Tuesday, February 23, 2010

"Lighthouse" Instant Reactions!

Brian's One Word Review: Solid.

In my mind, this week wasn't quite up to last week's standard, and I couldn't help but think the scenes in the lighthouse were a tad hokey - but overall, another solid episode that continued to move the big storyline of the season forward. What do we need to discuss?


Adam and Eve. For those who didn't watch the re-airing of "The Substitute" with the "Lost for Dummies" pop-up comments, they mentioned Adam and Eve - which seemed a little out of place at the time... but then became obvious foreshadowing for Hurley and Jack's return to the Caves, with Adam and Eve, during "Lighthouse". Although the pop-up comments are super annoying 90% of the time, in that other 10% they sometimes help remind the average viewer of plot points that happened long ago, but are about to be re-referenced on the show... and sometimes they flat out tell you what something on the show means which the Internet had spent the prior seven days analyzing to death. The moral of the story? We all should probably start watching the Lost reruns at 8:00 pm EST each week.

Speaking of Adam and Eve, the writers clearly realized that only the most die-hard Lost fans would remember these two corpses with white and black stones, which allegedly offer proof that there was a "master storyline" all along, and the writers haven't been making it up as they go. Although we didn't get any answers as to who they are, it was good to bring them back up, and have Hurley once again act as the voice of the audience, pondering the same questions we've been pondering all along ("I wonder if we'll go back in time again, and these corpses are actually us?")


Off-Island. Early on this week, I had high hopes that we were finally going to get some development of the Off-Island action, when Jack didn't remember his appendectomy (which Juliet administered on-Island... but his mom claimed happened in his youth). But then nothing else in the episode built upon that teaser, so we're not any closer to understanding the Flash-Sideways than we were before we started. Although with the inclusion of both Ben AND Dogen in Los Angeles, it's almost like the two realities are bleeding together, and Jack's confusion about his appendix is his memory not knowing which one is correct... or LA X is some dreamland that all the characters on the Island have been thrust into.

Still no solid theories here yet - still don't think the Off-Island action is worth over-analyzing. Disappointed the super hot Julie Bowen (Sarah Shephard, Jack's wife in the original flashbacks) was "out of town".

Also, it's a good thing that David is the only teenage kid in the world with his own answering machine in his room (instead of using a cell phone), or else Jack would have never been able to have that heartfelt reunion after his recital!


The Visitor. So is there actually someone "coming to the Island", as Jacob said? Or was it all a ploy just to get Jack and Hurley away from the Temple? Here's my only thought - there are thirteen episodes of Lost left. I don't know if there's time for some new faction to come to the Island at this point. Heck, I don't even think the "war" that we've been talking about for years is going to involve anyone other than the people already on the Island right now. There just doesn't seem to be enough time to expand the story and / or characters much more at this point... unless it's Desmond or Widmore. After all, we were told that "the Island isn't done with Desmond"... also I miss his character.


The Lighthouse. It's funny how I'm fine with some of the semi-supernatural stuff on Lost, but other things strike me as kinda cheesy. For example - Jacob's cave last week? Totally awesome. The Lighthouse this week? Not a huge fan. Apparently Jacob hung out in the Lighthouse and just turned the dial around to spy on our Survivors all their lives? This seems to indicate that Jacob indeed "picked" our Survivors from the start, rather than using time travel to go back and pick them after they arrived on the Island.

I did enjoy Jack saying the same thing I did in my episode preview: "How in the hell did we never see this before?" followed by an equally cool / spiritual response from Hurley of "I guess we weren't looking for it."

In case you were wondering, 108 on the wheel was a crossed out name of "Wallace"... which I can only assume means Braveheart himself, William Wallace. Actually, this probably confirms that Jacob was simply using the Lighthouse mission as a ploy to get Hurley and Jack away from the Temple - and that there isn't anyone else coming to the Island.

PS - all the scenes involving Hurley and Jacob are pure gold. Keep 'em coming!


Crazy Claire. So what's going on with Claire? Well, it's pretty clear she's been duped by Anti-Jacob / SmokeLocke / Christian Shephard, who told her that the Others stole Aaron as a way to get her to start picking off some of the Others. I guess the "Sickness" also embodied her with the ability to kickass and take names, and survive in the wilderness just like CFL. The big question I have is - does this confirm that Christian and Anti-Jacob are two separate entities? She said that her "Father" and "Friend" told her the Others kidnapped Aaron. Did she ever see both at the same time? It seems like regardless the answer, Christian is on the same side as Anti-Jacob, but it may raise into question exactly what Christian really is.

I think it's only a matter of time before a huge Kate / Claire battle on the Island... and it's looking like Claire, SmokeLocke, Sawyer, and Jin are on their way to the Temple. As Jacob said, "Someone is coming there. Someone bad." And unfortunately for our Survivors still left at the Temple, "it's too late". Looks like Jacob is banking on Hurley or Jack becoming his replacement!

"Jack is here because he has to do something. He can't be told what to do, he has to find it himself. Sometimes you can just hop in the cab and tell them what to do. Other times you have to let them look out at the ocean for a while."


Discuss!



79 comments:

Sam said...

I think that exchange between Jack and Hugo- about not seeing something because you didn't know to look for it - is very important in the grand scheme of things.

I liked the off island stuff a lot in this episode.

Rebecca said...

There wasn't as much action in this epi as I was anticipating but I still liked it. I was yelling at Jack that Hurley doesn't know! lol I think Jacob Scooby Doo'd Hurley into Scooby Doo'ing Jack, to get him thinking about why he is there and what his purpose is.

About Claire - My biggest question is why doesn't she remember LEAVING Aaron in the middle of the jungle on a leaf when she went off with Christian? Kate didn't kidnap Aaron, he was abandoned.

Smokey - I still think Smokey was Christian (some things he set up for his favor) and wonder if we'll see Christian again since Smokey is locked in Locke. ;) If we do see him then that will be a whole new mystery.

Tim Bensman said...

I don't quite understand why Jin lied and said that the others had taken Claire's baby.

CJ said...

Jin looked truly frightened by who or what Claire had become, and I he seemed to be thinking very quickly in the moment to save his own skin.

Loved Hurley's comment to Jacob thanking him for the seven years of bad luck.

Melissa said...

4+8+15+16+23+42=108
Don't know if that had any significance or not?

Unknown said...

jin saw that claire was crazy, obviosly not herself. he figured out that she would want to kill Kate if she found out the truth.
Looks like a battle of the mib crew led by locke & the jacob crew led by Jack...eventually when he sees the light.

janelo said...

Jin lied because he knew that Claire would be gunning for Kate (just like she said she would). He's pretty much figured out that Claire is crazy. Maybe something similar happened to Danielle ....

dammerson vaughan said...

Time to delve a bit deeper into the origins of the D.I., Hanso's connection to the Black Rock and why they stamped The Numbers onto the Swan Hatch.

I'm starting to think that the Others purged them because they were pawns for Hanso, who wanted to free Anti-Jacob. Some sort of pact with Satan, if you will.

I'm rambling. Somebody help me.

Morz said...

Apparantly, Aaron is still very important in the overall story line - at least in Claire's perspective. Her last line was about if "the others" knew Kate had Aaron, they'd kill her ...

Steve said...

Melissa... yeah, the numbers add up to 108. That's been with us since at least back in season 2, with the counter of 108 minutes.

Interesting though, last week I thought of the 'numbers' as a list of the plane survivors. I was wondering how our 815 survivors were numbered so low. Now we see that they are actually 'degrees' of the compass.

Could it be that Jacob had to touch you to get you on as a 'compass' point of the lighthouse? Perhaps this is why Kate was touched but not a canidate? Did anyone also notice last week that "Littleton" was marked off as well... being Claire.

Isaac said...

Did anyone else notice Austen as #51 on the compass and she wasn't crossed out. Although 51 is not one of the "numbers", could this still mean that she is a candidate?

Michael said...

Great episode. As good as last week's. (Different Michael here.)

B. Cook said...

Um... The MIB can clearly only take the form of a body brought to the island--which is how he got into Locke.

He previously had access to Christian Shepherd.

You've figured out so many things I've never seen in this show, but you miss that?

Chris's blog said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chris's blog said...

Hurley and Miles playing tic tac toe must be a reference to the notion ghat good and evil balance each other.

Lots of clues that Jacob is God: he requires that you follow him on faith alone. Smokey=devil offers to explain it to you (tree of knowledge). Also comment tonight that some will follow god just because, while others have to find there own way.

Question: last season Kate had dream that Claire and Christian were in Aarons room, then Claire screamed at her, but did she say take him to island, or don't take him to island? Seems clear now that both were possessed by devil at the time, so what was their request?

Unknown said...

@Michael: Claire said that she'd kill Kate, not them. :P She's just that far gone.

Robert Doane said...

Hi, I read this blog religiously. I thought it would be wicked if someone put together a deathwatch list. My brother and I are wondering who will survive and die this final season.

IMO, those who will not survive:

Miles
Sawyer
Kate
Sayid


It's last season, so all bets are off. Who do you think lives? Who dies?

Brian Hirschy said...

Can I just say that I'm glad Jack is smashing stuff and just wont take it anymore!

He doesn't care and he's kinda just tired of it all. I relate to him because I..just..wanna...know.. what is happening!!!

Glad to see Jack not acting like the wuss he was in seasons 4 and 5.

Hobnail_Boot said...

Looks like we're in a pattern of good episode/boring episode. This bodes well for next week.

2 things in particular bugged me about this episode:

1) Remind me why I'm supposed to care about Claire? She was essentially written off the show and just feels like a cheap plot device now.

2) I'm really sick of Hurley acting in place of the audience. If you're still watching Lost at this point, you remember Adam and Eve. We're not a dumb audience, so don't treat us like we are.

Brian said...

Speaking of "the two realities are bleeding together", it reminds me of when SmokeLocke yelled, "Don't tell me what I can't do!" to the young Jacob. It's like the actions of one reality reverberate into the other.

Anonymous said...

Can anyone explain this to me?

Isn't the current island plot taking place sometime in the 70's? If I'm not mistaken, which I don't think I am, then how is Christian Shephard's smashed coffin there? It shouldn't even be on the island for another 30 some odd years.....

Anonymous said...

Or, for that matter, Shannon's inhaler?

jack said...

"Solid" best describes this episode IMO. Here are a few questions and observations;

1. Claire: She referred to Locke as "her friend" and didn't seem to recognize him in the image of John Locke. Question is what became of Claire? Dogan said she became "infected"...what does this mean?

2. The big picture of this episode seems to confirm that Jack was selected by Jacob to be the Island leader. Ultimately, it would seem clear that we'll see a showdown between Jack and Locke (as posted above)and their respected followers (recruits).

3. Where was Saywer?

4. Many of Hurley's pop-culture references and his scenes with Jacob were priceless! I don't mind in the least Hurley being the 'mouthpiece' of the audience asking questions or making points some viewers may have.

nickflight said...

Interesting that there was an "Alice in Wonderland" reference in the off-island stuff. Remember episode 5 of season one was called "white rabbit" which is also an Alice in Wonderland reference. This time (episode 5 of season 6) Jack is talking to his son David and says "you always wanted to hear about Kitty and Snowdrop, remember they were Alice's..." As David is a brat and walks off I looked up who Kitty and Snowdrop were and they were Alice's black and white kittens (another black and white reference), the black one having caused Alice's dreams.

They only appear in the "Through the Looking Glass" book, which is interesting considering Jack keeps having strange moments with mirrors.

I think the mirror stuff is important, especially given the off-island moments with Jack finding injuries from the island in front of mirrors, but also because of the scene in the lighthouse. Mirrors might be the connection points between the flash-sideways moments and the on island stuff. Maybe it is a good thing Jack smashed the ones in the lighthouse, as smokeylocke might be able to use the mirrors to transport off island like jacob used to.

It is also interesting that the episodes are mirroring season one a lot with ep 3 being about kate, ep 4 being about locke and ep 5 being about jack.

Kris C said...

Zach:
In the opening scene of LA X we see Juliet detonate the bomb and then everyone wake up/come to in the PRESENT, which is the beginning of 2008 (I think) - a little more than 3 years after the crash. Claire asks how long since everyone left - Jin says, "we have been gone 3 years."

Anonymous said...

Ah, I missed that/forgot it.

Thanks!

Unknown said...

B. Cook - don't know whose comment you're referring to, but there is one big difference between the Possessed Christian and Possessed Locke - Locke's dead body is on the island for everyone to see. Unless Christians body came flying out of his casket in the 815 crash and is stuck up in a tree somewhere or got eaten by a polar bear, his body is gone.

So in one case - clearly the body of Locke was "cloned" by Smokey. Christian's body may or may not be "Inhabited" by someone else. So very possible there could be a 3rd entity that can "Inhabit" bodies instead of "Cloning" them

Unknown said...

Chris. Kate's dream didn't have Christian in it. She woke up and grabbed a gun and went in Aaron's room and Claire turns around and says "don't you bring him back"

Dave Harty said...

Here is my question. Claire does not seem to see SmokeLocke as Locke, but for who he is, anti-Jacob. I'm also thinking that she has seen him for the past 3 years, but not as Locke since his dead body only arrived on the island recently.

But she referred to Christian as her father (not her "friend") so she must not have seen him as AJ, but as her real father. So I now think that Christian was not "smokey" when he appeared to Claire.

Does that make any sense?

jejic said...

I agree with Dave. I am wondering if they are "zombies" as Hurley referred to them. The dead brought back to life. They didn't think Sayid was infected until after he died and was resurrected. They refer to Claire as infected and in a similar state as Sayid again possibly dead and ressurrected in the "infected" form. We know Christian was dead, assuming he is now in a resurrected form as well. I think all three (Sayid, Christian, and Claire)are co-existing with the Smoke-Locke. Maybe in order for the Smoke-Locke to gather his army they have to die first? Hence Richard's reference to killing everyone on the island. It is interesting that both Kate and Jin are out of the temple and in the territory of Smoke Locke. I assume Sawyer will become one of the "zombies" and if Smoke Locke is able to kill/manipulate Kate and Jin this will make for a very interesting confrontation between Jack and his affection for Kate and Sun and her relationship with Jin. The infected seem to co-exist - knowing their friends from the crash, but certianly under the control of Smoke-Locke, and "not the same" as before.
Perhaps the dead are free game for Smoke Locke and Jacob's army has to be the living? That would make me think that unless Ben Linus dies again he would be in Jacob's army since he was resurrected in the water (we assume).
Also I think that these side flashes are references to what their life may have been had Jacob not "touched" them and led them to the island.

italiangirl2392 said...

What I dont understand is how Jacks son came into play. Off island still shows Kate as a fugitive,Claire wanting to give her baby,Hurly being a lottery winner etc. So the off island scenes are simply,life continuing as if the plane never crashed. Ok, so then how does Jack have a son. He never mentioned having a son while he was on the island. So why is it that everyones lives remained as it was pre crash except for Jacks? Also, I am starting to wonder if Jacob is actually good. I know they have deemed Smokey to be the bad guy but I am wondering if all this is a ruse only to totally blow our minds at the end.

Dave Harty said...

italiangirl - I don't think the off-island scenes are as much what would have happend if the plane simply didn't crash. But they are what would have happened if the bomb worked in 1977 and the ripple effects through time to the present. So most are very similar as you pointed out but there are differences (Hurley is "lucky" not "cursed", Rose lives in LA) and Jack had a child with his former wife.

Interesting that these changes, had they really happened, might have prevented any of the O6 to go to the island on their own.

Unknown said...

I-Girl: Its not just Jack. Locke's life was drastically different as well. When his fiance talked about the wedding she mentioned inviting his dad. This is a reference to the fact that he was paralyzed, not my his father, but by some other way.

Unknown said...

http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/02/02/lost-premiere-damon-carlton/

i thought this was interesting

dammerson vaughan said...

I have a feeling that the off-island reality will turn out to be the result of resolving the on-island conflict. it will keep playing in parallel but will continue to show that the characters have resolved their issues and go on with their lives

CJ said...

If Christian is co-existing with Smoke-Locke (along with the claimed Sayid and Claire), then where the heck is Christian now?

robpatt said...

"solid" episode is right. And the preview for next week, or lack of it almost made me that much more excited.

Anyways, i thought one of the interesting comments were made by Jacob... When Hurley was talking to him after Jack smashed the mirrors, Hurley was feeling like he failed and the man who was suppose to come can't now. Jacob said that he will just have to find another way here, as if the destiny/fate is going to make that person come to the island anyway. My thought was that the new man did come to the island... as a newer type of Jack. This episode seemed to be about him finally facing his internal world, by stopping the cycle of fear amongst men in the off-island action and actually admitting his confusion and vulnerability to Hurley on the island. My thought is that we are going to be getting a new Jack, who is now the front-runner as new Jacob/leader of the "good" people. It seemed to me that the whole point of the lighthouse mission was to get Jack and Hurley away from the temple and to have Jack realize Jacob had been watching him his whole life.

Other scattered thoughts: Interesting that Hurley and Jack didn't seem to notice that they were the numbers on the compass. I also wonder what the significance of the ink of Hurley's forhead was. I couldn't seem to figure out why he would have had any ink on his head, and Jacob commented on it too... seems a little to random of a detail to have just happened.
Also interesting to think of how the special numbered people are stacking up being recruited...
Locke-dead/with Smokey
Hurley-Jacob
Sawyer-Smokey (for now... could see a switch though)
Sheppard- Jacob
Sayid- infected (smokey) but at temple (Jacob)
Kwon- Jin is currently with smokey but probably against them... Sun is no where special by proximity wise probably closer to Jack/Hurley and on team Jacob w/Ilana
Kate-don't know if she's special, but her number wasn't crossed off the lighthouse... but probably team Jacob being as Claire want's to kill her.

It seems like everyone else just color up the story, including Ben, Lapitus, and Miles despite how much i like them.

jack said...

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20313460_20341211,00.html

Kate -- thanks much for the link!! a must read no doubt. not sure if the link posted here appeared yet....also, good stuff in E mag.

Unknown said...

I honestly don't think there's any "Infection" with anybody... Random people on the island have been talking about "getting sick/infected" since the 1st season. I've never seen anything on the show to lead me to believe that anyone ever actually is sick or infected.

We saw the scene in Jin's flashes through time episode last season where Rousseau shoots her husband b/c he is "sick" but he's acting perfectly normal.

I'll believe "infection" exists on the island when I actually see it happen once. Claire isn't "infected" IMO she is just on the AJ team. She seems perfectly fine, just a little crazy which is understandable she's been by herself for 3 years. I think the whole "infection" deal is a Ploi by the Others to have an excuse to kill someone that is against them. Propaganda used to justify "the good guys" killing someone.

Having said that - watch next week's episode show someone getting messed up b/c of infection

Sam said...

I am thinking that the title for the premiere - LA X - is that the X stands for an intersection. LA is where all of these peoples' lives are intersecting. Rose (& Bernard, I assume) used to live in NY, and is now in LA. Dogen is now in LA. Ben is now in LA.

In the past, when we saw the intersection of the characters in the flashbacks, a lot were in other places - like Des & Charlie in London.

Maybe, if we take it further, the intersection will also be the intersection of the two lives we are seeing now.

wgh said...

Still looking to me like the off-island story contains the ultimate destinies of our survivors.

Sam said...

plus, and I commented on this late in the last posting, I think the numbers adding to 108, mean that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. These people need each other to be better people.

Live together or die alone.

dj (David Jones) said...

It seems to me that the sideways flashes may be the result of what happens on island too, but I see the outcome of it a little differently. I think the closer we get to the resolution of the on-island conflict, the more we'll see of these "deja vu" moments like Jack not remembering his appendectomy. I think eventually we'll see the two realities crashing into one another. It should be interesting.

I do wonder where Hurley and Jack go from this point. They're at the lighthouse, and all of the action in the upcoming week will be at the temple, I presume. Either that or it will at least be getting everyone on team Flocke to the temple along with Ilana (and Sun and Ben, etc.). So there should be some final point of Sun meeting Jin again at their crash course at the temple. My guess here is that this won't be a happy reunion. The title, "Sundown" doesn't sound very promising, but maybe it's a red herring.

In any case, Hurley and Jack won't be at the temple, and that leaves them doing what exactly? Chilling out at the lighthouse? If the season continues to go like season one, this episode will be mainly about Sun (and Jin as well, I suppose) in the sideways flash and then I presume on island towards the end of the episdoe. Then, we have a Sawyer flash sideways the next week. (Following the pattern of season one)

So what do Jack and Hurley do until then?? I guess we'll find out and maybe Jacob will give them more guidance.

Unknown said...

DJ - where do you see titles of upcoming episodes this early? I had the understanding Brian waited to see what they said on Info on Cable boxes...

Also - you're assuming they skip the alloted spot for a Charlie episode - which could be filled with someone else. Maybe Ben. Maybe a newbie

Matt said...

Sam - I like the idea of the "whole being greater than the sum of the parts". One twist though. If we assume that 108 is the total, and now we know that Kate is 51, you can also get to 108 with 51+15+42. Unfortunately, that would be Kate, Sawyer, Kwon...which aren't the three I would've expected.

On another note, I thought the important part about Dogen appearing in the alt timeline was that it showed he was from the same time as the rest of our characters. I had assumed he had been on the island much, much longer.

Steve said...

hurley had ink on his head because he wiped his forehead with the arm he took the notes on. It was a joke, I noticed it as he did it.. probably because I've done it before.

Steve said...

The whole claire thing proves that Smokey lies. Not that the others(who followed Jacob) is not. Ben certainly lies and certainly they withheld the truth for their advantage. However, telling Clair that the others had her baby?

Lets get back to smokey, the others didn't seem to know 'who' smokey was. Unless they were lying... So much deceit on this island.. even with Jacob. He's kind of creepy with his 'stalking' the canidates all these years.

Yes, it's true that Jacob did want Jack and Hurley away from the temple, but he was honest in that he did want jack to realize that he had a purpose.

Mike said...

S01E06 - House of the Rising Sun, Sun-centric

S06E06 - Sundown, Sun-centric?

Jin/Sun reunion next week?

Amy said...

robplatt,

remember when jacob was telling hurley what to do and he told him to go get a pen because it was going to be a lot? he wrote the notes on his arm, which he referred to while up in the lighthouse. we are to assume that the ink got smudged on his forehead.

Dave Harty said...

I thought about the ink too. Jacob made a point of pointing it out. And once he did, it looked like it changed on his forehead.

Unknown said...

I'm with Steve on this ink thing fellas... comic relief

dj (David Jones) said...

Noemailformeadows,

I have a friend of mine that runs a site that sends me the titles for the upcoming week. I don't want to be spoiled (cause that really sucks), but he gives me the titles for the episode once Tuesday's episode has finished. I told him there's no harm in that.

You are right though. They may fill Charlie's episode with another character like Ben or Ilana. I figured they wouldn't though because it's not a one to one ratio of episodes. Season one had 24 episodes, so we're six short. You're right though. There very well could be a replacement for Charlie. Ben or Ilana would probably be a good guess.

A Richard Alpert episode would be cool too.

But even if they do that, I wonder what Jack and Hurley will be up to while all of the other action is going down. It's going to be really interesting.

One other question for you guys. We've assumed that Jack's son David was also Sara's son. But we don't know for sure that Sara is the mother, do we? I didn't see anything that mentioned her as the mother specifically from this episode.

I think they were married around 2000-2002. If that was the case, the boy is much too old to be Sara's. Unless they met long ago before her wreck (in which Jack operated on her). I don't know. Something makes me wonder if she is the mother...

jack said...

The 8pm airing of last weeks' episode of LOST ("for idiots") indicated that Sawyer is Flocke's first recruit. That means that Claire was not "recruited" per se but evidently has some other connection with Flocke (whom she referred to as her "friend").

Also, C&L mention that we should pay attention to who was on flight #815 (and who was not). Desmond was specifically called attention to by them.

Something tells me that our minds are about to blow as this story unfolds.

Sherilyn -Dominee Huisvrouw said...

A few thoughts...
-I think Adam & Eve are Rose & Bernard. Not sure why they are there, but I keep coming back to the whole "ebony & ivory, living together in perfect harmony..."

-I'd really like to see the timeline flashes in chronological order, just for curiosity's sake.

-Does anyone know of any sites where people outside the States can see the "Lost for dummies" with the pop-ups? I feel like I'm missing out.

Lisa G. said...

Hi folks, i'm new here. Love the blog and all the comments.

Just have a few comments or rather, questions that i'm pondering.

Could Jacob have expected and wanted Jack to break the mirrors? If Jacob has the power to see in them like a crystal ball and possibly use it like a transporter or time traveling machine, wouldn't it be possible for FLocke to do the same? Don't think Jacob would want FLocke escaping the island to "go home" or anywhere else, would he?

Not really sure what's going on with this "being claimed" or "infected" but are these tests for the "infections" reminding anyone else of witch trials?

Wasn't John resurrected first by Jacob when he was touched by him after he was pushed out the window by his father? He seemed to be dead then took a breath when Jacob touched him. Would that be why Smokey had to make a clone rather than just take over John Locke's body? Or is Smokey a totally different entity from the MIB?

When did the ash get disturbed at the cabin? Cuz if Smokey is/was Christian and the ash was undisturbed, how did he get into the cabin? Is this an indication that whatever entity is taking over Christian and other dead ones is not the same as Smokey/FLocke?

Syid...was he ever really dead? Miles didn't seem to sense his presence as out of the body.

Richard...good and faithful servant who never ages...yet doesn't seem to be clued in to the knowledge of the way the game is played.

Ilana seems to know more about the rules than Richard does...what's up with that? This reminds me of Jesus' apostles...one being jealous that Mary was closer to Jesus than the others.

Speaking of religious references...Aaron. Wasn't that the name of Moses' brother? Wonder if Aaron will play a part in all of this for getting someone back to the island.

And that brings me to someone missing that doesn't really seem to be missing. Someone that we assume is one or the other, as their wedding was attended by Jacob and they were both touched. Couldn't it be their child that is the #42 Kwon on the cave wall? Didn't Jacob say something about their marriage being special?

Not convinced that there is a definate good/evil, although it is perceived that way. I have to agree with the sum being greater than its parts idea (or however it goes) and the whole "big picture" idea of overall good...good can lood bad/bad can look good but all turns out for the good of all. It's not about winning or losing, but about playing the game...choices made, what is learned, the experiences, etc.

I love all of the Spiritual, Religious & Mythical references. All of this tying into the scientific, quantum, parallel universe stuff....really cool.

Can't wait to see how it all plays out, but in the meantime, still a bit confused by some things. Still more questions than answers.

Meh said...

those episodes with the pop-ups are available on hulu.com.

Sherilyn -Dominee Huisvrouw said...

Meh -Unfortunately Hulu isn't accessible outside the US

Jack Elder said...

It's obvious to me that "Adam and Eve" are really the original human bodies of Jacob and Anti-Jacob. The key are the black and white stones that are with them. Last week when Locke and Sawyer were in the cave there was a scale that held one white rock and one black rock, creating balance. Locke took the white rock and tossed it into the ocean, telling Sawyer "inside joke". Once dead they became the Jacob and AntiJacob we see now. If that's the case, then the Smoke Monster would really be female.

timcourtois said...

Just rewatching "Walkabout" from Season 1... Locke mentions his seat # on the plane: 23A.

Funny. Guess he's been "#23" all along.

Megan said...

This article has screenshots of people we know with what number they were on the dial and whether or not they were crossed out... interesting to see that Kate is on there and NOT crossed out! http://www.slate.com/id/2242745/

Shari said...

I don't see how the two time lines can reconnect. What is happening in LA X is not a continuation of the original season 1 flight. Nor is it a continuation of how the characters might have changed if they "undid" the events of the island. Their lives are different from the time they got on the plane in Australia. Hurley is happy and capable - Jack has an 8 year old son - and he doesn't know how long he has been on the piano and he really needed him before he left Austrailia (the phone message). Locke seems ok with his dad. Only Kate and Charlie obviously have the same problems. Sun and Jin are as cold as ever. Sun has no intention of helping Jin. Remember when the gate agent asks her to help and she says "No English". Intentionally not helping him. Which makes me sad because they were the only two on the island that definitely changed for the good. So if the island is helping people find themselves in some way and some time in some time line --it didn't help Sun and Jin.

timcourtois said...

Hm. In season 1 there was also a guy named "Harold" who's ticket was supposedly 23C (according to the "funeral" held at the end of "Walkabout".) So he would have been next to Jack - or between Jack and Rose, in the seat that Desmond ended up sitting in in the "new" timeline.

Totally relevant to nothing at all. Just interesting.

nickflight said...

I think the flash sideways are going to prove extremely significant. Its so interesting how Desmond is on the plane. I guess with the island blowing up Penny was never born. Mom, I'm not sure but I think that Sun really can't speak English in the flashes. Her and Jin aren't married either. A crazy thing that happens too is these weird moments of deja vu, such as Jack recognising Desmond, and finding unfamiliar scars on his body in front of the mirror, first on the plane and then in his flat.

-
Another thing I noticed was in this recent episode Jack and Christian Shepherd appear in quite a few photographs together, with Jack wearing a black suit and Christian wearing a white one. This is probably nothing but it stood out a lot because Christians suit looks so stupid. I haven't checked yet but I bet he was buried in a white one. It made me think of the stones and of Jacob and Anti-Jacob on the beach.

Also this has probably been mentioned before but not only is Jacks seat number 23 on the plane and candidate number 23, but the 23rd Psalm in the Bible is about how the God is our Shepherd. Perhaps Jack Shepherd = the NEW Jacob, the islands "shepherd"

Lu!g! said...

I think that Christian cannot be compared to the situation of Sayid or Claire. He is clearly differente, remember that he as able to 'teleport' himself to the freighter and let Michael go, back in Season 4.

That beeing said, I'm not sure if he is SmokeLocke too.

Anonymous said...

Anyone notice the sign at the piano tryouts that said:

"Welcome all Candidates"

Ha!

Unknown said...

Random question just popped into my head while having a Lost discussion:

Rousseau tells Hurley in season 1 about the numbers - we were picking up the numbers as part of what we thought was a distress call or something coming from the island, which is what got them there.

The Looking Glass had been blocking any signals from getting off the island. So how did this numbers radio signal reach the French boat? Just thinking on what someone said how "jacob touching people got them on the island" and the flash-sideways is what happens if Jacob doesn't touch anyone.

If the French team heard the numbers on a radio coming from the island, but the Looking Glass blocked outgoing transmissions, something fishy got those numbers to the French boat = Jacob bringing them there somehow?

Unknown said...

I was just looking back at an old post from 2004. I thought it was interesting that Brian, writing about Raised by Another, said this: "...it looks like Claire is going crazy, thinking that someone is trying to harm her and get her baby (Crazy French Lady, anyone?)."
And look at her now!
I love this blog! Thanks for giving me something to look forward to every week Brian!
~Terry

Lisa G. said...

Ok...some things i'm thinking:

The Supposed Dark Side MIB=Smokey=FLocke
and
Zombies="Claimed" bodies=minions of Smokey
and recruited live friends (followers)

The supposed Light Side
Jacob
and
"angels" of Jacob= walking dead claimed by Jacob's "angels"
and recruited live friends (followers)

I think the reason that Richard Alpert doesn't age is that he is a walking dead man/"angel" of Jacob's... Dogen may also be one.

And, regarding Dogen's words with Hurley near the tunnel, i don't understand Japanese, but i "get" attitude and it sounded to me like he was saying something like, "Just because you're a candidate, doesn't mean you're the boss of me!" and i fully expected him to fly the bird or give a raspberry or something. LOL

Lisa G. said...

Oh, wait, i'm not sure Dogen is a "good guy", he may be a "bad guy" living under the premise of being good. No wonder he wanted Syid dead! Syid is probaby one of Jacob's, or the new Jacob himself.

Holy crap...this show is driving me nuts...someone better get the ash, electric machine and the hot poker!

Brian said...

noemail: Ben was using the Looking Glass to block transmissions sometime around 2004, but I'm not sure it's clear that that was the station's purpose back in ~1988 when CFL's team arrived. I think originally it was used to facilitate communications, not obfuscate them.

Unknown said...

Let's think about why Richard told Locke that the only way to save the Island is to get those who left back. In order to do that, Locke was told that he would have to die. Why would he do that if he works for Jacob?

Unknown said...

Let's think about why Richard told Locke that the only way to save the Island is to get those who left back. In order to do that, Locke was told that he would have to die. Why would he do that if he works for Jacob?

dammerson vaughan said...

Richard told Locke he'd have to die because anti-Jacob in the form of Locke told Richard to tell him that. Richard just thought Locke was time traveling and didn't realize yet that he was anti-Jacob

Michael said...

GREAT comments from nickflight. Everyone should read his take. 7:57 am.

jack said...

Brian -- Please try to shed some perspective on Steven and Becky's point (shown above) in your analysis! Why in the world would Richard (and Ben) believe Locke had to die to save the island?

Lisa G. said...

John Locke dying and being returned to the island was MIB's loophole to come back and have Jacob killed (via Ben). He couldn't do it himself.

Also, it seems neither side can kill the candidates. Perhaps this is why Sayid didn't die and why Dogen wanted him dead but couldn't do it himself? Hmmm.

Speaking of Dogen, i don't think he was speaking Japanese to Hurley at the tunnel. I think he may have been speaking Latin...will have to go back and watch/listen again. I'm betting he said something to the effect that he'd have/kill him if he wasn't a candidate. Just guessing, considering he could actually be a "bad guy" rather than one of Jacob's guys.

The mental games continue...

stormko said...

Did she ever see both at the same time?

Well, technically, Claire saw Locke in the cabin with her and Christian. But, of course, he was Locke at the time.

reesee said...

Dogan's response to Hurley's candidate problem, per lostpedia, "You're lucky I have to protect you, otherwise I'd have cut your head off."

jejic said...

Anyone else wondering if Richard and Ilana are somehow related?