GEEK PATROL: 4TF at MegaCon 2010

Hello All,

The 4TF flies its Geek-Flag high. And if you are a fellow comic or sci-fi nut who plans on attending the 2010 MegaCon in Orlando, FL next weekend, I'd love to meet you. We can attend a panel together, grab some photos of the celebs, browse the exhibits and collectibles, or just simply shake hands and put names to our internet-faces. If you want to meet up, please email me at the link to your right!

Cheers & NAMASTE!
a.N.

Episode 6x05 -- Good Shepherd

INTRO: Spare Chaynge

“I wonder if I've been changed in the night? Let me think: was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is, ‘Who in the world am I? Ah, THAT'S the great puzzle!’”

- Alice, from Alice in Wonderland

I have probably said this in every other article I’ve written, but I must say it again. It amazes me to no end how well LOST is able to reference itself and spin around and into its own story. I believe it truly is the Ourboros of television shows if there was ever such a thing. Take for example the latest installment of season six, “The Lighthouse”, which once again reveals part of the tale of one of our most beloved survivors, Jack Shephard, in the new “flash-sideways” time-line.

Once more we have a character who is both the same, yet different. There are fundamental personality traits we have seen before, yet we are served them in a different kind of light. One might even say in this episode specifically that light is reflected. As Locke is to Rain, Jack is to Mirror, or more appropriately, the Looking Glass.

Jack has never been one to really enjoy taking a deeper peek inside himself. For the last five years we’ve seen him play the scientific hero, yet we’ve seen him lack inner faith. Instead of facing his inner demons, he’s tried to escape them or ignore them for some time now. Jack even once contemplated suicide. He has served as a reflection of his own father both in his occupation and in his method of coping with the rest of what life has shown him.

However in this newest tale it would seem that down is starting to look as if it is turning up for Jack and his ability to see himself for who he truly is.

Comin' Back to Me

Of course the opening scene right away reflected the opening scene we saw of the good Doctor in the season’s opener, “LA X”, when he went to the restroom on the plane and caught his reflection in the mirror. There, he noticed a small wound on his neck. This time back in his apartment, he noticed the small scar that we all remember from where he had his appendix removed back on the Island in our “normal” time-line.

I feel very much like we are almost being teased at this point with how our characters appear to be having little bits and fits of memory and recognition issues in these new iterations of their lives. It would seem that Jack suddenly had no recollection of where the scar came from and had to ask his mom about it on the phone. Apparently it happened when he was a child, and he had even passed out at school from the failing organ. I would think that would definitely be something a kid of 7 or 8 years old would not forget, and that it would even more than likely be a downright traumatic experience overall. But nope, Jack only guesses that he remembers.

Curiouser and curiouser!


Let Me In

But before Jack’s conversation with his mom could get any further, he suddenly realized he was late, late, for a very important date…to pick up his son (insert multiple exclamation points) from school. Instantly we were shown that David and Jack really don’t have the best relationship. David is not only the typical, despondent teenager, but he is also the product of a failed marriage and only spends time with Jack once a month. And spending time with Dad to David is just getting through it. Jack makes every effort he can to connect with his son, but his attempts are only met with more detachment. From the Red Sox, to Alice in Wonderland, which we all remember Jack reading to little Aaron in the main time-line, Jack just can’t seem to relate to the kid anymore. It was kind of sad to watch, honestly.

One thing I want to mention was that Jack’s house was filled for the most part with nothing but stark, black and white décor. Even his choice of cookie was the black and white Milano, which David helped himself to in the kitchen while Jack had yet another call from his mom. The only room in the apartment that had any real warmth to it was David’s room, with its deep rusty orange curtains and basic earth tones overall. It was almost as if Jack’s inner desire to have a warm relationship with David was even reflected in how he made up his son’s temporary abode.


A Small Package of Value Will Come to You, Shortly

First they lost Christian’s casket, then they lost his will. Those Shephards certainly have had a hard time keeping track of all that surrounds the once-living patriarch of the family. It didn’t really seem like the will was even that difficult to find, but since in this iteration it seems that mom likes the drinky-drink, and not Jack so much, it made sense that she didn’t see that it was practically right in front of her eyes.

I really think she also just wanted to chat a bit with Jack, but not only for a little comfort from losing her husband and trying to manage the aftermath. The main crux of the scene served to tell us how David was now a mirror of how Jack was at the same age, and how David and Jack’s relationship overall mirrored Jack and Christian’s, with the son being terrified of somehow failing in the eyes of the father. I guess the Daddy issues run in the family, too.


Rock and Roll Island

The mirroring didn’t stop there, though. Just as Jack lost his father’s body both on the Island, and in time-line X, he then returned home to find his son missing. Jack raced over to David’s mother’s home, who was conveniently out of town so that her identity could remain unknown to us. Personally I am thinking mom is Juliet. For one thing, their relationship would then also be mirrored as one that did not last long in either time-line. The actor who plays David also looks like he could have her eyes. It’s obviously not Kate, and I just really doubt that they would bring Sarah back for this part of Jack’s story. Well, at least I hope not. Sorry Sarah fans, but she was just so blah.

Finally, it would not only give us the opportunity to have the amazing Elizabeth Mitchell back on the show, proving to us that as she was about to die after the Jughead explosion her character did indeed experience time-line X, but it would also then open the door for her and Sawyer to fall in love once again. I know that there are plenty more of you out there besides myself who are waiting to see them “go Dutch” on that coffee date she mentioned right before she expired in his arms.

With a key conveniently located under a ceramic white rabbit, Jack let himself in to what was probably once his home as well. We got to see David’s room, and learned that David was a huge fan of music from Beethoven to The Who. It was only from then listening to David’s answering machine that Jack found out that he was late, late, for another important date.


Somebody to Love

It was quite a lovely touch to see David playing the piano, just like his Dad once did in his New Otherton estate back in our main time-line. And just like Dad, David was a “candidate”…well, at least for admission into what seemed like one very prestigious music conservatory. As Jack stood in the back of the auditorium listening to his son play the same Chopin piece that Daniel Faraday once played for his mother, you could see the amazement and pride well up in his eyes. I must say that some of Matthew Fox’s best acting of the series came from this episode.

However, before Jack could get back to David, he had to first have a fate-related encounter with time-line X Dogen who reminded him how hard it is to be a gifted kid under pressure, and how difficult it is to be a parent who feels like they cannot do anything to really help.

That seemed to be the final motivation that Jack needed to figure out how to re-connect with his son. All Jack really had to do this entire time was just open up and be honest with David. By sharing how he felt at the same age, terrified of disappointing a father who always seemed to be in overdrive, and by reassuring David that he could never fail in his eyes, Jack finally dissolved the wall that David had been keeping up around himself. The spell, and the history of Shephard father and son communication problems, was finally broken.


It's No Secret

In the first scene we were shown from Island-time, Jack was also staring at himself, this time in the waters around Temple Otherton. Here, Dogen and Jack shared some more words as they sat facing each other and reflected each other’s honesty about the current situation with Kate, Jin, and Sawyer who had taken off some time ago with no real intention of returning.

It didn’t really seem like much else had been going on in the meantime. The Others were back in the courtyard planting flowers and making hemp bracelets. Hurley and Miles had been tying each other in game after game of tic-tac-toe with cute little makeshift leaf-X’s and branch-O’s. Sayid was just wandering around getting stared at for rising from the dead and becoming “infected”. To me it seemed odd altogether how just a short while ago the place was on high-alert, but now the vibe seemed pretty relaxed again. I suppose if you have enough ash then you must be good to go.


Embryonic Journey

Thank goodness for Jacob and Hurley time! Those two are becoming one of my favorite parts of season six by a long shot. I love how Jacob really seems to care about Hugo, and how Hugo is no longer afraid to be a little more assertive with getting information from Jacob. I used to want to see a Hurley and Ben spin-off show, but Hurley and Ghost-Jacob might just have that wish beat by the end of the series.

Once again, Jacob had a task for our good buddy and newly-found “leader”. So with a literal arm-full of written instructions the Big H set off through the Temple looking for some secret exit door, but not before Dogen caught him and asked what he was up to. This was by far the best scene of the episode. I was so happy to have the writers give a proper shout out to my favorite film adventurer, Indiana Jones, since every episode this season has been reminding me of those films in one way or another.

But it was really Jorge Garcia’s acting that really had me in stitches as he portrayed a very nervous Hurley trying to deal with Jacob who stood right there, unbeknownst to Dogen, and told Hugo to stand up to “the Samurai”. Dogen’s expression when Hurley said that he could do what he wanted because he was a Candidate along with Hurley’s come-back, “Why don’t YOU go back to the courtyard?” was also pretty priceless.

However, the one thing Hurley forgot to bring along was Jack. Jacob was quite explicit about this, and so when Hurley tried to explain how difficult it was to get Jack to do anything he didn’t want to do, Jacob had just the solution. Once again I couldn’t help giggling as Hugo went out to the courtyard and told Jack to “stay cool” and “act natural” as if they were in some kind of secret spy adventure.

But there was no way that Jack could stay cool when Hurley let loose the magic motivational phrase Jacob gave to him to say. “You have what it takes” was the very opposite of what Jack’s father had told him as a kid; the one we learned that he had carried with him all his life. This was an exceptionally personal thing for Jack to suddenly hear, and with a mixture of fear, shock, and a maybe even a drop of anger in his eyes, he demanded that they go see Jacob that instant.

“Read the directions and directly you will be directed in the right direction.”

- Doorknob, from Alice in Wonderland

White Rabbit

Hurley so very often serves as the voice of the audience these days, and when he mentioned how his trek through the jungle with Jack was “old school”, he hit the nail on the head. It really did take me back, especially to memories of the first and second seasons, to times when there were always separate little groups off on their own little missions, when the whispers were loud and mysterious, and when occasionally, someone would get knocked out from behind, or even taken.

And then they literally took us back.

The discovery of Shannon’s inhaler actually made me jump in my seat a little bit, and before the knot in my stomach had time to recognize it was from excitement, we were back at The Caves.

The two episodes on LOST that really solidified my infatuation with the show (well, after the Pilot of course) were “Walkabout” and “White Rabbit”. Besides being the two stories that really introduced us to our Man of Science and our Man of Faith on the Island, we have had this ongoing mystery surrounding the appearance(s) and disappearance(s) of one Christian Shephard. We first witnessed how his “apparition” seemed to tease and torment Jack, yet at the same time ended up helping him by leading him to fresh water and shelter right when he needed it most. He then showed himself again and claimed to speak for the then unknown character of Jacob, Leader of the Others. Christian was the entity who also told Locke to move the Island, and was then the last one seen with Claire before her long 3-year absence.

Now in the final season, we can pretty much say that his body was being used by the Man In Black to manipulate the 815 survivors for his various purposes. It feels strange to now look back and remember how Dead But Here Christian Shephard used to freak me out, how for awhile I was then led to somewhat trust him, and how now I feel a bit silly having been tricked by the Monster himself all along.

As Jack stood before that old smashed coffin and told Hurley the true story of how he found the caves, I believe there was a larger purpose besides providing the opportunity for the audience to reminisce a bit. The way that Jack delivered his speech and his general mannerism as he went on with his tale led me to believe that he too was feeling a bit like a fool at that point. Just as David in time-line X was learning there was no longer a need to have fear of Jack, I think Jack was realizing there was no longer a need to carry all of that same negative weight he had been bearing from his own father. These two storylines, on-Island and “X”, are really starting to connect with each other in some very profound ways.

Time-line X is more than just “what could have been". It’s more than just a reflection.

At this point, it’s progress.


Turn My Life Down

On the final stretch to the Lighthouse, Hurley and Jack opened up to each other in regards to why they each had decided to return to the Island. I have always enjoyed when the two of them talk, as it seems Jack is always able to let his defenses down more with Hurley than with anyone else on the show. Jack didn’t even flinch when Hurley just flat-out said that Jacob met him in a cab and suggested that he come back. But Jack’s reason was even more surprisingly honest, as he told Hurley that he was “broken” and thought that the Island would somehow fix him. Jack’s need to fix everyone and everything has always been mostly about his need to fix himself. Though it was heartbreaking to hear him admit it, I also felt that it was a good thing for him to confess, as it meant that he was perhaps finally starting to identify the issues that have plagued him for so long.

The Last Wall of the Castle

The Lighthouse was an impressive structure full of the classic mythology and strange technology that we have all come to know and love on LOST. Inside the tower was the massive wheeled contraption Jacob had asked Hurley and Jack to tend to so they could help the mysterious “someone” who was coming to the Island to find the place.

As Hurley began to turn the wheel to the designated bearing of 108 degrees, which is of course yet another one of those oh-so-important Numbers, Jack realized that each degree on the wheel’s table corresponded with a name, much in the same manner as the Cliffside cave that Lockeness had recently taken Sawyer on tour of. As the cogs turned its giant mirrors toward Jack, he could see strange places fading in and out in addition to his own reflection. We saw the location where Sun and Jin were married. Then the church where Sawyer’s parents’ funeral was held came and went. When Jack found his own name listed on the wheel, he demanded that Hurley turn it to the corresponding degree, number 23. The result was a reflection of his own childhood home, and he immediately demanded to see Jacob, who was of course nowhere to be found.

The inner turmoil that Jack had been dealing with since he was just a kid seemed to suddenly rage up as he realized that Jacob, or someone, had been watching all of the survivors for all of their lives. Those mirrors forced him to take one – no, actually 4 – good hard glances at both himself and his demons one more time.

Progress isn’t always pretty. Sometimes we need to destroy in order to build back up again. And in the type of outburst one would expect from someone who may not have been totally ready to learn such information, or take such a deep look at himself, Jack smashed each of the 4 mirrors and stormed away.

Afterwards, Jack just sat on the rocks to himself and stared out into the ocean as Jacob finally did show up to have a chat with one very deflated Hugo. Jacob actually didn’t mind at all that the Lighthouse mirrors had been broken. Instead, he was simply making sure that Jack saw what was up in that tower. The fact that it triggered some subsequent soul-searching on Jack’s part was exactly what Jacob had intended all along. He expressed to Hurley that Jack was very important, and that he needed to work through a few things. Jacob then also confessed that he wanted to make sure the two of them were as far away from the Temple as possible. Apparently, someone bad was on their way there, and now Jacob’s seemingly two most important Candidates would be for the moment at least, out of immediate danger.


Crazy Miranda

Speaking of immediate danger, I suppose I should briefly mention the whole Creepy Claire storyline that was also occurring through the episode. Personally it didn’t do a lot for me, but I am sure there will be more to see so I will wait for it to play out a bit more before I really make a judgment about it. Maybe the problem is that Emilie de Ravin is just too adorable to convincingly pull off true malice. The scariest thing about this storyline to me was the skull-headed squirrel baby thing she had in the bassinet nearby a poor, wounded and confused Jin.

My Best Friend

Of course, the final reveal was one that I believe most of us had been expecting. The special friend that Claire kept referring to, who had apparently told her along with her “father” that the Others had her bay-bee Aaron, was Lockeness himself.

CONCLUSION: Wooden Ships

Overall I really enjoyed this episode, as the Lighthouse was a sweet addition to the long list of fascinating locations we’ve come to know on the Island. My thought at this point is that the Lighthouse is Jacob’s place for keeping track of the Candidates, and the Cliffside cave is where the MIB keeps his own backup list of sorts.

I suppose now we are also meant to wonder who exactly it is that is coming to the Island that Jacob mentioned. My bets are on Desmond, since Eloise told him that the Island wasn’t finished with him yet, aka Des still Has Work to Do.

However I think the biggest mystery of all here relates to Jack, and whether or not he will be able to face whatever task is in store for him. This journey that he took seems to have at least set him on the right path, and so far Jacob seems to know what he is doing. Here’s to the hope that his time spent gazing at his reflection in relation to the wide, open ocean gives Jack the perspective, courage, and wisdom to finally fix things.

“I relieve and release your hurt that you may be set free.”

- Alice, from Alice in Wonderland

Namaste,
a.N


*I write about LOST because I love the challenge of deciphering the clues and adding the pieces together. My thoughts are based solely on the show, the LOST Experience, and random research, as I try to avoid spoilers, promos, and even future episode titles. I love to guess what is going on, but I also like to do so in a way that leaves some of the conclusions still up to you. I do not know the answers and am often wrong. Whatever the truth turns out to be, it has been the journey that has meant the most to me.*

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Episode 6x04 -- Sympathy for the Devil

Note: Sorry for the delay once again. This was originally composed after the airing of 6x04, “The Substitute”, but became “trapped” sort of like MIB in a suddenly corrupted version of good ol' Microsoft Word. Thank goodness for the wonderful “Open Office”, the software That Has Saved (It) All.


INTRO: On with the Show

This week’s Locke-centric “The Substitute” was probably the best thing that could have happened to soothe all of the restless natives out in the LOST-iverse who cried “filler” after last week’s slow-but-steady focus on Kate Austen. I mean really, who doesn’t get a kick from Locke’s story? Even if he isn’t your favorite character, you have to admit that after all that has happened to the man, his tale is arguably the most epic of all of LOST’s characters. Now, in this final season, I feel somewhat saddened by the thought that this could very well have been the last episode which centers on this amazing man’s tale.

But enough of my mushy sentimentalizing. This is Locke’s time and there’s always more than plenty to cover in one of his installments. So let’s get to it!

Rain Fall Down

At this point I have totally lost count of how many times poor John has taken a fall or injured himself in the show. It wasn’t hard to guess what would happen in the opening scene as his wheelchair lift refused to lower him to the ground. I have a habit of trying to analyze whenever we see a form of water in the show, as it can symbolize so many different things depending on the situation. As Locke lay with his face to the earth and the sprinklers from his own lawn came on just at the right moment, I believe we were meant to be reminded of all the times on the Island when he was caught in the rain, or even predicted it, and welcomed it with his arms wide open. And just like those times before, he gave a little smile.

What I didn’t predict however was the fact that Helen would suddenly appear racing out of the house to his rescue. Seeing them together again might have been one of the happiest feelings I have had yet this season. Time-line X certainly has our characters in some very amazing circumstances, most notably Locke seeming to have a relationship with his father, and one that is positive enough to even have dad invited to their upcoming wedding. Say whaaaaat?

I suppose we can assume that Anthony Cooper is not responsible for Locke’s status as wheelchair bound in this time-line, and what did cause his disability is now a mystery. In fact, there are tons of questions to now ask about his “alternate” life here. Is Cooper still a con-man or is he now a decent fellow who was actually a part of John’s entire life? Or did Locke still share a kidney with his Dad when he needed it and they ended up bonding during this time? Was he still at some point, for some reason in anger management sessions, or did he and Helen meet some other way? No matter what the answers are I believe it is all just meant to show us that there are some things that still never change for our characters, as in some things will always fall into the category of that which is destined to be. Opposites. Black and white stuff. You know the deal.

John and Helen really are a beautiful couple, reminding me a lot of lovebirds Rose and Bernard. She really seems to support him no matter what the situation. In this iteration of their relationship, she is the one who seems to have more of a faith-based approach. When they discuss Jack Sheppard’s business card, John is somewhat dismissive as Helen reminds him that miracles do happen. This is almost directly opposite from the John we know from the original time-line who once said almost the exact same thing. The events that have molded him in time-line X must have somehow grounded him a bit more towards a logical approach to life. Perhaps it is because things have overall been a bit more positive for John, and he has not found such a strong need to believe in the intangible purely as a survival mechanism.

People in general tend to look towards faith the most when times are at their worst or when the unexplainable has occurred, as our brains have a strong need to make sense out of everything that happens to us. When they cannot, it is often chalked up to being the result of something higher than ourselves, or something outside of us and uncontrollable. Destiny and fate come into play at these moments and we look to our belief systems, our faith, as a substitute for a more logical, earthly explanation.

Then again, in this time-line John hadn’t (yet realized he had) been in a plane crash and awakened with the sudden ability to walk again, either. That would be enough to even turn Dr. Wizard, I mean Mr. Wizard himself into a believer I’m sure.


When the Whip Comes Down

However, we did learn that Locke is still a bit boxed in, literally, as just as in the original time-line he held a position at the box company under the management of one Randy “Douche-bag” Nations. As Randy immediately referred to Locke as “Colonel” we are let on to the fact Locke more than likely still enjoyed his war-games, and Randy still enjoyed teasing him for it. It is now safe to assume there's still a part of this version of Locke who on occasion turned to fantasy and escapism. Just as he pretended to Boone that he had been on a Walkabout, he tried to pretend to his boss that he had actually been to a conference in Sydney. And just like a typical micro-managing jerk-wad, Randy had checked up on John and caught him in his bluff. Poor Locke sat there trying to talk his way out of it, but Randy quickly fired him on the spot with a very cruel, sarcastic military salute.

Waiting on a Friend

“What are the odds of you just running into a spinal surgeon?”, Helen asked Locke earlier as he took a quiet bath. (More water, people!) Probably about the same as running into the owner of the company you were just fired from and learning that he feels the same way about your boss as you do. By the way, Helen's question was an exact mirror to what Ben once said back in season 3 in regards to Jack crashing on the Island right when he too needed such a specialized doctor.

But this time a sharp dressed Hugo was the man with the right info and the right attitude to give Locke the literal “lift” he needed at that exact moment. Just like the leader he had become in the main time-line, he gave John a new path and a new set of instructions. (Sound familiar? Like someone on the Island? Like, someone who used to live in a giant four-toed foot statue?)

Hugo's final words to John, “Chin up, it's gonna work out”, could even be the new, “Life up your eyes and look North.” And indeed Locke's frown was turned upside-down.

You Can't Always Get What You Want

It was great to see Lynn Karnoff, the fortune teller that Hugo's father hired in the original time-line, as one of Hugo's employees at the temp agency he owned, who attempted to “divine” what type of animal Locke most identified with. This was also one of the DHARMA Initiative “Octagon Global Recruiting” questions asked in the fan booth during the 2008 Comic Con.

But Locke would have none of that nonsense, and called over office supervisor Rose Nadler to see if she could get him an in as a construction site coordinator. Rose had always been the female counterpart to Locke on the Island. She too was healed, and she too carried a very mystical sensibility. I wonder now if we are starting to understand more about how she just knew without a doubt that Bernard was still alive way back in seasons one and two. Multiple iterations perhaps? Maybe...

But in this iteration, in this time-line, it would seem she indeed did still have the “Big C”. One could almost sense Locke's famous catch-phrase welling up when she suggested that working at a construction site was not the best idea for someone like him, meaning someone in a wheelchair. Instead however, he challenged her about being “realistic”, and that is when she dropped some hard knowledge on John in regards to how she learned to accept her illness and made the decision to live the rest of her life out the best that she could. It was then Rose who alluded to Locke's mantra by suggesting that she then would help him find something that he could do.


Something Happened to Me Yesterday

It was a nice touch to have Locke awaken to the sound of the Hatch countdown timer as his alarm clock beeping. As he faced himself in the mirror that morning, just as we had already seen with both Jack and Kate in this time-line, some kind of recognition seemed to take place. For a moment, John decided to call Dr. Sheppard’s office and actually give that miracle Helen mentioned a chance after all.

But then he froze, changed his mind, and hung up. Finally Locke began to confess to Helen that he had been fired from his job, that he had never been to that conference in Sydney, and that he had instead attempted to go on that Walkabout.

It is during this time when we were truly given a sense of how different this John Locke was from our “original” version. This John didn't want to continue to pretend he was something he wasn't. This John was tired of trying to fight the things he knows He Can't Do. This John no longer needed a suitcase full of knives to prove that he was any more of a man than he already was. This John was for once being realistic with his limitations, and being honest and open with both himself and the woman who confessed to love him for exactly who he already was.

With her black fingernails and her “Peace and Karma” shirt, Helen leaned in to give John one very righteous and much needed kiss of complete reassurance that she meant exactly what she said. It was truly one of the most heartfelt scenes between two characters since the phone reunion between Desmond and Penny in “The Constant”, and I personally became quite weepy-eyed by the end of it. That would be because the thing we learned overall here was that quite simply, John and Helen were each others' miracle.

Oh No, Not You Again

At last we saw Locke in the field it would seem that he was born for, substitute teaching. I loved how he was immediately shown to not only be coaching sports, but teaching biology, specifically the human reproductive system. The Locke we have come to know has always seemed to have a grasp on a large number of subjects, and this is why so many on the Island became much like pupils to him, most notably Boone, Charlie, and Walt.

But it wasn't until he found the teacher's lounge did destiny unknowingly kick him in the rear. Some whiny teacher was face to the wall jabbering on about responsibilities with the coffee machine. Time-line X John Locke, meet time-line X Benjamin Linus. I don't even want to begin to theorize how he ended up as a teacher off-island, but if anything, it was a fun and once again, fateful reveal.

Speaking of Ben, it's Island time now!


Sweet Black Angel

I just want to give quick a shout out to “Smokey-Cam”, one of the coolest effects I think I've enjoyed on LOST in a good long time. The smokiness around the screen edges were a nice touch, too. I hope to see more of it, because I was fascinated with viewing the landscape through the eyes of the Monster himself.

Lies

Good old Ben. Once a liar...well, he'll always have issues I believe. And really, why would he tell a mourning Illana that he was really the one who killed Jacob, which in turn led to her team's destruction? Ben was visibly still in shock and had gone into self-preservation mode, I believe. I don't think he was ready to admit that he was just conned after being so used to being the master con-man himself. It will be interesting to see what is done with his character from this point out. Ben was once such a HUGE force on the show, and now he has been reduced to the fool who may have just screwed everything up for everyone, including the Island he so desperately tried to protect for most of his life.

As Illana gathered up some of Jacob's ashes, I felt a bit of foreshadowing of a showdown to come with the Lockeness Monster, and really I can't wait. Illana is the only one left now of her group of “good guys”, and was specifically asked by Jacob himself for help when she was totally mummified in bandages at that strange hospital last season. One thing that I've always wondered is if he helped to heal her or not, as we were made sure to notice that he did not actually touch her as he did with the rest of our survivors.

In addition, after all of the talk about free-will, and how everyone involved had to want to return to the Island on their own accord, we had Sayid being brought on that fateful Ajira flight in cuffs specifically against his will after being caught in Illana's ruse. Um, Jacob, that was more than just a little push.

Finally, I just wanted to note the lovely, haunting theme that we have centering around Jacob that we hear whenever he now shows up in his non-corporeal form. Once again Michael Giacchino shows off his mad, award-winning scoring skills.


Tell Me (You're Coming Back)

How rude it was of the Beach Others to just up and leave Frank, Sun, Ben, and Illana for the Temple. They are such a pitiful bunch these days, reminding me a bit of the queen-less aliens from the film “District 9”. Without Jacob, or Richard, or any leadership at all it seems they are like aimless sheep who have now scurried off to save their own hides when they should have stayed behind to help protect any of the remaining potential “candidates”. Then again, if Richard didn't know about Jacob's plans, I suppose they didn't either.

But before the rest of the party could join them, Sun had enough courtesy and respect for the Real John Locke to suggest the bury the poor man. Frank called it when he said it was one of the weirdest damn funerals he'd ever been to, as a touching eulogy by Ben revealed his thought that Locke was a better man than he, and that he was sorry for murdering him. Yeah, Ben is definitely feeling like the guy with the dunce cap on these days. This could have also tipped off Illana to the fact that Ben might not be someone she should be trusting in regards to what really went down inside the foot statue. That was one strange look she gave the Benster. One thing I keep wondering is why Jacob has not yet come to visit her in his “dead but here” form.

We've seen a lot of funerals on the Island, but I believe this one happened for a major reason or two. For one, it reminded us how important it is to bury the dead, lest they be claimed as we have seen with some of the unfortunate bodies left above ground. Of course Christian Sheppard and Yemi immediately come to mind. From the WW2 soldiers, to Keamy's freighter team, to the Others, and even the DHARMA Initiative, it seemed that everyone made sure to put the no-longer-living into the ground as quickly as possible. I think that this pretty much sealed the deal on the theory that MIB can take the form of anyone who had died and had been left unburied. However, in this situation we already have him taking the form of our dear, dead Locke.

Therefore, I think this burial also served a second purpose. For those of us who had been hoping for some kind of true reincarnation of the Real John Locke, I believe those hopes were also now sadly laid into their final resting place.

By the way, did you notice how both men, Ben and Frank were in white, while the ladies Illana and Sun, wore black?


The Last Time

We also learned something quite interesting from Illana as the group had carried John Locke's body to the beach camp graveyard. Apparently MIB could no longer just change his appearance at whim like we had seen before, as I suppose he had been doing since season one starting with Christian. He's now “stuck” in the body of Locke. Well, stuck in that body but not without his ability to change into his Smokier-self. So what does this mean? Heck if I know, but I'm sure it has something to do with Jacob's death and the loophole that MIB used to kill him.

By the way, Illana also mentioned back at the foot statue that the reason MIB took Richard is because he is “recruiting”. Um, recruiting for what may I ask? An army? A dark army?! An ARMY OF DARKNESS?!?! Please, please tell me that Bruce Campbell is going to show up too, because that would just be way super cooooool!


The Spider and the Fly

I loved how Lockeness actually apologized to Richard for knocking him out and dragging him into the jungle. Apparently he had “always wanted” Richard to be part of his team. To me this not only suggested a much richer history between the two besides mere familiarity, but also that Richard might even be special to MIB in some yet unknown way. If Richard is very old as has been suggested, then perhaps they even knew each other once when they were more like, um, normal men.

It also seemed strange to me that Richard seemed totally oblivious to Jacob's Replacement Candidate System. The Temple Others certainly seemed to know about it. Heck, even Illana and her company knew about it. But here, Richard was surprised to even hear the word. I hope that he was just bluffing and protecting what he knew, perhaps in an attempt to protect the candidates themselves from Lockeness' prodding. Lockeness promised Richard that he would have never had kept him in the dark about such important matters, and that he would have treated Richard with respect. Yeah, I don't know about you, but I didn't believe a lot of what Lockeness said, as to me it reeked of manipulation. I think he was just telling Richard what he thought he wanted to hear, and needed Richard for some yet unknown reason. After asking Richard once more to join him, Lockeness made a statement that got right to the heart of not only one of the Real John's beliefs, but one of LOST's overall themes from the very beginning. “...People seldom get a second chance”, he said in response to Richard's defiant refusal to follow along.

Cue freaky boy with bloody hands suddenly standing in the jungle in a Christ-like pose!

It appears that even Lockeness can be spooked, but the boy was gone faster than Richard could turn around to see what had suddenly changed the expression on his nemesis' face. More on the kid in a bit.

Memory Motel

Sawyer has some killer taste in music! And yet another reference to the spinning record was revealed to us as Lockeness made James his next pit stop on the recruiting tour.

Sawyer also had some funky-stained drawers! But what did he care? He had his whiskey, his Iggy, and his memories of when his life was actually a happy one. One when he wasn't alone, in mourning, inside a home that now mirrored his own inner self all shattered and broken.

The fact that a dead John Locke walked in didn't even phase him, and without blinking he recognized the intruder as an imposter. In a bit of a cold exchange, Lockeness told Sawyer that house was never really his home, which added a bit of insult to his already drunken injury. Lockeness then used the same song and dance with Sawyer that he attempted with Richard in the form of the promise of answers. At that point it seemed that James was either a bit fogged by the drinky-drink, had a death-wish, or that he really was looking for some semblance of meaning to it all. Surprisingly, he actually agreed to go with Lockeness with the hope to find out exactly why he became stuck on Craphole Island in the first place.


2000 Light Years from Home

One of my favorite exchanges in the episode came during the trek that Sawyer and Lockeness made through the jungle, as James decided to strike up a little bit of small-talk on the subject of reading. We were given a clue here that MIB was quite old indeed, more than likely ancient, as when James mentioned his favorite book “Of Mice and Men”, Lockeness replied that one was before his time. That was the second time the famous Steinbeck story had been brought up on LOST in regards to Sawyer, as the first time was when Ben pulled a long con on the con-man himself. This time however it was James who attempted to pull a fast one in the form of a gun on the imposter leading his way. One could almost see Lockeness begging Sawyer to shoot at him, as that would have most likely allowed him to unleash his Smokiness, and some major raging would have certainly ensued.

Instead James was a bit flustered by the lack of fear from his companion, and asked once more, “What are you?”. In a quick soliloquy we learned a lot more about MIB, and how he had been “trapped” for a long, long time. He claimed he was indeed once a real man who had experienced all of the same emotions; pain, fear, love, and betrayal as someone like Sawyer had. This time I think I believed him, but I also still believe he has an amazing knack for telling people what they need to hear most. MIB could just as easily had been feeding off of his host, just as he seemed to know the mind of Locke and his final thoughts before his death. The overall intent of this reveal however was to put himself more on the same level as Sawyer, and gain a bit more of his trust in the process. Slowly but surely he was trying to lure James over to his side, but before the hugs and bonding could take place, cue Creepy Jungle Kid once again!

Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)

Three major occurrences happened in the scene with the Creepy Jungle Kid (CJK). The first is that we learned Sawyer could also see the little guy, which totally took Lockeness by surprise. I believe this is because Sawyer is special, as we learned way back in the day when he also saw Kate's vision of the black horse from her past in the jungle. The second thing that happened here was when Lockeness took off running after the CJK, then tripped and fell to find the kid just standing over him. Just like a disapproving parent, the kid muttered something about “the Rules”, which we have heard so many times on the show, and told Lockeness that he can't “kill him”.

If I am right in my assumption that this is a younger version or spirit of Jacob from a time when he and MIB once knew each other during more “human” times, then he was there to serve as a reminder that his crew of specifically “touched” survivors could not be directly murdered by his nemesis. This would refer to people like Sawyer, whom Lockeness was obviously trying to bring over to the dark side.

The final revelation, and my favorite, was Lockeness' response to the CJK as he walked away. Let's all now repeat in unison, “Don't tell me what I can't do!...DON'T TELL ME WHAT I CAN'T DO!!”.

Wait. Is it...? Could it be...? Is part of the Real John Locke somewhere in there, shining through without MIB even being aware of it, or able to stop it? I am willing to place bets that this might have related to the funeral. Remember John's words to Jack back in the “LA X” baggage claim? The “person” and the “body” are separate, and who knows where the “person” really goes when they die? We haven't lost Locke, we've just lost his body. And I believe right now that our dear, Real John Locke lives on somewhere inside this MIB-infected version, and is slowly-but-steadily beginning to reveal himself.

One more little thing needs to be mentioned here: Richard's sudden appearance out of the jungle as Sawyer waited alone for Lockeness to return from his chase. Richard told James that he must come to the Temple where he would be safe, and that MIB planned to not only kill him, but everyone he loved, everyone on the Island. Of course James refused, as he has already been to the Temple party and it was a dead-end of its own in his eyes. It was pretty evident that Richard was as terrified as a man could be, and upon MIB's return he disappeared just as quick as that first scene of the CJK.

Paint It, Black

Finally the dynamic duo reached a cliff-side and a very sketchy rope ladder down one very high ocean-facing wall. I loved not only the symbolic reference to “Jacob's Ladder”, but also how it was split into two sides, just like so many things in LOST. Once again I had some “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” flashbacks as Sawyer climbed down after Lockeness and the ladder suddenly broke apart and sent him slamming against the rocks and scrambling for his life. I think this may have been another part of Lockeness' plan, sort of like one of those trust-fall exercises, and he helped Sawyer gain his footing once again. Lockeness still needed Sawyer for something, and he was not just going to allow him to plummet to his death. Or at least, not yet anyway.

Once inside the cave, we were shown a set of scales with one white and one black rock on each side, in virtual balance. Lockeness proudly grabbed the white rock and then tossed it out into the sea. When Sawyer grumpily asked what that was all about, Lockeness simply replied, “Inside joke”. That statement was definitely made for the audience who has been seeing black and white stones since John Locke first explained to Walt the two sides in backgammon. And just like in that game, this one had a Light and a Dark player. It would seem the Dark Side had indeed now literally tipped the scales to his favor.

Shine a Light

Of course the greatest reveal of the entire episode came from deeper inside the cave, where Lockeness led Sawyer with torch in hand to a room with the ceiling and walls covered in some kind of writing. We were then shown that the writing was made up of the names of the very people we have come to know and love on the Island, and that each one in turn also corresponded to a number. Lockeness told Sawyer that these names represented the “candidates” that were in line to take Jacob's place as head honcho of the Island. Many of these names had been crossed out, possibly either because they had died, been claimed by MIB, or for some other reason had been proven unfit for service.

The six names left that were not already crossed out directly corresponded to THE Numbers themselves, 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42. Apparently Jacob not only had a thing for lists but had “a thing for numbers”, as Lockeness put it. Even though I believe there is more to the Numbers that just this, I have a feeling this reveal of their meaning will probably go no deeper on the show.

Even more interesting was the fact that each of The Numbers matched up with one of our main survivors. 4 was for Locke, who was quickly crossed off by MIB, since John was obviously no longer available. 8 was for Hugo. 15, Sawyer. 16 matched up with Sayid. 23 was for Jack, and 42 was for either Jin or Sun Kwon. Surprisingly absent was Kate's name, but I think she was on there somewhere not shown to us, as she too was “touched” by Jacob just as all these other folks listed had been.


Please Go Home

After Sawyer started to come to grips with this freaky realization that his name had been carved and numbered on the wall of this Island cave, the true mind-play began. Lockeness went on to tell Sawyer that he had been manipulated all his life by Jacob for the purpose of being brought to the Island, and that his whole life's worth of decisions could have very well been the product of Jacob's direct influence.

Finally, he gave Sawyer three choices. Lockeness said that he could just do nothing and see how things turned out. I think it was easy to tell that “seeing how things turned out” very well meant facing certain death. The second option was to take Jacob's place as leader of the Island. But then Lockeness told James that the Island wasn't special at all, that it was all just a farce, and that it never needed protecting in the first place. I think we all know that this was a big fat lie if there ever was one.

The third choice was to leave the Island, together. To go Home. I think this must be what the recruiting is all about. Wherever MIB is heading, he must also need some live and able bodies to come along for the homecoming reunion. And if it somehow actually involves the End of the World altogether, then the more souls along for the dark ride, the better chances he must have at succeeding with this overall plan. Lockeness was such the master at manipulating Sawyer in this scene, and so good at pressing all the right buttons, Sawyer finally agreed that “home” was exactly where he too wanted to go.

Let's hope that Sawyer was just playing along here, and is once more planning some larger con himself on Lockeness. Because I personally do not believe for one second that James Ford, con-men of all con-men, is going to so easily allow himself to be fooled EVER again.


CONCLUSION: Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind

The combination of the LOST writers’ incredible storytelling and understanding of the character and Terry O’ Quinn’s brilliant Emmy-winning portrayal has made John Locke without a doubt (in my humble opinion) the most intriguing man on the show. I am quite confident that he will probably go down in TV history as one of the most iconic characters to have ever graced the screen.

From his very first moment fresh from the crash of 815 on through to the present, John Locke has always been “special”; mysterious, wise, complex, emotional, and undoubtedly troubled. We have seen his heart broken, his body shattered, his confidence dissipated, his legs destroyed again and again, and his life totally taken from him, yet after all of this he still remains one of the most important, if not THE most important survivor of the entire series. This isn’t even taking into account the high level of mythology that surrounds him. He has taken the highest position as the faith-based Yin to Jack’s scientific Yang and is the very embodiment of the blind belief in destiny.

Sure, there are those of you who would debate this statement and defend Jack as the main character of LOST, and the one at the head of the line to become the ultimate “hero” of the show. But it was Locke who eventually triggered that change in Jack’s perception of his role in the grand scheme of things, gave him a new faith in destiny, and helped motivate him to take that Ajira Flight that brought him back where he was meant to be. Throughout the show John has always been the one most connected to the Island, and as the Man-in-Black-as-Locke put it, “…the only one of them that didn't wanna leave. The only one, who realized how pitiful the life he'd left behind actually was.”

It is difficult for me to think of Locke as no longer a man of faith, but this is exactly what he seems to have been revealed to be in this episode, or at least in this iteration. Instead, he is a man of acceptance, of realistic thinking, and as a result, a man of a much more balanced perspective of his life. His limitations only forced him to find his true calling, which seems to be teaching others. Overall, I really like the Locke of time-line X.

As Penny wrote in her letter to Desmond, “...all we really need to survive is one person who truly loves us.“ John Locke is not only happy, but he is loved, and that I believe is the most important thing of all.

Until next time,
a.N


*I write about LOST because I love the challenge of deciphering the clues and adding the pieces together. My thoughts are based solely on the show, the LOST Experience, and random research, as I try to avoid spoilers, promos, and even future episode titles. I love to guess what is going on, but I also like to do so in a way that leaves some of the conclusions still up to you. I do not know the answers and am often wrong. Whatever the truth turns out to be, it has been the journey that has meant the most to me.*

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