Brian's One Word Review: Mysterious.
This episode really kicked up the puzzlement (is that a word?) to the point where I don't even know where to start. Here are the things I'll try to wrap my head around before my full analysis.
- Why take these four individuals (Miles, Dan, Charlotte, and Frank) on the "mission"? They were clearly picked for specific reasons by Abbadon. I could see Miles due to his potential ability to communicate with Jacob (but do they even know about Jacob?), Dan because of his knowledge about physics (and in turn, the "unique magnetic properties of the Island"), but what about the other two? Charlotte seems to have stumbled across evidence of Dharma through her archaeology - which brings up a whole other question on how the polar bear got to Tunisia, and Frank has a direct connection to Oceanic Flight 815 - and a reason to not believe that the crash was real. Were they all doubters of the fake crash sent to "disprove it" - or since they were doubters of the fake crash were they sent on basically a suicide mission to get rid of them? So much to digest.
- How did Ben know they were coming? Who is his "mole" on their ship? Why are the Freightors there for him?
- Are the Freightors actually just Dharma, on a mission for payback to Ben for his role in the "purge" of their people? Or do they just know that he knows the most about the Island? Again, how would they know any of this?
- Loved the mention of "taller ghost Walt" and Locke flat out asking about Smokey! Great to see that our Survivors aren't always idiots when the time arises to ask questions.
- Thanks to the ABC preview for next week, smart viewers can now figure out who the fourth member of the Oceanic Six is! I won't mention it now in case you didn't watch the preview, but I will say it's someone I was not expecting... but now I pretty much have my predicted six locked in.
What am I missing? I feel like there was so much in that episode, but sitting here and trying to remember it, I'm just left feeling confused by the whole thing. Definitely enjoyed this episode more than last week!
Full analysis soon. Comments now.
http://facethewoods.com/lost/index.php?topic=246.0
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39 comments:
Much better than last week. I definitely can't wait for next Thursday to get here.
My head hurts just trying to think about it. I jumped off my seat kneeling at my ottoman when Locke asked Benry about Smokey - then when he said "I don't know", I very maturely yelled at the TV "OH yes you do! Start Talking!!" I am REALLY excited about next week. It keeps getting better. One thing that stood out that seemed unrealistic (yeah I know that's a common occurrence on this show) was when the news coverage was showing the decaying bodies in the plane wreckage. I can't see any news channel doing something like that, at least not without SERIOUS backlash. Can't wait for your full analysis. I'm watching online again tomorrow.
For me personally...Locke asking about smokey felt all wrong. It felt very forced, like "Oh crap, we only have 8 episodes, so we have to answer questions now!" So that seemed somewhat out of place.
Did anyone else feel like Miles went on and on about Naomi using the "code" about her sister? ...but that she didn't really have a sister, because that was code for being in trouble, which is why she used the code...and so forth.
Your Killing Me Smalls!!!
I am an idiot and didn't catch who #4 is. Please tell, please, please, please!
Excellent Episode.
becca -
Great Sandlot reference!
Here's a hint as to who Michael's talking about.. watch next week's preview again (can easily be found on YouTube) and pay attention to Kate.
I *think* I know who #4 is too but also didn't catch the hints in the preview. I tried to find it in YouTube but will just wait to watch online tomorrow - do they still show the previews? If not I'm doing another search.
It's called "LOST S04E03 - Preview" without the quotation marks.
Listen to Kate ;)
Things I am thinking about:
-If they were sent there just to kill Ben, that would render it meaningless what individuals were chosen for the 'mission.' In other words, if they were just there to kill Ben, wouldn't he have just sent some huge hit men? Clearly they are doing something to the Island.
-What is the implication of Ben having someone on their boat? I mean I feel like it'd have to be Dharma at that point. Or at least, Abadababa is a higher-up at Dharma/Hanso.
-What about Hurley and Locke disagreeing on the location of the Shack? Why do they all need to go to the shack? There's going to be some crazy scenes coming up.
-Ugh. Do we really want this to be a conspiracy of some sort?
Brian,
Do you think we're seeing again that time on the island is distorted? My first thought of that is with the Dharma polar bear, but what really caught me was Ben's quote at the end of the episode:
"Your instinct was right, John. These people are a threat. And if you shoot me, you'll never know how great a threat they were."
His last statement is past tense.
The Freighters (sans Naomi) were ALL supposed to be on the plane. That's why they were all so shaken by its crash.
Could Ben's mole on the freighter be... Michael?
i'm afraid to read all the comments because I don't want to know who the fourth is. But here is my crazy theory.
Do we really know Kate is one of the Six?
Think about it. She was wanted for murder. They don't just let you off the hook for that. When you are found after being wanted for murder, they don't just let you wear crappy makeup and drive around in nice cars. What if the "he" wasn't a boyfriend/husband, but a guard/marshall/dharma someone? I mean if someone made a fake crash site, I am sure someone can smuggle someone into the country. So what if Kate was a secret 7th Oceanic? What if that is one of the mysteries? How did Kate make it back?
I'm not under the impression that the anthropologist 'just happened upon' the Dharma polar bear. She was intentely looking for something very specific.
I'm wondering the same thing as Lexfri - Michael as the mole. I don't have a theory to explain it; it's only a hunch based on the idea that Michael may have gotten out and realized that Ben and the Others really were "the good guys."
Ben is connected with these folks. I'm thinking he was originally teamed with them and he did something. I don't think there is a "mole" - I think when Ben referenced that they won't hurt him because they have one of his men on their ship (if there really is even a ship) he was referring to Michael. Not that Michael is one of his men but they might think he is. The ship is as far as Michael got and Ben knew that would be as far as he would get. Ben is connected with them and their ship. These four new people had no clue there were survivors - they have something to do with Dharma - being the reason the gal smiled so big when she found the collar of the polar bear with the Dharma logo. I also think Charlie is alive. Another person saw him last week at the nut house and he only said he was dead to shut Hurley up so he would listen. I think Charlie might be one of the six.
I know - this was the first episode that I re-watched after the first viewing! I still feel like I have a hangover from it though. Maybe that's why the writers were reluctant to move the story any faster before... IT'S FRIGGIN CONFUSING!
I LOVED when Hurley mentioned the cabin and everyone was freaked out.
I was thinking maybe Locke was one of the 6 (but was forced). Then if he's the one in the casket as well, it would explain why nobody went to the funeral. Or, it's Ben. Which makes more sense. Or something...
The polar bear thing was odd. She was DEFINITELY looking for the collar because she went right to it. And which Dharma logo was that? Squiddy hatch?
I was so confused by Miles' flashback. Who was the kid that was murdered and why did he do nothing when he found the drugs? Also, did anyone else see a Dharma-ish logo on that vacuum cleaner/ ghost busters thing he used? Maybe I'm just seeing things!
Why was Dan so upset when he saw the crash footage on TV?
I wish this show was on every night. Waiting a week is SOOOO frustrating! But dammit, I love it! :)
THE STRIKE IS OVER!!!
http://www.cnbc.com/id/23057002
When Ben said he had someone on the boat, the first person I though of was Annie. I can't believe he would have let her die in the purge, and she would be the only Dharmite left besides Ben. It would make sense that she could be his confidante.
I wonder if the tall Walt comment is getting us prepared to see him again soon.......so we're not shocked to see him so grown up.
I have to say though, I don't know how much more I can take of these mysteries upon mysteries!!! yeah right, you know I'll be watching till the bitter end......
Annie! I never thought of her. Good thought. There is a "missing pieces" clip on ABC.com - in shows Jack's dad - in a suit and WHITE tennis shoes. I think he is the one in the rocker at the hut. It was interesting that Hurley could see the hut too. I read that the strike is over - they better hurry up and start writing/filming - I want our 16 episodes.
perhaps the polar bear was an experiment to try and figure out the odd time flux that happens on the island, it was somehow sent back in time, or was time displaced, and the collar was a tag to identify it when its found later on...
I don't think it's Annie on the freighter, because he said "I've got a *man* on their boat." If it was Annie I think he would have said "I've got someone on their boat."
But if he *is* getting information from someone on the freighter... how are they communicating? And, how come he was (or seemed) so shocked when he was told (in one of the last couple of episodes of Season 3) that a woman named Naomi had parachuted to the island, was with the survivors, and had a sat phone? Wouldn't he have already known that if he had a mole on board Naomi's boat?
I loved the look on Ben's face when he heard Hurley confirm that he saw Jacob's cabin. Just wait til Ben and Locke both find out that Hurley also SAW Jacob! (Or... Christian Shepard... or a big eye that I still insist looks like Patchy's good eye... or whomever is in there.)
I don't see how the preview gives anything away about who's #4 of the 6. I suppose it suggests someone in particular, but this is LOST after all -- they probably only want us to *think* that's who it is.
Looking forward to the analysis!
Davis is right...if the sole purpose was to eliminate or capture Ben, the chosen crew for the freightor would NOT have been so specialized. Clearly, their "main objective" is far more reaching.
There is endless detail to wrap your mind around with this last episode! The title, "Confirmed Dead" evidently refers not only to Naomi but to Oceanic 815 as well with all passengers being "confirmed dead", right?
I think it is Michael on the boat. This would explain why in the flashback the man (can't remember if he had a name) keeps telling Naomi that there are no survivors of 815 (and yes I know he is obviously lying) and yet none of them seem surprised that there actually are survivors. They would know this already because Michael is on the boat and told them.
And here we go again with the name of one of the Freightors being that of a famous person: C(harlotte) S(taples) Lewis! Well, no scientist or philosopher at least...does that mean anything, what do you think?
yeah Hope and you may be right that it is Michael. But the "mole" could still be Sarah given that Ben has been in contact with whomever it is onboard.
Also, what do you make of the sparse setting of the office where Naomi met her boss in the flashback? What does it tell us? It appears to be a similar general space as where Juliana was recruited by Richard Albert and others in her flashback last season.
I saw the trailer for next week's episode and I can see who people think it is based on it, but I wouldn't be so quick to judge. I don't think they'd make it that easy for us to determine that.
This may have been on a past episode but I noticed it when I was looking for next weeks preview but: another thing I find odd about Ben's wordage, when he was talking about the people on the freighter finding the island he said "every living person" on this island will be dead.
Kind of strange to make the distinction between living and non living.
I had to say I got a laugh at the sight on my piece of crap 'dirt devil spot remover' being used as a 'ghostbuster device'. I hope it does better at that than it does at getting up spots! Piece of junk.
I'd recognize it anywhere. They painted it black glued some tubing on the front, and cut off the part that gives suction/extracts water so that it exposed the rotating brush.
With pets and kids, me and that device have an intimate relationship. And with it's poor performance, I might convert it to my own paranormal device. Might be able to see it on e-bay.
Ok people, I am a reasonably intelligent person, I pick up on subtleties. But I have watched that dang preview over and over, listened to what Kate said, etc and I still have no idea who you all think the 4th person is. You are going to have to give me a way better hint. Please.
Ok, can someone answer this for me... The first guy we saw sitting in Jacobs chair in the infamous "help me" scene, is that not Lapidus? It looks just like him. Is that old news or what?
Nice catch Susa! Who gives their kid a middle name of 'Staples?' Unless you're in Hollywood, that's weird. So we have all these 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'The Wizard of Oz' references...now throw the 'Chronicles of Narnia' in there as well. What's next, Tolkein?
1. The strike is not "over". It looks like it's close to being over, but the writers still have to meet, vote to approve the deal, and decide when to go back to work. There are clearly some writers (including, I believe, Joss Wheedon) who believe that this deal will probably not be good enough and are inclined to vote it down. If that happens, the only hope for a quick resolution would be if the actors go on a sympathy strike, which has been discussed.
2. I'm in the camp that doesn't quite get how the preview shows who else is in the Oceanic 6. I agree with victorc. But then, Brian could easily have spotted something we didn't.
3. C.S. Lewis--good catch, susa! Wasn't Lewis somewhat of a philosopher as well as being a fiction author? I know at least he was a theologian. Off to Wikipedia I go!
the Other Brian
In the flashback, paranormal scene, it seems the guy used the dustbuster device just to create noise to conceal his voice. Evidently, he didn't want to be overheard by anyone in the house. I think what they wanted to establsih in that scene is that this guy not only has a gift to commune with the dead, but is street smart as well.
Who is the "he" that was called, on the satellite phone, that couldn't come to the phone right now?????????????
It was Minkowski, wasn't it? Fisher Stevens from Short Circuit, Early Edition, etc.
Chris Bobb said...
"Locke asking about smokey felt all wrong."
I think that was my favorite part of this episode. It was a perfect litmus test to see if Ben really was useful to Locke. And Terry was great. I thought.
Quick note on the names:
1) Faraday was a famous British physicist in the 19th century who advanced the field of electromagnetism. "Faraday's Law" ring a bell, anyone?
2) Not only are Charlotte's initials C.S. Lewis, but her middle name is Staples, just like Clive Staples Lewis, the author/philosopher/theologian, who is also British.
Both of these could be coincidences, but it's at least worth pointing out.
Anyone else notice the complete transformation of Locke's Team of survivors? At the beginning of LOST and for most of the seasons they've been trying to get off the island, but Locke's quote 'We don't want to be found' really reminded me of the Others, and how they like to stay on the island.
Also, why was Claire absolutely fine this episode? Has she already forgotten about Charlie?
There must be a third group, Team island, team rescue, and team Rose "I'm not going anywhere with that man" and Bernard. They agreed to stay, but didn't go with Locke.. Any thoughts?
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