Next: “LA X” (Episode 6-01/02)

“LA X” was a fitting opener to the final season of “LOST.” It had a reassuring focus on character with a generous topping of mythology. It had moments of strong emotional resonance, and a few gasp-worthy reveals. And it sets the stage for the epic battle between Jacob and the Man In Black that has apparently simmered beneath much of what we’ve been studying for the past several years. Sure, with yet another storytelling “twist,” we have no idea what’s going on… but since when has that been a problem?

Okay. So Jen’s a little nonplussed with the “parallel storyline” structure, and I can see why. On one hand, it’s clever. We get to see both outcomes of the Jughead argument. And the little differences we spot range from amusing hat-tips to a deeper exploration of a person’s fate. On the other, it seems just a little cheap to not commit to one answer… at least this late in the game. It also raises the troubling specter of having to switch between two worlds for several more episodes, when we really want the writers to just pick a path and let the rubber finally, finally hit the road.

And intellectually, I can see many reasons to dismiss or even dislike the universe where Oceanic Flight 815 lands safely in Los Angeles. Through that lens, they’ve thrown out five years of character development and regression. So I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Sure, some of the touches were more fan bait than plot (Frogurt at the taxi stand, Doctor Arzt being annoying), but other moments felt right: Jack and Locke talking at the airport lost and found, with Jack taking interest in Locke’s condition. Jin returning to his darker, meaner self, and Sun already rebelling. Sawyer flirting with Kate, but more tellingly, not interfering with her escape from the airport. Hurley being confident and lucky. And Charlie, once running from death, now almost exhaustedly chasing it. I guess I’m more curious about the “what if” scenario than I thought I was.

Besides. The island is underwater? A development that comes about sometime after New Otherton is built? (A development that, sadly, could’ve used a few more days in the CGI rendering farm?) Just like watching a magic show, independent of everything else, I now simply have to see how they explain that. My guess is that it sank when Ben moved the island, a moment that is at the other end of whatever branching we’re now seeing. But I can’t even begin to explain what I actually mean.

Meanwhile, the new on-island world (universe, storyline, timeline, what have you) so far certainly seems to be custom-built to feed the fans obsessed with the mythology of the show. “I’m sorry you had to see me like that,” says Unlocke, while Richard says, incredulously, “You!” If the Man in Black and the smoke monster are one and the same, we now have a whole new prism through which to reexamine the last five seasons. I only hope things hold up under such scrutiny.

Learning what was in the guitar case so early in the season was a pleasant surprise, and the giant Ankh was certainly an impressive prop, regardless of the fact that a sealed envelope would’ve probably worked just as well.

Finally, we see the temple, and meet a whole new group of characters. It’s a good thing Hiroyuki Sanada is so good at being mysterious, because these original recipe Others (shunning technology and performing rituals) could very well have been too much, too late. Instead, Sanada seemed a perfect disciple and ally of Jacob, and through him, the Others again seemed to be a tribe to be reckoned with. An intimidating air that was reminiscent of the first two seasons, before Kate found the costumes.

What of the temple spring? Apparently it’s supposed to heal, as the Island itself does, though that power went missing as the water turned cloudy. Sayid, instead of being revived, apparently died. But that was likely always Jacob’s plan. I bet that Jacob now has a new agent or vessel in Sayid, given the unfamiliar voice with which Sayid asked, “What happened?”

But with word that Jacob is dead, the Others at the Temple prepare for battle with “him.” Their flare alerts Alpert, who’s sadly pummeled by Unlocke/Man In Black, and I guess the battle is on.

Notes and Notions:

  • I guess we had to get “closure” with Juliet, but having to basically see her die twice was wrenching. Josh Holloway, hands down, gave the performance of the evening.
  • From beyond the grave, Juliet says, “It worked.” So can she see the other timeline? Is it even, really, another timeline? After all, in Los Angeles, it’s 2004. On the island, it’s 2007 or so. Maybe the writers can somehow connect the two into one single timeline? Does that even make sense?
  • The Man in Black’s tribute to the late John Locke was a bittersweet one. He spoke the truth about our sad, defeated friend, and our would-be hero. But perhaps not surprisingly, Terry O’Quinn’s “menacing” look is incredibly effective, and I’ll gladly let John Locke go in favor of seeing what the actor does with a whole new soul.
  • The Man in Black wants to get off the island, and go “home.” I guess it’s fair to ask where or what “home” is, but I think the real story is why he (and likely Jacob) are trapped on the island. His reference to Alpert’s chains, meanwhile, hint strongly at the suspected link between Alpert and the Black Rock.
  • Hurley can see Jacob, but Jin can’t, though Jacob touched them both. Therefore, Hurley is special, and seeing the dead is simply his thing. Indeed, he seems almost too suddenly fine with it, barely reacting when Jacob tells him he died three hours prior, and talking warmly to the recently deceased Sayid. Miles, too, got to let his freak flag fly, and this time his communion with the dead came with a great deal of dramatic flourish. Sometimes, I can’t believe this is the same show we were watching in Season 1.
  • Great lighter moments. Hurley saying he knows how to use a gun, or arguing about trademarking the word “Outback.” Locke telling Boone he’s not pulling his leg, and Boone telling Locke he’d follow him to stay safe on a plane. And, of course, a Sawyer nickname: Earhart.
  • Richard said, “Asking me what’s in the shadow of the damn statue doesn’t mean you’re in charge.” He flippantly referred to a line that, up until now, was infused with significance and weight. Kind of like, “Live together, die alone.”
  • Fun with pointy things! Jack was again looking for a pen to save someone’s life. And how great is it that a character named Bram dies via a stake through his heart?
  • Book: “Fear and Trembling” by Soren Kierkegaard, a retelling of the biblical story of Abraham sacrificing Isaac.
  • Locations: The Temple interior is on the Hawaii Film Studio sound stage, but the impressive exterior is in Manoa Valley. The plane interior, and the collapsed hatch tunnel, was also on the studio lot. The Swan site is in the jungles of Heeia Kea in Kaneohe, and the foot of the four toed statue was Makua Beach. LAX is, of course, Honolulu International Airport.

We’d love your feedback for our podcast this weekend! Comment below, e-mail us at lost@hawaiiup.com, or call the LOSTLine at 815-310-0808.

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397 Responses to Next: “LA X” (Episode 6-01/02)

  1. Bryan in Ohio says:

    I’m concerned with the whole “I just want to go home” thing with Fake Locke. I have a bad feeling this is going to resolve itself that he’s some sort of alien or something and I can’t see that being anything but a terrible ending.

  2. Paul from France says:

    I hadn’t the courage to read all of the above, but here is my theory on the “Flash Sideways”:

    What if it was a flash forward in the storytelling ?
    What i mean is that i think that the Plain Landing safely in LA is what is going to happen after the end of this season (to the losties after they defeat Unlocke).

    The genius of this version is that nobody realise that we are seing what is going to happen beyon the end of the show.

    I may be wrong, but i thought it was worth sharing.

  3. Lon says:

    The alternate timeline makes perfect sense to what the message has been regarding time travel ever since the Island started moving. We see that the explosion “worked”, as Juleitte said, in that the incident never happened and 815 didn’t crash. But, this also changed other things in the alternate timeline – Hurley had good luck, not bad luck, etc.

    And with the original timeline – the Losties could just disappear, like Marty from the photo in Back to the Future, as if they’d never been there. That would create a paradox, because if they were never there, then they couldn’t set off the bomb. So they had to continue on that timeline. But the big question there is, why did they get bumped back up to present day and not perish, apparetnlty, with the island and the other inhabitants? Did the explosion actually “reset” everyone in that timeline back to their original time as well as produce the second timeline/reality?

  4. Gretchen says:

    I HATE the parallel storylines. I can’t keep up with two parallel stories and three plots all going on at once. Do you think that the parallel stories will somehow come together by the end? I kinda think they have to. Otherwise, we have TWO endings and that’s just untenable.

    And now I have MORE questions! Why was Desmond on the plane? Where were Walt and Michael?

    And I finally noticed something that I never realized before – John’s paralyzed from falling on his back and Jack’s a spinal surgeon! Duh!!

    Damon and Carlton evidently said on Jimmy Kimmel last night that Sayid is NOT being “possessed” (or whatever) by Jacob. I don’t like THAT one bit.

  5. Bill says:

    Jacob gave up too easy, like a lamb at slaughter. As Sayid was lifted from the pool, the position of his arms symbolized the cross. My guess is Jacob is resurrected as Sayid.

    REDEMPTION is apparent with the LAX-bound cast — Jack gives Locke his business card; Sawyer warns Hurley about “con men”; Boone is “over” his sister Shanon; Hurley’s jinx is gone; Charlie is busted. Not yet sure about Jin & Sun, Locke, Kate and Desmond. Desmond on the plane – wtf? Desmond did look well-groomed and successful.

    I would bet that Ben Linus is really “in” with Jacob. He’s too much of a player to be “shocked” by everything that’s happening.

    Great Temple set — wow! Cindy, Artz, Neil! I looked hard for Nicky and Paulo on the plane.

  6. Chris in South Dakota says:

    This is my theory about the spring. I have to get it out there. This was all a part of Jacob’s plan. @ Bill: I agree Jacob gave up too easily. So:

    The spring was clear, and had healing powers.

    When Jacob died the spring became tainted and lost those powers; because when the Japanese dude cut his hand and stuck it in he was surprised that it didn’t heal.

    For some reason they tested it out on Sayid, and it didn’t work. Causing him to die.

    He was then resurrected as Jacob.

  7. soko says:

    1. Did anyone else think it silly that even though everything else is left behind when the losties flash to 2007….EXCEPT the van and chains and everything they need..including the guitar. L O L

    We know that everything that they are touching, they keep. Like Sawyer holding the well rope, and the boats, and their clothes. Some were at the van at the time of the flash. Were they holding chains?
    Also, maybe anything that they bring out of one time period by touching is just linked anytime they flash again. That poor rope is just jumping through time.

    Back to old issues…
    In the short time that the Losties were on the island… A fake plane with bodies was made and put on the bottom of the ocean floor. Why and How so fast? Who knew that they were on the island at that point in order to get that plan going? and still… Why? It’s a reverse of the Bad CGI island shot we got in this premier, where the plane is fine but the island is underwater.
    ( My goodness that shot looked like a video game. Why not take a model and actually shoot it underwater? )

  8. MJ says:

    For the most part, everyone is asking the same questions I have. Here are a couple more (as if we need any more):

    -Flight from Australia to LAX. Why is Jack still sporting the 70’s haircut instead of his buzz cut from episode 1?

    -Ben (as a child) was brought by Richard to the temple to “fix” him. Is it just me or do I recall Michael doing the same thing with Walt? I could be wrong here. If not, Walt may not be Walt as well. It’s been so long that I just can’t remember.

  9. soko says:

    he island is underwater? A development that comes about sometime after New Otherton is built?
    – New otherton is the same as Dharmaville It isn’t after the others moved in but after the Dharama folk went off island in 77

  10. Zhami says:

    Posted my theory “Whatever Happened happened, Except” here: http://zhami.posterous.com/a-theory-on-lost-whh-except

    Essentially: the “sideflash” we are have seen (and the flashbacks prior to flight 815) is the main timeline. The entire on-island stuff we have seen so far is actually the sideshow.

    The War is Coming!

  11. Connie in Oregon says:

    It is great to be back in the Lost community where we can bounce ideas off each other…I love it!

    ManilaRaf-you had the same thought I did about the timelines. It is not a direct “flash sideways”. What is happening with the LAX’ers is happening in 2004, while everyone on the Island is in 2007. A flash diagonally? Don’t know yet what this means for the storyline.’

    Matt in LA-like your biblical comparison. Lots of parallels there! Bill comments that Jacob gave in much to easily. In keeping with the Christ comparisons, Jesus went to his death like a lamb to the slaughter also. He did so because he knew it was his fate and God’s will. Jesus even agonized over what was to come in the Garden of Gethsemene, asking God to please spare him. Was Jacob following a similar script, not wanting to go through what was in store for him, but knowing it was his fate for the greater good of everyone on the Island?

    Everyone seems to assume that the New 815 is flying right over the Island, but the animated “path” from the jet, down through the clouds, into the water and to the submerged Island could have covered hundreds of miles. It didn’t necessarily mean it was directly under the jet.

    ManilaRaf asks where is Juliet in the new timeline. If it is 2004 she may be dead with all the other Others who were on the Island in 2004. That is assuming she was ever there. Will have to stay tuned.

    Terry Partoni-I like your call that Ilana and Bram saw Lapidas as a potential candidate to “house” Jacob…wonder what Frank would have said to that!

    Finally, and someone else touched on this also, I find it ironic that Sayid is taken to the temple to save his life the same way that Boy-Ben was after Sayid shot him in 1977.

    Great discussion…keep it comin’!

  12. ManilaRaf says:

    Just recalled a detail from that LOST chat I was in last night.

    We’ve seen an ankh before on the show. Paul (Amy’s husband; Amy who would go onto marry Horace) was wearing an ankh necklace. The same Paul whose body was given to the Hostiles in the 1970s.

  13. Stubble says:

    Jack lost his pen because Kate stole it from him when she was coming out of the toilet. She later used it to free herself from the handcuffs.

  14. ManilaRaf says:

    @ConnieinOregon: The part that makes me doubt that everyone on the island is dead in the LAX 2004 is Desmond. Unless the fact that we’re seeing him is a manifestation of his being special as Mrs Hawking said, he’s an example of those living on the Island aren’t dead but in the rest of the world in the LAX 2004.

    And there’s always Inman. Without Desmond there, he wouldn’t have been killed. And if the Island moved to the bottom of the Pacific, he’d have never been recruited into “Dharma” in the 90s to man the Swan Hatch.

  15. Connie in Oregon says:

    Great comments Ryan/Jen. As usual you find the the gems in every episode.

    You and a few others have said that Juliet’s comment (through Miles) that “It worked” may mean that she can see the whole timeline from wherever she is in death. My observation is that she knew this BEFORE she died because this is the important thing she was going to tell Sawyer right before she died. It could be that something was revealed to her AS she was dying, but she was definitely still alive when she *knew* that “it worked”.

    You also commented that Hurley seemed strangely OK with seeing dead Jacob, but you must remember that Hurley has been talking to dead people for most of the three years that he was off the Island (Charlie, Eko, Libby, Ana Lucia). What would seeing dead Jacob be any more alarming. I agree with you that communicating with dead people is Hurley’s gift, similar to Miles’ ability.

    Thanks Ryan and Jen!

  16. Russell from California says:

    good recap. i thought the premiere was solid. one thing i really like about the writers is their circular approach to storyline: how Jack’s failed attempt to blow up the energy mirrored Locke’s belief that not pressing the button would do nothing in Season 2; how young Ben was taken to the Temple to be revived after being shot by Sayid, and then Sayid was revived in the temple after being shot by Ben’s dad.

    i see jen’s point on the parallel universe. it was interesting to watch but it does have a “what’s the purpose” feel to it. and something’s not right with it though. desmond wasn’t supposed to be on the plane. the coffin should be on the plane. sawyer’s hair should be short. and shannon’s missing (even though i think her absence is due to filming conflicts.) how could events have been altered in that timeline PRIOR to the plane?

    i’m glad we can close the book on where the children have been all this time. i definitely agree that the “chains” reference points to alpert being on the black rock, which sawyer called a “slave ship.”

    but…

    this is my main theory from the premiere: i don’t think MIB wants to get off the island. i think the writers want us to think that, but he only said “I want to go home.” i think his home is the temple. we heard earlier that the smoke monster is a “security system” for the temple. i think he was banished at some point and has never been able to get back (similar to what we’ve seen with ben and widmore getting back to the island). the temple others have a track record of taking over other people’s property (ie: Dharmaville). that’s why i think they’re so afraid of him. biblically, jacob conned esau out of his birthright, and i think we’re seeing that played out here. with jacob now dead, MIB/Smokey/UnLocke/Esau wants to reclaim his place. richard alpert will be his bargaining chip.

    best line: “I’m sorry you had to see me like that.” by MIB

  17. Time to chime in with a few ideas.

    First, I was thinking just the other day that… was it the numbers that let Hurley win the lottery or just his lucky charm? Seems like it was just his charm.

    Which brings me to… the LAX time line is different in lots of subtle ways from how it went up to the point they all got on the plane in Sydney. I wouldn’t be too concerned with details like the plane only flying over the island originally because they were off course. The island could have moved, or the plane took a different route in the new time line (weather was probably different).

    But here’s the fun bit… anyone out there a Terry Pratchett fan? This sounds a lot like traveling down the wrong trouser leg of time. The fun thing about bifurcating time streams is that both exist, similar things happen but the details change.

    Don’t think this is a clean case of two separate time streams though. I think that LAX will be intruded upon. Yes, we get to see how the characters would have lived if having not been influenced by the island, but in the end I think the time lines will merge and the kinks will get worked out someway.

    Or, not. Perhaps there will be two endings. The end with the big battle and the happily ever after in LAX. Oh, and Desmond is as always the rouge element in the calculation. Think Bishop from the X-Men… I feel sorry for anyone who’s character is like Bishop, the chew-toy of causality.

  18. Nels says:

    A couple of thoughts:
    Those who are dead who come to the island (or are on the island) can then be vessels for Jacob or the Man in Black. So, John Locke returning on Ajira allowed MIB to become him. I’m pretty convinced now that Christian Sheppard had been Jacob, at least until Ben stabbed Jacob. Sayid then became the new vessel for Jacob after Sayid was cleansed in the pool (notice how when they take him out his arms are outstretched?).

    Flash-Sideways. Seems confirmed by Team Darlton now so then is this the year 2010 off the island? I mean, why the episode title of “LA X” then? Assuming “X” means 10, of some sort. 10 people crossing between the universes? 2010? Something else?

    Temple leader is Japanese, seemingly out-of-place. Another person who found his way on the island in a different time period?

    Richard Alpert in chains previously? A slave? Perhaps someone who used to work for the MIB but then turned on him and Jacob granted him the eternal life in exchange?

    Now I wonder how the heck they are going to wrap this all up in 16 episodes? 🙂

  19. Ben Mc says:

    I don’t know why there is even a question anymore that Locke is embodies by the Devil and Jacob is supposed to be God.

    Evidence:

    1) The devil hates god and hates that people follow him blindly.

    2) The devil is the great deceiver, and Locke clearly deceived Ben into killing Jacob.

    3) The only way god, or religion itself, can die is by man’s free will and his desire to turn against god or to not believe in him. By deceit and free will, the devil found the loophole to kill Jacob/god.

    4) God and the devil exist completely outside of space and time as we know it.

    5) God / Christ lays his hands on the weak and sick and heals them.

    6) The devil was cast out of heaven by god because of his vanity and greed, and he’s been trying to get back in ever since. He wants to go HOME.

    There’s so much more, but I think this part of the story was pretty clearly played out last night.

  20. Bonita in Atlanta says:

    HI R&J and All you great commenters. I plan to read all the posts later but I wanted to respond to Ryan’s comment about the Ankh: A sealed envelop let’s you know something forbidden is inside (like a significant List and could therefore be opened readily) – not everyone would think to break open the Ankh to find it.

    I also had though Miles said, “The Word” (Which I interpreted to be a bible reference) glad (?) to learn he said, “It worked” which leaves me more confused, actually. Regardless, I’d hoped he be able to offer more.

  21. Stacey, NC says:

    I thought it was weird when I first saw it, but then I kind of forgot about it – what was that red spot on Jack’s neck when he saw his reflection in the mirror in the airplane bathroom?

    Another thing – does Jack on the airplane remember the events on the island, or is it all a giant deja vu? I wonder this because he didn’t seem to recognize Desmond, but he seemed to have some sense of impending doom when the turbulence hit, as if he was expecting the island events to unfold all over again.

    UnLocke stated that Locke was the only one that didn’t want to leave the island. That isn’t true – Rose didn’t want to leave, either.

    I didn’t notice the difference in Sayid’s voice at the end (I’ll have to re-watch it later), but the crucifixion pose as he was coming out of the pool was obvious.

    The underwater scene at the beginning also reminded me of Atlantis.

    I’m actually pretty satisfied with the idea that UnLocke/MiB is the smoke monster. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the ash circle and sonar fence implications of that, though.

    One thing that was distracting to me (and this is really, really trivial) is that the bad hair tradition continues. The clothing that our Losties wore on the original flight 815 scenes from season one was replicated perfectly last night, but the hair was oh so different – Jack’s hair was longer, Charlie’s was all chopped off, etc. For whatever reason, they can never get the hair right.

    One movie I haven’t seen mentioned here is “Sliding Doors”. Gwyneth Paltrow starred in it as a woman whose life had two parallel timelines – one in which she missed the subway train on the way home, and the other one in which she made it onto the train just in time. There was a certain amount of course correction in it (**SPOILER ALERT**) in that she kicks out her cheating, lying, live-in boyfriend, and then later takes up with another, better guy. But the paths to move on to life beyond the jerk were very different and have very different ends.

  22. cat says:

    I loved this episode and it is so great to have all of bloggers back for the last season. But John Fisher, where are your comments? I always look forward to seeming them the day after along with Connie, Paintergirl etc.

    I really didn’t see the alternate timelines coming. It is nice that we finally got all of our castaways back to the same year, whew, but how the heck will the two timelines merge. Ugh – didn’t expect to have my head hurting like this so quickly!

    Nothing is Irreversable will surely be the theme for this year along. It captures the life/death thems; redemption; etc. Loved that interplay.

    I am struggling a bit with the man in black being the smoke monster. How does that work with him guarding the temple now that we know the temple people are scared to death of him. Also, Ben was able to go down into his basement and release him? If he is a “who”, then why would he be a security guard or pitbull in a pen waiting in the basement to be let loose? Is there more than one smoke monster? Didn’t we see Smokey divide in three once before? If this was it on the Smokey revelation than I get nervous about other answers!

  23. Bill says:

    LA X. Counted the major players on the plane… there’s more than 10. So, does X mean cross-out or cancel; stop; cross-over; road sign indicating a crossing ahead; one of Christ’s Disciples was crucified on an X cross; X marks the spot; 2010; danger, drop zone? Hell, I don’t know. I guess I like “drop zone” and “paths crossing ahead”.

    @ Yann From France — Jack and Desmond HAD actually met prior to the island while both were working-out at an LA sports stadium. It’s possible Desmond was actually on the plane, but people usually stay in THEIR seats the entire flight. Why was he not there – there – then not there? They’re screwing with my head, again.

  24. Rich in Cleveland says:

    “It worked” probably does refer to the creation of an alternate timeline, but only to the extent that it will bring the “X” men and women to the island to thwart the evil that threatens all existence.

    @Jeremy
    MIB’s brutal critique of Locke comes from his dark, pessimistic perspective. We can see it as a version of the truth, but do we really agree that Locke was “hopelessly broken?” Jacob would describe him differently.

    I thought the note inside the ankh was simply the list of names of the visitors to the temple. How great was the symbolism of Dogen (?) breaking the staff of life only to find the list of our survivors’ names there? This is the crux of what’s transpiring.

    The murky waters of the temple remind me again of the film, The 10 Commandments (in addition to Smokey being eerily similar to the Angel of Death that claims every first born not in a shelter marked by sacrificial blood.) In the 10 C, Moses visits several plagues upon Egypt to persuade the pharaoh to “let my people go.” (still offered as a choice.) One plague turns the life-sustaining waters of the Nile blood red and pollutes the water. This reminds me very much of what happened to the spring upon the death of Jacob/neutralization of the island’s energy source. I know Ramses appealed to his own deities, most notably Anubis at the death of his first-born son. He may have appealed to Tawaret to counteract the blood-dimmed tide of this plague. He offered a prayer and poured out a sacred water vessel.

    @Bryan
    Going home can also indicate the end of the eons-old experiment or game between AJ and Jacob. Life ends, AJ brings his backgammon pieces home, and he doesn’t have to undergo this vexing exercise any longer.

  25. JC says:

    So now it is pretty clear Jacob can save the dying and the Man In Black takes form of the dead. My theory is this is why The Others want their dead back to either burry them within temple grounds or set them off to see on a pyre…preventing MIB from using their bodies against them.

    And Hurley was sent to advise The Others being the only one that can talk to dead people, most importantly, Jacob. Possibly Jacob knew this and this is why he was sent to the island by Jacob, not just touched by him. So will Hurley be the new Richard? Or leader? Since only the leader may talk to Jacob?

    Not to disagree with Ryan too much, but Hurley seemed accepting of his gift back at Santa Rosa when Locke visited him (even though Locke was not a ghost), and almost proud of it when comparing powers with Miles.

    Other questions: What happens if any other them die?
    Where is MIB’s home? (I don’t remember him saying it’s off the island, so maybe his home is the temple)
    And how did Desmond get on the plane? Or was he really? And when do we get to see Mr. Eko since he is presumably alive in the other dimension.

  26. Rick says:

    I really can’t add much to all the great comments. What a mind-blowing way to start the last season!

    I’m a movie music buff, and have been floored by Giacchino’s work for the entire series. His use of themes has been consistent through the series. One of the most familiar themes is known as the “life and death” theme.

    One of the most awesome scenes from a music perspective was when the 815-ers are exiting the plane at LAX. Compare this scene to the scene of the Losties boarding the plane in the Season One finale. Same slow motion, same focus on the characters, but in last night’s episode, the music was strangely different. You could hear pieces and notes of the “life and death” theme, but it was definitely different. What a great very subtle way to give us another sign that things are not quite the same in the LAX timeline.

  27. Connie in Oregon says:

    Have been “steeping” in all the comments and thinking about Jacob’s cabin.

    I think that Jacob was imprisoned in Jacob’s cabin. What got me to thinking about this is Nels’ conviction that Christian Shepard was a manifestation of Jacob.

    At some point in the Island’s history, perhaps it will be revealed this season, MIB is able to wrest away at least some of Jacob’s power. MIB puts Jacob in the cabin OR Jacob takes refuge in the cabin OR Jacob’s followers (the Others) put him there for his own protection. While Jacob is in the cabin, MIB in the form of Smokie has free reign over the Island. The Others, both on and off the Island, function as Jacob’s caretakers/servants. Perhaps they brought him the body of Christian Shepherd which he possessed and then was able to move about the Island somewhat. At some point someone releases him from the cabin by breaking the ash circle.

    There are no doubt lots of holes in this theory, so have at it.

  28. Bonita in Atlanta says:

    @ Stacey N, good call on the Sliding Doors reference

    @ Lydia I too wonder about Christian’s Body. One of the most significant questions brought up last night

    @Thom with an H – I absolutely believe you are onto it -death (the ultimate surrender) will be required to rejoin the consciousness of each LOSTie and I believe Jacob’s touch could be what helps keep the LOSTies aware of both universes and remain sane

    @Knives Monroe – I wonder if Locke’s knives are where you got your Transmission handle?

    @Nuckinfuts I had the exact same question about Why did Locke lie to Boone about his walkabout ?

    @ Lisa: I agree that Hurley is now the Key, not just the Comic relief anymore

    @everyone; great stuff again Thanks! Stay LOST

  29. Connie in Oregon says:

    One more little thing. Desmond not being in Jack’s row as the plane landed could simply be explained by him returning to his own seat.

  30. NuckinFuts says:

    After giving it a little more thought, Juliet died only once…though the ‘Austin Powers’ reference above was funny….She slipped and fell out of Sawyer’s grasp, hit the bottom, and after being knocked out she awoke 15/16th’s dead and started banging the bomb…flash…now she travels to the present or whenever w/ the Losties and ends up under the old Swan…why Kate ends up in a tree I have no idea….

  31. ManilaRaf says:

    A hatch explosion isn’t a hatch explosion without a naked Scotsman running around the wreckage 🙂

  32. The Chad says:

    What if all of the cycles of progress (as Jacob stated) were to get to the point where they would have someone worthy to take Jacob’s place?

    Has Jack Shepherd been groomed to be the new Jacob and be the heart of the island? Could Ben be the new MIB.. Hurley the new eternal Richard?

    Hmmmm….

  33. Bruce LeeRoy Jenkins says:

     Juliet had a secret,but died before she had a chance to tell Sawyer. I’m calling it now,she prego!Miles lied to spare Sawyer feelings.
    Also Dr. Chang is somewhere in the temple. That’s how Bram knew about him when he kidnapped Miles. He defected before the purge.  

  34. Knives Monroe says:

    @Bonita in Atlanta

    One would assume, but actually no =)

    great comments you guys!

    gotta admit, I may be as confused as ever.

  35. Knives Monroe says:

    PS

    Ofcourse Locke lied about his trip to Boone,

    The walkabout place is the one who purchased the 815 ticket for Locke remember!

    Had Locke actually went on the trip he would’ve been 10 days too late for the 815 plane and would’ve went back to LAX on a different trip. If at all.

    Poor Locke. Poor poor Locke. He never lived an encouraging life.

  36. Faraway J says:

    Sayid was only “mostly dead”…….

    Have fun storming the Castle! (er…..Temple!)

  37. Congrats for shout-out to the Transmission on Nightline last night! It was great to hear your voices and see your picture on the screen! Much deserved attention for all your hard work the past few years!

  38. Eva from Estonia says:

    Um… I’m pretty sure there’s no significance to the LAX title other than it meaning the Los Angeles airport.

    As for Sayid vesseling Jacob from now on, it seems like the only explanation- really, his character has been destroyed with all the plot twists… at least in my eyes – what else could they possibly do with Sayid? Have him torture a few others, then wallow in guilt, then find a new love interest? Yaaaawn.

    I do love the actor though, so having Sayid out of the way and giving Naveen some screen time as a fresh exiting charachter… sounds like a great idea.

    As for the alternative timelines – I agree that they’ll have to melt them eventually, two endings would be a bit… annoying. But I love the fact that all these characters now have a chance for rehabilitation… like LAX-Locke and Sayid…

    So, I propose that Damon and Carlton will smooth all their previous shortcomings in the new non-island timeline – we’ll see some hope for Locke and some clarity for Sayid… hopefully.

    Can’t wait for the podcast=)

  39. cat says:

    Ryan and Jen – can you post the Nightline shoutout? The pic was very fuzzy on Darkufo and I’m sure I speak for all of your followers who couldn’t stay up that late that we’d love to see the clip!!!

  40. A TON of great perspective here. Wish I was more active here BEFORE the final season began. 🙂

    Anyway…

    @Rich – I agree with you. Flocke’s dismantling of Locke was definitely from his darker, more cynical perspective, and I’m sure that Jacob would disagree, but it was a nice monologue for him to show the methods he uses to manipulate and use the people he does in the midst of the game.

    @Faraway J – Wow, I’ve been a fan of the Princess Bride for years, and didn’t even THINK of that joke. Well played.

    I totally wish I could have seen Nightline last night, but I got caught up in some other things. 🙁

  41. MrZ from Universe X says:

    Ryan and Jen,
    Concerning dual timelines, I think Lost will borrow a few pages from a fantastic book concerning traveling through time and space: Timeline by Michael Crichton. In Timeline (not the movie BTW), a group of scientists develop a machine that can transport an individuals particles to a parallel world by copying, destroying, and replicating the particles in the separate reality. Consciousness continues through time and space, however, the individual in timeline 1 must first die in order to be replicated in timeline 2.

    … And that’s where I think Lost is heading.

    In order for everyone to jump into Timeline 2 (or Universe X), they must first die in Timeline 1 as Juliet did. When Juliet’s ghost speaks to Miles, she tells him “it worked” because her consciousness was and had transported into Universe X. If Darlton are planning to follow stringent rules of physics to explain what is happening, this is the only possible explanation that I can imagine.

  42. Russell from California says:

    I just thought of something else. I think Juliette is now the new Desmond. Just like how Jack believing the bomb would reset things echoed Locke’s beliefs in Season 2, Juliette being the one who set off the bomb echoed Desmond turning the failsafe key and “restoring” things.

    For her to say “it worked” must mean her consciousness — like Desmond’s — somehow gained the ability to move between the two different timelines.

  43. Kirsten Hansen (fka HeyKir in NYC) says:

    A couple of thoughts…
    we know that MIB seemingly needs a dead body as a vessel to return to the island. He has had vessels for a long time; Christian and Locke for sure. There were probably dead bodies on the Black Rock, especially if they were shipping criminals to the Australian penal colony. And wasn’t there a dead body on Eko’s plane too? And so this can also explain why the islanders need to bury dead bodies. Maybe theres ash in the soil and MIB can not get to buried bodies?

    OMG! I love connecting all these dots!!!

    PS LOVE Ryans comment about Bram being killed by being run through with a stake!! An awesome nod to Mr Stoker’s most famous work!!

  44. Russell from California says:

    If the off-island Losties do come back to the island, maybe Jacob saying “they’re coming” refers to them. I don’t think they will be able to see their “other selves”. Maybe they will be the source of the whispers.

    And in terms of the X, I believe it is used to represent a variable, as in the alternate Losties.

  45. Tom N. From Cypress Ca. says:

    Hey There, Ryan and Jen…
    I listen to you guys constantly and love the show and LOST. I am a BIG comic book reader as well, and this Idea struck me when I saw the pool under the temple…

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazarus_Pit

    Could this explain Richard as well?

  46. Kirsten Hansen (fka HeyKir in NYC) says:

    Couldn’t the X in LA X also stand for a “crossroad”? After all, haven’t we always been told that “we have a choice” in all of our actions?

  47. Yann From France says:

    We are so going to reach the 250responses! That’s so great! (less for you Ryan and Jenn because it is going to be a LOT of mail/voice call/blog to read… but I am sure you will have your fun!)
    @Soko: If they let go of things they don’t come with them (the boats from the freighter) and if they touch something that touch something it comes with it (the compass was in a pocket, the pocket was in their cloths).
    The fake plane was Widmore’s. He put it right when he learn that a John Locke was on the plane that crashed (because he had met him and he knew he was coming to the Island) and since he was looking to where the Island might be he probably investigate all the pacific flight that would disapear.
    The Island sinked when the bomb was detonated (aka post Dharma town and shark) as Faraday said it would.
    @ Stubble: THANK YOU! I wondered why Jack said he did not have is pen and how Kate had one up her sleaves and absolutely made no connection.
    @Adam: Huge Pratchett fan (I hope he is still ok, it’s quite tough for him I am sure being in his condition). And Vimes is my hero! But the Island is not on 4elephant on a turtle so I am not sure that the comparaison is possible… This Island only got an Hippopatamus statue.
    @Ben: Very well put! I like your theory.
    @Stacy: Yes Rose wanted to stay… But do you think that Ben would have ever felt threaten as a leader by Rose? Because at the end that the reason he killed Jacob, because John had the right to see him minutes after being boss (check the last conversation with Ben/Jacob) but it was fake since Jacob’s cabin wasn’t Jacob’s.
    @Bill: Of course they met before. And when Jack saw him in the Swan he reconized him imediatelly! But if Desmond married Penny he never took the boat race to prove he is worthy and thus never trainned in the stadium! (I really nead someone to tell me if he has a wedding ring or not, the book he is reading really prevent us from seeing his left hand)
    I said Desmond was a “ghost” more like a joke (otherwise would the stuartess would have asked help to a speaking to himself doctor (when he excused to pass)) but I stay true to my “Desmond knows” theory!
    @Connie: The Jacob’s Cabin was a house build to protect Jacob to stay there (and the first place Illana went to, but she noticed that the place has been taken and burned it) but I think he moved to the Foot because it was safer. The ash is a barrier from the monster. Why would Illana who was protection Jacob go there otherwise?

  48. Ryan says:

    The Bram/Stake comment was Jen’s, actually. Credit where credit is due!

    The Nightline piece is here:

    http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/secrets-of-lost-9733658

  49. Bill says:

    Looks like island inhabitants can be utilized or invigorated for a purpose after death, “IF” they are NOT buried or burned. Christian Sheppard and Locke are good examples. Buried people seem to stay pretty-much put. Charlie was neither buried or burned.

    Remember Amy’s dead husband was turned over to the Hostiles for some “recycling” reason. Sawyer buried the Hostile guys — no redemption value there. Sawyer also “made it a point” to bury Juliette. Maybe it could be called an interim life, indentured service, or even slavery. Hey, Richard Alpert — how does it feel to be free of your chains?

    Was the brief turbulence on Flight 815 Christian Sheppard’s casket being removed from the plane while in-flight? Oceanic has no idea where the casket is.

    Ben, in providing Locke’s corpse on flight 316, set up the Man in Black to take the bait (assume Lock’s body) to draw him out into the open for his final battle with Jacob (Locke vs. Sayid ).

  50. Rob from Aurora, IL says:

    Here’s my “WHAT-IF THE PLANE HADN’T CRASHED” Theory:

    I liked how they did the “WHAT-IF THE PLANE HADN’T CRASHED” story-line. I think they’ll go the whole season with that, and then end of the season with the plane NOT crashing.

    Juliet’s last words were, “It worked”, which is exactly the opposite of what Sawyer and Jack believed. The Losties will EVENTUALLY get off the island like the PLANE NEVER CRASHED, so everyone is back on the plane.

    By the end of the season they’ll already have shown us in all the episodes the “WHAT-IF THE PLANE HADN’T CRASHED” so we’ll know how everyone’s story comes to a conclusion (good or bad). Juliet would still be dead, since she wasn’t a Lostie that was on the plane, etc.

    WHAT WOULD THE FATE OF THE LOSTIES BE?

    CHARLIE will die form a drug OD rather than herorically saving the group on the island.

    JIN will go to jail and Sun run off on her own into the US instead of reuniting on the island and having a baby.

    LOCKE will take JACK up on his offer of fixing his spinal injury.

    SAWYER pursue HURLEY and try to scam him out of his winnings that he bragged about.

    KATE will be on the run from the law…and be caught or not…

    BOONE will do whatever it is that he does.

    Also, when JACK & LOCKE parted, Locke smiled in almost the same way he smiled to Walt on the island before opening his mouth and revealing an orange peel.

    WHERE’S WALDO?

    SHANNON: So where was Shannon (Boone’s sister) on the plane? She was on the plane and the island. She sunbathed, hooked up with Sayid, and then got shot.

    DESMOND: And why was Desmond on the plane for part of the trip? He arrived to the island by boat…. or did he?

    AND… WHERE’S WALT?????? HIM AND HIS POP WEREN’T ON THE PLANE THAT I COULD SEE.

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