to kill them. But Jacob won’t pick his successor. He wants them to have a choice he didn’t have. That said, Jacob tells them, if none of them does, “this ends very badly.” Jack volunteers. He says it’s why he is there. “This is what I’m supposed to do.” Jacob asks, “is that a question, Jack?” More assured, Jack says, “no.” Jacob responds, “good. Then it’s time.” Jacob leads Jack away. Sawyer mutters to Kate and Hugo, “I thought that guy had a God complex before.” Hurley’s thought that follows is, “I’m just glad it’s not me.” Jacob tells Jack that the Source is just beyond the bamboo field where he first awoke after the 815 crash. Jack says there’s nothing out there, but Jacob says, yes there is, and now he’ll be able to get there. Jacob borrows a cup and fills it, chanting as “mother” did last week over the wine. He hands the cup to Jack to drink. Jack asks how long he’s going to have to do this job. “As long as you can,” Jacob responds direly. As Jack drinks, a look of sudden understanding washes over him. “Now,” Jacob assures Jack, echoing mother’s similar sentiment “you’re like me.”

Aside Number 6 – This grand sit-down between the man behind Lost’s curtain and the last remaining 815ers did a lot to make last week’s outing – whatever you thought of it – relevant. Still, I find myself thinking that the context provided by “Across the sea” would have worked just as well if the episode gave Jacob flashbacks interspersed with these scenes of his choosing of his successor, and not devoting the full 42 minutes to the over-the-top self-importance of last week’s speechiness. Then we could have spent more time this week with…

Island – Team Ben … and Flocke

At last, after an interminable hiatus, we meet up again with Miles, Ben and Richard. Miles asks if Ben knows where he’s going, but Ben scoffs that he lived at the barracks long before Miles. Miles begs to differ – sort of: “''I lived in these houses 30 years ago — otherwise known as last week.” Ben insists he has lots of C4 left, in his secret room behind the bookcase. Miles starts flashing as they enter the barracks. He feels bodies. Richard explains to Ben, “It’s your daughter. After you left, I buried her.” Ben, the hurt of losing Alex flooding back to him, thanks Richard, and coldly turns and moves on.

They go into Ben’s former house. He moves the bookcase, and goes back to the secret closet, revealing to Miles the entrance to the “secreter” room. “It’s where I was told I could summon the monster,” Ben explains. “That’s before I realized it was the one summoning me.”

Aside Number 7 – As Jensen points out shrewdly here, “I think we got official confirmation from Ben that the entity in the old Goodspeed love shack which he took to be Jacob was actually the Man In Black. This is interesting to think about. If Ben has always been wrong about being Jacob's chosen one for a period of time, then that means his tenure as the leader of the Others was fraudulent and invalid — which means that Charles Widmore was probably quite sincere in his persecution of Ben. Megabucks Chuck never wanted to get back to The Island to exploit it. He wanted to get back to The Island to save it from Ben's corrupt administration. Still, I'd like to think that through it all, Jacob was always in control and will remain in control until his ashes evaporate in the campfire.” I had long assumed it was the monster that called Ben to the shack, and that then preyed on Locke with the whole, “help me” revelation. This was further suggestion when Ilana’s team found the broken ash and assumed the monster had escaped from the cabin, though it was less clear at the time that they knew it was he and not Jacob in the cabin.

Ben opens his safe. “Richard, it’s your idea,” Ben ponders. “Are we looking to cripple the plane, or blow it to hell?” In a response fit for an 80s action hero, Richard responds, “blow it to hell.” Ben’s response is pure Ben. “Then we better take it all.” They hear a sound, and find first Zoe, then Charles out in the kitchen/ living room area. Hello, Benjamin. May I come in? Ben asks what he’s doing there. Widmore orders Zoe to take their equipment from the outrigger and sink it. He shuts up Ben’s order to Zoe not to leave. “If you shoot me,” he admonishes, “your last chance at survival will be gone.” Widmore asks Richard why he’d rig the plane, since he rigged the plane with explosives. “As usual, Benjamin, I’m three steps ahead of you.” (Note to eeeevil masterminds – it’s never wise to bait Ben Linus.)

Charles says Jacob visited him right after the freighter blew up, and convinced him of “the error of my ways,” giving him his purpose. Charles is interrupted by Zoe on the walkie-talkie saying she sees Flocke. Charles then warns that they need to hide if they don’t want to die.

Aside Number 8 – I’ll talk more about the Lost “Times Talk” event I attended this week later. Here, it’s relevant that Damon Lindelof pointed out about Widmore’s Jacob showed me the light story, that on Lost, by now we should know that, when we see something happen, we can trust it. But when a character – particularly one like Charles – tells us something happened, the question should always linger about how true such a tale might be.

Flocke emerges from the outrigger onto the dock. He sees the other boat, with Widmore’s equipment, then walks up the dock. Zoe returns to Ben’s house. Widmore wants to use Ben’s secret room. Miles wants to run, but Ben wants to stand his ground. Ben gives Miles a walkie, and Miles runs. Richard insists all Flocke wants is for him to join him, and, if he does, maybe he’ll give the rest of them a chance to get away. Richard exits, followed by Ben (while Charles and Zoe flee to the back room). Richard looks for Flocke….and Smokey flies by and sends him flying off into the jungle. Ben, seeing this, sits on the porch.

Aside Number 9 – as with Frank Lapidus, I’ll believe Richard is dead when I see a body. The gift Jacob gave him was to “live forever,” and not just to stop aging. I don’t know what this means about Richard’s actual mortality, but I suspect, aside from some bruising, he’s going to turn up alive in the finale.

Flocke comes from around a building and spots Ben “Just the man I was looking for.” Ben offers him lemonade. Flocke pulls out a knife. “I need you to kill some people for me, Ben.” “And, why would I do that,” the old, cagey Ben asks. Flocke repeats his promise from “Dr. Linus:” “Because once I leave this island, you can have it all for yourself.” Flocke asks about the outrigger, and Ben says it’s Widmore’s, and that Widmore is hiding in his closet.

Aside Number 10 – Jensen’s take(s) on this interplay is spot-on: “Basically, Fake Locke was forcing Ben to become his a personal assassin — a reversal of what Ben did to Sayid during his Oceanic 6 days. Ben accepted, and we must ask why. We know that Ben is wired for survival. His typical M.O. is to glom onto a power player, then subvert and take control — very Sith-esque. With the death of his forgiving benfactor Ilana, Ben may have sensed that a shift in Island power had occurred and so he decided to shift allegiance accordingly. This would be a bummer. I had bought into Ben's redemption. I want him to stick with it. So here's another thought:

“Ben is conning Fake Locke. Recall that Ben had broken ranks with the castaways over Hurley's plan to try and hug it out with Smokey. That didn't work so well — for either side. Ben, himself something of an evil mastermind, must have realized that; he must have realized that Smokey only needed him because something had gone wrong. Smokey was coming to him out of weakness, not strength. Smokey radiated intimidation — but I'm betting Ben saw through the tough-guy veneer. Smokey is vulnerable. And he's scared. And Ben knows it. His plan: Stick by his side, figure out what can kill this man-thing, take him down. Ben is on the side of the castaway angels. He must be! (Then again, if Island Ben does go totally dark, it does set up the dramatically delicious moment when his more morally principled Sideways doppelganger becomes fully 'Island Enlightened' and remembers all his past life crimes. There goes that happily ever after with Rousseau and Alex.)

“The scene that followed was pretty awesome — the three great villains of Lost together in one confined space, three heavyweight peacocks trying to out-preen each other for control.”

Ben points out the closet, and says, “after you. Charles and his lady friend are in here. She’s armed, but I’m guessing that’s not a problem for you.” Flocke says to wait outside because he doesn’t need to see this, but Ben, freshly reminded about Alex, says, “I want to see this.” As they enter, Ben says, Sorry Charles. Flocke, smirking, does his best evil genius mock gentility act for Widmore. “How nice to be able to talk without those fences between us.” Charles warns Zoe not to talk to him, so Flocke slits her throat (her silence, you see, made her “pointless.”) Flocke says if Widmore doesn’t help him, the first thing he will do when he leaves is kill Penny. Widmore confesses – he brought Desmond back because of his resistance to e.m., as a measure of last resort. But Chalres won’t talk any more in front of Ben. “Well then whisper to me.” But as Widmore starts to whisper to him, Ben shoots him multiple times. As Widmore slumps down, Ben, a thoroughly intense look on his face, says, “he doesn’t get to save his daughter.” “Ben,” marvels Flocke. “You never cease to amaze me. Fortunately he had already told me what I needed to know, so no harm done.” Ben turns to his once and current master. “Didn’t you say there were some other people to kill?”

Aside Number 11 – my initial take was that, as part of Ben’s con on Flocke – and I share Jensen’s theory on that one – he had arranged with Widmore to pretend to kill him to gain Flocke’s good graces. That’s right – I assumed Widmore had survived. The evidence, however, contradicts this. For starters, Michael Ausiello of ew.com has added Charles Widmore to his “sweeps death” chart, a chart that had a fixed number of entries heading into May. (That said, the chart also includes Tess Mercer from Smallville…who was just listed as a regular character for next season). Then there was the Times Talk this week, in which Damon and Carlton discussed the significance of Widmore’s death at this juncture before the ambiguity of his redemption or not was resolved. All in all, looks like my theory was short-lived, and wrong.

Can we blame Ben? In one sense, yes we can. The bodies around him just keep piling up. But come on…this guy sent the men who killed Ben’s daughter. Moreover, if Ben is somehow still on the side of angels, his killing of Widmore may have stopped him from revealing what can defeat ol’ Smokey. But there’s something that makes me still wonder about this scene – we were led to believe in the past that Ben and Charles were somehow prevented from killing each other, i.e. one of those rules that have never been explained but that seem to apply. Did Charles’ island return take him out of the protection of the rule? Or is he really not dead?

My final piece of evidence for the notion that Ben hasn’t completely reverted back to the dark side – the walkie-talkie he gave Miles. He clearly intended to retain a connection to the other people who oppose Flocke, and, I believe, hoped that Flocke would allow his knowledge of Ben’s tendency towards concerted survivalism to cause him to miss Ben’s re-betrayal down the line. Or not.

Back in the jungle. Ben asks Smokey why he bothers walking. Flocke explains, the feel of his feet on the ground reminds of being human. (Do you think that’s the whole story?) They come to the well, but Desmond isn’t in it. Ben says it’s clear someone helped him out. “No, Ben,” corrects Flocke, “someone helped me out.” Ben asked what Widmore said to him. Flocke explains that Desmond was a failsafe – one final way to stop him if he killed all the candidates. “I’m going to find Desmond,” swears Flocke, “and when I do, he’s going to help me do the one thing I could never do myself. I’m going to destroy the island.”

Aside Number 12 – I don’t know how it is that Flocke can tempt Ben with a promise to let him rule the island, then tell him he plans to destroy it, and still expect Ben to do anything else willingly for him. Now, on to the sideways stories...

Sideways – The Shephard Bunch

Jack2’s eyes open, in a shot highly reminiscent of the first one of the series. His shaving cut has opened again, in a nod to the first episode of the season (Do you get the sense we’re supposed to be thinking “full circle” or something like that?). David comes in as he contemplates, and tells Jack2 he made breakfast (i.e. poured juice and cereal). David gets Jack2 to confirm he’s going to his big concert, and Mom is coming too (Is there any way at this point that mom is not Juliet???) . David warns him not to get all weird when he sees her. Claire2 joins them, and David pours her cereal (“Family Size Super Bran.”) Aaron2 kicked like crazy at night. Jack2 gets a call from Oceanic – they found his missing cargo (which he takes to mean his father’s coffin), and it will arrive at the end of the day. Only the caller is not from Oceanic. It’s Desmond2.

Aside Number 13 – I saw a couple of tongue-in-cheek mentions of the bran flakes online, but I think, if anything, the salient aspect of the cereal box was the display of “family size” in a room with Jack2, Claire2, and David – i.e. this is the family unit that neither Jack or Claire ever enjoyed in the island world.

I have no idea what it is that Desmond2 is hoping to accomplish with this prank call. The rest of his machinations all seem to have some sort of direction and purpose. Given that Jack2 is already going to the same concert as (we assume) everyone else in the sideways world, I don’t know what Des2 has in mind…

Sideways – Dr. Linus and the Rouseaux

Desmond2 waits in his car and watches Locke2’s return to the school. He starts the car, but Ben2 sees him and tries to make a scene to protect Locke2. Desmond2 insists he’s not here to hurt Locke2, but to help him let go. Ben demands, “who are you?” “You want to know who I am,” Desmond demands with a real edge. And he starts to beat Ben, who recalls their fight at the marina from island world.

Aside Number 14 – it figures that getting beaten up is the most appropriate recurring memory from island world that could jumpstart Ben’s memory. And, as if to torture him for his transgressions, his first memory, while of a time of maximum evil (his attempt to kill Penny for revenge), he doesn’t even get a memory of his precious island, instead recalling Marina del Rey. Funny backstory to this scene - Henry Ian Cusick (Desmond) accidentally made contact with Michael Emerson at one point, leaving a serious black eye. They tried to cover it with makeup, but during the whole DHARMA barracks sequence, you could kind of see it there.

Ben2 is tended by the nurse (the same one having the affair with the principal, who seems not the least impressed by the doctorate), then contemplates himself in the mirror (as Sideways characters are wont to do). Locke2 rolls in and asks what happened. Ben2 tells him about Desmond2. He tells him about what he saw while being beaten. Locke2 calls the police. Ben2 tells him Desmond2 wasn’t trying to hurt him, but to get him to “let go.” “And for some reason,” admits Dr. Linus, “I believed him. Do you any idea what he was talking about Mr. Locke? Does that mean something to you?” Locke2, seeing the coincidences start to mount, hangs up before responding to the police officer who took his call.

Outside, injured Dr. Linus drops his keys. Alex2 goes to help him, and asks why someone would want to hurt him. She offers him a ride home with her mom. Danielle2 emerges – utterly not insane – and is happy to help. It’s a very different meeting this time then their island encounter. They invite him for coq au vin night, and Danielle2 insists, he must come, “even if we have to kidnap you.” (Love the altverse irony!) After dinner, Danielle2 thanks him, and says how nice it is to cook for someone other than Alex2, whose father died when she was 2. That’s probably, surmises Danielle2, why she’s so attached to him. He’s the closest thing to a father he’s ever had. He sees her, and is taken aback, choking back tears, a real sense he’s channeling his island memory of actually being her father. Danielle2 asks if he’s ok. He says he thinks it’s the onions. He looks at her knowingly, a hint of blossoming romance in the gaze.

Aside Number 15 – Huzzah! Mira Furlan, back again as Danielle Rousseau, missing since she “died” in season 4. Jensen’s take on this bizarro world version of a family reunion: “'It's probably why she's grown so attached to you. You're the closest thing to a father she's ever had.' The whole Sideways Rousseau/Alex played that way, winking ironically at every aspect of the Island Rousseau story. Ben enjoyed himself, which troubled him even more. The story also tried to suggest the possibility of a love connection between Dr. Linus and Alex's mother, and all of this, I think, was in service to this idea: Perhaps not everyone in the Sideways world would be better off with Island Enlightenment. Let's say this really is Reincarnation Land. Don't these souls deserve to live out the new existence they've been given by the cosmic Wheel of Life? Should Sideways Ben be robbed of happiness in this life by being saddled with the memories and consciousness of his damaged and damned Island-word self? Should Rousseau and Alex be victimized anew by being made to meld with the fate-screwed people they once were? Can they decline getting hit with the Enlightenment whammy stick? Do the Sideways world peeps have any control over the process that Desmond seems determined to unleash?” In any case, to the extent that Sideways world represents a whole nature/ nurture study, there can be almost no doubt that Dr. Linus is a good guy. All the more pity to see what happened to him when his dad didn’t quit DHARMA.

Sideways – Locke2

The coincidences were just too much for Locke2, who rolls into Jack2’s office. After some small talk, Locke2 runs through their history, and the coincidences. He tells him about what Desmond2 – the man who “drove” them back together – told Ben2, and how it was the same thing Jack2 said to him the last time they saw each other (“let go”). He doesn’t mean that Jack2 sent the man, but maybe this all happened for a reason. Maybe you’re supposed to fix me. The old debate begins, and Jack2 “echoes” Mr. Eko – “don’t confuse coincidence for fate.” “You can call it what you want,” smiles Locke2, “but I think I’m ready to get out of this chair.”

Aside Number 16 – just as island world Jack has finally overcome his own demons, Sideways Locke, never entirely beholden to the faith-based insanity of his island counterpart, appears ready to be the alterna-hero. As Jensen notes, “'I'm ready to get out of this wheelchair,' he said. It was less about wanting to walk and more about wanting to meet the meaning behind this divine conspiracy. But more than anything, it was a choice. Like Island Jack, Sideways Locke seized the opportunity life had given him: the chance to decide who and what he wanted to be.”

Sideways – Sawyer and the Suspects

The cop who took the aborted call from Locke2 hangs up, and is approached by…Desmond2, who asks for a detective. Miles2 is dressing up for the concert at the museum and invites Ford2, who says no, due to Charlotte2’s presence (we shall see if fate really allows James2 to avoid the concert….) Desmond2 then comes in and turns himself in for the two incidents at the school. “Thanks for saving the taxpayers the trouble of hunting you down,” Ford2 says, leading Desmond2 to the holding cell. “You’re welcome,” Desmond2 says, just as lacking in irony as his island self was in identifying the smoke monster with, “you’re John Locke.” He greets Sayid2 and Kate2 in the holding pen with a smile.

Ford2 prepares to ship Jarah2 and Austen2 off to county. Kate2 says he can still let her go. Why would he do that? Her pathetic plea is, “because I told you I was innocent.” “Doesn’t matter,” he says, not looking at her. “I’m still a cop.” She says he doesn’t seem like a cop to her. In the wagon, Desmond2 says he thinks it’s time to leave. Sayid2 calls him crazy. Desmond2 says the driver already knows when to stop. They’ll have to give him their trust, because after he releases them, he’ll ask them to do something. Alright then, Sayid2 smirks, willing to play along. The car stops. The driver was Ana Lucia2. “Who’s Hume?” she asks (and we recall that these two characters occupied mutually exclusive pieces of the Season 2 story). She had taken a bribe to drop them off at the harbor, and Hugo2 comes to pick them up. “Sorry I’m late,” he says to Desmond2. He sees Ana2. “Oh hey, you didn’t tell me Ana Lucia was going to be here,” he says, completely island enlightened. But she isn’t joining them because, according to Desmond2, she isn’t read yet. Hurley’s Camaro is there. Kate is to ride with Desmond2, and Sayid with Hurley. Desmond2 is taking Kate to the concert.

Aside Number 17 – It’s fairly obvious by now that, just as there is only one doctor, one hospital, one courthouse, one police station, and one museum in Los Angeles in the sideways world, so is there only one concert coming up. This one concert will feature the musical stylings of Daniel “Widmore,” as well as David Shephard, Penelope “Milton,” and, if their bassist sobers up, Drive Shaft. David’s mother – has to be Juliet! – will be there, too. Care to lay odds that Detective Ford2 will track is now escaped prisoners to the concert – not just ‘cause he’s crafty, but because Desmond2 wanted him to? That he’ll meet Juliet2 there, and, while flirting with him, she’ll suggest they go Dutch for coffee?

I also loved how fully into it Hugo2 is. He has downloaded his other life as fully as anyone, perhaps even more so than Desmond2. I get the sense that there’s something about Hugo Reyes – any Hugo Reyes – that just lets him perceive that which is already there, but invisible to more skeptical people. But I can’t help but wonder one thing about the two Hurley’s sharing one mind: if Sideways world takes place in 2004, and the “enlightened” characters have downloaded island world events that took place in what would have been their futures, just how far does their knowledge extend? On the island, Hurley didn’t meet Ana Lucia until about 50+ days in. It seems unlikely that much time has passed since 815 landed in Sideways L.A., so the memories are not simply a perception of the other universe. Do those memories go all the way to 2007/2008 (whenever exactly they’re supposed to be on the island now?) Does Hugo2 already know what will happen in the finale? Does he know that Jack became the new Jacob? Or is there a finite cutoff to the knowledge he and Desmond2 have?

While we’re theorizing and pondering, I’ll direct the narrative here to an email chain forwarded to me by Windy McCracken in which she and her fellow LLL reader, Amy Basile, traded theories in an emailed version of water-cooler talk. Just as Season 6 keeps teasing back to earlier seasons of Lost on the show, reading this exchange brought me back to this site’s origins. Back in Season 2, when my wife’s then-client David Basler emailed her that Walt’s face appeared on the milk carton in Hurley’s dream sequence in “Everybody Hates Hugo,” I started googling Lost easter eggs and hidden clues. That led me to start up email chains much like Windy’s and Amy’s in the days after each new episode. Ultimately, when my mom mistakenly referred to this activity of group emailing as “blogging,” it occurred to me that a blog was a more efficient way to download my thoughts to other Lost fans. So, before Season 3, “Lost Lover at Law” was born.

Now…back to Amy and Windy. Here’s Amy’s theory on where the finale will take us: “Desmond goes down the light tunnel somehow (maybe Flocke sends him), but since he is resistant to electromagnetism, he comes out in a cloud of white smoke and sounds ike a laser printer (versus the dot matrix printer sound of Smokey). Black and white smoke fight, white wins, Flocke is dead. Jack is now free of his obligation to protect the light, since there is no threat; however, Desmond kills them all to preserve the sideways universe. Since Desmond is now Abraham and has shown the sacrifice of his son, some god-like being played by Christopher Lee gives him redemption by sending him back to sideways universe and sinks the island. Sideways universe prevails, Penny is pregnant with a son. Booya.” Amy, there’s a lot to like about this. The two bones of contention I have are: 1) The Christopher Lee thingy. Damon and Carlton have oft mocked the Architect scene from the Matrix films. Your version here sounds a bit too close to that. Then there’s 2)an ending that, like the Ang Lee version of Hulk, suddenly drops the humanity from the primary conflict and gets into energy beings duking it out. The Damon/ Carlton Times Talk pretty much shot that notion down, too. They pointed to the line from Flocke about being human because he likes to remember the feel of the ground under his feet. They find the best drama to be in human conflict, and the best answers to change “whats” into “whos.” For example, they turned “what’s in the hatch” to “who’s in the hatch – Desmond!” They turned “what’s the monster” into “Who is the monster – Man in Black!” But I like the way you think, and I think Desmond ending up in that light cavern makes a lot of sense.

As for Windy, her take went something like this: my actual theory is... Sideways world is what happens(ed) when Smokey destroys(ed) the island/sinks it after killing Jack. Clearly this involves the light and electromagnetism in some way because Desmond is the failsafe for that sideways world, thus somehow escapes, and brings everybody together and they somehow band together (i.e. no longer be lost by being alone, letting go of whatever made them lost and finding redemption in a community) and defeat smokey in the sideways world and there is no guardian needed for the island. The light or whatever it was they are protecting somehow gets split up between them and everybody ends up happier (particularly Hurley, who, if they kill, I will personally lead some slaughter in retribution). Not everybody will live, but I have no idea who will ultimately die.

Juliet and Sawyer will end up together somehow or I simply will wash my hands of the entire series :) For those of you just joining us, this last part is funny because the series will be over. Ha! Just kidding. Clever there, McCracken. The notion that the final battleground will actually be the sideways world is a nifty conceit. Jeff Jensen had a bit of a similar thought this week: “What if once upon a time, The Source did reside within all of humanity? What if we stopped believing in The Source, or we convinced ourselves that The Source stopped believing in us, so much so that now The Source exists as an anomaly that's hidden away from us — as something lost that must be found. The Truth Is Out There — but once, The Truth Was In Here.”

Times Talk

As I mentioned before, my friend, Grant, and I went to the Century City, L.A. showing of the Times Talk with Damon and Carlton this week. Billed as the producers’ last public appearance or discussion of Lost, at least for a very long time, it offered a great peak into the creative process underlying the show. They reiterated again that the last scene on Sunday night will be exactly what they’ve planned for years, and that the major beats were developed back in the first season. However, there have been moments of improvisation along the way, so there is no place where there’s a secret binder of the story that both explains each little hint and served as a Bible for where the series would go.

Damon and Carlton were very mindful of not spoiling the finale just days before it airs. But they did give some hints and clarifications. Read no further if you want to go in completely blind. This is your warning, and if you read no more, I’ll see you (at some point) after the finale.

Still with me? Cool. One thing Damon mentioned was that the prevalence of mirror shots in the sideways world is meant to convey that feeling one sometimes gets when looking at the mirror and wondering if we know the person looking back. This is that much deeper for the sideways characters, because they do have another life that is just escaping their recall.

Eventually, Michael Emerson and Jorge Garcia joined them on stage, and teased the notion that they will have some very meaningful time together on screen in the finale.

There was a suggestion that the first ever conversation between Jack and Desmond – when they met in the stadium three years before Oceanic 815 – will take on additional poignance after the finale.

We were told there will be a significant Star Wars reference in the first few minutes, and that Walt will somehow make an appearance (though they joked Malcolm David Kelley is now 39 years old and 6’5”).

Garcia explained that he has a podcast (which I will try to check out between now and Sunday) called “Geronimo Jack’s Beard” – a play on two “props” well known to Lost fans, the fake band Geronimo Jackson, and that awful beard that Oceanic 6 Jack grew during his addict days. All in all, it was a fun program, and we did get to see an extended clip that ran a little longer than one of the sneaks currently running on ABC.com. It wasn’t spoilery, but there’s no point in describing it before the finale, anyway.

A final word from Jeff Jensen

Not that the Doc is done, but he has a sign-off heading into the finale that I echo: “I'm ready. I'm ready for the final chapter, ready to see how it sums up the season and brings the series to a close. I'm ready to watch meaning (which, to be clear, is different than answers) flood into the Lost saga like a surge of Island Enlightenment.” I, too, am ready. And that’s why the finale recap will take a while. For the first time since Season 3, I plan to watch an episode of Lost without a laptop or notepad on my lap. I want a “pure” experience of seeing the finale – really seeing it – without any need to furiously jot everything down, ironically missing some of the more nuanced moments.

Like Jensen, I am ready for meaning, and have, like John Locke2, “let go” of the need for answers. That said, the one answer I really, really hope we get – though I suspect we will not – is what the heck was up with the infertility thing? It seems so long ago, but it was such a major plot point, and there’s been no hint, no clarification, no meaning.

But whatever happens Sunday night, I’m looking forward to an emotional ride, a satisfying ride, and, most of all, some damn fine television. So I leave you with this fun clip that Grant pointed me towards. This is really NSFW, and you should not watch it anywhere near a child who understands speech. It’s apropos of nothing, but it’s kind of funny.

Sizzle Alert: LOST with Sarah Silverman! from Sarah Silverman

Hope you enjoyed that, as well as this post, and that Sunday is a great unifying moment for we the Lostophiles. Until after then, Namaste, y’all.

Additional reflections heading into the final week

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Sun, 16 May 2010 15:04:00 +0000

(If you came to this page looking for my recap of "Across the Sea," have no fear - it's the next post down. And you should read that before you read this.)

This post is about a couple of further thoughts heading into the final week of Lost. Required reading (or at least recommended) is the last ever Lost podcast, which you can get to by clicking on the title of this post.

But, I guess, you really do come to me because most of you don't want to listen to podcasts, so two highlights from Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse.

1) As Carlton said this week, "['Across the Sea'] is what answers [on Lost] look like." The story is, and always has been about the main characters. Sure, there is this whole cosmology about the island and its properties, but what matters is what brought the characters to where they are in the story. And that story began with this one woman's really awful parenting of Jacob and his brother, a series of lessons and decisions that culminated in 815 crashing on the island.

But there will be no deeper answers on what predated this chapter, because to do so would be to fall into the "midichlorian"/TMI problem that the Star Wars prequels had.

2) But, for what it's worth, there was one line in the episode that was very important - when the man in black told mother that the donkey wheel system would harness the light and water. If the light is the heart of the island, then the water is its circulatory system (the blood, so to speak). This "blood of the island" was what healed people in the Temple, and what became corrupted (and in turn corrupted Sayid) when Jacob died. We should keep an eye on this, since it may well factor heavily into the finale.

That was it. Nothing major. Just a couple of points that merited an extra post before "Why They Died." See you after Tuesday! Namaste!

Episode 615 - Jacob's Origin Lies "Across the Sea."

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Wed, 12 May 2010 05:13:00 +0000

"Every question I answer will only lead to more questions."

- Unnamed Woman (Alison Janney), "Across the Sea"

...and with that quote, the character who we actually first saw (sorta) waaaay back in the 6th episode of the first season, but who still has no name, summed up exactly what it is to view Lost.

(What's this, you wonder? Dan doesn't usually start recaps with pullout quotes...but then again, I don't usually recap episodes like "Across the Sea," because there's never been truly like it in 6 seasons of Lost. As such, a different structure this week. I'll recap the story in very broad strokes (because, once the speechifying is taken out, that's how it happened), and then dive into my crackerjack analysis).

So, here's what happened.

(1) A Roman (we're guessing, based on the Latin and the dress) woman named Claudia landed on our familiar island via shipwreck, very, very pregnant. She was found and taken in by a nameless woman who shortly thereafter delivered her son - Jacob - before delivering her other son - for whom she hadn't thought of a name, because Romans didn't have ultrasounds. She wrapped calm Jacob and cranky other kid in white and black, respectively, then shielded them from Claudia's view. Woman (who I will call C.J., Ms. Janney's last big character's name, keenly aware of the irony that the "C" stands for "Claudia") then bludgeoned Claudia to death.

(2) C.J., who spends an inordinate amount of time weaving, raised the boys (and, indeed, boy in black never did get a name onscreen, though presumably he didn't go through life known as "Jacob's brother" or "BIB") with all sorts of interesting notions. Chief among them? There is no world "across the sea," i.e. the island is everything. People, if you ever meet them, are dangerous. They lie, kill, destroy and corrupt, so it's best to stay away from them. Jacob and his brother are special, and C.J. has made it so they can't hurt each other, even if other people do hurt each other. Adolescent Jacob, incidentally, looks just like the boy who has been haunting Flocke throughout the season, reminding him of rules, like his inability to kill Sawyer.

(3) Boy in Black finds a game, the ancient Egyptian game, Senet, in which the pieces are black and white stones. C.J., upon learning that her sneaky son has this game, seems to lie and tell him she left it for him, because he’s special (her word for “dishonest trickster”). She tries to pretend it didn’t come from anywhere else, because there is nowhere else. She claims she had a mother on the island, but that mother died, but death is something BIB “will never have to worry about.” Over the years, BIB and Jacob would play the game often, each always playing with his corresponding color. BIB would chastise Jacob for moves that were “against the rules,” but would assure his brother that one day, Jacob could make up a game, and come up with his own rules that people needed to follow.

(4) It turns out Claudia was not the sole survivor of her ship, and the others formed a community, with an Etruscan-era version of the DHARMA barracks qua thatched huts. The boys see some of the men from the village hunting one day, which prompts C.J. to improvise that she always knew there others on the island, but she kept the boys from knowing about this to keep them safe from all that lyin' and destroyin' and fightin' and what have you. She then showed the boys a cavern, with a stream running into it, from which a brilliant glowing golden light poured out. She explained to the boys that this light is “the warmest, brightest light you’ve ever seen or felt,” and they must make sure nobody ever finds it. It’s beautiful, you see, and “that’s why they want it, because a little bit of the light is inside of every man. They will try to take it, and if they try, the light goes out. If the light goes out here, it goes out everywhere. She has protected it, but she can’t forever. Her replacement will have to be one of them.”

(5) BIB, like Hurley does centuries later, can see the dead. Jacob, however, cannot. BIB has a run-in with Claudia (much like Ben did with the dead mother he never knew). Claudia shows him the village, and tells him that she is his real mother, whereas C.J. was just the woman who killed her. Claudia tells BIB about ships – a way for people to get from one place to another – and about how, contrary to what C.J. told him, there are many things across the sea.

(6) BIB tries to convince Jacob to run away with him, to join the people and find a way back to where they truly came from. Angry and confused, Jacob starts pummeling his brother, bloodying his nose until C.J. comes and separates them. BIB accuses her of lying, and when she insists he’ll never be able to leave the island, he swears that one day he will be able to prove her wrong. With that, BIB leaves, and C.J. is left with her second choice, Jacob, the boy who cannot tell a lie, as her new heir apparent. She asks if he will stay with her, in light of her deception (which was intended to ensure he stays “good”), and he responds that he will, “for a while.”

(7) After Jacob has grown into the man we recognize (at least physically, right down to the weaving skill), he spies from time to time on his brother, who has grown into the Man In Black we’ve come to recognize. He watches MIB work with “his” people (or so they have become after 30 years). But the brothers often secretly meet, and play their Senet game. MIB, for all the time he has spent living with the villagers, agrees with C.J. – they are greedy, manipulative, untrustworthy and selfish, but, to him, they’re also a “means to an end.” MIB tells Jacob they’ve discovered a way to leave the island, and, flinging the knife that Sayid failed to kill Smokey with towards one of the (newly constructed) wells, demonstrates...magnetism!

The smart men among the villagers dig wells every place they find on the island where metal acts strangely, and this will enable their escape. MIB begs Jacob to come, because what will Jacob do when their “mother” dies, but Jacob insists she never will.

(8) Having secured the whole story from Jacob, C.J. at last goes to see her other “son” in the bottom of one of the wells. He tells her spent 30 years looking in vain for the glowing cave and waterfall she’d shown him, but then realized he might be able to find the light from another directions. Indicating his unhooked donkey wheel, he points her to a wall – one which predates his people’s time on the island. Prying away a stone, he shows her the gold light pouring through, and says their plan is to hook the wheel up to a system they’re building amongst the wells, which will channel the light and water, and let them leave. Thinking he’s convinced her of his need to leave, he is caught completely off-guard by her grabbing him and ramming his head into the wall, knocking him out.

(9) C.J. knows the time has come, so she leads Jacob back to the cavern of light, which is now his to protect. She pours him wine – wine from the green bottle Jacob would centuries later show Richard as a metaphor for the island’s purpose, and tells him what is in the cave is “life, death, rebirth. The source, the heart of the island,” which he must promise never to go down into, because that would be worse than dying. By drinking the wine she’s given him, he accepts responsibility to protect the place for as long as he can, until it’s time for someone else to. Reluctantly, he drinks, and she assures him, “now you and I are the same.”

(10) MIB awakens outside the well, which has completely collapsed. He sees a plume of black smoke, and discovers his entire village, and everyone in it, burned to the ground. He finds his Senet game in the fire and retrieves it.

(11) C.J. returns to her cave after sending Jacob to collect fire wood. When she gets there, she finds her weaving destroyed and the cave a shambles. She spots the Senet game...then jerks as MIB’s knife protrudes through her chest. She says the word, “nothing,” and when he asks why she wouldn’t let him leave, she says, “because I love you.” She thanks him, and then dies. Jacob returns and sees what his brother has done, and administers another beating. He then drags MIB back to the cavern, and MIB is shocked, “she brought you back here?” Jacob assures his brother he won’t kill him, then throws him down into the stream. MIB hits his head and floats down the waterfall, into the cavern. As MIB disappears from view, the light goes out, and is replaced by the smoke monster roaring out of the cave, past Jacob, and into the jungle, its crackling lightning trailing behind.

(12) Jacob finds his brother’s lifeless body on a pile of rocks and logs, then carries him back to the cave where their “mother” lies. Jacob takes one black and one white stone from the Senet game, puts them in a pouch, and places the pouch in his mother’s hand. He then lays C.J. and MIB side-by-side in the cave, and we flash back and forth to the scene from the Season 1 episode, “House of the Rising Sun,” in which Jack, Kate and Locke find the bodies and the white and black stones. Finally, Jacob says good-bye to his brother.

Discussion

What Lost is About – As I thought about this episode, and the other “mythological download” we got this season in “Ab Aeterno,” it occurred to me, I finally know what Lost is about. Yes, folks, it’s all summed up in that blowup quote I opened this post with. “Every question I answer will only lead to more questions.” Now, think back to “Ab Aeterno,” in which Jacob explained to Richard that he could not explain what people who come to the island must do, because they need to figure it out for themselves. Hold those thoughts...

And now...think back to Season 2. John Locke (and we the viewers) opened up and got into the hatch, and sure enough, everything we thought we knew about the show blew up on us. Locke found himself pushing that damn button; the island had given him a task, and, like clockwork, he was going to complete it. But then he went to the Pearl station, and saw the “Mark Wickmund” video in which the artist formerly known as Pierre Chang basically told knowing insiders in the Pearl station that those people pushing buttons in the Swan hatch were being duped into thinking their task mattered, when, in fact, they were just being played with for an experiment. Locke completely lost faith, but this same experience taught Mr. Eko that “pushing that button is even more important now than ever.”

Ok, Dan. What on Earth are you babbling about? Let me explain. Lost is, to me, about faith, and the search for meaning. But that search is compromised if there is a single “meaning” out there to actually find. In truth, what makes Lost such a special show is that every question answered really does lead to more questions. If the critique about TV or film is that, unlike the written word, it provides no room for imagination, then Lost is the answer. Because Lost does guide its viewers, not to the “actual” answers (of which there may be none), but to a place where they can try to answer the questions themselves. Lost makes water cooler talk, and, for that matter, blogging, into work, but, if approached correctly, a labor of love. As Jacob said to Richard, he (as a stand-in for Lindelof and Cuse) can’t just show us what Lost is about. He has to just sit back and hope those of us who are here to prove our people are worthy can do it ourselves.

So what’s this about the hatch and faith? I liken the first 5 seasons of Lost to the parable of the button. We got an ever-increasing mystery that seemed to flow and build on itself, but always offered the promise of answers just past our grasp. The flashforwards were like the Lockdown – they showed us that we could glimpse a sense that this was all going somewhere, but we were not yet ready to know where. The time travel in Season 5 was like Ben’s taunting Locke. On the one hand, it seemed so random, it made us wonder, for a moment, if this was all going somewhere. On the other, by taking us back to DHARMA time, and giving Jack an actual plan beyond just “go home,” it renewed our purpose.

Then along came Season 6, and right off the bat, we got these flash-sideways. These weird stories told of a parallel universe in which the island stories we’d watched for five years didn’t matter anymore. I know a lot of you started to feel like Locke did when he saw the Pearl video – like everything we’d poured so much time and energy into was a waste of time. But for those of us who, like Eko, saw this deviation as a test of faith that required us to stick it out, the flash-sideways, which seem ever so close to colliding with the island story are not what shakes our faith, but will ultimately be what affirms it.

So do not expect Lost to answer all of your questions (or mine). Indeed, Damon and Carlton admitted that one of the questions they planted last year to be answered this year – who was shooting at Sawyer and company’s outrigger during the time jumps – got tossed aside because it forced the story into an unnecessary quagmire. Rather, expect every answer to pose more questions. And with those questions, Lost will continue to live beyond its finale and inspire the imaginations of countless fans for years to come in the same way that Star Wars did a generation ago. As Doc Jensen put it this week, “It's the meaning of life in the raw. It is physical proof that life actually has meaning. To behold it is to take a metaphysical Rorschach text. I might see God and a call to worship. Someone else might see science and a call to investigate. Someone else might see a practical joke and start looking around for Ashton Kutcher. I suspect Lost would say that no single interpretation is correct; that those who insist on a single interpretation couldn't be more incorrect; that the history of human catastrophe on The Island is comprised of eras of dogmatic, abusive interpretation run amuck. I don't think Lost is saying to stop pursuing truth. Not at all. I think it's more concerned with how we conduct our search and how we can labor with our neighbor in their search. Because lord knows that the bloody, brutal fight over all this stuff remains more troubling and terrifying than ever.”

On Island motifs In an interview with Alan Sepinwall of hitflix.com this week, Damon and Carlton confirmed that a great deal of “Across the Sea” was meant to demonstrate that certain broad brushes of story repeat themselves countlessly throughout the ages on the island:

DL: What our intention was is that there is a repeating vicious cycle that seems to happen on this island, where people come to the island, they try to figure out what makes the island work, and the closer they came leads them to their own inevitable demise.

CC: Like Icarus

DL: The more curious you become about why the island has its properties, inevitably the protector of the island feels the need to engage in some form of mass genocide. It was more our attempt to say that history repeats itself, and this is an ongoing and continuing motif.

Ready for a great Lost-type flashback coincidence? Sepinwall, the interviewer in this piece, was in my local, Morristown New Jersey chapter of Young Judaea with me some 20 years ago. We have not spoken since. But here we are two decades later, both writing about the same topic, and quoting each other. Very, very flashback...

The Meaning of What We Saw Part 1 – “The Rules”

Alas, the “mother” character was another in a long line of unreliable narrators (Ben Linus, anyone?) who told us so much, but left us to question what we just learned. See, for example, this passage from Jeff Jensen:

“'I've made it so you can never hurt each other.' This little line holds a lot of significance. Besides explaining why the Man In Black had to use a proxy to slay Jacob, Mother's line said something about the power that an Island guardian wields — including the ability to make 'the rules.' ...Why can't the Man In Black leave The Island? Can he or can't he kill the candidates? Can or can't the candidates kill each other? What's the difference between the gift of agelessness that Jacob gave Richard and the protections (if any) he bestowed upon the castaways he touched?

“I know a lot of fans were hoping 'Across The Sea' would answer those questions, and it appears many of those fans are deeming the episode a disappointment because it didn't. I share their desire to know, but not their impatience or cynicism...Still, I think 'Across The Sea' offered a revelation about 'the rules' that's just as important if not more so than the rules themselves: they are entirely subjective. I think many fans have assumed that 'the rules' exist as external truths that regulate all life on The Island, mortal or immortal, human or god-like. And maybe some of them are. I think fans have assumed that The Island possesses an orderly if complex internal logic that can be puzzled out. And to some degree, maybe it does. But I think Lost was telling us something when they had Jacob and Boy In Black arguing over the proper way to play Senet. BIB said: 'One day, you can make up your own game and everyone else will have to follow your rules.'

“'The rules' are, for the most part, pure whimsy — an expression of the unique interests and will of The Island's guardian. They are arbitrary inventions of The Island's custodian. And I suspect he or she can reinvent them any time he or she wants. (I am reminded of the scene in season 4, when Keamy assassinated Alex and Ben said, 'He changed the rules.' I always thought Ben was referring to Charles Widmore. But after 'Across The Sea,' I'm thinking that Ben was talking about Jacob.”

The Meaning of What We Saw – Part 2

Upon first seeing the final sequences of this episode, I thought, as did Jensen, that what we learned about MIB and Smokey was that Smokey was born of MIB’s soul being untethered from his body in the glowing cavern, the very wrong MIB would spend centuries curing Jacob for.

But then, the next morning on Facebook, my friend Steven Rosenaus posted a comment about Smokey that prompted me to a different understanding, one I actually think makes more sense. To test this out, I put it in an email to Jeff Jensen, hoping to get an honorable mention in one of his last ever Doc Jensen columns this weekend. Time will tell. For now, here’s the theory (touched up ever so slightly for my own blog, and thanks again to Steven, for getting me started on this):

Smokey is not MIB's disembodied soul. Rather, Smokey was forever trapped in that wormhole cavern, under a rule (those pesky rules!) that said a certain type of murder was the only thing that could free him/her/it. Jacob fulfilled that condition when he threw his brother down the hole, killing him.

But there are other rules, and one such rule is that Smokey, to act in any meaningful way, has to take on a human shape, and he is limited in selection to dead bodies on hand (in much the same way Miles is limited in which dead souls he can contact, i.e., those whose bodies are present in his immediate area). So Smokey, finally free, took on the form of the nearest dead body - the nameless MIB. But there is a consequence to picking a form. Smokey takes on, at least subconsciously, some of the attributes of the person he mimics. Hence, as Christian, he had to lead Jack to water. As Locke, he bellowed, "don't tell me what I can't do!" And, as MIB, he eventually came to actually believe that he was once Jacob's brother. I think Jacob, in his loneliness, came to indulge that mistake, just for the companionship (and, in his own way, to be with his brother, since we learned this week that Jacob cannot see dead people). In reality, other than seeing dead people, Jacob's brother was a wholly unremarkable mortal, who died at his brother's hand shortly after murdering his fake mother. Finally, I think this is the meaning behind Desmond’s practically accusatory tone when he answered Flocke’s question of “do you know who I am” with “yes, you’re John Locke.”

So, yeah, I was hoping for more on the Rules, as Jensen said above. But a new understanding of how Jacob and Smokey really fit into island legend (at least in theory), and a new perspective on what Lost is really about, made this one worthwhile, even if a little slow in the execution. But next week, we return to our normal narrative, and pick up the pace for the final 3 1/2 hours, with “Why They Died.” Between that episode, and the finale (entitle “The End,”) I’m accompanying my buddy Grant to one of the videoconference sites where Damon and Carlton will conduct their last ever public address on Lost (at least the last one until they shoot some extras for the DVD/ Blu Ray release in August). So there will be lots and lots to talk about over the next week and a half. Until next time, Namaste.

Episode 614 - In part 2, "The Candidate" is Revealed - For Realsies

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Sat, 08 May 2010 05:20:00 +0000

Island - Everybody

(Note – this is part 2 of the recap from “The Candidate.” If you did not yet read part 1, click on the title of this post, and you’ll be taken to my discussion of the sideways story. Then click on the title of that post to come back here).

Jack awakens, lying in an outrigger. Sayid wecomes him to Hydra island. “At least you didn’t have to paddle,” he observes, his trademark deadpan preserved.

Widmore’s people reposition the pylons, and march our heroes to the polar bear cages. Sawyer gets a gun from the doughy scientist guy, but Charles Widmore emerges, and holds Kate at gunpoint. Sawyer attempts to call his bluff, but Widmore explains that Kate is not on his list of names, so he doesn’t care what happens to her. He assures them he’s doing this for their own good, which, of course, Sawyer does not buy. Widmore urges his men to hurry – the hour their preparations will take is too long, because he’s coming.

Aside #1 – Sawyer knows Widmore is telling the truth, because he’s been to the cave, and has seen the name “Austen” crossed out. Like Flocke, Widmore clearly seems to need all the candidates, but he also doesn’t seem to need anyone else.

Jack asks what happened. Sayid tells him FLocke saved him from the mortar attack, and those who weren’t killed in the attack scattered into the jungle (did you find yourself worried for Cindy, Zack and Emma?) FLocke tells Jack, “your friends got themselves captured, and we have to rescue them.” Flocke says they need to move quickly to get them out and leave the island together. Jack corrects that they’re not his people, and he doesn’t want to leave. Jack asks Flocke why he should trust him. Flocke considers this, and responds that he can kill Jack, and all of them, but instead of doing that, he wants to save them. “So will you help me?”

Aside #2 – Personally, I never particularly bought the whole notion that there was any real ambiguity in terms of whether or not Flocke/ Smokey was a bad guy. That said, from Jack’s perspective, Flocke’s statement probably seems pretty reasonable. On the other hand, Jack has, like Locke before him, chosen to listen to “the island,” or, in his own case, to Jacob. So he ain’t buying.

Back in the bear cage, Sawyer asks Kate if it feels like they were running in circles. Sawyer tells her that her name was crossed out in the cave, to assure her Widmore doesn’t need her. Jin asks Sun about Ji-Yeon, and gushes over having seen her pictures. Sun gives him back his ring. For the time being, all is, at last, right for these two. The power goes down, and Frank in particular seems worried. The Smokey sounds go off. Hurley mutters, “and…we’re dead.” Smokey shows and surrounds the area, drawing the gunmen’s fire. He kills one of them against the cage (the doughy guy), leaving the key just out of Kate’s reach. Jack shows up and gets the key and gets them out. Kate asks what he’s doing there. “I’m with him,” he indicates towards the smoke.

The sprung prisoners make their way through the jungle, towards the Ajira plane. Jack tells Kate he’s not getting on the plane, because he’s not meant to go. Sawyer thanks Jack for coming back with them. Sayid emerges, and Jack says it’s ok, as Sayid was the one who turned off the generator.

Gunmen shoot at Flocke as he approaches the Ajira plane, but he snaps one’s neck and shoots the other. He rather deliberately takes the watch from the second corpse. Flocke boards, and finds an odd wire running along the bulkhead. He removes something it’s attached to. Frank and his crew emerge, and Frank says, “let’s see what it will take to get this baby to fly.” Sawyer sees the dead men, “Son of a bitch.” Flocke takes credit for the deaths. “ If it’s any consolation,” he offers to an incredulous Jack, “Charles wanted me to kill them.” He says it was Widmore’s plan to kill them all together on the plane with the C4 he found wired throughout the plane. Flocke says they can’t trust the plane, so they need to take the sub, instead. Sawyer plays along. Hurley tries to talk him out of it, because Alpert said, but Sawyer cuts him off: “screw Alpert.” Looking at Flocke, he acknowledges, “that’s twice you saved us.”

Aside #3 – if Sawyer has indeed taken up Jack’s formal mantle as the token empiricist, he should be sold by now on the notion that Flocke is really trying to help them even if Jack, in his Locke 2.0 mode, is not.

Jack says he’ll help, but he’s not coming with. Claire apologizes to Flocke, but he says he understands. Sawyer asks Jack for another favor – he wants him to make sure Flocke doesn’t get on the sub. “Just get him in the water,” Sawyer asks, “and I’ll take care of the rest.”

Aside #4 – what Sawyer does so much better than Jack did as either man of science or man of faith is realistically gauge a situation, and not just cling to one orthodoxy or another. As such, while singing Flocke’s praises, Sawyer instead is (trying to) work(ing) a long con. But recall back in Season 3, when Ben said, “the only way to get a con man’s respect is to con him. You’re good, Sawyer. We’re better.” And who is the best? Howsabout Flocke?

For that matter, I’m really doubting that the confession last week that he was Christian was entirely true. First of all, we saw Christian in the cabin – when the ash still kept Smokey in – with another person, an angry presence that was decidedly not Jacob-like. Then there was Christian’s appearance to Jack in the hospital (albeit while Jack was addicted to pain pills). Also, Christian appeared to Michael on the freighter, at least 12 miles off the coast of the island, and we’ve been led to believe that Smokey can’t cross that length of water unaided. So it would seem that not all of the Christian manifestations could have been Smokey. Or could they?

The group crouches in view of the sub. “Just cause there ain’t any goons at the sub,” Saywer cautions, “don’t mean there aren’t any on the sub.” Sawyer asks Jack if he and Flocke can get their backs, and Jack knowingly says, “absolutely.” The first wave make for the sub. Sawyer opens the hatch and goes down, followed by Frank. They succeed in taking a watchman, and then the captain. Sawyer has Frank get ready to fire it up. Wave two gets up to go. Flocke hands Jack his pack. They bring up the rear. Flocke asks him to reconsider his decision to stay. “Whoever told you to stay had no idea what they were talking about.” Jack says, “John Locke told me to stay,” and pushes Flocke in the water. Kate gets shot in the shoulder. As the firefight continues, Claire takes out some men. Flocke emerges from the water, and pulls his gun out. He approaches Widmore’s men and starts shooting.

Aside #5 – and part of Flocke’s con of Sawyer was to create the mistaken impression that he is vulnerable to water. Having been pushed in, however, all he got was wet, and pissed.

Jack brings Kate in and demands a first aid kit from Hurley (who can’t find one) (mini-aside: there is one clearly visible on the bridge where Frank has taken the captain hostage). Sawyer goes for Claire. Flocke comes to join them, and Sawyer shuts Claire behind to lock Flocke out, too. Sawyer orders Frank to dive. Flocke stops Claire from running after them. Claire screams, “they’re leaving us,” and Flocke says, “no trust me, you don’t want to be on that sub.” Kate asks where Claire is. Jack assures her it will be ok. He goes through his pack to find something to use for pressure on Kate’s wound…and finds that Flocke left one of the C4 packs, wired to the watch he had taken from the corpse. “We did exactly what he wanted,” Jack laments. And just like that, all the candidates realize they have placed themselves in a death trap, under the water.

With 3:43 to go on the timer, Jack says they need to surface now. Jin calls to Frank to take them up. Jack assures them nothing is going to happen, because FLocke can’t kill them. He says FLocke wanted this – he can’t leave the island unless they all die. He wants them to kill each other. Jack tells James to trust him. In the wake of Jughead, bad move! Sawyer says, sorry Doc, I don’t, and pulls the wire. The timer goes rapidly. Sayid tells Jack about Desmond, sitting in the well, and that he’s going to need him (more on this in a moment). Sayid takes the bomb and runs aft, to get away from the rest of them, and blows up! A hatch door knocks out Frank. Sun is pinned under some equipment. Jack moves Kate, and gives her to Hurley, with an emergency tank. As the sub sinks, Hurley and Kate make their way out of the room. The others try to pull Sun free…only there is more debris than they thought. Sawyer gets knocked out by another beam. Jin tries to pry Sun free. She tells him to save himself. Jack swims with Sawyer. Jin says he can get her free, and insists Jack save Sawyer. Jack tries to give Jin the last breather, and says he can get out without it, but Jin says no, he can’t. Jack takes the tank, and Saywer, and leaves. Jack ducks with Sawyer, and pulls him out of the sub, to the surface. Jin still can’t get Sun free. She insist that he go. He says he won’t leave her, and tries to pry her free. She begs him to go. He says again, in Korean, “I won’t leave you. I won’t leave you ever again.” He tells her he loves her. They kiss as water fills the chamber, and the sub goes down. Eventually, their grip comes apart, and they are gone.

Aside #6 – I credit Jeremy Turk with this observation about Jack’s logic: “If Sayid didn't run away with the bomb, would it have exploded? When Jack and Richard were in the Black Rock, Richard had Jack light the fuse because Richard could not kill himself. Jack assumed the same logic applied to him and stayed put, and poof, the dynamite failed to explode. By the same logic, even though (or because) Sawyer pulled the wires on the FLocke bomb, if Sayid didn't run away with the bomb, there's almost no way (under island rules) the bomb should have exploded, because Sawyer would have caused his own death. I guess it's not a flaw, because in the end Sawyer ‘killed’ Sayid and the Kwons -- arguably Sayid did not kill himself, because Sawyer set the bomb off, and for the same reason, Jin didn't kill himself, even though he could have tried to escape without Sun -- but it is an interesting intellectual exercise in island logic.”

And now, a lengthy excerpt from Doc Jensen, about this bloodiest, most tragic sequence in Lost to date, followed by my reactions: (BTW: What did you make of Sayid's final instructions to Jack? Sayid told him that Desmond was alive and well in the well. He told him that Fake Locke wanted him dead — which by Sayid's reasoning must mean that Desmond poses some kind of threat to him. Jack asked: ''Why are you telling me this?'' Sayid: ''Because it's going to be you, Jack.'' Most likely, this was Sayid's way of saying: ''You have to do the work of saving him, because I'm about to get blown up.'' But is it possible that Sayid was actually revealing to us something that he probably learned from Desmond — that Jack is 'The Candidate,' Jacob's final choice for Island protector?)

RIP Jin and Sun. I took a break after writing that last paragraph to wipe away some tears and read some other reviews of the episode. It seems everyone is agreed that the married entity that was Sun/Jin was a moving, compelling presence on the show. Their love for each other and commitment to each other was inspiring. Yet there are those who will also say that Lost didn't quite do justice to Jin and Sun as individual characters, especially over the past two seasons, when their storylines were all about their respective quests across space and time to be reunited. I do think Jin and Sun's individual redemption arcs were all but resolved in the season 4 episode ''Ji Yeon,'' and I do think Sun's telescoped and underdeveloped Lady Vengeance storyline in season 5 ranks as one of Lost's biggest blown opportunities.

But screw the haters! I think with time and perspective, the Jin/Sun storyline will grow in power and significance. Yes, their long separation felt like a story contrivance, and it probably was — but I think the more that we think through the Man In Black's master plan (and I suspect the majority of post-Lost theorizing will and should be devoted to puzzling out and re-reading the entire saga through the Monster's conspiracy), the more the Sun/Jin separation will make sense to us as a necessary part of his strategy. Oh, and by the way? What the hell is so wrong with only focusing on Jin and Sun as a marital unit? Let me tell you what's wrong with that: Nothing. I think it's awesome that Lost chose to tell us a story about two people who took their marriage seriously, who worked through their problems when their union was in crisis, who forgave each other for their sins and redeemed their transgressions by using them as opportunities to build a stronger relationship (Jin's admission in ''Ji Yeon'' that he was basically responsible for Sun's infidelity was a powerful expression of grace and reflection), who saw themselves as better and greater when they were together than apart. I am grateful that Lost told that story. Lost is better for telling that story than not telling any other Jin and Sun story. I am not saying it was perfect. I'm saying I appreciate it for what it was, not what it wasn't.

Finally, let's talk about the Ji Yeon thing, because apparently this is an issue. I'm seeing Tweets and reading comments that basically say that Jin was a selfish jerk for choosing to die with his wife than give his kid a father. That's horrible! You mean to tell me that you think Jin would be a better man if he lived the rest of his life wracked with guilt over letting his wife die alone? Let me rephrase: How do you think Ji Yeon will feel when she gets old enough to realize that her father chose her over her mother? I suppose she might say, ''Wow! Thanks, Daddy! I feel special! I feel loved!'' But if she was any kind of thoughtful, sensitive, normal person, I suspect she'd follow that up with: ''Wow. Now I kinda feel like crap. My dad chose me over his true love. He's never gotten over it. Does he secretly hate me? Does he blame me for his misery? Probably not, because my dad is kick-ass cool! He knows martial arts and catches fish! But has he never been able to love me fully because every time he looks at me he sees a choice he regrets? That's very possible, if not extremely likely. Now I have to live the rest of my life burdened with this guilt. Thanks, Dad. And thanks, Dead Mom. Thanks a lot!'' I could be wrong. But I also think my defense of Jin is just plausible as any criticism of Jin. I like to think that if Ji Yeon should ever learn about what happened to her mother and father, and if she were to ever learn of the choice her father made, she would be grateful, and more, she would be inspired. It's a wonderful story, a story that says something about the way life should be lived, a story she can pass on to her children, and they to their children, and so on. Jin didn't hurt his daughter with his choice — he gave her a gift. If you disagree with me, you're just wrong.

Well, Doc, in this case, I do disagree. I know you’re a parent, as am I. And while an ex post rationalization may be able to lessen the sting of young Ji Yeon’s being orphaned (and left to be raised by that rat Mr. Paik!), I cannot forgive Sun for her failure to plead to her husband to leave, not for his own sake, but for their daughter’s. And I can barely forgive Jin for not doing so on his own, even though he had never met his daughter. He had just seen her picture for the first time, and just bonded with Sun about what she was like. Sun’s death was a foregone conclusion, as tragic as that was. To consign his daughter to live on parentless just for one final romantic gesture was horrifically selfish. After all, this girl was named with the name he had chosen. She was his legacy. And chances are, she would never know of his parent’s sacrifice if neither of them made it back to her. Finally, there was no time, in the heat of the moment, to make the rational decision Jensen seems to think justified the call. As such, I feel the whole Jin/Sun plotline was partially despoiled by this glaring omission. That said, what Jensen said about their story arcs, and the beauty of their love for each other, was spot on, and while it’s odd the say the show will miss them when there’s only 3 episodes left (one of which won’t have any of the main cast), I had hoped they would have their happily ever after…

…which is where that last sideways scene kicks in. Recall from the first half of my recap that, in the very next scene after Jin and Sun died on the island, we saw Jin2 en route to bring Sun2 flowers at the hospital, a reminder that, (to borrow from another powerful famous tragic drowning), their hearts will go on…unless you believe too strongly in course correction, and remember that sideways world is more than 3 years before island world in linear time.

And then there’s Sayid, who had his Anakin moment, as Jensen notes, and, much like the once and former Darth Vader, reclaimed his soul in self-sacrifice. I find the whole thing odd, i.e. why did Flocke resurrect him just to kill him again? The reason to try to kill all the candidates together was so that none of them would survive to know their enemy. But Sayid was basically dead before hand, when the Roger Linus-inflicted bullet wound took him out at the temple. I don’t see what Flocke gained by keeping him around…unless he truly did believe Desmond was dead, and that the rules no more allowed him to kill Desmond than it did, for example, Jack.

As for what Sayid said to Jack, I didn’t even think there was any ambiguity. I think Sayid just told Jack that he was the candidate, when all is said and done. Will Jack actually listen? Who can say? But between his trusted lieutenant status with Flocke, the mystical way he was brought back to life, and the off-camera interaction he may have had with an increasingly omniscient Desmond, I’m pretty sure Sayid did know that Jack was our guy. And, come on, hasn’t he always been the hero of the show, even when his heroism came up short? That’s right. As I said in the intro to the first part of this recap, the title “The Candidate,” was a double foiler, designed to make us think it tricked us with the whole Locke2 being a candidate for surgery, when in fact it revealed the answer in overt dialog that happened so quickly, and just before three incredibly jolting deaths of beloved characters, that it was sure to be missed.

Now…what about Frank Lapidus? I see no reason to raise Frank to the status of a series regular, only to have his death merely implied. I’m betting Frank will show up again, and I don’t just mean in sideways world.

Finally, going way back to Jeremy Turk’s logic. I think, in the end, the island may only prevent suicide, and not actions that could result in a person’s death. Also, there’s the whole notion that, once the island is done with you, you’re fair game. Perhaps the island was done with Sayid, once he completed his redemptive journey, and done with Jin and Sun. The sure sign that it isn’t done with Jack, Kate, Hurley and Sawyer is that they survived yet another impossible ordeal.

Jack pulls Sawyer out of the water. Sawyer coughs, and Hurley leads Kate over to them. She cries – twice – that she couldn’t find Jack (the first real sign that the “final answer” to that question is…Jaters win). Kate asks about Jin and Sun, but Jack shakes his head. Hurley cries, hard. Jack walks to the water, and looks out, then up. He cries and shakes his head.

Aside #7 – if you didn’t get at least a bit choked up when Hurley cried…well, then perhaps you have been “claimed” by “the sickness,” and you would be better off dead. Just sayin’.

On the dock, Flocke says, “it sunk.” Claire asks, “what the sub? They were all on it.” (And it was a bit refreshing to see her genuinely concerned) “What, they’re all dead,” she pleads. And Flocke says, “not all of them,” as he sheaths his knife and starts to leave She asks where he’s going, and he responds, “to finish what I started” and storms off.

Aside #8 – And so ends the island world story of at least three beloved characters, and possibly Frank. Next week, according to Michael Emerson, we’ll see an episode the likes of which has never been done on TV. Here, with only three episodes to go, we will get an installment that virtually entirely ignores the main cast of the series, focusing, it would seem, on the backstory behind Jacob and Smokey. Keep an eye out for Allison Janney, formerly of the West Wing, who is rumored to be playing the mother of at least one, if not more, major Lost figures. I, for one, am incredibly excited for “Beyond the Sea,” even if makes me think of the end credits of Finding Nemo. So, until then, Namaste!

Episode 614 - The first of two "Candidate"[s]

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Wed, 05 May 2010 05:02:00 +0000

Foreword

(Note - what you are about to read is just my recap of the Sideways Story from "The Candidate." Check back later this week for the recap of the Island story).

Sometimes, an episode title on Lost is a spoiler. After all, we never see them in the episodes themselves, so you have to go out of your way (or read the entry on your DVR) to find them. Sometimes, it’s a foiler (i.e. a seeming spoiler, which actually misdirects the audience). The title of Season 6’s 14^th hour – “The Candidate” – is perhaps a double foiler. Whaaaaat? you ask, incredulously. Here’s what I mean. On first blush, those of us who knew we were seeing “The Candidate” this week assumed the mystery of Jacob’s replacement would be solved. But what did we get instead? A clear narrowing of the playing field, as well as a sideways story in which Jack2 told Locke2 that he was a “candidate” for experimental spinal surgery. (This, of course, makes Locke2 the titular referent in two episodes this season – “The Substitute,” and “The Candidate”). But, in a line that went by in a cough-and-you-miss-it kind of way, I believe that this episode indeed did reveal who Jacob’s replacement is, or at least who it will be. But we’ll get to that when we get to it….(i.e. when I post the rest of the recap). So, on with it.

Smokey’s endgame revealed! Jack2 gets smacked around by island world hints and still stays clueless!! The deaths of more main characters in one episode than we’ve ever seen before!!! All this, plus Smokey wiping out some ill-equipped armed physicists, all in, “The Candidate”

Sideways World – Jack2 (with a Healthy Dose of Alterna-Locke)

Locke2 wakes up in the hospital to the voice of Jack2, saying, “Welcome back.” Locke2 gazes at the doctor, then says, “I know you.” Jack2 explains they were on the same flight, and Locke2 blinks it off.

Aside #1 – (What, already?) even as island Jack, finally, in the final hours of the show, is at last becoming the kind of hero you can root for, his sideways self remains an enlightenment killer. More than any other character, he has been presented with little hints of his other life, yet Jack2 just keeps missing the point. I truly believe that Locke2 – a much more level-headed, grounded version of John Locke – was starting to remember, not the airport, but the island world, when he said, “I know you.” But whereas island Jack and Locke would have sparred over the meaning of this recognition (Jack – “It’s just a coincidence”; Locke – “Why don’t you believe that déjà vu proves we are the center of everything?”), Locke2 just accepts Jack2’s more mundane explanation and shrugs it off.

Jack2 tells him about the car crash, and his ruptured dural sac. He says saw Locke2’s initial injury while operating, and asks about what caused it. He’s a candidate for a new procedure – he may even walk again. “I think I can fix you,” Jack2 says, echoing his island counterpart’s obsessive mantra. “No thank you,” Locke2 dismisses. Jack tries to convince Locke2, to no avail, and then Helen2 comes in. She kisses Jack2 and thanks him for saving John2.

Jack2 finds a dentist carving a dental mold…it’s Bernard2. He introduces himself, and asks for Locke2’s patient files, to figure out why he was so hurt (Bernard2 had done the emergency dental fix after Locke2’s initial accident). Bernard2 tells him he remembers him from flight 815, and suggests he may be on to something here, what with all the connections he keeps stumbling upon. Bernard2 recalls another man in the same accident – Anthony Cooper. Bernard2 wishes him luck, and hopes he finds what he’s looking for.

Aside #3 – I get the feeling that Bernard2 is fully island-flashed at this point, but part of the understanding he has gotten, much as seems to be the case with Desmond, is that each 815er needs to find the truth on his or her own. The thought now occurs to me that, if Bernard2 is thus enlightened, perhaps Rose2 is, as well. Maybe it was no coincidence that she sent Locke2 to that particular school as a substitute teacher. Maybe she knew Desmond would come to find him there, and this was all part of the path to setting Locke2 about his destiny…

As Jack2 tries to get access to Cooper2 at some sort of hospital, Helen2 comes in, surprised to see him. She tells Jack2 to “just go.” Jack2 pleads that he can’t understand why Locke2 doesn’t want the surgery. “You saved John’s life, why can’t that be enough,” she asks. Jack2, still stuck in his must-fix-everything obsession, responds only, “because it’s not.” So she leads him in to the visiting room, where Cooper sits in a wheelchair, catatonic. She wipes his drool off, and introduces him as John2’s father.

Aside #4 – I wonder if, in the remaining 4 ½ hours of Lost, James2 will continue his search for Cooper2. On the island, there was an easy to understand satisfaction in killing the bastard who practically taunted him to do so after having been his bogeyman for so long. But how would he react to seeing this pathetic creature? To the extent the sideways world corrects something in each person’s life, perhaps James2 was set up to give up on revenge. After all, even if he found the answer to his private Sawyer mystery, there could be no satisfaction in killing this man.

Jack2 stands over Locke2’s bed. Locke2 says, “push the button. I wish you had believed me” (the latter of which harkens back to the message in his “suicide” note to Jack). Out in the hall, Jack2 sees Claire2, who was looking for him. She asks him if they can talk. He gets an Apollo bar from the machine, but this one needs no help in falling. He apologizes for running out of Ilana2’s office. Claire2 says her father especially wanted her to have a box. He doesn’t know why, but then he didn’t know about her, either. She asks how their father died. Jack2 says he was found in an alley outside a bar in Sydney, where he drank himself to death. She says she just flew in from Sydney, and he makes the 815 connection. He shakes his head, then asks to look at the box. It opens and plays “Catch a Falling Star,” the oft-repeated anthem from their island stories. They look at each other in the mirror, but he says he wishes she knew why their father wanted her to have it. He asks where she’s staying, and then offers to have her stay with him. She says they’re strangers, and he says, “no we’re family.”

Aside #5 – Aaaaargh! One of you two, flash already!!! Claire2, listen. Just listen. That’s the same music your island self remembered your father singing to you as a child, the same song you wished your baby’s adoptive parents would sing to Aaron, and the same song creepy island Ethan had a mobile play over the would-be nursery crib. And Jack2, for the love of Jacob, how many people of relevance to your life do you have to bump into from the same Sydney flight before you see what’s going on? On the other hand…it is nice to see that, rather than flashing back to their inchoate squirrel-baby/ I blew up a nuke and all I got was my friends killed world, that these two finally got something they never had before – a sibling relationship.

Locke2 is wheeled out, past Jin2 who catches his notice…only to have it fade just as easily. Jack2 catches him. He admits that he went to see Cooper2. He felt he had to understand why he didn’t want to see his father. Locke2 explains he was in a plane crash. He had his license for a week, and begged his father to be his passenger. They barely got off the ground. He doesn’t remember what he did wrong, but it was his fault, that this man he loved more than anything would never walk or talk again. Jack2 reminds him of how John2 had told him that his father was gone, and tells him that his father is gone, too. “What happened, happened, and you can let it go.” “What makes you think letting go is so easy,” Locke2 asks him. “It’s not,” smiles Jack2, nervously. “In fact, I don’t really know how to do it myself. That’s why I was hoping that maybe you could go first.” Locke2 laughs at this, and then says good-bye. As he rolls away, Jack2 says, “I can help you, John. I wish you believed me.” This seems to spark something for Locke2, but he rolls away, anyway.

Aside #6 – soooo much to unpack in this scene. First of all, Jin2’s appearance, even in the briefest cameo, is huge. In the normal order of the episode, this scene immediately follows our having seen Jin and Sun’s lifeless bodies sink with the submarine (oh, please, it’s no spoiler – you really wouldn’t be reading this if you weren’t a big enough fan to have already watched it, right?). So the meaning of that is clear: Jin and Sun may have died on the island, but, like Libby and Charlie, they live on in Sideways world.

Then there’s this week’s bit of course correction – it seems Locke2 was going to have ambulation affected by air travel no matter what. But instead of regaining his legs in a plane crash, here he lost them. But pay special attention to the reveal that Locke2 has a pilot’s license. How much you want to bet that, on the island, Smokey got that knowledge, too? With Frank Lapidus out of the picture, and no more sub, that probably explains, in part, why Smokey chose Locke, apart from the reasons he gave Jack – because this was a guy who could fly a plane (albeit, not very well).

Jack2, of course, isn’t being completely honest about not knowing how to let go. Sure, he can’t stop fixing things. But, on the other hand, he has clearly let go of his fatherhood issues to develop a relationship with David.

And then, at long last, the big role reversal. Here, of course, it is Jack2 telling John2 he wishes he had believed him, had taken that leap of faith with him, the polar opposite of John Locke’s posthumous last message to Jack.

One last thing – excerpts from Doc Jensen’s take on the Sideways story this week…I thought John Locke was destined for a cosmic wake-up call after Desmond rammed him with the car. Nope. In ''The Candidate,'' we heard him suddenly blurt ''push the button'' in his sleep … do a double-take at Jin, and flinch at Jack's line ''I wish you believed me,'' which is what Locke wrote in his suicide note to Jack. But those dim epiphanies failed to blow his mind.

Jack's trademark ''fixer'' pathology was tempered with humility and self-awareness, wisdom and grace. He tried to coach Locke through his father guilt with counsel that his Island world self has only recently learned to accept. ''What happened happened,'' Jack said. ''And you can let it go.'' Locke's response echoed Doc Jensen's Personal Pick For The Greatest Lost Moment Ever — the moment in the season 2 episode ''Orientation'' when Jack accused Locke of being too quick to believe and Locke retorted ''It has never been easy!''

Sideways Locke: What makes you think letting go is so easy?
Sideways Jack: It's not. I don't really know how to do it myself. Which is why was kind of hoping you could go fist.
I loved that exchange. I like the implication that these two flawed, fallen men could join forces and labor together to complete their respective redemption projects. This is what we religious people call ''church.'' But Locke wasn't quite ready to become a man of faith. He said goodbye and wheeled away. Jack stopped him in his tracks with ''I wish you believed me,'' (which, I must admit, felt a little forced, too, but I rolled with it) and Locke had a moment of recognition... and then kept on going.

It really does seem that there's something fundamentally ''off'' about the Sideways world. I come to this conclusion not because of what anyone said in the episode, but because of Jack's reactions to the increasing pile-up of incredible post-Oceanic 815 coincidences. Fellow passengers Locke, Bernard … and then another encounter with Claire — all of these moments made Matthew Fox do that weird blinking thing when he gets flustered. In the context of the Sideways world, it gives the impression of a man trying to wake up. Maybe that's going to be the key to Jack's Island Enlightenment: a slow, steady, gentle pounding of meaningful coincidences that will finally cause the wall between his Island world and Sideways world selves to collapse. More likely, all these little moments are probably setting him for One Big Moment, a head-spinning Synchronicity, that will finally seal the deal.

But first, I think he'll have to surrender his Sideways world attachments. That includes his newfound relationship with his half-sister, Claire, who may or may not be Island Enlightened; I really can't tell. I waited for Jack to become ''activated'' when he and Claire shared that mirror-moment together. But per my new making-this-up-as-I-go attachment/detachment theory, perhaps the reason Jack didn't blaze into self-awareness was that Claire represents a stronger, even reinforced attachment to the Sideways world. (After all, he did ask her to move in.) Jack's biggest obstacle to becoming linked to his Island mind is his son, David. Through his boy, Jack has experienced the reconciliation of his father issues — the resolution of Island Jack's ''white rabbit'' angst.

And with that, Lostophiles, I leave you for now. Don’t worry, I’ll be back before long with the recap of the island world story, the bloodiest of its kind in the show’s history. And then, next week, oh, I am so looking forward to “Across the Sea.” But that’s getting ahead of ourselves, right? Check back this weekend for the island recap, and NAMASTE! (And, if I don’t get back before then, a happy Mother’s Day).

Episode 613 - It's Tough For Jack to Avoid Being "The Last Recruit"

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 05:11:00 +0000

Foreword

“The Last Recruit” reminded me very much of the song “One Day More” in the musical theatre version of Les Miserables. Both Lost and Les Miserables involve epic stories with ensemble casts. Although I’ve not seen the episodes to come after “The Last Recruit,” what’s clear is that the, like “One Day More,” the episode served to move all characters into place for their final act. Both TLR and ODM occur right before an intermission – on Broadway, the lights come up and you get to pee and buy ju-ju bees. On TV, Lost has a one week hiatus before hitting the home stretch. Finally, both TLR and ODM temporarily bring the entire cast together before sending them all back out on their respective paths of destiny. Of course, the comparison is not perfect. ODM is a legitimate show stopper – the kind of rousing anthem that makes you buy the overpriced soundtrack album in the lobby after the show lets out. By contrast, TLR, for all its advancement of the plot, and its solving of one particular lingering mystery, felt a bit lurchy, like the chess pieces were being yanked and pulled around, sometimes in uncharacteristic ways, just so they can get where they need to be going forward. In the larger scheme of Lost, this doesn’t bother me, and the episode was fine in the watching, mostly because so much happened. It just wasn’t a classic the way “Happily Ever After” was two weeks ago. Anyway, on with it!

Flash-Sideways: Alterna-Everybody

As with “One Day More,” or, more appropriately, the Oscar-winning movie “Crash,” the entire principal cast crossed paths in little flash-sideways vignettes this week. First, we got the return to Alterna-Locke in the wake of last week’s vicious Desmond2-inflicted hit and run. Dr. Linus rides with him in the ambulance. The paramedics blurt out the line that I suspected last week – Locke2’s wheelchair saved him from taking the full impact of the car crash (which, if, like me, you believe Desmond2 was not expressly trying to kill Locke2, explains part of how he knew his actions would not prove fatal). Ben2 says he barely knows the substitute, except for his last name and the fact that he’s paralyzed (and yet, this version of Ben Linus didn’t hesitate before accompanying a virtual stranger to the hospital to look after him – something I doubt even “new” Ben would contemplate on the island). Locke2 says he “was gonna” marry Helen Norwood. Ben2 assures he still will because he’ll be ok. As they arrive, Locke2 and Sun2 (who is taken from the next ambulance over, fresh from her Mikhail2-inflicted gunshot wound) are wheeled in in parallel. Sun2 sees Locke2 and recognizes him, and says, in Korean, “no, no, it’s him, it’s him.”

Aside #1 – Since the method to Desmond2’s madness seems to be to try to get the alterna-Losties to flash recognize their island selves, let’s view these scenes through that prism. I interpret Locke2’s reference to his pending marriage to Helen2 in the past tense as a sign that he’s been infiltrated, in part, by his (departed) island self. He seems as surprised as anything by the realization that he was bound to marry his lost love, which I take as a sign that the “real” John Locke is no longer dead, and now has something to live for in his broken Sideways body. Of course, the other alternative is that Locke2, who already urged Helen2 to leave him over his paralysis, now just assumed, whatever the outcome of this accident, it somehow cost him the marriage he never felt he deserved. I prefer my first reading.

Then there’s Sun. Rather than gain insight into herself, she recognized Locke. The terrified reaction suggested she remembered him, not as his former wacky self, but more as the monster whose offer to reunite her with Jin she rejected. That said, it’s hard to tell if she had a full Hurley-type download of her island memories, or if she’s just skimming the surface of additional insight.

And now…the big continuity problem of the episode. We know from “The Package” that Sun2 was shot within 2 days of having arrived from Sydney. Yet, in “Everybody Loves Hugo,” Desmond2 commented to Hugo2 that a week had passed since their sharing a flight, in a scene that preceded his Locke2 attack. Somehow, Locke2 and Sun2, struck down 5 days apart with potentially deadly force, arrived at the hospital at the same time. There are only 2 explanations I can come up with. One, in a herky-jerky episode, Greg Nations blew it on script supervision and it’s just a plain old mistake. The other is that the Desmond2-hits-Locke2 flash-sideways, which took place in a “Hugo-centric” episode, was itself a flashback within a flash-sideways. In other words, while it may have taken Desmond2 4-5 days after his Penny/ Daniel/ Charlie-inspired island flash before hooking up with Hugo2, his Locke2 attack may have been the first thing he did after beginning his mission. It’s a stretch, but at least it explains the apparent error.

Det. Ford2 offers Kate2 an apple. He reads her rap sheet. “Funny, you don’t strike me as the murdering kind,” he grins. “That’s because I’m not,” she insists. (I kind of believe her…more on that in the next aside) “You be sure to mention that to the Feds when they get here,” James2 retorts. He asks if she thinks it’s weird they met up at the airport before she smashed into his car. It’s as if someone was trying to put them together, he surmises. He denies having seen her handcuffs at the airport. She thinks he let her go because he didn’t want anyone to know he was in Australia, which would have been hard to hide had he explained why he made a collar at the international terminal. She asks if she should tell that to the Feds, and he says, “oh, I like you.” Miles2 then enters and tells Ford2 about the shoot-out at the restaurant, about the fact that the boyfriend of the victim who survived saw what happened (i.e. Jin2, now at the hospital) and they see a photo of Sayid2 caught on a surveillance camera.

Aside #2 – At this point, I see no reason to revise my assumption that the characters’ sideways lives reflect an opportunity they’ve been given to change one thing about their pre-815 existences. As such, it’s telling to see what has changed for Kate2. She did not choose to have her life on the lam erased (if indeed conscious choice was involved). Rather, the change in her sideways life is that, while she’s still accused of murder, she’s actually innocent. Yes, that’s right, I really do believe her when she says she didn’t do it, since island Kate was always about justifying her violent act, and not pretending it didn’t happen. So if her heart’s desire was to not have the crime on her cosmic conscience, it suggests that her justifications to herself never quite worked on a fundamental level.

Now, about James2’s assumption that someone is trying to bring them together: I don’t get the sense that this particular happenstance has Desmond2’s fingerprints on it. What this suggests is that, whichever universe they’re in, course correction is in full effect (and Desmond2 is simply functioning as “course correction’s agent,” in much the same way Eloise Hawking did in “Flashes Before Your Eyes”).

Claire2 signs in for an appointment with the Western Pacific Adoption Agency. Desmond2 greets her at the security desk, and recalls meeting her at the airport. Creepily, he reads her name off the sign-in sheet and introduces himself. She says he was right about it being a boy. He follows her, and suggests she should have some legal representation before going to an adoption agency. He says he knows a lawyer, who he’s on his way to see at that very moment. She selects 15, and he says he’s going there, too. He urges Claire2 to see this lawyer, and promises it won’t cost her a cent. He leads her to the lawyer’s office, and… it’s Ilana2 (sans accent)! Ilana2 hugs Desmond2, and when he introduces her to “Claire(2) Littleton,” she says, “I’m sorry, Claire Littleton, from Australia? This is a coincidence, because we’ve been looking for you.”

Sayid2 returns to Noor2’s house and starts packing, quickly. She asks what’s going on, and he tells her, “everything will be ok for you, now, but I have to leave.” He says he’s never going to be able to come back, again. The doorbell rings, and he says, “stall them.” It’s Miles2. She opens the door. He sees the suitcase, but as Sayid2 tries to flee out the back, Ford2 catches him in the backyard.

Aside #3: I thought the story was going to take Miles2 and James2 to the hospital, to interview Jin2, perhaps with the aid of Korean-speaking Charlotte2. Instead, they somehow were able to figure out from a single photo of Sayid2, not only who he was, but what local relative’s house he’d be staying at. Again, a little herky-jerky, but I guess it served to move the plot forward. Given island Sawyer’s increasing animosity towards the possessed Iraqi, I wonder if spending time together will get these two to have their flashes.

Jack2 and his son arrive at Ilana2’s office. David’s mother (who we still don’t see – anyone at this point think it’s not Juliet?) calls, and Jack2 says he’ll have him home at 5, but a longing glance from David, and he pushes it to 7. Jack2 assures him it will be sad to hear the will read, and David says he’s sad for Jack2. Ilana2 asks if Jack2 believes in fate. In the conference room, he’s introduced to Claire2. Jack2, who only knew her name from the will, asks how she knew his father. And she tells him – he was my father, too. As Jack2 processes this, he gets a call, and he tells the hospital to go ahead and prep. He apologizes to Ilana2 (and, out of politeness, Claire2), but he has to get to the hospital for an emergency.

Aside #4: For any other character, the discovery that Claire2 was his sister would have been enough of a jolt to push Jack2 to have his island flash. But Jack2 is right back in the “man of science” mode his island counterpart is only now shedding. Mysteries and miracles don’t faze him, not when he has crises and medical emergencies to tend to. So, at least at this point, no island flash (and, after getting past the appendix scar, the Charlie2 rescue, and seeing Kate2 on the run, you kind of wonder if he’ll need to have a lighthouse literally fall on him to “see” his other life).

Sun2 awakens, Jin2 asleep, holding her hand. She calls for him. He wakes up. She asks what happened. He tells her she was shot, but will be ok. She asks about the baby, and he says the baby is fine. He tells her it’s over, and they’re all going to be ok.

Aside #5 – “the baby is fine” was a nice moment for these two, but it pales in comparison to their big island moment this episode. There’s also no real sense that Sun2 awoke with the same realization of her island life as she had while bleeding from a gunshot wound. Jin2, of course, has shown no sign of flashing.

In the hallway, Jack2 and David walk by Jin2 and Sun2. David can’t believe Jack2 never knew he had a sister. “Grandfather kept a lot of things to himself,” Jack2 apologizes for his departed father. “Now I know where you get it from,” David playfully observes. David wishes him luck. Jack examines the x-ray, which, of course, belongs to Locke2, and sees a tricky dural sac problem. “Yeah, I got this.” He goes into the O.R., and sees himself in the mirror under the operating table, and then sees Locke2’s face in it. Jack2 suddenly realizes, “I think I know this guy.”

Aside #6 – Ah, spinal surgeon Jack and his dural sacs. Astute Lost watchers will recall that, back in the pilot, Jack told Kate about his first solo surgery, in which he nicked a dural sac, and nearly killed the patient, before he dug down and found the strength and focus to continue. In last season’s finale, we learned that this episode in his island life widened the wedge between Jack and his father, and immediately preceded his touch from Jacob. Now, Jack2 confronts the same surgical crisis, only here, it’s at a time where it most likely will serve to jumpstart his personal island flash. Moreover, it comes at a time when the life at stake is another sideways Lostie, also on the verge of self-realization. So, the question that remains is, does Jack2 recognize Locke2 from their LAX airport exchange, or does his view of his island frienemy bring back memories of their other selves’ connection, of his desperate (failed) attempt to save Boone, of the whole “last recruit” status the island bestows upon him in this very episode? Indeed, Jack2’s almost willful blindness to his other existence suggests he is, indeed, the last recruit in both worlds.

Island – Also Everybody

Picking up where “Everybody Loves Hugo” left off, Flocke greets the last member of Team Hurley to enter the clearing. “Hello, Jack. I was hoping you’d come.” Flocke takes Hurley’s torch, and invites Jack to “catch up” with him. Jack follows, but only after getting the blessing (a better you than me) from his new spiritual guidepost, Hurley (who may just as easily have been relinquishing the reigns on island destiny to his once and future leader).

Flocke plants his torch. Jack marvels, “you look just like him.” “Does that bother you,” old Smokey asks. “No,” Jack responds, “what bothers me is I don’t have any idea what the hell you are.” “Sure you do,” Flocke responds.

Aside #7: What the heck does Flocke mean here? He had always insisted deep down he was a man, who just wants to go home. I don’t get that at all underlying the “sure you do,” as though Flocke knows he’s more than just that, and more than just a “smoke monster,” and, what’s more, he knows that Jack knows this, too. I’m betting we’ll get smokey’s backstory two episodes from now. But now back to our scene…

Changing the subject (deep realizations are never Jack’s strong suit), he asks, “why John Locke?” “Because,” Smokey eagerly explains, as though he has longed to unload this on someone worthy, “he was stupid enough to believe he was brought here for a reason, because he pursued that belief until it got him killed, and because you were kind enough to bring his body back here in a nice wooden box.” He confirms someone has to be dead before he can take their form. Jack tries to build to his real query by asking who else Smokey has been, but when prompted instead to ask the “real” question, Jack asks if he was his father. “Yes, that was me,” Flocke candidly admits. “Why?” Jack asks, and we wonder if he means “why him” or “why me?” Flocke shrugs, “you needed to find water. This may be hard for you to believe, Jack, but all I’ve ever been interested in is helping you.” “To help me to do what,” an incredulous Jack asks. “Leave,” says Flocke, his familiar diatribe just getting started. “But because Jacob chose you, you were trapped on this island, before you ever even got here.” He assures Jack, with Jacob dead they can leave, but it has always had to be to be together. Jack protests that Locke was the only one who believed in the island. “He did everything he could to keep us from leaving this place.” “John Locke was not a believer, Jack,” Flocke responds. “He was a sucker.”

Aside #8 – I’ll let Doc Jensen (who never thanks me, by the way), take over at this point: “What were some of Man-Thing's previous disguises? Man-Thing didn't answer the last one. Instead, he huffily asked Jack to ask him the question he really wanted to ask. Yes, Man-Thing wanted Jack to cut to the chase. But I also wondered if Man-Thing was trying to derail Jack's philosophical investigation, lest he find himself dealing with questions he didn't want to deal with, including the ones that I really wanted answered, like 'What's your name?' and 'Where do you come from?' and 'Who's your mom?'

“When Man-Thing said that John Locke wasn't a believer but rather a 'sucker,' I didn't disagree. The story of John Locke plays like a cautionary tale about faith, not a glorious affirmation of it. Jack and the castaways have surely been negatively impacted by their dead friend's scary need for The Island and his zealous belief in destiny, and so I don't think Jack could intellectually argue the point with Man-Thing. At the same time, did you get the sense that Jack was a a little offended for John? I think Jack could and would say that Locke opened his eyes to the need for faith and helped him see that — to paraphrase Shakespeare — 'there are more things in Heaven and Earth, Jack, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.' If Jack is capable of recognizing that he's been a pawn in a horrible game between morally dubious gods, he must also be able to see that Locke was used as a pawn, too — maybe more of a pawn than any of the other candidates and castaways. What I'm trying to say is that Jack's proper regard for his former Island rival should now be profound empathy — and maybe even a desire to seek justice on his behalf. 'Sucker'? I say, 'There's no need for name-calling, Mr. Monster.'

Flocke calls out Claire, who was following them, but did not expect her leader to see her. She was following them because “he’s my brother.” Flocke leaves them to catch up. Claire asks if Flocke said he was the one pretending to be their father. Claire says she pretty much gave up hoping Jack ever come back, but now that he’s here…(pregnant pause)… it’s great to see him (phew! She put away the crazy…right?) She says it means a lot that he’s coming with them. He corrects he hasn’t decided to come, but she says, “yeah, you have, you decided the moment you let him talk to you, just like the rest of us. So, like it or not, you’re with him, now.”

Sawyer and Hurley compare notes on their post-Temple experiences, including Widmore and the sub, and Sawyer’s plan to leave. Kate tells Sun simultaneously now. “Sayid ain’t invited,” Sawyer tells Hugo, “because he’s gone over to the dark side.” Hurley insists Sayid can be brought back from the dark side, like Anakin. Sawyer, who has no idea who “Anakin” is, tells him to keep his mouth shut. Claire, Flocke and Jack return, and Flocke announces, “it’s so nice to have everyone back together again.”

Aside #9: Doc Jensen on the “Anakin” reference: “Sawyer looked at Hurley like he was speaking Korean when the ex-Dharma chef (and would-be rewriter of The Empire Strikes Back) invoked the name ‘Anakin' when he likened Sayid's potential for redemption to Darth Vader's character arc in the complete saga. Sawyer knew enough geek stuff to make a 'dark side' reference, but not enough to know the significance of the name Anakin. Three thoughts: 1. Sawyer is most likely a prequel hater. 2. Sawyer is offering us a metaphor of Kant's Thing-in-itself. He knows Darth Vader only by appearance, but doesn't know the reality behind the mask. 3. Sawyer probably only ever saw Star Wars: A New Hope. Why is this a problem? Because it shows that Sawyer lacks reference points for the kind of redemption that the fallen souls of Lost need. Anakin went to the Dark Side because he stopped believing in distinctions between good and evil. In the process, Little Orphan Annie came to believe he could never been anything but ''evil'' until the day Luke came along and told him that good men who become bad men can become good men again if they only allowed themselves to believe in it. Redemption begins with believing in the idea of redemption. This is the psychological war that Sayid is currently fighting in his own head, and I worry it's one that looms for Sawyer. In other words: the church of Star Wars can solve all of our problems!

Kate joins Jack, watching Sayid. She says he’s different now. “I guess we’re all different now,” Jack responds, in the second loopiest line of the episode. Jack tells her FLocke said he wants to leave, and they all have to go together, but he’s not sure yet if he believes him.

Zoe walks into their camp and asks for the man in charge. Flocke comes out. She says she wants what they took from them. She orders into a walkie-talkie, “show them what we’re capable of.” And a rocket detonates a few feet away. “You have until nightfall to return what you took, or next time we won’t miss.” She leaves him the walkie and says, “call me when you’re ready for us to pick him up.” As she leaves, he smashes the walkie, and says, “well, here we go.”

Aside #10 – no astute observation here, but doesn’t Zoe kind of make you question if Nikki really was Lost’s worst character, ever?

Claire asks what’s going on, and Hurley responds, matter-of-factly, “people trying to kill us again.” Flocke says it was only a matter of time before confrontation. He directs Sawyer (with Kate) to a boat moored around the island. Flocke then takes Sayid off for another mission.

Sawyer takes Jack, and says they’re not going to the rendezvous point. He says to bring Hugo, Sun, and Frank away from Flocke and meet up with them at the dock. “Sayid ain’t coming and Claire’s nuts.”

Aside #11 – for me, the weakest part of “The Last Recruit” was Jack’s response to Claire. Sure, Claire is Kate’s mission. But learning that he has a sister, and that she’s one of the ones he left behind, was what made Jack start to question his off-island life, and what cost him his relationship with Kate and Aaron. Now he finally sees Claire, for the first time sharing space with her as his sister, and, odd behavior or not, he is content to just sit back and let Sawyer say she’s getting abandoned? I know Jack has had some “growth” in his ability not to always be in charge, but ditching your sister? Cold, man. Just cold.

Flocke tells Sayid to go kill Desmond. “You do still want what you asked me for, right,” urges Flocke. “Yes, I do,” responds a wavering Sayid. “Then you’ll do what I said.”

Sayid comes to the well, gun in hand, and spots Desmond at the bottom. He points the gun. Desmond asks, “so what did he offer you? If you’re going to shoot me in cold blood, brother, I think I have the right to know” Sayid responds, “he told me I’d get back something I lost... the woman I loved.” He explains that he believes Flocke will be able to bring her back, because, “I died, and he brought me back.” “So what will you tell her,” Desmond asks calmly.” “This woman, what if she asks you what you did to be with her again? What will you tell her?”

Aside #12 – If it was effective, this was a far cooler Jedi mind trick than “these are not the droids you’re looking for.” Doc Jensen on some possible motivation behind Desmond’s tactics: “If we are to believe that Island Desmond shares a mind with Sideways Desmond, then clearly Island Desmond knows that Man-Thing's Faustian bargains won't quite play out the way that the castaways are expecting. (This assumes that the Sideways world is the payout for said bargains.) So why didn't Desmond just say so? Because Desmond can only help bring enlightenment through indirect means. Oh, and by running people over with a car. Fortunately, Desmond's brand of indirect can be pretty damn effective.”

Sawyer and Kate find the boat – Desmond’s boat, Elizabeth, bestowed by Libby, stolen by the Others in Season 3. Kate asks if they’re going back to get FLocke, and he says no, and reveals the plan. She notes he didn’t say Claire. “The Claire you said you’d come back for, she’s gone.” Kate protests that she promised, and Sawyer insists that she really wouldn’t want this woman near Aaron. She glares, and they swim towards the boat.

Flocke leads his group. Jack approaches Claire. He asks how long she’s been with FLocke. “Ever since you left.” (Okay, Claire, we get it. You’re pissed about being left behind). “You trust him,” Jack asks. “Yes. He’s the only one that didn’t abandon me.” (Seriously, Princess Koo-Koo Bananas – you’re the one who wandered off with him and abandoned your baby.) Flocke asks Sun if she’s seen Sayid. She looks at him. “Oh, the silent treatment,” he smiles. She writes, “you did this to me,” but he apologizes that he didn’t do anything. Flocke goes to find James, and Jack pulls Frank, Hurley, and Sun out, and says they have to come now. Claire watches them leave, steels herself, and follows.

Aside #13 – According to Doc Jensen, a number of on-line posters have surmised that Sun’s loss of English resulted, not from Flocke, but rather from a reverse link to her Sideways self, who didn’t know English. That link may have been forged, I’m assuming, by Sun’s decision not to follow Flocke with his promise to reunite her with Jin. Hey, if we’re going that far, perhaps her getting shot in Sideways world was a consequence of her not quite buying into Flocke’s brand of wish fulfillment. In any case, Flocke can do all sorts of things, but I kind of believe he didn’t really cause her aphasia, particularly since she did, in fact, hit her head pretty hard.

Flocke finds Sayid, and asks where he’s been. “Doing what you asked,” Sayid says coldly, and Flocke seems to detect for the first time since Sayid’s conversion a bit of rebellion in his voice. “What took you so long,” Flocke asks. “I just shot an unarmed man, I needed a moment,” Sayid says, somewhat sarcastically. “Did you do it,” Flocke asks pointedly. “Of course I did,” Sayid says. “Go and check if you like.” Flocke considers this, then says, “come on, we got a boat to catch.”

Aside #14 – the germ of a theory begins here. I believe that, of all the Sideways characters, Sayid2 is the one who began his journey most in touch with how he got there. I believe the reason he, back in time, pushed Nadia to his brother instead of loving her himself is that, in order to make this alternate world happen, he did, indeed, have to kill Desmond. This, and not the actions he committed in Iraq, is why he felt unworthy of Nadia’s love in Sideways world. That said, I think Jacob is a smart guy, and I think Hurley knows a thing or two, as well. Hurley’s talk with Sawyer about Anakin? I think there is some instability to Sideways world’s existence, and that, in this island reality, Sayid did not in fact kill Desmond. I think the only Sayid’s 6-season character arc works is if Dogen is proven wrong, and Sayid, when push comes to shove, is not better off dead. And, perhaps, Desmond’s words are what got him there. The strongest hint of this is in Sayid’s defiant tone with Flocke, who previously he had blindly and loyally followed. And I believe Flocke knows it. Either that, or centuries of island visitors failing their temptation tests have so jaded him, he can’t imagine any of his converts can ever break free…

Jacks’ crew boards Elizabeth, but Claire follows, rifle drawn. She asks where they’re going. Kate says they’re leaving. “Then why aren’t you waiting for John,” Claire demands. “That’s not John,” Kate reminds her. Kate insists Claire is coming. Claire protests John promised, but Kate says she’s promising. Pulling the Aaron strings, Kate says, “I was there when he was born. I never should have raised him. I came back for you, so you could be with him again.” She pleads, and Claire boards. Kate gets her gun. Claire warns that, when Flocke finds out they’re gone, he’s going to be mad.

Aside #15 – again, I would have preferred just one line of Jack telling Sawyer it had to be this way. Jack’s indifference towards Claire really doesn’t work for me.

On the boat, Frank asks Sawyer the plan. “Make for the sub, put a gun in someone’s face, and make him take us home.” Frank and Claire go below for food (would you want to be alone with Claire?). Sawyer goes to talk to Jack. “Taking orders doesn’t seem your strong suit,” Sawyer observes. “Glad to see you came around.” Jack tells him leaving the island doesn’t feel right, because he remembers how he felt last time. Channeling his inner Locke, Jack says, “we were brought here because we’re supposed to do something.” And if Flocke wants them to leave, maybe it’s scared of what we’ll do if we stay.

Aside #16 – Jensen’s take on Jack’s plea: “In that line, it seemed to me that Jack was applying several lessons of his Island experience, including all the hard lessons Ben had taught him over the years about Island bad guys. Island bad guys figure out what you want most in life, then exploit it. Island bad guys always motivate you with fear and urgency and want you to act before you've taken the time to think things through. Island bad guys make it sound like you share common interests, but in most cases, whatever it is they want you to do is actually the exact opposite of what you should be doing.”

James tells Jack to get off the boat or stow it. “You want to take a leap of fate, you take it,” he says, his tone getting harsher. “Get off my damn boat.” Jack apologizes for getting Juliet killed, and then, channeling Sawyer, Season 4, jumps off the boat. As he swims for shore, Kate demands to know what Jack said to Sawyer. She says they have to go back to get him, but Sawyer says they’re done going back, channeling Season 4 Kate.

Jack stumbles onto the shore, and Flocke is there. “Nice day for a swim,” Flocke observes. The Others are all there, too. “Sawyer took my boat, didn’t he,” the astute former smoke monster asks. “Yeah,” Jack admits.

Team Sawyer takes to the beach on Hydra island. They’re greeted with Widmore’s armed people. Zoe has them turn the fences off, and, finally, Jin and Sun see each other. Their embrace rivals Desmond’s and Penny’s call from “The Constant” as one of the most satisfying emotional moments Lost has ever delivered. Sun says – in English – “I love you. I never stopped looking for you.” He promises they’ll never be apart again, and they kiss. Frank comments, ham-handedly, “hey, look who got her voice back,” in the easy winner of the worst line of the episode award, and the scene gets stopped dead by this cornballery, preserving Des/Pen as the best tear-jerking love moment in the series. Zoe takes a call, then tells them all to get on their knees, as they raise their guns. Sawyer says they had a deal, and she says, “deal is off.” A missile fires at team Locke. Jack gets caught in the blast wave, and Flocke carries him off as more rockets fire. Flocke assures him it will be ok. “You’re with me now.” And with that, by happenstance, Jack, indeed, becomes “The Last Recruit.”

Aside #17 – I wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge again Doc Jensen, who wrote, “I wish to use this opportunity to acknowledge a school of thought that theorizes that Man-Thing's conflict with Team Widmore is a giant ruse, that The Monster and Charles Widmore are actually collaborators in a conspiracy to manipulate (and ultimately destroy) the castaways in order to achieve mutually advantageous goals. We know that Man-Thing wants to leave The Island. What might Widmore want in this scenario? Here's my thought: Charles Widmore wants to replace Man-Thing as the new monster. Before his not-quite-sure-I-believe-it-anymore turn toward righteousness this season, I believed Widmore was driven by a fear of death; becoming a black cloud of all-powerful disembodied consciousness is his ticket to eternal life. I find myself slipping back into that view. Then again, he hasn't been around lately to convince me different. Out of sight, out of mind — and back in the villain box.” In any case, at this point in time, it seems there is no reason to treat Team Sawyer as they are being treated if Widmore has any plans other than to kill them all – a plan, we should recall, he had ordered in Season 4. There is no reason to believe he wanted them all dead then but doesn’t now. Don’t believe so many beloved characters can be massacred in one bunch? Consider this – 1) the series is almost done. 2) Only one candidate can emerge as Jacob’s replacement, and this would wipe out 3 of the remaining choices. 3) There are always Sideways world versions of these people (except for maybe Frank, who we haven’t seen in Sideways world), who can cut down on some of the impact of the death of island versions of the Kwons, Sawyer, Kate, Hugo, Claire and Frank. I fully believe these guys are all goners, at least for a time.

So there will be no Lost this week, I’m afraid, a decision that seems motivated by ABC’s desire to maximize the number of Sweeps period episodes it can air. But when Lost resumes, from its intermission (just as Les Mis did after “One Day More,”) it will be in what can only be considered the final, bloody act. Bear in mind that in Les Mis, (spoiler alert, if in fact you never saw the show), one of the most beloved characters, Eponine, is killed almost as soon as the last act begins, and consider that was we head into the home stretch of Lost.

I leave you this week with an observation Doc Jensen posted yesterday about what Lost, from its inception, has really been about. We’re almost, but not quite, at the point where retrospective of the entire Lost experience makes sense. So read this, and check back in after the next episode, “The Candidate,” airs. Until then, Namaste!

Lost is a show full of mystery, but I don't think finding ''the answers'' has ever been the point. I think the point has been to dramatize the usefulness of mystery. Lost shows us that mystery is an invitation to seek meaning in life. But it also shows us that you can get Lost in mystery, too. And the cost for those who do can be profound. It's about the perils and pitfalls of anyone who dares to seek meaning in such an age — and about the cost to anyone who dares to not seek meaning in life regardless of the age, and especially now. Lost is about the pain of being Lost and the profound challenge of being found. That's what I think Lost is about. That's what I've always believed it was about, even back in Season 2, when I wrote my first serious piece about Lost and identified it as an attempt to make sense of the world in spiritual terms. Time and again in my writing, as I have pursued all sorts of nutty flights of fancy, I have always returned to this theme. And now I'm going to hold fast to it as Lost takes us into its last act.

Ep 312 (part 2) - "Everybody Loves Hugo," Especially Libby2

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 04:41:00 +0000

Note – this is the second of two parts of this week’s recap. If you have not already read the island story recap, read no further. Click on the title of this post to be taken to the earlier-posted part one, then come back here when you’re done. Of course, if you already read part one, enjoy!

Sideways – Alterna-Hugo

The sideways story opens with the unmistakeable voice, and then image, of Dr. Pierre2 Chang, introducing a man of the year award at a museum in Los Angeles. Uncharacteristically generous, Chang2 gushes, “one fact we can all agree upon - everybody loves Hugo.” Chang2 regales the crowd with how Reyes2’s lifelong love afair with Chicken led him to buy the Mr. Cluck’s chain, but “financial success wasn’t the end.” Hugo2 donated parks, playgrounds, and hospitals. And, of course, he won the man of the year award (a Lucite T-Rex) for donating the Hugo Reyes Paleontology wing at the museum. Alas, while the crowd is adoring, Hugo2’s mother seems unimpressed.

Aside #1 – Not that there was much doubt, but it’s clear now that the father Miles2 said worked at the museum with Charlotte2 is, indeed, Pierre2 Chang, further evidence that the DHARMA high command just up and left the island in sideways world. Also, did you all catch the mention of Hugo2’s giving to the Human Fund – the fake charity George established in “Seinfeld?”

“You know who doesn’t love Hugo,” asks a bored mother Reyes. “Women.” Hugo2 makes excuses, but his mom won’t hear it. “You’re not too busy, you’re too scared.” She made him a date with Rosalita, who she describes as “willing to meet you.”

Hugo2 sits alone at a Mexican restaurant, “Spanish Johnny’s” (kudos if you caught the dual Springsteen reference; I did not). Rosalita never showed…but then she does… Libby2!!! She says she saw him from across the room, and she knows his name because…”do you believe that two people can be connected, like soul mates? You don’t remember me, do you?” Hugo2, kicking himself, asks, “Should I?” But then Dr. Brooks2 (the same shrink who in island world exposed “Dave” as a figment of Hurley’s imagination”) collects Libby2, who had wandered off from her Santa Rosa field trip group. Dr. Brooks2 puts her back in the Santa Rosa van, and Hugo2 smirks. “Figures. She’s nuts.”

Aside #3 – How great was it to see Libby again, albeit Alterna-Libby? The ability to reconnect her with Hugo, even in the sideways reality, provided such a rich story for the flash-sideways. And to think, at the start of the season, it appeared as though Cynthia Watros (who will soon appear as Wilson’s ex and soon-to-be girlfriend on House) would be unavailable to reprise her Libby role.

Hugo2 goes to a Mr. Clucks, and demands a bucket, from a star-struck employee. While he binge eats, Desmond2 spots him. Desmond2, who pretends to be surprised to recognize him from Flight 815 (Des2 lets slip that it’s been a week since they were on the flight), joins him. Hugo2 apologizes, “I eat when I’m depressed.” “Ah,” understands Desmond2, “so what’s her name.” Hugo2 relates the story about Libby2’s belief they already know each other. Desmond2, who clearly has an agenda, sees an opening. “Tell me something…did you believe her when she said she knew you? I say go with your gut. You should try to find out where she thinks she knew you from, before you give up.” They call Desmond2’s number (42, although he does not resemble Jin in the least), and Desmond2, having set Hugo2 on his quest, takes his leave.

Hugo2 goes to see Dr. Brooks, who doesn’t think it would be a good idea for a non family member to visit with Libby2…until Hugo2 donates 100k for a new rec room. As Hugo2 waits in the butterfly-adorned old rec room, Libby2 is brought in to him, ecstatic. She asks if he remembered. “No,” Hugo2 admits. “I’m sorry.” He asks how it is she thinks she knows him. A few days ago, she explains, she was watching TV, and his commercial came on. It was like she suddenly had memories coming back. Of her life. Only it was another life. She tells him about the plane crash, and the island. He was there. We knew each other…liked each other. This bizarre version of déjà vu convinced her to check in to Santa Rosa, only, when she got there, it was like she had been there before, and she had some memory of him having been there, too. She was hoping, if he remembered her…but he stops her. “I wish I could, Libby, but I can’t.” He says it’s the first time he’s ever been to a mental hospital. She says she’s crazy, but he brushes this off, saying how brave she was to approach him from across a restaurant, since he has trouble just saying hi to a girl. “You’re doing fine,” she reassures (in her customary manner of making Hugo feel at ease). He asks her out (since she’s in the facility voluntarily), and she happily accepts.

Aside # 4 – so, among the differences between island world and Sideways world is the fact that Hugo never spent time in Santa Rosa. Perhaps we can extrapolate that he never accidentally killed three people by stepping onto a crowded balcony, and he never made an imaginary friend named Dave. Nor, for that matter, did he get his winning lotto numbers from a fellow inmate. And Libby, herself, never spent time in Santa Rosa before flight 815, though it appears she also had not gotten on the flight, either. Without the excessive guilt about his weight, I think we can probably assume Hugo2 never went by the name “Hurley” either.

Hugo2 finally gets the picnic with Libby2 that his island self had been denied by Michael’s bullet. After he nervously babbles about picking up 6 different kinds of cheese, she comments that she feels like something is off. He asks if she’s been there before. She says it’s familiar, like a date they never had. He assures her she doesn’t sound completely insane. She assures him she wants to be with him, because she likes him. He says it’s because she’s delusional. But then she leans over and kisses him…and suddenly, he flashes to their past on the island. She asks what’s wrong. “Whoah, dude. I think, I’m remembering stuff.” She asks,” you mean, I’m not crazy?” “No,” Hugo2 says, surprised as the words come out. “I don’t think that you are.” In a car, Desmond2 watches. He sees the scene unfold, pushes his sunglasses up on his nose, and drives off, a sort of heaven-sent matchmaker content in a mission, accomplished.

Aside #5 – This may be reading more into the scene than it deserves, but I got the sense that Desmond2 had no memory of having met Libby2, and thus no memory of having gotten a boat from her that never led him to the island. This, of course, makes sense. With no prior relationship to Alterna-Penny, and no need to impress Sideways Widmore, Desmond2 had no need for a boat. Even if he somehow encountered Libby2 in the Sideways world, he would not have had a reason to strike up a conversation with her about his need for a boat. Not that there’s any reason to believe that she was previously married, or that her late husband left her the boat. After all, her grief over his death seems to be the most likely explanation we can surmise as to how island Libby ended up at Santa Rosa, and since had not previously been an inmate in sideways world…well, there you go.

Meanwhile, if the Sideways story ended here, we’d already have had a Eureka moment. The obvious conclusion would have been that, after Desmond2 had his memory flash from Charlie2’s hand, and then met Penny2 and had it all come back, he was determined to help all Oceanic 815 passengers find the lost loves they were supposed to have in island world, or at least help them remember what their lives were meant to be but for Faraday’s blow the bomb gambit. But alas, while Hugo2’s Sideways story ended with his own “Happily Ever After” kiss on the beach, we got an epilog for Desmond2 (who, having been absent for half a season, was kind of owed some screen time…)

Desmond2 watches Locke2 wheel himself out of the school, until Dr. Linus knocks on his window, suspicious of a non-parent who appears to be stalking a high school parking lot. Desmond2 doesn’t really seem to recognize Ben2, but cleverly lies that he just moved there and was looking for a school for his son, Charlie. As Ben2 walks off, Desmond accelerates, and plows right into Locke2, and then drives off, as though he had just accomplished exactly what he he came for. As Ben2 runs to tend to his fallen comrade, Locke2, looking much like his island counterpart did when he was pushed out the window by his father, lies bleeding and twitching.

Aside #6 – Talk about a shock ending! How to understand this scene? First, I think there really is something to the fact that Des2 didn’t seem to recognize Ben2, as though this is the cross-time version of Jacob’s having asked Ben, “what about you?” just before Ben stabbed him. In the cosmic “things that are meant to be,” Ben apparently doesn’t matter at all, his Dr. Linus meek persona more in keeping with his actual station in the universe than his leader of men iteration.

But this chance encounter is not the big deal, obviously. Having just spent the hour coming to understand that Desmond2’s mission is to show his alterna-comrades the better lives they had forgotten, we see him commit an act of savage brutality, against, of all people, a crippled teacher! So how do we understand this?

The first, perhaps most satisfying explanation is that, when the “two Desmonds” forged what appeared to be a cross-universe understanding of each other, this came along with island Desmond’s talent to know the future. In other words, Desmond2 knew that somebody he thought was Locke had suddenly and brutally flung him into a well, even if that event was still 3 plus years in the future…in another universe…and involved someone only masquerading as Locke. In other words, this was some combination of revenge, or the idea that “I better take you out before you take me out.” Are you satisfied by this? I know I’m not. If for no other reason, there’s a serious pragmatic problem: Desmond2 just had a lengthy conversation, sitting in his car, with a teacher at the same school as his intended victim. Surely this would have caused him to change his plan and not run the guy down in the same car as Dr. Linus just saw him in, if simply taking out Locke for being the guy that attacked him on the island were the goal.

Here’s another possibility, one that brings up a theory I’d seen a few weeks ago and dismissed, only to find more sensible in this greater context: what if, when Jughead blew up, and Sideways world was born, this new universe became Flocke/Smokey’s escape plan. In other words, what if Flocke regained his humanity by taking his doppelganger’s form in this other universe? That could explain his slightly different, more measured reactions to similar stimuli. The biggest hint of this? Mr. Locke’s inciting Dr. Linus to carry out his coup attempt against the principal. If that didn’t strike you as an odd thing for a new faculty member – a substitute, no less – to do, particularly a guy who seemed pretty well adjusted, then I don’t know what your definition of “odd” must be.

So then, if this is Flocke, and Desmond2 somehow realized this when he flash-downloaded the other world, perhaps he discovered the only way to defeat this ancient evil in a world with no “cork” was to kill the now-mortal monster before he could do his real harm.

But, then again, there’s a flaw in this reading. Namely, if you truly felt you were trying to kill the embodiment of all evil, a shapeless monster, would you really go with such an unreliable, random, haphazard technique as hitting him with a car, and then driving off without checking to see if you finished the job? So this doesn’t work either.

Make no mistake – I do think both Desmonds know all about both Lockes. I think this is why island Desmond practically accused his captor of being John Locke, and why he had no fear when they were alone. Why fear when you know the attack is coming, and that it needs to come?

But that realization does not, by itself, provide the third explanation for the hit and run. This third option is, quite literally, the “I have no idea” option. But that’s not a cop out. What it is is simply the realization that we don’t yet have enough information to understand what Desmond was all about. That said, given his tactics – a dangerous, but hardly foolproof attack, with no follow-up – perhaps we can assume that his goal was merely to injure Locke2, to set in motion some set of circumstances (indeed, this week’s official podcast strongly suggests this non-explanation explanation is what’s going on).

So what could Desmond2 be trying to bring about? Perhaps what it takes for Locke2 and Jack2 to have the moment of clarity that Hugo2 and Desmond2 had when reuniting with lost loves is to spend more time with each other. After all, these are two guys whose sideways lives seem better and more fulfilled than their island lives, so why would they want to seek out a Libby2 or Penny2 for a memory upload? In the natural course of events, they may have had plenty of interaction, since Jack2 gave Locke2 his card at the airport for a consult. But then Locke2 had to let Helen2 tear the card up.

By now, you should realize that a rule of Lost is that L.A., or the country as a whole, only appears to have one museum, one courthouse, one police station and…one hospital. If any of the characters go to any of these facilities, they will run into each other there. So when Locke2 is rushed to the hospital to be saved, it’s a safe bet Jack2 will do the saving. In any case, Desmond2’s mission is clearly hard to comprehend at this point.

So that’s it for this week’s recap. Next week, we get one of Lost’s non “centric” episodes, in the ironically titled “The Last Recruit.” I say it’s ironic, because if the title refers to one person, you would think that would suggest a focus on one character. I of course can’t help but wonder who this last recruit is. By now, it seems almost everyone (and certainly all the Candidates) are already at Flocke’s camp. Who does he have left to recruit? Miles? Ben? Is it a reference to Jack’s decision to just go with the flow, more than his commitment to join Smokey? In any case, thanks for bearing with the double-dose recap this week. Until next week, Namaste!

Ep 312 (part 1) - "Everybody Loves Hugo," Including the Whispers

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 05:04:00 +0000

As the "what the frak is going on" question begins (ever so slowly) to crystallize, and as Lost inches into its final 6 hours, "Everybody Loves Hugo" brought us a trademark love letter to our loveable fluffy man, Hugo Reyes. Unlike most Hurley-centric episodes, which tend to feel like pleasant diversions while the big players move into position for the coming weeks' episodes, this one clearly moved things along nicely.

But first, a further observation that hit the internet last week about "Happily Ever After." In last week's recap, I pointed to Eloise Hawking, er, Widmore's brooch and pondered its significance. But as an astute observer pointed out, and Jeff Jensen relayed, and I now steal...the brooch itself closely resembled the symbol with which the Others branded Juliet after she killed Danny Pickett. The only real difference between her line bisected with a starburst and Eloise's pin is that Mrs. Widmore sported two such starred over lines, running parallel. The significance? It could be as simple as Lost having only one designer who likes that look. Or it could be a signal that the Others' symbology reveals that they sort of know something about the island, and the larger universe, but it takes an Eloise to be aware of the nature of parallel universes with their respective similarities. Or not. Either way, just a thought, based on a keen observation. So without further ado...

The reunion of a love that even death couldn't stop! A shocking death leaves our heroes rudderless!! A beloved landmark blown to smithereens!!! All this, plus an apparent conflict straddling two universes, in "Everybody Loves Hugo!"

Foreword
Typically, I get the flashback or sideways portion of the episode out of the way first. Given the shocking ending of this week's flash-sideways, and how it was (apparently, or at least deceptively) set up by the island story, we're going in reverse here, and will open on the island. What's more, given that I seem crunched for time, I'm going to post my island recap today, and will follow some time before Tuesday with the Sideways Recap.

Island Story
Hurley visits Libby’s grave on Boone Hill. He wonders aloud why Libby, of all the dead Losties, has not come to visit him (unspoken, even with no person to talk to, is Hurley’s obvious belief that somehow he’s unworthy of a visit from the one dead comrade he most wants to see). Ilana to round him up for her expedition to Black Rock to fetch dynamite. Hurley asks, “you sure that’s the right move?” Ilana responds, “no, but it’s the only move we’ve got.” “Well,” Hurley says, his trademark conciliatory look weighing down his expression, “you’re the expert.” He tells her about Libby, without going into details. As Ilana leaves, Hurley hears The Whispers. As they disappear, Michael comes out. Hurley, still in the middle of his visit with Libby, cannot think of a single person he’d like to see less than her killer. Nevertheless, Michael tells Hurley he’s here to stop him from getting everyone killed. Hurley just stares, and Michael, frustrated, asks, “you going to say something?” Hurley does not like getting pushed by this man. “Why should I trust you? You murdered Libby and Ana!” he accuses. Michael says that blowing up the Ajira plane will kill people, and it will be Hurley’s fault if he doesn’t stop it, because people listen to him. Jack approaches, Michael disappears, and Hurley says he’s talking to no one.

Aside #1 – Of all the spirits who could come to visit Hurley, it’s interesting to see that Michael is the one who did. But then again, especially while Hurley is deep in thought about Libby, who better to get a rise out of him? As for Michael’s message, sometimes it takes the observation of someone you otherwise would not trust to make you see something you’re not ready for yourself, i.e. the fact that Hurley’s friends and comrades, who have embraced his ability to talk to the dead, really do listen to him as a sort of prophet.

Ilana rounds up the troops. She has 4 sticks of Black Rock brand unstable dynamite (apparently, the beach isn’t so far from the middle of the jungle when you think you’re following Jacob’s plan). Hurley warns her this is a bad idea (after all, if she’s protecting them from the smoke monster, then trapping them on the island with what will surely then be an angry smoke monster seems like an odd plan). Ilana continues to have faith in Jacob and Richard. As she makes her case, i.e. that Flocke is evil, and needs to be stopped, she puts down her bag o’ dynamite…and blows up!

Aside #2 – In Lost, you never want to be the character who knows a little more than the people around you. It’s a sure way to be killed in a shocking manner. See also Daniel Faraday getting shot by his mother while she actually pregnant with him. After all, if people with too much information get to hang around long enough, the other characters might get to ask them questions, which would give us answers before the show wants to reveal those answers. And that, dear Lostophiles, can never, ever happen.

At the still remarkably stationary Camp Flocke, Sawyer and Kate ask Ol’ Smokey why he’s carving away at a long stick. Flocke’s zen answer is that the stick is not so much an attempt to fashion a spear, as a project in which the stick will reveal its true purpose to him after he continues to work on it.

Flocke, sensing Sawyer’s frustration, says, “there’s a difference between doing nothing and waiting.” He says the Oceanic 6 (er, 5) only managed to come back because they were together. Ergo, they need to wait for Hugo, Jack and Sun to join them, or they can’t get off the rock. Kate mutters that she doesn’t see that happening.

Aside #3 – Jeff Jensen pointed out this week the similarity between this “parable of the stick” and Michelangelo’s famous claim that he did not turn marble into sculpture, but rather, the sculpture was always there, and he merely discovered it by removing the irrelevant parts. I’ll add this thought – much like the man whose visage he’s chosen to adopt, I get the feeling Mr. artist-formerly-known-as-Man-In-Black has the unfortunate combination of a strong sense of purpose about his actions and a lack of any idea what his plan really is. Rather, Flocke knows he wants to leave, and strongly believes that doing so requires the candidates to be gathered (and, it seems, terminated, only not by his direct action), but doesn’t really seem to have a complete idea how this is supposed to play out. This is not the first time Flocke has taken on characteristics that are decidedly Locke-like. See, also, Flocke’s tirade in “The Substitute” where he bellowed out the familiar, “don’t tell me what I can’t do!” Indeed, his plan to sit and wait for Jack and company to come to him seems more like it’s based on a hope that the island will reveal its needs to him than on any actual confidence it will happen, even though, of course, it eventually does. More on these Flocke/Locke similarities later.

Sayid comes back, ignores Sawyer, and asks Flocke if they can speak in private. He says he saw Widmore’s people, but there was no reason to kill them when he found what they came for (apparently, the snapping of that one guy’s neck doesn’t count, since infiltrating assassin/spies get at least one free kill before it starts to count against them). Intrigued, Flocke asks, “so you found what they had hidden in the sub?” “I most certainly did,” Sayid responds, and his cold, altered persona gets us to recall how “old Sayid” would have smiled slyly when reporting some valuable intel. Sayid pulls back branches to reveal Desmond tied to a tree.

Hurley finds looks through Ilana’s things, and finds a Russian translation of an existentialist text (I’ll direct you to Jeff Jensen’s recap at ew.com for a lengthy discussion on the significance of this book, and existentialism, to this episode, and the entire season). He then sees her bag of Jacob ash. He looks inside, then takes on a determined look as he rises to rejoin his comrades. (Query whether, even unbeknownst to him, Hurley just got, if not a message, than at least some inspiration from Jacob’s remains). Richard, hurriedly preparing a bag or two to fetch some more dynamite, makes ready to jump into Ilana’s shoes, lest her death mean nothing. Jack asks, pointedly, if her death’s real meaning was to convince them to “stay the hell away from dynamite.” As they continue to argue, Jack tries to impress upon Richard that he promised Sun that he’d get her off the island, and Richard laments, “well, you shouldn’t have done that.” Hurley watches this argument, then, surprisingly, says they should go with Richard.

Flocke greets Desmond, and apologizes for his having to be tied up so he didn’t run away. Desmond says, as he explained to Sayid, he has nowhere to run to. Flocke smiles, “if that’s not the best argument I ever heard against captivity, I don’t know what is,” and starts cutting Desmond’s binds. He asks why Widmore brought him back. “Seeing as how I was kidnapped,” Desmond says matter-of-factly, “you’ll have to ask Mr. Widmore.” He tells Flocke how Widmore shoved him into a box and blasted him with electromagnetism. Flocke asks how he can be sure what it was he was blasted with. “Experience,” Desmond responds, which seems to remind Flocke of Locke’s memory of Desmond, a memory he files away for later. Getting right down to it, Flocke asks, “do you know who I am?” “Of course,” says Desmond, without a hint of irony, or the more expected, “duh.” “You’re John Locke.” Flocke considers this answer, then smiles, slightly. Flocke dismisses Sayid, and says he and Desmond are taking a walk. He tells Desmond he has something to show him.

Aside # 4 – The question, “do you know who I am,” in context, essentially had 3 possible answers. The first would be something like, “uh, yeah, guy, you’re John Locke, right? I mean, we spent a few months together here three years ago? Remember? I suckered you into pushing my button for me while I tried, in vain, to sail away, and then I foolishly listened to you tell me not to push the button?” Had Desmond answered as such, Flocke might have been content to allow the deception to continue. The second response would have been some variety of “you’re the smoke monster,” or “you’re someone/something impersonating John Locke.” With such a response, Flocke would have confirmed that Desmond is merely caught up with what’s been going on. But Desmond came back with “you’re John Locke.” The flat intonation in the response indicated he understood why the question was relevant, and yet picked the visibly obvious response. The way Flocke reacted was to consider the response, if not an insult, then perhaps an accusation. Is it that Desmond, in just a couple of minutes, also sees how much the Locke persona has taken over this otherwise formless host? As we’ll explore later, it could be that Sideways Locke and Flocke are more deeply connected than simply sharing a face, and somehow Desmond, with his EM-blast-induced hyper awareness sees this. In any case, Flocke seems a bit unnerved by Desmond’s laid back attitude about their encounter, but simply smiles at the answer he gets.

Richard leads the former team Ilana towards Black Rock. Ben comments, “it kind of makes you think. Ilana. Hand picked by Jacob to protect you candidates. No sooner did she tell you who you are, she blows up. The island was done with her. Makes me wonder what will happen when it’s done with us.”

Aside # 5 – Is Ben questioning his decision to follow Ilana? He blindly followed Jacob, to the end that he got so frustrated (and lost so much), he murdered his leader. Then, at his lowest point, he accepted Ilana’s forgiveness and invitation to join her in picking up Jacob’s task, only to see his new leader tossed aside by the island just he felt he had been. Not that Flocke is a better option. This whole monologue just struck me as a guy who’s kind of learned to despair his “I’m screwed no matter what” status.

Richard says he doesn’t want anyone else handling the dynamite (assuming, perhaps, that he is still protected by Jacob’s touch – query why he let Ilana go for the dynamite before, at all)…but then they notice all Hurley is gone. Hurley comes running towards them…from Black Rock, warning them all to get back. A moment later, Black Rock, one of the first, greatest mysteries of Lost, blows up in a huge fireball. Richard angrily demands, “why the hell did you do that?” Hugo, looking determined, stares right at Richard, and insists, “I’m protecting us.” Richard insists they’re all dead now (shades of Bill Paxton’s awesome delivery of the “game over” line from Aliens reverberate). Miles grumbles to Hugo, “a warning would have been nice.” Hurley frowns, “I did say ‘run’.” Miles, who seemed content to follow any plan, just so long as it was a plan, asked, “why’d you do that?” Hurley explains, “Michael told me to do that. One of the dead people who came back and yell at me.” Miles, who may have a case of “my dead people communication talent isn’t as cool as yours” envy, asks, incredulously, “and you just listen to what they say?” Hugo responds, “dead people are more reliable than alive people.”

Aside #6 – Hurley raises a good point. Has he ever been steered wrong by a dead person? Even when Jacob doesn’t give him all the details, he seems to set him on the right path. Charlie convinced him of the need to return to the island. Ana Lucia taught him to hide from the cops. And then there’s the sense that, once dead, these people, friends or otherwise, no longer have a reason to lead him astray. I wonder if that will hold true…

Flocke asks Desmond, “remind me, Desmond, how long were you down in that hatch?” When Desmond responds, “three years,” Flocke answers, almost taunting, “If I didn’t know better, I’d say this island has it in for you.” “There’s nothing special about me, “Desmond responds. “This island has it in for all of us.” Then they both see the boy in Others clothing. Flocke angrily tells Desmond to ignore him. The boy smiles at Desmond, then walks off.

Aside # 7 – There seems to be some confusion as to whether or not this scruffy Other boy is the same one who “reminded” Flocke he couldn’t kill Sawyer. I looked at still images of both. While the earlier boy looked more…blond, the lighting was different in the two scenes. Ultimately, I think we’re meant to understand that both were the same boy. But there is some credence to the notion that this version is an older version of the same kid we saw earlier. One theorist, who had his thoughts repeated this weekend by Jeff Jensen, surmised that the boy may be Jacob, who, since his death, has been appearing as he was as a boy, aging over time. This theory holds that the rapid aging functions in some way as a sort of hourglass, perhaps to the time when Jacob’s final candidate will replace him. The frustration, followed by anger, Flocke showed upon seeing the kid certainly does indicate that he feels like he’s being rushed, or otherwise having his hand forced, but the reminder that the kid is present.

Richard wants to get grenades from the DHARMA barracks. Hurley says Jacob is nearby, and tells him they need to talk to Locke. Richard, duped before by Hurley’s insistence that they come to Black Rock, wants proof. He says to ask Jacob what the island really is. But Hurley says he doesn’t have to prove anything. “You can either come with me, or you can keep blowing things up.” Richard calls the bluff, but only Ben says he’ll go with him. And then Miles says, “I saw that thing in action. It doesn’t want to talk,” and, reminiscent of Sawyer joining Team Locke is Season 4, he moves off to follow Ben and Richard. But Frank, Jack and Sun say they’re going with Hurley. Richard warns them not to get in the way. When they’re gone, Jack says, “alright, Hurley. Let’s go talk to Locke.”

As night falls, Sun writes to Frank, “did we make a mistake?” “Probably,” Frank mutters. Jack asks Hurley what the plan is. Hurley, nervously, asks, “how do you break the ice with a smoke monster?” He’s worried, and confesses he didn’t see Jacob. Jack says he knows. Jack unloads his recent self-realization, and tells Hurley how badly he has wanted to fix things since Juliet died, “since I got her killed.” But then, he says, he realized he can’t fix everything. He needs to let go. Not that this has been easy for him. “You have no idea how hard it is to sit back and let other people tell me what to do.”

Aside #8- It’s perhaps Karmic that Jack, who spurned Hurley’s insistence shortly after they became the Oceanic 6 that they needed to return to the island, would now find himself following Hurley. I wonder to what extent Jack’s new attitude is swinging the pendulum just a bit too far. It’s great that he’s learned he doesn’t have to rush to fix everything. But shouldn’t he have learned after his DHARMA adventure, that when you sit around waiting for inspiration to hit you long enough, ideas like detonating hydrogen bombs start sounding good?

They hear The Whispers, but as Jack readies his gun, Hurley says he knows what the whispers are. He tells Jack to wait, then follows the sound. Finally alone, he asks, “hey, you around?” He calls to Michael, specifically, and Michael emerges. Hurley asks, “you are stuck on the island, aren’t you?” With a slight nod, Michael responds, “because of what I did.” Michael says the whispers are the ones who can’t move on. He directs Hurley to Flocke’s camp. Despite his innate hatred for the man who took away Libby, Hurley digs down for some forgiveness, and asks Michael, “is there anything I can do to help you?” Michael considers this, and responds, “don’t get yourself killed. And Hurley, if you ever do see Libby again, tell her I’m very sorry.” Hurley, perhaps not wanting to consider what would make such a reunion possible, says, “I’ll be sure to do that, dude.”

Aside #9 – And with that, one of Lost’s great mysteries is (largely) solved. The Whispers are, indeed, the souls of those who have died on or near the island, or had their bodies brought to the island, who could not move on because of what they have done. I wonder how closely they are tied to Hurley’s ability to see dead people? Is he just better attuned to their frequency (since, we’ve seen, all the characters seem able to hear the whispers, even if they can’t understand them). But what do the Whispers want? Do they, like Flocke, want to escape? Are they leading Hurley into a trap, getting him to help Flocke arrange his escape, in some manner they can follow? Are they benevolent, warning of danger to those who may hear them? Why are they trapped here? And doesn’t this explanation sort of admit that, yes, the island is purgatory, after all, at least for some people?

Flocke leads Desmond to a well. Desmond shrugs, “what is it?” “It’s a well,” smiles Flocke. “Let me guess…you’re wondering how deep it is,” and Flocke lights his backup torch and drops it into the well, where it ultimately disappears with a splash. He asks if Desmond knows how old it is? “Very old,” Desmond guesses, not quite sure what the point of the guessing game is. Flocke smiles in agreement. “so old, in fact, that the people who dug this well did it by hand. They weren’t looking for water. They looked for answers. They didn’t find what they were looking for. The reason I wanted you to see this, is Charles Widmore is not interested in answers. He’s only interested in power. After all, this isn’t the only well.” As Desmond listens, a sort of “what’s your point?” look on his face, Flocke seems frustrated that he hasn’t gotten any kind of rise out of the Scot. He asks why Desmond isn’t afraid, out there alone with him in the jungle. Desmond looks at him quizzically, still not the least bit concerned, despite being challenged about his lack of fear. “What is the point in being afraid?” Desmond asks. And Flocke smiles, then throws him into the well!

Aside # 10 – You get the clear sense that Desmond is perhaps even more aware of what’s “really” going on than Flocke is here. I also get the sense that Flocke knows damn well that his savage, sudden attack would not kill Desmond. There are two reasons for this belief – 1) the smile from the Others boy. I took that to mean, as the prior encounter told us, that Flocke can’t kill certain people directly. Although “Hume” is not a candidate, per se, that smug smile the boy gave Flocke indicated he wouldn’t be able, permitted, or both to kill Desmond. The other reason? The promos for next week, which showed Desmond sitting in the bottom of the well. I do think Flocke knew he couldn’t kill Desmond, but throwing him down a well sure seems like a good alternate means of keeping him from causing trouble.

Now, let’s talk about this well. First of all, this is not the well Locke fell down before he turned the donkey wheel. Since the island timeline is once again at 2007 (or 2008), that well is long since gone, replaced and built over by the Orchid station. But, as Flocke pointed out, there are multiple wells (perhaps corresponding to the EM pockets on the Jin Kwon map that Widmore’s people plan to follow). Do not be surprised if Zoe and Jin lead the rescue party that finds Desmond, even if rescuing Desmond is not exactly their first priority.

I also wonder if, before he was a smoke monster, man-in-black was one of those people who dug these wells, searching for answers. Perhaps one of those very answers is what made him a smoke monster. But that, alas, is pure speculation…

When Flocke returns after nightfall, Sayid asks, “how’s our friend?” “You don’t have to worry about him any more,” Flocke assures him. Sawyer asks Flocke where he’s been. As they’re about to argue, Hurley comes out. “Son of a bitch,” Sawyer mutters, reduced of late to these one-liners. Hurley begins his détente with, “umm. Hey.” “Hello, Hugo,” says Flocke, smug in his victory now that at least one candidate came willingly. “I don’t know who you are, dude, or what you want, but we have to talk, dude.” Hurley gets Flocke to give his word that there will be nobody hurt if his friends come out. Flocke symbolically hands over the knife, and Hurley calls his group out. Sun looks around for Jin, but is defeated not to see him. Jack sees Kate, and they smile at each other. Flocke says, “hello Jack.” And the two men – who had not previously met – eye each other.

Aside #11 – Thanks for bearing with this two-part structure. Click the title of this post to be whisked away to part 2 of the recap, addressing the Sideways story.

Episode 611 - Desmond Lives "Happily Ever After" in Two Realities

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 15:53:00 +0000

Wow. Seriously folks, wow. Desmond episodes continue to be the heart and soul of Lost, and the Desmond/ Penny relationship continues to demonstrate how shallow both the "Jater" and "Skater" camps' preferred pairings were. In "Happily Ever After," the long-missing Scot really returned in an episode that finally connected the island world with the Sideways stories, allowed two dearly departed characters to shine in their Sideways returns, and deepened the mystery of just what Eloise Hawking is all about. So, as Desmond would say, let's bloody well get on with it, bruthah!

At least four characters bridge the Island/ Sideways gap! Funky Ikea/ Dharma technology unleashed!! The Widmore family finally shares last names!!! All this, plus an alternate version of the Des/Pen meet cute, in Lost's most triumphant Season 6 hour to date, "Happily Ever After."

Indeed, as ew.com's Jeff Jensen wrote this week, "If you’ve been a Sideways hater, and you remain one after last night’s episode, you may as well call it a wrap on your Lost interest and skip ahead to the rest of your post-Lost life. For the rest of us, I’m guessing 'Happily Ever After' moves into the arena where Best Ever Episodes are debated...‘Happily Ever After’ was an episode that will force us to reconsider everything we’ve seen in the Sideways world to date while also directing our attention to the end game of the show, which appears to be some kind of psychic exodus out of Island captivity into the quasi-Canaan of Sidewaysabad. Which souls will make the transmigration? Can some decline the opportunity? Indeed, the most intriguing possibility to come out of ‘Happily Ever After’—just a smidge more intriguing that the possibility that Charles Widmore could actually be a good guy—is that the castaways might actually have a choice in their fate, and even a choice between happily ever afters. See Juliet? Free will does exist on The Island, after all!...It was a revelatory episode about the theme of revelation. It was an episode that played like an allegory for spiritual conversion, yet contained a subversive critique of religious experience. (Not that those points need to be mutually exclusive.) ".

But before I delve too deeply into "Happily Ever After," a correction to last week's post. Thanks to Jeremy Turk and Windy McCracken (hey, Windy, Turk said you backed him on this), I went back to Hulu.com to rewatch the beginning of "The Package." Sure enough, after the tranq dart attack on Camp Flocke, Zoe did not, as I reported last week, say, "that's Jacob." Rather, she said, "let's take him." Which makes a lot more sense, since we learned later in the episode that the reason they took Jin, and only Jin, was because he made the EM pocket map they planned to follow in their scheme. Anyway, back to Desmond's trip across time and space...

Island

Desmond comes to, with Zoe tending to him. He’s been unconscious for 3 days. He asks if she’s a nurse, and then he asks for Penny as he sits up. But it’s Penelope’s dad, Charles Widmore, who greets him. Widmore reminds Desmond he was shot by Ben. He assures Des that Pen and Charlie are safe. If he’d had a chance to explain, Des never would have come with him. Clarity suddenly starts to overtake Desmond, and when he asks where Charles brought him, the answer – “I brought you back to the island” – prompts Desmond to start savagely beating his father-in-law with the iv pole. Charles stops his men from hurting Des as they restrain him. He seems legitimately sorry when he tells Desmond, who demands a return trip to L.A., “I can’t take you back. The island isn’t done with you yet,” the same thing Eloise Hawking tried to warn Desmond about last season before he stormed out of the Lamppost station.

Aside #1 - I may be getting ahead of myself here, but this obvious invocation of Ms. Hawking does trigger some thoughts. I get the sense, or at least did by the end of this episode, that the Island and Sideways Eloises are deeply connected to each other, or at least know enough about each other to potentially share in an agenda. Yet I also get the sense – one I can’t back up just yet – that Eloise and Charles may be working at cross purposes. Does anyone else agree? But if they are, then why would they both believe that the island is not yet done with Desmond? Could it be, as Charles points out later in this episode, that the whole point of their joint 6+ year manipulation of Mr. Hume comes down to Desmond needing to face the moment where he will choose to make a sacrifice – or not – and that, while Charles will advocate in favor of the sacrifice, Eloise will try to talk him out of it?

While I’m off on a rant here, and getting so far ahead of myself, I’m reminded of Desmond’s monastery flashback – the one that ended with his island world meet-cute with Penny. During one of his spiritual debates with the head monk, the two questioned the story of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac. Their discussion was whether this most troubling story in the Old Testament taught a “good” lesson, or a “bad” one. Their debate centered on just how awful it was for a loving God to demand that Abraham kill his beloved son and heir, Isaac, in sacrifice, to show his devotion. And Brother ___’s simple explanation for what made the lesson a good one was that Abraham didn’t have to actually kill Isaac in the end, even if he was willing to do so, sort of a cosmic, “no harm/ no foul” argument. I’ll return to this discussion later, after the episode lays some more groundwork...

Jin stands outside the infirmary, and asks Charles why Desmond is there. Widmore insists it’s “easier to show you than tell you.” Charles orders his people to get a test ready that wasn’t scheduled until tomorrow, much to his scientists’ chagrin.

Aside #2: Jeff Jensen (who I must apologize to on Facebook after stealing so much of his intellectual property this season) made some great observations about this short hallway scene: “It's clear that Widmore came to The Island with a timetable for how and when stuff should be going down. But for the second time in as many episodes, Team Widmore conspicuously went off-script. Last week, it was Zoe abducting Jin a couple days early, incurring Widmore's anger. Last night, it was Widmore caving to impatience and getting guff from Zoe.

'It will be easier to show you than to tell you.' Another thematic flag was planted: persuasion via demonstration and manifestation; via showing, not telling; via something that could pass muster with an empiricist like the one Desmond David Hume was named after. Still, can't the eyes be deceived? Can't the senses be tricked? Can't the mind be duped? The writer of The Society of the Spectacle would say yes. So would any number of cynics about religious experience. Also see: magicians.”

Zoe leads Jin out past a weird electrical thigamajig being set up. In a generator room, a rabbit named Angstrom is in a cage, about to be a test subject (did one of the writers get bitten by a white rabbit as a child? Because they sure do screw with rabbits on this show!). Zoe’s round-faced assistant (do we have a name for him yet?) insists they are not ready for Desmond. They try to conduct an EM field test, but nothing happens. A Red Shirt named Simmonds gets dispatched to check the solanoids. As Simmons takes readings in the chamber (which looked like an Ikea-built makeshift room with two iron donuts pointing in from either side), an overly exuberant bearded geek in the generator room throws a switch. Lots of funky EM energy starts to wash over Simmonds before they turn it off. Running outside, Zoe and company find Simmonds fried, and Charles leads two men “escorting” Desmond to the chamber. Looking, unaffected, at the smoking body, Charles turns to Zoe, and asks, “are we ready?”

Charles uncovers Simmonds’s body briefly as it’s carted past Desmond, then covers it back up (which, to me, seemed a little too sadistic to put Desmond through...) Desmond struggles in vain as Widmore’s men take him inside. “I know how this looks, Desmond, but if everything I’ve been told about you is true, you’ll be perfectly fine,” Charles half-assedly reassures his captive son-in-law. “I had to resort to force, Desmond, but once it’s all over, I’m going to ask you make a sacrifice, and I hope for all our sakes that you’ll help me.” Desmond points out that, from his perspective, Charles knows nothing about sacrifice. Mr. W. begs to differ: “My son died here, for the sake of this island. Your wife, my own daughter, hates me, and I don’t even know my grandson. But if you don’t help me, it will all be for nothing. Penny, your son, and everyone else, will be gone, forever.” (I wondered for a moment if Desmond was meant to have any idea that Daniel was Charles’s son, but the justification seemed to be more for Charles’s own benefit than to assuage Desmond). The door is shut, and Desmond struggles out of the chair (which Doc Jensen felt reminded him of Jacob’s cabin chair – if indeed non-descript wooden furniture carries any meaning), but not the chamber.

Aside #3: Jensen’s take on this interaction informs my own. As Jensen wrote, “Widmore sure painted himself out to be the Professor Snape of Lost — the secret savior disguised as a bad guy. Did you buy it? Also: I wasn't sure if Widmore's words and deeds indicated that he was aware of the Sideways world and testing for it, or if he's oblivious to the Sideways world and was merely testing Desmond's electro-magnetic fortitude. I'm thinking the latter. What did you think?” Well, Doc, here is what I think. I’m pretty sure Widmore knows something about Sideways world, though he may not possess the same level of detail in that knowledge as his ex(?) Eloise does. I believe Widmore believes – rightly or wrongly – that the Sideways and Island worlds are mutually exclusive, and only Desmond will ultimately decide which one survives.

But here, again, the issue of “sacrifice” is brought up. If my guess about what the choice Widmore will force Desmond to make is accurate – i.e. give up island world in favor of Sideways world – what Charles is really asking for is for Desmond to sacrifice his son, Charlie – a choice Lost clearly set up quite some time ago with the Abraham/Isaac story of Season 3. This choice is evidenced by the (spoiler alert!) ending of this episode, which demonstrates that Desmond and Penny are “meant to be together” regardless of which world they inhabit. But the biggest difference between the two (aside from Widmore’s overt approval and praise of Desmond in Sideways world) is the presence of Charlie in the Island world...

In the generator room, Jin tries, meakly, to stop the test, but Widmore says Desmond is the only person he’s aware of who has survived a cataclysmic electromagnetic event, and he needs to know Desmond can do it “again, or we all die.”

Desmond is bombarded by strange pulses, similar to but stronger than the ones that bombarded Simmonds (Jensen felt this stuck in a chamber with lots of energy motif was meant, in part, to recall Desmond’s time in the Swan station), then flashes…

Sideways World – Desmond2 Hume

…to the baggage claim in LA, where Desmond2 regards his reflection in the monitor. Hurley2 walks by and directs him to carousel 4. Desmond2 helps Claire2 take her bag. He asks if it’s a boy or girl, and she doesn’t know. “You’re bloody braver than I,” Desmond2 smiles. “I’m not a big fan of surprises.” Desmond2 sees Claire2 looking lost, and offers her a ride, but she insists she’s fine. As they part, he tells her he bets it’s a boy (perhaps explaining her subsequent blurting out that the baby’s name is “Aaron” during her emergency ultrasound.”)

Aside #4: Once again, Jensen’s take, and then my own: “That Desmond, ever the seer. We were left with the impression of a man who had a soft spot for family, most likely because he himself had a family with Penelope and son Charlie. After all, there had been that wedding band of Desmond's hand in the season premiere when he seated next to Jack on the plane, reading Haroun and the Sea of Stories....”

I was also taken by how Desmond2, like his island counterpart, seemed to have an almost chemistry with Claire2 that never materialized beyond being protective of her. On the island, Desmond actually protected Claire to keep Charlie alive (arousing some misplaced jealousy). Here, Desmond2 seemed protective as Claire2-as-mother more than interested in Claire2-as-love interest. But in both cases, there was a bond.

As he exits, Desmond2 sees a sign with his name…held by George2 Minkowski. Desmond2 tells him to take him straight to the office rather than stopping first at the hotel. George2, noting that Desmond2 is a bachelor, offers concierge services, including escorts (er, “companionship”), but Desmond2 is just there to work.

Aside #5: Take it away Doc J.: “That's right: Sideways Desmond wasn't married. Where did the wedding band go? Again: a theory to come. For now, let's note how Desmond shut down his devilish driver's pimping. ''I'm not looking for any companionship,'' Desmond said. ''I'm here to work.'' And so Sideways Desmond revealed himself to be the opposite of Island Desmond, a vagabond whose identity was defined by relationships, not employment — by who he loved, not what he did.”

So what are we to make of the now-you-see-it-now-you-don’t wedding ring on Desmond2’s finger? There are a few obvious theories. First, the costumers/ script supervisors just screwed up. I don’t buy it. Desmond2’s brief appearance in “LA X” was deliberately crafted to create certain observations and theories, and if they could ensure we saw the book he was reading so clearly, they clearly paid attention to his hand. Second? Perhaps business-first Hume2 wears the wedding ring while traveling just to fight off suitors so he can focus on doing boss-man’s work. But this I don’t buy, either, in light of his later statement to Charlie2 that he’s fallen in love “thousands of times.” Make no mistake – he may not monkey around on the company dime, but this Desmond2 is a player, and the unnecessary wedding ring would just cramp his style. Which leaves us, I think, with one possibility. Desmond and Desmond2, as we’ll see later in this episode, have much less separation between them than most of the other doppelgangers, right down to the physical manifestation. So it’s not just Desmond’s mind that traverses time and space...which is kind of cool. The hole in this theory is the 2004/2007 discrepancy. But if we can accept parallel universes communicating with each other, I can swallow this bit of disbelief, too.

Desmond2 emerges from an elevator, and walks past a welcoming receptionist to see the boss, Charles2 Widmore (which, come on, was not the least bit surprising). Charles2 welcomes him to L.A., and they embrace, the polar opposite of their previous London office meeting in Island World.

Aside #6: Kudos to Jensen for catching a background image I otherwise missed in this episode: “We should talk about the painting, shouldn't we? On the wall of Widmore's office there was a canvas featuring a balanced scale, one side holding a white rock and the other side holding a black rock. Assuming the painting means something (historically speaking, this has not always been the case), we could interpret it to mean that in the Sideways world, the opposing powers represented by Jacob and the Man In Black are balanced. I might argue that what the scale represents is the tension between the Dionysian and the Apollonian — the timeless conflict between chaos and order, passion and reason. Our aforementioned friend Nietzsche was a big fan of the Apollonian/Dionysian conflict; it formed the crux of The Birth of Tragedy, in which he suggested that effective, inspiring tragedy is one in which the hero of reason struggles to make sense of unreasonable fate — and loses. But in the process of the struggle, he affirms eternal values and stands as an inspiration to others. I would argue 'Happily Ever After' dramatized this idea by showing how Charlie's seemingly meaningless tragic sacrifice three seasons ago provided an inspiring, redeeming moment for Desmond in the Sideways world.”

Nice thematic discussion there, Jeff. In my mind, the painting had another, more literal meaning. One question from the moment we saw the Sideways world was when and how it diverged from the Island world. We gleaned earlier on that DHARMA personnel (the Goodspeeds, Linuses, Changs and Lewises) seemed to have left the island by virtue of personal choice in Sideways world. But then what would have happened to the Others who didn’t come from DHARMA? That we meet Charles2 and Eloise2 in Sideways world, at all, suggests that they, too, found an opportunity (and motive) to leave the island before it sank. But this paining suggests to me that Charles2 had a great deal of knowledge about what the island was all about – perhaps even more than his island counterpart, who seemed to have little or no idea what or who Flocke was beyond being “that smoke monster thingy” when they met last week. So ponder that, people...

Desmond2 admires Charles2’s model sailboat while Widmore2 takes an angry call. Hanging up, Charles2 assigns Desmond2 a task that’s beneath him – picking up Charlie2 Pace from the airport police station to make sure Driveshaft would be able to play at his wife’s silly charity event in a classic music/ modern rock mish-mash with his silly, musician son. “You really do have the life,” Charles admires, without a trace of irony, “no family, no commitments, oh to be free of attachments…” he celebrates Desmond2’s indispensability with freely offered MacCutcheon. “Nothing’s too good for you.”

Aside #7: this symbolic drink highlights the biggest difference between the island world and sideways world relationships between these two men. Cue Doc Jensen: “Whereas Island Widmore in seasons past made Island Desmond feel like a waste of life, unworthy of both his daughter and his MacCutcheon scotch, Sideways Widmore made Sideways Desmond feel like the son he wanted as opposed to the artsy-fartsy musician one that he had. Sideways Widmore had everything Island Widmore had to sacrifice and now yearns for — i.e., an intact if dysfunctional family. Yet this Widmore yearned to have Desmond's Up In The Air life — relationally liberated, unburdened by familial responsibilities, 'free of attachments.’'' This discrepancy is one that Mrs. Widmore2 will glom onto and point out to Desmond2 later...

Desmond2 pulls up to the airport courthouse, where Charlie2 is being discharged. Desmond2 introduces himself, but Charlie2 simply walks off, into traffic, not even pausing for the speeding traffic. Charlie2 crosses to a bar (“Jax”), where Desmond2 finds him drinking. (A clever sign in the background promotes “exceptional island cocktails”). “So what’s your job, to babysit me?” Charlie2 asks without making eye contact. As Desmond2 deigns to have one drink with him (a funhouse mirror version of their sharing a bottle of MacCutcheon on the beach in “Flashes Before Your Eyes,”) Charlie2 asks if Desmond2 happy. Desmond2 says he’s happy, but Charlie2 asks if he’s ever been in “spectactular, consciousness-altering love.” The drunken rocker claims he saw true love on the plane from Sydney. Desmond2, who points out that he was on the flight, too, asks Charlie2 to “enlighten” him about what such love looks like.

Charlie2 tells him about seeing Kate2’s marshall, and trying to swallow his stash at the exact moment that turbulence hit. "I'm slipping into the abyss and then I see her. A woman. Blonde. Rapturously beautiful. And I know her. We're together. It's like we've always been and always will be. This feeling, this love." And just as he’s about to be engulfed by it, he opened his eyes, and “this sodding idiot is standing there asking if I’m ok.” But Charlie2 saw it, just for a moment. Desmond2 half-mocks that he should write a song about it, then insists that’s not the truth. He offers him a choice – stay and watch his career die, or go with him to have Widmore (one of the most powerful men in this town) owe him a favor.

Aside #8: In my mind, there is no debate that Charlie2 here spoke of Claire. Not Claire2, but Claire. Yes, I am positive that, at the moment near death, Charlie2 crossed over to Island world, to the love he would find for Claire after the crash. This was a love so pure he would willing sacrifice his life to see her escape the island with Aaron. What’s amazing is the timing, and how the cross-over seemed to cover Charlie’s entire (albeit troubled, if here, idealized) relationship with Claire. Here’s what I mean. Linearly, Charlie and Claire would have barely met by this time in island world – just a few hours after Sideways Flight 815 landed and Island 815 crashed. But if there’s also a connection between 2007 Island world and 2004 Sideways world, then Charlie2 has flashed to a point in time where he was already dead, in effect, preserving the purity of his love for Claire for all time.

Of course, just because I think there’s no debate about who Charlie2’s wonder-blonde is, Jeff Jensen begs to differ: “Many of you are placing bets on who Charlie's dream girl could be. I'm guessing most people will be saying Claire. My pick is more cynical. If Sideways Charlie was truly tapping the memories of his dead Island counterpart, then I say the rapturous blonde beauty he beheld was his season 2 Island temptress: the heroin-stuffed Virgin Mary statues. The painted hair? The color of sunshine. The robes? Sky blue. It just makes sense. Go back and watch Charlie give that speech: he looks stoned out of his mind. Honestly, I'm more inclined to think that Charlie's bathroom epiphany was a hallucination. Further, I'm inclined to think that Lost was again giving subversive voice to a more skeptical, cynical view of religious feeling. I've always felt those drug-stuffed idols were a coded nod to Karl Marx's famous line that 'religion is the opiate of the masses.' And in my opinion, Charlie's experience of engulfing love sounds more like Freud's theory of 'Oceanic.' Sorry, Charlie: Your testimony sounds pretty fishy to me. His defense, of course, was the defense of any religious person who has nothing but personal experience to support his faith: 'I've seen something real. I've seen the truth.'” Alas, Doc, I hold out hope that, deep down, Lost remains an optimistic show about, among other things, love. So I’m sticking with Claire. But thanks for the alternate viewpoint...

As they drive, they hear “You all Everybody” on the radio. After Desmond2’s pointed insult that the song is fine “for what it is,” Charlie2 says he feels sorry for him. Desmond2, perhaps channeling his own subconscious awareness that something’s amiss in Sideways world, scoffs, “why, because none of this is real?” Charlie2 offers him a choice. “I can either show you what I’m talking about, or you can get out of the car.” Tiring of Charlie2’s childish romanticism, Desmond2 begins to ask, “why in God’s name would I get out of the…” but then Charlie2 grabs the wheel, and they drive off into the harbor (because Desmond2 never learned what the brake pedal was for). Desmond2 swims out of the car, then dives to try to save Charlie2 from drowning. Charlie2 holds up his hand in the car door…and Desmond2 flashes to Charlie’s hand saying, “not Penny’s Boat.” After a moment, Desmond2 regains his composure, then swims Charlie2 out of the water.

Aside #9: Since I bagged on Doc Jensen’s take on the Claire/heroin statue cynicism, it’s only fair that I give him credit for this more optimist take on Desmond2’s first conscious flash to his other life: “Last night, a different Desmond plunged into the oceanic depths and read a different Charlie's palm. He saw nothing at first — and then he saw everything. In a flash, Sideways Desmond Hume forged a link with his Island world doppelganger and downloaded his memory of 'NOT PENNY'S BOAT.' Yet what was a dispiriting moment for Island Desmond was full of spirit for Sideways Desmond. For him, 'NOT PENNY'S BOAT' was a call to hope; a call to faith; a call to something more hopeful than the lonely island of himself. In the gloomy shadows of a watery underworld, the Scotsman with the famous philosopher's name found enlightenment.” Whether this flip-flopped perspective was intentional or not, what became clear here was that Desmond2 had begun to “remember” a life he had not yet lived, much less been set up to know.

Desmond2 gets checked out at the hospital. When the doctor asks if he had any hallucinations, he says he’s not sure. Since his CAT scan was inconclusive, the doctor won’t let him look for Charlie2 before he has an MRI. As Demond2 gets positioned on the MRI table – you have no metal, right (a direct link to Widmore’s goons’ questions before flipping the switch in the quantum energy box) – he is asked why he listed no emergency contact. So he says, “just put my employer, Charles Widmore.” He is given ear plugs, and a panic button.

Aside #10: Ok, here is where I spotted the connection between Desmond2 and his island version having been trapped in a box with electromagnetic energy, with nothing but a button to keep him company.

He is rolled into the MRI machine. As the process begins, he again sees Charlie’s sacrifice, then Penny, herself. Suddenly, he remembers his whole life with Penny…but then she’s gone, and he starts to push the panic button.” He now really needs to find Charlie2.

Jack2 walks by as Desmond2 (thankfully, dressed in his clothes, which someone must have quickly run through a dryer, and not in his hospital gown) continues his search for Charlie2. Desmond2 stops Jack2, and remembers him from the plane (which, perhaps, will give him an ally in his quest to find the wacky rocker). As they talk, Charlie2 runs by, trying to escape. Desmond2 chases him, down a stairwell, to the 2d floor. Charlie2 gets slowed by an orderly. Cornered, Charlie2 says he didn’t try to kill him, but to show him something. Desmond2 demands to see his hands, then, seeing no warning written on those palms, asks who Penny is. “Oh,” Charlie2 smiles, “you felt it, didn’t you?” Frustrated, Desmond2 tells him he needs to dress so they can get to the concert. ''I can't go play a rock concert after this! This doesn't matter! None of this matters! All that matters is that we felt it. … If I were you, I'd stop worrying about me and start looking for Penny.''

Realizing he can’t convince Charlie2 to go with him, Desmond2 calls Widmore2, and lies that Charlie2 flat out escaped. Charles2, predictably, is displeased. When Desmond2 tries to convince him not to worry, it’s just a concert, Charles2 responds, “If you can’t find Pace, why don’t you tell Mrs. Widmore it’s only a bloody concert.”

George2 takes Desmond2 to the conservatory. Mrs. W. is, of course, Eloise2. She is ripping the wait staff a new one for not knowing how to set the places. Desmond2 introduces himself. She says it’s a travesty they haven’t met before. She asks what crisis forced Charles2 to send him there. Desmond2 apologizes for Drive Shaft not performing. She says not to worry about it – a certain unpredictability goes with rock stars. She’s not upset – “what happened, happened,” she urges, channeling DHARMA era Sawyer’s resignation, as well as Island world Daniel’s pessimistic theory.

Aside #10: Again, Jensen spotted something I missed. “Ms. Hawking's brooch tells us something. In seasons past, she wore a version of an oroboros, with a snake chasing its tail and completing a circuit with its body, but its head remained free, escaping its own loop. I think the old pendant was a metaphor for the creation of the Sideways world. The new pendant? Two parallel lines, each bisected by a star, but at different points. The meaning? I'm still thinking.”

Well, with the benefit of time (I don’t have publish the next day to avoid the ire of my fans deadlines), I have some thoughts. Island Eloise was all about preserving the timeline, about course correction fixing whatever one attempted to change in history. Hence, the closed loop of the oroboros, literally feeding back on itself. But Sideways Eloise, who I believe knows that the other world exists, believes her island self’s plan to send Daniel back in time, while risking a repeat of her accidental infanticide, has actually succeeded in creating this other universe. Hence the parallel lines, and the stars, one shining brighter than the other. Given Daniel’s belief (which seems pretty clear) that the nuclear bomb blast created the split, I think the stars represent the flash of the bomb. The “second” line flashes brighter, because it represents the birth of the “preferable” universe, in which her son lived. But more on that, later...

He wishes her well, and turns to leave. Desmond2 hears the program list being read, and hear’s the name Penny Milton (which, I suppose, tells us the surname of Charles’s off-island, non-Eloise trollop who birthed Desmond2’s lady love). Eloise2 dismisses her staff and drags Desmond2 off. “Stop talking Hume,” she scolds, as only Eloise can. “I’ve heard what you’ve had to say. Someone has clearly affected the way you see things. This is a serious problem. It is, in fact, a violation. You have the perfect life, and you’ve managed to obtain the one thing you’ve wanted most of all – my husband’s approval.” Desmond2 questions how she knows what he wants, and she responds, “I just bloody do!” He asks again why he can’t see the performance list, and she insists it’s because he is not yet ready, then storms off.

Aside #11 – This was the moment when it became clear to me that Eloise2 very much knows about the two worlds, and about the “rules” that we’ve heard so much about. Indeed, someone has violated those rules. But who? Charlie2 did nothing but hold his hand up – and yet, wasn’t there the sense that his doing so was not so much a voluntary act, as the act of some unseen puppet-master, designed to trigger Desmond2’s awareness? Also, as Jensen notes, much like Island Charles having to twice advance his timetable, there’s a sign here that Eloise2 had a timetable, that Desmond2 is jumping. He was, it seems, meant to learn about the island/sideways divide. But not yet. As Faraday said last year, human free will is a nasty little variable in the equation...

I also got the sense that Sideways world functions much like the House of M storyline in Marvel comics, in which Quicksilver, scared that the Avengers and X-men planned to kill his crazed sister, the Scarlet Witch, to keep her from threatening reality, convinces her to change reality so that each of the heroes would be distracted by getting his or her heart’s desire. What ultimately undid House of M was the fact that Wolverine’s greatest wish was to gain full access to his memories, which allowed him to remember the way the world was supposed to be. Here, I wonder if Desmond2 plays the Wolverine role, knowing that there is another world out there where things are more correct than they are here. Or perhaps, as we’ll soon see, it’s Daniel who plays that role. But then who plays the Scarlet Witch role? I have to assume that it’s the Man In Black, who provided the other universe as cover for his escape from the island. In this other world, Kate is innocent (though still suspected), Hurley has both his money and his belief in his own luck, Sawyer (er, James) is on the side of angels while still avenging his parents, Jack has reconciled with his own son, if not his father, and Desmond doesn’t have to constantly strive to be accepted by Charles Widmore. Pretty sneaky, MIB...

Of course, one of my favorite Lostophiles to discuss the show with, Scott Pepper, surmised this week that Eloise, in fact, is the villain of the show, and I think there may be something to that. Not that she's a villain in the sense that she wants to rule (or destroy) the world, or steal something of value. Rather, Eloise may be willing to see reality get all messed up in order to "save" her son from his course-corrected fate of having to die, back in time, at her own hand. So, the theory goes, she helped him come up with the blow up jughead plan to change his own past, which resulted in the sideways world. As such, she does not want the sideways world to end, which, presumably, Desmond's gun-jumping here might bring about.

As Desmond2 makes his way out, George2 asks if it was “that bad?” Desmond starts drinking in the limo, and says to just drive, when there’s a knock on the window – Daniel Widmore, who says, “we need to talk.”

Dan2 is in the familiar tie as he asks Desmond2, a-la-Charlie2, if he believes in love at first sight. He says the first time he saw “her” was walking through this very museum. Although he doesn’t know it, he describes Charlotte2 (who, hopefully, will meet him to make up for the 3:00-am discarding by James2), and when he saw her, it was like he already loved her. If the story ended here, it would simply be another message to Desmond2 that he needs to go find his true love. But Dan2 continues. “That’s when things got weird.” That same night, he woke up and wrote equations that look like a page of his island self’s journal; only this Dan is but a musician. His CalTech friend told him only someone who had studied phsyics his whole life could write what he wrote.

“Imagine the only way to stop something terrible from happening was to release a lot of energy, like setting off a nuclear bomb,” Dan2 proposes, and it doesn’t seem the least bit hypothetical. “What if this wasn’t supposed to be our life, and we had some other life?” Desmond2 questions why he would want to set off a nuclear bomb (and probably questions to himself if it was a good thing that he never met the boss’s family before.) “I don’t want to set off a nuclear bomb, Mr. Hume,” Dan2 responds (phew!) “I think I already did.” (Nope. He’s nuts).

Desmond2 doesn’t know what this has to do with him. Daniel2 asks why he asked about Penny – “it happened to you, too, didn’t it? You felt it?” Forced to acknowledge that something happened to him (in a way he wouldn’t really concede to Charlie2), he says, “I don’t know what I felt.” But Dan2 does. “Yes, you felt love.” Desmond2 protests. He doesn’t even know if she exists. “She’s an idea,” he protests. “No, Mr. Hume,” Dan2 assures him “she’s my half sister, and I can tell you exactly where and when you’re going to find her.”

Aside #12 – If Desmond’s uniqueness is his having survived the quantity of EM energy he did when he caused the Swan hatch to implode, then clearly Daniel is right there with him, as a result of the same experiments that made his island self lose much of his long-term memory. I wonder if this bridge between the Daniels – Faraday and Widmore – in some way always existed, in a sense, creating Daniel’s high-fallutin’ theories that enabled him to conduct the experiment that subsequently created this link, and so on, in an oroboros of endless looping. Don’t hurt your head contemplating that, when instead you can hurt your head contemplating this Doc Jensen nugget: I was reminded of what Young Daniel Faraday told his mother in the episode entitled 'The Variable' when she informed him that she wanted him to stop studying piano and start focusing his genius on physics. He could do both, he insisted. 'I can make time,' he said. Eloise sighed. 'If only you could,' she said. And it sounds like he did — if you believe Dan's Lost theory.”

Desmond2 goes to the same stadium, where, in island world, he first met Jack, told him he’d “see you in another life, bruthah,” and then was found by Penny, who tried to talk him out of the fateful boat race that resulted in his marooning on Lost island. Here, it’s Desmond2 who finds where Penny2 running. Desmond asks if she’s Penny, and she says yes. (note to all you ladies out there – this is when you kick the creepy stalker in the jimmies and run). He introduces himself. She shakes his hand, and ...

Return to the Island

...Desmond awakens in the chamber. Zoe probes him. He’s ok. Charles says, “indeed he is.” Desmond says he’s fine. He asks how long he was unconscious – no more than a few seconds. Charles apologizes, and says Desmond’s talent is vital. But Desmond says he understands. “You told me you brought me here to the island to do something very important,” Desmond says with a renewed sense of purpose. “When do we start?”

Aside #13: Jensen reads a lot into this scene: “The Desmond who awoke in Widmore's shrieking shack was markedly different than the one who collapsed amid a storm of electromagnetic energy. He seemed happier, lighter, and certainly more tender toward Widmore. Indicative of the thaw in their relationship: Desmond reached out to Widmore and asked for his assistance in helping him to his feet. Desmond practically radiated affection — the prodigal son, returning home to the father that he thought he hated but didn't. Again, Widmore's reaction was inscrutable. I couldn't tell if he was expecting this shift in Desmond, but he certainly welcomed it.”

As Zoe escorts Desmond (and a couple of goons) along a pathway, she asks what happened to him in the past 20 minutes. Obtusely, Desmond responds, “a lot can happen in 20 minutes.” She thinks the box fried his brain. Suddenly, Sayid jumps out of nowhere, kills their escort, and tells Zoe to run (since she’s a geophysicist, and not a mercenary, she does just that). He tells Desmond they need to go, now, because these people are dangerous. Interestingly, rather than demanding answers or refusing to switch missions, Desmond simply responds, “Why, of course. Lead the way.”

Aside #14: A quick reminder of Desmond’s unique abilities makes this scene, and the one before it, a lot clearer to me. Desmond clearly did return to the island world with a sense of purpose. But he also, presumably, still had the whole “I can see the future” thing going on. I think Desmond knew the ultimate fulfillment of his more informed island destiny begins with Team Flocke. This, I believe, is why he was so eager to have Widmore’s people get him started on his mission – not because he was eager to help them, but rather, because he knew this path would lead him to Sayid, who would in turn lead him to Flocke. That’s the Desmond side of this scene. As for the Sayid side, I’ll let an unusually snarky Doc Jensen take over: “Then, the hilarious irony of killer Sayid saying, 'Desmond, I don't have time to explain but these people are extremely dangerous.' After I got done laughing, I thought: Wait — are they dangerous? To date, we have not seen Team Widmore kill one person. Yes, there was that guy that got microwaved in the EM shed, but really: Nobody's weeping for Simmons. And yes, there was a pile of dead bodies that Sawyer found on Hydra — but I'm pretty convinced that was Smokey's doing. So I'm thinking Sayid killed some eggheads for nothing. Par for the course for the easily manipulated redemption-starved assassin.”

As Desmond walks off on his path of destiny with Sayid...

Sideways World - Epilogue

...we flash back to other world, where Desmond2 had fainted when Penny2 shook his hand. “I must have had quite an effect on you,” she jokes, in the same surprisingly flirty tone her other self took when she met the defrocked ex-monk in island world. She asks if they’d met before. “I think we’d remember if we had,” Desmond2 plays with her. He asks if she’d like to go for a coffee. After a pause to consider that the random fainting stranger who stalked her to a stadium just asked her out, she says she’ll meet him at a coffee shop at the corner of Sweetzer and Melrose in an hour. As she walks off, he’s clearly bowled over. George2 turns around and asks if he found what he was looking for. Desmond2 says yes, and directs him to the coffee shop. He then reminds the driver that he offered, “if there’s anything else you can do for me, you just name it.” Desmond2 asks for the names of the passengers on flight 815. With a renewed (downloaded?) sense of purpose, he smiles that he just needs to show them something.

Aside #15 – the only reason I’m not more bothered by Penny2’s poorly thought out decision to meet this guy for coffee is that they are truly meant to be together. While human free will may be the variable in the course correction model of space/time, it seems that love conquers all is the big theory that tops even that. Perhaps Penny2, also, got an inexplicable subconscious flash of what was “supposed” to happen in her life, and knew in some way she couldn’t quite explain that Desmond simply felt...right.

So now Desmond and Desmond2 seem to be operating on the same page, with a similar purpose. Both seem to be the prophet who will tell their respective worlds’ 815ers (and Others) about the existence of the other world....which brings us back to the notion of sacrifice. In the island world, Desmond and the Kwon’s have children, children they love dearly. But in the sideways world, Jack has a son who doesn’t exist in island world. So if the worlds are truly mutually exclusive, won’t this set up an obvious problem between Jack on the one hand, and Desmond, Jin and Sun on the other?

There’s still so much more to ruminate on with this episode, so let’s just let it percolate. Until next week, when Hurley takes center stage in “Everybody Loves Hugo,” Namaste!

Episode 610 - Jin Shows Sun "The Package"

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 01:46:00 +0000

The return of a dead villain! The return of a missing hero!! Light shed on Widmore's plans!!! All this, plus some acute aphasia, in "The Package."

Sideways - Jin2 and Sun2

The sideways storyline bridges the gap between where we left Jin2 and Sun2 in "LA X," and where we later found Jin2 in "Sundown."

Sun2 waits for Jin2 outside customs. He is discharged, but the big packet of money is still being held until he formally declares it. He is upset to have missed the meeting at the restaurant. As he and Sun2 turn to leave, he tells her he has no idea what the money was for, but he doesn’t ask Mr. Paik2 questions.

They arrive at the hotel, and learn (as many suspected given their lack of jewelry in "LA X") that Jin2 and Sun2 are not married! Which is not to say they're not together. Indeed, Jin2 visits Sun2 in her room at 11:30 pm (his room, incidentally, is 842, which is cool, especially because 42 is the number assigned to Kwon in the cave...)

Jin2, still worried about his missed meeting, reminds Sun2, "your father sent me halfway around the world to deliver a watch, so I’m going to."

Sun2 invites him in, and insists nobody will be at the restaurant so late. She says the man Jin2 was meeting works for her father, and everything will be fine. Sun2 unbuttons her top button, and playfully brings up Jin2's telling her on the plane to close it up. The flirtation continues until her sweater is off, as Jin2 slowly approaches her. Finally, they embrace.

Aside #1 - so by now we know that these 2 found each other in Sideways world, but here they concealed their relationship from Daddy. Nevertheless, Jin2 managed to course correct himself into Paik2's employ, and, indeed, the lack of an openly acknowledged relationship seems to leave these two in a more tender time with each other than their island counterparts enjoyed.

Jin2 is already awake when Sun2 wakes up, and he looks guilty... until she smiles at him. She suggests they run away together, and says she has an account set aside. He asks if that was her plan all along. He’s not angry, but it’s "forbidden." Sun2's revelations continue, or, that is, they almost do: "There’s something you need to know…" she begins, but then there’s a knock at the door. Jin2 hides, and says to tell whoever it was that she was sleeping. As she examines herself in the mirror (obligatory mirror shot!)…the knock comes up again. Keamy2 is at the door. He says he’s a friend of her father’s, then invites himself in. "I believe you’ve got something for me."

Aside #2 - in "Sundown," I thought the sideways Keamy was an unnecessary indulgence. His clarified role in this episode, however - to the extent anything about the Sideways stories has been "clarified," makes cleary why Kevin Durand's deliciously eeeevil villain portrayal was worth revisiting.

Sun2 tries to hide Jin2’s shoes. She gives Keamy2 the watch box, but he wants the money (curse you, Customs agent!), and asks about Jin2. “No English,” she responds.

Aside #3 - I believe her. On the island, Sun tried to hide her English, but it came out in a time of crisis. This is pretty clearly a crisis situation, but she still can't communicate. But then again, why would she? Island Sun learned English to get away from her husband, Jin. But Sun2, at the same point in her life, was not married to Jin2, and in fact was planning to run away with him. Together, presumably, she concluded they wouldn't need English the same way she would if she were running away alone.

Omar2 arrives, and reports Jin2 is not in his room. Keamy2 spots two champagne glasses, then tells Omar2 to check the bathroom (brilliant hiding place, Mr. Kwon). Since neither Paik2 nor Kwon2 speaks English, and Keamy2 wants his money, they need a translator. So they rely on "Danny's friend," the Russian guy. Which brings us...Mikhail Bakunin2(!), who translates. Mikhail2 has both eyes (for now). Keamy2 is unmoved by the Customs story. He sends Mikail2 with Sun2 to get the money from her secret account, and says he’ll take Jin2 to the restaurant (explaining how he got there, sans Sun2, in "Sundown." Jin2 gets Keamy2 to promise not to tell Paik2 (as if a promise from a gangster means anything).

The bank worker says the account is closed, and the balance is zero. Apparently, Mr. Paik2 had access to the account, and, not happy about his daughter's rebellion, transferred the funds back to Seoul. Sun2 naively asks Mikhail2 why he would do that.

Meanwhile, Omar2 roughly sticks Jin2 in the storage area, and tapes him up. Keamy2 sends Omar2 to go "get the Arab guy." Keamy2 tells Jin2 how unhappy Paik2 was to find out about him and Sun2 (ruh-roh!). The $25k was to pay Keamy2 to kill Jin2 for breaking the cardinal rule - messing with the boss's daughter. Of course, Jin2 doesn't understand any of this, which makes Keamy2's confession really just some mean-spirited torture. "But the heart wants what the heart wants," Keamy2 says, mock understandingly. Jin2, thinking he has an ally based on the accompanying (lying) body language, actually says "thank you" as Keamy2 tapes over his mouth. "I’m sorry," Keamy2 says, with no hint of actual apology. "Some people just weren’t meant to be together."

Aside #3 - Ah, but Martin2, if the Sideways stories have taught us anything, it's that some things actually are meant to be. And a Jin-Sun pairing seems to be one of them. In island world, Jin worked for Paik because he was marrying the old man's daughter. In sideways world, it's reversed, but the end result is the same - Jin2 is a guilt-ridden thug for the old man, and Sun2 loves him.

Jin2 struggles in the storage room as he hears Sayid2’s conversation, and the shooting of Keamy2 and Omar2. Jin2 kicks the door until Sayid2 opens. He begs Sayid2 to let him go, but the Korean doesn't get him very far. Sayid2 says he doesn’t care why Jin2’s there. He turns to leave, but Jin2 asks him, in broken English, to free him. Sayid2 places a box cutter in Jin2’s hand, and wishes him luck.

Aside #4 - I was a bit troubled by Sayid2's initial refusal to help Jin2. Sayid2 was, supposedly, a guy capable of violence but ultimately choosing to do right. He then finds someone held prisoner by the same thugs he just took out in self-defense, and initially assumes he shouldn't help? At least he did the right thing, or at least the bare minimum right thing, in the end.

Mikhail2 brings Sun2 to the restaurant, but senses it’s too quiet. He pulls his gun, and finds the bodies. Keamy2 is still alive. "Who did this to you," Mikhael2 asks, but Keamy's non-responsive answer is, "look behind you you idiot." Jin2 has a gun to Mikhail2’s head. Jin2 tells him to drop his gun, and has Sun2 move away. Mikhail2 wisely surmises that, if Jin2 were capable of the carnage in that room, he would have shot Mikhail2 instead of telling him to back away, so he goes on the offensive. They struggle, and Jin2 shoots Mikhail2 in the eye, but Sun2 takes a bullet (or 2) in the abomen. As Jin2 helps her up, she confesses that she’s pregnant.

Aside #5 - speaking of meant to be, it seems Mikhail Bakunin in any universe was destined to die with only one eye. He's also destined to get his ass kicked by Jin's superior kung fu.

Un"Paik"ing the Sun pregnancy...I'm going to give Sun2 credit for being truly in love with Jin2, and not just being a bit slutty with Daddy's helpers. Assuming this is true (and with only 8 hours of Lost left, it's a safe assumption), that means off-island Jin2 knocked her up, something which pre-island Jin was physically incapable of doing. This suggest the island not only "healed" Jin's sperm count, but somehow, retroactively, caused it to be too low to conceive in the first place. Was that a result of Jacob's touching the Kwon's at their wedding? Did he create part of the problem in their marriage just to lure them to the island? Not cool, Jacob.

Finally, I do wonder what larger role Mr. Paik, one of the clear villains of the story, plays with respect to the island. We know he's at least acquainted with Widmore, and some of the between-season alternate reality games hinted at connections between Paik and DHARMA. In an island-free world, he seems to be just a plain old jerk. I mean, c'mon, making a guy deliver payment for his own murder to the would-be hitman? That's cold, Paikster. Really cold.

Island

As the episode opens, Flockes’ camp is under some sort of surveillance. Sawyer offers Kate fake cocoa. As the night vision goggle effect gets turned off, Flocke talks to Jin about his injured leg. He suggests airing out the wound, but Jin responds that he tried that, and it only got worse.

Aside #6 - was Flocke, in the guise of helping, trying to speed along Jin's infection?

Jin confirms that Sawyer told him about the cave, and asks which one – he or Sun – is the Kwon on the ceiling. Claire seems to listen in. Flocke, noting Claire but not addressing her, says he doesn’t know, but reveals that his plan hinges on getting all the remaining candidates together, because without them all, there’s no leaving the island. He says he’s working on bringing Sun back.

Flocke tells Sayid he's Leaving for an errand until morning, and asks him to watch over the camp. Sayid says he doesn’t feel anything. "Anger, happiness, pain. I don’t feel it anymore." With a calming smile, Flocke menacingly suggests, "maybe that’s best, Sayid. It’ll help you get through what’s coming."

Aside #7 - I confess to having no idea what's going on with Sayid, but one thing is clear. When it does finally happen, it won't be without set-up.

Flocke leaves, and Jin packs up. Sawyer tries to stop him. “I’m getting out of here before that thing comes back,” says Jin, the one person in this camp who never made any kind of voluntary decision to be there. As Jin and Sawyer argue, the whole camp gets hit with tranquilizer darts. Zoe and one of her companions look around. The man asks, as he examines Jin, is “is this the guy?” And Zoe’s response is, “yeah, that’s Jacob.”

Aside #8 - Whoah! To resolve not only the "which Kwon is a candidate" question, but the actual "which candidate will 'win'" question this early on? But then it occurred to me, especially after the episode played out, that Zoe was just plain lying. Jin may, of course, be the ultimate Jacob replacement (but I think you all know my Jack theory for that one). But it seems Widmore and Zoe are lying to their thugs, who presumably are off-island Others, about their actual plans. And it's much easier to tell the lie that Jin is the grand poobah than it is to drag Jin, Sawyer and Sayid back to Hydra island.

Ilana cleans guns, as Miles and Frank play cards. Despite Ben’s protests, Ilana insists, since Jacob never lied to her, Richard is coming back, and they need to wait for him. Sun is fed up. She chucks some fruit, then goes out to her old garden. Jack follows – "how are the tomatoes," he asks, trying clumsily to get a conversation started. "Dead," she says, in an attempt to short-circuit this unwanted bonding moment. He reminisces, then asks if she thinks Alpert’s coming back. She says doesn’t care. Jack tells her about Jacob’s lighthouse, thinking she'll get the same sense of Locke-ian purpose it apparently gave him. Sun doesn’t care about Alpert or candidacy. She just wants Jack to leave her alone.

Sun cuts herself, then is startled by Flocke’s arrival. "Bad day?" he asks.

Aside # 9 - I wonder if Flocke's customary initial quips are just his checking off the "if I talk first, I can't be killed" protective magic...

He says he found Jin. "I promised you I would reunite you two. It took a little longer than I anticipated, but he’s at my camp, across the island. I can take you to him right now." Sun doesn’t believe him, and accuses him of killing the people at the Temple. Flocke, having to explain yet again, says, "they were confused, lied to. I didn’t want to hurt them. They could have come," he continues, and the implication is clear - you have the same choice now that they made - poorly - at the Temple. "I would never make you do anything against your will," he continues (although we know the penalty for voluntarily choosing otherwise). "I’m asking you to." "Jin is waiting," he says, thinking that should seal the deal…only she runs off into the tall grass! As Flocke chases (on foot? Is his Smokey to Flocke trick starting to fade, or was he just trying to maintain the "it's a voluntary choice" illusion?) alas, Sun, looking back to see if she got away, runs into a tree.

Ben finds her, unconscious. In Korean she asks where he was, but Ben doesn't understand. He asks who did this to her. This, she understands, and says, "Locke" (which, presumably, is the same in Korean as it is in English).

Aside #10 - There must be something in the as-yet unspoken "rules" about joining having to be a voluntary thing, or else why wouldn't Flocke just scoop up Sun and take her away? He is, after all, a telepath, so presumably he could have found her, unless he needs to "point" his brain flashy thing at the target. If this is the case, the inability to see Sun lying in the tall grass would make it hard to find her.

I also love Ben as the caregiver. Even if Ilana quipped this week that she doesn't trust Ben whenever he opens his mouth, Ben's conversion to her cause - whatever that may be - seems complete.

Flocke retursn to his camp and finds his peole knocked out. About this, he is clearly not happy. He pulls the dart out of Sayid, then shakes him awake. Sayid says they were attacked, but he doesn’t know by whom. Flocke’s big concern? “Where is Jin?”

Jin, it turns out, is sitting in Room 23. He tries to open the door, but it’s locked. He flips a switch, and the psychedelic video starts up. He turns it off, and finds Zoe standing behind him. She says DHARMA was doing experiments in subliminal messaging. He says he’s leaving, but she tazes him on the way out. She apologizes, but "we went to a lot of trouble getting you here from the other island." She is somewhat accusatory in pointing out his past in DHARMA. She shows him a map DHARMA he made of a survey of electromagnetism pockets on the main island, and starts to ask him how to find these pockets. He says if she wants answers, he wants to talk to Charles Widmore. "Then you’re in luck," she answers, "because he’d like to talk to you too."

Aside #10 - while it's still a little unclear which reality this Widmore came from, i.e. if anything but Sideways world exists in the outside world, one thing that just now did become clear is that the Losties' time hopping really did put them into the DHARMA past. This suggests that Widmore and anyone else aware of this knew there would be some pretty amazing consequences of these people getting on Flight 815, and also partially eplains why he had to fake the 815 crash site to get the outside world to stop looking for them.

This scene also made clear that Widmore's true purpose is not nearly as simple as just stopping ol' Smokey from leaving the island. Rather, he wants, as he always has, to make some use of the island's unique properties. Doc Jensen surmises he's after Richard-style long life/ eternal youth. I'm not sure we know yet what he really wants, but simply stopping the island evil, if he even intends to do that, is nothing but a means to an end.

Flocke gives Sayid a gun and says they’re taking the outrigger. He then takes Claire aside and asks if something is wrong. She asks about the names on the wall. He tells her her name was not on the wall, but assures her he needs her, "and that there’s plenty of room on the plane for all of them." She laments that Aaron won’t need her, since he's grown up not knowing her. He says Kate is not on the wall either. He explains he needs Kate to help him get the last three people on the plane, "but once she does, then whatever happens, happens."

Aside #11 - Flocke really is a master manipulator. He has fostered Claire's anger and hatred at Kate for taking her child, when in fact it seems he (and Christian, if Christian is a different entity) were responsible for that in the first place. He recognizes Kate as both a valuable tool in manipulating the candidates, and a potential threat that needs to be dealt with. But what Flocke may not know is that, on Jacob's lighthouse wheel, Kate very much remains a candidate.

For that matter, when Jacob told Ilana she needed to protect 6 people, we didn't see which 6 people. Given that Locke would be dead before she went to the island, isn't it just as likely that Jacob gave her Kate's name instead, so that Smokey wouldn't know there's another Skywalker, er, candidate? (If she turns out to be Jack's sister, I'm quitting).

Sawyer asks why Flocke needs a boat, but Flocke says he can’t just turn into smoke and fly over water. He says he’s going over to Hydra island because they took one of his men.

Aside #12 - there seems to be no reason to doubt Flocke about this limitation on his power. After all, if he could fly over water, wouldn't he have left the island a long time ago?

Jack tends to Sun. She understands English, but can only speak Korean. Jack thinks it’s temporary aphasia. Richard then returns, wearing Isabella's cross. He says, "pack your bags, we’re leaving."

Flocke emerges from the outrigger on Hydra beach, and approaches the sonic fence. Gunshots are fired. He assures Widmore's thugs he comes in peace. He walks along the outside of the fence. Widmore greets him. "Do you know who I am?" Flocke asks. "Obviously you’re not John Locke," Charles responds. "Everything else I know is a combination of myth, ghost stories, and island legend." Widmore denies taking Jin. Flocke considers, this, then says, "a wise man once said that war was coming to this island. I think it just got here," and turns to leave.

Aside #13 - It's clear that Widmore really doesn't know what Smokey really is, which is troubling. It seems his fall from Jacob's grace may have been connected to this lack of knowledge, something along the lines of, "so our job is to keep this thing here, but you won't tell me why?" It's also cool to see Flocke channeling the memories he somehow took over from Locke.

Richard asks Ben where Locke said he’d be, and Ben tells him about Hydra island. Richard says they have to destroy the plane, to keep Smokey trapped. Sun is really not happy about this. "I came here to find my husband so I can bring him home," she protests, in Korean. "I didn’t come to save the damn world." She storms off. (Harumph!)

Widmore is mad at Zoe for declaring war on Locke's camp, and said they should have waited and taken Jin in the jungle. She reminds him that, if he wanted better tactics, he should have put a mercenary in charge, and not a geophysicist. (Boo-yah!) He tells her to get the package from the sub and take it to the infirmary.

Aside #14 - Whatever Widmore's plans, they've already changed. Antagonizing the monster was not what he wanted, and he's so eager to get to the island's unique properties, he didn't think to send the right people for the job. It will be interesting to see how this miscalculation costs him down the line, and how, for example, Sawyer will be able to exploit it.

Jin is brought to Widmore, and tells the former Other he knows who he is. Jin pointedly asks, "why did you bring me here?" Widmore gives him Sun’s camera, recovered from the Ajira plane. Jin sees pictures of Ji Yeon, his first ever look at his daughter (and if you didn't tear up just a little at this sight, then you must have been "claimed" by the darkness like Sayid was). Charles says he knows what it’s like to be kept apart from a daughter. He tells Jin their reunion would be short lived if Flocke got off the island, because, if that were to happen, everyone they love would cease to be. He says it’s time for Jin to see the package, only it’s not a what. It’s a who.

Aside #15 - I wonder if the Swan station, in some way, was part of what kept the monster bound to the island. This occurs to me because, the last time we heard such a dire warning, it came from Eloise Hawking, telling Desmond they would all die if he didn't fulfull his button pushing destiny. What's still unclear, though, is whether only those touched by the island would die, or would the whole world cease to exist? What, really, are the consequences of Smokey getting loose? And do those consequences, in some way, explain sideways world?

In the evening. Jack approaches sun. He talks about an aphasic patient he had during his residency. That man could write, even if he couldn't speak. He gives Sun a notebook, and she writes “yes.” Jack says he went back to the garden, and found "one stubborn tomato. I guess noone told it it was supposed to die." Sun writes, "sorry." Jack asks what Locke said. Sun writes, "he said he had Jin." (Interstingly, not "Jin was with him," but "he had Jin.") Why not go with him? "I don’t trust him." Jack considers this, and asks, "do you trust me?" She looks at him, and nods. Jack nods back. "Sun, come with us, and I’ll help you find Jin, and get you both on that plane, and as far away from this island as you can get." He promises, and holds out his hand, and Sun takes it.

Aside #16 - Raise your hand if you think Sun's inability to communicate with her companions faster than she can write and they can read is going to cause a problem sometime soon. Now put your hand down. You look silly gesturing at a computer monitor.

Kate is joined by Sawyer. She wonders why he isn’t worried. He is, but he thinks Widmore must have killed Locke. What if he didn’t? "Then we’re screwed." Sure enough, Flocke comes back. "Aw hell," a disappointed Sawyer says. Sawyer approaches Flocke, and asks where Sayid is. Locke responds, "remember you said about the room on the sub? I don’t like secrets."

At the submarine dock, Sayid emerges from the water, and sees Zoe and her companion leading... Desmond(!!!)... along the dock. He’s been drugged. He falls, and sees Sayid, but makes no sound. Sayid watches as they drag him off.

Aside #17 - so the island wasn't done with Desmond. What is it that makes him "uniquely special?" I trust we'll find out soon, especially since next week's episode, "Happily Ever After," focuses on the long-absent Scot. If Season 6 is to be faulted for anything, other than the confusion of the flash-sideways, it's that it has kept Desmond out of play from between 5 minutes into the first episode until the last scene of the 10th. Now ponder this - is this the Desmond who seemed to disappear from flight 815 in the alternaverse, or the Desmond who stormed out of the "lamppost" station, thinking Jack and Sun were crazy for wanting to go back to the island, only to be shot by Ben? Or how about this - what if they're one and the same, a way to somehow bridge the sideways/ island gap. Desmond episodes are always pretty trippy in terms of time/ space/ and consciousness and memories that a character has, but shouldn't. I'm very hopeful that next week gets us some serious answers, or at least some serious clues. But, alas, since Des already had his happy ending, I'm worried that "happily ever after" may be an ironic title.

In any case, until next time, Namaste!

Episode 609 - Richard's Story "Ab Aeterno"

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:53:00 +0000

Before the cold open ran on the pivotal midpoint episode of the final season of Lost, I went to every blogger's information bible, wikipedia.org, to learn the translation of the episode's Latin title, "Ab Aeterno." Here's what I found: Literally, "from the everlasting" or "from eternity". Thus, "from time immemorial", "since the beginning of time" or "from an infinitely remote time in the past". In theology, often indicates something, such as the universe, that was created outside of time.

Yes, folks, this was a big one, and most real fans knew it. As Doc Jensen reported, Rainn Wilson, star of The Office, just Tweeted the following: ''Tonight's episode was one of TV's greatest of all time. I'm gay for the eternal Richard Alpert. There I said it.''

Let's cogitate on both the Latin translation, and Wilson's, er, feelings, as we recap "Ab Aeterno"

We open with a return to the Ilana flashback from “The Incident.” This time we see Jacob’s discussion with Ilana a little longer. He tells her he’s giving her a list of 6 names that she is charged with protecting – the candidates. This is what she’s been preparing for.

Flash to Ilana, on the beach, telling her group about candidacy. Sun fills in the blanks. The problem is, now that Jack, Hurley and Sun know that they're candidates, whom Ilana is supposed to protect, Ilana doesn’t know what to do next.

Flashback – Ilana, her bandages removed, seems completely healed as the conversation continues. After she’s brought the candidates to the Temple, Jacob tells her, she’s to ask Ricardus, i.e. Richard, what to do next.

As Ilana relates this to the huddled group, Richard laughs nervously/ crazily. He insists everything Jacob ever said is a lie. "Want to know a secret Jack, something I’ve known a long, long time?" Richard teases Jack, and, by extension, us. "You’re dead." He says they’re all dead, and the island is really Hell. "So I’m not interested in what Jacob said," the once-loyal consigliere says. He says he’s going to start listening to someone else, and grabs a torch and walks off into the night. Ben, of course, knows exactly who Richard will start listening to - the very person Ben rejected when he chose to follow Ilana. Ilana loads a gun to go after him, insisting he knows something (Ilana, unlike Richard, has not lost faith in Jacob). Sun lets Jack know that Richard means Locke. "Locke is dead," responds Jack. "If it’s any consolation," Ben answers, "it’s not exactly Locke."

Aside #1 - Sigh, Jack. I want to like you, or think you're progressing. But when you act like something's impossible after you've already seen a dead guy talk to your friend, who led you to a lighthouse on a Pacific island, where you saw your childhood home reflected in a mirror...maybe it's time to stop getting all pissy about the impossible...

Hurley starts speaking Spanish, apparently to nobody (ghost whispering!) but insists it’s not Jacob, and tells Jack it has nothing to do with him. Ben tells Ilana that Jack is right that going after Richard is a waste of time. He’s known him since was 12, and "that should count for something." Frank starts questioning how it is Richard doesn’t age...

...and we flash to the main narrative for the rest of the episode. Like only a handful of prior episodes ("The Other 48 Days" and "Meet Kevin Johnson" come to mind), this episode, during most of its run, doesn't skip back and forth between timelines or past or present or what have you, and instead focuses on Richard Alpert...

Flashback to Richard, on a horse. This is Tenerife, Canary Islands, 1867. Richard ties up his horse, and goes into a hut. Inside is Isabella, his wife, and she’s sick, feverish. Richard tends to her as she coughs blood (TB! Ewwww). He says he’s going for a doctor, and hopes to back before dawn. She kisses her cross and gives it to him to give the doctor in payment. He tries to refuse this most prized possession of his devout wife. "If anything ever happened to you…" he starts to worry, but she calms him. "Close your eyes. We’ll always be together." She kisses him, and he promises to save her.

Aside #2 - Doc Jensen gives us this: (FUN FACT! Tenerife is known for its ancient pyramids believed by some to be a link between Egyptian and Mayan cultures.)

Richard rides off in the rain. He charges past a doctor’s butler, and the doctor orders some blankets – but it’s to keep his floor dry, and not to dry Richard off. The doctor refuses to go with him, but offers him medicine that is very expensive. Richard gives him his money, then Isabella’s cross. The doctor calls the cross worthless, and makes to put away the medicine. Richard begs to let him work off the debt. They struggle, and Richard accidentally shoves the doctor, killing him with a head blow on the table (much like Kelvin’s death at Desmond's hands in "Live Together, Die Alone"). Richard grabs the medicine and runs off past the dumbfounded butler. He returns to Isabella, but she’s already dead. As he cries over her, men rush in to arrest him.

Aside #3 - Doc Jensen ponders, "He bled out like a spilled jug of wine. Ricardo was now a murderer — but he took the medicine anyway and galloped back home. But Isabella was already dead. Was he simply too late? Or did she die because of his sin?" Of course, the very Catholic notion of "sin," we learn, will dog Richard throughout his very, very long life, prompting his somewhat crazed belief that the island is Hell.

Richard is next seen in a jail cell. A priest comes to see him, and offers him food. He asks to see Richard’s Bible, which is in English. Richard has been teaching himself, since he and his wife planned to move to the New World. The priest offers to take confession. Richard apologizes for killing the doctor, but the priest refuses to grant absolution. Richard pleads that it was an accident. He says there must be some way to do gain forgiveness. The only way, the Priest seems to mock, is penance, and Richard has no time, because tomorrow he will be hanged. "I’m afraid the Devil awaits your soul in Hell." The priest wishes that God have mercy on Richard’s soul, then leaves, as the cell is locked behind him.

Aside # 4 - I rely heavily on Doc Jensen this week, because, A. his observations are spot-on, and B. I'm a bit lacking in some of the Biblical and other references hinted at in this episode. Take this for example: "We saw [Richard] reading Luke chapter 4. In this chapter: Christ's temptation in the wilderness by Satan; Christ beginning his public ministry; Christ citing the proverb 'Physician, heal thyself!'; the story of Christ healing the sick and casting out demons.

"Regardless, as I listened to Father Black's pitiless theology, I found myself thinking this theory-thought: If only there was some second-chance place somewhere in the land of the setting sun, where you and other last-chance souls can band together and fight smoke monsters and prove yourself to cryptic gods and successfully score a seat on a flight or sub to Heaven. Could that be a viable theory of The Island?"

Then, all of a sudden, Samsung added yellow to TV pixels (much to George Takei's campy delight) and breaks the Guiness record for fast texting. Those Koreans are something else!

Some men come for Richard in the morning. The priest has them blindfold him. A Mr. Whitfield checks Richard's teeth, then confirms that he speaks English. Since he has strong hands and could work in the fields, he thus becomes the property of Magnus Hanso, and Whitfield says he hopes Richard doesn’t get sea sick. The next thing we know, he is among other slaves on the Black Rock, as a slave, bound for the new world, but rocking in huge waves in a stormy sea, in the same chains we saw him regarding after having led Jack and Hurley to the old wreck. Out a crack, one of the slaves sees the island, and the statue of Tawaret, which one of the others calls the Devil. A huge swell carries the boat up, towards Tawaret’s head. Then there is blackness, before day break, when we see the Black Rock has landed in the now-familiar jungle clearing.

Aside #5 - And just like that, two lingering island mysteries are solved - how did the Black Rock end up inland, and how did the statue end up broken? I must say, "a big tidal wave picked up a wooden ship and crashed it - still intact - through a huge stone statue, into the jungle" was not what I would have predicted, and I think I wanted something a little cooler. But closure is closure on these more minor Lost mysteries. As Doc Jensen snarks about the questionable physics of this turn of events...The Black Rock caught a wave and hurtled straight into Taweret's mug. In the aftermath, Taweret lost her head and became The Four Toed Statue, and The Black Rock crashed in the center of The Island, where the impact shattered the ship into a million pieces and Ricardo and his friends died instantly... but then both boat and humans were miraculously reconstructed by a flock of magical talking Hurley birds. All to say that I didn't quite understand how The Black Rock survived The Island belly flop, but I rolled with it because 1. If rolling with it hasn't become an instinctive reflex by now, you better check yourself before you wreck yourself; and 2. It evoked one of Lost's key literary touchstones, The Wizard of Oz. Ricardo and The Black Rock touching down on The Island = Dorothy and her house landing in Oz. Indeed, just like Dorothy's adventure was a fantastical mirror of her hard-luck dustbowl life and plucky spirit, Ricardo's Island origin story played like a ''This is your life!'' phantasmagoria of his hardscrabble underclass existence and religiously shaped/scarred psyche.

Also, I've heard a number of grouses about some continuity errors that showed up in the episode. The first, pointed out to me by Scott Pepper, is that, in "The Constant," the auctioneer said that Black Rock disappeared in 1845, and Magnus Hanso's journal from the ship was recovered in 1852. Yet, here we learn that Richard's voyage begins in 1867. Especially in light of the fact that Lost's own resident continuity Nazi, Greg Nations, was one of the co-writers of this episode, one might be tempted to think that this discrepancy can somehow be explained by the island's tennuous connection with linear time. But I think that, like Charlotte's botched age a couple of seasons ago, this is just a plain old mistake. The reason the mistake became forced into the narrative is that dynamite - one of the key artifacts found on Black Rock by Rousseau - was not invented in the typical "fuse/ blasting cap/ nytro glycerin" form until 1867. Clearly, the writers didn't realize that when they came up with the auctioneer's dialogue, but did by the time they wrote this episode, and adjusted accordingly. But if you want to believe that team Darlton is infallible, then we can just assume that the auctioneer did his research on Black Rock on some hacked wikipedia site...

The other seeming continuity glitch is the fact that, in "The Incident," when the ship first appeared on the horizon, it was clearly a lovely, sunny day, so this nighttime storm couldn't possibly involve the same ship. Some have suggested that the ship we saw last year was just a different ship. Not so, according to this week's official podcast. But this one doesn't bother me in the least. First of all, we know from "Live Together, Die Alone," that Desmond spent days circling the island, unable to sail away. Presumably, Black Rock spent a similar amount of time in "orbit." We also know from when the chopper first took Desmond and Sayid to the freighter, that some paths in and out of the island's immediate vicinity can go through big weather changes and different times of day in an instant. And, really, folks, if we're going to accept that Jacob can summon specific people to specific vessels, then summon those vessels to the island, and pick up tall ships with tidal waves, plunging them straight through statues, etc., why can't we give the guy credit for conjuring up some rain clouds?

Richard's companion says God spared them – at least some of them. They hear voices, including one referring to Captain Hanso, who is dead. They call for help, and down walks Whitfield. He draws his sword and starts running the slaves through. He justifies (to himself, or Richard, we're not sure) they are shipwrecked with no water and supplies, with only five officers left. He says he’s doing this because if he freed them, it would only be a matter of time before they tried to kill him. Isabella’s cross is gone from Richard's neck, when he grabs it for mercy. As Whitfield goes for Richard, the sound of smokey can be heard. There are screams outside, and blood starts to trickle in. Then the smoke comes, and yanks Whitfield away. Richard tries to wrench himself free, then turns as Smokey slowly enters and goes right up to him, crackling electricity. Richard closes his eyes, then the sound stops, and Smokey is gone.

Aside #6 - I wonder if Smokey, for some reason, is unable to directly assault people once he learns through his telepathy flashes that they're among those who Jacob, himself summoned? Clearly, Richard falls into that category. In light of the conversation Richard has with Jacob later in the episode, I wonder if Smokey's "prize" for winning his ongoing wager is the ability to pummel those who "chose poorly" to death. If that's how he gets his Smokey jollies...

A butterfly flies in to Black Rock, where Richard tries to free himself. Outside, a storm hits, and Richard struggles to get to where the rain water is leaking in. Eventually, the pin he worked at comes loose, and then he uses it to try to loosen the chains against the bulkhead, but to no avail. He wakes up prone day and sees a boar eating his companions. The board charges, knocking the nail, his only tool to affect his escape, out of his reach.

As Richard lies starving, presumably days later, he hears a woman’s voice asking if anyone is there. He answers…and sees Isabella. She tells him they’re both dead, and in Hell. She says she’s there to save him before the Devil comes back. She looked into his eyes and saw that he was evil. They hear the smokey sound. Richard tells her to run. She runs outside, and he hears her screaming, and begs for Smokey to leave her alone. She is silent, and he cries.

Aside #7 - This is Smokey's dirtiest trick yet. We have seen him take the form of dead loved ones many times to manipulate people. But to take the form of Isabela, then create the noises of Smoke monster menace just after she leaves to spin the illusion that he is menacing her...dude, that's cold.

As Richard lies on the floor, a lantern is carried in. A man’s hand touches him, and a strange sound is heard. He awakens with a start. We expect Jacob, but it’s the man in black, who gives Richard water. He says he’s a friend, in much the same seductive tone we've come to associate with his Flocke guise. He says he was there long before the ship. Richard tells him about the smoke, and how Isabella didn’t come back. That probably means he has her, the man in black says with fake concern. Richard asks, who, and MIB responds, "you know who. I want to be free too." He has keys, and gets Richard to promise to do anything he asks. When Richard agrees, he frees him. He says it’s good to see him out of those chains, (the line that decades later would be repeated by Flocke) then raises Richard to his feet. He says they’re going to need his strength, if they’re going to escape. There is only way to escape from Hell. "You’re going to have to kill the Devil."

Richard eats boar. MIB tells him to go to the statue and kill the Devil. He hands him the dagger Dogen had. As Dogen told Sayid, if his intended victim speaks, it will already be too late. MIB admits he’s the black smoke. He says Isabella was running from him, but he couldn’t do anything to stop Jacob from taking her before he could help. He says the Devil betrayed him, taking his humanity, and his body. The Devil has his wife, and he has to kill him if he wants to get her back. Richard is concerned that, he's only in Hell because he killed someone, so killing the Devil seems like a bad way to try to get out. "You and I can talk all day about right or wrong," an annoyed MIB states, "but the question remains, do you ever want to see your wife again?" "Yes I do," is Richard's now loyal and emboldened response. MIB gives him the dagger, and Richard makes his way to the statue.

Aside #8 - I'm not sure what to make of the fact that the instructions - and implement - to kill both Jacob and MIB are precisely identical. Nor am I sure what to make of the fact that neither assassination by proxy attempt was anywhere close to successful. Was Dogen really doing Jacob's work by trying to have Sayid kill Flocke? Do the "rules," whatever they are and however they came to be, stop both Jacob and MIB from killing each other? Does the parallelism suggest a deeper connection between them than simply whatever it was Jacob did to steal MIB's humanity and corporeal body?

Doc Jensen writes: '''There's only one way out of hell,' MIB said. 'We're going to have to kill the devil.' Ricardo argued that he'd basically be damning his soul with the same sin that damned him in the first place. Again: shades of Sayid. MIB got pragmatic on him. 'My friend, you and I can talk all day long about what is right and what is wrong but the question before you remains the same: Do you ever want to see your wife again?' His utilitarian logic is located in the broad, contentious body of thought known as 'Consequentialism.' As you might glean from MIB's sentiment, a weaknesses of 'Consequentialism' is its shaky, nebulous definition of justice. A major egghead in this field? Jeremy Bentham, the name Charles Widmore gave John Locke before his death. He had at least one thing in common with MIB/Fake Locke: Bentham was an abolitionist. And that explains everything, right? Right!

Sure enough, the statue, when Ricardo arrives, is all broken up, after the collision with the ship. Richard draws the dagger as he approaches the door in the foot. But he’s attacked from the side, and knocked down several times…by Jacob, who succeeds in disarming him.

Aside #9 - Burning question - why did Jacob defend himself against Richard, but not against Ben? He's clearly capable of self-preservation and self-defense, and if he's got this much kung fu mojo, surely weasly little Ben didn't have to get the better of him. The obvious answer? Jacob either wanted to die when Ben came for him, or at least was willing to if Ben made the wrong choice when all his remaining candidates were on the island.

Richard asks where his wife is. Jacob asks why Richard thinks his dead wife is with him. "Did you meet a man in the jungle dressed in black?" Richard tells him what the man told him. Jacob assures him he’s not dead, and demonstrates the point by dragging him to the ocean, and holding him under water, then pulling him up, repeatedly asking if he’s dead. "Why should I stop?" "Because I want to live," Richard protests. And, checkmate! Jacob tells him to get up, since they need to talk.

Aside #10 - Doc Jensen on Jacob: "I loved the way he was framed against the blue sky, bright and elemental, a morning star. The Latin word for ''morning star''? That's right: Lucifer. Which brings us to the semiotic cipher that is Mark Pellegrino. The actor is marvelous as Jacob. But Pellegrino also appears on Supernatural, playing... Lucifer. According to a few recaps I've read, Pellegrino's Lucifer is on a mission to purge the Earth of mankind, which he views as innately corrupt, and torments humans with visions of the dearly departed dead. He also requires a human host to get around. Again, I say all of this having never seen an episode of Supernatural, so here's hoping the Internet is reasonably correct. Regardless, I find the Lucifer/Luciferesque overlaps between Supernatural and Lost to be intriguing and ingenious. What better way to cultivate further mystery around Jacob's moral allegiance than by casting him with an actor who currently plays the devil on another show? One would assume that neither Lost nor Pellegrino would want to duplicate efforts — unless encouraging that assumption is exactly why you make that move."

Richard dries off in a blanket, and Jacob brings him some booze. "Noone comes in unless I invite them in," Jacob explains enigmatically. He pours, and toasts. "Are you the devil?" Richard asks pointedly. "No," Jacob responds, as directly as ever reveals anything. "Then who are you?" Jacob's explanation is the most detailed reveal we've had to date of what the frak is going on over on Lost island. ''Think of this wine for what you keep calling hell. There are many other names for it, too. Malevolence. Evil. Darkness. And here it is, swirling around in the bottle, unable to get out because if it did, it would spread. The cork is this island. And it's the only thing keeping the darkness where it belongs. That man who sent you to kill me thinks that everyone is corruptible because it's in their very nature to sin. I bring people here to prove him wrong. And when they get here, their past doesn't matter.''

Aside #11 - for some, the debate rages on as to whether Jacob or MIB will indeed turn out to be the evil one. Jacob certainly seems to have taken on, at the very least, some of Old Testament God's less savory characteristics, including testing people for seemingly no purpose but to show they have faith under bad circumstances. But let's make no mistakes here. MIB is a liar. A killer. A manipulator. And every bit the user Jacob is. The idea that some twist ending will make him the "good" guy seems to me to get more and more remote as time goes on. Plus, you have to at least admire Jacob's seeming purity - he discounts the past and gives all on the island the chance to be "good," regardless of the murkiness of who it is who's judging. And this is why I think Jack will turn out to be the final candidate. Think back to Season 1, when Kate practically begged to confess why she was in handcuffs. At the time, Jack said it didn't matter, because after the crash, none of their lives before that moment really mattered. Clean slates all around. Very Jacobian, n'est-ce-pas?

Jacob says there others before Richard, but they are all dead. He wanted them to help themselves, to know the difference between right and wrong without him having to tell them. "It's all meaningless if I have to force them to do anything!" Jacob explains. " Why should I have to step in?" In his first moment as Jacob's trusted advisor, Richard imparts this wisdom: "If you don’t, he will." Jacob then offers Richard a job. "I don’t want to step in, maybe you can do it for me. You can be be my representative, my intermediary to the people I bring to the island." Richard asks, "what do I get in return?" Jacob says he can’t bring back his wife or absolve him of his sins so that he doesn't go to Hell. Richard then asks for the next best thing "Then I want to live forever," i.e., if he can't avoid Hell when he dies, he doesn't want to die. "Now that," smiles Jacob, "I can do." And he touches Richard. And the rest, as we know, is 140 years of history.

Richard then wanders into the jungle, to the man in black. "You let him talk to you, didn’t you?" he asks, but doesn't seem too angry about it. Richard delivers his first of many messages for Jacob. "He told me to give you this" – a white wrock. "I’m sure you realize," MIB tries once again, "if you go with him, you’ll never be with your wife again." Richard doesn't respond. "I understand, he can be very convincing. But I want you toknow, if you ever change your mind, my offer still stands." MIB then gives him back the cross, then disappears. Richard then digs a hole, and buries the cross, under an old stone bench.

Aside #12 -Jensen's take on this scene: "You got the sense that MIB's current incarceration had something to do with buying into something Jacob had once sold him long ago — something that hadn't gone exactly as planned or promised."

Back in the present, (or 2007 or 2008 or whenever we're supposed to be now), Richard comes into a clearing, to the same bench, now grown over with vines. He digs, and finds the cross. He says loudly he’s changed his mind. He calls out, "are you listening to me? I’ve changed my mind. I was wrong. You said I could change me mind. Does the offer still stand?" He turns, and…Hurley comes out. "What offer, dude?" Richard tries to shove him away. Hurley says his wife sent him. "She wants to know why you buried her cross." She saw him dig it up, and she’s standing right next to him.

Isabella is there, at least to Hugo. She tells Hurley to tell him his English is beautiful ("awesome" is his translation). Richard starts to cry. Through Hurley, she has him close his eyes. She says it was not his fault she died. It was her time, no matter how hard he tried to save her. She touches his face, and says he has suffered enough. He says he would do anything for them to be together again. She assures him they are together again. He opens his eyes, and Hurley confirms she is gone. He puts the cross back around himself (a reaffirmation of his faith and purpose). He thanks Hurley. He asks if something is wrong. "She said there’s one more thing," Hurley relates. "There’s something you have to do. You have to stop the man in black. You have to stop him from leaving the island. Because if you don’t, we’re all going to Hell."

Aside # 13 - query how the dead have access to Jacob-type knowledge. Is Jacob also taking the forms of others, and appearing through Hurley? Or is Jacob somehow connected to a higher power? In either case, over the past couple of weeks, a theme has emerged in these distant messages. Here, one came from the dead. Last week, in sideways world, it came from TV. As Jensen writes, "[Isabela's message is] what Michael Landon said in that Little House on the Prairie clip from last week: It's about ''knowin' that people aren't really gone when they die. We have all the good memories to sustain us until we see 'em again.''

From a distance, Flocke watches. His expression seems to state that he realizes after 140 years, his play to corrupt Richard, no matter how long he was willing to wait, had failed.

We Flash back once more to MIB surveying the island from a hill. Jacob joins him. "I see you got my present," he says, indicating the white rock. "Don’t gloat Jacob, it does’t become you." He says he wants to leave. "As long as I’m alive," Jacob taunts, "you’re not going anywhere." MIB says he'll kill him. "You don’t figure someone else will take my place?" Jacob asks. "Then I’ll kill them too." (bad news if you're a candidate!) Jacob hands him the bottle – something to pass the time. "I’ll see you around." Jacob is gone, and MIB says, “sooner than you think,” and breaks the bottle.

Final Aside - so the island is a cork, holding all the evil and malevolence of the world at bay. But some of it has seeped out - think about the transmission of the numbers, and the seductive (lottery win!) and evil (family tragedy!) events that triggered, just for poor Hugo. And the island offers its special invitees - who apparently can survive even the worst of calamaties - a clean slate, and an opportunity to do what's "right" in the face of temptation to exploit, cheat and steal for the power of the island. And lest you think the cork metaphor was just a ploy to sway Richard, Damon Lindelof confirmed on this week's podcast that "cork" was the metaphor the writers have used since Season 1 in their discussion of what the island really is.

On another note, this really was Nestor Carbonel's moment. Emmy for supporting role, look no further. He was brilliant throughout, and I can't help but wonder if Jacob engineered the cancelation of the actor's short-lived CBS drama, "Cane," just to get him back to his rightful place on Lost.

Now, again, I'm a bit disappointed in the continuity glitch, and was hoping for something bigger for both the landlocking of Black Rock and the destruction of Tawaret. But at least we've gotten answers to lingering questions, and on balance, I think this extended look at Jacob, MIB and Richard seriously did the trick of setting up the last half of the last season.

A season that resumes next week, back in sideways fashion, with "The Package," which gives Jin and Sun their moment, and maybe even their reunion after a season and a half of separation. Until then, Namaste!

Episode 608 - Sawyer Goes on a "Recon" Mission

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 21:47:00 +0000

I've seen and heard a lot of complaints about this week's episode, "Recon", which, let's face it, was a set up episode for things to come. But the impressive depth of featured character Sawyer's flash-sideways, in my mind, made it all worthwhile. So, away we go...

A pile of dead Others! More Sideways DHARMA survivors!! A new mystery to debate!!! All this, plus shirtless James Ford2 knocking more boots than a tree full of shoe elves, in "Recon"

Flash Sideways - James Ford2

Right from the get-go, I'm not calling this guy "Sawyer2" anymore, since we learned this week that Sideways James Ford, while still obsessed with finding and getting revenge on Anthony Cooper2 (he should try Locke2's wedding...) zigged where his island counterpart zagged, and never became a con man. As such, he never took on the "Sawyer" moniker.

Of course, we first meet James2 in bed with a vixen (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, most recently of "Prison Break,") pulling the old "pidgeon drop" where he lets his briefcase full of cash spill open (hello, Season 1 flashback). But this is not the start of a con. It's actually a sting operation. James2 is a cop, and his partner (part of a daring rescue after Ford gives the wink-wink codeword "LaFleur,") is Miles2 Straum!

Aside #1 - it seems these two "lawmen" are destined to work together, with James acting as the Alpha partner, regardless of the reality...

As James2 methodically searches for the real Anthony Cooper (he doesn't seem to be following the Terminator "kill all Sarah Connors" plan), Miles2 overhears him. James2 covers (badly) by saying Cooper was someone he met on his trip to Palm Springs who was going to give him Lakers tickets. But Miles2, after trying to score one of those tickets, changes the subject, and reminds James2 that he's setting him up on the date with a woman "who works with my dad at the museum." When James2 balks, Miles2 asks if he wants to die alone, then, letting James2 in on the fact that he smelled the lie about who Cooper is, Miles2 adds, "you know you can tell me the truth."

Aside #2 - given the small number of episodes that are left, it's safe to assume that "my dad" refers to Pierre Chang, and not some adoptive alternaverse papa Straum. So now we know that, in addition to the Linuses, and (presumably) the Goodspeeds, the Chang family also willingly left alterna-DHARMA and didn't end up dying in the purge (that never happened). Further evidence that Chang left DHARMA? Miles2 became a cop, instead of a bitter, angry, Daddy-issue ghost-whispering swindler. Also love the shout out to island Sawyer's surmising he was meant to be alone, when Miles2 asked James2 if he wanted to die alone.

James2's blind date turns out to be a very flirtatious Charlotte2. Still an archaeologist, she plays with the notion that she has an Indiana Jones whip, but then she doesn't allow James2 to get off with the "why I became a cop" story that he tells all the girls. So James2 reaches deep down and levels with her - he became a cop because there came a point in his life where it was that or criminal, and he chose cop. That moment of intimate conversation turns into a passionate roll in the hay at James2's place (and, yes, ladies, Josh Holloway gave you another shirtless scene to drool over). As post-coital James2 goes to fetch the couple water, Charlotte2 looks for a t-shirt, (and spots a copy of Watership Down on James2's dresser, a book he was apparently destined to read) but stumbles upon James2's hidden, private "Sawyer" file. James2 finds her flipping through it, gets enraged, and throws her out at 3 in the morning.

Aside #2 - the implication seems to be that, in alternaverse, Jacob never gave young James2 the pen that he used to right his revenge letter, which nudged the boy in the direction of using the law instead of flaunting it. But, at the end of the day, cop or criminal, it was all just a means to an end - a lifelong vendetta quest against the man who took his parents.

And yet, we know that in Alternaverse, Anthony Cooper is not quite the same slimeball he was in island world. This Anthony Cooper, whatever his past, managed to reconcile and have a relationship with son. Will Cooper's redemption be enough to stop James2 from killing him? Will it even have to be...

The next day, in a cute little Easter Egg moment, James2 bumps into Liam Pace, at the police station to find his drug-busted brother, Charlie (apparently, LAPD has only one station in alternaverse, where all detectives, and all drug users booked at LAX convene). Miles2 confronts his partner, and is pretty steamed about how James2 treated Charlotte. James2's curt explanation is only that she "opened the wrong drawer." Fed up, Miles2 asks why James2 was in Sydney when he said he was in Palm Springs. James2 blows up at him and the break up as partners (can cops actually just "declare" they're not partners anymore?) James2 then gets his signature "alternaverse look in the mirror" shot, but unlike his more contemplative former flightmates, he angrily punches a hole in the mirror.

James2 comforts himself, not with rage, angy sex or thieving, but with a cold beer, a TV dinner, and an episode of Little House on the Prairie. As Jeff Jensen writes, "James sulked by eating microwave dinners and watching Little House on the Prairie. An inspired, perfect choice for a guy who, like the tragic hero of his favorite novel, Of Mice and Men, dreams doomed dreams of home and hearth and living off the fat of the land with family and friends. In the scene, Charles Ingalls tries to assuage his daughter's mortality angst with some Highway To Heaven touchy-feelies: 'You can spend your whole life worrying about what's going to happen. People aren't really gone when they die, because they live in memories. Memories that sustain us until we see them again.'" This seems to motivate James2 into "do the right thing" territory, and he goes for the same innate "I brought you a single, droopy sunflower" move that made Juliet melt in DHARMA times. But Charlotte2 is a tougher nut to crack, and she tells him he blew it.

James2 then goes to reconcile with Miles2. In a move that island Sawyer would never make, he gives his partner the "Sawyer" file, then tells him his sad story. He confesses he went to Australia as part of his quest to find Sawyer, and it paid off with the name "Anthony Cooper." He then confesses that, if he finds him, he'll kill kim. The reason he told Miles2? So that his partner would talk him out of it.

Aside #3 - I really believe James2 in all of this. First of all, that he only "got a name" in Australia. When we saw him get off the plane, this was not a man who just killed someone, only to find out it was the wrong the person. No, this was a guy who seemed at peace, presumably because he gained new intel. I also believe that he meant it when he said he wanted Miles2 to talk him out of the murder. This is a James Ford who found himself in law and order much earlier than his island counterpart, and figured out the man he wants to be. He may never forgive Anthony Cooper, but he's the bigger man. Which I why I hope and believe he'll earn his reward - when he and Juliet2 go Dutch for coffee.

But the reconciliation moment is cut short when a car fleeing from some other cops crashes into James2's unmarked sedan. The fleeing driver bails, and James2 chases. This driver is dressed exactly the same outfit that dark Charlie wore when he assisted James2 in the kidnap Sun to get the guns gambit in Season 2. James2 catches the suspect, pulls back the hood, and recognizes Kate2 as the person he assisted at the airport (talk about a not cop-like thing to do!) "Son of a bitch!" is James2's expression as this sideways storyline ends, for now...

Island - Team Locke (Starring Sawyer)

The "main" story can really be summed up in a few broad brushes...

Sawyer tends to ailing Jin in Claire's tent (why we didn't see them during the Temple massacre), and promises to help Jin find Sun before they leave the island.

Flocke returns with the "we chose to leave at sunset" Others, and promises protection for his new band of Others (especially young Zack and Emma - and isn't Zack getting a little too old for that ratty old teddy bear?), and, while he tells them that the Black Smoke killed those who stayed at the Temple, he tells only Sawyer that he, himself, is the Black Smoke.

Claire takes Kate's hand, a sign of reassurance, during the Flocke talk, only to then try to slit Kate's throat for taking Aaron. As Kate struggles to get free of Claire, Sayid, who just told Kate he is "not alright," just stares and doesn't help. But Flocke pulls Claire off, and slaps her hard for "inappropriate behavior."

Flocke tasks Sawyer with taking an outrigger to Hydra island to recon the Ajira survivors who "I believe intend to do us harm."

Sawyer reminisces at the bear cages when he sees Kate's old sun dress, then finds the Ajira plane. He follows drag marks to a pile of corpses (the remaining Ajira survivors), who seem to have died without having been shot or stabbed. There he encounters Zoe, a mousy woman who claims to be the last survivor of the flight.

Sawyer calls Zoe's bluff, and pulls a gun on her. She whistels, and out come 6 armed men, who take Sawyer to...the submarine they arrived on.

Flocke talks to Kate to apologize for Claire, then reveals that he had a "crazy mother," who caused "growing pains" that he's still dealing with, a revelation he tells her because Claire will be a crazy mother to Aaron if she reunites them.

Sawyer is taken past a few of Zoe's companions erecting a sonic fence like the one surrounding the DHARMA barracks, and onto the sub, where he is marched past a double-padlocked door with a sentry stationed outside. Nobody wants to answer his question about what's inside (mystery debaters, begin! My favorite theory that I've heard thus far comes from my buddy, Grant, who emailed me right after the episode with a one-word answer - "Desmond").

Sawyer is then taken to see Charles Widmore, who laments how little James Ford knows. Sawyer lays it out simply - in exchange for safe passage for the specific people in the boat he brings back to Hydra island (presumably Kate, Jin and Sun, and maybe Claire and/or Sayid), he will tell Locke (who both of them know isn't Locke) that the coast is clear, so that Widmore can have a free, easy, served-on-a-silver platter chance to kill Flocke. This makes Widmore smile.

Sawyer then returns, and tells Flocke everything, including his promise to assist Widmore in killing Flocke. He makes it clear that he knows that Flocke knew he wouldn't find Ajira survivors when he went over there, but in a show of what "Flocke" calls loyalty, he says now that Widmore is expecting them to come straight to him, he'll be caught unaware by their change of plan. The loyalty thing is all about his deal with Flocke to get him off the island.

When Kate asks Sawyer why he's helping Flocke, Sawyer tells her he ain't helping - and they aren't going to leave on the Ajira plane. His plan is to get the Widmore and Others forces trying to kill each other, then grab Kate (and other 815ers?), steal the sub, and get out that way.

Global Island Aside -

So what is Sawyer's game? He told Jin he's about helping to rescue Sun. He told Flocke he's about honoring their deal (and Flocke can't be that stupid, can he?). He told Widmore he'd betray Flocke for safety (after telling him he knows that Widmore tried to have them all killed three years earlier), and he told Kate he's duping all the rest of them, but she should trust him. I like to think the truth is somewhere in what he told Jin (with whom he bonded in DHARMA times) and Kate (who he remembers loving thanks to his bear cage visit).

Is Claire really going to play nice with Kate? Why would Flocke help her along for so long, only to try to have Kate keep her from Aaron?

What is going on with Sayid "I stare with darting eyes but no discerable reaction" Jarrah? Do he and Claire have a stronger bond now than simply both being kind of nuts?

Last week, when Flocke told Ben to meet him at Hydra island, what was he really trying to get Ben to do? Be a decoy for Widmore? For that matter, I have to believe it was Smokey himself who killed the Ajirites. Widmore's people had guns, but that pile of bodies had not been shot (unless the set dressers simply got lazy).

What is it that Widmore wants? Killing everyone on the island seems to be a way to wipe out Jacob's candidates, which would seem to assist Flocke. But he seems to genuinely want Flocke dead. Of course, that may just have been a false assumption Sawyer made, but then what's with the sonic fences? Before this episode, I thought there would be some sort of kahoots between Smokey and Widmore. Now...

For that matter, and apropos of nothing in this episode, I think back to Season 4, when, in the wake of Keamy killing Alex, Ben somehow summoned the smoke monster to attack Keamy and his group. Why was Smokey so willing to be directed to specific victims, when he had candidates in the group he left untouched? For that matter, why would Smokey do anything at Ben's beck and call?

And then there's the mystery of the locked submarine compartment. I did like the whole Desmond theory (if for no other reason than Henry Ian Cusick has remained in the opening credits of each episode despite only appearing so far in the first 5 minutes of the 8 hours we've seen so far this season). Doc Jensen has another explanation. But it's an explanation that first requires his theory on what/ who Smokey really is. This one's a doozy, but there is a certain logic to it...

This was the real re-con of ''Recon'' — Fake Locke's bid to get Sawyer to commit patricide one more time by killing Charles Widmore. Which is all to say, meet the Man Behind The (Smokey) Mask:

Daniel Faraday.

Not the Daniel Faraday who was shot and killed by his crazy mother in 1977. And not the fetal Daniel Faraday who was growing inside his pregnant mother when she shot and killed adult Daniel Faraday back in 1977. I’m saying: It’s a freaky fusion of both, a disembodied mutant hybrid soul, essentially left behind on the Island as a consequence of the Jughead time reboot that also rebooted pregnant Eloise Hawking. It’s possible that this entity may have been grafted onto an eternal supernatural being that has lived on the Island performing some great spiritual function that it has now tired of. Or it could just be a feral supernatural force that’s been left to develop and grow haphazardly on its own, possessed by the dream of one day becoming a real human being again. Either way, Smokey Faraday is all kinds of wrong — and I think that’s why his father, Charles Widmore, has come to the Island. To take responsibility for his own Abominable Faux Son, and put it/him out of its/his misery. What does Charles have locked up in his submarine? A secret weapon. A weapon more powerful than the dream of vengeance that possessed Sawyer and Claire for so long: It’s the toxic brew of guilt and love, damnation and redemption. Her name was Theresa Spencer. She’s the woman that Daniel Faraday once loved, but whose mind he broke as a result of his time travel experiments that his psycho mom spurred him toward, a woman that Charles Widmore kept alive on his own dime for years, just so he could use her for this very moment.

What I don't like about this theory is its tendency to delve into the high-falutin, mumbo-jumbo stuff that sci fi typically gets scoffed at over, which ultimately makes no sense because if you use enough "soul" and "transdimensional" language, things no longer seem to have to make sense. But what I do like is how well the pieces fit - Daniel clearly was the only character we've seen to have serious mommy issues (even if they only became clear at the moment of his death), and if his back in time to die Odyssey really did somehow turn him into Smokey...who was there 120+ years earlier...well, that would correspond with Flocke's "crazy mom" story. And let's face it, the Theresa Spencer thing was seemingly out of character for Widmore, unless he had a purpose he was working towards. But I can't imagine the big mystery of the locked compartment is really "that comatose chick we saw for one scene back in Season 4, who was awake in one scene in Season5." It doesn't feel epic or monumental enough, and the producers like to shy away from writing anything into the show that requires the viewer to have too crazily obsessed a recall for all things Lost to fully appreciate. So I just give you Jensen's theory as a nifty bit of mental experimenting, and leave it to you to decide if it has merit.

Anyway, next week promises to be a watershed moment for Lost, when we'll finally get Richard Alpert's backstory (and, if Kristin Dos Santos at E! Online is to be believed, the answer to what the island is). So until then, when we reconvene for Ab Aeterno, Namaste!

Episode 607 - "Dr. Linus" Teaches A Class in Priorities

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:37:00 +0000

As always, Ben-focused episodes turn out to be particularly strong. Such was the case with this week's installment, "Dr. Linus."

Smokey's first rejection! Ben's redemption!! The return of Charles Widmore!!! All this, plus a happy ending for Alex Rousseau, and Nikki and Paolo's diamonds, on "Dr. Linus!"

Alternaverse - Dr. Benjamin Linus, Ph.D.
Unlike the other Alternaverse characters, I'll discuss Alterna-Ben with a name he only has in the sideways world - "Dr. Linus." We already knew from "The Substitute" that Dr. Linus taught European History at the same school where Locke2 was hired as a substitute. Here, we got a closer look at his life.

First, we met Dr. Linus teaching a profoundly resonating lecture on how Napolean (all-powerful short guy) faced his biggest challenge when he became a titular emperor, but banished to an island with no real power (brilliant!). After the lecture, poor, put upon Dr. Linus learned from Principal Reynolds that he would have to cancel his chaperoning of the school's 5-student history club in ordr to oversee detention for a week. In a genius bit of casting, the principal was played by none other than Uber-80s villain William Atherton. Atherton's finest role, clearly, was as the weapon's designer/ physics professor in the classic and underappreciated "Real Genius." Also starring in "Real Genius," as marginalized and borderline insane super-genius Lazlo Hollyfield? Jon Gries, better known to Lost fans as...Ben's marginalized and borderline inane super-abusive father, Roger Linus. Love it!

Dr. Linus groused to colleague Leslie Arzt2 (seriously, enough about with the Arzt appearances! He was a lame character whose finest contribution was as a blob of goo on Jack's shoulder after his dynamite-induced surprise demise) about Reynold's disrespect for the school as a place to care for young minds. Listening in is the new sub, Mr. Locke2 piped in, suggesting maybe Dr. L. should be the principal, and offering his fealty to a Linus regime.

Aside #1 - Granted, we know that Alterna-Locke is more self-assured than his late island doppelganger. But wasn't this brief glimpse at Alterna-Locke - his only appearance in the episode - far more suggestive of the seductive Flocke personality? Could it be that the man in black operates in alterna-world, trying to motivate his would be disciples to acts of insurrection? Or is it this potential in real Locke that made Fake Locke choose him for his visage?

That evening, Dr. Linus looks into his reflection on the door of his microwave (the "I see my reflection, but what is showing me?" image has recurred with the principal character in each of the flash-sideways thus far this season). The meal he's preparing is not for himself, but for his aging father, Roger2. Dr. Linus laments his assignment to detention, and confesses to his dad that he feels like a bigger loser than the kids he's forced to oversee. Roger2, clearly feeling sorry for his son (in a way his abusive island counterpart never did), says he wishes life had turned out differently for Ben2. He suggests if they had only stayed with the DHARMA Initiative - people far smarter than he was - maybe Dr. Linus's life would have turned out better.

Aside #2 - the mystery of how Sideways world links to island world got a lot clearer here. We know that the Linuses of this world went to the island, and indeed were part of DHARMA. But somewhere after they arrived in the early 1970s, history changed. We can assume that Ben2 never got shot, since it's hard to imagine an Others-healed Ben turning out any way other than the monster we know from the island present. So, for whatever reason, the Linus pair just...left. Presumably, so did the Goodspeeds, given that Ethan2 ended up working at the Sideways hospital. But the point is, in this timeline, there was an island, and it did house DHARMA.

Doc Jensen has a theory on this: THEORY REVISION ALERT!
Categories: Sideways Island Sinkage; Parallel World Historical Discrepancies.
Analysis: Until last night, it had been safe to assume that both the Island and Sideways worlds shared the same history until 1977, which is when the time-traveling castaways detonated Jughead. But the Linus men of the Sideways world blew up that thinking. I took the story to mean that Sideways Roger and Ben left the Island prior to its sinking. But Island Roger and Ben were still on the Island when Juliet banged the bomb. Implication: If the two worlds share a common history, the fork in the road is sometime before 1977. Rebooted Theory: The divergence begins on that fateful night when some phantom stranger struck John Locke's teenage mother, causing her to give birth three months early. That phantom stranger? I'm saying it's Charles Widmore.

My theory - Detonating Jughead on the pocket of electromagnetic energy killed Jacob. Jacob, in a sense, is (or at least takes power from) that pocket of energy under the Swan. Jacob also exists simulatneously throughout time, like a Billy Pilgrim of island deities. As such, the 1977 death of Jacob altered both the past and the future by deleting Jacob from time. The result? The castaways never time traveled back, Ben was never shot, DHARMA was a bust, and Ben and his dad left the island when Ben was still a boy. Other results? They are many, and, I believe, include John Locke not being born early because his mother was never hit by a car (sorry, Doc Jensen, but I believe it was Jacob, not Widmore, who caused that accident to take place). And, finally, unchecked by Jacob, Smokey finally got around to doing what he'd waited so long to do - destroy the island, causing it to sink sometime in the late 1970s.

The island reminiscences are curtailed by a ring of the doorbell. Dr. Linus answers, and finds his star pupil - Alex2 F___king Rousseau! She didn't know why her dad, er, teacher didn't show for history club (she's apparently one of the five), and asked for some AP test tutoring.

Aside #3 - is this silly public high school the alterna-world version of the island? With Ben2, Locke2, Arzt2, and now Alex2 all ending up there? Given that the Linuses hail from Portland, and Alex's mom is a maritime Frenchwoman, this is a bit hard to swallow. But I guess if we can suspend disbelief for dead-impersonating smoke monsters and magic lighthouse mirrors, coincidences aren't too tough to deal with.

As Ben2 tutors Alex2, he uncovers Reynolds's dirty little secret - an illicit, extramarital affair with the school nurse. He also discovers that Alex2 wants a recommendation letter to Yale, something she feels only Reynolds can provide. But Dr. L. almost ignores this part of Alex2's story, as the island-Ben-esque plan to unseat his boss and usurp his position starts to form.

Aside #4 - do check out Doc Jensen's recap at ew.com. He does a great job of drawing parallels between Dr. Linus's quest to oust Reynolds and island Ben's coup to supplant Widmore, both, apparently, by exploiting ilicit affairs.

To hatch his scheme, Dr. Linus approaches Arzt2, who he knows is a computer expert, for help getting the incriminating evidence. Arzt2, whose ambition rises all the way to the level of a better parking space and some new lab equipment, is too happy to help. Arzt2's best line - "you had me fooled with the sweater vest - you're a real killer!"

Dr. Linus confronts Reynolds with the emails he uncovers, only to have Reynolds pull out his own nuclear option - the return threat to "torch" Alex2's efforts to get into Yale. So now Ben2 faces a very similar dilemma to the one that once faced his island self - protect Alex, or secure his position of power. In the end, Dr. Linus reverses course - he drops the blackmail attempt, allowing Alex2 to receive a glowing recommendation. His only selfish gain? Reynolds relieves him of detention duty, freeing him to return to his precious History Club.

Aside #5: Doc Jensen writes, "We were left to wonder why Ben chose as he did. As a historian, Ben probably is familiar with the phrase from George Santayana, 'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.' Maybe Sideways Ben was able to avoid duplicating the fate of his Island world counterpart because of some genetic or past life memory bubbled into his consciousness. Maybe he gleaned a lesson or two about power, priorities, regret and responsibility from what his otherworld avatar had learned in the trial-and-error spiritual classroom of the Island. Maybe that info radiated into his brain via the reflection he saw of himself in the window of his microwave as he was zapping organic turkey for his father. Or maybe not. Maybe Sideways Ben is simply made of slightly better stuff and slightly better experiences — a well-meaning if flawed father; exposure to the well-meaning if flawed idealistic culture of the Dharma Initiative; and surely more. Either way, this version of Benjamin Linus found redemption by following his heart. In the words of Napoleon: GOSH!"

Island World - Jack and Hurley
After being absent last week, we rejoin Jack and Hurley in their quest to return to the Temple from the Lighthouse. Hurley, still keeping Jacob's warning about danger at the Temple, tries valliantly to stall, and even suggests a clearly bogus shortcut. That's when Richard arrives, and tells them they're both going the wrong way, and suggests a third path. Jack turns to follow, and Hurley asks if he's just going to trust him. Jack's response? "at least he's not stallin.'"

Aside #6: Doc Jensen writes: "(Another reading of Richard's third way as a metaphor for Lost's storytelling: We won't lead you astray, but we're not going the way you expect. We'll be doing this ''answer'' thing our way. ‘Kay?)"

Hurley confirms (because he's a bit behind) that Richard has not been time traveling, but rather looks the same as he did 30 years prior. Richard's response is that he was given a gift by Jacob, but now Jacob is dead. Richard leads them, not to the Temple, but to the Black Rock. His answer for his deception is that everyone at the Temple is dead (though he did not see their friends), so whatever they hope to find there won't be there. As he says this, he stops looking at Jack and Hurley, and instead stares, almost awestruck, at Black Rock. He warns Jack and Hurley not to do anything Jacob told them to do, then says he came to this place because he has something he needs to do - die. And with that, he heads into the old slave ship.

Richard goes in to the ship, and finds a particular spot in the hold, then stares at a particular set of chains, with intense recognition. Jack asks if he's been there before, and Richard responds yes, but this is the first time he's ever come back.

Aside #7 - It's not explicit, but it's pretty clear in the subtext - Richard was brought to the island as a slave on this ship, before Jacob set him free and gave him the "gift" of long life. Of course, we'll likely get confirmation in 2 weeks, when we'll see the first Richard-centric episode.

Richard emerges from his memory lane trip to find some dynamite. He says he can't blow himself up, because once you've been touched by Jacob, you can't kill yourself. But if one of them lights the fuse (then runs away), at last he can die. He explains that Jacob's touch was considered a gift, but in fact was a curse. Jacob had told him he had a plan, a special plan, that Richard was a part of, and that, someday he'd share it with him. Unfortunately, Jacob up and died, making Richard's long existence nothing but a lie, a life with no real purpose. As Hurley starts to back away (remembering the fate of Island Arzt), Jack says that, if Richard wants to die, he's not going to stop him. Jack lights the fuse, but rather than running, he sits down, looks at Richard, and says, "now, let's talk." Richard urges him to leave, but Jack says he doesn't think he's going to die. (I loved Hurley's exit line - "if you need me, I'll be like a mile away). Jack tells Richard about their trip to the lighthouse, which made him pretty sure he's part of Jacob's plan, too. The fuses fizzles out, and Jack asks, "wanna try another stick?" Richard seems convinced - maybe his life again has the purpose that he thought was lost with Jacob. Jack takes charge, and says they're going back to where it all started.

Aside #8 - In this moment, Jack stops being wishy-washy Mr. Fixit Shephard, and instead morphs into a combination of another TV Jack (Bauer) and his own former idealogical nemesis, John Locke. It appears Jack's stare out at the ocean moment helped to clarify a lot for him, and indeed set him on his path.

Doc Jensen, however, questions if there's another reading: Does Jack want to know Jacob's purpose so he can faithfully fulfill it... or so he can angrily subvert it? He crackles with so much crazy mania, it's hard to know if he's a true believer or a great deceiver. Is it possible the title of the episode hints at an even more provocative possibility: that Ben, a.k.a. ''Dr. Linus,'' has replaced Dr. Shephard as the story's hero, while Jack has replaced Ben as its villain? Consider that sentimental slow-mo reunion sequence that ended the episode. We saw everyone in their huts and tents — including Miles, inspecting the diamonds he purloined from Nikki and Paulo's grave (all $8 million of it? No going dutch on coffee with him!) — as Jack, Hurley and Richard approached. This moment was staged to deliberately echo the scene from the season 3 episode ''One Of Us,'' when Jack, Kate, and Sayid returned from New Otherton, bringing Juliet with them. When the beach crew saw her, the happy-huggy moment abruptly ended, and everyone gave her the stink-eye (especially, ironically, Sawyer) — just like Jack and Ben traded suspicious looks in last night's episode. We learned at the very end of ''One Of Us'' that newbie Juliet was indeed shady; she had been sent by Ben to spy on the camp. (The moment was mirrored, I think, by having ''Dr. Linus'' end with Widmore's submarine spying on the castaways.)

Personally, I disagree. I may not be fully convinced that Jacob is "good" (though I still believe that to be the case), but I'm pretty sure that, by removing Hurley and Jack from the Temple, Jacob set them up to be the keepers of his vision.

But Jensen continues with his psychological analysis of Jack: "Why might Jack be so angry? Oh, I don't know. The same reason Sally Brown was so angry after spending all night in a pumpkin patch with Linus Van Pelt waiting for transcendent revelation to arrive. This Island thing — Jacob, Ben, everything — has made a big mess of his life, and he wants someone to take responsibility for it. He wants payback. Sally's cry is his cry: 'YOU OWE ME RESTITUTION!'" Of course, back in season 3, Juliet and Jack were nurturing heroic double-crosses. Still, at this point in the season, I'm looking inside Jack's heart, and wondering which way his scales are tilting. Will he be replacing Jacob by season's end... or Smokey?

Island - Ben and Team Ilana

The main action this week picks up with Ben fleeing from the Temple massacre. He dives when he comes across a bunch of torches in the jungle, but they're being carried by Frank, Miles, Sun and Ilana. Ilana, since it's her job, asks immediately, "where is Jarrah," to which Ben, pretending to be stung, repsponds, "I'm fine, thanks." He tells them that Sayid just killed Dogen and Lennon. Ilana, incredulous that a candidate would do such a thing, asks if he was sure, to which Ben snidely responds, "I saw him standing over their bodies with a bloody dagger, so I'm pretty sure." When asked what caused the attack, Ben stumbles, responding, "the same thing that killer her men," prompting Ilana to double-check, "and Jacob, too, right?" Suffice it to say, she's less than convinced when Ben gives her a, "oh, well, yeah, Jacob, too." Ilana hands Miles Jacob's ashes, and asks him to reveal how Jacob died. Miles does his seance thing, and says that Ben killed Jacob. Ilana asks if he's sure, and, even as Ben acts dumbstruck, Miles says, "I saw him standing over Jacob's body with a bloody knife, so, yeah, I'm pretty sure." Ilana stares a "bloody dagger" through Ben, and says, "Jacob was the closest thing I ever had to a father," then abruptly turns and walks off. Uh-oh!

By morning, the Ilana bunch make it to the remnants of the 815ers' beach camp. Ilana directs her companions to look for tools, food and firewood, but ignores Ben. He offers to help, but she continues to ignore him, as she strips bundles of wire out of a piece of the fuselage.

Before long, Sun asks Ilana how long they plan to stay on the beach, since she's pretty eager to search for Jin. Ilana tells her, that she's just as eager to find Jin, because, as Doc Jensen put it, "she is now charged with protecting the candidates to replace Jacob. Don't ask her what it means: she doesn't know or isn't telling us. She was asked how many were left, she said six. Was she counting John Locke? Fake Locke? Jin and Sun twice?" Sun asks what she's a candidate to replace Jacob for, to which Ilana responds, "if you've been selected, you'll know."

Aside #9 - ah, the passive voice as a way to perpetuate a mystery. "If you've been selected..." If Jacob is dead, who's doing the selecting? Is that Smokey's role, albeit one he doesn't quite seem to grasp that he has?

Ben digs through Sawyer's old stash, finding some remaining porn, and a couple of books. As Kristin Dos Santos tells us about one of the books, "EasterEgg: The book that Ben reached across to get the Oceanic 815 water in "the library" was The Chosen by Chaim Potok, a best-selling 1967 novel about a boy who is raised in "silence" by his father. At the end of the book, the father breaks his silence and explains that he was concerned his son was losing compassion for others, so he wanted him to experience pain and desire. After realizing the son has compassion, they reconcile and the son is set free. (Ben = the son, and Jacob = the father? Mayhaps! All I know is I have a long list of books to tackle once this show is over.)"

Frank lets slip how he would have piloted flight 815 if he hadn't overslept. He muses about how different his life would have been if he made the flight, to which Ben retorts, "how different would it have been? The island got you." As Frank walks off, Ilana points her gun at Ben's neck, and orders him to walk...over to Boone hill. There she fastens the leg manacle she had fashioned from the recycled electrical wires to Ben's ankle, and a nearby tree. She then orders him to dig a grave. For himself. Since he murdered Jacob. Double uh-oh!

As Ben digs, Miles comes to offer him some food - bananas and green beans. Ben tries to offer Miles the 3.2 million that Miles had tried to blackmail him out of three years previously, to which Miles laughs, why would he need it, in light of the $8 million in diamonds Nikki and Paolo were buried with? (Sometimes, ghost whipering has its perks). Ben tries to reason with Miles, saying that Jacob didn't even care about dying. Miles, who knows the dead's dying thoughts, corrects Ben - he says Jacob did care about dying, and right up until the knife plunged into him, he had hoped he was wrong about Ben. "I guess he wasn't," Miles says as he walks off.

As Ben's macabre labor nears its conclusion, he hears the familiar Smokey ratatatatata. Sure enough, Flocke appears, but stays behind a barrier so Ilana can't see him. Flocke assures Ben he didn't want him to die. He tells him his plan to take a group and leave, but then says that someone needs to be left in charge, and he thinks Ben would be perfect. He tempts him to escape, and join Flocke on Hyrda island, shows him that he's magically opened the ankle cuff, and tells him there is a rifle on a tree stump 200 yards into the jungle, that he'll get to in time to get the jump on Ilana.

Aside #10 - and here is that parallel to Dr. Linus's lecture on Elba. Ben has, in a very real sense, been offered the title of emperor while living powerless on a mostly deserted island. But while Dr. L. mocked such a reduction in status, to Ben, it sure seemed to be a better alternative than dying in a grave he'd dug for himself.

Ben runs, and Ilana chases. Ben, who I must say runs, not just like a girl, but like my 2 year-old daughter, somehow gets to the gun Flocke promised, and turns it on Ilana. She drops her gun, and proudly asks what Ben is waiting for. And Ben, about to complete yet another of his dastardly acts - the murder of both Jacob, and his last protector - instead starts to lose his trademark cool. He says he needs to explain, then confesses everything that was in his heart and mind, "'I watched my daughter Alex die in front of me and it was my fault. I had a chance to save her. I chose the Island over her. All in the name of Jacob. I sacrificed everything for him, and he didn't even care. I stabbed him. I was so angry. Confused. I was terrified I was about to lose the only thing that ever happened to me, my power. But the thing that really mattered was already gone. I don't expect you to forgive me. I can never forgive myself.'' Ben tells her his plan is to join Flocke. When she wonders why he'd do anything so...(stupid? Distasteful? Plot-advancing?) He cries, "because he's the only one that will have me." But Ilana, having looked into Ben's soul during his confession, and realized that he sacrificed more to Jacob's hidden agenda than she ever will, says, "I'll have you." She turns her back to him (with his gun still on her), picks up her gun, and walks back to the beach. And Ben follows.

Ben rests his rifle on the rigging of the shelter Sun is working on, and asks her if he can help. She looks him over, then asks him to assist her with the tarp. As this group starts to work together, they're joined by Jack, Hurley and Richard. The moment is entirely reminiscent of the joyous return of Jack, Kate, and Sayid in Season 3, right down to the tension in the beach camp when they saw Juliet was with them. Here, the tension was between Jack and Ben. And Richard and Ben. But unlike Juliet's arrival, this tension seemed to ease after a moment...

...and then, off the shore, a periscope pops up. There's a sub in the water, and inside is none other than Charles Widmore. He has finally found the island...

Aside #12 - So...is this the same Charles Widmore we've always known, or is it Sideways Widmore? Is there even such a thing as Sideways Widmore. If it's not Sideways Widmore, where did this guy come from? And how is he now able to find the island?

On that, there is an obvious theroy. It's two-part. First, I think Jacob in a very direct sense blocked people from finding the island. With no more Jacob, there is no more interference. Second, as I mentioned earlier, the detonation of Jughead wiped out the electromagnetic anomoly that made the island undetectable. Perhaps it even made it stop moving. Or... having reconnected with Eloise Hawking back in L.A., perhaps Widmore simply got access to the Lamppost station under the church.

Finally, here's another theory, one that dates back further into the history of the island. Smokey seduced Widmore. Much as he tried to do with Ben this week, I think Smokey convinced Widmore that he could supplant Jacob's will. Why limit yourself to being a candidate, or shepherding the island until a candidate arrives, when your master's enemy can offer you the keys to the kingdom? Think about what young(ish) Ben said to Widmore after he refused to kill Rousseau - he questioned whether the order was truly Jacob's, or rather just Widmore's own. Ultimately, the Others banished Widmore, and I'm starting to think it was for being too big for his Jacob-following britches (one aspect of which was the off-island dalliance that produced Penelope). As we now see the battle lines forming, even with Widmore returning to the island, I believe Charles will take the place Smokey offered Ben last night, only to learn that, should he achieve victory for his new sponsor, he'll be left with as meaningless a title as Napolean had when exiled to Elba. Ben, on the other hand, wisely avoided that fate when choosing to follow Ilana in lieu of island dominance.

And with that I leave you for this week, Lostophiles. Next week seems likely to be a Sawyer episode (I hope he's either a sheep in wolf's clothing, or has turned deliciously eeeeeevil). Until then, when we reconvene for "Recon," Namaste.

Episode 606 - "Sundown" on Good Ol' Sayid

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:52:00 +0000

Smokey's biggest smack-down! Sayid's Anakin moment!! Kate's reunion with Claire!!! All this, plus alternaverse synchronicity, in "Sundown."

Foreword
I take this first passage from Jeff Jensen, who expounded upon my (ultimately innacurate) prediction for where this episode was going to take us:

''Sundown.'' The title was a Trojan horse fake out, designed to set us up for something Jin-and-Sunny, but masking something monstrous and smokey. Before last night, every episode of Lost 6.0 had been synced to every episode of Lost 1.0 (premiere, followed by Kate, Locke, and Jack eps). If the season had followed the pattern, then ''Sundown'' should have been a Jin and Sun episode (reunion!), corresponding with the season 1 episode titled ''House of the Rising Sun.'' Get it? No, sing it! Sunrise/Sunset/Sunrise/Sunset... Instead, being the super-suckers that we are, we got sabotaged: ''Sundown'' was a Sayid episode that mirrored his season 1 origin story ''Solitary.'' And just in case we didn't get the riddle, there was castaway jokester Miles sitting in Temple courtyard, passing the time playing Solitaire.

And now I'll just say it. Right from the get-go. I did not love "Sundown." Indeed, I have had a couple of nagging problems with Season 6 that I felt really came to a head this week. First, there's the flash-sideways. Don't get me wrong - I continue to have faith that, ultimately, these "alternate universe that's really the same even though it's completely inconsistent" stories will have some really cool payoff. I'm just tired of waiting for it. Think back to "Through the Looking Glass," where Lost surprised us by revealing that the flashback was actually a flash-forward. As with the flash-sideways, this was a huge shift in the narrative of the show. But unlike the flash-sideways, the trick was that there even was a trick. We thought we were watching a troubled time in Jack's past, only to learn it was his "future" that was so unpleasant. And, when we did get let in on the joke, we were able to project back to the beginning of the episode and figure out what had been going on. It was, in a nutshell, very "Sixth Sense" - in other words, a story where the twist ending worked precisely because we didn't know there was a twist to look out for.

Here, on the other hand, we've been painfully aware of the twist since the opening scene of LA X, in which Oceanic 815 took on Desmond as a passenger, didn't crash, and flew over a submerged island. The problem that I find so deeply unsatisfying, at least so far, is that we started with this twist, and, 6 hours later, it's still a twist that has yet to pay off. Even for someone like me, who paintakingly watches each scene of the series and tries to put my finger on plot points that only pay off hours later, this flash sideways world has been asking a lot. A hell of a lot. We still have no clue where it's going, or why we're watching. And, frankly, I'd like to know what it's all about, so we can go back to caring about the characters again. Sure, after 5 plus seasons, Lost gets some leeway. But if we had been asked to sit on a conundrum like this back in seasons 1 or 2, there would not have been a season 3.

But "Sundown" also had another problem. It was the first episode in a long time in which I felt betrayed by the main character. I felt as though Sayid was not acting true to himself throughout the island storyline. Granted, we've been asked to accept that this is due to his post-death/ pre-resurrection muddy water bath. But that's just plain unsatisfying. Lost, I beg of you - either let our characters operate close to being true to themselves, and leave us to piece together the mystery of why and how they deviate from those selves in subtle meaningful ways, or give us a brutally honest explanation of why the character has radically changed. Dogen's cryptic "darkness growing inside him" laments about why Sayid would be better off dead, to me, fail to satisfy the question of why Sayid is acting so not Sayid-like. I'll discuss this further down below, but to me, the turning of Sayid in the sixth episode released this season reminds me of the abrupt, overly forced turning of another popular character in the sixth episode released in his story. I refer, of course, to Anakin Skywalker. But more on that later.

Alternaverse - Sayid2
For all my vitriol above, taken alone, I really enjoyed the flash-sideways Sayid2 story. I thought it did well to really illuminate the character we've gotten to know over the past few seasons (far better than the island story served that character).

After lingering in a cab (from the airport?) Sayid2 rings a doorbell, on a house we (may) have seen before. Inside is Noor2, AKA Nadia2, Sayid2’s lady love. Only here, Nadia2 is not surprised to see Sayid2. However, what she is, surprising us, is married to Sayid2’s weenie of an older brother, and the mother of big bro’s two kids. Sayids claims he works for an oil company, translating international contracts (in Australia?) There’s clearly romantic tension between Noor2 and Sayid2, and big brother feels it, too. Nadia2, however, has been sending Sayid2 letters, but he didn’t write back. The kids find Nadia2’s picture in Sayid2’s bag, and their dad is not impressed.

As Doc Jensen writes, "Nadia, his beautiful muse and inspiration for redemption... but also his unreachable standard and reminder of his damnation. In the Sideways world, Nadia doesn't complete Sayid — she negates him. She is not his constant — she is his scale. Poor Nadia. Sayid told her he didn't deserve her, and he's right: no woman should be treated like a reward for being 'a good man,' much like an unapproachable, unattainable goddess. At least, not literally."

Big bro Omer made a bad business deal – a loan shark claims he owes interest in perpetuity. Omer knows what Sayid did in the war, and begs him to convince the loan shark to leave him alone. "I know what kind of man you are," the manipulative older Jarrah says. "I’m sorry," insists Sayid, "I’m not that man anymore."

Sayid2 escorts the kids to the schoolbus. He says he has to go to Toronto for work in a few days. Nadia2 comes out of the house, desperate for Sayid2. They walk past Jack2 in the hospital. (meaning...that all the 815ers were going to cross paths, anyway? Or just that L.A. is a really small world...) Omer has a punctured lung and internal bleeding. Sayid2 clearly doubts the story that Omer was "mugged" outside his store. Nadia2 pleads, "whatever you’re thinking of doing, don’t do it. Just go home, wait for the kids, make them feel safe." Unable to deny Nadia2 anything, Sayid2 honors her wish, and she finds him at home later patching a vase, broken by a boomerang. He told the kids there was an accident, but Daddy will be fine. Nadia2 says this is Omer’s responsibility, then questions, "why did you push me towards your brother?" Sayid2 confesses that he spent the last 12 years washing his hands of all horrible things he’s done. He can’t be with her, he says, because he doesn’t deserve her.

Aside #1 - So, even though island Sayid was turned into a torturer by Kate's dad and Desmond's hatchmate, Kelvin, it turns out that, in an islandless world, Sayid2 turned out exactly the same. Is there just darkness in his character? If so, why are both versions of Sayid so convinced of their utter worthlessness? Can a person be both inherently evil, and inherently penitent?

Omar2 – (the alternaverse version of Omar from the freighter), waits for Sayid2 outside the next day, and orders him into his car. They go into the back of a restaurant, where a black-clad man makes an egg. It’s Martin Keamy2. Sayid2 seems to recognize him, but that, of course, may just be his "recognition" that this is the man terrorizing his brother. Keamy2 asks about Omer. After the initial pleasant pretenses drop, Keamy2 threatens through a smile, "your brother does owe me, and somebody’s going to pay that money. It’s a dangerous world…" Sayid2 jumps into action, attacks Omar, and uses him as a human shield, before taking out Keamy2's bodyguard. Keamy2 tries to bargain "your brother’s debt is forgiven. Just relax, and foget about it." Sayid2 responds, "I can’t," and shoots Keamy2 in the chest. Sayid2 hears someone in the meat locker. Inside, he finds…Jin2, tied up.

Aside #2 - as nifty as it occasionally is to see the island world characters, especially the dead ones, turn up in different contexts in alternaverse, the whole Keamy is a gangster and Omar is his henchman thing just felt forced. While they made fine nasty adverseraries as mercenaries, they never felt so central to the Lost mythology that I lost sleep over what would have become of these slimeballs if Widmore had no island to send them to. Their presence here, in my mind, didn't make the alternaverse more relevant. It made it more contrived.

That said, it's interesting to find Jin2 here. Is this the type of "business associate" old man Paik associates with? But if island Keamy was a mercenary, who was island Jin going to deliver the watch to? On the other hand, perhaps Keamy2 somehow kidnapped Jin2 away from his mission, meaning somehow Jins of all varieties were never meant to deliver their respective watches. Where, we wonder, is Sun2? I'm suddenly feeling cheated out of the Jin-Sun episode that we were supposed to get this week...

Still, when all is said and done, Keamy/Omar notwithstanding, I liked the alterna-story this week. I just wish these segments, in general, would start to demonstrate their relevance to the overall show. Of course, there is a chance this one did, but we'll get to that in a moment...

Island - Sayid
Sayid demands answers from Dogen, why he was branded, poked, prodded, electrocuted, etc.. Dogen explains that in every person there is a balance, between good and evil and Sayid’s balance came out on the wrong side (tellingly, he said "wrong," and not "evil"…). A kick-ass martial arts fight breaks out after Dogen says Sayid would be better off dead. At a pause in the action, Sayid insists he's a good man, and the test must have been wrong. The fight resumes. As they fight, Dogen’s baseball bounces off the table, then comes to a bizarrely abrupt halt, catching Dogen's eye. Dogen could have killed Sayid, but instead banishes him from the Temple, eyeing the baseball closely.

Aside #3 - the question here is whether or not the pool itself, or Sayid's own character, resulted in his failure of the test. The implication is certainly that the pool submersion caused it. But hasn't the whole point of Sayid's character always been about whether he was redeemable, or just too dark and evil in his actions to ever forgive himself, or be forgiven?

But what's with Sayid's insistence that he's good? Just a few hours earlier, he insisted he was going to Hell for all he's done in his life. For cryin' out loud, the man shot an 11-year-old! This profession of goodness was the first time I felt Sayid truly acted out of character in the episode. I couldn't help but wonder if this was the effect of the spring, bad writing, or both.

Meanwhile, Flocke and Claire eye the temple from outside. Claire wonders why he doesn’t send in Jin or Sawyer. Flocke says if he could do it himself, he wouldn’t have asked her. Claire says she wants her son back if she does what he asks. “I always do what I say.” Claire, suddenly concerned, asks, "you gonna hurt them?" Flocke, sounding magnanimous when he's actually being incredibly menacing, responds, "only the ones who won’t listen."

As Sayid prepares to leave, Miles sees him, and tells him he was dead for 2 hours, and that the Others didn’t revive him, and were just as surprised to see him wake up. "Whatever brought you back," Miles says, "it wasn’t them."

Aside #4 - if Sayid is still himself in any way, Miles may have just doomed the Temple Others. Perhaps if Sayid felt he owed them something, he might have spared them later in the episode. Now, these are just a bunch of creepy people who tried to kill him.

Claire enters the courtyard, and confronts Dogen. "He wants to see you," she says, and it's clear Dogen knows who she means. Dogen refuses to go out, since outside of the protection of the Temple, he'd be killed. "Maybe," Claire suggests helpfully, "you should send someone he won’t kill." Dogen, never one to miss an opportunity to over-react, orders Claire be gaken to "the hole." He asks for Jack and Hurley, but Lennon tells him they’re gone. Dogen tells Sayid things have changed, and he no longer needs him to lave. Rather, he gives him a bizarre dagger, a sort of island Excalibur, and tells him to kill Flocke, who he says will take the form of someone he knows, who recently died. Dogen calls Flocke an angry man, trapped for years, but free now that Jacob is gone. He won’t stop, says Dogen, until he destroys all life on the island. Smokey, says Dogen, is Evil incarnate. "If you allow him to speak," warns the funky samurai, "it’s already too late." "Since I’ve been here," protests Sayid, "I’ve been drowned, beaten and tortured at your hands. Why would I do anything you ask?" Dogen's response is, frankly, a little too trusting. "You said that there is still good in your soul. Now prove it."

Sayid finds Kate out in the jungle. He says he’s not sure if he’s leaving. He tells her to ask Miles what she missed. She goes back into the Temple. Miles asks her, "Saywer sent you packing, huh? I thought about going after him, too, but he’d just berate me until I turned around." Miles tells her about Claire, and how she was acting all weird.

Aside #5 Kate's big quest is about to be complete. Or is it...

Sayid takes a canteen from his bag. He hears a strange wind, (reminiscent of, yet oddly than the whispers that greeted him when he fled Rousseau back in "Solitary,") and everything around him rustles. The wind stops, and out steps Flocke, who immediately says, "Hello Sayid." Sayid stabs him in the chest, but Flocke pulls out the dagger, bloodless. With a wry smile, Flocke asks, "now why’d you go and do that?" Sayid looks truly afraid. Flocke, realizing he's already won, smiles. "You want it back? Take it, I won’t bite." Sayid asks, "what are you?" "You seem to have some sort of idea," suggests Flocke. "What did they tell you?" Sayid tells Flocke about the whole "Evil, incarnate" thing. Flocke says Dogen knew Sayid would have no chance, and believed Flocke would kill him. "Shame on you," Flocke half scolds, "for being talked into it so easily." Flocke asks Sayid to deliver a message for him, and entices him with the promise that, if he does it, he can have "anything you wanted, anything in the entire world." Sayid responds that the only thing he ever wanted died in his arms, "and I’ll never see her again." Flocke, seeming quite genuine, asks, "what if you could?" Bingo. He has him.

Aside #6 - And there's that whole Anakin moment. Where the promise, coming from someone he has no reason to trust, of saving his lost love from death's clutches so they could be together suddenly robs him of his judgment and cynicism, and turns him to the dark side. If this truly was Sayid's downfall, it was too fast, too abrupt. I never envisioned Mr. Jarrah would have a happy ending on Lost. But I did think he would die redeeming himself. Instead, he went all "henceforth you shall be known as Darth Vader." I didn't buy it in Revenge of the Sith, and I didn't buy it now.

So was it just the effect of the muddy spring? If so, why bother resurrecting him in the first place? And isn't that a cheap cop-out? Sayid's character arc deserved better. Even if he does complete the Vader parallel and ends up dying in a heroic moment of self-sacrifice, I'm truly disappointed by this turn for his character.

This does also beg the question of how exactly Flocke will deliver on his promise of reuniting Sayid with Nadia? The most likely prospect involves sending Sayid to alternaverse. Which would be cool, and would be part of reuniting the two seemingly disparate worlds. But the cruel trick is that Sayid doesn't feel worthy of Nadia in that other world. And, again, it would be nice to see some link between the worlds, already. And even nicer to know why a cynic like Sayid would buy the patently impossible offering of a clearly evil being...

Sayid returns to find Dogen by the water. Sayid walks past him, and announces Flocke's message to the Others. – Jacob is dead, so nobody has to stay. They’re all free. Flocke is leaving the island forever. Those who want to join him, leave by sundown. Cindy asks what happens at Sundown. "You die."

Kate finds Lennon, and demands to be led to Claire. He leads her to the hole - an actual hole -where Claire sings "Catch a Falling Star" to herself. Claire asks if she was captured too? Kate assures her the Others don’t have Aaron. "I took him," she explains, not knowing that Claire planned to kill her if this were the case. Claire is not pleased. "I’m not the one who needs to be rescued, Kate," Claire says menacingly. "He’s coming, Kate, he’s coming and they can’t stop him."

Lennon tells Sayid he created a panic, and a number of people are leaving. Cindy leaves with the kids, and a number of Others. Sayid shows Miles the dagger, and says he has to return it.

Dogen continues to contemplate the baseball when Sayid finds him by the spring. "You let him talk to you," accuses Dogen. "I stabbed him, then I let him talk to me," corrects Sayid.

Aside #7 - really? Did the words "hello, Sayid" somehow give Flocke power over death? And how on Earth was he supposed to have prevented that? It's this kind of illogical mumbo-jumbo that is making Season 6 largely strain at the limits of suspension of disbelief Lost has earned.

"That’s twice you tried to have someone else kill me," accuses Sayid. Dogen says he was a businessman in Osaka, at a bank. He was promoted, and his associates took him out to celebrate. He drank too much. Every Friday he picked his son up from baseball. There was an accident. He survived, but his son wouldn’t have. In the hospital, Jacob came to him. He said he could save his son’s life, but Dogenwould have to come to the island, and he could never see his boy again. "Jacob drives a hard bargain," scoffs Sayid. "I take it man outside offered you a similar bargain," answers Dogen. "Yes," is Sayid's terse response.

Aside # 8 - So what we've learned the past 2 weeks is that Jacob really is a heartless, manipulative jerk, right? It seems in a world where Jacob didn't interfere, Dogen never was in danger of losing his son, and indeed the kid grew into a teenage piano prodigy. But when Jacob "helps," it seems to be only to clean up a mess we have to assume he created himself, much the way Flocke accused him of in "The Substitute."

"It is Sundown," Dogen points out. "Will you choose to stay or go?" Sayid responds, "I’d like to stay," then abruptly grabs Dogen and flings him into the spring, holding him down. Dogen’s grip releases on the baseball, and Sayid leaves him floating. Lennon comes in and sees what happened. "He was the only thing keeping it out," Lennon freaks. "You idiot, you just let it in." As the smokey rata-tata sound goes off, Sayid slices Lennon’s throat. "I know." Lennon, too, falls in the water.

Aside #9 - I can't help but wonder if Dogen and Lennon will also be resurrected by the spring. If so, perhaps Sayid knew that would happen, and this was his way of secretly undermining his new master?

Smokey erupts in. Kate grabs Miles, and says they have to run. Smokey starts doing serious damage. They split up. Miles slips into the tunnels, and Kate goes back for Claire. Miles tries to block the door, but Ilana comes in. Lapidus follows. Ilana tries to stop Ben from getting Sayid, but Ben runs. Kate tries to save Claire, but Claire says it would be safter in the hole. Kate jumps in, just as Smokey roars over. Ben finds Sayid over the bodies in the spring. "Come on," urges Ben. "I know a way out of here. C’mon there’s still time." "Not for me," Sayid smiles creepily.

Miles asks Sun where Jin is, and let’s her know he’s alive. Ilana looks along the glyphs, then finds the one Hurley had eyed. It opens a door (now we know how Hurley escaped). She directs everyone in. The wall closes behind them as Smokey goes by.

Aside #10. So, if we're picking "teams," it looks like Ilana, Ben, Sun and Frank (and presumably Jack and Hurley) are on one side...

Sayid goes back to the courtyard. Claire and Kate emerge. The Others are dead, as a creepy version of "Catch a Falling Star" plays. Kate grabs a gun. Sayid and Cliare step outside to Flocke and his new Others recruits (who look suspiciously like extra from Pirates of the Caribbean). Flocke nods to Claire, who nods back. Kate comes out and sees Flocke, who regards her, then steps away. Sayid is clearly part of this group. But is Kate? What about Jin? Or Sawyer? They're with them. But are they with them?

Parting shots from Doc Jensen:
Did Dogen’s knife make a difference? I say it did. I think Dogen may have misled Sayid about what he needed to do. Maybe that ’'Don’t let him speak!’' caveat was just a way to make sure Sayid struck quickly, before he could be talked out of it. So I think the knife did something to UnLocke. Was the knife tipped with poison? Poison synthesized from Dogen’s herbs of death? Or perhaps the effect will be different — a diminishment of Smokey’s raw power; a destabilization of UnLocke’s John Locke form, forcing him to give it up. But my REAL theory? It’s going to make Fake Locke tell the truth. I think that’s why he couldn’t hide that look of shiftiness right before he promised the world to Sayid.

Sayid, Claire, and Kate The final moment, with the trio of castaways slowly tip toeing through the carnage on the way to join Fake Locke and his new tribe of liberated and free home-seeking believers was one of the creepiest moments Lost has ever given us. The music cue of ’'Catch A Falling Star’'? Perfect. What did you make of the look on Fake Locke’s face at the end as he saw Kate join his band of peeps? Was that ’'Wow! An unexpected bonus!’' or ’'Uh-oh. Trouble’'? I think the latter. I think he’s worried that Kate will break the psychic hold that he has on Claire. Could it be that Squirrel Nut’s sundowning is essential to the Monster’s current corporeal form? TBD.

Next week, in the Ben-centric "Dr. Linus," the previews promise us Ben's demise. Which of course means it won't happen. Ben episodes tend to be strong episodes, so I'm hoping some of my gripes from this week are put to rest. Two weeks later, says Kristen Dos Santos, we'll get a Richard-centered episode, in which we'll learn what the island really is. Anyway, until "Dr. Linus," Namaste.

'Lost' execs 'spoil' final episodes at TV Fest '10 | Ausiello | EW.com

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:22:00 +0000

'Lost' execs 'spoil' final episodes at TV Fest '10 Ausiello EW.com

Read some (light, ambiguous) spoilers here, from the Lost panel at the Paley Center...

Episode 605 - Jack is Finally Ready to Find the "Lighthouse"

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:42:00 +0000

First off, a correction. Not from me, but from Team Darlton. In this week’s podcast, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse confirmed that the ultrasound photo in “What Kate Does” was a prop error. It was supposed to read “9/22/04,” and not “10/22/04.”

Next, an observation. Recall in “What Kate Does,” when Justin tried to warn Aldo not to kill Jin by pointing out that Jin was “one of them,” and Aldo responded, “he may be one of them”? It’s now clear what Aldo meant was that Jacob’s list is unclear as to which “Kwon” is a candidate. But my big question is…how did Aldo know this, when Richard didn’t even know what a candidate was?

Also, thanks to the “enhanced” version of “The Substitute” for pointing out that the weird temp agency lady who Locke2 dismissed before meeting Rose2 was the psychic Hurley’s dad paid to try to convince him he wasn’t cursed.

Finally, one further observation, dating back to Season 1. Recall that, in the first season, the episodes went in a certain order: (1-2) whole cast; (3) Kate; (4) Locke; (5) Jack. See a pattern...

But enough about the past and the present. We’re living the future now (10 points if you get the reference).

Jack2’s sideways world has an unexpected addition! Claire goes Rousseau!! The weirdest island artifact yet!!! All this, plus an ax to the chest, in “Lighthouse.”

Alternaverse – Jack 2

Jack2 undresses and examines his appendix scar. He contemplates it carefully. His mother calls, and we learn that Jack2 doesn’t remember having his appendix out (reminiscent of his lack of recognition of the shaving cut on the plane). His mother reminds him that he had it out when he was a young child. This leads to some more heavy thought by Jack2, even as he (apparently) covers and tells his mom that, oh, yeah, he remembers that he dad wanted to be the one to take it out, but they wouldn’t let him.

Aside #1 – of course, island Jack had his appendix removed just before the Freighterites arrived, by Juliet (with Bernard acting as an anaesthesiologist). Query why the lack of an island somehow caused Jack2 to lose his appendix earlier, or why his memory was so muddled.

But of course, the big reveal is that Jack2 has a son – David (no “2,” because he has not island counterpart). Judging from David’s age, there’s no way he’s the product of a marriage between Jack2 and Sarah2 (which probably never happened, because, with no Jacob manipulating things, Sarah2 never would have crashed into the father of Shannon2). The episode seemed to go out of its way not to show us David’s mother (as Lost often does with a quick glance at a framed photo). As Doc Jensen writes:

BURNING QUESTION: Who's David's Mom? Who's the female participant in the creation of this inexplicably conceived Sideways child? Who's this phantom woman that Sideways Jack was once with and now isn't? Wouldn't if be totally ironic and fitting if she was the Sideways iteration of Lost's resident fertility doc/Jack dumpette, better known to us as Juliet? And you wanna know why she wasn't home last night? That's right, kids: Going dutch on coffee with new boyfriend Sawyer. (Your goosebumps? That's right, I did that.)

Gotta say, I like the Doc’s theory.

Jack2, after being late to pick up David from his private school, tells David he hooked up cable in his room, so can watch the Red Sox. David's less than thrilled response indicates how clueless Jack2 is to think his son shares his sporting affiliation. Jack2 tries again to bond when he sees David is reading Alice in Wonderland (the same book Oceanic 6 Jack read to Aaron when he tried to play daddy to him), but David walks away as Jack2 recalls reading the book to him as a child. Jack2 gives bonding one last shot by asking what he's listening to on his headphones, but David blows him off again, saying "you haven't heard of it." Frustrated, David piercingly moans, "we see each other like once a month. Can we just…get through it?" Jack2, still shocked, knows no better than to answer his cell phone (saved by the bell!) It's his mother, who says she needs him. David doesn’t want to go to his grandmother’s house.

Jack2 pulls in to his mom’s house. They search for Christian2’s will in boxes and desk drawers. She offers him a drink (there’s McCutcheon on the shelf!). Jack2 says no, and she says, “good for you.”

Aside #2 - Is Jack2's mom happy that Jack2 gave up drinking, or has the alterna-Jack never followed in his father's footsteps? Of course, if Jack2 never married Sarah, then he never suspected Christian2 of cheating with her, which means he never disrupted Christian2's first AA meeting, which probably means Christian2 didn't drink himself to death. So then what killed him?

Mom tells Jack2 that David was upset at the funeral, but Jack2 didn’t realize this. He says that communication is not his strong suit, to which his mother quips, "well, it runs in the family." Jack2 suggests his situation with Christian2 was different, because his father terrified him, which prompts his mother to suggest perhaps Jack2 terrifies David. As he contemplates this motherly wisdom, she finds the will. "Jack, did your father ever mention a Claire Littleton?"

Aside #3 - It kind of stood to reason that the same people in alternaverse would have the same parents, but what surprised me was that, in island world, either Jack's mother never looked for the will, or Christian never included Claire in it. The only other explanation was that she found the will, but when Jack got back from the island, didn't want to burden him with the knowledge of his half-sister (only to have Claire's mom spill the beans at the funeral).

Jack2 brings a pizza and some sodas home, but David’s gone. It gets dark out, and Jack2 calls David’s cell. He goes to look for David at his mother’s house (where, frustratingly, we see still see no identifying items). Under the rabbit is a key.

Aside #4 - remember my observation of the parallel structure between season 1 and season 6? The first Jack episode in season 1 was entitled "White Rabbit," another Alice in Wonderland reference, in which Jack searched for his father (and found the caves). Here, the search for his son leads him to a rabbit.

David’s room doesn’t look recently used. Jack2 finds sheet music, and pictures of the two of them together (that David's wearing a Dodgers, and not a Red Sox, hat, illustrates just how clueless a dad Jack2 is). There’s a message on David’s machine. He has an audition at the Williams conservatory, right at this very moment. The next message is Jack2 calling from Sydney, desperate for some basic contact with his son while fetching his father's body. Jack2 goes in to the conservatory audition, and finds David playing the piano for the judges. I’m no expert, but he seems rather good. Of course, he gets played over by the Lost score, so who’s to say. He finishes, then bows. A Japanese kid, probably next in line for an audition, assures Jack2 that David played very well. This other kid’s father…is Dogen2, still sporting the samurai haircut, but in a nice suit. He muses to Jack2, "they are too young to have this kind of pressure, aren’t they? It’s hard to watch and be unable to help. Your son has agift. How long has he been playing?" Jack candidly admits, "I don’t know."

Aside #4 - Doc Jensen elaborates on the music David was playing: The piece: ''Fantasia Impromptu in C-sharp minor'' by Chopin. Last season on Lost, another child prodigy played the same number for us. I am referring to Master Daniel Faraday in ''The Variable.'' We remember his fate: how his mother cut him off his from art; how she redirected his brilliance toward physics in a doomed bid to save him from her future bullet; how she drove him and rode him and smothered him. He died, anyway. A failure, anyway.

David walks out to his bike, where Jack2 finds him. "You were great in there," he says, and David, terrified (as opposed to just startled), whirls around, and responds, "you saw me? I missed a couple of notes." It's clear that David is rather down on himself over his imperfection. Jack2 comments that he didn't realize David was still playing, and David says he made his mom promise not to tell him he was still playing, since he was too into David’s practice. He didn’t tell Jack2 he was going to audition, because he didn’t want him to see him fail. At this moment, Jack2 fully rises above his own paternal baggage, and gets it right where his own father got it so horribly wrong. "When I was your age, my father didn’t want to see me fail, either. He said I didn’t have what it takes" (a shout-out to the first scene in "White Rabbit"). Jack2 promises not to make David feel that way. "In my eyes, you can never fail. I just want to be a part of your life." David bites, and they happily leave together to get some (probably really cold) pizza.

Aside #5 - Doc Jensen's take on this scene is worth noting: Jack the Born Again Father engaged his son and connected with him. How? By allowing himself to feel the pain of his frayed relationship with his father — and then redeeming that painful past by applying what he could learn from it. David shared that he felt the weight of his father's expectations and fears upon him — exactly what Jack felt about his father. And so he told him: ''When I was your age, my father didn't want to see me fail, either. He said: I didn't have what it takes. I spent my whole life carrying that around with me. I don't want you to feel that way. In my eyes, you can never fail. I just want to be part of your life.'' I was moved by Jack bid at reaching out to his son — and I was struck that his words included some extraordinary grace for his father. To me, it sounded like Jack understood his father loved him, even if he had a clumsy way of showing it, and that he himself bore some responsibility for choosing to believe in his dead father's judgment. Regardless, what I heard and saw in that scene was the forgiveness and catharsis that the Jacks of both Lost worlds have been chasing after for five seasons. Sideways Jack had finally gotten his, and walked into the future of his life finally liberated from the shackles of his past.

And so it would seem that Jack2 has his happy ending, and is able to have a real relationship with his son in the way Jack never did with Aaron. But this most likely is not the end of his story. Of all the alterna-versions we've met, Jack2 seems to have the most of a nagging sense of the history his other self has had, and if these two timelines will indeed meet - and the producers insisted in this week's podcast that they should not be considered separate realities - I think Jack2 will be a major impetus behind this.

Island – Claire and Jin

Claire checks Justin the Other for movement, and he doesn’t budge. She releases Jin from the bear trap. Jin asks how long she’s been out there, and Claire responds, "since you left." She asks how long that’s been, and he tells her 3 years. She says she’s leading him somewhere safe, but his leg is messed up, so he can’t walk.

Jin wakes on a mattress in a dilapidated tent, his leg is all bloody. Claire has a box of dynamite, and some surgical tools, as well as an empty baby crèche. Ok, not emptry – there’s a bizarre doll made out of a monkey skull and other random parts. Claire brings in Justin, who's not really dead. She ties him to a post, and asks where he’s hiding her son. She looks at Jin and syas they need to clean up his leg – "one thing that will kill you out here is infection." Jin asks if she’s been by herself all this time, and she smiles that she’s not by herself. When she steps out, Justin insists Claire will kill them both.

As Claire boils her surgical instruments, Justin tries again to convince Jin to loosen his ropes. Claire comes in. She apologizes about to Jin getting caught in the trap. Claires says she had to stitch herself up after the Others shot her once. Claire insists Justin’s going to tell where they have Aaron. Jin asks how she can be so sure the Others have Aaron. Claire responds, "first my father told me, and then my friend." Jin asks, "who’s your friend?" A momentarily paranoid Claire suspiciously asks, "You’re still my friend, aren’t you, Jin?" Jin nods. "Good. I’m glad." Claire grabs an ax and dangles it over Justin. Claire reveals who she (like Sayid) was branded, and poked and prodded by the Others. As she's about to swing, Jin stops her, and tells her that Kate took Aaron off the island and has been raising him for 3 years. Processing this, Claire buries the ax in Justin's chest anyway (yowza!)

Jin then insists that he was lying about Kate and Aaron to save Justin. He says Aaron is at the temple, but she’ll need him to get her there. She agrees to go with him. "I’m so glad you were lying," a relieved Claire says in a frighteningly casual tone, "because if what you said was the truth, if Kate was raising Aaron, I’d kill her." (And there's no doubt she means it!). Flocke suddenly walks in, and asks if he’s interrupting (query where Sawyer is...). Jin, looking confused, asks,“John?” Claire, smiling at her poor, silly, confused buddy, Jin, says, "that's not John. This is my friend." And Flocke smiles at Jin.

Aside #6 - E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos says - Claire Has Been "Claimed" by Her "Friend," the Man in Black: Since Claire was last seen hanging out with Christian Shephard and now is with Fake Locke, we can safely assume that the Man in Black was running around as Christian for quite some time, including when he pretended to be Jacob in the cabin. Also, the Island/Jacob is making sure that babies stay away from wild and possibly crazy mothers--first Rousseau and now Claire--and, remember, prevents pregnant women from conceiving and surviving on the Island. We don't want any babies getting "claimed" now, do we?

The Rousseau comparison obviously looms large, but I question how much Kristin got right about the rest of this. I'm still not sure that Flocke/Smokey is also Christian. My primary reasons for doubting it are that (1) when Hurley first saw Christian at the cabin, he was in there with someone else, and (2) if Smokey's MO is to appear as someone who will motivate the people he interacts with, why on Earth did he appear to Locke, Sun and Lapidus as Christian Shephard? Also, now that we know there is a "good" and an "evil" on the island - and for now I still assume Jacob, for his Machiavellian proclivities, is still the "good" guy - why do we think Jacob caused the fertility plague? Doesn't that seem like something Smokey would do to prevent Jacob replacements from popping up amongst the Others?

Island – Jack and Hurley

As strong as the Jack2 and Claire stories were, however, "Lighthouse" really lived in the Jack and Hurley adventure. It begins in the Temple, where Jack, again gazing at his reflection (here, in a pond), is greeted by Dogen, who admits that Jack can choose to leave the Temple, but he would have to stop him. Dogen pointedly asks Jack if Kate, Sawyer or Jin are coming back, and Jack candidly admits, "probably not." They thank each other for their mutual honesty.

Hurley, tiring of tic tac toe with Miles, looks for food in the spring chamber, but instead finds...Jacob. He says he has something he needs Hurley to do, and that it's complicated enough for him to need a pen to write it down. In a nutshell, Jacob tells him, "someone is coming to the island, and I need you to help him find it."

Sayid seems to scare the Others as he walks around the Temple courtyard. Jack says to ignore the stares. Sayid wants to know why Jack was hiding. Jack tells him about the poison, and how the Others think, whatever happened to Sayid, also happened to Claire.

Hurley has Jacob's instructions written on his arm. He checks hieroglyphs until he finds a ringed symbol (a Stargate?). Dogen comes in, and says Hurley shouldn’t be here. But Jacob shows up and tells him Hugo to say he can do what he wants, because he’s a candidate. Hurley repeats this. Dogen, wide-eyed, asks who told him that, and Hurley says, "doesn’t matter. Why don’t you go back to the courtyard." Dogen mumbles in Japanese. Jacob insists Hurley doesn’t want to know what Dogen said, and then scolds him for not bringing Jack along, as he was instructed.

Hurley approaches Jack in the courtyard. Jack smiles as Hurley acts like a secret agent on a mission. "Be cool, man. Act natural. We need to get up and go. Wait 10 seconds and then follow me. I found a secret tunnel." Jack is less than motivated to join him, even when Hurley says Jacob told him they should go. Hurley says he told Jacob Jack would say that, and that Jacob told him he'd have to tell Jack, "you have what it takes."

Aside #7 - Doc Jensen's analysis of this scene is spot-on, as well: Hurley succeeded to motivate Jack to more by uttering the magic words given to him by smirky, all-knowing Jacob: ''You have what it takes.'' Jack did that eye flutter thing that he always does when he's profoundly flustered and rose to his feet full of piss and yearning. Take me to your Jacob. Take me now. It didn't need to be said what it was — or rather who it was — that Jack also hoped to find at Hurley's mystery meeting place. But in case you find me totally obtuse, I'll spell it out: I'm sure Jack was hoping for a rendezvous with dead papa — the long-delayed fulfillment of his failed ''White Rabbit'' hunt.

Hurley says Jacob is dead, and turns up whenever he wants like Obi Wan Kenobi. Jack bites – "let’s go see Jacob." In the jungle, Hurley chooses a direction. They stumble upon Kate by the water. Jack asks where Jin and Sawyer are. She says Jin went back to the Temple, and "Sawyer's on his own." Kate says she wants to check the beach for Claire, but Jack tells Kate that Claire is not at the beach, and that something happened to her. Jack invites her to join them, but Hurley insists, per Jacob's instructions, she's not invited. Kate doesn't push the issue, and says she's going back to the Temple, presumably to find out what they know about Claire.

Hurley apologizes to Jack for wrecking his "game" with Kate. He asks what happened to them. Jack says he guesses he wasn’t cut out for it. Hurley laments that he thought they'd have had kids, to which Jack scoffs, "I’d make a terrible dad." (and as we saw in Alterna-verse, unless he lets go of his own daddy issues, he's probably right). He finds Shannon's asthma inhaler, and they realize they’re back at the caves (another "White Rabbit" parallel). Inside are "Adam and Eve." Hurley, speaking for the audience, says he forgot they were in there. Hurley ponders a future time travel back in time which would make the skeletons the two of them. Jack asks if he ever mentioned how he found the place. He reveals how he was chasing the ghost of his dead father, and how he smashed the coffin to pieces because he wasn’t in it.

Aside #8 - I wonder if Jack means to bond with Hurley over their mutual "I see dead people" moments, or if he's just being supremely insensitive by acting like anyone who would follow a dead guy must be crazy?

Hurley calls their trek “old school.” "Us trekking on our way to do something we don’t understand. Good times." Hurley asks why Jack came back. Jack asks him back. Hurley tells him about Jacob getting in his cab, telling him he was supposed to. Jack laughs. Hurley defends himself, "if you’ve got a better reason for coming back, let’s hear it." In the most self-aware moment Jack has had on the show to date, he says, "I came back here because I was broken, and I was stupid enough to think this place could fix me." Alas, the self-awareness did not last long.

They come out of the jungle, and find... a lighthouse. Jack can’t figure out why they’ve never seen it before. Hurley surmises, "I guess we weren’t looking for it."

Aside #9 - I liked Jensen's take on this scene, too: Jack was baffled. How come they had never noticed this thing before? Hurley's loaded response: ''I guess we weren't looking for it.'' I might refine and narrow Hurley's response even further. I very much got the sense that the Lighthouse may have existed solely for the benefit of one person: Jack Shephard. And my guess is that he never had eyes to see it before because he was not yet the kind of man to admit the following: ''I was broken.'' There was more to the statement, but let's just begin with that phrase, an extraordinary admission of humility from a once-proud man of science who spent years arguing for the strength and supremacy of his own agency. But Jack's full statement was: ''I came back here because I was broken, and I was stupid enough to think this place could fix me.'' Jacob would later suggest to Hurley that Jack couldn't be more wrong, but the good news was that Jack had grown enough in his journey to summon a magical beacon, one that could to light the way to the his journey's homestretch. Literally.

I think the truth lies somewhere between Hurley's simple shrugged response, and Jensen's more metaphysical "the landmark only appears when you're ready." Recall my biggest complaint over the years about Jack - how can this guy think he's helping anyone without taking a few moments to try to figure out what the hell is going on with this island? The truth is, the Lostaways in general, and Jack, specifically, have been awful at trying to explore the island. To me, more surprising than the fact that Jack had never seen the lighthouse was the fact that this surprised him. When did he ever look for anything, or just try to piece together this strange place? Umm, never.

Jack asks if Jacob’s inside. Hurley assumes as much, but says, first, they have to turn it on. But the door is locked. Jack, whose sarcasm gets a little off-putting after a while, mocks, "it doesn’t say anything on your arm about the door being jammed?" then kicks it in.

They reach the top, into one of the most truly awesome locations we've seen on Lost. But Jack, always one to question why he isn't getting out of each adventure rather than trying to figure out what he is getting, demands, "where’s Jacob?" Hurley's only response is, "he’s not here yet." Initially, Jack helps Hurley turns the mirror assembly to 108 degrees. But then Jack sees names written on the wheel, one next to each bearing, many of them crossed out.

Aside #10 - Here's what Kristin had to say about the second straight reappearance of the numbers - The Numbers Are Ever More Important: Once again the almighty 108--the sum of 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42, and the number of minutes Locke had to push the button--showed up tonight, as Jacob instructed Hurley to turn the lighthouse wheel 108 degrees. It might be a good time to remind you that the numbers proved to be evil in the world away from the Island, and did very bad things when Hurley (who heard them from a fellow patient at the mental institution) used them to win the lottery. In the sideways reality, the Island is underwater, the numbers were never overheard by the guy who told Hurley, and Hugo "Hurley" Reyes ended up the self-proclaimed "luckiest guy alive." A tip: What leaks out from the Island can and does very much affect the rest of the world, and the numbers are a clue to that.

I suspect this last quip from Kristin comes from some inside knowledge she's managed to crib from Darlton. Not sure what it means, so we'll file it away as a hint to keep track of. Now, some observations about the wheel. First, we now know that the numbers are not quite random, but in fact are bearings, one each from 1 to 360. More on the meaning of each person's bearing shortly.

Then there's some very interesting new names to point out. First, and foremost, there's #51, "Austen." Kate's surname is quite conspicuously not crossed out. But then, it's not one of "the numbers," either. While we can't assume that we saw everything in the cave last week, I'll go out on a limb and say "51 Austen" does not appear there. If it did, Flocke would have pointed it out to Sawyer. What does this mean? As I suggested before, I think Kate is Jacob's ringer, and she remains in something of a blind spot for ol' Smokey.

There are some other interesting names on the wheel. There's 20 - Rousseau.

And then there's number 108 - Wallace. I haven't the foggiest who "Wallace" is. But isn't that odd? Number 108 is certainly important - it's the time limit on button pushing in the Swan hatch, as well as the sum of the numbers. I wonder who Wallace is (or was - the name is crossed out). Other names crossed out in the image below worth nothing are "Friendly" (Tom's last name, though never revealed as such except in podcasts and cast sheets), "Linus" (Ben, or Roger?) and "Dawson" (Michael's surname). All are crossed out. I wonder if Ben got cut when he turned the wheel, or if Jacob had ruled him out even earlier.

Doc Jensen then describes what follows next brilliantly, so I won't even bother doing it myself: As the mirrors turn, Jack sees things in the mirror, including certain buildings. He finds their names are written corresponding to the numbers. He turns the lighthouse to 23 degrees (Shepard), and, in the mirror, sees his mother’s house. Hurley sees it too. He’s been watching us, the whole time, all of us, he’s been watching us. Jack asks agaon where Jacob is. Hurley – just assuming he’d be here. Jack demands to see him. Jack – why was he watching me? What does he want from me? With no answers, Jack smashes the mirrors.

Aside #11 - among the scenes Jack sees en route to his own childhood home are the church that held the funeral for James Ford's parents...

...and the pagoda from the Kwon wedding.

Jack sits out by the ocean. Hurley gives him some space. Jacob appears and asks how it went. (I loved Hurley's "mission un-accomplished" response). Hurley's concerened about their apparent failure - "whoever you said we need to help find the island is totally screwed." Jacob confidently says he’s sure they’ll find some other way. Hurley realizes - Jacob wanted Jack to have the experience and reaction that he did. He tells Hurley that Jack can’t be told what he needs to do. "Sometimes you can just pop in the back of someone’s cab and tell them what they need to do. Sometimes you have to let them look out at the ocean for a while." Jacob insists he couldn’t risk Hugo and Jack not coming, which was why he didn’t tell the truth. He had to get them away from the Temple, because someone bad was coming there. Hurley springs to action to save Sayid, Kate, Miles, and the Others, and Jacob says he says they can’t warn them. It’s too late.

Aside #12 - a lot happened here. First, Jacob didn't drop the "someone is coming to the island" story. Which begs the question - who is coming? The two most likely answers are, of course, Desmond and Charles Widmore. Given how Bram, Jacob's guy, told Miles that joining Widmore put him on the "wrong side," I don't think Jacob wants Widmore to come back. So that leaves Desmond, who heard from Eloise Hawking that the island isn't done with him. But it could also be Alterna-Locke. Or Faraday2. Or...Wallace?

Then there's the threat at the Temple. Jacob could have told Hurley to bring Sayid. Or to find Kate or Jin or Sun. But he didn't. Does this mean that "4" and "23" are the last candidates standing? Has Jacob written off the others, as they're all making their way back to the Temple now (assuming Sawyer was with Flocke, and will join Jin and Claire on their trip)? Of course, Flocke most likely is the bad guy headed to the Temple.

Finally, what do we now know about the numbers? These are the 360 people Jacob could watch with his lighthouse mirror. As his observations (or their deaths) ruled people out, Jacob crossed names off the list. The remaining candidates (except for Kate) got assigned "the" numbers. And yet somehow those same numbers, as Kristin said, "leaked out" into the world, and found themselves in the post-war Valenzetti equation, then pinged onto the Swan hatch, then turned into the Swan code. How did these numbers spread out that way? And how doomed was the DHARMA missio to "change" one of the numbers? Was DHARMA really trying to arrange for its own candidate to emerge?

And with that, I leave you. Next week's episode is entitled "Sundown." If it follows the pattern of mirroring Season 1 - and the title suggests it will, next week will be a Jin/Sun episode (Episode 106 was the Sun-starring "House of the Rising Sun," another parallelism. But before we go, I leave you with another tease from Kristin. It's not particularly revealing, except in the timing...

What Is the Island? That very huge question will be answered in less time than you think--somewhere around halfway through the season, according to sources. Awesome, right? And you know who's going to help deliver the message? The fantastic, ever-youthful guyliner model Mr. Richard Alpert (Nestor Carbonell) and his longtime friend Jacob (Mark Pellegrino). It's gonna be good.

Namaste, y'all!

Episode 604 - "The Substitute" Locke is Lot More Likeable

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:04:00 +0000

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what Willis was talkin' about!

The numbers make a shocking return! Ben's meek confession!! Sawyer's place of prominence!!! All this, plus (gasp!) a happy alterna-Locke, in the final season's best entry to date, "The Substitute."

Alternaverse - Locke2

Locke 2’s world is quite different than what we expect. When Locke2 suffers the indignities of his handicap - busted ramp, stuck in sprinklers - he laughs it off. That’s when we see he lives with Helen2…whereas Locke and Helen broke up before his injury. They discuss wedding plans, and yikes! She says they should elope with her parents and his father! Helen2 finds Jack2’s card, and suggests Locke2 should call, since meeting a spinal surgeon could be - destiny (Locke2 smiles - does he respond to destiny?)

Aside #1 – This initial look at Alterna-Locke was incredibly illuminating. We learned that while he, like his island-world counterpart, somehow ended up in a wheelchair, it most likely was not as a result of his con artist father, Anthony Cooper, having flung him out a window. Why do we know this? 1) Locke2 isn’t so bitter and angry as his pre-crash counterpart (a personality trait uniquely tied to Locke’s daddy issues); 2) Helen2 is still in Locke2’s life, whereas her island world counterpart was driven off by Locke’s obsession with Cooper, and 3) the most obvious clue – Helen2’s suggestion that Locke2’s dad should come to a small wedding. And yet, still, Locke2 is wheelchair bound. That silly universe with its course correction…

But Locke2 is also a bit of a liar. He told both Helen2 and Randy2 – his same douchy boss at that same box factory - that he was at a conference on the company dime, when he was, instead, doing something persona, i.e. his wheelchair walkabout. In a nod to pre-island life, Randy2 salutes John2 as “Colonel,” his Axis and Allies codename from way back in the seminal Season 1 episode, “Walkabout.” Randy2, however, already sniffed out the lie, and when Locke2 tries to charm his way out of discipline, he gets fired.

Aside #2 – kudos to Doc Jensen for pointing out these brilliant bits of set dressing at the box factory that I missed: The pictures in Locke's cubicle were interesting.
There was a photo of Locke (with hair) with his father, Anthony Cooper; they looked to be hunting, as we saw them back in ''Deus Ex Macina.'' There was also a photo of Locke with Helen in a tropical setting, presumably Hawaii. The curious thing about both photos: Locke appeared to be standing. When and how did Locke become dependent on a wheelchair for pedestrian perambulation? TBD. Island Locke didn't get thrown out of that eighth-floor window by Bad Dad leaving him below-the-belt paralyzed until after Helen dumped his father-fixated ass. So it appears that Locke's loss of lower legs was a trauma that he and his soul mate experienced together.

Locke2 tries to leave the factory with dignity, but his van ramp is blocked in by a big yellow Hummer - the boss’s car. Locke2 finally gets mad. Hurley2 sees the commotion, points out that Locke2 could have parked two spots over in the handicap spot, (a slightly less rebellious form of “don’t tell me what I can’t do,” eh), and introduces himself. He explains the reserved spot, and the fact that he owns the company. He introduces himself, and Locke2 says he just got fired. Hurley2 says Randy2 is a huge douche. He gives Locke2 a number for his temp agency, and tells him to call.

Aside #3 - Doc Jensen’s thoughts on this scene (and his set dressing observation) are worth noting: Locke snapped. This time, the insult to injury was too painful to not ignore. He could have avoided the sitch had he parked in the handicapped stall, but as Locke would explain, he didn't want to. Locke then had an encounter with Hurley, who in the Otherverse is large and in charge and not at all the fatalistic scaredy-cat Island dude we met in season 1. Was it just me, or did you get a Jacobesque vibe from Hurley, all empathetic benevolence as he responded to his ex-employee's prickly anger with patience and grace and supreme knowingness and the hooked him up with a new job via his temp agency, another division of Hurley's financial empire? Watching this scene, I couldn't help but think about Helen's earlier line about destiny. And I found myself flashing back to this scene later in the episode, when Helen challenged Locke's incredulity about miracles. Was the Locke-Hurley crossing total coincidence, quantum synchronicity, or divinely orchestrated appointment? An elemental faith/reason debate worthy of old school Lost. But I am reminded of the old adage that our world is chockablock with everyday miracles — they just don't look the way we expect them to. What we expect is something like, say, miraculous healing for crippled legs after falling from the sky. But a miracle could be other people, too — like meeting a guy who can give you a job after getting fired, and better than that, a guy who sets you upon your true destiny. But we'll get to the school in a minute. PS: Did you see what was in Locke's box of stuff in his lap? Was that a polar bear figurine in there?

At Hurley2’s Temp agency, the quirky woman helping him asks Locke2 what kind of animal he describes himself as. He asks to speak to her supervisor. It’s Rose2! She questions if he’s a good match for a construction site coordinator. She asks him to be realistic. She discloses her terminal cancer. She got back to living whatever life she had left. So, how about we find you a job you can do?

Aside #4: Rose lives in L.A.??? Guess terminal cancer is enough of a reason to get out of snowy Buffalo.

Locke2 wakes up, and gets dressed. He seems…mopey, almost like we remember Locke after he was first crippled, just before Matthew Abbadon convinced him to go on Walkabout, only in alternaverse, Locke2’s melancholy doesn’t quite dip into depression. What an amazing job by Terry O’Quinn to play the nuances of two versions of the same character with similar, but slightly different, emotional responses. Locke2 pulls out Jack2’s card, and calls, but when the receptionist answers, he says she can’t help him, and hangs up. Helen2 overhears, and John2 tells her how he called Jack2, but wasn’t going to see him. He tells her he got fired, when there’s a doorbell. They deliver the lost luggage. She signs for the knife case. Locke2 confesses that he didn’t go to the conference. He tells Helen2 to open the case. It’s his knives (some things don’t change – query how “back to nature” a walkabout is with so many knives). He tells her about his walkabout, and that they wouldn’t let him go. (translation – Locke2 lied to Boone2). He had the same shouting experience as we saw back in Season 1, only here, he says they were right. “I’m sick of imagining what my life would be out of this chair” he fumes, more out of frustration than his island self’s anger. Fearing he’s upsetting Helen2, he warns her not to wait for him to walk down the aisle with her. “If you need me to get out of this chair, I don’t blame you, but don’t wait for a miracle, because there’s no such thing.” And Helen2 reveals the philosophy that seems to underpin the whole island-free but remarkably similar world we’re getting acquainted with – “There are miracles, John, and the only thing I was ever waiting for was you.” She tears up Jack2’s card, and they smooch. Finally, we see that Locke2, unlike his island counterpart, really has found acceptance of his condition, as well as the love that makes lamenting it pretty pointless.

Locke2 does find himself – at a high school. First, he teaches a girls’ gym class, and then a biology class (hello, Mittleos science camp). He tells the class, “today we are going to talk about the reproductive system.” (Hello, Mittleos fertility clinic). Locke asks a boy where the teacher’s lounge is. He wheels in, and finds another faculty member blocking his access to the hot beverages- it’s Ben2! He’s annoying as ever, ranting about the coffee. Ben2 introduces himself, and says he teaches European History, and Locke2 is a substitute (hence the title).

Aside #5 – Ben2’s presence off the island confirms part of what we suspected last week when we saw Ethan2 – the island did not sink or get obliterated immediately when Jughead blew up. Rather, Ethan2 (who was a DHARMA baby) and Ben2 (who was convalescing with the Others) had time to leave the island and rejoin the “real” world. I feel like when we learn more about Ben2, and what happened when Richard took him as a child into the temple, this prickly personality will be quite revealing. For now, it’s great to see course-correction bring these two together.

Island

As fascinating a character study as the Alternaverse sequences were, the heart of "The Substitute" lay in the mythology-rich island scenes.

Flocke flies over the island in smokey form - our first real look at his perspective since Season 1, when he looked down on Locke. He detects Sawyer in his house, does some flashing, then goes to where he left Richard, suspended in a tree.

Flocke, it seems, chose Locke’s form to get close to Jacob, because (like Frank), he was a “candidate.” Flocke mocks Richard for never getting bigger answers from Jacob, and instead offers to show him and tell him everything he ever wanted to know, if he joins him. Richard refuses, and Flocke warns that people don’t usually get a second chance. Richard asks what Flocke means by "candidate." Flocke smiles -Richard really knows so little. Flocke says he would never leave Richard in the dark like Jacob did, that he would respect him more. Richard seems pretty fearless, given how beat up his is. Flocke is suddenly distracted, when he sees a vision of a young blond boy, with bloody hands(?) But Richard turns around, and there’s nothing there. The boy clearly upset Flocke, who takes leave of Richard.

Aside #6 - So Flocke can see visions? And they're not him, i.e. smokey, taking another form? And they have an upsetting affect on him? Interesting...

Ben finds Ilana crying in the foot statue. He tells her everything that happened - except for the part where he killed Jacob (he blames Flocke, or rather doesn't correct Ilana when she asks if that's what happened). He explains that Jacob was kicked in the fire and burned. Ilana, to the tune of what sounds like an Indy Jones score knock-off, scoops up some of Jacob’s ash, and puts in in a bag. Ben asks why Flocke took Richard, and Ilana responds, “he’s recruiting.”

Flocke returns to Sawyer’s house, where loud music is playing, and James is getting hammered in his underwear. James sees him and asks, “I thought you were dead.” “I am.” James pours them both some scotch, then basically throws a glass at Flocke. “I don’t give a damn if you’re dead, or time travelin’, or the ghost of Christmas past.” he tries to order Flocke out, but Flocke points out it was never James's house. Sawyer sees right away - this is not Locke, because Locke was always scared, even when he tried not to seem scared. Flocke seems impressed by this level of insight, and introduces himself as the person who could answer the most important question in the world - "why are you on this island?" Sawyer tries to dismiss this, but Flocke insists he can prove the series of rotten luck - plane crash, raft destroyed, helicopter too heavy - doesn’t explain it.

Frank covers Locke’s body. Sun says everyone else was headed to the temple. Ilana says they should go, too. Sun, finally speaking up, asks, "what makes you think that I’m going with you?" Ilana's response chills her - "Because you want to find Jin. I know that if he’s on the island, and he’s alive, he’ll be at the temple." It's clear that Sun never mentioned Jin to Ilana, which is what convinces her to go along. Sun suggests they need to bury John, and Ilana sighs.

Flocke asks James why he isn’t with the others at the temple. The blond boy appears again (not bloody this time), and Sawyer sees him, too. This surprises Flocke. The boy runs, and Flocke chases. He looks up at the boy. “You know the rules," the boy scolds. "You can’t kill him." Flocke responds as would the man whose face he now wears - "Don’t tell me what I can’t do.” The boy shakes his head and walks off. “Don’t tell me what I can’t do!”

Aside #7 - wow. A lot to unpack. First of all, this brings up the time that Sawyer saw Kate's black horse vision in "What Kate Did." There has only been one other character - Sayid, seeing Shannon's Walt vision - who managed to see another person's private vision. Is there some connection between Sawyer and Sayid? Given the reveal at the end of the episode, that question looms large.

Then there's this blond kid. He's dressed like a Temple Other...or like Jacob? Is this young Jacob? And what about the discussion of rules? Is this similar to why Ben can't kill Widmore? Whey Flocke needed Ben to kill Jacob? And why was Flocke bothered by Sawyer's ability to see?

Sawyer calls to Flocke. “Look, whoever you are, you got about 20 seconds.” But it's Richard who staggers out, and tries to convince Sawyer to take him to the temple. Richard says Flocke will kill him. "He wants everyone dead, everyone you care about," warns Richard. Flocke returns and Richard runs. "You ever catch up with the kid," asks Sawyer," "What kid?" responds Flocke.

Sawyer asks Flocke if he reads, and brings up Of Mice and Men. "Nope," responds Flocke, "that's a little after my time." (No big surprise, after that whole Black Rock arriving scene). As Flocke walks on, Sawyer tells him about Lenny getting executed. "Doesn’t sound like a happy ending," says Flocke. "It ain’t," responds Sawyer, pointing a gun at Flocke's head. Flocke turns and dares him to pull the trigger, and Sawyer realizes it would be pointless. "What are you," asks Sawyer. "What I am is trapped. And I’ve been trapped for so long, I forgot what it was like to be free." Before that, Flocke explains he was a man. He knows joy, anger, pain, fear, and betrayal. He knows what it’s like to lose someone he loves. "You’re so close," he urges, "it would be a shame to turn back now."

Aside #8 - it seems Flocke will play part of the Faraday role this season - only moreso, this is a character who will flat out give us answers, though his answers will be skewed by his agenda.

Ben asks why Ilana why bring Locke's body to the statue? She says the Others had to see what they’re up against. For some reason, according to Ilana, Flocke is now stuck looking like Locke.

Aside #9 - or perhaps Ilana will be the new Faraday. She clearly knows more about the island than our Lostaways, and will impart knowledge upon them (and us) from time to time. How does she know so much?

They carry Locke to the graveyard, and bury him next to Boone, Shannon, and the others. Ilana asks if anyone wants to say anything. Ben steps up. "Alright, I knew him. John Locke was a…believer, a man of faith. He was a much better man than I will ever be, and I’m very sorry I murdered him." Frank, his back turned, mumbles, "This is the weirdest damn funeral I ever been to."

Flocke leads Sawyer to a cliff, with ladders leading down. Flocke is more than happy to go first. Sawyer watches, then gingerly starts to follow. Flocke switches to a rope ladder next to the bamboo one, which breaks under Sawyer’s feet. Sawyer grabs another rope ladder, but it comes loose and drops him against the cliff face. Flocke catches him and pulls him over to another ladder.

Aside #10 - it appears, rules notwithstanding, Flocke thinks he has a use for Sawyer beyond just having him die. Because there was no other reason to save him here. Will Sawyer, now missing Juliet, go along with it?

They reach bottom, and head for a cave. Inside is a scale, and some other artifacts. The scale is balancing a white rock and a black rock. Flocke picks up the white rock and chucks it into the ocean, and snarks, "inside joke."

Aside #11 - this little sequence made me want to rewatch season 1. There were so many references to black and white rocks. I couldn't help but wonder if the characters that had those dream sequences - Charlie and Claire come to mind - were somehow just on the edge of being aware of this strange seaside cave? And other than "Jacob and Smokey," what do these rocks stand for?

Flocke lights a torch, and leads James further in. That’s why you’re here. The names of the Lostaways are all written on the ceiling, the dead ones scratched out.

Flocke says he doesn't know if 42 - Kwon - refers to Sun or Jin.

Aside #12 - what the WHAT? So, these numbers, before they were Valenzetti's, before they were DHARMA's, were Jacob's? And he assigned them to names? The last six names correspond to characters who are still alive - or were just before Jacob died - and these, of course, are Hurley's lotto numbers.

Note that 23-Shephard points to the row that Jack sat in on flight 815. Except in alternaverse, where Jack2 sat in row 24.

Note also that, the Jin or Sun mystery is hardly so mysterious. I'm positive "Kwon" refers to Jin. Why? 1) Sun, unlike the others, did not time travel (Locke was already dead). 2) Other than Reyes, the other numbers all correspond to "J" men - John Locke, James Ford, Jack Shephard and Sayid Jarrah.

But Sun's not the only one missing - where the frak is Kate? "Austen" did not appear to be a crossed out name, as did Littleton (she's still alive!), Troup (author Gary), and a number of other variously familiar names. We could see "Jones" and "Mattingly" - the soldiers who the Others killed in 1954. We could see "Goodspeed," referring either to Ethan or to his father, Horace (or Amy)? What we see out of this is that Jacob had a list of names a loooong time ago, and brought them all to the island, each in his own time. Flight 815 was just the last batch of "candidates." (Thanks to my buddy, Grant, for pointing out a number of these names to me).

But Kate's not there at all, at least not in a way we could see...

Flocke tells him Jacob died, and Jacob had a thing for numbers. Flocke says Jacob came to Sawyer at some point in the past and manipulated him - "choices you thought you made were never really your choices. He was pushing you to the island." James is a candidate - nominated to take over for Jacob as the protector for the island. (Aha!)

Aside #13 - this explains all the mysteriously coincidental connections between the characters in their flashbacks. They were connected in that Jacob, if Flocke is to be believed, was manipulating them all towards the island! It's not just serendipity. But if there's no island in the alternaverse, how did the characters all end up on Oceanic 815?

Flocke tells James he has 3 choices - (1) do nothing, and his name gets crossed out; (2) - accept job, become the new Jacob, and protect the island - from nothing. "It’s just a damn island, and it will be perfectly fine without you or the others." The third choice - just go. Just get the hell off the island. "How do we do that," asks Sawyer. "Together," responds Flocke. "So what do you say, James, are you ready to go home?" "Hell yes."

Aside #14 - Doc Jensen unpacked this whole scene so well, I thought I'd just give you what he had to say:

The White and Black Rocks
What Smokey Said: Upon arriving in Jacob's cave, Un-Locke spotted two large stones, one white and one black, sitting on a scale. He grabbed the white rock and threw it out into the sea. Sawyer asked: Huh? Un-Locke replied, ''Inside joke.''
Percentage Chance I Believe Smokey: 100% Or maybe 0%, because I got the sense from Smokey's angry toss that this so-called ''inside joke'' wasn't all that funny for him. My guess is — obviously — that the white rock represented Jacob, and that tossing that rock was symbolic of Fake Locke's (apparent) victory, and, perhaps, his rejection of the white/black categorization of his morality and his relationship with Jacob. My guess is also that whenever and whatever was decided between Jacob and his nemesis — the nature of their conflict/game; the roles they would play; the rules they would play by — it was all hashed out and settled in the cave, and the deal was sealed with some ceremonial putting-rocks-on-a-scale thing.

The Castaways Were Brought To The Island For A Reason
What Smokey Said: Jacob had picked six castaways — Locke, Hurley, Sawyer, Sayid, Jack, Jin or Sun — and meddled with their lives and subverted their destinies and free will in order to corral them to The Island and groom one of them as his replacement as Island protector.
PCIBS: 91% What I didn't believe, though, was this:

The Island Is Meaningless
What Smokey Said: When Sawyer asked why the Island would need protection, Locke snapped: ''From nothing, James. That's the joke. There's nothing to protect it from. It's just a damn island!''
PCIBS: 0% My rejoinders to Smokey would include the following: (1) The Temple's magic healing spring. (2) Frozen donkey wheel time travel magic. (3) That Ghost Kid. (4) Oh, and uh… freakin' YOU, Smokey! Bottom line: The Island is totally special, and my guess is that whatever makes it special will prove to be Jacob's primary defense for playing god with castaway lives.

The Numbers
What Smokey Said: Lost fans, prepare to rethink your Valenzetti Equations. With a dramatic reveal of the cave's ceiling, we learned that Jacob assigned each of his potential replacements a number. He wrote their digits next to their last names on the ceiling of his cave with chalk. Locke: 4; [Hurley] Reyes: 8; [James ''Sawyer''] Ford: 15; [Sayid] Jarrah: 16; [Jack] Shephard: 23; [Jin or Sun?] Kwon: 42. Why? Un-Locke shrugged. ''Jacob had a thing for numbers,'' he said.
PCIBS: 49% It's not that I think Jacob doesn't have a thing for numbers — I just think that Jacob has good reason for assigning numbers to his candidates, and more, that Un-Locke knows what that reason is and isn't telling Sawyer. DEBATE! Where's Kate?

Sawyer's Three Options
What Smokey Said: (1) Sawyer could do nothing, see how the drama plays out, and possibly get his name crossed off the list of candidates. (2) He could accept the job. (3) He could leave the Island with Smokey.
PCIBS: 100% I actually believe he's 100% truthful about the three options, although I'm also 100% sure he didn't tell Sawyer everything he needed to know about each of those options for him to make the most informed choice. Here's what I think Smokey omitted. Option 1: The reason why the names get crossed off when that candidate dies? It's probably because of Smokey's conspiratorial machinations. Option 2: If Sawyer took the job, Smokey would move heaven and hell to find some way to kill him. Option 3: Leaving the Island will obliterate the entire Island world reality, or delete from the history of the world the specific lifelines of the castaways that lave, PLUS the lifelines of anyone inextricably intertwined with those lifelines. Whatever Smokey has up its butt, I think he has a (quantum) suicide wish.

Sawyer's Response To Smokey's Offer
What Was Said: ''So what do you say, James?'' Smokey asked. ''Are you ready to go home?'' Sawyer replied, ''Hell yes.''
Possible Chance I Believe Sawyer: 0% Because I believe as heartbroken and furious as Sawyer may be… he ain't betraying the castaways to this monster. I think the minute Sawyer saw that ghost kid — that dead ringer for himself when he was a kid — and saw Un-Locke chase after him and then return without him, Sawyer made up his mind that this Fake Locke was one freakin' scary creep and needed to be brought down. Why didn't Sawyer put a bullet in him when had a chance? Because he needs to do what the Monster did to Locke: study him, observe him, figure out his weaknesses and how he can be mortally attacked, and then do so. In other words, Sawyer is doing what Sawyer does best: he's pulling a long con, the riskiest con he's ever pulled: fooling the devil into thinking he has an ally — and then stabbing him in the back with his own pitchfork. [Editor's note: my ''Totally Lost'' co-host Dan Snierson just informed me that my 0% assessment was ''crazy talk'' and demanded I increase my percentage to a more plausible... 2.7%. DONE!]

Back to the "where's Kate" debate. My guess - Kate is Jacob's ringer. If Richard and Ilana were right, Flocke is trying to kill off the candidates. So then perhaps Jacob never assigned Kate a number so that Smokey would leave her alone. Like she's an extra "Queen" in a game of chess between them. Maybe Sun is, too. And Frank, since Ilana thought he might be a candidate (I sure wish we could have seen the rest of that wall).

Finally, I got to thinking about the notion that Jacob was affecting everyone's lives since early on. Surely that one little moment we saw him meet each of the candidates in the Season 5 finale was not, by itself, sufficient to get them all to the island. What if Jacob fed Sawyer's informant the fake "Sawyer" intel that sent him to Australia? What if Jacob hit Locke's teenage mother with a car, forcing early labor, which sent Locke into the foster care system, leading to a lifelong quest to reconcile with his father...etc. etc. (Of course, Locke's mom got hit by a car in 1956, and the timeline didn't change until after 1977...this theory might need work...)

Anyway, love the mindblowing, theory-expanding nature of "The Substitute." Until next week, when we regather for "The Lighthouse," Namaste.

Episode 603 - "What Kate Does" is Go After Claire

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 03:48:00 +0000

This week, I'm a bit behind, so this will be a "broad strokes" type of recap...

The return of a missing "friend!" The return of a superfluous Other!! The reappearance of a contextually changed other Other!!!! All this, plus Kate2's big adventure, on "What Kate Does."

Foreword

The title of this episode invokes the Season 2 episode, "What Kate Did," which explained the crime for which she was wanted. For a very detailed look at parallels between the episodes, see Doc Jensen's ew.com recap.

Alternaverse

Kate2's story picks up where she left off last week - carjacking Claire2's cab at the airport. There's a thoroughly unamusing Arzt-channels-Dustin Hoffman moment, then they drive off. The cabbie gets bold at a red light, and takes off running. Kate2 hops to the front seat, and humanely lets Claire2 out, but refuses to let her take her suitcase.

Kate2 finds a chop shop, and pays the creepy proprietor to bust her out of the cuffs. She goes to the bathroom to change into something from Kate2's bag, and inside sees all the trappings of a mom-to-be, including a stuffed Shamu. Fun fact: this is the same plush toy that 2-year-old Aaron had in the Season 4 episode, "Something Nice Back Home."

Kate2, now free, knows what she has to do. She finds Claire2 sitting more or less where she left her. Claire2, after a brief "should I or shouldn't I" moment, hops in Kate2's cab. She explains that she's on her way to meet the family that's adopting her unborn baby, and rationalizes that they probably just forgot to pick her up at the airport. When they arrive at the house in "Brentwood" (Aside - Hawaii often does a good job of standing in for other locales, but semi-rural Oahu looks nothing like L.A.'s densely packed Brentwood neighborhood).

Sure enough, Claire2 finds her would-be adoptive mama crying, because her husband just left her (Juno, anyone?), and she says she can't do it alone. Suddenly, Claire2 experiences labor pains, so Kate2 rushes her to the hospital. Once there, Kate2 spots a cop car, so she sticks with Claire2 through admission. Kate2 goes to find an OB to come help the Thelma to her Louise, and the doctor turns out to be...Ethan2 (Rom) Goodspeed!? In an awesome bit of dramatic irony, the good doctor says he wants an ultrasound before he does anything too drastic, because, "I don't want to stick you with needles if I don't have to." (Get it? Because Other Ethan kidnapped Claire, and kept sticking her with needles?) Suddenly, Claire2 blurts out that the baby's name is Aaron, and Doc Ethan2 says, "I have a feeling Aaron is going to be quite a handful." (Chuckle Chuckle).

Unpacking the hospital scene - this sequence is the biggest, densest part of the episode. As on the island, Claire2 had flase labor pains shortly after flight 815. As on the island, Ethan2 is intimately involved in Claire2's late-term pregnancy. As on the island, Claire2 suddenly "realizes" that the baby's name is "Aaron," rather than just choosing that name based on taste or a favorite uncle or anything like that. And, as in island world, Claire2's plan to give up Aaron2 to an adoptive couple in L.A. is thwarted by forces beyond her control.

Philsophically, the biggest moments in this scene were, of course, the presence of Ethan2, and the ultrasound photo Claire2 saw. If this alterna-verse really split off after the incident, the presence of Ethan2 tells us that the Island inhabitants were not obliterated by Judghead (unless, of course, Ethan2, unlike Ethan, was successfully evacuated on the sub). Assuming the former, that tells us that Ethan2 survived, and then subsequently left the island, meaning the detonation of Jughead is not what caused it to sink, at least not immediately.

There's also the matter of the ultrasound, depicted here...

Check out the date - October 22, 2004. Well, folks, that's a big deal. Remember, this is the same day that flight 815 landed with our alterna-characters...only, the crash of flight 815 took place on September 22, 2004. Supposedly, however, online chatter suggests that Lost's continuity guru, script supervisor Greg Nations, has revealed that something about the date on the photo is right, and something else is wrong. No idea what that cryptic clue means, but I am wondering a doctored photo made just for the episode could have a wrong date on it...something to watch out for.

The rest of the hospital sequence was fairly mundane. Claire2 covered for Kate2 when the police came looking for her. Kate2 asked Claire2 if she believed that Kate2 was actually innocent of what she had been accused of, but when Claire2 decides, yeah, she does, Kate2 seems less than convinced. And then, as Kate2 departed, she shared her unsolicited opinion that Claire2 should keep the baby.

Island World

Back on the island, we returned to the moment where Sayid first awakens from his apparent resurrection. Kate wonders to Sawyer how that could be, and Sawyer, still so angry about Juliet's loss, snorts, ''He's an Iraqi torturer who shoots kids. He definitely deserves another go around.'' Miles keeps giving Sayid weird looks, making me a bit annoyed that he just doesn't say which part of Sayid's death and resurrection is making his spider sense tingle. As they go outside, and Sayid wonders what happens, Hurley starts to assure him that the Others are protecting them, at which point Miles gives us one of his better lines, "as you can see, Hugo here has assumed a leadership position, so that's pretty great." Jack lets Sayid know that it was the Others, and not him, who saved Sayid's life.

The Others "ask" Sayid to go alone with them, and Jack insists, ah, no, not until you tell us what's up. "Once we've spoken with Mr. Jarrah, we'll be more than happy to tell you anything you want to know," says barefooted Lennon. Jack gets all, "oh no you don't, you sneaky Others," and says, "something tells me you won't be happy to tell us anything." During the scuffle that ensues, Sawyer gets ahold of a gun, and announces he's leaving. Dogen pleads with him, "please, you have to stay," to which Sawyer responds, "no, I don't" before directly addressing Kate, "don't come after me."

Naturally, Kate announces she's accompanying the Others' search party to bring Sawyer back, and so does Jin. Of course, they have their own agendas. Kate wants to get Sawyer to help her on her Claire-quest, and Jin wants to find the damn Ajira plane and, with it, Sun. They're accompanied by two bumbling Others, Aldo (he of the clocked over-the-head-as-part-of-the-Season-3-Wookie-prisoner-trick fame), and Justin, who apparently talks to much. I'm not sure why Aldo was so intent on stopping Justin from telling Kate and Jin anything; perhaps it was the bitterness he felt that Kate didn't seem to remember bonking him in the head with a rifle butt. In any case, Kate and Jin almost trip a couple of Rousseau-esque traps that Justin divulges can't be Rousseau's, because she's been dead for years, and Kate realizes she can intentionally spring the traps to escape. Jin refuses to go with her, though, because he wants to find Sun, so they part company.

Back at the Temple, Dogen tortures Sayid (turnabout!) with electric shocks to the chest and a red hot poker, after coating him with a fine dust. Lennon assures Sayid it was just a test, and he passed, but after Sayid is dismissed back to the bubbling pool room, Dogen confirmes Lennon's suspicion that Sayid did not pass the test.

Jack goes to demand an answer as to why Sayid was tortured, and the armed guards at the door find they really just have to let him pass. Dogen tells Jack that Sayid is "infected," which Jack scoffs at given the lack of a fever. Dogen pulls a much less subtle version of the ol' Ben trick and expressly tries to manipulate Jack. He asks if he feels responsible for Sayid's getting shot, and all the others who were hurt or killed helping him, then offers him redemption in the form of getting Sayid to take a weird green pill. Jack tells Sayid about the exchange, and Sayid says he trusts Jack, only Jack, humbly, admits he doesn't even trust himself.

Ultimately, Jack doesn't give Sayid the pill, and instead calls Dogen's bluff by trying to take it himself. Dogen forcibly heimlich's Jack to get the pill out, because it's poison. He and Lennon explain that, what's happened to Sayid is that he's been, for lack of a better translation, "claimed." There's a darkness growing inside of him, which, when it reaches his heart, will mean there is no Sayid left in there. When Jack asks how he can be so sure, Dogen relates that he knows because it happened to...Jack's sister (which is less a Luke/Leia moment since Jack has known for three years now about his relationship with Claire).

Kate follows Sawyer to the abandoned barracks, where Sawyer digs up the engagement ring he had for Juliet under the floorboards of their old place.

Exactly where does one acquire such an object while stationed with the DHARMA Initiative? Gues Lafleur had some pull...

Kate follows Sawyer out to the submarine dock, and Josh Holloway has just about the most beautifully emotive scene any Lost cast member has had to date. Kate tries to apologize for Juliet's death, but Sawyer, wracked with guilt, explains that Juliet dies because, three years before her death, Sawyer convinced her not to leave on the sub, because he didn't want to be alone. "Well, I guess some men are meant to be alone," he chokes back, and once again, the Sawliet relationship gets me all choked up.

But I have a prediction. They will meet again, and in fact, it will be over coffee, and Juliet will suggest they go Dutch. Lost has established this pattern - what seems to be a random babbling just before a character dies is actually the channelling of a memory/ vision of another encounter in another time with the character the dying one is babbling to. Remember Charlotte's bizarre parting words, "I'm not supposed to have chocolate before dinner?" Then we learned that's what young Charlotte said when she first met Faraday. I think the same thing happened with Juliet - in the moment before she died, she channeled her meet-cute with Sawyer2 from alternaverse. The universe, it seems, will course correct...or at least I hope it will.

Kate apologizes for going after Sawyer, and he forces a smile through his tears before tossing the ring into the lagoon. Sawyer then returns to his old house, presumably to mope himself to death, leaving Kate on her own in her quest for Claire.

Jin, meanwhile, gets ambushed by a very unhappy Aldo (and still pretty dense Justin). Justin suggests they take Jin back to the temple, but Aldo has had all he can stand with these uppity 815ers. He pulls a gun on Jin, and suggests maybe they should report that he died accidentally while they pursued Sawyer. Justin warns him, "he's one of them," and Aldo corrects, "he may be one of them."

WTF is that all about? I thought Jacob's list established their bona fides...

Anyway, at that very moment, Aldo and poor Justin are gunned down, supporting theory that it's better to be a red shirted away team member in Star Trek than it is to be an Other with a name in Lost.

As Jin looks up to see who saved him, he (and we) get a surprise - it's Claire, only she seems to have gone all feral, and rather Rousseau-esque...

So it would appear we've reencountered "the sickness" that Rousseau told Sayid took her crew, forcing her to kill them, way back in Season 1. It stands to reason that this is what changed her crew, including Robert, when they followed Montand into the chambers outside the Temple, since that's where Sayid was infected as well. It also seems that the sickness explains why Robert almost murdered Rousseau in cold blood when his firing pin misfired, and she killed him, instead - because he had the sickness. And now, we're told, Sayid has it, too.

But...if we also know that Claire has the sickness, perhaps it was Rousseau, and not her crew that got sick? Since Jin flashed from the Montand's arm scene to the time that Rousseau shot Robert, we didn't see what happened after they went in the hole. Maybe the reason Rousseau was so nuts was that she had the same sickness, which caused her to go all paranoid and kill her crew? But then she seemed to genuinely love Alex when they were reunited. Does this offer hope for Sayid, and, for that matter, jungle Claire?

Well, that's all for this week. Until next time, when we reconvene for "The Substitute," Namaste!

Preview of 602 - "What Kate Does."

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:57:00 +0000

Finally, after a very long hiatus (dating back to before the airing of the Season 5 finale, "The Incident,") Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse put out another of their podcasts this week. It was, by and large, interesting, but most of it was contained in the various interviews they've given lately. I was struck by one thing, however. They are adamant that the phrase "alternate universes" is a poor descriptor of their "flash-sideways" storytelling, revealed for the first time in "LA X." They claim the problem with the term is that "alternate" makes one world seem less real than the other, and they insist both are equally real.

First, this begs the question of what "real" is. After all, either way, we're talking about a fictional narrative. And as fans of one particular strain of the fiction, one that we've watched through 5 seasons, isn't the island storyline a little more "real" to us? (See this week's edition of "Totally Lost," wherein Doc Jeff Jensen and Dan Snierson share this thought).

So then, how can this one-season wonder be just as "real" as the island story, when they seem mutually exclusive? And then it hit me. Let me break it down.

1) The new reality is taking place in 2004, while the more familiar reality, after all the time-travel hocus pocus, is back, firmly, in 2007.

2) We already know that the island exists, in part, outside of space and time as we know it (hence the inability to escape without following a specific vector, and the inability to find the island from the outside world).

3) We know that the universe has a way of "course correcting" whenever a force acts to try to change the natural course of events.

4) We know that at least one person, Desmond Hume, was somehow immune to the "course correction" in the sense that he could have his memories altered, in some way that made him, per Daniel Faraday, "uniquely special".

5) We also know that Jacob, whoever or whatever he is or was, specially selected a number of characters - specifically, Sun, Jin, Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley, Sayid, and Locke - with his touch. not surprisingly, these are the same characters that left the island, only to return.

So, with these data in mind, what the frak is going on? Quite simply, as ghost Juliet put it, "it worked." The bomb did change the past, as we've started to see in the flash-sideways storyline. But the "big moment," the place the whole Lost story has been building, is the coming war on the island. Course correction is kicking in, and somehow, these strangers from 2004 will somehow, over the next three years of their lives, be brought back to the 2007 they always should have experienced.

Now, admitedly, this will be difficult to reconcile. The main problem? Flash-sideways people live in a world where there is no more island. So how will the universe course-correct? I haven't the foggiest. Perhaps Desmond, special as he is, will be able to retain memories of both lives, and will reconnect with Jack2 et al. Perhaps the pocket of energy in the Swan pit will somehow raise the island out of the depths of the ocean. Perhaps Eloise Hawking will just get all uppity, like she did when she first met Desmond, and bitch-slap the characters back to their own native reality.

The point is, this flash-sideways 2004, and the 2007 we've been following all along, will turn out to somehow be the same story. And you heard it here.

Finally, before we head into Episode 602, a bit of a thought experiment. Let's assume Jughead's detonation in 1977 immediately caused the island to blow up, and everyone on it was killed (I don't think that happened, but until we figure out a different sinkage date, bear with me). What would be different in our characters' lives before Oceanic 815?

Rousseau's crew never would have marooned in 1988, meaning Alex would have been born somewhere else.
Charles Widmore may not have left the island to father Penelope, meaning the Desmond on the plane would not even know her.
Widmore also wouldn't have been exiled in the early 1990s, meaning he would never have created the boat race that led Desmond to the island that no longer exists.
Widmore also would not have had the chance to order DHARMA purged.
If Widmore never left the island, he never sent Matthew Abaddon to convince John Locke to go on Walkabout after his injury. But if he didn't, how did Locke end up in Australia?
There was no numbers transmission leading to Leonard hearing the numbers leading to Hurley playing them.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this. Just something to make you go "hmm."

Anyway, check back in later this week for my recap of "What kate Does."

Episode 601 - Lost (finally) Lands at "LA X"

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:53:00 +0000

Na-ma -f_ckin'-ste, y'all! it's been too, too long since we've had new Lost to discuss, but here we are, at the start of Season 6, the "Swan" song of Lost. This is your only warning - if you have not seen the two hour premiere, "LA X" (space intended to be there), read no further (but seriously, why would you be reading this?) But if you saw what I saw (or think I saw) this week, then jump headlong in...

...but first a word from our sponsor. Seriously, people, what's the deal with spam messages getting posted as comments to my posts??? Isn't the fact that I need to keep setting up new email addresses to stay away from you bottom-dwellers enough? Now you have to mess with my blog? You're lower than graffiti artists. Go away. Now, back to our program.

The Temple revealed! The Smoke Monster unmasked!! Jughead's effects in graphic, confusing detail!!! All this, plus a little too much Rose/ Bernard PDA, in "LA X"!

Aside Number 1: If you've seen the episode, by now you've figured out that the narrative conceipt of Season 6 is what the producers are calling "Flash-Sideways," in which we get two seemingly mutually exclusive stories of the same characters. For the time being, I'm going to refer to the characters who begin Season 6 fully aware of the events of the past 5 seasons using their familiar names. The characters who landed in L.A. on Oceanic 815 will be known henceforth as either "alterna-Jack" or "Locke2." And to avoid any further confusion, the guy who we thought was Locke while the "real" Locke was still dead in a casket is "Flocke," short for "faux-Locke." Just so's we're all clear...

Alternaverse
"LA X" introduced us to a parallel universe/ alternate timeline (pick your Star Trek/ Marvel Comics terminology of choice) in which, thanks (presumably) to the detonation of Jughead in the Swan pit, Oceanic 815 never crashed, and the characters arrived, safe and sound, in L.A. Indeed, our first look at these characters only covered the events of the (mostly) uneventful flight, and their arrival at the airport, without any details of their lives since returning from Australia. But one thing became very clear, very quickly - the changes in their lives did not begin with not crashing on the island. Rather, there are already apparent changes in these alternaLosties' backstories that are manifest. The obvious conclusion from this is that the many ways these people's lives intertwined before the crash were not a coincidence, at all, and the fact that the Swan hatch was never built seems to have created a chain reaction that changed a number of these people in slowly revealing ways. Of course, we also got hints of Eloise Hawking's "Course Correction" theory at work...

Alterna-Jack
As is customary with Lost, we mostly got Jack's perspective on things. What was clear from the outset is that there have been a few subtle changes. Check out this video comparing the similar events from the Pilot episode with "LA X"...

So anahoo...Jack2 gets only one extra vodka from Cindy2 (two before) and gets comforted by Rose2 (rather than vice versa). The initial look on his face suggests an awareness, if only subconscious, that this place he finds himself is somehow...off. His initial conversation with Rose2 starts what I thought was an awesome trend of double-entendres throughout the alterna-clips. In particular, Jack2's comment, "looks like we made it," and Rose2's response, "we sure did," while ostensibly about surviving some turbulence, could just as easily refer to the fact that their plane did not break up and crash on an island, as it did at that point in "real" life.

The next change (not a change, but the natural progression of not having crashed) is that Bernard2 returns from the tail-section restroom, and rejoins Rose2 in their seats. Jack2 then hits the can himself, only to find a shaving cut just opened up under his collar. But note the look on Jack2's face as he takes a long gaze at himself in the mirror. Is it that he can't believe he's here (even if he doesn't know why)? Or is that just the toll of the stress of fetching his dead father and going through rough turbulence?

Aside #2 Here's course correction at work - this cut thing seems to have happened at almost the precise moment that Jack realized he had a serious cut on his back after the crash. It's as though Jack2, much like Jack, is somehow "meant to" be cut and bleed at that moment, even if this version is considerably more innocuous...

When Jack2 returns to his seat, he finds that the aisle seat, previously empty, is now occupied by a man we recognize as Desmond2 (for now - more on this later). This, of course, is another marked departure - Desmond was never on flight 815. Rather, he arrived on the island 3 years earlier, and his failure to hit the button caused 815 to crash. As for what Desmond2 is doing flying from Sydney to L.A. rather than "saving the world, bruthah," your guess is as good as mine. In any case, Jack2 seems to recognize Desmond2, but they chalk it up to that weird feeling people get when someone looks familiar.

Aside #3 - the "for now" bit is my hedge - given Des2's disappearance (see below), and Faraday's claim that he's uniquely special makes me wonder if Desmond will somehow find himself experiencing both timelines, and clueing in our alterna-characters about their other destinies...

Also, and thanks to "Doc" Jensen for this, the book Desmond2 is reading is a work by Salmon Rushdie, the most famous quote from which is "what's the use of stories that aren't even true?" Something to ponder as we continue down the alternaverse rabbit hole this season...

As the Jack2/ Desmond2 exchange ends, we get a really funky camera move, out the window, into the water, to the floor of the ocean, where we see...the Dharma barracks? And the Dharma shark? And the ankle and foot of the Tawaret statue? The obvious implication is that, sometime after Jughead blew, the island sank. This is why Desmond is not there to push the button, and why the island doesn't drag 815 down. The questions asked by this reveal, though, are (1) when exactly did the island sink (the fact that the aforementioned structures are still intact suggests it was not immediately following the blast, because I can't imagine pre-fab houses surviving an H-bomb) and (2) how did it sink?

Cindy2 then pages for a doctor, and explains to Jack2 that a passenger has been locked in the lavatory and won't respond anyone's knocks. Sayid2 also makes an appearance, and assists by kicking in the lavatory door. They find Charlie2, not breathing. After a tense moment, Jack2 clears Charlie2's airway of the bag of heroin that had been lodged in there. Charlie2 comes to, and, in another double-entendre moment, asks, "Am I alive?" To which Jack2 responds, "yeah, you're alive."

As Charlie2 is escorted away by air marshals, again echoing the course-correction theme, he grouses at Jack2 that he was supposed to be dead, and Jack2 should have let him die. More of the double-meaning smacking us in the face. The message? What's done is done, doc. Stop messing with things.

Jack2 returns to his seat and finds Desmond2 is gone. We knew Desmond2 was seated, "officially," elsewhere on the plane. Did he go back to his seat, or back to our "regularly-scheduled programming?"

After touching down, while in Customs, Jack2 is paged to the courtesy counter. They inform Jack2 there was a mix-up with Christian's coffin, and not only is it not on the plane, they don't know where it is. Jack2 is upset because, well, his dead dad is missing, and the funeral is only 2 hours away (that's a bit of excessively tight scheduling, eh?)

Aside #4 - I can't help but wonder at this point, was Christian ever loaded onto the plane? We never saw his body after 815 crashed. Maybe the empty casket was someone else's? Or maybe this mixup is just alternaverse's lamer version of the same mystery, i.e. what happened to Christian Sheppard?

Anyway, more on Jack2 when he crosses paths with Locke2 in a bit...

Alterna-Sayid - there don't apear, thus far, to be so many changes in Sayid2's story. Just as always, he seems bound for L.A. to try to find Nadia2. We see him look at her photo both on the plane, and in the customs line. For now, that's all the Sayid2 we get. But I'm sure that will change, particularly given what happens to Sayid Prime...

Alterna-Kate - We'll come to realize before long that Kate2, even though she's being escorted in cuffs by the same marshall, in fact, did not kill her father. Rather, another man died. The meaning of this is not yet apparent. What is apparent is that there is no plane crash this time to free her. Rather, Kate2 needs to effectuate her escape after landing. She swipes Jack2's pen on the plane, then uses the old lock pick in the bathroom technique...except it doesn't work right. The marshall tries to hurry her up, and she decks him, takes his gun and jacket then tells some women that a man in the bathroom attacked her. This buys Kate2 time ...

...and she hops into an elevator with happy-go-lucky Sawyer2. Sawyer2 spots her handcuffs, but when security muscles their way in, he nonchalantly blocks their view of Kate2's cuffs, then galantly escorts her out when the door opens, enabling her escape.

As she looks for a route with no cops, Kate2 spots a TSA employee entering a code in a locked door. She enters the same code and escapes to the taxi line, where Frogurt is miffed at her innocent attempt to swipe his cab. She gets in line behind Hurley2, but, when she sees the angry marshall pointing her out to the cops, she hops into the first cab she can find. Alas, Kate2's cab already has a passenger - Claire2! Holding the driver at gunpoint, Kate2 demands they drive, and drive they do! Where on Earth is Kate2 going? Perhaps next week's episode, "What Kate Does," will explain that.

Aside #5 - I loved how we could only see Claire2's head and shoulders. In other words, we have no idea if she's pregnant. I posit she is not. To the extent there is no island anymore, there is also no force that needed Aaron to arrive. Perhaps, in this world, Claire2 knew who her father was, and flew in for his funeral? Update - thanks to my friend, Windy, for pointing this out, but after I posted this recap, ABC updated the "bug" widget on top of the blog with a preview clip that made it clear that Claire2 is, in fact, pregnant. Still, I think the ambiguity was intentional...

Alterna-Hurley - we got a glimpse of this Hugo2 in one of the two Comic Con preview clips this summer (the other was Kate2's). Unlike the meek, uninspired Hurley who won the lottery only to buy the franchise that used to employ him, Hugo2 bought the whole Mr. Cluck's chain. And he doesn't think he's cursed - in fact, he says to an annoying fan (Arzt2!) that he's the luckiest man alive, ever since he won the lottery. This prompts his neighbor, Alterna-Sawyer, to warn him not to announce his lottery winnings, lest people try to take advantage of him.

Aside #6 - We didn't spend too much time with Hurley2, but he raises some questions...like why doesn't he think he's cursed? If the island sank, did Leonard ever hear a DHARMA transmission of the numbers? If not, what numbers did Hugo play and win the lottery with? And where did he get them? I'm sure we'll see more of Alterna-Hugo as the season rolls on. Also, as Arzt pointed out, what was the multi-millonaire owner of a major corporation doing in coach?

Alterna-Sawyer - On my first viewing, I smelled Sawyer2 hatching a scheme to con Hugo2 out of his lotto winnings. On my second viewing, I found his warning to be a bit more sincere. And then I realized - this Sawyer2 doesn't strike me as a lifelong angry man who just the night before murdered - in cold blood - the wrong man, only to be forcibly deported from Australia. This man is relaxed and fancy-free, even if he's world-wise enough to help Kate2. Interesting. But, again, we only got a glimpse of Sawyer2, so I'm sure there will be more to his story.

Alterna-Locke - Locke2 meets Boone2, who reveals he tried to break up Shannon's relationship, only to fail. This change, the producers say, is meaningful (though it was in fact inspired by the unavailability of Maggie Grace to return to the show). Boone2 makes a dramatically ironic comment that if the plane goes down, Locke2 is the guy he stick with, after Locke2 tells him that he's coming back from walkabout...the same walkabout that Locke Prime was not allowed to go on. This begs the question of whether Locke2 is wheelchair bound (we learn later that, yup, he is). But this Locke2 is not the angry, bitter victim we've pitied for 5 seasons. He's more at peace, even when filling out a claim form for his lost bag o' knives. There, Locke2 meets Jack2, and philsophizes that the airline didn't lose Christian2, but only his body. Jack2, for all his differences, still has to fix things, so he asks Locke2 what got him in the wheelchair. He explains he's asking because he's a spinal surgeon. Locke2 says his problem is not amenable to surgery, but Jack2 insists, in that cocky "I saved my wife after a lethal car crash" way, that "nothing is irreversible (more nods and winks). Jack2 gives Locke2 his card, and offers a free consult (which, c'mon, we all know Locke2 will take him up on, as these characters will all need to start interacting more for the story to make sense).

Alterna-Sun and Jin2-We first glimpse the Kwon2s as Sun2 - in the same demure outfit and hair we saw in the pilot - smiles at Rose2 and Bernard2's canoodling. Jin2 looks up from the watch he's delivering for Sun2's dad and asks what she's staring at. Much more optimistically and brashly than you'd expect from Sun Prime, Sun2 tells her how sweet Rose2 and Bernard2 are. Jin2, however, is still very much the die man his other self was before the crash, and responds only by ordering - albeit gently - that Sun2 button up her top button.

At customs, Jin2's bag is searched. He is unable to explain what "business" he is on, since his English is not up to snuff, but he gets hauled off for further searching and questioning when the agents spot a large pile of wrapped American cash in his luggage. Sun2 is asked, after Jin2 is taken, if she speaks English, since that could help sort things out. After staring blankly, Sun2 says, "no...English."

Aside #7 - I feel like this is an ever-so-slightly softer version of Jin. I wonder if the money was always in his case, i.e., is this his plan to run away with Sun2 after he delivers the watch? Or is the money indicative of even deeper, nastier work for Paik2? If the Kwon2s are closer, then perhaps Sun2 isn't lying when she says she doesn't speak English. On the other hand, it may not yet be desperate enough a situation to risk getting found out by Jin2. I wonder if Jin2 shoots blanks?

So that's about it for our alterna-characters. We're told by the producers (on Jimmy Kimmel Live, right after the episode aired), that it is significant that we didn't see Libby, Ana Lucia, Eko, Michael or Walt on the plane, though in Walt's case, it's partially because Malcolm David Kelley has aged too much to look like he did in 2004. But where last night got real trippy was in the reveal that the characters not only were on the plane, and it didn't crash, but that they also were back on the island we all remember in 2007. One final observation - is it just me, or is seeing these people leading "normal" lives just a little weirder than the time-hopping, smoke-monster-infested, ziggurat-housing island story? (For the producers' quick explanation of what we should be understanding about the altered reality, click on the title of this post).

Island

Our first glimpse of what happened on the island post-Jughead comes in the form of Kate starring in Lost's signature extreme-close-up-of-opening-eye shot. Kate, who had been in the Swan site pit, wakes up at night in a tree, her hearing muffled, steadies herself, then climbs down. The first thing she sees is the back door to the Swan hatch - translation: detonating Jughead did not prevent the hatch's construction. She then finds Miles, before getting a hint of what time she's in when she looks in the hole before her feet and finds the area in its post-implosion condition. Translation: whenever she is, it's at least late 2004.

Aside #8 - it was clever to start this sequence with Kate. At this point in the narrative, we had not seen Kate2, leaving it totally plausible that some characters got zapped back to the plane, while others still lived in their as-we-knew-it timeline. Of course, we soon figured out this was not the case...

As Kate looks around, she spots first, Sawyer, then Jack, lying on the ground just outside of the pit. There was some obvious subtext the fact that she paused for a moment before deciding to rouse Jack first, ahead of Sawyer. Wait a minute - how can Jack be here? He's back on the frikkin' plane!!!!

When they've all figured out where they are, Sawyer's rage boils over. He is not the least bit subtle in pointing out to Jack that Juliet's dead, and it's all his fault. And Jack (giving, in my mind, Matthew Fox's best performance to date on the show), really can't escape the dual bad feelings of piercing guilt and shock that his plan didn't work. Sawyer kicks Jack, who looks to Kate, as if to say, "but...destiny?" but he has no meaningful response to Sawyer's accusations.

Back at the van, Hurley is still holding Sayid, who is still bleeding from the bullet he received from Ben's dad. Jin is also there. Why did these guys end up still by the van, while the characters from the Swan site got more scattered from this time jump? Jin tells Hurley they must have traveled through time, because this is what he experienced before (white flash, loud noise, headache, different time of day). They hear Sawyer shouting, and Jin goes to find them. Sayid asks Hurley, "when I die, what do you think will happen?" It's as though Sayid has clued into the "redemption" theme of Lost, and realized his fallen short. As Sayid blacks out, Hurley hears some rustling. Out steps Jacob, who says to Hurley, "Hello, Hugo. Got a minute?"

Down in the pit, while the arguing continues, Kate hears something. They realize it's Juliet, and she's trapped under the rubble of the Swan implosion. They all start to try to dig her out, but one large beam can't be budged. Jin goes to get the van, which had chains in it.

Jacob tells Hurley he died about an hour ago (i.e. nobody else but Hurley will see him), killed by "an old friend who tired of his company." Can't help but wonder if he meant Ben, or the man in black. Jacob tells Hurley to take Sayid to the Temple to be healed, that it's crucially important that he not die. He says that he'll find the way by asking Jin to take him to the hole in the wall where the French team went, and he urges Hurley to bring the guitar case.

Prediction - Hurley will end up being the "new" Richard Alpert. Now that Jacob's dead, Hurley will be the only available prophet for him to talk to in order to direct the Others. It's cool how this was set up in the season finale, when Jacob suggested to Hurley that it's a blessing, not a curse, to be able to talk to the people he's lost.

Jin arrives, and they load Sayid into the van before going to bring the chains. Hurley asks Jin, "dude, if I asked you to take me to the hole, where you were with the...French team, would you know what I'm talking about?" Jin, matter-of-factly, ponders this, then admits, "yes." But there's no time for that, now. They arrive, and hook the chains up to the beam. It gives, and Sawyer finds a way in. He finds, Juliet, still barely clinging to life. Sawyer tries to reassure her, but when she deleriously fails to recongize him for a moment, he knows she's slipping. When she recalls who he is, she's upset. She says she banged the bomb, because she wanted to send him home, and now she sees he's still here. After he gets her free, Juliet recongizes him again, and says, "James - kiss me." In the worst-written Sawyer line, ever, he responds, "you got it, Blondie," and plants one on her lips. Her dying words are, "I have something to tell you, and it's very important..." but she never gets to give her message.

Aside #9 - it broke my heart to see Sawyer find Juliet again, only to lose her all over again. I still have hope that somehow Sawyer will find Juliet2 when the two worlds converge...

Sawyer carries her out, and stares daggers through Jack. "YOU did this," he accuses. Again, Jack is utterly speechless.

Sawyer covers Juliet's body, as Jack says he can't stop Sayid's bleeding. Hurley gets the courage to speak up, and announces they have to take him to the temple. When Jack asks why, Hurley confirms that, since Jack can't save Sayid, they have to trust him to. Sawyer says he's not going. Kate offers to help him bury Juliet, but he says she should help Sayid. He does, however, ask Miles to stay behind. Kate says she'll leave a trail for them to follow, but Sawyer says he ain't following anyone.

After Sawyer and Miles finish burying Juliet, Sawyer tells Miles he wants him to do his thing and find out what Juliet was trying to tell him when she died. Miles gives it a whirl, and after contorting a bit on the fresh grave, looks up and says, "it worked." Sawyer pleads, if it worked, what did she say? But then Miles explains - that's the message. "It worked."

Aside #10 - presumably, Juliet was referring to the Jughead plan. How did she know? Did she get some inkling from the "white light" moment she must have experienced? Is this message to Sawyer step one in reconciling the two worlds?

The Beach

We rejoin the Others brigade where we left them, gathered around the statue of a big foot. Inside, Ben stares incrudulously at the fire where, presumably, Jacob has burned to nothingness (I didn't see anything in there that looked like a cooked demi-God, did you?) Flocke cleans off the knife that Ben used to do the deed, and tells Ben he can stop staring. Ben's shock is palpable. He wonders aloud why Jacob didn't try to stop him? Flocke boasts it's because he knew he was beaten (whatever the exact loophole was, Flocke clearly reveled in it). Flocke orders Ben to get Richard, and tell him he wants to talk to him.

Outside, Sun and Frank watch as Richard has a heated discussion with Ilana, Bram, and some of their group. Richard insists nobody gets to see Jacob unless they're invited in, but Ilana tries to convince him they were invited. Frank relates to Sun his doubts that these are the "good guys."

Aside #10 - Saying that once, in the finale, is a witty quip. Saying it twice makes me wonder, should we really doubt that Jacob and his chosen acolytes are good guys? It sure seems like Jacob's adversary uses the nastier techniques...

Out comes Ben, and he tells Richard John wants to see him. Ben lies and says, of course, everything is fine with Jacob (his own guilt? Planning to pass the buck to Flocke, by saying Jacob was fine when he left?). Richard angrily grabs the nape of Ben's neck, shoves him nose-first to the ground by the corpse of the real John Locke, and says, "fine, I'll talk to John, but maybe you should talk to him first!" The look of terror and confusion on Ben's face is precious.

Richard agains asks Ben what happened. As Ben reiterates that he should go inside, Bram decideds he's done waiting, and he takes a couple of flunkies in with him. Ben goes in, too, and tells Flocke that Richard isn't coming. When Bram and company arrive, Flocke brags about Jacob's death. Bram's people open fire, their bullets apparently striking the back wall, but not affecting Flocke. Flocke ducks behind a column, disappears, and suddenly Smokey arrives. Smokey starts ripping into team Bram. Bram, meanwhile, opens a small sack and dumps a ring of the type of ash that encircled "Jacob's" cabin around himself. This, miraculously, stops Smokey. But Smokey isn't about to give up. It smacks the ceiling, sending a stone plummeting that staggers Bram. Immediately, Smokey is upon him, impaling the big gunman on a piece of Jacob's loom. Smokey dissipates, and suddenly Flocke is there. He smiles at the terrified Ben, saying, "I'm sorry you had to see me like that."

Aside #11 - Yes, yes, yes!!!! You wanted answers? How about this? Smokey is not a thing. It's a man, albeit one with a fairly unique set of abilities, including shape-shifting. Is there any doubt now that Smokey was also Yemi? Or ghost Alex? Or that all of these things were just the man in black who told Jacob he wanted to kill him as much as 160 years earlier? We also found out what the ash was for - whatever it's made of, it stops Smokey in his tracks. But you better use a big ring, or else Smokey can just chuck stuff at you. The how of it all is still fuzzy. But the what is finally revealed!

As Flocke lines up the bodies, Ben stares at him, mouth agape. Finally, he forms the words, "you're the monster!" Flocke smiles and says, "let's not resort to name calling." Flocke then goes off on a rant about how joyfully pathetic Locke was, beginning with the last thoughts that went through John's head as Ben strangled him - "I don't understand." He then berates his doppelganger by saying John Locke was weak, pathetic, irreperably broken, and yet the only one of the 815 survivors who realized how pitiful the life he left behind truly was. Ben asks what Flocke wants, and he smiles that, ironically, he wants the one thing John Locke didn't - to go home.

Aside #12 - Let's unpack this. First, just how on Earth did Flocke know what Locke was thinking when he died? I get that he can read minds with that flashing lightning thing, but how did he know what Locke was thinking in L.A.? Especially given that, apparently, Flocke is trapped here on the island? Next, it can be no coincidence that John Locke was dismissed as "irreperably broken" by Flocke in the same episode where Jack2 told Locke2 that there are no irreperable injuries. Not sure where that's going, but I'd put a finger on it for later. Finally, what is home? Flocke has been here for a long, long time. It seemed beating Jacob was all he cared about from what little we knew about him. Indeed, it's clear now that not even Ben had more insight into this person/ creature. So what's home, and what, aside from killing Jacob, does he have to do to get there?

Outside, Richard sees a small fireworks display (more on that in a second - the important thing is that this confirms, if there had been any doubt, that the time-hopping Dharma-suited Lostaways are now on the same island at the same time as Sun, Frank, and Flocke). Ben and Flocke emerge, alone. Ilana's remaining people raise their guns, but Richard shouts not to shoot him. Flocke addresses Richard, saying how good it is to see him out of the chains. Richard suddenly seems to recognize who Flocke really is, just in time for Flocke to knock his block off. Flocke picks up Richard's unconscious body and tells those assembled - Others, Ilana-ites, Sun and Frank (and perhaps all or none of them in particular) that he's "very disappointed in all of you," then tramps off, past "his own" body.

Aside #13 - There are several ways to try to interpret the Flocke/ Richard exchange. I prefer the most obvious - Richard was a slave on the Black Rock. Whatever the answer, it's clear he was bound in some way before. It's odd to me that Richard only seemed to figure out who Flocke was after he revealed he knew Richard's past. Wonder what Richard has to say when he wakes up. For what it's worth, Nestor Carbonnell claimed at the big premiere party in Hawaii that Richard's backstory is coming (they just shot it), and it's told in a way that really blew him away.

The Temple
The rest of the action in "LA X" took place at the one locale we'd heard so much about, but never saw before - the Others' Temple. As Jacob promised, Jack and crew found the Temple by going through the underground hole that first the Frenchies, then Flocke and Ben went into outside the outer wall of the Temple area. There they find Montande's one-arm-short-of-a-clap body (Jin tells Hurley it was the smoke monster that did it to him), and carry Sayid gingerly around the hole that Ben made when he caved into Smokey's chamber. Suddenly Kate, then Jin, disappear, as Jack hear's the whispers. Before long, Jack is alone, when two Others grab him. They drag him through the passage, and out to a clearing, where his companions are. And where, at long last, we see...the Temple.

We also get our first glimpse of the group of Others who reside at the Temple. Unlike their counterparts from the DHARMA barracks and beach camp, who seemed to prefer contemporary clothing, these Others wear frocks and vests straight out of a 60s revival hippie commune. They also seem even more aggressive than their house-loving counterparts. I couldn't help but wonder if Locke was on to something when he accused Ben's crew of being pharacies for daring to live with electricity and modern convenience. Also, the Temple Others answered a small but lingering question - what happened to Cindy and the kids, Zach and Emma, who had been taken from the tail section, but who were not among the group that waited with Richard for Locke's return?

The temple Others are led by Dogen (trust me, that will be his name), a Samurai-looking smile-deficient man who we learn knows English but chooses not to speak it because he doesn't like how it tastes on his tongue. Dogen is aided by Lennon (trust me, that will be his name), an even less smiley uber-hippie with stoner glasses, who translates for Dogen.

Twice Dogen orders the Lostaways shot, even after Cindy says they were on her plane, only to reconsider based on Hurley's actions. First, Hurley says Jacob sent them to save Sayid. On the second kill order, Hurley refers them to the guitar case Jacob had him bring to the island. Inside is a giant ankh (an egyptian symbol, at a Mayan-type ziggurat), which Dogen unceremoniously breaks over his knee. Inside is a piece of paper. We don't see its contents, but presumably it includes one of Jacob's lists. Lennon asks who these people are. They identify themselves, and Dogen gives a nod. The Others lift Sayid and start to bring him inside. When asked what the paper says, Lennon responds that it says if Sayid dies, they're all in trouble.

Inside is a bubbling pool. The fact that it appears muddy and not clear alarms the Others. Dogen cuts his own hand with a knife, then sticks it in the water. On two viewings, I couldn't quite tell if his hand healed but stayed bloody, or didn't heal, but the implication was clear - this pool holds the secret of the island's healing power, but there was concern it wouldn't work. Lennon ominously warns that there are risks to what they're doing, but Jack tells them to proceed. The Others take Sayid, looking very Christ-like as they carried him, into the pool, and hold him face-down in the water as Dogen turns over a big hourglass. Sayid starts to thrash, but they hold him down. As Jack tries to intervene, he ends up on the wrong side of Dogen's Kung Fu fury. The last grains of sand fall, and Dogen orders Sayid to be lifted out. They briefly examine him, before Lennon declares he's dead. Jack, still being Jack, tries CPR, but Kate convinces him to let go.

As the Lostaways sit around, mourning yet another loss (Jack already blames himself), Cindy and the kids bring them food, and the Others shove Miles and throw an unconscious Sawyer into the room. Miles boasts that his boss took out a bunch of Others before he was hit with a rock.
Hurley is taken for a private chat with Dogen and Lennon in some sort of hydroponic room. When Hurley reveals that Jacob's dead, they spring into action, and sound the battle stations alarm. The temple gates are shut and barricaded, and ash is spread around the outer wall. A rocket is sent up - the fireworks glimpsed by Richard et al on the beach. Hurley comments about how this seems to mean he and his friends won't be getting out, but a scared Lennon tells him, "it's not to keep you in. It's to keep him out!"

Aside # 14- this brings up an intesting theme - was the ring ash around the cabin meant to keep someone in or out? Given that Smokey seemed to have free range for a while, I think the ash was how Jacob stayed protected in the cabin. But why the sense that he was really always in the foot statue? And why no ash around that area to keep Flocke out?

Hurley says good-bye to Sayid, but Miles, sitting nearby, has a look that I interpreted to mean this guy isn't quite dead. But when Hurley asks what's up, Miles says nothing. Sawyer wakes up, and seems almost amused that they've been caught by the Others...again. But Kate smiles and says she thinks they're protecting them this time. Sawyer sits up and shoots a nasty look at Jack. Kate gives Sawyer a pleading, "please don't kill him" look, and Sawyer responds, "I ain't gonna kill him. Jack deserves to suffer on this rock just like the rest of us."

The Others come and ask for Jack. He refuses to go, saying they can tell him whatever they have to say right there, but they insist they cannot. There's a brief struggle, that's interrupted when Hurley calls Jack because...Sayid just sat up! Looking confused, Sayid asks, "What happened?"

Aside 15-In case you're wondering, the producers have said that, no, Sayid was not possessed by the spirit of Jacob (Jimmy Kimmel asked them when they appeared on his show Tuesday night), but we should be wondering what did happen to Sayid? It stands to reason it's the same thing that changed Ben after Sayid shot him, and after Richard warned he would lose his innocence. Of course, Sayid has no innocence left to lose, but it will be interesting to see what happened to him. Perhaps it will explain in part why Cindy, the kids, and the other tailie abductees so fully embraced the Others after they were taken.

It also appears that the war that was coming is now under way. Is Widmore alligned with Flocke? Does Ben know who he's alligned with? If Jacob was spending all of his time in a giant foot, why does his death make the temple vulnerable? Wasn't smokey hanging out there before?

Anyway, I'm intrigued by the new dual-reality story line, and hope it pays off. Between Juliet's message to Sawyer, my belief that Desmond will bounce between worlds, and the fact that in Alterna-verse there's probably still a living Daniel Faraday, I think the two worlds will collide. If you want more of an explanation of what is going on, click on the title of this post to go to an interview with Damon and Carlton about the new "flash-sideways" storytelling. Until next week, in the homage-ly-entitled "What Kate Does," Namaste, and welcome back!

Season 6 Preview

noreply@blogger.com (dhurwitzesq) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:24:00 +0000

So...we're only days away. The questions that will be answered, OMG! What did Jughead's detonation accomplish? Who lived and died? What was Frank Lapidus a candidate for? Now that Jacob's dead (if he is), what will Faux-Locke do next? A hint of some these answers has made it online in the form of the first 4 minutes of Monday's premiere episode, "LA X." You can watch them here.

Kinda cool, no? Especially the way that Jack seemed, at the start of the scene, to notice how odd it was that he was on the plane, and not on the island circa 1977 (he did, right?)

There's more good news for Season 6. As many of you have heard by now, much of the "departed" cast will be back in some capacity. Dominic Monaghan (Charlie) will sneak away from Flash Forward for 4 episodes. Ian Somerhalder (Boone) will check in, fresh off the set of Vampire Diaries. In a huge, unexpected coup, Cynthia Watros (Libby) will return, hopefully to explain how Desmond's boat donor ended up as Hurley's fellow inmate at the asylum, and how she then ended up sane as can be in Australia. And there will be others, as well. The big problem looming now - since the show seems, at least for a while, to be going back to 2004, how to bring back Walt, who's now 6 years older (and noticeably so) than he was in the pilot?

Anyway, enjoy this preview, amd check back later this week for the LA X recap.