Brian's One Word Hyphenated Review: Mind-Blowing.
Wow. Someone start the slow clap. Lost just delivered big time.
I'm not even sure where to begin, so let's start with the big one...
The entire format of Lost might have just changed. You know how we all were kinda wondering how long we could keep revisiting different moments from our characters' lives in flashback form, since you would eventually run out of interesting stories to tell without them becoming absurd? Well, there's a chance that "flashbacks" on Lost will now be back to Island-time - with the present time serving as a method to show the aftermath of what happened to our Survivors after they returned to the rest of the world.
If you ask me, it's genius.
One of my big fears was that we would never get full resolution to each character's storyline - that the series would end with them getting off the Island, leaving it up to us to write the story of where they would go from there. For me, this always seemed like a cheap way out. For a show that is basically all about our characters having this opportunity on the Island to overcome their demons and make themselves better - to not see if their time there actually had any effect on them once they returned to their normal lives seemed like an incomplete story. But now it seems that not only will we have plenty of time to see what happened to each character after rescue (48 episodes worth, to be exact), but it helps to switch gears on the show.
Suddenly, instead of the backstory of the Island being the mystery - now the story of the escape off the Island becomes the mystery. I'm sure we'll still have plenty of time to learn the secrets of the Island as we go through the story, but it's like we've just read the first three chapters of a book, got a glimpse of the last chapter, and are now going to work our way through the rest of it - alternating between the last chapter and chapters four through six.
Now there's always the chance that this "flashforward" was a one-time deal, and the show will return to its normal format (much like Desmond's episode featuring his "flashes" seemed to be a one-time deal), but I think going the other route is much bolder, and would allow the writers to tell a much richer, full story. If they went this route, they could still continue to have some "true flashbacks" from time to time, especially ones that fill in the events on the Island that we didn't see the first time through (such as Ben's conversion to the Others) - but it wouldn't force us to sit through another round of "Jack led a self-destructive life" flashbacks three times a season.
Anywho, on to the other big news:
Charlie. After a roller-coaster two episodes teasing and relieving viewers about Charlie's fate, he finally met his match - Patchy and an underwater grenade (do grenades even work underwater?). Although part of me was thinking, "couldn't he just close the door from the other side, and he and Desmond can just put on the scuba gear and swim to shore?", Charlie got his big heroic death, fulfilled his mission of turning off the jamming signal ("Good Vibrations"? Hilarious and punny!), and made Desmond's flashes come true. Even in his final moments, he was able to warn Desmond about Naomi (which also got me thinking, "Can you write on a wet hand with a Sharpie and have it stay on?"). His death was tragic, but one that you could almost see coming from a mile away. Learn you lessons from horror movies kids! Always pump a few extra bullets in your enemies! Don't assume they're dead!
Deaths. Speaking of deaths, by my count we lost 13 Others (including Tom and Patchy), 1 Survivor (Charlie), and the mysterious Naomi. By most counts, that looks like a Survivor victory! Ironically, I didn't include Tom or Patchy on my "Death Watch" (a product of writing it at 11:00 at night and running through characters off the top of your head), so I wasn't even considering them options.
Naomi. So if Naomi isn't really with a rescue crew sent by Penny, the next logical option seems to be that she's with Dharma, coming back to the Island to reclaim it. Is it possible that Dharma wasn't able to send help after the Purge because Ben took control of the Looking Glass and blocked all communications with the Island? If his line about "the sub needing the beacon to find the Island" is true, it's possible - although if this is true, how did Dharma find the Island in the first place? Were they the ones responsible for setting up this "stealth feature" of the Island, and now because of it they can't return? Irony!
Van. Remember how pointless we all thought Hurley's van-centric episode was? Don't you all feel pretty foolish for criticizing it now? Who else wanted to cheer when Hurley came plowing through the Others. Hero!
Penny. So, if Penny's crew wasn't actively searching for Desmond right off the coast of the Island, how was she the first face that popped up on the Looking Glass video monitor? Does Penny just spend her day sending messages out to all frequencies looking for people to respond and mention Desmond's name? Seemed a little forced, but led to good storytelling opportunities.
Walt. Although the "guest starring" text at the beginning of the episode ruined the surprise, it was nice to see Walt acting as Locke's spiritual guide. Are we to assume this was a manifestation of Smokey, or Walt exhibiting his freakish powers a la Jacob communicating with Locke?
Kate. So, along with Jack, we learn that Kate obviously survives and gets off the Island (making both characters "Hella Safe" on the next Death Watch), and is married / dating someone (Sawyer?). There's also the question of who died - with the logical choice again being Sawyer (since no one showed up at his funeral).
Theory. The best part about the shocking ending? It means that my all-time, longest-running theory about Lost is still in play. The Others are good, the Survivors are bad, and getting off the Island is a bad thing. Jack was miserable, and wishing he could return to the Island. The funny thing is, I'm expecting some seriously bad stuff to happen between now and their rescue on the Island (with the forthcoming Others vs. Dharma War and all) - and Jack doesn't have a lot of happy moments in the past on the Island (being kidnapped, tortured, fighting for survival). Does his post-Island life really suck that much?
Arg! There's so much to say. I'm just throwing up thoughts here, so I'll stop until I can get together something more coherent.
Geek out on the Message Board here.
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165 comments:
So what was Jack saying to that doctor about "go check my Dad's alcohol level", etc etc? Is he that screwed up? Or is that an inconsistency? That part throws me off.
Well, if you want to join the "Christian Shepherd is alive" cult, there's more proof for you.
I'm in the camp of "Jack was so messed up that he was talking gibberish, referring to not being as bad as his father back in the day, referring to his father as if he was still alive."
Two options:
1 - Jack was so drugged up he didn't know what he was talking about (forging dads prescriptions and mentioning his upstairs office)
or
2 - Jack's dad is somehow alive in the version of the future we saw tonight. Muhuhahaha
Ok, so I did cheer when Hurley came plowing in. But about the coffin, I don't think it was Swayer or Ben (which was my first assumption) but Locke. Swayer would have people show up for sure and not just Kate and Jack and Ben would rather die then leave the island. But Locke... he seems to fit the bill. This was a great episode and I can't wait to see your in depth look!
And Mark... that caught me too but there is no way the writers would goof that much. It's now entirely possible that the reason we didn't see Jack's dad in the coffin in the first season is because he somehow walked out of it... seemingly the same way Patchy seems to keep waking up after huge injuries. I dunno. Brian?
Could it have been Ben's funeral? I certainly can't image a crowd of mourners for him... but maybe Jack has a bit more respect for him in the future since FutureJack loves the island as much as PresentBen?
I didn't get that it was 'flash forwards' until the end - just thought it was more flashbacks from before his dad died. And that one just hit me, how can his dead dad be out of the office and have a BAC??????? Now I'm even more confused. I was also thinking that the funeral was maybe for Locke? I was just trying to think of people who didn't have anyone in the real world. Locke didn't seem to have any relationships before going to the Island. Were the survivors 'paid off' to not share their story? Is that why they met in secret? And more importantly - waiting until February? So.Not.Fun.
Mark-
He did say "get my father down here"... which could stand for a euphemism for him being dead I suppose. Kind of like saying, I'm not as drunk as my dad was when he died (because he drank himself to death).
It is either that or the drugs...
Oh and to answer the question about grenades going off under water the answer is yes. My hubby works with explosives and told me that it is accurate.
Anyone else cry at the Charlie-Dying-Music?
Well, for having your mind blown, you did a pretty darn good job!
I love your interpretation of how the flash-forwards changes the format of the show. It would be brilliant to now switch to Island-time being the flashbacks and the future being the personal stories! But did anyone else get the sense that with Jack's "we have to go back" cries - he could have been talking about both place AND time? I usually shy away from the more sci-fi explanations of LOST, but I was sensing a little hint of time travel there. Maybe? Anyone?
And yes, I absolutely wanted to cheer for Hurley! He saved the day AND his self-esteem, all with the help of the VW van and some Three Dog Night. (I'm assuming it was still playing!)
Good stuff! Much to discuss! I bet we can even make it to February on this one!
haha, 10:40 & 10:44 comments are me - there's two of us in here.
holy f'ing s
I kind of think that his asking about his father was because he was so drunk and the writers wanted you to remember that you're supposed to think it's the past.
Count me in with the Locke's funeral camp ... unless it was Michael's?
So I can't help wondering whether last summer's The Lost Experience doesn't come into play here. Will we discover that the once idealistic Dharma initaitive, funded by the once humanitarian Hanso Foundation, has been taken over by evil elements? Was this takeover facilitated by Ben's joining of the hostiles and slaughter of the Dharmites on the island? Are these the people Naomi is working for?
Did anyone see what the newspaper looked like? Did the flight attendant hand Jack the obits or did whoever that died make front page news? So many questions.... I need to watch it again online, I'm sure I missed stuff - especially after realizing it was flashing forward.
The "flash backs" had me going, what's the point of this, until the end. Then my brain froze.
Kept seeing Jack looking at maps and making calls, and then find out it is all happening post island. He is using his golden pass to try and get back because he made a mistake.
Other hits, Locke is back in and fighting for TEAM ISLAND. guided by Walt?
It also seems the others were really starting to stop listening to Ben.
Patchy seems to have gone quasi rouge. Dealing with major trust issues with Ben. He must be a bionic man to keep surviving, or have an even better connection to the island than Locke.
Why didn't Charlie close the door from the other side? He saw patchy with the grenade, and Des was on the other side with all the scuba gear they needed to escape. Why choose to die?
I still find it hard to see the others as good guys. But I guess they could be, they just made a mistake choosing a leader, and due to some other code they have to obey him.
Still in too much of a WOW state to make much or any sense of what O just watched. That shows me this show is doing something right!!
Things I am looking for:
1 - The still from Jack's obituary close-up to see what information we can pull
2 - Proof that Patchy was actually blown up with the grenade. Although, I think it would be impossible to leave the un-pinned grenade at the window and swim away fast enough to get out of harm's way.
Rebecca -
Interesting thought about the survivors meeting in secret... could explain why there was no one at the funeral (I'm still assuming it was Locke or Ben's). But that would also shake the thought that the "him" Kate needed to get back to was Sawyer.
Holy hell in a handbasket that delivered. I spent the whole 2 hrs asking, what are we flashing to, only for that to pay off as well.
Brian, it looks like you theory of the Survivors/Others uniting against a common enemy is going to be the major theme of Season Four. Good call there.
In Season 1 Sayid fixed a radio / walkie talkie and picked up music while sitting on a beach with Hurley. How could he do that with the jamming going on? Sayid said it could be from anywhere in the world.
Man! Looks like Jack, the man of science, becomes a man of faith in the end. Close your eyes and listen to his future conversation with Kate. Sounds like Locke to me. I wonder if he's regretting that he did exactly what Ben said would happen -- he set the wheels in motion for a rescue. But somewhere between the phone call and the rescue, he 'converted' to the Ben/Locke side. How? Why? I dunno. But obviously something happened to him from the phone call to the bridge accident, and my bet is it's based on what happened on the island after the call and before the rescue.
At least that's what I think I think.
Another thought -- what if they are reall yserious about playing with timelines now? Jack's dad is still alive, because we're in a different timeline where somehow whatever plane crash earned them the Golden Pass (that was funny!) wasn't on the Island, but the Survivors somehow "remember" the first timeline that got them off while also changing the past.
I'm also getting a funny feeling that Adam and Eve are Jack and Kate after returning to the Island somehow to set things right ...
My second request is already answered by David over at the DarkUfo comments.
Obit reads:
LOS ANGELES
Man found
downtown loft
The body of Jo? ?antham of
New York was ?found? shortly after 4
a.m. in the ?courtyard? of Grand
?Lofts?
? ? at The
? ? loud
? ? ?antham's loft.
? ? the
? ? in the
So, are we having a Locke problem or a Jack problem?
And OMG, did Ben tell the truth again?
It appears that the phone call does something that makes Jack go off the deep end, or become his opposite.
Didn't it seem obvious from the beginning that it was future Jack? Am I the only one who noticed that his hair was grey and that it takes a while to grow a beard that long and to get addicted to drugs and alcohol like that? It seemed pretty obvious to me. I thought they were trying to trick us into thinking that it was the future, but then reveal that it was the past. Maybe I was over thinking it?
So, yeah, "Through the Looking Glass" means that now the story is backwards, right? Like back-story is now future-story... Whatever.
Lost is lame.
Here is my big question: If the survivors(in the future) can't tell anyone about the Island, or what happened, and have to keep it a secret of sorts, how are they possibly going to be able to explain, to all those they know, how their flight was found and everyone was dead, and we've been gone for months.? Everyone thinks they are dead. How do you come back and not explain yourself? How are you gone for months and not explain anything? How, how, how? How can they live again in real world without some BIG explanations?! There HAS to be something odd with the "time".
And what the heck was the crappy CG on Kate's face at the end? Weird.
I hate this show. I shouldn't even bother anymore. Consarnit!
I'm thinking even if a rescue boat came Locke, Rose, Bernard and Ben would stay on the island, it's not like a rescue team would force them to go it they didn't want to.
other - if you can't appreciate Lost as one of the most ambitious TV shows in history, just stick to American Idol.
Lost is the opposite of Lame. On an SAT test, it would be:
Lost:Lame::Cat:Dog
I think the repeated "Time and Space are all relative" message that has been hammered into the show is key here. Once they got off the island, their lives picked up from a major point in time in the past where each of them made several key decisions. Kate killing her father, Sawyer killing the wrong man, Jack rejecting his father, Hurley winning the lottery, Sun cheating, Claire running away, Charlie being a drug addict, etc. The island was meant to help them grow from their past, but leaving the island early, many of those who left never got over their problems, making for a worse future.
It almost seemed like the island was rehab, and those survivors who died were the ones who were able to solve their problems and move past their troubled history.
Maybe it is all gibberish, but I think it is something like that. Next season may pick up with flashbacks to the island, showing the story of when they left.
All in all it was very enjoyable, and now I'm sad it won't be on for a really long time =(
LOL, he said Lost is lame. Whatever. That was freaking incredible.
Goodbye, Brian. It's been a fun ride, but LOST has gone off the deep end now that they're not worried about being canceled.
I'm signing off. Have a good life, hopefully free of LOST.
Remember, it's just an addiction. It doesn't really mean anything. They don't have any answers. The answers are in you.
Turn off the TV and tune into your life. That's what I'm going to do. And I hope the best for you, too.
Take it easy.
I've posted a screen shot of the newspaper clipping, and some quick analysis of it on the Message Board if you want to check it out.
Good grief.
I think it's safe to assume that Brian--and most of us--know that Lost doesn't have "the answers".
Lost, and TV, and entertainment in general, is one part of the mosaic we call life. Why not enjoy it?
If people called Lost "lame" after the first six episodes of this season, I could understand it. Or if someone called the Nikki/Paulo episode "lame" (I enjoyed it, but I have a friend who stopped watching after that episode). But after these last several episodes?? Lame compared to WHAT??
Other, you have a good life, too.
Brian L.
I'd like to add my vote for the wake (hardly a funeral) being held for Michael.
Two reasons: it was in a section of L.A. where Michael may have been living; and Kate was contemptuous of the idea that she would have possibly attended.
After all, Michael murdered two people just so he could get Walt back. And then left with obviously no intention of sending help for the rest of them.
That headline just says the man was found in the loft. He could have been murdered. And then we have a mystery as to who could have done it.....
WEll, I think we got our gamechanger, one way or another. Having flashbacks to the Island is a great idea.
I'm seriously thinking there are alternate timelines here. There were two references to Christian Shephard being alive. And yeah, you can explain them away by saying Jack forged a prescription and Jack was too drunk to keep straight that his father is dead, but that seems to be stretching it.
Sounds like it was Locke's funeral, based on what Jason found on the obituary--I'm pretty sure I remember reading on Lostpedia that his full first name is Johnathon--somebody picked it up off paper work that was shown before.
Unless... Michael and Walt return and whoever this new group that Naomi was with finds out from them about the island and what's become of it and caused this rescue/whatever it is to be set in motion.-- maybe along with the pulse, I'm not sure.
well, beyond the LOST IS LAME comments (that is something not any of us could not ever possibly understand)...AND I bet 'other' continues to read these blog comments just to see what was said after he said 'signing off'...
ANYWAY, I wanted to say...
CRIED!~Charlie
LAUGHED!~Hurley
DROPPED JAW!~at EVERYTHING else!
I was not sure at the flashbacks, I kept saying...what is the deal here? Pay attention, you are missing something! When he was ont he bridge I said, well we know he won't jump, he lives to crash...then i said UNLESS THIS IS AFTER THE CRASH! My husband says, you are nuts and goes to bed!
I really didn't think I was even close to right until I saw Kate (or what I thought MIGHT be kate-what was THAT face about???)
Anyway, I seriously thought when Charlie did the GOOD VIBRATIONS song it would flood the whole station. Nice that they made sure to let us know it is all waterproof down there, so we know the transmission equipment is safe!
A couple thoughts I have to ponder until the AM...
1)When Jack said why don't you get my dad down here, the other doc looks at him with pitty. I think that was (looking back now) clearly him saying OH JACK, HE IS DEAD, you poor drunken fool!
2)Is it possible for Ben to tell the truth? I still doubt it but I am wondering what the plans really were! Shooting sand, kill Charlie, but no one really listened?
3) Where did Locke go? He sure high tailed it somewhere!
4) My guess for Mr. Dead at the funeral...LOCKE FOR SURE. He must have done something to the incoming rescue and pissed them all off even more. hmmmm
5) secrets???
6) Who could Kate possibly need to get back to before he notices she is gone??? She can not be controlled by anyone!
WILL I EVER SLEEP???????
If it was Michael though, why didn't Walt show up?
If it was Michael though, why didn't Walt show up?
I had suspected that it might be a future-cast or an alternate timeline when i saw the long beard, although the discussions around Jack's father made me think it was the past again -- except we were being led to think something different. When they showed his apartment there were maps of the pacific on the wall that sealed it as a future-cast and implying that he wanted to go back but couldn't.
Very crafty indeed!
I had thought at one point that a really cool path for the series was to go totally off-island to answer the larger mysteries involving Hanso, time travel, manufactured coincidences, etc. It would give them a chance to do a mystery show in different exotic locations (yes, i loved Alias) with people trying to answer the exact opposite question from the past 3 years and ask "How Do We Find The Island?" Or, have the Island continue but with on-Island and Off-Island stuff, so the whole 'Will They Ever Get Home' thing would be put aside.
To have Jack and "science" be wrong and have to find their way back after making a mistake is beautiful, they had it and they "Lost" it! ;-)
I always believed that Locke was on the right path, although I didn't know what the path was.
Still, my (wrong) bet for the ending was that the looking glass has mystical qualities, that it had a gateway or portal to get to different times or places, and that its inhabitants were enemies of Ben. I'm glad I'm wrong, this is really top notch.
Oh, and to all those posters who seem to have a burr in their keysters about this, get a life! All of us here know that its just a show and this is just for fun. Peace Out!
jm
I don't think I'd like the idea that the flashbacks are now of the island. What does that mean, that the present day (where Jack and Kate met, the plane crashed in 2004 remember, and Jack had a KRZR) is going to be the main story now and the flashbacks tell the story of how they get off the island? If this is the case, I don't think it could be real good. I'm thinking 'The Nine' a little bit here.
I think the funeral being Locke's is most likely. . .of the people we have met so far. It would make sense that Jack wanted to go since Locke was 'right' in Jacks mind about staying on the island, but everyone else hated Locke for trying to keep them there. It might make sense that it was Ben, except I don't think Ben ever left the island alive. Or it is of somebody we haven't me yet. Or Jacob!:o
What if the funeral was actually Jacks? Didnt Naomy say all people from the crash were all dead??? Maybe somehow its Jacks funeral. I know, nonsense (plus with him being a doctor (+ hero)lots of people would be there), just another nonsense idea...hey, Im not Brian! :P
(After re-watching)
In the pharmacy when he is trying to get the pills the guy in line says something to the effect of "don't you know who this is, give him what he wants".
They set it up to seem as though he is the hero of the lady because that is what happened most recently. But I think it is more directed that he is the hero of the survivors. He brought them back from death!!! (as seem from the non passengers perspective),
And if I recall, everyone at the hospital should know that Jacks dad is dead, because that is why he went down under. (when trying to get the body on the plane he says there is a funeral back in the states waiting for the body).
I posted and totaly forgot to put in what made me post again in the first place.
I finaly understand why Charlie closed the door from his side. Des was running to see Penny and Charlie had to keep him out so that he could live. Thus sacraficing his life so that Des could one day see Penn.
thats all from me for tonight, way to much to process.
The Doctor that Jack met was the Chief of Surgery. That is the same job that Christian Shepherd had in Jack's flashbacks. I believe Jack was just messed up which is why the Doctor looked at him funny when he said go get my dad.
I also believe that Jack was so adament about not being called a hero because the last time he was a hero he got everyone rescued from the Island which now he clearly believes was the wrong decision. He doesn't feel like a Hero he feels he ruined all their lives.
I had an inkling from the beginning that it was after-island scenes we were seeing with scruffy-Jack.
Didn't the Chief of Surgery make a comment when confronting Jack about being on the bridge railing that it had been the second time he had been a hero?
Also, I fail to see how Charlie's message "Not Penny's Boat" is warning that Naomi is a fraud? Did Naomi claim to be associated with Penny?
Fine review of great finale ... I realized last week that they were going to pivot from flashbacks to flashforwards, and they handled it beautifully tonight... Flashforwards
Harry - yes, Naomi told Desmond that she was on a team that Penny had sent to look for Desmond.
Two thoughts:
1) I could swear that there was a reference to Jack being a hero "again". This gives some credence to being recognized as a hero for leading the survivors to rescue and being the car accident hero.
2) Interesting that Jack was listening to Nirvana's "Scentless Apprentice" while driving in the future.
About Jack's father being alive: I think Jack was just mentioning his father's name as a desperate ploy to get the drugs ... and then he backed off, which pretty much shows that it was ruse...
More thoughts:
1) I would love to get a transcript of the female voice whisper just before Walt speaks.
2) "Scentless Apprentice" lyrics:
Like most babies smell like butter
His smell smelled like no other
He was born scentless and senseless
He was born a scentless apprentice
Go away - get away, get a-way
Every wet nurse refused to feed him
Electrolytes smell like semen
I promise not to sell your perfumed secrets
There are countless formulas for pressing flowers
Go away - get away, get a-way
Like most babies smell like butter
His smell smelled like no other
He was born scentless and senseless
He was born a scentless apprentice
Go away - get away, get a-way
Every wet nurse refused to feed him
Electrolytes smell like semen
I promise not to sell your perfumed secrets
There are countless formulas for pressing flowers
Go away - get away, get a-way
I lie in the soll and fertilize mushrooms
Leaking out gas fumes are made into perfume
You can't fire me because I quit!
Throw me in the fire and I won't throw a fit
Go away - get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get a-way
When Jack attempts to give the pharmacisct the Christian Shepard prescription, she says "I'm going to have to call your father's office to confirm this." Jack then says "He's out of town right now". THe pharmacisct responds, "Well I'm sure someone in the..." which is the point where Jack hits his hand on the counter. Jack then says,"Don't bother", which I interpret to mean that Jack is in tune with the fact that his father is dead, rather than it meaning "darn couldn't get away with this rouse, so don't bother."
I'm with Toby (above) on Michael being the one in the coffin.
As Toby said, Michael sacrificed some for the sake of himself and Walt. Likewise, we now saw Jack intentionally letting the three on the beach die (as far as he knew) by not giving in to Ben for himself and the other survivors to escape the island. This similarity explains why Jack is so upset when he reads about Michaels death.
Awesome episode. Brilliant both conceptually and in execution so far as acting, direction, etc.
It had it all...adventure (ie; shoot out on beach), love (Jack loves Kate), saddness (ie; Charlie as well as the three presumably murdered on the beach), fun (Hurley), etc.
The person in the coffin MUST be a someone from the cast that we know - unlikely someone yet to be introduced to the show. The obvious choice would be Sawyer but these writters rarely do the obvious....so probably Locke. Why? It would indicate, somehow in the end, that Jack comes to Locke's perspective. So far as storytelling goes, we're left wondering what events may unfold to make that occur? At the end of the story on the Island, Jack would be furious that once again, Locke attempted to destroy their chance of leaving the Island - but in the flashforward story, he is the ONLY one attending his funeral. Again, brilliant and agreed with Brian - most ambitious, intriguing show perhaps EVER on network TV.
After scanning the obit article that Brian posted, maybe many of you are correct and it is Michael, not Locke. The logic would be similar with him as it would be as if Locke were in the coffin. What could possibly have occurred to make Jack regret Michael dying? Why would he care? Somehow, everything related to our point of view has the potential of being twisted by not revealing who was in the coffin.
Also...references to Jack's dad are intriguing. I would have to watch again, but would seem to be a well crafted ploy to through us off a bit. To me, very doubtful that Jack is in an alternate timeline and Christian Shepard is alive! And more unlikely (or impossible) any sloppy writting occured. I think it is somewhat apparent that Jack was drugged out and not making total sense. Him referring to his father when trying to fill the perscription was simply a desperate act on his part and telling the other doctor to get his father "down here" may also be easily explained as others posting here have already done.
Can't wait to see Brian's full anaylsis!! WHAT A KICK-ASS SHOW!!
While I see the logic in Mike being in the Coffin, it would seem odd that at least Walt did not show up. Also would Mike be walking around instead of in jail for a double murder (let us not forget he is a cop killer and an LA cop at that.) This is also the Ben in the coffin flaw. A mass murderer (40+) people dying at the hands of this individual means that he most likely has every motivation not to leave the island and face "American justice." We also know that the only way for Locke to leave the island is with a crow bar, so sorry to that the only clue we have is that neither Jack or Kate consider him (at least we know it's a male) a "friend." Now... I just have to be the smart alec and say...Is Lost Island near Treasure Island Las Vegas? What's with all the NBC Las Vegas stars showing up on Lost. Is James Cann next? James Lesure (Mike Cannon and now the Doctor on Lost) happens to show up with Marsh Thomason (Nessa the pit boss and now dead helicopter crewmen) makes me wonder if James Cann isn't going to show up as Jacob. Okay...sorry..just had to get that out there. This episode was great (although what's up with Penny being on two season closer's now?) My jaw was also open most of the episode until I was cheering when Sawyer went Rambo! Yeah! He's the dark knight for sure. "I didn't believe him." I love it. It will take all summer to get over Charlie, so keep us going Brian. In closing...did you all catch the "I'm tired of lying" line from Jack to Kate in the end. Was that about him loving her, or about what is going to take place to get off the island. I fail to think the writers are that transparent.
I just read everyones comments and I can't believe no one mentioned this: The scene when Jack was on the plane talking to the flight attendant , was that not Sun and Jin sitting in the seats behind him? It really looked like them. That is what threw me off. That was why I kept thinking to myself did Jack have a beard when he first got to the island.
I predict they're back on the Island by the end of episode 1 next season (well, end of episode 3 by the very latest). Not all of the survivors, of course, but the core group will go back to reclaim the island from the Hanso/Dharmite invaders and help the Others protect their fountain of youth from corporate takeover. The atmosphere on the island will be more like the flashbacks from the Ben-centric episode, with some kind of corporate HQ. And there will be three years' worth of new flashback material from the survivors' (mostly sucky) post-rescue lives.
Also, if Locke is dead, that seems like a real waste of a coming-back-from-the-dead experience. Up from the grave he arose, to put a totally unnecessary knife in Naomi's back, offer a lame and unconvincing argument to Jack about how they're not supposed to leave, then walk away, only to commit suicide the next time we see him. Personally, I don't think that Locke left the island to begin with - he's still there, hiding in the bushes, and now Jack, Kate, Sawyer, etc. have to go back and join forces with him.
Jack has to fix things. His ex-wife makes an appearance to remind us of this. He is miserable off the island because he realizes that the world is in danger and the only way to save it is to be on the island. Saving one person at a time just won't satisfy Jack anymore.
First of all, cat is the opposite of dog? Maybe in cartoons...
Now on to the episode... It was pretty mind-blowing. I have a few quick comments:
1. Timelines - it seems pretty apparent that the crash of 815 happened as we think it did, even in the future "alternate" timeline (if it is an alternate). I'm not sure what to make of this. One would think that unjamming the signals would allow people to get to and from the island much more easily, so why is Jack having such a hard time getting back?
2. Ben - said a few very interesting things. One was that the island is facing forces more powerful than it has in years. The other was about how if Jack made that call every living thing on the island would be killed.
3. Next season - the producers have said that next season will focus on the ancient ruins (the temple, I presume), so I don't imagine the survivors will be getting off the island just quite yet. How this ties in to Jack's flashback/flashforward is not yet clear.
When I saw Jack's beard, I couldn't help but think "alternate universe" a la Spock in "Mirror, Mirror."
I really loved this episode, too, from Hurley crashing in to save the day, to Sawyer still getting great lines like "I didn't believe him." And most of all, I am grateful that Sayid survived.
About Patchy, though--what does it take to kill this man? And, is he still loyal to Ben, or is he now operating on his own agenda?
Oh--another favorite moment was when CFL smacked Ben in the head. The look on her face was priceless!
It will take me a little more time to process everything, so I guess that gives us all something to do until next year. . .
I thought it might be Michael's funeral. Its maybe not PC, but the funeral home was in a black neighborhood. And it would explain why no one showed up. He killed the survivors, and then didn't send help when he excaped.
Charlie didn't leave the room because you can't lock it from the outside
In the "future flashback" it seemed like Kate was doing pretty well. Could it be that Jack is the only one depressed about leaving? Maybe he will have some experience later that changes his perception of things. Not to mention his dad died right before the crash AND his wife left him, and maybe all of his island buddies parted ways after they got rescued.
Plus I'm surprised that Ben didn't start spilling the beans if he knew something about Naomi. I mean he seemed so desperate, and the phone about to be picked up at any second. I wonder what could possibly be that big of a secret???
Brian,
I don't think you're right about Dharma trying to get back to/find the island. After all, they are doing food drops on a regular and perpetual basis - they know where to drop them.
Okay, I waited until morning to try and gather my thoughts. That was a mistake. I got maybe three hours sleep last night. Waiting until Feb. for Lost is going to be horrible, but on the upside, I'll sleep better on Wednesdays. As for the episode, I fell write into the beautiful writing. I kept trying to place when the flashback was and how it was relevant. I didn't figure it out until we saw Kate's face. So, I was fooled. But, I'm glad I was. The shock was worth the wait. I really have no idea what to expect from Lost now. The idea of flashbacks to the island is intriguing, but I don't like the idea that this future is where everything ends. I don't know that I like the idea of the show's present switching to that future with the objective of getting back to the island either. Either way, I trust the writers, but the wait is going to kill me. We have mysteries of the past that are still in need of answers and now we have mysteries of the future to worry about as well. I think everyone has asked all the major questions that I had. I'll ask a minor one though. What was with Jack kissing Juliet one minute and telling Kate he loved her the next? Anyone?
P.S. -- HURLEY ROCKS!!!!
Question, why was Kate free? You would think that a convicted murderer wouldn't get a 'out-of-jail-card' for being able to survive on a tropical island. People must not know who they reeally are...but they got free flight passes "golden wings" which means there was some kind of fan fair when they returned...
Based on Walt's little pep talk to Locke, and the jumps forward we've seen in Desmond's flashes, I'm having a hard time believing that what we saw of Jack was a fixed future.
I would argue that Jack's chance for redemption is not up yet. If indeed flashforwards are the way the show will go, we may be seeing the strange effects of "Lost Time" begin to have a direct impact on the future as it goes. Then, and I think most appropriately, we will finally end at a time where past, present, and future all collide into a reconciliation and understanding of the island.
Damn, that "Go get my father" line is going to drive me nuts all summer! What does it mean??? Aaaack!
Also, that harpoon shot was clutch! Totally high-five worthy.
I'm not sure why Jack is so depressed. Are we supposed to kinda know this already? Kate does seem happy and she told Jack that it was right to leave the island. I can't come up with a solid reason for this yet. He never had anything before the island, and you would think his after island life would be filled with the other Survivors, so I can't think of a solid reason for his depression. Is it that he realizes that he could have 'saved the world' if the island hadn't been found? If he thinks this, why doesn't Kate care about that?
Juliet kissed Jack; He didn't really kiss back. And I was wondering that about Kate too. Perhaps once the public heard about their ordeal on the island (though possibly a half-true lie?), maybe they declared that she had paid her debt to society and given a second chance.
That makeup is still bothering me though...
ps - puberty Walt kinda freaked me out
Christian Sheppard: This reference to him being alive was to throw us off in the flash fowards. He was just using his stationary to write the medications. That's why he walked off when they wanted to call his office. Did you see the look on the Doctors face when he mentioned his father? He looked at him like he was nuts... and he is... flying to the pacific every weekend? That's not the way to get to the island... contact Desmond or Penny.. or Dharma or Mittlos.
Dead Person: Kate said that "he will be wondering where I am". I took this as being Sawyer. The dead person wasn't a "friend" or "family" so it could be Ben... but my coworker thinks it's Locke. Someone froze the article and it says:
"The body of Jo? ?antham of
New York" Lostpedia lists John Locke as "Johnathan". I think that's enough evidence that the dead man is likely Locke.
- Rescue: Who will get rescued? Is this a clue that Jack and Kate leave? Do they leave others on the island? Are we doing to follow people in the flash fowards off the island? Or in real time? I don't know.. they sort of have to stay on the island... don't they?
Deaths: Is Patchy dead? OK he had a grenade but I'm not sold that he's dead... you can't seem to kill him.
Hey all you LOST friends who keep asking why didn't Charlie just go out and shut the door. To reference a favorite of Brian's "Hel-loooo McFly?" :)
The old biddy in the jewelry shop said you can't change the future, remember the scaffolding falling on the dude? Desmond kept trying, but "this time you have to die, bruuther." (hard to do accents in writing.)
Charlie knew he had to drown in order to save the others - well not the *others* - the remaing survivors, and really Claire & Aaron...you know what I mean.
I'm not a charlie-hater and never have been, so am as bummed as you that he is lost and gone forever for real. But it's the way it had to be and he died a hero - we think.
Oh and he didn't swim out the portal because he's not really a hobbit, he just plays one on TV. :)
Can't wait for next season!!!
Charlie locked the door because he felt that he had to fulfill Desmond's vision in order to save Claire. I believe the door opened into the comm room, which means that if Charlie has closed it on his way out, water pressure would have sealed it just as effectively. Failing to close the door would have flooded the whole station either way.
Grenades are especially effective under water. Mikhail would have to have been holding it when it detonated to be sure it was against the window.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Michael turn a gun on himself (to the chest, sort of across the shoulder) in season 2 after shooting up the Hatch?
I vote for Locke in the coffin - just by the way Jack pounded his fist on it as if to say 'g'damn, you were right you ****'er!.'
First off, a minor inaccuracy. Prescriptions for narcotics can't be refilled, so the pharmacist saying Jack had had 3 already is impossible. Also, if they get rescued, this is a way for production to move from Hawaii back to LA, which would probably make sense. Shooting in Hawaii has to be expensive.
1) Loved when CFL's first words to her daughter were, "Will you help me tie him up?"
2) Ben ordered Tom to pretend to kill Sayid, Bernard and Jin. Brian, the Other that Hurley squished with the VW, told Tom, "It was an order - we had to follow it." Then Tom, says,"Ben's lost it...We should have killed them for real." Why would Ben fake their deaths? Earlier he had no problem ordering the death of Jin to get Bernard to talk or to order them to kill anyone who got in their way. But he clearly set up this bluff before he met Jack and the Marchers.
3) I also loved Rose's line, "If you say Live Together, Die Alone to me Jack I'm going to punch you in you face."
4) Brian - thank you for this blog. I have been a lurker since last year and I have really enjoyed your posts as well as the comments of the many interesting and intelligent people in this community.
Article
Man found in downtown loft
The body of Jo. ...antham of NY was found shortly after 4 am in the.....of Grand Avenue.
...at The Tower...loud noises
...victim's loft
...rred the
ordered th...a beam in the
...t hanging
I think "..antham" is the last name. They wouldn't say the body of Jeff or Jo was found in the apartment. They would say. First name (Jo...) Last name (..antham)
If we can assume the first name is "Joseph," biblically speaking, Joseph is the only brother of Benjamin - sons of Jacob (there were many sons, but Joe & Ben were the only two born of Rachael.
Joseph was known for his unworldly ability to interperet dreams. Benjamin sold his brother as a slave out of jealousy (jealousy for his powers and b/c daddy Jacob favored Joseph)
Kate's makeup job, in the scene at the end, was probably to contrast against Jack that she is evidently doing OK - Jack is discheveld and she appears well groomed, etc.
This is to focus us on why Jack is tormented and not Kate
Wow. Just.... WOW. What an intense, satisfying and tantalizing conclusion to a totally kick-ass season.
I didn't guess that what we were seeing were really flash-forwards, so that was a fantastic twist. But, how tragic to see that Jack became so completely self-destructive post-island.
I'm really bummed about the loss of Charlie. He was always great for some nice light-hearted moments, and he was one of my favorite characters from the beginning. But, I understand why it had to happen story-wise, and I appreciate that he went out a hero. And, SO cool that the code for shutting off the blocker was programmed by a musician... and it was Charlie who was there to crack to code.
Rose's line was the best in the episode: "If you say 'live together, die alone' to me Jack, I'm gonna punch you in the face."
And, I'm probably completely off base here, but near the end, when Jack glances in his rearview mirror, I first thought he was seeing the reflection of his FATHER's eyes. No? Am I nuts? Look again, and tell me. (I'm willing to concede that those references to his dad being alive may have planted that seed in my head.)
So many new questions we don't have answers to. What does Jack mean when he says he's "sick of lying?" Who was in the coffin? Who was Kate saying she had to get back to? Who was Naomi working for? And most importantly, how in the world will I survive until Season 4 begins??
One of the very cool moments was seeing Sayid snap the guys neck with his legs.
But on a more substanitive matter, when Jack was asked at the funeral parlor if he was a friend or family, he said "neither". Interesting possibilities was to who this could possibly be. Also, was the obit he read on the plane, on the cover page...indicating someone of means or substance....or burried (no punn intended) in the obit section?
Benjamin did not sell Joseph into slavery, his other brothers who were born from Leah did. That's why Joseph loved Benjamin so much more than the rest of them.
Boo - you're right. Well, they are still brothers and sons of Jacob at least!
Just another interesting tidbit:
Name of the Funeral parlor "HOFFS?DRAWLAR" is anagram for Flashforward.
Isn't it possible that the flash-forward was just one possibility of the future, sort of like Desmond's flashes? I guess it's up to us to decided if the future is truly inevitable, and how the end of the series will go.
Also, I haven't seen this posted, but isn't it also possible that Naomi was hired by Penny's father to find Desmond before she did?
Very strange, not too much to do w/ the episode, but coincidental to say the least... Jack's newspaper obit was from the 5/5/07 LA Times. Still doing a headline search to see if it was an actual copy of the paper or a mock.
In the paper that day:
Jetliner with 100 aboard is missing
From Times Wire Reports
May 5, 2007
Kenya Airways said early today it had lost contact with a 737-800 jetliner bound for Nairobi from Douala, Cameroon, with more than 100 people aboard.
"We have no details about what has happened to the aircraft," Kenya Airways Chief Executive Titus Naikuni said.
"The last message from the aircraft was received by the control tower in Douala immediately after takeoff," Kenya Airways said on its website.
The airline said it opened a crisis management center near the Nairobi airport and had no further details.
Calls to Kenya Airways were not immediately returned.
reality just sunk in and I realized that it couldn't have been a real copy... sorry for the idiocy.
WOW, You Lostie fans are so GREAT!!!!!
Thanks for a Fantastic Season,
Looking forward to the next.
Still reeling from the episode last night.
Remember that NAOMI crashed with Penny and Desmond's picture tucked in her book. This means she has some contact with SOMEONE who knows Penny - if not Penny herself. Like her father. Explains those fancy expensive gadgets. But - Penny had some fancy stuff going for her in last season's finale when they found a signal...
FASCINATING. I feel like I'm a part of a nationwide book club with this show. So much fun.
I noticed pretty early on that Jack's phone looked way too new to be a pre-2004 model, and I was right. I read somewhere the type of phone he uses was released some time in late 2006, also the newspaper he looks at is from Apr. 5, 2007. Sorry if this has already been revealed I have skipped over some of these 90+ comments.
Anyways even after noticing the new phone, I thought to myself, there is NO way they are doing some kind of futuristic post island flashback or should I say flashforward. But they did and that made the whole episode awesome. What would be great is if they get off the island with about 5 or so episodes left, and the rest of the episodes kind of deal with them coming back to their old lives.
As for the casket that Jack visits, it could maybe be Sawyer, but I felt like if it was Jack would have said something like "i was his only friend" or something hinting at the fact that Sawyer always said Jack was the closest thing to a friend he had.
I could also see it being Ben or Locke, and I am hoping its Ben, because I would like the show to end with Locke remaining on the Island. Ben certainly wouldnt have anyone in LA to come to his funeral but why would he even be there. The problem is that Locke and Ben would probably never go live in La, so it could be Michael, theres no telling.
For Kate to avoid going to jail all she had to do was say she was someone else . . . PLENTY of dead chicks to choose from. How would they know if she said she was Shannon? I don't think they would question her too much, why would they?
Comment towards the 'Flushforward' -- Perhaps Jack and Kate + man in coffin (plus possibly Sawyer ) did something really bad to the other survivors (ie. sacrified/abandon/ betray them)to be rescued... and Jack can't live with the guilt, and that's why he is self-destructive?! He did say, "we need to go back".
Or, what if the person in the coffin were the last living survivor (excluding Kate & Jack)after they got rescued...that's why Jack is upset that all of them died even thought they were rescued from the island.
By the way, the Asians sat behind Jack on the plane in the flashforward are NOT Sun and Jin.
I'm too tired to read through all the comments to see if someone already wrote this, but as Brian finished this last scene could be tied to the last scene well ever see of lost in (is it 2010)?
Hi Brian. I have been reading - and enjoying - your blog all season. This is my first comment.
At the end of last nights episode, I thought that: upon being rescued, the survivors returned to their lives to find that reality had been altered. (Perhaps by something that Desmond did differently in one of his lucid 'flashbacks'.) It seemed to me that Kate had made a different decision - not to kill her father. So she was no longer on the run, and so had not caused the death of her childhood sweetheart. Maybe he is the one she is with now (sorry Jack!) Also, Jack may have kept quiet about his father being drunk on the job and as a result Christian never went to Australia and died...
While I'm probably wrong, it's still interesting to ponder what other types of decisions the remaining survivors may have made, and the repercussions these decisions would have had on their lives.
i don't think anyone else has mentioned this, which i think is crazy. my roommate and i both immediately noticed that the coffin was rather small. watch it again. it looks like a child's coffin.
as for the whole "johnathan" thing in the paper, doesn't that seem a little too obvious? the producers of course know that someone is going to pick that apart. i think its meant to mislead us. plus, as others have mentioned, why the hell would locke ever leave the island?
ben is small ;-)
DID notice the small coffin, but think it might've been the angle. A person's height is equal to their wingspan - so if jack were to spread his arms out, the coffin wasn't all that short.
Terrysupe - totally agree with you. Was Kates old b/f driving a volvo in the episode where they dug up the box?
"First off, a minor inaccuracy. Prescriptions for narcotics can't be refilled, so the pharmacist saying Jack had had 3 already is impossible."
Actually, I've had oxycodone before after having my wisdom teeth taken out and the Dentist DID give me refills. So its not completely inaccurate, though it may be unlikely.
I think Ben's in the coffin (he's not that big, but that's not why). I'm betting he left the island, perhaps adoting Locke's name since he's probably not welcome there anymore. Jack becomes suicidal because even though he doesn't like Ben, he knows Ben is his best chance of finding the island again. I expand on this idea on my blog. In the interest of keeping this comment from going too long, here's the link.
Awesome work here, btw. I will miss this blog as much as I will miss Lost for the next 8 months.
I just found this blog, so I may be repeating others' (not THOSE others) thoughts. here are my condensed impressions:
1. I, too, wondered why Charlie locked himself INSIDE the flooding room instead of outside. All I can guess is that since he had come to grips that he was going to die, he subconsciously turned it into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
2. Sawyer has obviously turned a corner since he found out that Freckles is just not that into him and he killed Tom Sawyer. It kinda looks like he completed the only thing he lived for and has to find new value for his life now. And, of course, everyone thinks it's easy to kill someone, but once you've done it, you can't take it back and it can be a very hard thing to work through as you realize what you've done and try to rationalize it to yourself... uh, or so I hear. If you thought he was a loner early on, you may not have seen anything yet. On the other hand, this could be Kate's time to reach out to him. Maybe - just maybe - she had to get back to him in the flash forward. But what about the love confession from Jack?
3. Jack was plainly in a bad place after he got off the island. Did anyone else notice that Jack's wife and Kate both seemed to treat him similarly? He appears to have alienated himself. Could it be because Ben was right and his phone call to the ship brought down a new (worse?) threat to the survivors? He felt he failed as the leader and pushed Kate (and everyone else) away and into Sawyer's arms (again).
4. We already know that if Desmond's visions are not recreated exactly, the future changes. Maybe he and/or Jack will use that to try to fix the past/present/future. I'm not up to par on my Quantum Physics.
5. I think everyone knew that Locke would be back. With everyone distrusting Ben now, Locke could step in as leader of the Others. And with a new, common enemy coming (presumably) he could emerage as the overall leader, especially if Jack does crumble after his bid to save everyone with the phone call.
6. How does Ben fit back in now? He must have a few tricks u his sleeve that will give hime some value to everyone. Or will he go all Gaius Baltar and consort with the new enemy. Apparently, he did it once before against the Dharmites, although that has not yet been fully explained.
I guess we have soem time to flesh out our theories till February.
remember the whole season, when we were all angry that our survivors did not demand answers from the others!
well, how did the producers laugh at us during the finale, that was one of my favourite scenes.
sawyer: what were the rocks for?
juliet: a runway ... for the aliens.
this was so great.
What's up with the mystery figure from the connections feature on S2 dvd? Still to be determined or gibberish???
Through the Looking Glass & The Faustian Pact
Certainly we will have plenty of time to muse about the Third season and its finale during the now unfortunately long hiatus. One quick thought/query to the Group:
As noted by other Friends of the Blog, during the "pre-flahes" Jack made several references to his father as though Dr. Shepard Senior were still alive. It begs the question what is (or was) the power of the "Golden Pass". Were Kate and Jack granted powers/gifts beyond being able to simply leave the Island?
Alternatively, perhaps this is NOT a true pre-flash -- in other words still a real flashback -- and possibly an opportunity for two of the main characters to return in time pre-crash (i.e. time travel). Regardless of which scenario plays out in the forthcoming seasons, I suspect the LOST writers are now introducing the notion of a Faustian Pact.
Other thoughts?
In Memoriam:
Although widely predicted I was truly saddened to see Charlie depart us. While many would argue his story arc was complete, I believe there was more to explore with his character. Nonetheless, his passing was poetic and moving.
Brian - the musical episode of Scrubs is on!
I think Michael or Walt is in the coffin. Think about it, Jack would still go to the viewing because he would feel "island connected" to either of them but Kate wouldn't because she remembers the Michael that freed Ben, killed Libby and Ana-Lucia, and led her, Sawyer, Hurley and Jack to the others. I don't think Christian Shepherd is alive so that sounds absurd to me. Whoever Kate is with, she fears them. She didn't want to see Jack and she didn't want "him" to know about it either, which makes me think she isn't with Sawyer. Sawyer can be violent and con people, but he couldn't hurt Kate or cause her to be that afraid of him. I think Jack wants to return to the island because not everyone got rescued or choose to come back to the real world. And I think the "go see my dad" comment was a slip of his drunken tongue.
On a personal note, Brian, I read your blog religiously every week and look forward to your analysis of each episode. Keep up the good work!
What if the flash-forwards were really flashbacks, and somehow Kate and Jack knew each other before the island, and had actually been to the island before. The whole time they had been trying to get back to the island, and eventually they did.
Terrysupe: I love your idea of life back on the mainland being altered somehow due to Des's flashes. What if the redemption they are all finding on the island is somehow reversing the bad things they did in their real lives?
Anon at 5:58 pm - I also loved that scene! I thought, "finally! Sawyer's asking a big question!" and then Juliet once again showed her snarky side. Fabulous!
I have trouble believing the funeral is Sawyer's, but here's another possibility: Locke, like Sawyer, Locke didn't have any friends or family. Jack got so emotional about the news and nearly committed suicide over it. Why would he do that for Sawyer, the guy who stole his girl and was a complete ass the entire time on the island? Locke, however, was his ticket to stay on the island. Jack obviously recognized the fact that he wanted to stay on the island due to his horrible "real world" life. But instead of listening to Locke, he called the frater, essentially damning himself into his awful old life. That would also explain why Kate didn't show. If she remained with Sawyer after the rescue, why wouldn't she be there? The survivors (whoever they may be) obviously exchanged phone numbers (possible crash and/or rescue reunion?) to keep in touch, and seeing as all the other survivors would want to leave the island and go home, Jack, being the only one left who wants to return to the island, would be the only to attend. Well, there you go. Part of me thinks this is right, but part of me also thinks Locke would put a bullet in his own head before leaving the island, so, this is just another theory of mine.
I think the person in the coffin had to be either Sawyer or Locke. We need to remember that the Survivors had lives before they crashed on the island and Michael would seem to have other friends show up for his funeral. Especially if, as people pointed out, it was in a more African American neighborhood.
I'm new to your blog, but have become addicted quickly to your fantastic analysis!
Has it been mentioned that the island is the fountain of youth yet? Thus the aging/time continuum solution? Also, that would explain why the Hanso Foundation / Dharma is looking for the island again. This would pit the Others and Losties against Dharma's re-invasion and exploitation of the island / Jacob.
Hey, an anonymous poster asked this earlier, but I think he/she is right... Jin and Sun are behind Jack on the airplane... Check it out.
i just watched the first scene again and it's definitely not Sun and Jin...although i bet the producers put lookalikes in the background on purpose.
One of the most intriguing questions is who is in the coffin? My guess would be Locke, because he is the only character i can think of who would have NO ONE show up at his funeral, and Jack would definitely not consider him to be friend or family. Also, Jack would be so upset when he finds out that Locke is dead because Locke is pretty much his best bet to get back to the island. I don't think it could be Sawyer because I remember a scene from season 2 when Sawyer tells Jack he is the closest thing to a friend that he has. Unless something big changed between them (which is definitely possible...) i don't think that Jack would have acted the way he did in the funeral home if Sawyer was in the coffin.
From Jack and Kate's interaction in the final scene I definitely got the sense that Kate was going home to Sawyer, which is why she had to be so secret about meeting Jack.
I thought it would be Ben in the coffin, but now reading a transcript of the Obituary on Lostpedia, which says something about a dead male leaving a "teenage son" makes me think Michael.
@john nelson - The fountain of youth idea has been talked about a lot. Come join us over at http://facethewoods.com/lost/. It's a forum just for readers of this blog. You'll be up to your ears in Fountain of Youth, Time Loop, and Alternate Time Line theories. Those are the tame ones. I highly recommend the forums over the comments section to all.
Wow - I was going to try and keep up with the comments, but I think it's futile at this point. I think I've got most of the episode worked out in my head (still struggling with a point or two), but I plan on getting the full analysis up this weekend.
Also - I second the notion of visiting the Message Board for more in-depth discussions. This comments section is a bear to get through, especially when it gets this long!
(PS - that's what she said)
wow fantastic episode. I really hope the flash forward was a one time deal because if we learn what happens to everyone after they leave the island(who survived and what they did etc) the rescue would be anti climactic. also to the people who say this may not be a fixed future: then there wouldn't be any point in showing it since they can't(except desmond) know what will happen in the future and act to change it.
about locke showing up in the end:
what does he know? did he kill naomi just because she had to phone? why wouldn't he also kill jack then? or does he know of naomi's true nature? if he does why wouldn't he tell jack to convince him to shut the phone?
about jack being all messed up in the future: as ben metioned to jack he has nothing or noone in the world off the island. so maybe he misses belonging somewhere, being a leader. he is left without a purpose in life, nothing to fix(his obsession).
I haven't read all of the 122 comments, so I don't know if this has been brought up yet or not. I was quite surprized at Locke's entrance. He knifed Naomi in the back! This is the man who couldn't kill anyone, not his dad, not the little police guy at the hippie commune, not Ben, not Jack, and not even himself. Where did that come from, and did anyone else think that was weird?
Did he? We didn't see him throw the knife. Maybe Jacob/Smokey/Walt did it.
I loved that Danielle and Alex's first mother daughter bonding experience was to tie Ben up!
And Hooray for Sayed! Bound and gagged, he is still lethal! Hooray for Sawyer! "Thats for taking the boy off the raft" And Hurley turns out to be the real hero in a red shirt! I love Hurley. Hooray for Charlie, sending a message to Desmond as his dying act. I'll miss him. But I'm sure glad that he is the only core character who died. I heard rumors and was worried. If Walt was still on the island, where is Michael? Is Walt Jacob?
I thought it was him, maybe it was someone else??!! Patchy, the invisible bionic man, maybe?!!
Don't know if anyone has pointed this out as there are so many comments, but anyone notice the anagram in the name of the funeral parlor ... Hoffs/Drawlar ... anagram for "flash forward! Also as Jack drives up tp the funeral parlor listening to Nirvana's 'Scentless Apprentice' the date of the newspaper clipping if 4/5/07, the 13th anniversery of Kurt Cobain's death.
Why wouldn't the pharmacist have just said, "Your father is dead," rather than "I'll need to call his office to confirm"?
I was wondering about the weird name of the funeral parlor being an anagram. Now that I've read over some of the comments, I feel like I did at the end of Sixth Sense, like "D'oh! I should have seen this earlier." They gave SO many clues but then they also threw in a lot of stuff to make you think it was the past. They're tricky, tricky writers. :)
"I can't be bothered with reading anyone else's ideas... but here are mine. Read them! Revel in their originality. Observe how brilliant I am. Weep as you accept my sublime doctrine as your own."
"I'll check back later to see if anyone says my name. :)"
According to Lostpedia, via Gothamist, the paper reads as follows:
"The body of John Lantham of New York was found shortly after 4 am in the 4300 block of Grand Avenue. Ted Worden, a doorman at the Tower Lofts complex, heard loud noises coming from the victim’s loft. Concerned for tenants’ safety, he entered the loft and found the body hanging from a beam in the living room. According to Jaime Ortiz, a police spokesman, the incident was deemed a suicide after medical tests. Latham (sic) is survived by one teenaged son. Memorial services will be held at the Hoffs-Drawlar Funeral Home tomorrow evening."
John who?
OK, I have a question. Has anyone noticed that folks are always saying, "We have to go back all through out Lost??" Sawyer and Kate even have an argument about it at the end,and Sawyer tells Kate she always wants to go back but there is nothing for her to go back to this time (at least I think that's what he said).
OK, I have a question. Has anyone noticed that folks are always saying, "We have to go back all through out Lost??" Sawyer and Kate even have an argument about it at the end,and Sawyer tells Kate she always wants to go back but there is nothing for her to go back to this time (at least I think that's what he said).
OK, I have a question. Has anyone noticed that folks are always saying, "We have to go back all through out Lost??" Sawyer and Kate even have an argument about it at the end,and Sawyer tells Kate she always wants to go back but there is nothing for her to go back to this time (at least I think that's what he said).
Anyone have any thoughts as to why Locke temporarily lost the use of his legs while he was in that mass grave? or How he got out? and I'm assuming that was a 'smokeyvision' Walt sent by Jacob so that Locke could continue his "Help me" mission. Thoughts anyone?
I'm noticing alot of people, not so much here but on other stuff I read asking why Ben would order for the sand to be shot instead of Bernard, Jin, and Sayid. After thinking about it, I think it is a pretty reasonable to assume that Ben thought that maybe if he failed, and the "rescuers" arrived that there would be the possibility of some altercations between them and that would force the Others/losties union, and it would be stupid to kill off more people since the "rescuers" would be better equipped and probably outman the islanders. However, it is going to be interesting to see how things go down in season 4 since the Losties killed quite a few of the Others, and it seems Jack and Kate eventually did get off the Island.
"only fools are constrained by time and space."
anyone?
Time and Space....I still think that the flash forward was a different future--It was perhaps not THE future but A future. Something changed (probably changed by Desmond, in saving Charlie's life) so that Jack's father is still alive (yeah, I'm still stuck on that). Perhaps our characters will "go back" to the Island and change things some more, until they get a better outcome. Also, Desmond is not done changing things--and he may get better at it. I think he is learning how to deal with his flashes.
Lost just CAN'T end with Jack being a drunk like his father. That was too depressing. Like Locke said, he wasn't supposed to make that call.
I kinda think that Desmond might be done with his flashes. When Charlie asked him, right before he went to tap out Good Vibrations, if he had any other flashes, Desmond had a funny look and said no. Is this because he was surprised he hasn't had a flash in a while (which I took to mean he's done having flashes) or was he lying to Charlie?
Anon: Neither. I think Charlie asked Des if he’d had any more flashes because he was hoping Des might have had an updated flash about the current situation, which could mean that he didn’t have to die. If Des had a funny look on his face, it was because he understood the significance of the request. Doesn’t necessarily that Des is done with flashes for all time.
Hey guys.
Want to know the funny thing about writing analysis for the last episode of the season? There's no "deadline" for when you have to complete it since there's no other episodes coming up for quite some time.
I think I took about a month to write last season's finale analysis. This year shouldn't take nearly as long - and hopefully will be up within the week.
But I totally missed my "by the end of the weekend" prediction. Blame it on the nice weather. Sorry!
Take your time Brian!
Anonymous:
MINOR SPOILER WARNING ABOUT DESMOND FLASHS:
Carlton and Damon hinted at the last podcast that Desmoned will in fact continue to have flashs.
In trying to guess or figure out who was in the coffin, it is impossible to ignore that the funeral home setting was in a black neighborhood. Obviously the writters are trying to either give us a clue or throw us off. Secondly, it would seem obvious that we know who this character is (was). Also, I would bet that the name and other clues shown in the obituary is a red herring.
I'm interested in hearing what Brian has to say on this matter.
thanks for the update brian. we will be patient! the longer you take, i'm sure the more in depth and fantastic it will be!
Brilliant episode.
I was clueless about Jack being in the future until seeing the ex-wife pregnant. At first I thought the way Jack rambled on about his father meant that Jack was in the past. When I realised we were back to the future I was blown away.
I am now in the Christian Shepard IS alive cult. Sure Jack was pill-popping and suicidal but I do not think he was bombed enough to hallucinate about his Father still being alive.
Jack spends alot of time trying to get back to the island because he now realises he had the chance to finally believe in something greater than Jack-Almighty. He is sick to death (!) of his fate to keep saving people. He can't even have a decent quiet bridge-jump without his fate crashing in on him. Plus he still has his drunk father around to tell him he is worthless. Jack is heralded by complete strangers as a hero -- he is sick of being a hero.
I mean Jack knows that before he left the island his Father was dead and in a coffin on the plane. So finding himself back in the real world and his Dad alive - he finally has the Ah-ha moment that Locke was always trying to convince him of. he finally realizes that the island performs miracles. There is something out there bigger than Jack Sheppard - he can finally relax and stop saving the world if only he can get back to resolve this.
Of course, what might happen is that Jack does go back and does save the island from Penny's evil father - because that is his fate!
Kate was a shock and since she is not in jail, I will assume that she also, like Jack, got to go back in time and have a few things changed.
The deal about Kate's makeup is important - it was put on so thickly on purpose. She has never worn that type of eye liner for instance. Maybe this is to show that she is unhappy rather than happy. Maybe it is covering up red eyes from alot of crying.
If she is back and did not kill her stepdad, that means that the creep is still alive and her Mom still has cancer and she might still be married to Mr. Policeman. If she is with her childhood sweetheart or Sawyer I would be amazed. That would mean that they went back and nothing changed. If that were true than Kate would be in jail.
If Kate was with Sawyer would she really be that concerned about what Sawyer thinks in regards to Jack? I mean she just does not answer to Sawyer that way. I just can't see her worrying about Sawyer knowing that she met with Jack. Sawyer understands everything they went through together on the island and considers Jack a friend. If Kate is with him then he won Kate. But she would have to hide a meeting with Jack from her Policeman husband who may know nothing at all about her island experience. Maybe part of the return is a pact of some sort they make where the Losties can never tell anyone anything about their real experience, as has been mentioned.
I think that the pass they have is just a pass to fly free on Oceanic Airlines.
I wonder about Locke's vision he had in the tent and wonder if that means the future for those Locke saw IS set in stone. Auuughghgh!!! That might mean that Kate and Sawyer are together. They both looked pretty happy and amazingly clean in the vision. I am probably repeating other's ideas but have to get this out!
- Web Buffy
if Night Goat is right....and we are giving too much credence to the urban, black setting of the funeral home....i'd say the obvious body in the coffen is that of John Lockes'. Also assuming the obit is NOT a red-herring, it does say John or Jacob or something, doesn't it? Would the writters give us such an obvious clue here?
Locke's vision in the tent? Which episode was that in again, so I can go back and watch it?
oh and i guess the black neighborhood thing is mainly what's spurring on the speculation of michael being in the coffin. so why the "friend or family" question?
i think the coffin looks kind of smallish and probably belongs to someone we haven't even been introduced to yet.
http://gallery.lost-media.com/albums/ep-caps/season3/3x22-2/3x22-glass1146.jpg
webuffy--I think you may have something there, but I'm going to look at it a little differently. You said that Jack couldn't even have a quiet moment to jump off a bridge without fate intruding and needing him to save someone.
What if---fate intruded on purpose, in order to keep him alive? I mean, isn't it an amazing coincidence that there was an accident at that very time? Yeah, the lady driving got distracted, but I'm thinking that something or someone (from the Island) caused a car crash so that Jack would get off that bridge railing and get involved in saving the person. And it worked, he didn't kill himself. Someone wants him alive.
Hey di -
That is a cool angle on it!!!
Mmmm...so many thoughts!!
- Web Buffy
hi dakkona,
Well I got it wrong it wasn't a tent - - it was a type of a sweat lodge that Locke built and had a hallucinagenic vision in the episode "Further Instructions".
- web buffy
I doubt coffin would contain a character yet to be introduced.
I heard a theory that the body in the coffin is Jack's. This would explain why Jack would be (morbidly) curious about who would show up, why Kate would have no reason to go (if she knows that Jack is really alive, and is perhaps in hiding or sworn to secrecy, etc.), and why Jack would not consider himself friend or family. Now, it doesn't explain the fact that Jack is known as Dr. Shephard (is he? or only at the pharmacy?) at the hospital where he works, but it also seems that the people he encounters do not REALLY know him or who he is. What if Jack is forced to come back or relive his life as his own father, since he has been so critical of his father's life? What if that is Jack's penance, given to him by the island spirits (Jacob, etc.)? And then the Jack Shephard everyone knew before, or who existed pre-island, was in an insane asylum and/or dead in an alternate timeline/universe? Or, what if the survivors are allowed to return to the mainland, but essentially have to exist as someone they weren't pre-island?
Sorry for all the crazy thoughts--my mind is spinning in anticipation, and I just wanted to get those out there, even if they don't make a lot of sense at the moment.
It's been a week! WHERE ARE YOU!
@night goat
I don't think the coffin looks small at all. The wingspan of a human is roughly about the same as the height of that person (Google "human wingspan"). I don't think this coffin is any smaller than Jack himself (just projecting what it would look like with his arms spread in that picture). It looks as though the coffin is the same length (height) as Jack, which means the person in the coffin is not much shorter than he.
more on the coffin...
here:
http://www.thetailsection.com/lost-news/lost-the-kid-in-the-box.php
and here:
http://www.phillsworld.co.uk/lost.cgi?forum+view+55
We can guess all we want and at this point, impossible to know the writters real meaning of the copy written in the obit....or the relavence of the precise coffin size. Question is of course, when will they reveal on LOST WHO this is? Their goal is to keep us strung up all summer until the show resumes after the new year. :(
I posted this on the message board:
Here is one possible theory for why Michael is in the coffin:
Since Michael took the boat from the island to get home, he may know the way back, so when Jack finds out that Michael is dead he is devistated because that knowledge is now gone.
Then there are all the other supporting reasons - black neighborhood, teenage son, Kate angry at him, etc.
My theory: It is Michael in the coffin. He has murdered people in cold blood and abandoned everyone in order to take care of his son and himself. He gets back to the mainland, changes his name (or maybe the resources of The Others set him and Walt up with new identities).
He never reports that there are survivors for fear of being convicted of murder. The fact that the world believes the passengers of Oceanic 815 are dead reinforces his choice. He also might have lied to Walt about getting help for all of them, or maybe told Walt they all died or something, who knows.
When the surivors do make it back to civilization, this triggers a backlash by Walt and he leaves his father. The guilt of it all weighs on Michael, and maybe that, in combination with Walt abandoning him and some of the survivors dying in the process of being rescued is more than he can take and he kills himself.
Why is Jack upset? Maybe because Locke, Ben and Richard have also died, leaving Michael as the last person who might have known how to get back.
That's my humble theory.
I have read several different people's analysis of Through the Looking Glass...........I'm ready for Brian's.
Patience Grasshoppers.... patience.
Namaste :)
Sorry for the delays guys. I know it sucks, and by the time my analysis is up, it's going to seem like I just picked my favorite ideas out of everyone else's thoughts and are pawning them off as my own.
But now I'm finally back in town and totally dedicated to getting this post up tomorrow.
Yeah team!
lol screw everyone else's analyses; I just want Brian's! ;-)
I know it'll be worth the wait, buddy!
I am really looking forward to your analysis this episode was upsetting but so exciting i've watched it over and over.
Lost has really moved forward, but this last ep didn't leave us with any decipherable clues, we as an audience are LOST!
Does anyone remember bad twin and if there is anything in there that can raise questions/answers?
I know it will be an awesome analysis. Typical Brian stuff. Are we to expect a end of season 3 Theory of what's going on with Lost? Or just an analysis?
THEORY! THEORY! THEORY!
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