Episode 6.09 — “Ab Aeterno”

Greetings!

Well, I have been waiting for a moment of drug-free clarity to finish writing and organizing my thoughts on “Ab Aeterno” and then realized it would be a while before I have a head clear of pain meds. So, my LOST friends, what you see is what you get! Consider this your warning that what follows may be even more jumbled and rambly than usual.

For the record, I thought this episode was friggin’ awesome. If you weren’t somewhat satisfied with “Ab Aeterno” then you are going to hate the rest of the series. Sorry. I have actually read posts on the forums from frustrated viewers claiming this episode did not give us any answers. Umm, what? I have no idea what show they were watching on Tuesday, but this is the kind of LOST I wanted to see in the final season. I’ve been waiting for this Richard episode since his initial mysterious appearances in Season 3, and I felt it delivered a dramatic, entertaining and epic story of the character, which was played wonderfully by Nestor Carbonell.

Of course, the more we peel back the layers of the Island’s history, the more we scratch our heads, but this episode was a refreshing step away from the sideways format and into the meat of the mythology. Here are some things I found interesting. I hope you will add to the discussion!

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1) Can we go ahead and agree that neither of these guys is good? — Both Jacob and MiB are responsible, either directly or indirectly, for many, many deaths throughout the Island’s history. Neither seems to have a real problem responding with violence, or allowing it to happen, when they are threatened or when they want to make a point. And for MiB, violence seems to be the method of choice.



Jacob has brought humans to the Island over and over again to prove to MiB that they aren’t worthless vehicles of destruction. Is this not a selfish act stroking Jacob's ego? Would God and/or his representatives allow such things to prove a point to their enemy? Would they destroy life just to prove the opposition wrong?

And those who are “touched” by Jacob are the ones who seem to suffer the most, no? The prime example is Locke, who arguably had the greatest faith in the Island and Jacob, and he paid the ultimate price for his loyalty to this entity. Though in this episode we got a glimpse of Richard's humanity and how he suffered for the Island as well.

Throughout this final season, we’ve been given mirror images of each character via the Alt. Does anyone think it’s possible that the same thing could be happening with our oldest Island inhabitants? Could Jacob and MiB be two sides of the same entity? They must be related somehow, whether they’re brothers, cousins or best buddies gone bad, right? MiB said something about how Jacob “stole” his body. Does that mean Jacob now controls it? Is the Island a kind of self-inflicted prison meant to capture and detain the “evil” part of the Jacob entity? Do we already know the name of MiB? Is it…Jacob?

2) The Cork — In this episode, we find Jacob describing the Island as a “cork,” which keeps MiB (aka “evil” or “darkness”) from escaping and spreading beyond the confines of the Island to the rest of the world. If we continue with this analogy of the Island as a stopper, or barrier, then what exactly is the wine bottle? Is the Island a gateway into the world of the unseen, or another dimension? And what exactly are the consequences of MiB’s escape? Can the world really get any worse? Maybe it is better that he escapes and ends things once and for all so this silly game between these two characters can cease!



Since the Island is underwater in the Alt, does this give us a clue as to what the Alt really is? Does it mean MiB has escaped his Island prison and is free to roam the world in this version of history? Are the lives of our LOSTies in the Alt as pleasant as they seem? I certainly don’t think so. But when will we see the true nature of this other universe? When are things going to take a turn for the worse? Will we eventually see MiB’s influence on our characters? Am I totally off my rocker here?

3) Jacob’s “power” — Bring Richard’s wife back? Nope. Give Richard absolution and forgiveness for his sins? Sorry. Eternal life? Say no more, my friend! Have I got a deal for you!

Exactly how powerful is Jacob? Was he being completely truthful with Richard? I thought Dogen said Jacob would bring his son back to life after that horrible car accident if Dogen would fulfill a role on the Island. So do Jacob’s resurrection powers depend on the situation? Or is this just Jacob using more manipulation to get his players in place?



Certainly Jacob is not the all-powerful God, but I think he may be a (reluctant) servant of the Almighty. It is possible that Jacob himself acted out of line and now his punishment is keeping an eye on MiB for the remainder of his days. Hmm?

4) God (Jacob) vs. El Diablo (MiB) — Now I don’t necessarily think it’s “God” versus the “Devil” here (or strictly good versus evil) but these Island characters do have many similarities to how both of these entities usually work. God traditionally prefers to manifest himself through people and their subtle, divine spiritual revelations—more of a behind-the-scenes kind of guy, if you will—while the Devil never has a problem getting in someone’s face and telling them how it is (or how he sees it).



But by painting MiB and Jacob with the ambiguous brush, the writers have allowed themselves the chance to pull the ol’ switcheroo on us. It may be a little late in the game to do something that drastic, but we’ve seen crazier things on this show. Some have voiced their disappointment in the possibility that the show is simply another way to tell the good versus evil story but, honestly, if you look back to earlier seasons (Season 1, especially) this is nothing new on LOST. And for me personally, it’s been one of the greatest versions of this age-old tale. I’m just very interested to see how they choose to resolve it all.

5) The Island world’s influence on the Alt — If we assume that the Alt is MiB winning the game, or escaping the Island, then can we assume that the sides chosen in the Island world reflect how the character’s lives play out in the Alt? For example, Sayid has turned dark on the Island and in the Alt he remains a killer. Keamy was very evil in the Island world and still ends up a gangster of sorts in the Alt. Hurley ultimately chooses good (I assume) and ends up as the luckiest guy ever. Coincidence? How do YOU think these two realities connect to each other?



6) Compliments of posters on the Fuselage, here are just a few things we learned this episode (for all you skeptics) —
- How Richard came to the Island.
- Why Richard never ages.
- How Magnus Hanso and the Black Rock ended up on the Island.
- How the giant statue was reduced to just a foot.
- Why MiB wants to kill Jacob.
- The island isn't actually hell but rather the barrier to hell on earth.
- Jacob brings "morally questionable" people to the island to show MiB that they cannot all be corrupted.
- Jacob asked Ilana to protect the Candidates.

Not bad for one episode of LOST, huh?



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As I mentioned above, this is the kind of LOST I was hoping to see in the final season. I really enjoyed the linear storytelling format of the episode, as it was a nice break from what we’ve been seeing week to week so far. I don’t imagine we’ll get another of these eps for a couple of weeks, but I am confident we’ll have a few more mythos-heavy hours before the season’s end.

Also, I didn’t include a “Favorite Lines/Scenes” section this week so please leave your favorites in the comments section!

Thank you all for your patience while I continue to recover from my surgery! I’m hoping by this time next week I’ll be off my pain medication and able to focus more on LOST and the blog. We’re halfway through the final season, so hang in there, fellow LOSToholics! The end is near!

Until next time…

Namaste…and good luck.

SFO

Episode 6.08 — "Recon"

Hello, LOSTies!

Although I'm really dying to write about this week's Richard-centric episode, I made a promise to myself at the beginning of this final season that I would post at least a little something on each episode. I don't want to spend too much time on "Recon," mainly because I don't feel there is that much to talk about, but also because I really want to shift gears and discuss the major mythology points we were presented with "Ab Aeterno." So if this post seems a bit short and uninspired, that's probably why. Well, let's get to it!

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1) Mirror images/Altverse — As in the previous sideways episodes we were given another literal mirror image of the centric character, which offered us a metaphorical comparison of the two versions of the same person. In Sawyer's flash-sideways we learn he is a cop but still apparently has all of his conman skills. While there are many significant differences between the Sawyers, we know that in both versions his parents died because of the real Sawyer's interference and that this particular incident is what is driving the dark side of him. Does this prove that the Altverse was not created until 1977, when the Incident occurred?



The only thing that is bothering me about the flash-sideways episodes is that we still have no major clues as to what the heck their relation is to the story we've been following. (Or do we? I'm trying to write this pretending I haven't seen "Ab Aeterno" so I'll address this more in the next post.) That, and the fact that everyone in the Altverse is in Los Angeles. That is either lazy writing or something significant. Yes, I know everyone was originally on a plane heading to Los Angeles but I'm pretty sure ALL of the characters didn't live or work there (like Sawyer). Is this just a storytelling device to make sure all of the LOSTies interact in the Altverse, or is there a major clue to the nature of the Altverse? Are they all unknowingly gathering in Los Angeles for a game-changing moment that will shoot these LOSTies into the other universe? Any guesses?

2) fLocke & Kate's chat — This was probably my favorite scene of the entire episode. And guess what? There was no Sawyer! Sorry all you Sawyer-lovers out there, but my interest in that character is dwindling at the moment so forgive me for focusing on other scenes in his centric episode. Truth is, there were way more interesting things happening when Sawyer was not on screen. (Or having sex twice in the first 20 minutes...By the way, I didn't realize the LAPD condoned sleeping with potential criminals during a "setup.")



Okay, aaanyway, so we learned a little more about fLocke's history from his conversation with Kate. We learned that he had a crazy mother, he had some "growing pains" and that all of his suffering could have been avoided. Hmmmm. I know I mentioned this in a previous post, but I'm still not sure what a lot of you think about the theory that states the sideways world is proof that MiB "wins" and the fact that the Island is underwater in the Alt means he has escaped. Anyone think that theory still stands?

3) Widmore — It seems that Widmore is indeed against MiB but...why? Do we have any information about the history of their relationship? Also, I wouldn't count out the possibility that Widmore is on his own side, making one last attempt to claim the Island for himself. He seems willing and able to protect the Island from anything ('cept Ben Linus in his prime) and I wouldn't be surprised if he was the mastermind behind creating those pylons that can keep out Smokey.



So who killed all the rest of the Ajira survivors? It couldn't have been Widmore, right? When Sawyer approached the pile o' bodies he covered his nose because of the stench, meaning that those bodies must have been sitting there for a while. It has to be Smokey, yeah? I mean, Smokey has no problems killing (or lying about killing in front of children).

Ooo, and what do you think was in the locked door on Widdie's sub??

4) Crossing over — As of now, it seems like Jack is the only one in the Altverse who has some vague recollection of what happened in the other universe. There have been glimpses of memories with other characters (think of Kate's face when she heard Claire say "Aaron" in "What Kate Does"). However, even though all of these characters might not realize that they exist elsewhere in reality, I think they are experiencing the consequences of decisions made by their other selves.



When Sawyer finally came clean with Miles about the real Sawyer, he explains how he was in Australia chasing down leads on Anthony Cooper. Then he tells Miles that when he finds him, he's going to kill him. The tone of voice, the expression, everything, totally looked like Island Sawyer. Does anyone think that one version of these characters will absorb the qualities of the other, thus creating the "full" version of each and preparing them to complete the task for which they were created?

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As most of you know, I'm recovering from surgery and on heavy doses of pain meds, so while this may all make sense to me, I completely understand if it didn't quite come out as a coherent analysis of "Recon." I would be happy to clear anything up in this post, so feel free to leave a comment or send me a message and I will try again. =)

Until next time...

Namaste...and good luck.

SFO

Episode 6.07 — “Dr. Linus”

Hello, my fellow LOSTies!

Welcome to another *cough* belated *cough* post on The Fail-Safe Key. Last week we got a brief look into the life of “Dr. Linus, Modern European History professor,” and what an interesting glimpse it was. The general fan reaction to this episode was much more positive in comparison to the previous Sayid-centric episode (some have even said it was their favorite so far) and I can’t help but think it has something to do with Michael Emerson’s awesome acting.

Anyway, I have just a few things I wanted to discuss with you so feel free to add your own comments or message me if you have something to share!

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1) “Dr. Linus” — Wasn’t it weird to see yet another character so different from what we know, but still basically the same? The mirror image of Ben Linus was very entertaining to watch and for a moment—just a moment—I thought we would see Ben stumble and fall back into his ol’ Island ways, giving up Alex for a taste of school administrative power. Much like what happened to “I’m-not-a-killer-anymore” Sayid.



But the Alt shows us that these versions are indeed tweaked a bit. It was alllllmost like our Ben but he was just too darn nice. I do think you could see the “Ben-isms” working deeply in his subconscious; however, they were unable to poke through. Is it possible that the characters from each world will begin to bleed into one another? Will Alt Ben become more and more like Island Ben and vice versa? Could we see the decline of Ben in the Alt and the redemption of Ben on the Island?

The Dr. Linus/Alex relationship was also fun to watch. It was good to see them happy and working together and not in the middle of some weird mercenary takeover of a secret Island, yes?



We also learned that Ben and his dad were still part of the Dharma Initiative but left before the Island somehow ended up underwater. I really liked that scene between Ben and Roger. A much better relationship than what we had come to know, right? It seems Roger wanted great things for his son—a moment I found to be quite amusing, since those great things would’ve turned out to be Ben murdering Roger and the entire Dharma population in the Island.

2) Ilana/Jacob relationship — I am very interested in this. Ilana said Jacob was the closest thing she ever had to a father. What exactly is their relationship? Who is Ilana? Where did she come from? We saw Jacob visit her in a hospital and ask for her help in the finale of Season 5 (I think). What was she doing there? Where did that take place??



I initially felt she did an awfully quick 180 with Ben. First she he chained him up, held him at gunpoint, chased him into the forest and then forgives him after a little Jack-style jungle crying. Well I guess he did confess and show remorse. And the last thing Ilana needs is Ben on the wrong side. I hope this Ben sticks around because I’ve always wanted to believe he’d end up a “good” guy.

3) Richard — Seriously, Richard, stop saying everyone is dead. You said you watched the LOSTies die in 1977 and then you said everyone at the Temple is dead. So that’s two times you’re full of crap. Nice try. No one’s buying that you don’t wear eyeliner, either.



Then we have Richard telling Hurley and Jack to not listen to Jacob. Is that simply because he lost his faith or is it because Jacob is dead and Richard is worried about MiB shapeshifting into Jacob? Either way, if there’s one thing to do in this situation it is NOT listen to the ageless wonder.

We also hear the story about Jacob touching Richard and I assume that’s why he does not age. He said Jacob gave him a gift. So then did the other LOSTies get “gifts” as Richard described? Maybe not the whole eternal semi-youth thing, but something else, unique to each LOSTie? Any guesses?



This episode also confirmed (for me, at least) that Richard came to the Island on the Black Rock. The way he looked at the chains when he was walking through made it pretty obvious. Also, it makes MiB’s comment in the premiere (“Good to see you out of those chains, Richard”) a bit more logical, right? Is anyone else dying to see how that all went down???

4) Jack — Jack’s officially lost it. That is all.



(But he’s right, of course.)

5) Widmore — How many of you called it? Did you know Widmore was the person coming to the Island? The final scene was pretty awesome (in all of its CGI glory) and we know that Widmore isn’t there to find the LOSTies or help them in any way. He is obviously on a mission and his mission does not involve stopping to ask them questions. So what’s he doing there?

Does anyone think he's going to the Hydra Island to meet fLocke? Whose side is Widmore really on? Is he truly a bad guy or is he fooling one side to get intel? What’s he got up his sleeve? Is he planning on disposing of Ben once and for all and taking over the Island? Does he know that Ben is not in charge anymore? Maybe he is coming for his own reasons? Will he use Jacob and MiB to get what he wants?



I know, I know, a lot of questions and not many answers regarding this. But when you only get a few seconds with a character at the end of a LOST episode, chances are you’ll have no idea what it means until the next episode (at least). I do know we have some very smart viewers out there so if you have any theories on this, please share!


6) Favorite lines/scenes —
*Dr. Linus’ description of Elba to his students at the opening of the episode.
*RICHARD: What if you're wrong?
JACK: I'm not.
(dynamite fuse goes out)
JACK: Wanna try another stick?
*“He was standing over him with a bloody knife, so yeah I'm sure.”
*"Dude, that's what Arzt said, and I was still picking bits of him out of my shirt two weeks later."
*The mini-reunion at the end of the episode. So season 1, dude.



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So we still haven’t gotten any major clues as to how this Alt plays into the story we’ve been watching for five years and something tells me we’re not going to really know about it for at least a few more episodes. I really hope they don’t wait until the end of the season to start giving us clues but I’m still (naïvely?) putting my trust in the writers to finish their story with a bang. Only time will tell if I am right or not.

I apologize for the delay this week and I hope this post still helps with understanding a little more about “Dr. Linus” and where the series might be going as a whole. If you have any end-game theories, please share because I would love to know where you think we are headed!

Until next time…

Namaste…and good luck.

SFO

Episode 6.06 — "Sundown"

Greetings, LOSTies!

Well, it seems as if this episode was a turning point for a lot of fans, and I don't necessarily mean story-wise. There have been a lot of negative reviews of "Sundown," which in turn has opened the floodgates to criticism of the whole season so far. LOSTies are some of the most passionate fans of a television show I have ever come across, so it's no surprise that they want to express confusion or frustration when they feel their favorite show is not making the grade during its final season.

However, I do feel that LOST will be looked at in a completely different light when it is viewed by first-timers (and veterans, for that matter) through the DVD experience. Having to wait a week after each episode, especially if you are expecting answers, can be a little tedious. So many people simply want closure and have focused on what hasn't been addressed rather than what info we have been given or the setup that is taking place for the end of the series.

In this post we will look at "Sundown," but I also hope to address a few of these larger issues, maybe putting a few things into perspective so all of us may enjoy the final few hours of the show.



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1) Sayid Jarrah, different but not really — I'd like to first expand a little on why I think a lot of people are frustrated with this new flash storytelling device. For those who are LOST mythology fans like myself, it is difficult to see so much episode time spent on seemingly useless stories about LOSTies, confirming what we already know about them. Certainly their lives are different, some significantly so, but the basic "lesson" is the same. We've spent five years learning the ins and outs of the characters' personalities, so why exactly do we need to see them again in a different context?

All I can say is be patient. Since when do we get major answers in the first few episodes of the season? And actually, we've already been given some decent reveals and even some smaller ones as well. Here are just a few: 1) The MiB is fLocke is the Smoke Monster, 2) We know more about the Jacob/fLocke relationship (i.e., there are rules to their game; the LOSTies are pawns; Jacob has been watching them for a long time), 3) We have a clearer idea of what MiB wants, which is to go home, 4) We've seen inside the mysterious Temple and learned that it has a healing pool.



Okay, anyway I did want to talk about Sayid and his story in "Sundown." A friend of mine sent me an email defending what he felt was a great episode. His points really helped me appreciate some things I might have missed and helped me again realize that LOST is about more than a list of mythology questions that need to be answered. To him, this episode was the climax of the Sayid character arc and forced Sayid to finally comes to terms with what he is: a killer.

Here's his take: "Sayid has spent the entire series trying to convince himself and others that he is 'a good man.' Yet, he consistently shows us otherwise. He tortured Sawyer, beat Ben to a pulp when he was locked up, killed a bunch of people for Ben (including a woman he was romantically involved with), shot a child version of Ben, and I'm still probably forgetting some. He is not a good man (a badass, but in the words of Lost, not one of the good guys). He is a killer. He is a killer here, and he is a killer in the alternate reality, even though it says he's spent the past 12 years trying to atone for that. This episode was Sayid finally realizing that he can't change who he is in either of the realities he exists in right now."

Well said!

This episode also gave us another satisfying death of Martin Keamy, which I cannot imagine was disappointing for anyone. And then we found Jin tied and gagged in the same place. Hmm, did Mr. Kwon owe a little money as well? Or is Keamy one of Paik's goons who caught up with Jin when the Kwons arrived in L.A.?

2) Leaving so soon, Dogen? — Well it looks like my initial assumptions about Dogen were wrong. He is no mystical super power on the Island. Instead, we learn he was just a regular dude before Jacob brought him to the Island like everyone else. It did seem like he was the only one who had answers and now he is dead, floating peacefully in the Temple's pool of life.



I mean, not that we would get any answers from him anyway. His appearances on the show followed the typical "LOST policy of explanations" (courtesy of atlas1212 at the Fuselage): 1) Character asks direct question that would help us understand, 2) Person who should give the answer answers with another question or obscure philosophical reference, 3) Character responds with silence...cut scene...never get a straight answer.

Hmm, does that sound familiar?

I did enjoy Dogen's presence on the show and wish he would have stuck around (maybe he will as one of the infected?) so we could actually get some direct answers from him (maybe). The Dogen/Sayid fight scene was also quite entertaining to watch. And there was one other exchange that is worth noting. It happens after Dogen shares his personal off-Island story with Sayid. Apparently Jacob came to Dogen during a time of grief and offered him a deal, which sounded eerily similar to the one fLocke made with Sayid. Hmmm, who are these guys again? Are we sure either of them is good??

3) The Temple and the Others — Was anyone else surprised at the Temple Others' reaction when they received the message that fLocke was coming? So much for loyalty to Jacob. They practically had their bags packed and were ready to flee at the drop of a hat. I think this pretty much confirms that the Others are just normal people brought to the Island like Dogen, Ben and the all of the LOSTies. And they are definitely ready to get the hell of that Island! Do any of them know who MiB is? If they did, do you think they would really go with him? Are they that dissatisfied with life at the Temple? It just seemed like a strange (and quick) turn of events at the end there.



So is the Temple just a building that houses the pool? Is there anything else special about it? It certainly looks old with all of its hieroglyphics and whatnot, but basically all we have seen is the courtyard, Dogen's lair and Claire's prison. I wouldn't be surprised if it had some spiritual purpose at one point during its history on the Island but now it just seems like a holding cell for wandering Others who have lost their way. I honestly think that the majority of the Others are like Richard in that they have no idea what the bigger picture is.

Which begs the question, "What is the Others' purpose?" Are they ex-candidates left to do Jacob's bidding whenever he needs some manpower? Are they really protecting anything? Anyone have insight into this?

4) Creepy Temple raid scene (and ending) — We've gotten so much Smokey action already this season! I am loving it! Lots of bloody carnage and creepy fLocke looks. Ah, this is the LOST I like to watch. I did have a few questions about this scene, though, and hopefully you will be able to fill in a few holes for me.

First, where was Richard? Last time we saw him, he tried to warn Sawyer and then mentioned he was heading to the Temple. I don't think we have seen him since then. Does anyone know where Richard ran off to? Second, where the heck did Ilana and crew come from? They just appeared out of nowhere, right as fLocke was attacking. Did that feel a bit off to anyone else? Finally, why wasn't Sawyer with the MiB-claimed group? Was he out running an errand?



I also thought it was interesting that Smokey not only spared Kate during the raid but that he gave her a strange look when she, Claire and Sayid joined the rest of the group. Does he have a purpose for Kate? Is she already infected? Could she be the wild card?

And what about that final sequence, which looked more like a horror flick than anything else? That disturbing singing and fire and blood and bodies everywhere. *shivers* Weird, wild stuff. It didn't feel like a typical LOST ending, though it has felt like a different LOST altogether this season. Your thoughts?

5) Alt as "Epilogue" — We can all agree that there is something peculiar about these flash-sideways, yes? I can't help but think that what we are seeing is not what we think it is. We know that MiB promised Sayid anything he wanted for his service. And for Sayid, it was Nadia. Watching this particular flash-sideways, did anyone else think that it was MiB keeping his promise? Is this the Alt MiB's way of giving everyone what they wanted? Like, you suffer in this life and receive your reward in another? Is this proof that fLocke wins the game?

6) Favorite lines/scenes —
*"Now why'd you go and do that?" -fLocke's reaction to Sayid stabbing him.
*Exchange between Ben and Sayid in Temple pool room. "There's still time!" "Not for me..." *insert creepy Sayid smile*
*Sayid killing Keamy!
*Final sequence, evil singing and all. Totally a mirror image of those happy and hopeful first season song/montage endings!



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I will admit that I watched some interviews from the Paley Festival, during which the producers and actors were quite forward when answering questions. They gave some clues for the remainder of the season, yet somehow I'm more confused than ever. I think all we can do is sit back, enjoy the final few episodes and watch things fall into place. So for now, just grab a Dharma beer, prop your feet up and try not to think TOO hard about what it all means. Easier said than done, I know!

Until next time...

Namaste...and good luck.

SFO

Episode 6.05 — “Lighthouse”

Welcome again, my LOSToholic friends. I apologize for the delay this week. As some of you may know, Jacqui and I attended the MUSE concert on Saturday, so my usual weekend free time was given to pre- and post-concert festivities. And for those who have tickets for the US Resistance tour, you guys are in for a serious face-melting!

But I digress. Today we shall venture to the Lighthouse, which Rousseau somehow missed on her detailed map of the Island. Oh, and none of the LOSTies have seen it either. But it’s there, right? Of course. Jacob NEVER messes with our heads…

This post may be a little shorter than usual but I wanted to get SOMETHING up for this episode, and I hope that it will still help us dissect a few things from “Lighthouse” in preparation for Tuesday’s ep.

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1) The Lighthouse — I initially thought Hurley’s excuse for why they haven’t seen the Lighthouse was, well, lame. But if I am already suspending disbelief about a trapped smoke monster murdering people, an Island that shoots people through time and nearly 40 people surviving a horrific plane crash, I think I can handle this one. And who’s to say the Lighthouse isn’t like Jacob’s cabin, mobile and mysterious?



I have to admit, I wanted to throw Jack off that cliff when he decided to smash the Lighthouse mirror. He’s like a two-year-old who doesn’t like when he can’t get his way. C’mon, Jack, you are a pretty smart guy. How about investigating the mirror a little before giving yourself several more years of bad luck? Just maybe? I know, I know, it’s too much to ask.

It seems a lot of discussion has come from that Lighthouse wheel with all of the names and numbers on it. We did see Kate’s last name on there, which proves to some that she is indeed a candidate, even though she wasn’t one of the magical numbers in MiB’s…ahem, “Jacob’s” cave.



We also saw several other candidates’ names. And then there was 108—Wallace. Was there any significance to Jacob mentioning this number to Hurley? We were told by Jacob near the end of the episode that he just wanted Hurley to bring Jack to the Lighthouse so Jack will come to realize his importance. But, c’mon, Jacob is as manipulative as MiB and I can’t help but wonder if there was another ulterior motive.

I also think it’s possible that someone IS coming to the Island, despite Jacob’s lack of confirmation. Any ideas? Widmore and Desmond immediately come to my mind, since we haven’t seen too much of them recently. Who do you think might be arriving?

2) Claire — Duuuude. Feral Claire rocks. I was surprised to learn that she remembered everything about disappearing from the LOSTies, because I honestly thought she would see Jin as a stranger. But it was somewhat comforting that we still have the same Claire, ya know, just…eviler. (Did she really axe that dude in the chest?? Yes. Yes, she did.)



This episode also built on the Rousseau similarities with the whole “They stole my baby,” thing. Except that Danielle was right and Claire is just crazy. And compadres with MiB. I wonder how long they have been “friends.” How awesome was it to see creepy, smug fLocke walk into that tent at the end?! A lot of us saw it coming, but I still got chills when it happened.

It seems to me that Claire did not time travel with the rest of the LOSTies. She’s just been in the jungle for three years not showering, chasing Others and making creepy bone babies. Does this solidify that she is…dead? Not like Nikki and Paulo dead but like Sayid and Christian dead. Remember Miles’ weird reaction to her at the end of Season 4, after she escaped relatively unscathed from the exploding house in Dharmaville? Hmmm…

3) Jack’s a daddy? — Um, ok. Cool. I know I wasn’t the only one confused and a little shocked to learn that Jack has a teenage son in the Alt. I think one of the main points to pull from this flash-sideways is that the Alt might have split well before Flight 815x (in 2004, presumably). As we have seen in the other Alties’ flashes, we have lots of different things in this reality that predate the season’s opening scene. This particular flash also gave us a chance to see what kind of father Jack would be to a kid who is supposedly a lot like he was at that age.



I can’t say it was my favorite flash-sideways, but it certainly could have been worse. I’m still interested in who David’s mother is, though I’m not sure we should be expecting a huge reveal. I initially thought this would be of major importance, but since we didn’t get any hints in this episode, I’m starting to think it could easily be someone predictable, like Sarah (Jack’s wife from previous flashbacks).

4) Hurley — Did you know that Jorge Garcia originally auditioned for Sawyer? Whaaa??? I can’t picture him as anyone but the fun-loving, “dude”-uttering regular Joe. He played this role to a T in “Lighthouse.” Best exchange (by far) in the episode was when Hurley was wandering around the Temple and Dogen shows up. Here’s a little excerpt:



DOGEN: What are you doing?
HURLEY: Nothing. I'm just, you know...looking...because I'm a fan of ...temples and like history...Indiana Jones stuff.
DOGEN: You shouldn't be here. Go back to the courtyard.
JACOB: Tell him you can do what you want. Tell him you're a candidate.
HURLEY: I'm a candidate and I can do what I want.
DOGEN: Who told you that?
HURLEY: Doesn't matter. Why don't YOU go back to the courtyard?

5) The Island — I read an interesting theory that I would like to share. On one of the message boards, a poster described the Island as the “center of reincarnation” or a “waiting room for souls.” I really like this description, as it would explain several of the mysterious things we have seen on the Island. Is it possible that the all of the world’s dead, or even a select few, must “pass through” the Island before moving on to the afterlife or before being placed in another body? (Does make anyone think of the whispers?) This could bring us back to the "Island is Purgatory" theories of yore. Maybe the battle between Jacob and MiB has to do with continuing, or finally stopping, this process? Yea or nay?



6) The Alt Relevance — Dogen appearing in Jack's flash-sideways felt out of place to me. Seeing him immediately made me think of the Wizard of Oz. Ya know, how people Dorothy knows became the characters in her journey to the land of Oz? I’m not necessarily suggesting that one of these is a “dreamworld,” ‘cause in my opinion that would suck. It may be, as I mentioned in my first post this season, that what we have seen transpire over the last five years is actually the “Alt” and that what we are seeing in the flash-sideways-es is how things SHOULD have played out. Maybe the Island is supposed to be underwater. Maybe the Island brings nothing but chaos to the world. Maybe we would be better off if no one ever visited it.



Okay okay, I’m starting to ramble so I’ll stop now and hope that you will continue the discussion for this week’s episode. What did I miss? What did you think was the most important reveal in this episode?

Oh and please share your favorite scenes/lines since I didn’t get to that section this week!!

Until next time…

Namaste…and good luck.

SFO