Cabin Fever
The beautiful paradox of “LOST” is that, tonight, we have an episode that told us so much. Yet ultimately, at its core, the revelations are simple, basic, cutting right to the heart of the show we’ve loved for four years now. The quiet contentedness with which Ben shared Hurley’s candy bar said it all… without a single line. Tonight we saw the passing of the torch, the beginning of the next era for the island, and one that — perhaps foretold by Locke’s childhood choice of the knife — will be a tumultuous one. “Cabin Fever” directly takes us back to “Walkabout” from Season 1, the first episode to blow our minds, the first episode to put us on notice that “LOST” was up to something big. Locke’s destiny has been waiting for him since birth. Through immaturity, circumstance, and stubborn choice, he rejected that fate. But after a season of insecurity and confusion, it looks like he’s finally on track. Just in time to face an oncoming armageddon, a torching of the island.
I love that Alpert, ageless Alpert, was there when Locke was born. Locke, a preemie, unwanted, tormented in a foster home. Of course he draws pictures of a smoke monster attack. And Alpert’s first test for him, to see if he was the chosen one, connects him to the sand, the compass (certainly symbolic to Locke’s life and time on the island), and the knife. Alpert was upset, saying it meant Locke wasn’t ready. But I for one think it was Alpert that wasn’t ready. I don’t think the knife was the wrong artifact, but a premonition that Alpert didn’t want to see.
As a teenager, Mittelos Bioscience makes another play for Locke, who’s obviously now a gifted young scientist. But yet, even then, the rejected Locke rejects science, claiming to love only boxing, fishing, cars, sports… His teacher knew his calling was not any of those things. But telling Locke what he can’t do obviously gets you nowhere.
Finally, there was Abbadon, whose flashback appearance was perhaps the most startling and reassuring. He speaks of miracles. We learn it was him who put the hapless, wheelchair-bound Locke on the road to the walkabout. And I love how he says, “I went on my walkabout convinced I was one thing, and I came back another.” Or is that, “an other”?
But it’s Ben, as always, that brings things into focus. With the best line of the night, season, and perhaps the whole series. “There are consequences to being chosen. Because destiny, John, is a fickle bitch.” Ben’s sacrifices are many, from his health to his daughter, and perhaps reach back as far as killing his father. And Locke certainly has taken his lumps. I can’t help but think, though, that Locke’s status is not set in stone. Ben told everyone Locke wasn’t who they thought he was when Locke couldn’t kill his dad, and was ostensibly proven wrong. But Locke didn’t kill his dad. Sawyer did. And for all the visions and maps, it was still Hurley who spotted Jacob’s cabin first.
So Christian isn’t dead (or is he?), nor is Claire (or is she?), in communion with the island and Jacob. Aaron, off with Sawyer and soon to be off the island, is where he’s supposed to be. The eerie calmness with which Claire spoke, and the way she smiled when Locke asked how to save the island, was creepy as hell. The cabin scene was a big pile of questions disguised as answers, and frankly it makes my head spin.
And the assault on the island from the freighter begins, with the especially cool, time-and-space warping, prophetic morse code message from “The Shape of Things to Come.” Sayid’s off to save the day, but Desmond refuses to ever return to the island. There’s a secondary protocol focused on the last safe place Ben would go. The Temple? The long-anticipated Orchid Station? Perhaps they’re one and the same? Wherever it is, I suspect it’s where they’ll need to be to “move the island.” Move the island!
Frank fully outs himself as one of the good guys, yet throws more doubt on the theory that Widmore planted the fake wreckage on the ocean floor. I love that he tries to warn the survivors on the beach, but drugged-up Jack decides the answer is to head toward the danger.
Notes and Notions:
- So here we are at the end of a season, with Jack and the survivors hopeful for rescue that’s finally coming… except it really isn’t rescue that’s coming, it’s trouble. I love Season 4, don’t get me wrong, but isn’t this exactly where we were at the end of Season 3? This show is so brilliant, I don’t even care.
- Ben disavows the decision to wipe out the DHARMA Initiative, noting that he wasn’t always the leader. So who did Ben succeed? Who was the prior chosen one? I don’t think it’s Alpert, whose role seems to be strictly second fiddle. How about Widmore?
- The test that young Locke took reminds me of my (likely warped) recollection of how the Dalai Lama is chosen from generation to generation, with a candidate expected to identify an item significant to the one who came before.
- Is Abbadon, like Alpert, an ageless character?
- Interesting that Desmond stayed behind on the freighter, perhaps finally tired of saving others and ready to do what’s right for him. I guess I can’t blame the guy, but it seemed a little sad. Then again, I woudn’t want to pass through that nightmare zone again, either. Wouldn’t it suck, though, if Penny goes to find him on the island? Just before the big move? After all, we know in the future Widmore’s looking for it all over again.
- It clearly took a huge conspiracy to finally, after half a decade, get Locke to the island. In a big plane crash. So I wonder. Was everything just for him? Or are other destinies being fulfilled? I hope it’s the latter.
- Ben suggests that Locke talked Hurley into sticking around. But why is Locke keeping him by his side? Again, I think Hurley is special, too.
- Favorite Lines: Hurley’s dream, “Mallomars.” Or, “This is just awesome,” Hurley again, realizing they’re lost. The captain’s challenge, “I fixed your gun.”
- Music: Emily was getting dolled up to Don MacLean’s “Everyday.”
- Locations: The hospital was up at Waimano Home in Pearl City. The neighborhood was Wahiawa. The school was Leilehua High School.
May 8th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Wow!
Some quick observations/questions on initial viewing:
Horace….Horus (Egyptian god of death possibly…someone i’m sure can explore any possible relation?)
Was that a Geronimo Jackson (or whatever that album was from the hatch) Poster in Locke’s locker?
Can’t wait until our communicator with the dead gets near the purge pit!
I think this explains why Claire is not one of the Oceanic Six and why she wants to stay on the island…
Look forward to hear your observations and opinions….love the podcasts!
May 8th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
*Eery theme music*
Previously on LostMan:
Everyone! You are so caught up in character references and plot conspiracies, that you are missing the glaring truth: The Smoke Monster did it! Cant you see?!
Let me explain:
I think the Smoke Monster built the electromagnetic forcefield! Yes, and not only that…..
- The Smoke Monster sent that girl to Kobe Bryant’s room!
- The Smoke Monster sent that little boy to Michael Jackson’s house!
- The Smoke Monster shot Tupac AND Biggie!
- The Smoke Monster converted Tom Cruise to Scientology!
- The Smoke Monster p****d on R Kelly’s dates!
- The Smoke Monster taped Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson!
- The Smoke Monster was f*****g Paris Hilton in that video!
All to get your mind off the fact that he is hiding a prime spot in the South Pacific….. until he can get his submarine shuttle service running properly, and thus have a monopoly in place before the competition finally get there!
I mean, he wouldnt want to see his plans go up in Smoke (excuse the pun!).
May 8th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Fine! Yes, I did it okay?!
Thanks for putting out my fire (so to speak), LostMan!
Fine, maybe I “clouded” a lot of the issues, by *reflecting on everyone’s past*! And perhaps sometimes I come across as mindless, and may sound a bit “mechanical” at times!
Some people even wonder whos side I am on! But remember I am made of Smoke, for goodness sake! So, I guess my stance is really: *anyway the wind blows*!
Okay, do you really want to know whats going on?! And what my personal agenda is?! Well fine, I will tell you:
I’m trying to kill that weird background extra lady with the bright orange bandana! Man, do I hate that bandana!!!!!
But, she always fades into the background (running off to get water or sticks!)! So everytime I try to finish her off, another “Lostie” gets in the way, and gets *smoked* (so to speak). Nothing in-depth or needing analysis, the annoying sniffling Losties just get in between me and Bandana-Butthead!
But dont worry, the story does have a happy ending. You know the person in the coffin? Yes, its Ms Bandana! I finally got her!
S. Monster
PS. Do feel free to ask me any questions you have. I can assure you there is a reasonable explanation for everything!
May 8th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Another great episode for what is a fantastic season of Lost. Unbelievable. I’m still trying to grasp what happened tonight on the episode but I did want to make a couple of quick comments:
1) Great scene between Ben and Hurley sharing the candy bar. It was such a simple scene but very amusing.
2) I’m not a Claire fan but I do have to say tonight’s 20 seconds of her in the cabin was her all time best. Her look in her eyes. How she delivered her lines. Sort of creepy, drugged out, ghostly appearance. Weird. Finally we get something from this actress!
May 8th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
The series is finally unfolding, and though mysteries still remain, there is no doubt that a direction has been taken. Claire is almost certainly dead, perhaps as long as her abduction by Ethan, but more likely when she was caught in the explosion before Sawyer “rescued” her. Don’t ask me how this could be true: it has nothing to do with rationality.
One continuity problem: the Buddy Holly record that Locke’s mother listens to at the beginning of the episode came out in 1956 or 7 — making Locke too young to played by Terry O’Quinn!
May 8th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
It’s seeming to me that the island is some sort of eternal haven. It’s always been part of existence. And….like anything of that nature, it needs to be protected. So you have recurring figures throughout it’s history that act as it’s protectors and abusers. Widmore, Locke, Ben, Halpert, Abbadon….these are just the current “actors” in the island’s drama. Magnus Hanso and Jacob were probably the generation before all these guys…..but it goes way back before them too.
May 8th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Very confusing.
I don’t know if I liked or disliked this episode.
Richard - if he was there at Locke’s birth and we can assume Locke is older or at least the same age as Ben, then Dharma has little to do with the ability of folks to move thru time and space. The original inhabitants or at least the survivors of the Black Rock had that ability. Was Richard the captain of the Black Rock?
Claire - As I said last week, I think she is dead.
Locke - we knew he was a key to the story and now we know that he very much the key.
Jacob - we still have no clue - disappointing.
Ben - he seems now to feel he has passed the torch to Locke - that’s sad since I still want him to be the key player.
Questions vs. Answers - no answers that I can see but lots of new questions which I don’t like at this late point in the season. Maybe that’s why I don’t know how to rate this episode.
May 8th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Alpert’s test with the objects… that’s the way that the Dalai Lama is traditionally identified. It’s a way to test reincarnation, as a young child is asked to consider a set of random objects and identify which had belonged to him “before.” Alpert’s test was straight out of Tibetan tradition …..
May 8th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
How does Ben get from where we see him in this episode as a sad man who feels he has lost control to where we see him in the future as an avenging angel destroying all of Widmore’s people?
May 8th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
@John Fisher because Ben will kill Locke and control the Island again
May 8th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
I just don’t know.
1. I too loved the scene with ben and hurley sharing the candy bar. It was like they were an audience to something. Like being in the movie theater…while they were waiting for Locke to get back.
2. New claire is totally different now. She is not going to be asking the “what happened or what do we do questions. Now she knows more than Locke.
3. With abbadon I thought he was going to push Locke down those steps. But abbadon always freaks me out. Does he like hospitals because hurley was the other person who has seen abbadon.
4. I noticed the doctor walking by on the boat before he got killed.
5. Yeah I noticed the geromino Jackson poster too.
6. I have to rewatch scenes again will post again.
May 8th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
@jim - good point. ‘Everyday’ by Buddy Holly was recorded in 1957 and came out in 1958, making Locke around 46 in 2004. OK, he hasn’t aged well with all of the hardship in his life.
May 8th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
Here’s something I’m curious about:
when Locke was a kid/teenager, Richard was working for…whom? Mittelos was the front, and it’s *still* the front when Richard is trying to recruit Juliet. But by that point in time (2001?), Richard is working for/with Ben..yes? But he mos’def was not working for/with Ben back in the late 50s / early 60’s.
Also, we’re meant to think that Abaddon works for Widmore. Is he doing the job that Richard once did for Widmore, while Richard is now doing similar things but for a different boss/purpose?
The relations of employer/employee are, I think, highly important and totally obscure at the moment. But Widmore’s comment to Ben in the hotel room about, “That island was once mine, and it will be again” is resonating.
May 8th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Good Episode, but a few questions.
1. How does the Doctor’s body wash ashore on the beach before Sayid gets back to the island on the motor boat or the helicopter reaches the island?? Sayid leaves for island during the day and the doctor is killed just before the helicopter takes off that night. Seems odd that the doctor’s body would wash ashore before either Sayid or the helicopter reaches the island.
2. Is Locke really destined to take care of the island or is Ben just relinquishing control so he can seek his revenge on Whitmore by killing Penny? Ben seemed a little too resigned to the fact that Locke was the new caretaker of the island considering that he protected the island for most of his adult life.
May 8th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
I think the reason why the doctor showed up earlier than when he was killed is because the island is slowly moving ahead in time. The doctor clearly would not have come in on the designated heading and hence was displaced in time.
One of my favorite scenes tonight was seeing Claire at the cabin. That was certainly creepy! There seems to be a change in here since leaving with her father (or at least his spirit).
May 8th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Brilliant episode! and so much mythology tossed our way!
I’ll start with my grand theory, and move it about later on.
Jacob tells Locke: “To protect the island, you must move the island.” Sayid is ferrying a boat that can carry only 5 ADULTS, AND ONE CHILD. A question that has repeatedly been brought up is, “Why those 6 only?” Well, what if Locke is successful at moving the island? If Sayid ferris the first Oceanic survivors, and when on returning Sayid finds the island has disappeared? It would surely explain why nobody else returns, and why Ben cannot find the island after he leaves it.
First of many conclusions that I got from this episode, I’ll post more as soon as I watch it again.
-Mr. Z
May 8th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Creepy episode indeed.
Lots to think about. Alpert has to be from the Black Rock, as is Abaddon, perhaps. Widmore could possibly be the Captain of the Black Rock. Perhaps off the island they age in normal time and maybe Widmore was exhiled from the island by Ben.
Perhaps future Ben is exhiled in a similar fashion by Locke and Ben is also trying to relocate the island. Obviously Locke knows now that the island can be moved so what would stop Locke from moving the island after Ben leaves? Nothing, really, unless Ben kills him.
What if Smokie travels along with our Oceanic 6? Could that explain why Hurley sees Charlie and Jack sees Christian? Perhaps Smokie is also trying to get back to the island and sees Hurley and Jack as a means to do that (since they both seem to be more interested in getting back than any of the other 6).
Claire already dead? Possibly although if they are Smokie then this may have been the first time we’ve seen Smokie possibly taking on two physical forms (ie: Christian and Claire).
Will have to watch the episode again though.
May 8th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
@Martin: Fully agreed on the Tibetan tradition. DL & CC, during the Lost Mother’s Day Podcast (such a strange title), mentioned that they would definitively use this reference to choose the reincarnation or the chosen one.
If Halpert was testing Locke to see if he is “the reincarnation,” then who’s Locke suppose to be the reincarnation of? Jacob? Is that why Locke and Jacob can’t exist in the same area? During “The Man Behind the Curtain” Jacob asks Locke to help him and then throws him out. In the current episode, Christian Sheppard “represents” Jacob. It appears as if Jacob and Locke cannot exist in the same location, which is strangely reminiscent of a “time paradox”. What if the reincarnation test performed on Locke was a test to find the true reincarnation of Jacob?
May 8th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Believing what Widmore said when confronted by Ben, “That island was once mine, and it will be again” and tonight’s episode where Ben calls destiny a “fecal bitch”. Then hearing Locke tell Christian that he’s there because he was “chosen”. Can this be a patriarchal line of “defenders” for the island? Widmore’s desire to exploit the island using the Dharma Initiative (ol’ DI) led to his banishment by Jacob via Ben’s revolution. Ben’s obsession over Juliette was soon followed by the discovery of his spinal cancer and the arrival of Locke. Ben in a desperate attempt (paralleled to Widmore’s current attempt) to retain control of the island attempts to kill Locke. However, the island and destiny removes Ben from his position of power. It appears like a lineage can be established between these three characters, and I predict a fourth “protector” will be revealed in the future: Aaron.
-Mr. Z
PS: One more post and I’ll keep quiet.
May 8th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
In “The Man Behind the Curtain” Ben tells Alpert, “It’s a birthday present. You do remember birthdays don’t you?” The name Richard Alpert is a reference to the real life doctor who gave himself to the Hindu tradition and donned the name “Ram Dass,” which translates to “Servant of God”. In the commentary for “The Man from Tallahassee”, he is described as being similar to a Panchen Lama choosing the next Dalai Lama.
I. Can it be that Alpert, while corporeal, is a spirit of the island with one specific job that requires him to live forever? His job and duty to the island (and Jacob) is to find the next generations “Chosen one” because the current “protector” failed to follow instructions. A war was waged against “the hostiles”, but what if it was Halpert who had found Widmore to protect the island. When Widmore’s motives to exploit the island were revealed, he knew that (a) the island would harm him through disease, and (b) would search for a replacement via Alpert. Because Widmore is smart (and revealed in this episode, knows where the cabin is located), he was forced to leave the island and wage a war against “The Hostiles” by placing the magnetic pillars around the research/exploitation facilities.
II. When Ben arrived on the island, he ran into the jungle and found Alpert. While Alpert did not conduct a test on Ben (that we know of), Alpert shows great interest in the boy as a “chosen one”. It is Alpert who attempts to contain Ben’s ambitions to not have another Widmore situation. However, while off island, Alpert searches for the true “chosen one” and discovers Locke. Locke, sadly, isn’t ready to take up the mantel of “chosen” or reincarnate because he’s too shy.
III. Alpert is an agent of the island, he can exist in and out of time and space. His sole purpose is to find the next reincarnation of the islands spirit.
-Mr. Z
All references were found on http://www.lostpedia.com under Richard Alpert.
May 8th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Wow. I never thought “LOST” could be summed up in a one-liner, but what do you know? Tonight it was, and it wasn’t even by Sawyer — it was by our buddy, Ben.
“Destiny, John, is a fickle bitch.”
Do I hear an amen?!
May 8th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
This episode has to be the earliest flashback scene yet, back in the 1950’s?
May 8th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Maybe the island is supposed to raise Aaron.
The reasons behind the messages. The island either planted the Psychic’s visions or one of it’s envoys paid him off to say this.
Message #1: The Psychic tells Claire that she can’t allow anyone else to raise her child.
Purpose: To keep Claire from putting up the baby for adoption.
Message #2: The Psychic tells Claire that a couple in LA will raise the child.
Purpose: To put Claire on 815 and summon her to the island.
Message #3 Charlie tells Jack that he is not supposed to raise him.
Purpose: To bring Aaron back to the Island so he can be raised by the others/hostiles like all other special children
That leaves open the question of why did the Island allow Aaron to leave in the first place. Maybe if the Psychic had a true vision, he really is meant to end up with Jack and Kate in LA. And, dare I say it, was the universe self-correcting?
Any thoughts?
May 8th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
It looks like the consensus is that only 6 leave the island because they are the only ones Sayid gets to transport before the island “moves” and they are not able to find it again.
I guess this also means that Desmond is off island since he stayed behind on the Freighter. Will Penny rescue him?
As to Sawyer choosing to stay.
I’ve proposed before that there are three people that the losties would agree get a seat on the first boat/flight. Sun because of the pregnancy, Jack because he needs medical attention and Aaron because he is a child. Then how do the other 3 get chosen? My best guess. Jack will not leave without Kate, Sayid is driving the boat (ok, just realized that the chopper it out as a transport choice). Hurley is taking care of Aaron. Since Sawyer is the one to bring Aaron to the beach he could have had Hurley’s place, but he chose not to go….
This might also explain Jack’s other claim, “I was the one who saved you”. If Kate was on the first boat because Jack would not leave without his nurse then he can claim direct responsibility for her leaving the island.
May 8th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Also, I’m beginning to think that Christian might have been recruited by mittelos recruit just like they were trying to recruit young Locke. It seems from the “school” and “summer camp” mentions that maybe Alpert tracks more than one special child. There would have been more children at the camp. At any particular point they might not know who is the “specialest” so they find ways to develop them… Christian could have had a similar test to Locke’s and passed so he has been involved with the others/hostiles/natives longer and knew/was known to the island.
May 8th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Great episode and we seem to really be gearing up for the finale. (The drop of the satellite phone to the beach dwellers was great; it is looking like another march is in their future). A few other things:
1. Why doesn’t Locke seem to recognize Alpert when they meet on the island for the first time? In this episode it was made clear that Locke remembers the name well (see his double take when his high school teacher mentions his name in connection with Mittelose; Locke clearly connects it to the man who visited him as a child). Is this some sort of product of the writers having only dreamed up this idea of the previous connection after last season?
2. Does anyone know what is on Kimie’s arm?
3. It does seem Claire is dead. Whatever the case it is great the way Lost so easily breathers new life into characters and actors. The producers mentioned in their podcast that we mabye shouldn’t make too much of our hunches of Claire’s demise from the show; so, if anything, perhaps she will become ever more important.
4. Does anyone else get the sense that Ben is again manipulating Locke/Hurley?
May 8th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
As in Claire could have been killed during the attack on the house and we have been seeing her ghost all this time?
So, so far we have seen the ghost of Christian, Horace, and Boone. How come we haven’t seen Scott (or was that Steve), Ethan, Eko, Goodwin, Anna Lucia, Libby and Tom running around the island? And Charlie too?
May 8th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Forgot to say it earlier. But, of course, another fantastic episode. One particularly rich in excellent quotes. I can’t make up my mind if my favorite is “Because destiny, John, is a fickle B___H” or just simply “Malamars”
Can’t wait for the podcast and the discussion ahead. It looks like most people thoughts are converging in a certain direction. Let’s see how close we get. I have no doubt the finale will not disappoint.
BTW Thanks *so much* for the quote last week. I was gobsmacked! I walked around with a grin all day.
N
May 8th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Who is Abadon?
Like many others, I got the impression, after the “I’m much more than that” comment, that he could be Jacob. But I’m more inclined to believe that he does indeed work for Widmore. As I’ve posted before, I think that Widmore was the chosen one before Ben. This explains his remarks. The island is mine; You took it from me; I know who you are, BOY (Ben was a boy when Alpert recruited him). What if Widmore has some knowledge of who the “special” people being monitored are. He knows who has joined mittelos and who is still at large. Abadon fills a similar role for Widmore as Alpert job ofrecruiter for the island . He might even have been a hostile who defected with Widmore. Abadon pretends to be whatever he needs to be to get to his target. A lawyer, an orderly. The purpose of his visit to Locke was similar to his visit to Hurley. To see if he could get info about the island and/or could use them to get to the island. Widmore expects that if he gets them close enough, the island will “catch” them and therefore he’ll be able to use them to get there himself. That’s why Abadon is steering Locked towards Australia. And he also put together the team of experts who were sent to the island. Again, to help find and to learn as much as possible about the island.
And I don’t think that Widmore is Dharma. I think he has made it his business to acquire as much info on the Island as possible and he has probably accumulated quite a Dharma collection.
On a related note. A lot of people speculate that this is what he was doing with the race and by encouraging Desmond to race. Using him to find the island. OMG, Would that mean that maybe Desmond is also on the list of people special to the island.
May 9th, 2008 at 12:18 am
I suspect the sailing race was a cover to find the island, having some of the sailing boats with special equipment to find the island without raising suspsions and the irony was that Desmond wasn’t one of the boats that had the equipment.
May 9th, 2008 at 12:50 am
I definitely need to see this one again, which I’ll do tonight when my wife watches it for the first time. I am really confused about Locke’s past and his parentage.
We know Locke’s mother is Emily Annabeth Locke. She was played by Swoosie Kurtz previously (who BTW was born in 1944.) That would make her about 16 in 1960 which fits in well with the age and timeframe we see her in at the beginning of this episode. When we see her again around the year 2000 she looks her age of about 56.
Her mother is upset that her boyfriend, the father of the baby presumably is twice her age. That would make her father in his early 30’s and more importantly close to 70 years old around the year 2000.
We have been told that Anthony Cooper is Locke’s father. Kevin Tighe plays his dad. He would have to be 16 years older than Emily (twice her age.) Did he look almost 70 when John gave him his kidney? Kevin Tighe was also born in 1944.
Emily’s mother sees Richard Alpert who looks to be in his 30’s and wonders if he is John’s father. (The actor is actually 41.) Of course we know that Richard always looks in his 30’s. So…Richard knew Locke was special even at birth and was there to watch him. Richard is almost like one of the 3 Wise Men, who came to honor the Messiah’s birth.
The next time we see Locke he’s living in a foster home. Weren’t we always led to believe that John was actually raised by Emily? She always told him he was a virgin birth. Yet we know that Cooper was his biological father - the kidney matched.
We’ve always thought that Richard was one of the pre-Dharma island residents. Locke was clearly born pre-Dharma. He’s definitely older or at least close to Ben’s age so that makes sense. So Richard is watching over John.
Enter Matthew Abaddon who it turns out is also looking after John Locke post his fall from the building in rehab. We know Abaddon is working for Charles Widmore - or is he? Widmore certainly used him to recruit the 4 scientists. Some believe Abaddon is another incarnation of the smoke monster.
What is the connection between Richard Alpert and Michael Abbadon? Are they working together or on different sides? Richard recruited Ben when he was a teenager on the island. Ben is Widmore’s enemy. Abbadon works for Widmore. Who then is Widmore? Was he also one of the original islanders who somehow found his way off the island?
Like Nerico said, we’ve always thought Widmore was Dharma, but now I doubt that also. I think he is trying to learn all about Dharma. I also tend now to agree that he was once an islander, perhaps the Captain of the Black Rock since he has paintings of it all over the place. Maybe the paintings are his visible tie to his past. Maybe he wanted to buy the log book to see if it had information to help him get back to the island.
Widmore is searching for the island - we know that. Maybe what he’s searching for is the way BACK to the island. Maybe Ben moved the island when he became the island’s chosen one. When the island moves it’s hard to find again.
The island moving makes sense though. It explains how an African slave ship ended up on the island. The island was once in the Atlantic ocean. The island moves through not only time, but also space. Heck, maybe the island is Atlantis.
Richard identified himself to Locke’s foster parent as working for Mittelos (anagram for LOST Time). We always thought Mittelos was a front for Ben. At least it was when Ben used Richard and Mittelos to recruit Juliet. Now it seems that Mittelos pre-dated even Ben since it existed when Locke was born which we can assume was before Ben was born.
This has my head totally spinning trying to put the players on the chess or rather backgammon board.
May 9th, 2008 at 1:17 am
FYI. the song that Emily was listening to at the start of the show was Everyday by Buddy Holly. It was written and recorded in 1958.
May 9th, 2008 at 1:37 am
From MSNBC at:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21321374/
How is the Dalai Lama chosen?
Senior Buddhist monks and Tibetan government officials begin a search for the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama after the death of the previous Lama. These searchers look for a boy who was born around the same time as the death of the previous Lama. According to the British Broadcasting Corp., the officials can decide where to look for the reincarnation in several ways: by way of a dream; by watching the direction the smoke drifts after the cremation of the previous Lama and then searching accordingly; or from some sign or vision from a holy lake in central Tibet.
Once found, the officials present the boy with possessions of the previous Dalai Lama to determine whether the boy is familiar with them. If the child chooses the artifacts that belonged to he previous Lama, than that, along with the other signs, is believed to prove he is a reincarnation.
May 9th, 2008 at 1:54 am
wow. I’m not sure what any of that meant but here is where I am now. Claire is definately dead as are many of those on the island. Locke must have been on the island before and he had one of those items that Alpert showed. Was it the compass and was the compass the same one he gave Syid in season 1? I think maybe Richard knew how important was on the island so went back for him. And for all the talk of destiny, Locke fights his. He is a man of science, not a man of faith but he chose differently. Everytime he is told what he has to do, he goes the opposite direction. Now that he has been told he is the new leader, does he rebell again? It seems like from the flash forwards that Ben is incharge. Does Ben kill Locke and take over? There seems to be a big gap between Ben sitting outside the cabin rejected and dejected and the Ben that has Syaid running around as an assassin. 1 or 2 answers and a million questions.
May 9th, 2008 at 2:09 am
Some amazing posts already. Love it!
One thing that has me a little worried is seeing how Sayid gets to the island? They haven’t shown the helicopter ride all the way through, but I suspect the bump in the road might be the storm?
How about driving a boat through the ‘ripple’ to get to the island? We know Sayid makes it, but are there any weird effects when he goes through?
Somehow I doubt they will show anything, but it just creeps me out thinking about it.
Again, thanks to everyone who has posted some amazing insights already.
May 9th, 2008 at 2:44 am
Anagram alert: Mittelos = Time Lost
One of the better episodes. Still wondering with all the new characters and twists if we will ever get all the answers we need.
Just a thought about Smokie…has Ben been “controlling” him all along? (The Pilot, Eko, Locke) Why doesn’t he just stay in his hidden room and unleash the beast on the freighties when they return? The writers better kill off Keamy in grand fashion or I will be dissapointed!
May 9th, 2008 at 2:47 am
I thought this was a fantastic episode. I picked up on two things that I don’t think have already been mentioned and I’d love to hear your thoughts…
1. I thought it was interesting as they shared more of Locke’s past/beginning the parallels between his youth and Ben’s. Both shared traumatic births and then spent their childhood feeling unwanted/unloved.
2. When I started reflecting on the above point, I realized that a common theme in ALL of our main character (at least most?!) is parental/abandonment issues, also referred to in one specific episode as “daddy” issues. Jack, clearly “daddy” issues; Kate, both daddy issues and then ‘abandoned’ by her mother; Sawyer…; Hurley…; Claire…; Jin…; Sun, to a certain extent…;
3. So, were all these Losties corralled to the island for the same reasons that the “others” take such an interest in special children? Are the main characters in some sense “special children”
Ok, I’d love your all’s feedback. Not sure how any of that translates into a theory per se, but just some interesting observations….
May 9th, 2008 at 2:49 am
“Just a thought about Smokie…has Ben been “controlling” him all along? (The Pilot, Eko, Locke) Why doesn’t he just stay in his hidden room and unleash the beast on the freighties when they return?”
What a great question! It’s a question that we should all have been asking. Maybe smokie needs time to recharge after each attack. I’m surprised how many of Keamy’s men escaped the first attack.
May 9th, 2008 at 3:08 am
I think Alpert recruting for the bright side and Abandon for the dark side… they both want Locke as a leader.. one for the good and the other for the bad… thats why Alpert was angry when young Locke took the knife… its a sign that Locke finish on the dark side ..
May 9th, 2008 at 3:12 am
“I think Alpert recruiting for the bright side and Abandon for the dark side…”
My problem with this is the same as my problem with Ben saying that he’s a good guy. Ben and presumably Alpert and the hostiles killed all of the Dharma employees. I refuse to believe that all 100 or so of them were bad people.
May 9th, 2008 at 3:36 am
Maybe Dharma find way to change the numbers but they just accelerate the proccesus of end of the world… and Jacob ask Ben to stop that…
(sorry its hard to explain my though in english)
May 9th, 2008 at 3:37 am
OK… I feel like I’m very knowledgeable about the show, but i need help with my Dharma Lore. Do you think Widmore is Dharma? Recall that food drops were still occurring. Do you think the food drops were automatic/automated? If Dharma is still active, i would think they would be aware of the purge and would stop the food drops. If Widmore is part of Dharma, it would make sense that he would want to regain control of the island back from Ben and Alpert. I do like the idea about Widmore perhaps being an original other, especially perhaps the captain of the Black Rock. It would make sense regarding the sailing and his purchase of the log book and the paintings. If Claire was really dead (already) i would think that our communicator with the dead (i can never remember his name Miles?) would be freaked out more, or perhaps more aware of Claire as a spirit/ghost?
As far as some time inconsistences regarding the Buddy Holly recording, just because it was recorded in 1958 does not make it that year. It could still be any time thereafter. The clothing worn in those scenes could be from the late 1950s to the early 1960s, so i don’t think there is a problem there.
Love your thoughts….
May 9th, 2008 at 3:41 am
LOVED the episode! One thing that got me thinking involved Horace. At the beginning of this show, one of the more obvious theories was that the survivors weren’t really survivors at all. That they were in some sort of purgatory. I think we all agree that that theory was debunked (by the creators of the show if I remember correctly). Yet it seems that in the past few weeks, the show is dangling that idea around again. Hurley talking about them being dead? And then the scene with Horace. The first thought I had was the Greek myth of Sisyphus - how he was forced to roll the huge rock up the hill, but before it ever reached the top it would continually roll down again. Much like Horace continually chopping down the tree? Not saying I think the Losties are in purgatory, but it still will probably always be in the back of my mind.
May 9th, 2008 at 3:48 am
I am bothered by Christian. Are we sure he is good? He convinced Sawyer to go back and kill the guy (when they were in the Sydney bar). He was a terrible dad to Jack and Claire. He took the baby from Claire and convinced her she shouldn’t be with it. (after the palm reader said don’t let anyone else raise it.) Now he is speaking for Jacob, telling Locke to move the island. Should Locke be listening to him??
also, Ben doesn’t know that Locke talked to anyone other than Jacob, does he?
May 9th, 2008 at 4:35 am
One thing that seems to have been forgotten here (probably because so much else happened in this episode) was Keamy’s inability to kill Michael (along with Michael’s failed suicide attempts). Can Michael die? Is he even alive?
May 9th, 2008 at 4:43 am
The scene with Ben and Hurley was awesome. It seemed pretty significant to me… Hurley breaking off a piece of his candy to give to Ben the scary bad man. Shows his kind heart and forgiving nature… perhaps this is also the moment where Ben moves from downright bad guy to more of a “good guy”. Let’s just remember that all of the main characters have questionable pasts… for the most part, so even Ben could become redeemed.
So we think we know Mittelos is not the same as Dharma, Abaddon went on a walkabout too (perhaps he went to the island then), time travel is involved so people from the future with info about the past could possibly be influencing things, Hanso, Widmore, the Black Rock, mothers with initials E. L. (heck the actress that plays Claire… her name starts with and “E” while her characters last name starts with an “L”), and of course the theory of the movable island is coming to fruition… and on and on and on…
I do think that the island will move so that when the O6 leave on the raft, they was up close to land where the coast guard can find them… or maybe it’s just because of the bearing they take. Claire could be dead… I can believe that with her hanging around with her Dad, leaving the baby to be found by Sawyer, and that could certainly be the reason she doesn’t leave the island.
Umm… when does the next show air… cause I can’t wait.
May 9th, 2008 at 4:49 am
Maybe Michael can’t be killed until he fufills a mission and when he does, he dies and is in the casket. Locke born prematurely and so was Ben. Both had mother Emily. Was Locke supposed to be the leader and not Ben? Is Locke really Jacob in his former life? And how do Christian and Jacob unite and bond. Claire was most creepy. Who really is Aaron?
May 9th, 2008 at 5:11 am
@Cat
Are Ben and Locke half brothers? Like Jack and Claire.
I think you are on to something… some other parallels between Locke and Ben:
Both killed their father (Locke more indirectly, but still).
Both met Richard Alpert when they were children.
Both had spinal problems.
May 9th, 2008 at 5:31 am
and Phil…biggest question of all…is the knife that Ben gave Locke to kill his father the knife that young locke picked out for Richard?
May 9th, 2008 at 5:31 am
The 2009 and 2010 editions of ABC’s “Lost” will be 17 hours each — not 16 as previously planned, says The Hollywood Reporter.
ABC has added two hours to the show’s production plan because the WGA strike knocked three hours out of the current season. To partly compensate, the network recently added an additional hour to Part 2 of the season finale that airs May 29.
All told, the changes will wrap up the show with the same number of episodes that producers and ABC negotiated last year.
“We were supposed to do 16-16-16,” “Lost” co-creator Damon Lindelof said. “But we ended up doing 14 this season, so we owe two.”
For the upcoming season finale, Lindelof promised a more action-driven cliffhanger instead of the mind-bending flash-forward time shift that stunned fans last season.
“The finale this year will not be as tricky as last year,” he said. “Hopefully, this year it’s a little bit more of a straightforward action-adventure narrative. But the ending of the episode will hopefully engage and intrigue people looking forward to the next season of the show.”
May 9th, 2008 at 5:43 am
Not that it matters hugely, but the version of Everyday played during the opening scene may have been recorded by Don McLean in about 1973. Closed captions said it was McLean. It obviously did not look like 1973.
May 9th, 2008 at 5:53 am
Here’s a thought from another Blog, don’t know if it makes sense in respect to time travel, etc, but does anyone else think that Abaddon is really grown up Walt?
Also, is Abaddon working with or against Richard. Is he tempting Locke toward destruction in the ‘Abyss’(pushing him toward the stairs in the wheelchair)? Richard seems to be a more protective presence toward Locke. Abaddon just seems evil, “next time you see me you’ll owe me one”. As in his soul? Was he tempting Hurley in the flash forward with his offer to upgrade him to a nicer hospital. Sounds like Devil talk to me.
Seems to me that we’re gearing up to a classic battle between good and evil….God and the Devil. But who is who? Is Locke the Savior? His mother did say he was a virgin birth. So who does that make Ben? Does saving the island mean just that, or is it bigger than that? Will saving the island save the world?
Keep up the great work. Can’t wait to hear the latest podcast!
May 9th, 2008 at 6:51 am
You All Everybody!!
Tonight there were many insights into how many of these people are connected, and how some people may even be the same person on some level.
It brought me back to think about Charlie’s song, You All Everybody. Could this have been a clue all along?
When Ben said to Locke, “I certainly am not” when lock said “I’m not you Ben”, I think they let us in to the fact that everybody could be the same person. Then the flashback of “John Locke” going to Portland as a scientist????!!!! Nice.
May 9th, 2008 at 6:53 am
“I think you are on to something… some other parallels between Locke and Ben:
Both killed their father (Locke more indirectly, but still).
Both met Richard Alpert when they were children.
Both had spinal problems.”
Maybe they are the same person - but went down alternative paths in time?
May 9th, 2008 at 7:05 am
The song “Everyday” was by Buddy Holly.
May 9th, 2008 at 7:42 am
I just re-watched part of the episode and noticed something I didn’t see before. Young John deliberates a long time between picking “The Book of Laws” and the knife. As he gazes at the book, Richard seems to become pleased. But then John decides on the knife. Hmm… Book of Laws….I wonder what that is.
May 9th, 2008 at 8:10 am
Brilliantly written synopsis Ryan, as always.
The scene with Hurley, Ben and the chocolate bar was my favorite of the series thus far. I thought it’s juxtaposition after the intense Locke cabin scene coupled with the incredible facial acting expressions of Jorge Garcia and Michael Emerson really brought it home.
I really like where this season is going.
One thought though - taking what we know of Ben from this episode, and how he really seems a bit downtrodden, and unsure - and drawing upon his line from a few episodes after Keamy killed Alex — ‘They changed the rules’…what if they really had changed the rules - i.e. Ben had done this all before - and this time it was different. A time loop similar to Groundhog Day where the events are replaying over and over, and each time something is a little different. Alex getting killed, Ben not knowing what to do, what next move to make - this would change everything….including what’s inside that book that Keamy had, which seemingly stated where Ben would be next. How accurate could that info be, if not even Ben knows what he’s going to do next.
Just a theory.
In any event, I can’t wait to see the finale next week. Keep up the excellent work.
May 9th, 2008 at 8:22 am
Locke has not really been portrayed as much of a science man. But in his flash back, his teacher thinks he will be a great scientist.
I think the oceanic 6 will escape the island, then Locke will move the island, preventing any more losties from getting off, or coming back.
Later, somehow Locke will use his scientific knowledge that we didn’t know about, to help the oceanic 6 come back to the island. Happy ending.
May 9th, 2008 at 8:25 am
Great episode; I don’t know exactly why, but it felt very slick to me. Not as packed as previous episodes– perhaps they didn’t alter the plan for this episode for after the strike?
I only have one specific comment to make, and I know it’s a little silly… but did anyone else see a strangely accurate parallel between the scene with Alpert and Childhood John and pages 269 and 270 of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince?
(*Blush*)
May 9th, 2008 at 9:35 am
There was a Book of Laws in the Plymouth Colony in 1636, so perhaps this is something that new colonies establish for themselves. I looked it up on wiki and one of the laws is against smiting your parents. hmmm…
May 9th, 2008 at 9:45 am
(disclaimer: I am not any authority on this and I appolize for getting any of this wrong)
I found this reference on LostPedia to the Bahá’í Faith.
From WikiPedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kit%C3%A1b-i-Aqdas
The Kitáb-i-Aqdas is a central book of the Bahá’í Faith written by Bahá’u'lláh, the founder of the religion. The work was written in Arabic under the Arabic title al-Kitáb al-Aqdas (Arabic: الكتاب الاقدس), but it is commonly referred to by its Persian title, Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Persian: كتاب اقدس), which was given to the work by Bahá’u'lláh himself. It is sometimes also referred to as “the Aqdas”, “the Most Holy Book”, “the Book of Laws” and occasionally “the Book of Aqdas”.
It is usually stated that the book was completed around 1873, although there is evidence to suggest that at least some of the work was written earlier [1]. Bahá’u'lláh had manuscript copies sent to Bahá’ís in Iran some years after the revelation of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, and in the year 1308 A.H. (1890-91 A.D.), he arranged for the publication of the original Arabic text of the book in Bombay.
The Kitáb-i-Aqdas is referred to as “the Mother-Book” of the Bahá’í teachings, and the “Charter of the future world civilization” (God Passes By, p. 213 [2]). It is not, however, only a ‘book of laws’: much of the content deals with other matters, notably ethical exhortations and addresses to various individuals, groups, and places. The Kitáb-i-Aqdas also discusses the establishment of Bahá’í administrative institutions, Bahá’í religious practices, laws of personal status, criminal law, ethical exhortations, social principles, miscellaneous laws and abrogations, and prophecies.
May 9th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Scott (aka target242) Say,
Good question about the Dharma drops. The only thing that would make sense is if the Others themselves took over the drops. Mittelos, their off island branch, seems to have a lot of power and resources. They could have arranged an off Island takeover of whatever entity Dharma had in place to supply the drops. They did not bother to change the logo. Maybe because it would have cued the guys at the Swan that something was wrong and they could have chosen to stop pushing the button.
May 9th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Claire is either dead or she and Christian found some weed on the island.
Not about last night - but a theory. Penelope is Ben’s friend Anne from the Dharma days. He has vowed to kill Widmore’s daughter, and will not be able to once he learns her true identity, OR he succeeds in killing her - then learns.
Great episode. Can’t wait to see Keamy get it.
May 9th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
I really liked this episode, though I’m as confused as ever!
I think that Locke IS Jacob, but he just doesn’t realize it yet. Richard Alpert asks him which of the items he “already has,” when he visits Locke as a young boy. There is obviously some time travel involved here.
I also think this surprise reveal of Locke as Jacob was alluded to in the Nikki and Paolo episode in Season 3. In that episode, Nikki’s flashback shows her playing a character on a TV show who is surprised to find out who Mr. Big (I think) is. She says something like “It was you all along.” I’m pretty sure this foreshadows the storyline on the island in some way. I’ve always thought Jacob was someone very familiar.
May 9th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
My favorite moment was seeing Alpert at the hospital watching little baby John Locke.
This is my first post, so I hope this is not too much.
Richard Alpert (real life Dr. Richard Alpert renamed himself Ram Dass, “Servant of God,” wrote _Be Here Now_, lives in Maui—coincidence, I think not. ) seems to operate on an entirely different level than any of the others, including Ben and now Locke. He seems to predate the Black Rock, and perhaps has more to do with those who made the original artifacts on the island– the statue, the hieroglyphic door, the cave, and the temple, whatever that may be. He is aware of those who are “special.” I do not understand his need for “chosen ones” to kill, literally, their past. It may be a “God and Abraham/Issac” thing.
Abaddon, “the angel of the abyss, the destroyer”? Like Alpert, Abaddon is an ancient. They choose to work with whomever they encounter. There is a difference, I think–Alpert always can get back to the island, Abaddon always wants to get back. This is why he needs to know if “they are still alive.” He needs to know how to get to the island. At one point I thought he may have been one of the slaves on the Black Rock, but now I think he is an ancient. He is connected to the people (assasins?) with the bracelets, and I think they are an entirely unknown group at this point, although Sayid has/will noticed them. I also think they are independent of Widmore.
The ancients created or found Smokey.
As Hugo noted, Australia is important. The numbers, the walkabout. And Abaddon is tied to the events in Australia somehow—in Locke’s case explicitly.
Widmore was once like Ben—on the island. I do not think he was on the Black Rock. Is he special? I don’t know. Was he ever approached by Alpert? More likely Abaddon. I don’t believe Ben’s version of Widmore anymore than I believe Widmore’s version of Ben. The two think it’s their game, but it is not.
Both Widmore and Ben are able to travel through time, like Desmond and Daniel, through their consciousness. This is why they seem to know so much at the right times. Desmond and Daniel may to use this ability with some success in the future, as already seen in contacting Penny. And there are more of these “time travel” people, like the woman who convinces Des to go back.
I do not think there is anything divine about any of the characters. In the end, Daniel and Charlotte probably hold the keys to why, where, how—they keep the list and probably stay on the island. Science will out.
So, I hope that’s not too much to start with.
May 9th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
So now Claire is back to being the spaced-out Lobotomy Claire from “Maternity Leave” in which she did not seem at all concerned about being held captive by the others and seemed to have no memory of the crash or the other survivors. But in the Cabin she seemed to recognize Locke, if I remember correctly. Did she? Maybe I’m wrong. She certainly didn’t react much to seeing him, while Locke was genuinely shocked to see her. That’s what’s great about Locke; he definitely seems to know some things that we don’t know, but he is still as surprised as we are sometimes.
Some of this episode was dedicated to set-up and moving characters into position, but it was done very well. In particular, I loved the scene on the deck of the freighter where Keamy faced-off with Frank over flying to the island. They’re really setting Keamy up as a great villain, he’s completely slimy and ruthless. It’s gonna be great to see a face-off in the finale… Good thing Frank seems to have a conscience, and good thing Sayid is on his way to the island!
By the way, isn’t it strange that he didn’t make it there already, since the doctor’s body already washed up on shore? Didn’t Sayid leave the freighter long before the doctor was killed and thrown off the boat? This whole thing about the time difference between the island and the outside world sure is confusing!
May 9th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
I believe that Ben actually answers to Richard more than the other way around. I feel the same is true with Widmore answering to Abaddon. I believe the Alpert/Abaddon timelessness supersedes the fleeting whims of these two giants in the playground.
Also, who hit Emily? I’ve watched Lost too long to think it was just a coincidence that a car would hit Emily Locke and induce early labor. Could it be Richard? He’s caused car accidents before to get people on the island (Cooper, Juliet’s husband). Could it be Anthony Cooper? If he knew about her pregnancy, he might stoop low enough to get her out of the way. Could it simply be the island at work? Any theories?
May 9th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
@ Keamy: The arm strap Keamy had attached was a heart monitor sinc’ed to a nuclear bomb. In the event that Keamy were to be killed by the island, the detonation would occur, taking out at least half of the island depending on the kiloton.
Keamy vs. Michael: it’s safe to assume that Michael can’t get shot by Keamy because of Michael’s significance to the island.
Good guys vs. Bad guys: To be frank, I think we shouldn’t get hung up on the idea of who is bad or who is good. Better yet, we should focus on what their actions reflect. We can assume, then, that behavior reflecting positive will not always predict their “Good guy” persona. Ben, in my opinion, has been selfish in his pursuits, but otherwise reflects the “good guy” persona. While, in the case of Widmore the opposite has been shown. Sure, Widmore looks like a nice British man, but I dare everyone to trace his behavior throughout the show and you will find a “Bad guy” persona hidden behind that British accent.
May 9th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Some thoughts..
People on the Island who won’t and can’t die must already be dead. Think about all the characters who keep coming back and can’t be killed.
Locke is already dead, killed by the plane crash (when his legs started to work) . When Locke showed up alive after being shot by Ben, Ben realizes he can’t kill Locke (cause it’s a waste of time).
Locke’s destiny is to become Jacob. I think that’s why Locke didn’t find Jacob in the cabin. When Locke peeked into the window during the first trip, I think he saw himself.
When Locke chose the knife during his test, it meant that at that point in time he was destined to be evil. Not ready to be a “good guy”
Ben thinks he is a “good guy,” but not realizes that he’s just holding things together for Locke.
Michael is already dead, he can’t be killed again. Maybe Micahel wasn’t in the coffin (hmm). Though it is interesting how live people can see him on the mainland.
The Oceanic 6 are the only “survivors” who are alive.
The “voices” are ghosts on the Island, maybe dead Darhma folks.
Jack feels guilty that he is alive when he returns, which is one reason for his severe depression.
Locke and Ben are half-brothers in possible different time-lines. Both are destined to find the Island and protect it. Emily is their mother.
Ben is still letting Locke “think” he is in control. I think Ben knows that Locke is his half-brother.
If Locke fails to protect the Island, Aaron will be next in-line to come back to save it.
Given the fact that the producers/writers mislead us (wink wink) about “no time travel”.. could we revist the theory that the Island is both Heaven and Hell?
May 9th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
Passing of the torch? Rubbish. The greatest trick ever performed was done by convincing the world that there was no trick. That what you saw, truly was what you saw. Only this is not that. What you see and hear can ring like truth but truly end up being falsehood. There was no passing of the torch. And there never will be. All you saw was a wolf in waiting, biting his time until weakness displays an opening. Then that very same wolf who pouted his eyes and acted sad will go for the throat. Benjamin is a liar. A fraud. A conman of the highest rank. John Locke only represents a means to an end. Tread softly, John Locke because you are treading on someone’s dreams.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Correction: Buddy Holly’s “Everyday.”
Love your blog. The most insightful and penetrating commentary on Lost out there.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Love your blog. The most insightful and penetrating commentary on Lost out there.
Correction: Buddy Holly’s “Everyday.”
May 10th, 2008 at 10:20 am
I just started listening to your podcast a few weeks ago and I really enjoy it. Some thoughts on the latest ep:
In one way, it seems like Alpert and Abaddon may be together but I don’t think so. Alpert appeared early in Locke’s life and then again during his teen years (Mittelos was also the place that recruited Juliet) but Abbadon just seemed to persuade Locke to go on the Walkabout, which brought to mind Hurley’s line, “Australia is the key”. It could just be that Widmore hoped to follow Locke from Australia and find the Island because he knew that the island would draw Locke there. Abbadon’s line that Locke would thank him, leads me to believe that he’s been to the island and knows what it can do.
Also, I wondered if Locke was supposed to choose the comic book or the Book of Laws. A lot of people think it was the comic but I think the Book of Laws is more fitting with who Locke is and if they wanted him to be a leader and a man of faith then that seems like the better choice.
It was a great ep. Can’t wait to hear the podcast.
May 10th, 2008 at 11:33 am
I’ve come to the conclusion that Claire is dead. She was seriously injured following the explosion in episode 9 and then the scene in episoode 10 were she was sleeping and woke up to see her dad (Christian Shepherd) was when she actually passed away from internal injuries. I re-watched the scenes in ep 9 & 10 and there’s a lot made of Miles looking at her funny - with his special abilities of talking to the dead, this would make sense that she was in fact nearly dead.
Great podcast & blog, keep up the good work - would love you to mention my comment on the podcast.
Paul in York in the UK
May 10th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I just listened to last week’s podcast again and I have another interpretation about the fridge decorations. I think they might have not been a mistake after all. The fridge is were you would put pictures or a really bad toddler drawing that is unintelligible but it’s precious because Aaron said it was a picture of Mommy. My first impression when I saw them was that they were too well made and too large for Aaron to have made them at his age. I literally thought “That’s strange! Why would Kate put wall decorations on the fridge?” I did not recognize them as having seen them in Santa Rosa. But after it was pointed out I though that they could be a clue that Kate has also visited Hurley. Maybe they were a present for Aaron from Uncle Hurley.
Then again, maybe it was a mistake.
May 10th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
iT SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE THINKS CLAIRE IS DEAD. IF SHE IS DEAD, HOW DID SAWYER AND EVERONE (HURLEY, BEN, LOCKE) SEE HER. BUT IT COULD BE WHY MYLES WAS SO FOCUSING ON HER. BUT IF SHE WERE DEAD, MYLES WOULD HAVE DEFINETLEY SAID TO SAWYER,”YOU SEE HER?” OK, THEN IF SHE DIED WHEN SHE LEFT SAWYER AND MYLES UNTIL LOCKE SAW HER IN THE CABIN, WHY WOULD CHRISTIAN SHEPARD KILL HER? FROM THE INFORMATION WE HAVE, CLAIRE IS NOT DEAD. I JUST BELIVE CHRISTIAN TOLD CLAIRE EVERYTHING HE KNOWS ABOUT THE ISLAND, ETC. AND SHE ACCEPTS HER FATE. CHRISTIAN TOLD LOCKE NOT TO TELL ANYONE HE SAW HER, THAT’S THE KEY TO THE QUESTION.
May 10th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
I think Claire and Locke have the same mother…..
May 11th, 2008 at 1:48 am
Mr Z - “Fecal Bitch” - LMAO
May 11th, 2008 at 7:57 am
@tawl:
I was wondering if somebody was going to state what seems so obvious to me: LOCKE WILL BECOME JACOB! Hence the coyness in Christian’s voice when he says, “I’m not Jacob, but I can speak for him”. Hence the shock of recognition we all had on examining that blurry screen shot of Locke’s first visit to the cabin (”Hey, doesn’t that look like Terry O’Quinn?”). I’m not saying this makes any logical sense, but if you’re still trying to explain this show logically, you may have missed a memo. We know that there is a time dilation situation on the island, ranging from small incidents like the Doctor’s body washing up on shore prior to his actual death, or the more grand manifestations, like the ageless Richard Alpert. Locke is staying on this island, for sure. Maybe Jacob is a spirit that will take over his body. Maybe he’s already Jacob and he just doesn’t know it, pointing to the Dalai Lama parallels.
BTW, we can’t all be music experts, but confusing the great Buddy Holly with his 70’s acolyte Don McLean made me shudder. I still love you, Ryan.
But when are they gonna explain the statue of Homer Simpson’s foot?
May 11th, 2008 at 8:44 am
My bad, Jim. I wrote “Don McLean” because that’s what the closed captioning said. Who doesn’t love Buddy Holly? Lost in a plane crash, no less.
May 11th, 2008 at 9:20 am
Does anyone else think it is possible that the reason Desmond is experiencing the weird time travel symptoms that you get if you don’t follow Faraday’s coordinates might be because the island has moved from the time Faraday arrived and not because the pilot didn’t follow the coordinates?
May 11th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Ryan, your “goods” are so countless that your “bads” don’t even count.
Hey, here’s something to chew on: the name Jacob, from the Hebrew, means “he who grasps by the heel”, i.e., successor or inheritor. More fuel for the Locke is Jacob scenario.
May 11th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Hey, you all everybody!
To me, the biggest question right now is about Desmond’s fate. If he did no come back to the island with Sayid, why haven’t we seen him nor heard of him in any of the post-island scenes (flashforward scenes)? Could it be that he also makes it out of the island, but he is not and Oceanic Six since he was not onborad the plane? I’m just puzzled.
May 12th, 2008 at 4:08 am
I thought Horus said Horse at first, but then I listened to the podcast and you said Horus and the first thing I thought of was Eye of Horus, the Egyptian symbol. I wiki’d it and find some interesting things. Here are a few quotes:
“Horus was an ancient Egyptian sky god in the form of a falcon. The right eye represents a peregrine falcon’s eye and the markings around it, that includes the “teardrop” marking sometimes found below the eye. As the wadjet (also udjat or utchat), it also represented the sun, and was associated with Horus’ mother, Hathor, and with Wadjet another goddess, both who early sun deities and who became known as aspects of one another, as well as the sun deity Ra (Re). The mirror image, or left eye, sometimes represented the moon and the god Tehuti (Thoth). [4]”
*
“The Eye of Horus (previously wadjet and the Eye of the Moon; and afterward as The Eye of Ra)[1] is an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection and royal power from deities, in this case from Horus or Ra. The symbol is seen on images of Horus’ mother, Hathor, and on other deities associated with her.”
*
When I think of Horus, I think of the Sphinx that OEdipus meets on his journey who gives him a riddle to solve. We all know there are BIG Oedipus things going on in this show. Horus also brought to mine the sort of protective things that hover around in a video game before you get to the bad guy’s lair. Things that could weaken you or through you of your course, but considering the above explanation, I wonder whether Horus wasn’t also perhaps trying to warn John of something? I am sort of in line with the camp that thinks that maybe Christian was not authorized to speak for Jacob…
Also, we know that eyes play a big role in all of this. There is always the eye coming open suddenly so, of course, Eye of Horus. Ha!
May 12th, 2008 at 4:31 am
also there are some numbers associated with the eye
(taken from here http://www.aloha.net/~hawmtn/horus.htm)
“The EYE OF HORUS has a very specific meaning. The eye is represented as a figure with 6 parts. These 6 parts correspond to the six senses - Touch, Taste, Hearing, Thought, Sight, Smell. These are the 6 parts of the *eye*. The eye is the receptor of *input*. It has these six doors, to receive data.
1/64 heqat Touch
1/32 heqat Taste
1/16 heqat Hearing
1/8 heqat Thought
1/4 heqat Sight
1/2 heqat Smell”
May 12th, 2008 at 8:42 am
I am now wondering whether Penelope Widmore is actually Ben’s beloved Annie. Ben stole a daughter maybe Widmore stole one too. Maybe she is brainwashed and doesn’t remember anything? If Ben plans to find her and kill her maybe he won’t be able to because at the zero hour Widmore will reveal that she is his beloved sweetheart, and then he will have lost the game…or something.
May 12th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
- What if our John Locke is the second or third version? (echoes of the timeloop Horace Goodspeed was caught in during “Cabin Fever”)
- What if Locke was originally born full term and ended up on the island in a different way than what we’ve seen on the show? But in that timeline things didn’t turn out the way Jacob wanted so Alpert was sent to try to change Locke’s upbringing in the hopes of affecting the man Locke would become. (tabula rasa anyone?)
- There are dark forces at work and Christain Shepherd is their messenger. Anyone who can take over Jacob’s cabin scares me.
- Claire abondoning her baby in the jungle really freaked me out. And what kind of change could have come over her to make her want to sit in the dark in the ghost shack?! She must be dead. The eerie look in her eyes during the cabin scene! Why would she turn creepy and abandon her baby - even in death - unless she is being influenced by evil?
- The psychic told her that her “goodness” must influence her baby - what will happen to Aaron now that Claire has gone to the dark side? I’m worried!
May 13th, 2008 at 9:56 am
I’m thinking the strap that Keamie is wearing is some sort of heart-rate/vital-signs monitor (ex: http://www.oregongadgets.com/prod-731593-Oregon-Scientific-SE102-Heart-Rate-Monitor.aspx). When the captain has the gun on him, he says something like, “I wouldn’t do that…” and shows him the monitor — but of course the captain doesn’t know what it is. I’m thinking if Keamie is killed, the heart-rate monitor will alert somebody (Whitmore?) that the core mission has failed, and something REALLY BAD will happen — maybe the freighter will be blown up or the island gassed.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:05 am
This is rich: Celebrity physicist and time-travel expert Michio Kaku, author of “Physics of the Impossible,” says there are two ways moving the island through time and space is technically possible: “Quantum teleportation, which would zap the island from one place to another; or through a wormhole, which could theoretically move the island to different points in either space or time.”
http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/science_news/4263315.html
May 13th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
To Crissy in CA:
Please dont be worried about Aaron. Between you and I, thats not his real name, “Claire” isnt his real mum, and this is a TV show!
To Jerry:
The monitor strapped to Keamy’s arm is a heart monitor. If his heart stops, the detonators blow and everyone will be playing harps (including the Smoke Monster!). Seems like Keamy is a big kid….. if he cant win, he is gonna take away the ball (and the entire field)!
To Everyone else (especially Ryan and Jen):
Hello!
To Brian:
Sounds like Michio Kaku’s mind has quantumally teleportated right up his wormhole!
May 13th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
To Crissy in CA:
Please dont be worried about Aaron. Between you and I, thats not his real name, “Claire” isnt his real mum, and this is a TV show!
To Jerry:
The monitor strapped to Keamy’s arm is a heart monitor. If his heart stops, the detonators blow and everyone will be playing harps (including the Smoke Monster!). Seems like Keamy is a big kid….. if he cant win, he is gonna take away the ball (and the entire field)!
To Brian:
Sounds like Michio Kaku’s mind has quantumally teleportated right up his wormhole!
To Everyone else (especially Ryan and Jen):
Hello!
May 15th, 2008 at 5:58 am
What if Jacob is Buddy Holly? lost in a plane crash, ahead of his time, hidden messages in his lyrics. It is all so simple.
May 15th, 2008 at 9:17 am
I love the theory mentioned above that the island is in some sort of time “loop”. This makes so many things make sense.
Something that always stood out in my mind (as an example of this time loop theory) is how ready Ben was with a plan when the plane split apart in the sky. This baffled me until now!
The doctor’s body drifted in along an alternate coordinate which is why it arrived in another “time”.
Can’t wait until tonight. I don’t we will be spoiled enough to see how Locke moves the island though, haha! They’ll leave us hanging on that one I bet.
May 15th, 2008 at 9:43 am
The most ingenious part of the show, is that the writers really have no idea where any of it is going. They just know they need to keep writing eposides until they say to stop. Lost is how you feel at the end of every show! It goes in circles, back in time, forward in time and back again. When they get writers block they write in a new character. They focus on one thing for a while on the island that you thing will help you figure it all out and then they never mention it again. It’s like the Iraq war, we don’t know how we got into it, we stay ther and we may never get out with any right or wrong conclusion.