Wednesday, March 21, 2007

"The Man from Tallahassee" Instant Reactions!

Brian's One Word Review: Boggled.

You know, up until the last ten minutes of the episode, I was thinking to myself "huh, this is a surprisingly thin episode." Sure, there was plenty of great action and plot development, but nothing that made you think too hard or over-analyze for the first forty minutes... then Ben started his "Magic Box" talk, and then the episode ended with Locke's Dad tied up in a room - leaving my mind totally boggled (note: WTF was a close second for the "three letter review" of the episode).

So what does it all mean? Well, here's what I'll be pondering tomorrow...

  1. The Others. Very few are actually native to the Island. Most seem to be coerced into coming to the Island under the pretense of being able to leave... but it's just a sham. It seems that Ben keeps them there until they become "believers" and don't want to leave - via brainwashing? Does that make Ben one of a dying breed of decendents of the people who made the four-toed statue? Did they die out due to infertility?
  2. The Barracks. Something about this doesn't add up for me. If we assume the Barracks were created by Dharma, and the Others are NOT Dharma, then where did the Others use to live? Did you see the walls of Ben's house featuring pictures of Alex growing up? Clearly the Others have had the technology to take and print photographs for quite some time - so they must have had a decent little civilization pre-Dharma, right?
  3. The Magic Box. "Imagine if I told you there was a box, and when you opened the box, whatever you wished was inside." Jigga what? At first I was thinking this was some sort of symbolism for "the Island will give you whatever you want" - not be taken literally... then Locke's dad appeared. Up until now, Smokey was the number one thing on "Lost" that couldn't be explained logically using pseudo-science... but now this "Magic Box" takes the cake. This can't be real, can it? Or is this what is used to entice people to come to (and stay on) the Island? Some magic power to tie into the mind and make wishes come true? Are they really just at Disney World?
  4. Locke's Dad. Has he always been there? So he was the "man from Tallahassee" that Ben summoned from Alpert while Locke was hiding in the closet, right? Was this just an illusion? Did he somehow "appear" via Magic Box powers? Does this mean that Jack's dad might also really be on the Island? As crazy as it sounds, if the Island does make "wishes come true", it would go a long way in explaining the freaky coincidence stuff we've seen so far with Jack's Dad, Eko's Plane (and Yemi), Kate's Horse, etc. All the stuff that we previously chalked up to Smokey... so does that make Smokey the Magic Box? Smokey the Magic Dragon? He scans you, finds your wishes and desires, and then makes them come true if you're "worthy"? Think about it - he scanned Locke a while ago - "creating" his Father on the Island, who the Others then kidnapped, not knowing what else to do with him. I'll keep working on this theory, but I think it has the most logic behind it so far.
  5. Locke. Ben pretty much came out and said it - Locke is Team Island. Although Ben doesn't know why, Locke is taking up the causes of the Island, making him the enemy of both the Others and the Survivors. Another sad Locke flashback to make us feel bad for him, when we really should be viewing him as public enemy number one.

Just like Bob Lawblaw, that was quite a mouthful. Sorry for the rambling, but I wanted to get the instant reactions out in raw form before I start second-guessing myself. All in all, it was a great episode - but let's be honest, without that ending it would have just been a solid episode. In the end my dropped jaw hadn't returned to its normal closed position when the preview for next week aired... which dropped it even farther. But I'm getting ahead of myself. First things first. I'll try to make some sense of this episode in the next few days.

Comment.

PS - remember to let me know if you want to take over my Blog (controltheblog@hotmail.com).

79 comments:

Anonymous said...

The "magic box" would also explain how the "island" gave Charlie his guitar in season one and Hurley's mental buddy.

The best part about this episode was Locke standing up to Ben. "You're in the chair and I'm not" was pretty much the icing on the cake -- Locke finally getting to be the one in charge, after being screwed his whole life, Locke finally got to be the one handing out the orders. It was great. It's great how in the last three weeks this season has gone into overdrive.

Anonymous said...

wtf is right. Sayid restrained on a swing set? Magic box? Crazy coming attractions? I need to sleep on this.

Stef said...

I thought the writing in this episode was some of the tightest yet. I'll watch a battle of wits and wills between Locke and Ben any day. (Even though I'm pretty sure Ben always wins.)

I have to think more on the magic box, idea, too. I didn't take it to be quite so literal - as in you shall have what you wish - but instead talking about the island as a general paradise. But I need to rewatch and think some more.

I can't even imagine what next week will be like! I was already standing 6 inches from the tv and yelling at the screen tonight!

Anonymous said...

u guys think they found lockes father b4 the hatch blew up, once they found out about our survivors? in that case, do they have other family members and friends of our survivors? wat the hell is going on?

Anonymous said...

The conversations between Ben and Locke also revealed the interesting tidbit that even the Others don't completely understand the island.

I would agree that Locke actually does know more than anyone else, but I'm not sure he knows exactly what he knows yet.

It will be interesting to see those two team up and figure it out together.

Also, it doesn't follow that Locke's dad would be the smoke monster in this instance. The man was shaking in his boots seeing his son back from the dead and on his feet. When the ol' plume took the shape of Eko's brother it was in form only and not personality.

Anonymous said...

I'm as 'lost' as ever.
All this craziness had me going back to the 'all in their head'/'matrix' theory.

But, they can physically leave the island, we know that Penny has had people watching for an anomony and detected it. We know that you CAN end up on the island by accident(Henry Gale, Desmond) or be recruited (Juliet and countless others), and we know there was a Beacon to guide them there.

Do we move the the "Fantasy Island" theory? An island that makes your wishes a reality... IF you can connect with it... or if it chooses YOU. That by bringing people, brainwashing them, and/or eventually getting them to get satisfaction from the powers of the Island, that the people won't want to leave? An addition to what the island has to offer? (I can can quit if I want to)

But the Sub is now gone(though there should still be a boat). What does this say about the hope of the Others. Do they accept that they're stuck? Or do they revolt? Could Bens plan to stablize his power backfire? I don't think it's hard to figure out, Alex knows of Bens deceptions and so does Juliet.
And the.. there is JACOB.

Back to Alex... The seed has been planted that her mother is alive. She's too much of a rebel not to follow up on it. We also know that CFL has seen her. Could CFL rescue some of the 815 survivors from otherville?

We see Dharma food products in the fridge, and I still have to ask 'why?'.

That's my "instant reaction" ramblings. Good Night All!

Anonymous said...

what about the wierd code names for the two survivors the others captured (i'm assuming that's who tom was talking about when he came in ben's room). they sounded like they were in another language.

Brian Leonard said...

I think that the "Magic Box" = Smokey = Locke's dad, Yemi, Kate's horse, maybe Dave, etc. So who's going to die? My guess is...Juliet.

Brian, have a great trip, and whatever you do, don't be anywhere near Terry O'Quinn!!

Brian L.

Anonymous said...

Brian,

I'm starting to think that, if the 'others' did kill off Dharma, that they may have made an agreement with Dharma leadership or Hanso. There is no other reason that there would still be Dharma supplies, why these people would still have power, communication, and live in 'otherville'.

It's certain that there's more to the Other/Dhamra connection.

Oh, and I wanted to say that the tie in for the title surpised me. I had expected it to be someone in the flashback, or an offhand reference. It being Lockes Father? Well, that's something I would never have guessed... and I'm not sure that I like it.. but I'm sure the writers know where they're goin with it.

Anonymous said...

Help me out here.

What are the previous connections between Sawyer and Tallahassee?
Are there any previous connections between Locks father and Tallahassee?

When Ben Say's get the man from Tallahassee, do you think he means the guy who recruited Juliet or Locke's dad? (or someone else?)

Anonymous said...

Those weren't code names, they just called them by their last names. We're used to Sayid and Kate, not Jarrah and Austin.

Anonymous said...

WHOA! and that is about all I can say tonight!!!!!!

Patrick Braga-Henebry said...

if you go back in the annals of this blog, you will see both Kate and Sawyer have connections to Tallahassee somewhere.

Kate was buying a ticket to Tallahassee when she was confronted by the creepy cop. Sawyer mentioned getting an STD there by name. Both are season two, I'm pretty sure.

So, this is at least the third reference to Tallahassee in Lost.

Another note: It was theorized last season that Locke is the real Sawyer (the one from James Ford's childhood). Are we all assuming this is true by now? I just didn't see it come up and was wondering.

I too loved the Locke/Ben battle of wits. It was amazing.

Thanks for a great rundown!

Anonymous said...

Here are my initial responses to your excellent questions, as well as a few of my own. I'm doing this without reading the other comments first, so apologies if I touch on something that someone else has thought of:

1) It certainly appears that infertility has been the main reason they've had to recruit.

2) My guess is that until Dharma arrived, the Others lived in the makeshift village where Michael ran into Bea Klugh and Walt. Nice observation about the Alex photos.. stumped there.

3) I'm pretty sure the 'magic box' was an allusion to a bigger idea.. as in 'give to the island, and it will give back'.

4) Locke's dad is most definitely the title character of this episode (who else could be?), and he is most certainly there in the flesh. Given the short amount of time (hours, maybe) it took to get him in the holding cell, we can surmise that he's been on the island for a while. I don't think that he is a figment of John's imagination or a manipulation by Smokey (i.e: Dave, Christian Shepherd, Yemi). I can kinda go along w/ your 'scanning' theory, but until I see further proof, it seems a little too sci-fi for me at least.

5) I think you and I both are starting to come around to the idea that the Others really aren't the bad guys in this story.. now I'm just wondering if that's really where the story is going.
----------
And now, my questions:

1) Is Locke's father the 'real Sawyer'? The age fits and he's definitely deft enough to do the dastardly deeds described in James' flashbacks. (alliterative fun at its best, sorry) It might seem a little too soap-operaish, but after the Jack/Christian/Claire connection I wouldn't put it out of the realm of possibility.

2) Is the food supply about to run out?This goes back to Enter 77, but I've been re-thinking my theory on the food drops. Originally I believed that the food drops were regularly scheduled events. However we saw a few weeks ago that the chess game offered an option for a food drop. Does this mean that the food drops around the island were always instigated by a manual control? Or does it mean that certain hatches are on 'auto-drop' (Swan) while others are on 'drop when needed' (Flame)? I just wonder if Ben unknowingly shared his last tasty chicken with Locke, and what the repurcussions of a food shortage would be.

3) Now that the submarine is gone, who (if anyone) will rescue our survivors? Seems to me that the only logical answers are Penny Widmore and Michael, in that order of liklihood.

4) Are Locke and Ben going to be able to co-exist peacefully? Locke is in possession of island knowledge that Ben will do anything to access, but does Locke even know what he knows, so to speak? You've got to wonder why Locke would even consider helping Ben.. but this episode also provided the answer to that question. The Others who were on the island voluntarily are going to quickly come to the realization that they are stuck there. They're going to want Locke's head, and who is the one man who can probably provide him some protection? That's right, Fenry himself. Outstanding writing by the Lost folks.

Anonymous said...

I don't view Locke as public enemy number one, quite the opposite. Who knows where the sub would have gone once Jack and Juliet boarded.

And one point: if that sub was a "one way" ticket, then it could never come back, and the people who were NOT on the sub would still be stuck there anyway!

How would that solve Ben's issue of offering the illusion of freedom?

Two interesting things: Ben has some sort of inner circle of people he trusts. He wasn't bothered by Alpert hearing what he had to say.

Tom went out of his way to tell Jack tha the rec. room was bugged? Why?

Anonymous said...

They have desmond's sail boat. Problem solved.

PHG said...

There is another Patrick now...I need to figure out how to change my name at work tomorrow.

This episode was crazy. Need to sleep it off to figure this shit out.

Anonymous said...

The Lock and Ben situation kind of reminded me of Willie Wonka and the Choc.Factory. Ben finally found someone who can take his place and control the island when he is gone. He trusts Locke enough that he showed him the "magic box".
Ben reminded me so much of Gene Wilder last nite. He was ecstatic to reveal secrets to ("Charlie" )Locke. Now he knows if he should die he has a replacement.
Ok perhaps its early and I am not making too much sense, but I just keep feeling It was so much like Willie Wonka last night.
Ok, go ahead make fun of me.
Great show last.

Anonymous said...

The idea that the Island scanned Locke....or anything like that...seems implausible. Cuse and Lindeloff have indicated on many occassions that LOST's key story will be rooted in reality; not sci-fi. But, still, totally confusing how Locke's dad was there (and yes, I submit he was positively there and not a figment of his imagination). Think about Albert though....when Juliette suggested her husband would need to be run over by a bus in Miami....that's exactly what happened. Seems like Albert has extreme reach and power and resources to make stuff happen. I don't think it will be revealed as anything more (such as hocuc pocus!). The "magic box" that Ben referred to is a metaphor perhaps...i don't know.

Anonymous said...

No Anon.. it does make sense... I'm not saying it will happen, but I got the same vibe you did. When you find Lockes dad in otherville, anything is a possibility.

Stef said...

To Patrick's comment - I have been a fan of the "Locke's Dad is the real Sawyer" theory for a while, and last night's episode still fits in line, IMO.

Anonymous said...

I'm with those that think the "magic box" is just a metaphor. Ben was doing his classic "What if I told you you could get [BLANK] in exchange for [BLANK]?" shtick, just like he did in the Swan hatch. Only this time he actually has something Locke wants. Locke's dad is really there, not a manifestation of the smoke monster.

Eko was deemed "unworthy" so while his brother appeared, his brother attacked him, in both word and deed. But supposedly Kate is also "unworthy." So why was her smoke monster reveal the hopeful sign of a horse, rather than, say, her mother, or her first love (the doctor she helped get killed when he was shot by the cop)?

There will be some real-world explanation why Locke's dad is there.

The last few episodes have brought me back to being a big Lost supporter. I now see that the fall epsisodes were necessary to give us a glimpse of what we're exploring in greater detail here.

--Anonymous guy #15

Anonymous said...

OK... if the magic box gives you what you wish for, why not wish for a boat to take our survivors home? And while we're at it, make it invisible to everyone else on the island to give them safe passage.

Alec said...

My first thought about the "magic box" (besides getting an old Who song stuck in my head for hours to come) was that perhaps that's how people from our Losties' past keep showing up. But then I remembered that the people who have showed up (before Locke's dad) have all been dead and/or imaginary: Jack's father, Hurley's imaginary friend, Eko's brother. Presumably, Locke's dad is still alive. (Though maybe that's a bad assumption.) In any event, most of the mirages (?) so far have been clearly in control of their situations; Locke's dad is clearly not in control. So I'm assuming something different is going on here.

Anonymous said...

I think a key question of last nights episode has more to do with the "why" than the "how" and "when" as it relates to Locke's father on the island. In other words, WHY is he there? What is Ben's purpose of bringing him? Other answers (to the "how and when") to this will be fascinating to learn but for now, a key question, I submit, is WHY!!

Anonymous said...

Remember back in season one, when Hurley was visiting with his financial planner after winning the lottery? The advisor was telling him he was the primary shareholder in a box company and we see a man fall past the window behind them. After seeing last night’s episode, that MUST have been Locke! The writers really are working on a multi-season plan.

Anonymous said...

Be careful WHAT you wish for. Remember Juliet and her Husband? Perhaps Kelvin wanted for a Boat and got Desmond. Locke wanted to walk, Rose wanted to be cured from Cancer. These are all physical changes. Then there are 'Matrix' manifestations that are not real... but were the Black Horse, the Hurley Bird real?

Lockes dad, lets think of that one. If he's actually there, is it possible that when he "fled" the country after pushing Locke out the window, that he may have somehow crashed on the Island, and been a prisoner of the 'others' all this time? The other option is that he was manifested, or arrived AFTER the crash of Oceanic 815 as part of Lockes subconsious wishes.
But what will he do with him? The man stole his Kidney, ruined his relationship with his girlfriend, and tried to kill him/took the use of his legs. What does Locke do? If Lockes dad IS the real Sawyer, then we would have two people on the island wanting to kill him.

Anonymous said...

WTF is the only way to explain it. Except for WOW! Finally back to the LOST I fell in love with. It's been a long time coming.

The actor portraying Ben is just SO damn good. And every week it seems like one of the characters emerges and grows and makes me want to keep watching. Thank God this season stepped up. I was starting to plan a mutiny!

KatieKat

Anonymous said...

Finding Lockes dad in a closet in otherville comes dangerously close to jumping the shark.
If Lockes dad is the real Sawyer, it will be confirmed.

Anonymous said...

A couple of thoughts;

Firstly, wow...what an interesting pick-up that the guy that fell when Hurley was meeting his accountant was Locke! Brian? Thoughts on this???

Secondly, the reason they brought Richard Albert into this episode would presumably be cause he is the "recruiter" and was responsible for bringing Locke's dad to the island somehow. Why else would they have this character there?

Anonymous said...

Locke's dad is real and is there in the flesh. My thoughts are this. The Others know all about our survivors. Ben knows from reading the file that Locke is paralized. He is curious if the island has healed him in any way so he gets captured to do some recon. Ben discovers Locke can walk and the island has healed him. At this point Ben hatches his master plan for bringing Locke into the inner circle so Ben can learn everything about Locke's islnad experience. Once Ben gets back to Othersville, he tells Albert, "Get me Locke's father." The Others using their giant sphrere of influence find and kidnap Locke's dad and keep him prisoner for when Ben needs to use him to flip Locke to his side. Its all part of the master manipulation that Ben uses.

Greg said...

This episode was exciting, not only for the action and twists that were presented, but also because it further confirms for me the integrative, multi-season approach the writers clearly have. There may be some loose ends and unexplained things in the end, but clearly there is an overall story and plan that is consistent and intentional. In addition to pondering what is happening in the story, I'm kind of curious how they developed and develop their story. Do they have a huge database that has all the connections and story lines they have told and will tell?

As to the story being told, I am surprised that if the sub was the true means of travel from (and previously to) the island, that it was not better secured. It seems like this resource, both in practical and psychological terms (for those who have the illusion of being able to leave) would be guarded more securely than anything else in Ben's control. That Locke was so easily able to access and blow it up tells me that it doesn't have the true power we are led to believe it had.

Anonymous said...

I think the answer to "Why" is that Ben wants to give Locke what he wants, which is to get revenge on his father. I think Ben's thought is that if he gives Locke what he wants that Locke will, in-turn, give Ben what he wants -- knowledge on his connection to the island...

Anonymous said...

What I've seen discussed on another website was that because Locke was soaked and seemed to knew what he was doing on that submarine, he moved the sub into a hiding spot and blew something else up?

What do you guys think?

Anonymous said...

I think the shot of Ben putting the plate of chicken back into the refrigerator was very significant!

If you noticed how the camera shot showed the plate with the foil lifted up. Just enough to let you see that Ben wanted to save what was left of the chicken which was really just bones.
I think there is a problem with the food drops. Ben knows the communication for food drops has ended.
I think Ben is in a real "Pickle"

Anonymous said...

Not wanting to throw a another wrench in the Lost theory machinery (well maybe a little), but are we positive that the Others residing at the barracks and Dharma are not one in the same? I believe the only reason that we can assume that Dharma is completely gone is because Patchy said so. Don't you think that if the Others and Dharma had a little war which caused Dharma to be completely wiped out that the barracks and the perimeter fence would have been destroyed? Just some things I was thinking about.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous (one of many)...

Very interesting Locke/sub theory. That would certainly be a huge development.

Anonymous said...

The latest podcast said that we could believe what patchy said except for being a part of Dharma... so we have to assume that they are not the same... unless they're lying to us.

Anonymous said...

Locke put Ben in the wheelchair, and Ben knows it.

Locke knows how the island mojo works. He looked into the eye of the island, and he knows that it is beautiful. Locke expressed interest in developing Walt, much like the Others. Walt had the ability to make stuff happen, and the island enhanced that, and the Others picked up on it. Walt was considered “good” by the Others, and Locke was considered “bad” so his abilities have caught the Others off guard. All of the weird pop ups on the island stem from people creating events/things on the island, i.e. Jack’s Dad, Kate’s horse, Hurley’s Dave, etc. This was alluded to by Ben’s weird explanation of the box. Locke, knowing how the island works, screwed Ben over and along with the island willed him into the wheelchair. Ben realized this and that’s why he’s placing a certain level of confidence in Locke. There appears to be a strange battle of wills taking place - Ben wills the plane to crash bringing him a surgeon, Locke wills the recovery to place him in a wheel chair, Ben wills Locke to blow up the sub (think Alex’s hint to Locke about manipulation). A conflict is being set up between the Island’s born and the Island’s chosen.

Friggin' awesome.

Regarding the island manifestations... Locke's Dad is very real and no apparition. How did that come to be? Crazy idea, but if one person can bring a presence to the Island from the dead, perhaps the focus of two individuals such as Locke and Sawyer are able to make a live one appear.

Brian said...

Whoa whoa whoa - the guy that fell in the background of Hurley's flashback in "Numbers" wasn't John Locke, was it? I can't go back and look until tonight - but I thought that Hurley was in an office much higher than 8 stories off the ground when the guy went flying by... and also that the guy was falling face first, if memory serves.

I'll confirm.

Anonymous said...

Regarding the guy that fell in the background of Hurley's flashback.

That would be so cool if it was Locke, but..

I don't think the timeline works out. Locke was in the wheel chair for 4 years. It does not seem the time between Hurley sitting in the office, then deciding to go to Austrilia to check out the numbers could have been 4 years.

Anonymous said...

There are quite a few serious questions that have sprung up from this episode, as pretty much everone on the board has stated.

Locke's paralysis ended immediately upon landing on the island. This was what created Locke's faith in the island. It wasn't the other way around. So, did the island, if we think of it as a thinking being, know that it could use Locke to its advantage in some way? If that is true, what? I am kind of with the
scanners theory, that once the survivors hit the sand that the island somehow knew that Locke was the key. Then when Smokey came around and Locke looked into the eye of the island, he saw some kind of revelation. And has been working toward it ever since.

Also, if Locke's dad is the man from Tallahassee, as I am pretty sure that he is, how did he get to the island? Somehow Ben and company knew that he was from Tallahassee, how much info did Locke's dad give to the others, did he just spring up from Tallahassee? Is he originally from there? Was the "magic box" some other metaphor and Locke's dad was abducted, perhaps as a bargaining chip that Ben forsaw earlier on that he would need to deal with Lock?

Great stuff so far, let's just hope that it rides the wave and brings some answers.

Anonymous said...

also, did anyone find it odd that Locke was all soaking wet right before the explosion? Did he sink the sub and then blow it up? Did he sink the sub and then blow up just the dock? If that is the case, is there still a sub? Also, how far reaching is the island's power? He certainly wasn't on the island when he was in the water, so there must be some kind of range and radius to it. Just some things that just came up in my head.

Rebecca said...

I have been waiting a long time for this episode. It was AMAZING! The interaction between Jack and Kate ... wow. Intense. And Locke's dad, what a shmuck. More so then I ever thought. Hopefully now that he is on the island Locke can get himself "right" again. Then, Alex and Sayid's little exchange. Can you imagine what is going through her mind now?? I'm looking forward to more on that later. Thanks again for a great blog. xoxoRIP

Anonymous said...

i still dont understand exactly how locke detonated the c4...

(from wikipedia)
"C-4 is also well known for its durability, reliability, and safety. It will not explode even if hit by a bullet, punched, cut, or thrown into a fire. The only reliable method for detonation is via a detonator or blasting cap."

Anonymous said...

Matt,

If Locke had enough wits to take the c4 from the flame, I'm sure he would've packed a detonator too in that bag of his.

Anonymous said...

As "all knowing" as Ben may be about the island, he needs to understand Locke's special "communion" with it. This episode was poetic in all facets....writting, acting and directing. Terry Quinn's performance was awesome - probably the best actor amongst the cast IMO. Mike Emerson was also terrific and was made for this role.

Anonymous said...

I like the idea of Locke not blowing up the sub, but maybe having moved it and blowing up the end of the pier instead. It does seem like it would be pretty easy to check up on though, what with a lack of mangled sub parts not strewn about. It would go towards making Locke seem a little less crazy and selfish, as well as being a big "Eff You!" of defiance towards Ben since he knew he was being manipulated.

So, if Locke's dad is the real Sawyer, then when James Ford learns that the man he's swore revenge against is now within killing distance, will he clash with Locke who may feel he finally has the right venue to build a relationship with pop?

As for the grave in the preview for next week's show, my money's on Charlie. His death is inevitable, right? Plus Sun looked pissed, like maybe she figured out who "kidnapped" her when Sawyer made his play for the guns. I'm guessing Jin is responsible, though it probably isn't outright murder, but the work of a Rube Goldberg machination.

Greg said...

Anyone else notice in the flashback that when Locke's dad poured the two glasses of scotch just before pushing Locke out the window, it was Desmond's brand?

Anonymous said...

That wasn't Locke that fell in Numbers. Locke's accident occured 4 years before the crash. Numbers took place sooner than that...more like a year before the crash.

Anonymous said...

I like the theory of d-bone about how Locke's dad got there. Either that or they have some other way on and off the island that only Alpert and Ben know about and Alpert went and got him?

I think the person who dies in the preview is a woman. My best guess is that it is Nicki. Why else would they say after next weeks episode we would feel bad about hating Nicki and Paulo.

Anonymous said...

I forgot to add that part of why I was wondering if Locke's dad was taken recently is he looks too clean and scared. If he had been captured for a while I would think he would look more defeated and definately more dirty.

jonb1977 said...

Any thoughts on Richard Alpert using the island's funky time to go back in time to kidnap Locke's father? Unlike Desmond, the Others may have mastered time to such an extent that they can go back and change events to get people where they need to be. "Only fools are slaves to time and space"....anyone?

Also, does anyone think Locke's father is the real Sawyer? The Sawyer that ruined Survivor Sawyer's childhood and life.

Anonymous said...

I think next week Paulo is gonna bite the dust...it is his flashback i don't think they will kill off another woman...the got libby and ana at the same time...death to Prince Xerxes

Anonymous said...

hey Greg - was that the same brand? I was trying to notice but was unable to. Also, Locke's dad's hand was shaking when he poured the drinks.

Alec said...

Ooh --- JonB, that's a really interesting thought! I saw a screen cap of this episode that had yet another instance of "A Brief History of Time," so maybe the funky time physics is going to play a bigger role than just messing with Desmond's life.

And, yes, Anon., it was the same brand of scotch.

Anonymous said...

Kate's Horse, Sawyer's Boar, Hurley's Dave, Jack's Father, Charlie's guitar, Sayid's cat, Eko's Brother...Smokey is behind this. A manifestation of some sort explained "magic box" style. So we have the kidney stealer now. OK, but if it's smokey--remember Locke has already "looked into the eyes of the island" and he definatly didn't see his father in smokey judging by his surprised reaction to Mr. Tallahassee in the "flesh."

Anonymous said...

I just had a crazy Wizard of Oz thought about Jacob.

Follow me here. In this episode it showed more and more how Henry is truly the leader of the Others. He has to worry about them following him and being willing to stay on his island, or he has trouble. The island as he knows it will die without the new recruits, so he has to do whatever it takes to keep them there.

So for recruiting purposes and to get them to continue to follow him, he invents Jacob (the Wizard). He makes everyone believe that there is a great man who has chosen them and is leading them, when its actually just Henry using smoke and mirrors to convince them that this is where they want to be.

What do you think?

okiegal

Anonymous said...

I didn't read ALL the comments, so apologies if I duplicate...

But I think the magic box isn't a litteral BOX but more of a "get what you wish for." Hence, Magic Box = Locke walking. or Magic Box = Sun being pregnant. or Magic Box = Rose not being sick.

For all, that's the ONE thing they want more than anything in the world. The three are GOOD people, leading the island to grant the wishes. I don't think the Magic Box is any of the visions: Kate's horse, Jack's Dad, and wasn't Dave just an old illusion of hurley's?

Just my two cents.

Anonymous said...

In the scene where Jack and Kate talk in the rec room, the diaglogue leads you to believe that Jack knows more than he is able or willing to share with Kate. In other words, it appears that Jack was taken into some level of confidence, by Ben as well as Juliette and Tom. Speaking of Tom...was interesting how he tipped Jack off to be careful and aware that the room is being monitored. The writters are showing us, both in dialogue and actions (football game) that Jack and he have bonded and become pals. On another matter, as was pointed out elsewhere in this Blog, it may be very telling how they show Ben putting the chicken (mostly bones) carefully back in the frig....he may be aware that a food shortage, of sorts, is coming.

Anonymous said...

I think that Locke's Dad is there as the final test of Faith. Locke has to come to terms (one way or another) with his father as the last act of 'penance' demanded by the Island; the last item on the path to becoming 'one of the good ones'.

Remember that the Island began to show favor to Ecko over Locke. It began to reveal things to Ecko and offered him the chance to repent his past. When he refused the Island/Smokey killed him. With his last breath he told Locke that he was next. Since then Locke has been 100% on Team Island, as Brian likes to say.

I think this is the chance for Locke to repent, or revenge, or whatever it is the Island thinks he needs to do.

Anonymous said...

Eko did tell Locke that smokey was coming for him next.

Anonymous said...

Something occurred to me while reading all the comments about Locke's father getting to the island. Remember how Ben told Alpert, "Bring me the man from Tallahassee..." BRING. Which makes you think that Alpert was going to go and get someone and bring him to Ben's room. But then later, Ben leaves his room to go to him! Maybe what he was actually saying was BRING the man from Tally to the island...hmmmmmmm........

Anonymous said...

Robin - interesting point. I wonder if there is any distinction, in their dialogue, between "get" or "bring" me the man from tally? I seemed to me to be that he was there, on the island, being held captive for sometime. My understanding is that this story arch will NOT resume until the season finale in over a month! :(

Anonymous said...

I wonder how the show dynamics will change once one of the central characters (Locke) finds out the amazing ability of The Others so far as finding and bringing his father ("who could have been anywhere in the world")to the Island?! SEcondly, maybe the writters had Ben refer to him as "the man from tallahasee" 'cause he really is the original Sawyer and they didn't wanna give that up in any way.

singhy said...

Re: photos of Alex, surely they were only taken about ten years ago (she is about 16, right?). So it's quite possible that the Others had moved into the Barracks by 1994, when Dharma may well have been eradicated (the last confirmation we have of Dharma existing on the island is Kelvin's arrival, which could well have been c.1991-1992. Dharma being killed off in 1993 would fit with the timings and explain why Kelvin's replacements never arrived).

singhy said...

I think we're taking the magic box thing too literally - it's highly possible, and IMHO likely, that Locke's dad has come to the island by non-magic means lol; e.g.:

1. The Others brought Locke's dad to the island before the sky turned purple. Henry did say, in the Swan hatch, that he had come to get Locke, so perhaps when the Others realised Locke's 'power', they tracked down his dad. They have the resources, it seems.

2. Locke's dad has been on the island for several years, after fleeing the US. Perhaps he crashed there, perhaps he was recruited. Perhaps he's always been a prisoner of the Others, perhaps he was once free.

Anonymous said...

Why would anyone assume Locke's dad had been on the island for years? Ben was not even referring to him by name. Also, it would seem clear that Richard Albert somehow was responsible for getting him on the Island - otherwise, it would seem doubtful that they would have cast him in this episode. Albert, it seems, is Ben's recruiter (and senior level confidant).

Anonymous said...

What if the Others are some type of religious cult (the funeral scene early this season) and they follow the all-powerful Jacob when they have never seen him before.
Maybe they all think Jacob is real and has always been there, except Ben, who knows that they really do not know who he is.
MAYBE LOCKE IS JACOB!

PHG said...

Re: The religious cult funeral thing. That scene wasn't necessarily a cult thing, it is a traditional Hindu funeral. Those Hindus really put the Fun in funeral.

Unknown said...

Something is definitely not what it seems. I think the sub was still there during the explosion--and an exploded sub isn't something you could really fake. But he was noticeably wet--*plot point* degree wetness--after they showed that he could get into the sub without getting wet at all. Plus, the odds are he knew he was being manipulated--if not the whole time, then definitely when Alex told him--and while Locke is a stubborn enough character to go ahead and do it anyway, it would be so much cooler (and not out of character) for him to be the one controlling the manipulation.
We'll see soon enough...

Anonymous said...

gotta figure Locke blew up the sub....otherwise, Jack is off the island (and off the cast!). But it is curious why Locke was wet. Brian?

Alec said...

I wondered about the wetness, too. (Feel like I'm in an adult diaper ad...) The folks I watched with decided Locke must've planted the C4 underneath the hull -- maybe it'd blow up better that way. That would mean maybe he went on board just to check for people, so as not to kill anyone.

Anonymous said...

Don't even concern yourself with the wetness. It's a cut scene you'll see on the DVD.. sort of like Kate and her handcuff damage at the hydra. Everyone wondered about the story behind the wrists, and it was just a cut scene where she tried to squeeze out of the cuffs. Locke probably did something to get wet.. but due to restraints, the scene was cut.

Anonymous said...

Singhi,

I agree with the Locke Dad thing... it wasn't 'magic'.. but it may be like the bus hitting juliets dad. Maybe he arrived when the sky turned purple(didn't hit the button).

Also, the detectives told locke that his dad fled the counrty. He might have crashed on the island then.

Anonymous said...

Had some thoughts about the whole Ben /Locke manipulation. Is it possible that Juliet was right that there has been a rebellion brewing and Ben was aware of it. So he is using the arrival of the survivers to make his people pull together. Also maybe he knew having Locke not push the button would cut off communication isolating his peole and further making them have to pull together. And now getting rid of the sub.

Anonymous said...

www.longlivelocke.com

Matt G. said...

Lifehacker has an article on a free and easy message board:
http://www.lifehacker.com/software/web-publishing/add-message-forums-to-any-site-with-freewebs-widget-246269.php

Anonymous said...

I've been thinking maybe the fence not really be a fence but a pen or cage made used to contain smokey and made by the people that created smokey