Episode 6.04 — "The Substitute"

Woah.

Now THAT, my friends, was an episode of LOST. Maybe my favorite so far this season, and I’ve already forgotten what Kate did, or does, or whatever. Well, I've always been a fan of the mythology more than the relationships between lead characters, so it's no surprise that "The Substitute" was right up my alley. We had a few answers, some cryptic comments and, of course, more questions. But what would a LOST episode be without those?

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1) The Candidates — So our LOSTies are "candidates." But for what? To be the island's protectors, according to Smokey. But he also said the Island was just an island and we all know that isn't true. I'm not sure how much trust we should be putting into MiB's statements at this point, but I can't help but feel that we were at least getting half-truths from this still nameless Island entity.



What did you make of the cave? Was it really Jacob’s? My initial thought was that it looked too "dark" to belong to Jacob. And I thought he made nice, neat lists, not scribbles on the walls of some hidden cave. So was this Jacob's hidden "filing cabinet"? Or is the cave where MiB has been keeping track of people brought to the Island by Jacob, or maybe a list of which candidates are left to dispose of?

The numbers are back, but not in the way I thought we would see them. It seems that each of the LOSTies (minus Kate, who we'll discuss in a sec) has been assigned a number. But there was no direct explanation of why they were appearing everywhere else. Unless they are the final visitors to the Island? A last chance to complete the ultimate task?



For those who didn't participate or don't know about the Valenzetti equation, it was a mathematical equation revealed in an ARG, "alternate reality game" (LOL), reportedly developed by a reclusive Princeton University mathematician name Enzo Valenzetti.

The game, dubbed the LOST Experience, used websites, voice mail, television and newspaper ads to give players clues to the game. Apparently the Valenzetti Equation "predicts the exact number of years and months until humanity extinguishes itself."

Here is an excerpt from the LOSTpedia description of the game:

"Alvar Hanso (remember him?) also states that the radio transmitter on the Island will "broadcast the core numerical values of the Valenzetti Equation." The numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42, are explained in the Sri Lanka Video as the numerical values to the core environmental and human factors of the Valenzetti Equation. Alvar Hanso also states in the video that the purpose of the DHARMA Initiative is to change the numerical values of any one of the core factors in the equation in order to give humanity a chance to survive, by effectively changing doomsday. However, Thomas Mittelwerk reveals that as of 2006, they have failed to change the values through manipulating the environment, as the equation continues to arrive at the same six numbers. It is unknown how or if the most recent calculation of the equation is automatically reflected in the radio transmissions."



So, yeah....crazy, huh? What do you make of it?

There is a theory about Kate's absence from the wall, which states that Jacob deliberately left her name off to keep her safe. This theory suggests that she is a perfect candidate to protect the island, and will eventually come to accept her role. Does Kate equal the sum of the remaining numbers (108)? There is definitely a reason we were shown all the names but hers, though I'm not sure this is the right one. I do hope Kate has some importance in this last season, but that remains to be seen.

Then we have fLocke give Sawyer three choices: 1) do nothing and let things play out, 2) accept the position to protect the Island per Jacob's request or 3) leave the island. Number 3 is the option for which fLocke needs Sawyer. He tries to convince Sawyer that the Island does not need protection from anything, but it seems that if people are fighting continuously over the island, there must be some reason to protect it. Right? I think Sawyer may realize this, but right now he simply doesn't give a flying fahrvergnügen.

2) So who are these guys really? — I am not convinced at this point that Jacob is the representative of good and MiB the representative of evil. It seems like we are being set up to believe that and I'm not sure if it's one last attempt at a plot twist or if they have just stopped pulling our legs since we don't have much time left. We were told we would be getting answers from the very beginning of the season, but we all know things are rarely as they seem on the Island. Either way, it is hard to justify MiB using his master manipulation or brute strength to kill people, or Jacob "bringing" visitors to the Island over the last few centuries to, well, die. I don't think either MiB or Jacob has a clean record.



Smokey's comment about once being a man was very curious. I thought he was always some ageless deity doing the bidding of a greater power but, if he is telling the truth, we have a new mystery on our hands. How did he become the Smoke Monster? Was it Jacob who cursed him? Or whoever their higher power is? Or could it be the sickness/infection gone supremely haywire? All we know is that he was a man and now he is trapped on the Island.

I can't help but agree with the folks who say Smokey is somehow physically confined to the Island. When we got that AWESOME perspective of Smokey traveling through various parts of the Island we again hear that metal clanking sound, almost like he is dragging chains. How you can cuff a Smoke Monster to an Island I have no idea, but I never said I could give you answers here people.



And who was that blond kid reminding fLocke of the rules? At first I thought it looked a lot like a younger Jacob, but then someone pointed out the possibility of it being Aaron. The timeline is a little tricky with that one, but we now know that anything is possible. I think my favorite scene of the entire episode was when fLocke yelled Locke's infamous line, "Don't tell me what I can't do!!" at the escaping boy. Chilling to say the least!

3) Locke IS alive... — But only in the Alt, of course. I don't know how you felt, but I was a little sad watching the old, depressed Locke. It seems that some of our Alt characters are much different than their other selves, but Locke's altered life looked like it ran very closely to the first version we witnessed. And man, I forgot what a sad life he had off the Island. Though it was good to see things worked out with Helen, and their relationship was better than we've ever seen. But, really, no wonder Locke was so happy on the Island. It satisfied the sense of adventure that had been growing throughout his life. He always knew he was destined for "greater" things. Not to mention he woke up with two fully functioning legs. And, again, Terry O'Quinn was absolutely brilliant playing the frustrated, angry Locke AND the fearless (except-in-the-presence-of-a-creepy-ghostlike-child) Smokey.



How weird was it to see Ben as a teacher?? European History, huh? Interesting. He didn't look nearly as creepy as our Ben, but I don't think Michael Emerson can act a scene without throwing a little of his eerie charm out there. What did you think of the Alt story in this episode?

4) Favorite lines/scenes (feel free to add your own in the comments section)—
*"John Locke was a believer. A much better man than I will ever be. And I'm sorry I killed him." -Ben at Locke's funeral
*"Weirdest damn funeral I've ever been to." -Frank at Locke's funeral
*"It's an inside joke." -fLocke, after throwing the white stone into the ocean.
*"Don't tell me what I can't do!!" -fLocke and Locke
*Smokey perspective! Awesome!



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"The Substitute" was a great redeemer for last week's episode, and I really hope that we get back to Claire and her crazy Island adventures on Wednesday. In the meantime, feel free to share your comments/questions/theories/corrections/hate mail/love mail on Facebook or in the comments section. I have heard some really great theories from you, so I know you have ideas brewing in those LOST-obsessed brains of yours!

Until next time...

Namaste...and good luck.

SFO

Episode 6.03 — "What Kate Does"

Greetings!

Well, okay, it was hard to follow that premiere, I understand. But why did it have to be Kate-centric? For me, Kate episodes are always a little weak. After such a fast-paced, epic opener, it seemed like we halted to a stop to check in with Kate and the love triangle, or what's left of it. I don't think Kate has changed at all since Season 1. Okay okay, she was a little different in the alt. And though my tone may be one of disappointment, the episode wasn't THAT bad. The good news is that it can only go up from here...

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1) Kate *sigh* — For those who know me, I rarely express negative emotions towards the show and its characters, but for some reason I rarely feel satisfied when we have a Kate episode. To see her 'chase' Sawyer (or Jack) is, well, getting really old. And then for her to tell Sawyer (who just watched Juliet die) that finding Claire would make all of their suffering worth it...is just ridiculous. What did she think, that Sawyer, after JUST losing his bride-to-be, would hop on Kate's bandwagon and go prancing through the jungle in hopes of finding someone who disappeared a while back? Give the man his space, Kate. The last thing he needs is for you to flaunt your Kate-ness all over. Am I alone here??



I'll admit, I did like the Alt Kate storyline, no matter how preposterous it is that a pregnant chick would get back in the car with the fugitive who just held her up at gunpoint. But, c'mon, it's LOST...since when do characters act logically? It was really interesting to see the parallels between the two universes—Ethan serving as Claire's doc, Kate being present for Aaron's birth, Arzt being awesomely annoying, etc.

So, what is it that Kate actually does for the episode to earn its name? I'm assuming it's the fact that Kate HAS changed (a teeny tiny bit) in the alt universe. Some believe that in her previous life, Kate would have never stopped to help Claire and this shows the subtle effect that her past experience has on her in this universe. This is arguable though seeing as how Kate always seems to have a soft spot for those in need. (Remember the Australian farmer?) The other main theory is that Kate is actually innocent of the accused crime, because the fact that the producers changed the title from the previous episode "What Kate Did" to "What Kate Does" somehow negates what she "did" in the previous episode. Either way, I'm not sure it has much significance. But I would love to be proven wrong.



2) Claire — Sooooo happy to see Claire again. Though it wasn't until the end of the episode when I got what I really wanted...a peek into Claire's life on the Island during the past three years. Some were confused at the ending, saying that Claire shot the Others to protect her friend Jin, but then she looked confused when he called her name. Quite simply, Claire was NOT protecting Jin. She was protecting herself from the Temple Others, who now appear to be her enemy since she was "claimed" (by the MiB, I assume), as Dogen told us.

Before we get into that, let's just have a quick recap of Alt Claire. Well, she is pretty much in the same scenario as we found in Season 1: She’s preggers and flying to L.A. to give her baby up for adoption. There is something interesting to note in this episode though, and that is the date on Claire's ultrasound printout. The date is 10/22/04, exactly one month after the original flight 815 crashed, meaning that everything we've seen in the Alt is transpiring one month after the original flight and crash. I'm not sure what the significance is but it's something worth pointing out in case it comes up again.



Okay, so back to on-Island Claire. Um, Rousseau, anyone? I know I wasn't the only person to immediately think of that "crazy French chick" when I saw filthy, scraggly Claire, right? Since we were told she has been claimed, it made me wonder what exactly that means. Are there varying degrees of "possession" by the MiB? Can you be infected but not totally evil or completely under the control of MiB? If that is the case, then we reeeally need to look at Locke throughout the previous seasons... If it's not the case, and Claire is infected and evil, this should be veeeerrrry interesting.

3) Temple Others — Okay, so I'm still confused about the purpose and nature of these folks. I mean, I don't expect to know in the third episode what their ultimate purpose is (wait, this is the final season....TELL US!!). I can't figure out why they are so violent. And we know the Others have a history of being violent. They have rarely shown any hesitation as far as harming or killing their enemies. Are these really the good guys?? Does it make you look at Jacob in a different light?



Then there's Sayid and the test. This scene was very difficult for me to watch. At first, I didn't understand why we had to see that or what exactly the purpose was. But it seems it was testing Sayid’s ability to heal...I think. We saw Jack make a comment to Sayid about how well his wound was healing. The test may have been to see if the wound would reopen, thus proving Sayid is not truly being healed but rather he is showing signs of a false healing, like what MiB might give to his followers. Others think it was a test for Jack to see if he would blindly follow Dogen. I need to watch it again. What was your take?

4) What's to come — I've read many theories about where people think this season is going. I've also included a few of my thoughts in previous posts. I'm still thinking there will be some sort of merge between the realities. In the Alt, we will continue to see the Alties crossing paths and interacting in ways that resemble what has happened on the Island. (Possible course correction?) I don't believe we have any major clues as to what will happen to bring these two realities together, but I'm hoping that in the last season of show, they will do something epic.


(Sorry, I had to throw a pic of Mac in there!)

5) Share your responses to various one-liner theories —

a) Eloise Hawking made it to the Orchid before the bomb was dropped in 1977 and turned the donkey wheel just as the bomb went off, banishing her from the Island and sending her back home where she began to push her son, Daniel, into the field of theoretical physics.
b) Jacob and MiB are playing a cosmic game of Go: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(game)
c) The Alt story isn't happening parallel to our story but is what transpires after the end of the series, when the LOSTies "fix" time.
d) Jack is a descendant of Jacob, therefore making Aaron part of the family line as well.

Do any of these seem plausible to you? Why or why not?

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I was seriously considering waiting to write a unified post for "What Kate Does" and the upcoming episode, since I didn't find all that much to discuss this week. But I'm sure I missed something big, as I did not re-watch the episode or write this from any notes. I would love to hear what you thought about this week's episode. Feel free to prove to me that it wasn't as bad as I may have made it sound!

Until next time...

Namaste...and good luck.

SFO

Season 6 Premiere — "LA X"

Greetings!

It is with great enthusiasm (and a hint of sadness) that I begin this blogging journey through the final season of our beloved prime time soap opera. It is hard to believe that it was nearly six years ago when many of us took our first trip to the Island, no? We have seen many come and many go, but if you are still here, reading this, I commend you on making it this far. There does seem to be a growing light at the end of the tunnel. Though I’m sure after that premiere of epic proportions some of you are wondering why exactly you are still trying to figure out what the frick is going on! Hopefully by discussing some major points of confusion and ambiguity, we will be able to rise above the cloud of unknowing and reach a level of understanding that will make it all worthwhile. So…here we go!

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1) “Flash-sideways” — Well of course we should have expected an opening “WTF” scene. I mean, this is LOST, people. Though for a moment during the hiatus, I was certain we would again be introduced to a new character and view an old scene from a different perspective. Instead we had familiar faces in a new place. A new universe. A new reality. A “flash-sideways.”



There was much discussion at the end of last season about the two directions in which the show could possibly head during its final season. One side agreed with the “whatever happened, happened” theory initially proposed by Faraday: that in fact the LOSTies, in trying to prevent their plane from crashing, actually caused the Swan to be built, eventually bringing them to the Island. Others were convinced there would be a “reset,” as Faraday eventually came to believe, and that our LOSTies could change their fate and would land safely in LAX, existing in a reality without their experience on the Island. Well, folks…it looks like we’re getting both.

In my last post from October (…geez, has it really been that long?) I presented a theory in which the Incident actually caused both things to happen. That is, it spawned a new reality, the reset reality, while still causing things to pan out the way we’ve seen so far. It looks like that is coming to life, though I’m still not sure what exactly this means or what the implications are regarding the end game.

For now, I’m sticking with the original theory that there will be some sort of merge of these realities. It wouldn’t make sense to watch this alternate reality without it having some direct impact on what we have seen over the last five years. Some say the Alties (<---the name I’m using right now to describe the “Alternate Universe LOSTies”) will have to die so the other versions of themselves can live on the Island, or vice versa. At this point, I’m convinced that the Alties are important to the universe we have come to know and love, and that they will somehow cross over to complete some crucial task or wage the final war. I mean, for all we know, there is only one real Locke alive…and he is in the Alt.



Now I really don’t know if “alternate universe” is the correct phrase here. It just makes sense to me that way right now. It could very well be that what we have been watching in previous seasons is actually the Alt, and that fate was always meant to steer the LOSTies AWAY from the Island. Somehow that was broken and we were allowed to view this rare, “alternate” interaction with the Island and its entities.

2) Flight 815x — Which similarities and/or differences did you notice during our first venture in the Alt universe via Flight 815x? Did you notice the Jack/Rose role reversal? Of course you couldn’t have missed Desmond, right?

I loved Jack’s face when we first saw him in this episode. He looked much like Desmond did last season after waking up from a dream about the Island in which Faraday told him to go see Eloise Hawking. Like all of a sudden Jack had this sense that something was…different. A new ‘memory,’ perhaps? The fact that the on-Island LOSTies do not have any hint of an alt (‘cept Juliet, who I’ll discuss in a minute) makes me think even more that these Alties are destined to join the other universe instead of the other way around. They will spend some time uncovering their “lost” memories and realize what they have to do. (My only hesitation about this theory is the possibility of having another “We have to go back!!” sequence. I hope if there is a merge, it happens in another uniquely LOST way.)



I also loved the Jack/Rose interactions. If I remember correctly, on the original 815 flight, Jack was the one comforting Rose during the unpleasant turbulence. This time it was Rose who showed the calming bedside manner. And the “Looks like we made it…”/”We sure did,” exchange was perfect. Rose knows. Jack is beginning to know. And Locke has to know as well. Didn’t his description of the walkabout sound a lot like his experience on the Island?

There were a couple of things that confused me about this flight, though. The first was Desmond’s presence. The fact that he was there just long enough to jog Jack’s memory then disappeared as if he was…passing through the dimensions? We all know that Des has been dubbed “special” on several occasions and I think we may have gotten another glimpse of that. But can he control his ability to traverse different realities without consequence? If not, why the frick was he on that plane? Anyone??



The other point of ambiguity for me regarding this Flight 815 was Charlie’s comment, “I was supposed to die.” Did that have any other significance? We have seen “dead-but-here” Charlie (through Hurley’s eyes) so it makes me wonder how aware Charlie is of this situation. What do you think?

Oh, and there was one point when Jack and Desmond looked like mirror images of each other. Des had his hand to his chin and Jack made the same gesture with the opposite hand when he was trying to figure out who Des was. I don’t know if this is significant in any way, but it just caught my eye. *shrugs*

3) What’s your name?? — So it has been confirmed that fLocke (fake Locke) is indeed the MiB (Man in Black) from last season’s finale. And it was also confirmed that the MiB and the Smoke Monster are one and the same, or at least very closely related. The scene in which an armed Bram & Co. came into the foot and a calm, super creepy fLocke’s like, "Oh, don't worry about me. Your Jacob bodyguard services are not needed anymore bro, 'cause Jacob done burned up in that fire right there…you are free to go”…Yeah, that was awesome.



Terry O’Quinn is simply amazing on this show. I have gone through several phases of liking and disliking his character…but to see him play the ominous and mysterious MiB in one scene and then tap into the weak, paralyzed pre-Island Locke was incredible. They have already set the bar high for O’Quinn this season.

Some Q’s about the MiB:
*Where is his home? The Temple Others pretty much freaked out when they found out Jacob was dead and immediately protected themselves with ash. So…is the Temple the MiB’s home? Why does he want to go back there? Was anyone else creeped out when fLocke delivered that line then stared at Ben all alien-like?
*Did MiB really know what Jacob meant when he said "They’re coming," right before he died? He seems to be convinced that he defeated Jacob, no? Or maybe he is in denial that the Alties are coming?
*When are we gonna learn his friggin’ name??



4) "It worked!" — Overall, I thought these scenes were a decent way to say goodbye to "Suliet." Though I swear if I have to watch that clip of Juliet pathetically bashing the bomb with a rock once more, I might go berserk. Anyway, Sawyer’s definitely out to get Jack, setting up a great conflict between those who remain on the Island. I can totally see Sawyer going dark side this season. fLocke and Sawyer would be a pretty formidable opponent for those who stand in their way.



But the most interesting thing about Juliet's death was her state of mind right before she died. She said something to Sawyer about getting coffee and going dutch. Then she apparently told Miles "It worked," which immediately made me think of the Alt. Could it be that Juliet, in her final moments, had a glimpse of the Alt and saw that everything was okay? Maybe she and Sawyer meet again elsewhere in reality?

5) Umm, underwater Island? — Dude…wtf? Apparently this was in the Alt, so something happened there that put the Island out of commission. Hmm, maybe this reality is more important than I think? I’m guessing this will be explained much later in the season, but I would hope we get a peek into this mystery soon. So then, it seems the bomb did not go off in the LOSTies reality, but possibly in the Alt, thus "sinking" the Island?



6) The Temple and the other Others — I don’t know what to think about the Temple Others. They seem creepy, but also wise and almost…ancient? Are these the same Others? For some reason, I cannot see Ben leading those people. He did know of the Temple, though (that’s where he sent Alex and Danielle, but they were killed/captured along the way) and Richard obviously knows of it too.



So, who are the real good guys on the show? For some reason, I had a feeling that the Temple folk would be holy mystic types, or peaceful warriors of some kind. Instead they seem ritualistic and violent. I’m confused!

And what was up with drowning Sayid? I thought for sure they were drowning him knowing he was going to come back. Maybe it had something to do with the murky water and the fact that the guy's hand didn't heal when he dipped it in the pool? Could this have something to do with Jacob's death or whatever is possessing Sayid?

7) What/who is Sayid now? — That last scene was pretty creepy. There is some talk that Sayid might be Jacob reincarnated, but I’m not yet convinced that is the case. It seems like a logical answer, seeing as how Jacob told Hurley to bring the body to the Temple, and Jacob had just died. But…something felt weird, I don’t know. *shrugs* I’m almost positive Sayid had a different voice tone/accent when he asked, "What happened?" at the end of the episode. But of course, I could be totally wrong. I have to watch it again! I can’t wait to see where this is going!



8) Favorite lines/scenes —
*Underwater Island flyby!!! WTF?!?! (Did you see the Dharma logo on the shark?)
*"I’m sorry you had to see me like that." –fLocke to Ben after whoopin’ Bram & Co. as the Monster
*Rose and Bernard…gotta love 'em.
*"I'm very disappointed…in all of you!" -fLocke to everyone on the beach
*The Boone/Locke 815x encounter. Looks like they get along in every reality!
*Claire!!!!
*"Excuse me, I carried that case across the ocean and like, through time? I wanna know what that paper says." -Hurley to the dude who doesn't like the "taste" of English
*Ben’s face when he sees Locke’s corpse. Actually, Ben’s face was pretty satisfying throughout the whole ep. It was great to see him freaked out and confused…like the rest of us.



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During the hiatus, the producers had been saying Season 6 would feel a lot like Season 1. Even though we are off to a pretty wild and unprecedented start, I do think they are already doing a good job of recapturing that nostalgic emotion. It really felt like a new show to me.

What did you think? Please leave your thoughts, comments and questions! It really helps to hear some other ideas!

Until next time…

Namaste…and good luck.

SFO