Chelsea Gets LOST

The Unanswered, Part 1

2010-07-07T14:23:00.002-04:00

Some of you may have seen this video on YouTube or CollegeHumor. It's a funny, frustrated look at how many questions remain unanswered after the finale.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

As I watched it I couldn't help but wonder how many of the questions mentioned really ARE unanswered - because if there's anything that can be said about LOST, it's that each viewer takes away her own interpretations. So here are mine! (There are 93 total, this post will address the first 30.)

1) Why did the monster kill the pilot? The real question is, why did the monster kill anyone? And we know the answer: the monster/Man in Black killed those who he knew would not help him in his cause. He scanned Locke and kept him alive to use him later on because he knew Locke would be easy to manipulate (or "amenable for coercion", as Eddie put it in season 3.) He scanned Mr. Eko and saw that he was rigid and unrepentant - buh-bye, Eko. So the pilot must have had too much self esteem to be useful.

2) What did Locke see when he first saw the smoke? I think he saw...the smoke. Sometimes it really is just that simple, even on LOST.

3) What's with the polar bear in Walt's comic? Well first, it was Hurley's comic book, which Walt later found (which explains why it was in Spanish.) Walt is special - on two occasions we saw that he attracted birds by thinking about them. This scene suggests that he did the same with the polar bear.

4) Where is Christian Shephard's body if it's not in the casket? I'm calling this one half unanswered. In "White Rabbit" when Jack finds Christian's coffin empty, the implication is that Christian has been resurrected and is walking around on the Island. It's a reference to Jesus' disciples finding his tomb empty. The imagery carries over into the final scenes of finale, where once again Jack finds the coffin empty. However, we now know that when Christian appeared to Jack and others on the Island, he was actually the smoke monster. It's likely that Christian's body fell out of the coffin during the plane crash and is somewhere on the Island. Whenever the smoke monster has appeared as someone else, it's either because 1) he has scanned a character's memory and found the images there, or 2) he has found the body on the Island and can appear as the deceased. So yes, this question is unanswered in the sense that we don't know exactly where Christians' body is. But we have enough puzzle pieces to guess what happened to it.

5) Why did the psychic say that Claire had to be on flight 815 and why did he insist that her son had to be raised by Claire? I'd qualify this one as answered, but open to interpretation. Interpretation 1: Either through his psychic abilities or Island outreach, Richard Malkin saw that Claire needed to crash land on the Island because she needed to be Aaron's mother. For a while I was convinced that Aaron was crucial to the Island in some way, but now I think it was the fact that he made Kate a mother that made him so important. It was Kate's adoption of Aaron that led her back to the Island to find Claire, and she killed the Man in Black. Interpretation 2: Malkin was a fake, just like he admitted to Mr. Eko, and he really did have an adoptive couple lined up in L.A. Presumably he would have been paid by them to pressure Claire into the adoption.

6) Why did the Others want Walt so badly? Well, because Walt is special. It was implied that they had a use for his gifts, although we never found out what that might be - since we never learned much about the Others' role on the Island, it's hard to guess. Ultimately this is a plot that went nowhere because David Malcolm Kelley was growing up too fast. (As Damon and Carlton said "We had to get that boy on a raft!")

7) Who sent Kate the letter about her mother being treated for cancer? This one's genuinely unanswered. My guess is an old friend who knew where she was, or maybe her stepfather.

8) How does Walt know about the hatch, and why does he warn Locke not to open it? Again, Walt is special. (Is there something wrong with me that I actually think that's a good enough explanation for all the Walt stuff?) He warns Locke not to open it because it makes the hatch seem more mysterious and scary. The writers knew how to keep us watching. Or another more convoluted theory - Walt is being manipulated by the Man in Black, and he knows that warning Locke away from the hatch will push him into getting it open. All part of MiB's seduction of Locke.

9) Why does the smoke monster make mechanical sounds? Because that's the sound you make when your soul is ripped from your body in the cave of light and turned into a column of smoke. Duh.

10) How was Walt able to apparate before Shannon? W.I.S.

11) How did Walt communicate with Michael using the Swan station? He didn't. It was Ben, manipulating Michael into coming for Walt, so that Michael could be used as a tool to bring Jack (spinal surgeon extraordinaire) back to the barracks.

12) What is the deal with Kate and that horse? The horse makes sense on a symbolic level, representing Kate herself. Sawyer sees it too, so it's not just in her head. I seem to remember an interview with Damon and Carlton where they said that the horse is a manifestation of the smoke monster, but I'll have to find it to confirm that.

13) Why are Dharma supplies still being dropped on the Island after the purge, and by who? Even though the D.I. was wiped out on the Island, the organization still exists in some form off Island. Presumably they are aware that someone is still in the hatch and that the work they are doing there is crucial, so they keep sending food.

14) What triggered the lockdown, and why on earth did someone design it so during the lockdown black lights go on? The first part was definitely answered: the lockdowns are triggered by the food drops, so that the people in the hatch couldn't see who was sending them food. And the second part is obvious: it was the 70s, everyone had black lights.

15) What happened to the original Henry Gale? It's implied that Ben killed him and stole his identity.

16) What happened to the original timeline Libby between the mental hospital and getting on the tail section of Flight 815? Well, we know she met Desmond and gave him her boat so he could race around the world, although it's not clear whether that was before or after the mental hospital. I'm OK with not knowing every detail of Libby's backstory - in fact, I could have done without knowing every detail about some of the lead characters too, like Jack's tattoo saga.

17) Who built the four-toed statue? Egyptians who came to the Island. This is one of those references that indicates the Island's epic history, and that it's been inhabited by many different peoples. We only got one chapter of the story.

18) Why does only one specific bearing get you off the Island? Again, there's no clear answer to this one, especially if you want a detailed scientific explanation, but we've been given lots of hints. Some of what we know:
1. The Island is always moving, and its movements can be predicted through mathematical formulas
2. Traveling to and from the Island without using a bearing causes time shifts within the traveler (à la Desmond in "The Constant")
3. The time shifting may be caused by electromagnetic abnormalities, which also occasionally allow the Island to be detected by the outside world
4. Daniel explains that when the Island was skipping through time in season 5, the time shifts also caused the bearing to change. There is some speculation that in season 6 the new bearing was 108, the sum of all the numbers.

...so to sum up, the specific bearing is necessary to get through the electromagnetism unscathed, and the bearing changes when the Island shifts through space and/or time. Simple, right?

19) What are the hieroglyphics on the Swan countdown timer about? The timer was created by the Dharma Initiative, so the question is what was their motivation for putting the hieroglyphs there? Perhaps they were aware of the Egyptian history on the Island (the statue, the Temple) and wanted to incorporate that into the design. Or maybe it was just another mind game, intended to scare the hatch occupants into continuing to press the button (and keeping fans watching, too. I think a lot of the mystery from the early seasons was there just to keep us interested and speculating from one episode to the next - and I don't consider that a criticism. It's what made LOST so dang fun.) In any case, Damon Lindelof stated during a Comic Con panel in 2006 that the intended translation of the hieroglyphs is "underworld," but he further noted that they are open to interpretation. http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/Hieroglyphics

20) Why does Tom feel a need to wear a fake beard? The Others want to be seen by the survivors as backwards and primitive. Again, it's all a mind game.

21) Who was Libby's previous husband who gave her a boat to give to Desmond? He was named David and he died. Do we really need more info than that?

22) Who were the skeletons in the polar bear cave and where did the toy truck come from? The polar bear apparently had an appetite for human flesh, and especially liked little boys who played with trucks.

23) How did Locke and Eko escape the hatch explosion? I've got a few more questions of my own along this vein: How did any of the survivors escape the plane crash? How could Locke suddenly walk after the crash? How did Sawyer overcome septic shock with oral antibiotics? How was Rose's cancer cured? The only explanation is that some force on the Island heals and saves lives. Fate is likely at work as well.

24) Why couldn't Locke talk after the hatch explosion? Just like we don't know how exactly Locke was healed, we don't know what caused him to go mute after the implosion. But there is some pretty awesome symbolism behind this narrative choice.

Locke's experience references the Biblical story of the priest Zechariah. Zechariah was told in a vision that his wife would give birth to a son who would lay the path for the Messiah. He laughs at this, because his wife Elizabeth is too old to conceive. Because of his unbelief he's struck mute and is told that he won't be able to speak until the prophecy is fulfilled. Sure enough, Elizabeth becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son. There was pressure to name him after his father, since that was the custom at the time, but Elizabeth insisted that he be named John. When Zechariah wrote on a tablet, "His name is John" he was suddenly able to speak again. The son was John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus who later baptized him.

Like Zechariah, Locke was struck mute when he refused to believe. In Locke's case he didn't believe anything would happen when the timer ran out, and he quickly realized he was wrong.

Locke also has a vision, where he is told to save Mr. Eko. As soon as Locke saves him from the polar bear, his power of speech returns. Mr. Eko is a prophet figure, much like John the Baptist, and he baptized both Claire and Aaron.

25) Why did the monster kill Mr. Eko and why didn't he just do it the first time they met?
This goes back to #1. The first time, the monster scanned Eko and spotted weaknesses in his story that he planned to exploit. Smokey appears as Yemi and tells Eko to repent. When Eko refuses to submit, the monster knows that he's worthless to him - Eko is too confident to be manipulated.

26) What did Mr. Eko mean when he said "You're next" when he died? He meant that the smoke monster was coming after Locke. And he was right. I haven't tried this myself, but Lostpedia reports that if you turn up the volume during Eko's last words, you can hear him saying "I saw the devil."

27) How disgusting was it when Hurley was eating from that tub of ranch dressing? Pretty disgusting, although in my opinion the peanut butter was much, much worse.

28) Why did Yemi's body disappear? The unknown whereabouts of Yemi's final resting place is an echo of Christian Shephard, whose appearance was also used by the smoke monster for his own purposes. And as with Christian, the actual location of Yemi's body isn't as important as the mind game involved: finding Yemi's body gone was a tactic used by Smokey to manipulate Eko. Yemi's "resurrection" is another reference to Christ: all four Gospels say that Jesus' tomb was sealed with a large boulder, and when the disciples went to the tomb "the stone was rolled away" and Jesus' body was gone. Eko moves several large stones away from the cockpit entrance before discovering that Yemi's body is no longer inside.

29) Why does Danny say Jack wasn't on Jacob's list when in fact his name was clearly written in the cave? Ben was never in contact with Jacob: the lists he made were entirely his own. He told the Others they were Jacob's in order to get them to do what he wanted. Another possibility: Ben was being directed by the smoke monster.

30) Why can't women on the Island have babies and what does this have to do with anything? My personal favorite theory is that it was the detonation of Jughead that caused the infertility. We saw Ethan born on the Island in the 1970s, so it wasn't a problem at that point. And there's a nice circular logic to Juliet causing the problem and then being the one who was brought to the Island to fix it.

Agree? Disagree? Hate my guts? Let me know what you think of my answers - and stay tuned for Part 2!

LOST: The Conference

2010-06-27T10:32:00.002-04:00

I'm sold. All I had to hear was "LOST," "conference," "Hawaii," and "January 2011."

http://davidlavery.net/Lost/

Who's with me?

6:17 The End

2010-05-24T13:19:00.000-04:00

Nobody does it alone, Jack. You needed all of them, and they needed you. To remember. And to let go.

Today I'm going against my usual practice of doing a lot of rewatching, discussing and reading before coming to my own conclusions. I want to write about how I experienced the finale without too much outside input.

I loved it. On an emotional level it was nearly perfect. The return of so many characters, the resolution of the flashsideways storyline, and the final scene with Jack closing his eyes in the bamboo forest - it could not have been any better.

In terms of Island mythology I think it fell a bit short. The demise of MiB was anticlimactic for me, as was Desmond's descent into the cave. If they had to choose between mythology and character relationships though, I'm glad they went with character in the end.

The last scenes were so emotional that it was difficult to process all the new information I was getting. Looking back, Jack's conversation with his father is the key (and in the interest of full disclosure, I just cried my eyes out again rewatching this scene. No mascara today.)

Jack: I don't understand. You died.
Christian: Yeah. Yes, I did.
Jack: Then how are you here right now?
Christian: How are you here?
Jack: [realizing] I died too.
Christian: It's OK. It's OK son.
Jack: Are you real?
Christian: [laughing] I sure hope so. Yeah, I'm real. You're real. Everything that's ever happened to you is real. All those people in the church, they're all real too.
Jack: They're all...they're all dead?
Christian: Everyone dies sometime kiddo. Some of them before you, some long after you.
Jack: But why are they all here now?
Christian: Well there is no "now" here.
Jack: Where are we dad?
Christian: This is a place that you all made together so that you could find one another. The most important part of your life was the time that you spent with these people. That's why all of you are here. Nobody does it alone, Jack. You needed all of them, and they needed you.
Jack: For what?
Christian: To remember. And to let go.
Jack: Kate - she said we were leaving.
Christian: Not leaving, no. Moving on.
Jack: Where are we going?
Christian: Let's go find out.

So it's what we all thought from the very beginning of season one: they're all dead. But not in the way we thought back then. They didn't all die in the crash of Oceanic 815. They died later, and reunited in the flashsideways world. I think a lot of people felt let down that the sideways wasn't "real", but I didn't. The sideways has always felt unreal to me - even though things are better for most of the characters, it never felt quite right. It makes so much more sense as a psychological construct, a place they created where they were safe from the influence of the Island, where they didn't have to remember what they suffered there. Enough like their real lives to be convincing, and happy enough that they aren't motivated to search for something else - until Charlie comes along, and then Desmond. (By the way, if you like the idea of a world like ours where the dead wait to move on, you should read The Brief History of the Dead. I wouldn't be at all surprised to find out that the Lost writers have read it.)

A crucial line I missed the first time: "There is no 'now' here." The sideways exists independently of time. Each of the characters died at a different point in their lives, some of them long after the time we've been shown on the Island, but they are all reuniting in the same place, at the same moment. When Kate said to Jack "I've missed you SO much," I got the impression she had been living for a long time after saying goodbye to him. And it's likely that Hurley and Ben spent a very long time protecting the Island after everyone else was gone.

So why wasn't everyone at the church? Where was Mr. Eko? Walt? Michael? Eloise? Daniel? Christian said that for those who were there, the Island was the most important thing that ever happened to them. I think those who were missing 1) weren't ready to move on yet (like Ben, and I think Eloise), or 2) were somewhere else with people who were more influential in their lives than anyone they met on the Island. We've heard before about "those who can't move on" - maybe some of them are still whispering on the Island. Ultimately everyone in the group at the church was intimately connected to Jack, so on some level maybe they were all there for him as much as for themselves. And I guess a third (very likely) option is that there were practical matters that prevented some actors from being there (like Malcolm David Kelley, who's 18 years old now. Tall Waaaalt!) My one gripe about the church crowd was the reuniting of Shannon and Sayid. What about Nadia? I never liked them together. It reminded me of the ending of Titanic [spoiler alert!] where she's reunited in heaven with a guy she had a fling with on a boat and not her husband of 60+ years. Ugh! But I understand the need to bring the original characters full circle.

I appreciated the open-endedness of the church scene, and the fact that it wasn't pinned down to any one belief system. As long as you buy into the idea of life after death, it's believable. And even if you don't, it can be viewed psychologically and symbolically. They've shut the door on the past and they're starting a new journey - the way they were seated in the chapel resembles the way they were seated on Flight 815.

I like Jimmy Kimmel's suggestion that the show was ultimately about Jack's journey, his test in life. I think he's right, but I don't think that's the whole story. The final episode was told from Jack's point of view, in a mirror image of the first one, but overall the story was just as much about Kate, Locke, Hurley, Sayid, and everyone else as it was about Jack. They each came to their own realizations of what had happened and where they were, and they all needed each other.

Jacob and MiB Get Some Counseling

2010-05-20T11:16:00.000-04:00

If anyone needs talk therapy, it's these two.

6:16 What They Died For

2010-05-19T15:16:00.001-04:00

And then there were four.

Remember this list? It's the one Ms. Klugh gave to Michael all the way back in season 2. The same people Ben had him bring in exchange for Walt are now the only surviving candidates to replace Jacob. Coincidence or fate?

In many ways this episode reminded me of the early seasons. The pace was slow enough to let us really feel each scene and enjoy the character interactions. I've missed that lately.

Flashsideways Connections

-Once again Jack looks in the mirror and sees a bleeding cut on his neck. They're officially going to make us wait until the end to find out what that's all about. Will we see Jack get a cut on his neck in his inevitable confrontation with the Man in Black? (If so I hope it's not as serious as what poor Zoe got.)

-Something else they're making us wait for - the identity of David's oh-so-mysterious mother. I'm still betting on Juliet.

-The sideways world just wouldn't be complete without Ben getting a thorough beating. It makes so much sense that his view through the looking glass would be accomplished by Desmond kicking the crap out of him. And speaking of looking glasses, Ben finally gets his "mirror moment" as he stands alone in the nurse's office.

-Rousseau insists that Ben come over for dinner "Even if we have to kidnap you!" Ba-dum-ching! Danielle looks great, proving once and for all that the Fountain of Youth is NOT on the Island - it's in L.A. And was it just me or were there some sparks flying between Rousseau and Ben? (Spinoff idea: the love story of two antisocial psychopaths, sharing coq au vin in an alternate world.) Seriously though, the scene where Ben realizes how much he means to Alex was wonderful, and such a contrast to what we see happen to Ben on the Island.

-Locke explains what led him back to Jack's office and Jack replies "I think you're mistaking coincidence for fate," which is very similar to what Eko said to Locke ("What Kate Did", season 2) and Locke said to Desmond ("The Cost of Living," season 3): "Don't mistake coincidence for fate."

Revelations

-For me, this has been THE question since the beginning: Why these particular people? And I loved Jacob's answer. They were chosen because they have very little to lose. Jacob is taking a different tack than his mother. Instead of selecting innocents who are untainted by the world and have their whole lives ahead of them, he chose people who had few connections to the outside world and whose lives can only get better. It's interesting that in the sideways world their lives are better and they all have more attachments: Locke has Helen, Ben has his dad and students, Sun and Jin are happy and having a baby, Jack has David, Claire is keeping her baby, Kate is apparently innocent. Are their lives better because Jacob didn't interfere? Or did Jacob not interfere because their lives are better?

-Ben explains that behind his secret closet is "where I was told I could summon the monster. That was before I realized it was the one summoning me." I think this is pretty good evidence that Ben has been working for the Man in Black (not Jacob) all along. That would certainly explain why Jacob has never visited or spoken to him. And speaking of coincidence v. fate, it's mighty convenient that Ben encounters Alex's grave just before his run-in with Widmore: he got a nice little reminder about who killed his daughter.

-Widmore reveals that he came back to the Island because Jacob invited him, and that Jacob changed his mind about his quest for the Island. After years of Widmore being so power-hungry that he cares for nothing as much as possessing the Island, one visit from Jacob changes everything. And Widmore mentioning this fact to Ben seals his fate - between jealousy that Jacob never visited him and his resolve to avenge Alex's death, there was no way he was going to let Charles live after that.

-We learn that Desmond is "a measure of last resort," a "fail-safe," which conjures up images of Desmond turning the key that fateful day in the Swan hatch. The Man in Black thinks he can use Desmond to destroy the Island, but I suspect we'll see Desmond get sent into the light only to emerge as the one person who can defeat MiB. They're playing by Jacob's rules now and my guess is MiB isn't aware of all of the implications of that yet.

-Jacob clarifies that creating the smoke monster was a mistake, and that it's the reason he brought the candidates to the Island. Pretty much what we already thought, but it's nice to have things spelled out for us once or twice a season. Also, it's now clear that the goal is not just to replace Jacob and begin a new cycle: it's to end the cycle by killing the Man in Black.

-Jack is Jacob's replacement - and after all his struggles against fate, his refusal to believe, he made the choice. "I'll do it. This is why I'm here. This is what I'm supposed to do." With his "Here am I, send me" moment, Jack has come full circle as a man of faith. I love the juxtaposition of what looks to be a final showdown between Jack and Locke, and Jack and Locke working together to heal him in the sideways world. It's the kind of symmetry we used to see all the time in season 1 flashbacks.

Questions

-We still don't know what is up with young Jacob. Why did he appear to Hurley, only to become adult Jacob a few minutes later? And why does burning his ashes mean he won't appear again? I laughed when YJ demanded that Hurley give him the ashes "because they're mine!" Because yep, they really were his.

-Relatedly - how can they all see Jacob now when only Hurley could see him before?

-How could Ben kill Widmore? Wasn't that against "the rules"?

-Did Richard get killed by the smoke monster?

Moments of Pure Awesomeness

Locke: You don't need to see this.
Ben: I want to see this.
(and later...)
Ben: Did you say there are some other people to kill?
Three cheers! Creepy Benry is back!

-Jacob passing the torch to Jack was brilliant (although I wonder about the fact that he used water instead of wine) and all the more poignant with the images from "Across the Sea" still fresh in my mind. Fire and water. "Now you're like me." The writers are so masterful with their Christian imagery.

-Jack's reaction to Sawyer's remorse for detonating the bomb. I like this Jack.

-Jack stitching Kate's shoulder on the beach brought me right back to season 1 when Kate does the same for Jack. I did giggle though when Jack says he has to stitch it or it will get infected...and then pulls out a rusty needle and some raggedy twine. I'm sure that's nice and sterile, doctor!

-Desmond as the all-knowing gatherer is all kinds of awesome. Desmond's 11!

-Widmore tells Ben "As usual, I'm three steps ahead of you"...and then Ben proves him wrong with 3 shots to the chest.

-I watched late so I could skip the commercials but managed to catch this fan created promo (the one that won the contest sponsored by Kia.) Pretty cool stuff.

Not So Awesome

-The finale is on Sunday. On one hand I don't want to wait that long, and on the other hand I don't want it to be over. The end is near. I don't want to think about it.

6:15 Across the Sea

2010-05-12T15:48:00.004-04:00

"Every question I answer will simply lead to another question."
This episode was packed with explanations and answers, and also raised about a thousand new questions that will likely never get answered. We should be used to this by now. I'm going to focus on the positive: we have an origin story! Like a lot of the mysteries on LOST, we've waited so long for this that it's easy to be let down when we learn the specifics. Overall though, I thought the writers did justice to the story and I found most of the explanations satisfying.

"Mihi nomen est Claudia"
In ancient Rome, Claudia was a vestal virgin (priestesses of Vesta, goddess of the hearth; the most well-known vestal virgin from Roman mythology is Rhea Sylvia, mother of the twins Romulus and Remus , the founders of Rome - in the story they are taken from their mother as infants and raised by a she-wolf.) It means "lame."

"I only picked one name."
We've seen several women announce their baby's name after giving birth, a very Biblical practice. Those who speculated early on about Jacob and Esau weren't too far from the mark - Jacob and the Man in Black are twins who were jealous of their mother's attention and became nemeses. And after all the speculation, we're going to have to keep on calling him the Man in Black. After this episode, the possibility that they're holding out on his name for a big surprise is a very small one. I think he just doesn't have a name. And I wonder if not having a name provided an open window - a gap in his identity - that allowed him to become the Smoke Monster. Like John Locke, who was searching for acceptance and a purpose in life. In any case, finding out he has no name is better than finding out his name is Kevin or Steve.

"Do you want to play or don't you, Jacob?"
I think it's significant that Jacob is presented with a choice - sort of. He chooses to play with his brother, but without understanding what the game really is. Later on Mother tells him "You don't really have a choice." No wonder he values free will so much in his dealings with the future candidates: he wants them to be able to freely choose to protect the Island because he never got that choice.

"You're special"
Mother keeps Jacob and his brother separated from the other people on the Island so they will remain pure and innocent. You'd think the candidates should have those same qualities too, right? So why are Sawyer and Sayid candidates? They are the exact opposite of pure and innocent. If the Island's protector really does have to be good, innocent, and untainted, there is only one choice out of the candidates - Hurley. Or maybe Jacob isn't actually looking for someone to take his place - maybe he's looking for someone to stop the cycle and end the game once and for all.

"There is nowhere else. The Island is all there is."
Mother is lying to Jacob and his brother to keep them sheltered on the Island so they can replace her as its protector, but there might be some truth to what she's saying too. If the Island is the source of the ultimate good and evil, maybe it really is "all there is." The Losties have been told that if the smoke monster escapes, everyone they know will "cease to exist" - in a sense, maybe the whole world is dependent on the balance of good and evil on the Island.

"What's dead?" "Something you will never have to worry about."
Again, Mother is lying to Jacob's brother - but unintentionally this time. She believes he will become the next protector of the Island and be immortal. And in a sense, she's right; he lives on as the smoke monster, with at least part of himself intact. It's interesting that the Brother was able to see his dead mother, but Jacob was not. Is this an indication that he is "special"...or was Claudia really the smoke monster, reaching out to the Brother early on and turning him against Mother? I'm reminded of another young boy who saw his deceased mother and decided to leave his people as a result - Benjamin Linus.

"The game came from Mother"
...and not just the game the boys found on the beach: the whole game. She's the one who set Jacob up as the Island's protector, and who made it so that they couldn't kill each other (although several beat-downs and a drowning make me doubt her power in that area.) I'm guessing she also made (or at least passed down) the rules that prevented Ben and Widmore from killing each other, and that determined the qualifications of candidates. When Alex is killed and Ben says "He changed the rules" I thought he was talking about Widmore, but now I think he must have been referring to Jacob. Like his brother said, "One day you can make up your own game and everyone else will have to follow your rules."

"They come, they fight, they destroy, they corrupt, and it always ends the same."
Interesting that the Man in Black believes this just as his mother did, but Jacob rejects this line of thinking. In many ways, young Jacob seems like a mama's boy, willing to blindly accept whatever she tells him, but over the years he develops his own ideas. I'm sad we won't get to see more of how that happens.

"This is the reason we're here...if the light goes out here, it goes out everywhere."
I know this part was a bit over the top/fantasy novel for some, and I'd count myself in with them. We're far from the "scientific explanation for everything" show we thought we were getting back in the early seasons. It is key to the mythology however, and the urgency of the need to find a new protector: they're not just preventing evil from leaving the Island, they're also protecting the light from being found and used (or put out) by anyone else. It's the Ring, the Force, the Dark Tower. It explains a lot about the two opposing forces that have been at play on the Island from the very beginning - it's not just Jacob v. MiB, it's light v. dark - literally. When Locke says, "I've looked into the eye of this Island, and what I saw was beautiful" (in the show's 5th episode!) it finally makes sense.

"Now you and I are the same"
The wine Mother serves Jacob is the same wine Jacob later gives Richard when he grants him immortality, the one the Man in Black smashes. Was the wine itself what transferred power, or is her whispered incantation the equivalent of Jacob's touch? Mother begging him to "take the cup and drink" has overtones of Christ's sacrifice - one of many allusions to Jacob as Jesus (healing, granting immortality, watching from above.) The way Mother thanks the Man in Black for killing her reminded me of Jacob's own death and explains a bit why he didn't seem that bothered about getting murdered.

"They're a means to an end."
The Man in Black is using the Losties the same way he used "his people" in this episode - as a way to get off the Island. They really are pawns in a game they don't understand. I loved the reveal that the Man in Black was responsible for installing the donkey wheel - and the dagger he throws against the well and later uses to kill Mother is the same one Dogen ends up giving to Sayid. The Man in Black's driving force is the quest for knowledge - knowledge that will let him leave the Island. Original sin, anyone? Which is a nice segue to...

"Our very own Adam and Eve"
The writers have said all along that the scene with Adam and Eve (from the 6th episode of season 1!) would prove that they knew the end game from the start. The Island's Adam and Eve is actually Mother and Kevin/Steve. I loved this reveal, although I thought the flashback montage was unnecessary. And one detail they omitted: in that scene, Jack says that the decomposition of the bodies and clothing indicates that they have been there for "40 or 50 years." Yeah... give or take 2000. To me that makes it pretty obvious that the writers did not know from the beginning who those bodies were going to be. But maybe the real lesson here is that Jack is not an anthropologist.

So many answers, but so many more questions...
-How did Mother get to the Island? I don't quite believe her when she says she got there "by accident." Whose place did she take? I realize this is one of those questions that can never have a truly satisfying answer, because there is always someone else before, always another (wo)man behind the curtain. This is why her character wasn't given a name - she's iconic, representing all the previous protectors of the Island. As Mark Lisanti put it, "archetypes don't get real names, sillypants!"

-Where did the Others come from? Not the shipwrecked people Claudia came with (who all got killed off), but the people we came to know as Jacob's followers. And how did Jacob become their leader?

-How did Mother wipe out an entire village of people and fill in a well single-handedly?

-Did Jacob create the smoke monster by throwing his brother into the light? Or was it already there, waiting to be unleashed?

-Now that we know that the boy in the jungle is a young Jacob - why? We've seen Jacob appear since he died, but always in his adult form. Is he just trying to spook his brother? Or is he being reborn in some way, rising from the ashes like a phoenix?

-And the big one (for me - I was really disappointed this didn't get addressed): why can't the Man in Black leave the Island? What are the actual rules governing his ability to go? And what exactly would be so terrible about him leaving? It's been hinted around so much, I was hoping for some clarity on this one. Maybe it's yet to come.

Predictions
-The Man in Black clearly thinks he knows the rules about how he can leave the Island, but I suspect Jacob has changed the rules in ways MiB isn't yet aware of. I won't be surprised if we get near the end and Jacob responds to one of MiB's moves by saying, "You can't do that." And I'm willing to bet it has something to do with the young Jacob we keep seeing in the jungle.

-When MiB was thrown into the light, something terrible was born (or unleashed.) I wonder what would happen if Desmond (the variable, who can somehow withstand huge doses of electromagnetism) went into the light? If throwing the MiB in resulted in evil incarnate escaping, will a good soul like Desmond's result in releasing the ultimate good - the one thing that can destroy Smokey?

And one last gripe...
-With only a few hours of the series left, I can't believe they dedicated a whole episode to Jacob and the MiB. As Jimmy Kimmel put it, that would be like making the third to last episode of Seinfeld entirely about the Soup Nazi. There is so much to wrap up in the sideways world, and a lot still going on in present time on the Island. I loved the episode on its own, but I think it would have been much more effective earlier in the season. Who knows though, maybe after seeing how things conclude I'll change my mind.

6:14 The Candidate

2010-05-10T15:45:00.002-04:00

I waited to blog about this one until I could stop crying. Big mistake. It took way too long. Also, my son Sawyer's birthday was last week, so that kept me busy for a few days. Better late than never, so here we go!

Flashsideways Connections

-Jack tells post-surgery Locke "you're a candidate" - which was true on the Island as well.

-Jack offers Claire an Apollo bar from the same hospital vending machine where Jacob offered one to Jack. The signs really are pointing towards Jack being the new Jacob.

-The mirror moment was between Claire and Jack as they looked at the music box she inherited from Christian. The box reminded me of Rousseau's music box in season 1, and the song "Catch a Falling Star" is the song Claire remembered her father singing to her when she was little.

-In the original timeline Locke was healed after a plane crash; in the sideways, he was paralyzed after one.

-Locke doesn't want to be healed because he felt guilty about causing his father's injuries. I wonder if we'll ever find out the rest of the story on Anthony Cooper. We know that Sawyer's mother was conned and his father killed her and himself, just like in the original timeline. But at some point, Anthony Cooper must have changed and become the man Locke says he loves more than life itself.

-Locke talks in his sleep and says "Push the button" (recalling his faith in the button during season 2) and "I wish you had believed me" (what he writes to Jack in his suicide note in season 5). It seems that Desmond did his job in helping him to see "through the looking glass." Funny that for Hurley, a picnic with Libby did it, but Locke had to be run down by a car. Different strokes I guess.

Revelations

-It's official - many of the main characters aren't going to make it to the end alive. I think we all expected that, but I was still shocked that 3 (4 if you include Lapidus) were wiped out in one fell swoop.

-Smokey is a liar liar with his pants on fire. Not much of a shock, but it is becoming clearer that despite all the misdirection to the contrary, there really is a good side and a bad side.

-The four characters who survived the sub sinking - Jack, Kate, Hurley and Sawyer - are the same ones who were on the list Michael was given by Ms. Klugh back in season 2. They have been important to the Island for a very long time.

-Jack speculates that the Man in Black can't kill the candidates directly, but he can construe situations where they are likely to kill each other. I don't know if he's right, but it makes a lot of sense to me. If he's right, then Sawyer is responsible for Sayid, Jin and Sun's death. If he's wrong, the bomb would have gone off even if Sawyer hadn't pulled those wires.

Questions

-Sayid tells Jack "It's going to be you." How does he know this? And is he right?

-What happened to Sayid at the well with Desmond? Because from that point on, he seems to be himself again. Was it simply the fact that he refused to do what the smoke monster told him to?

-We keep hearing it reiterated that Kate is not a candidate, that her name has been crossed out, and thus she is expendable. So why does she keep surviving all these harrowing situations? It can't be an accident that she is still alive. (I was worried for a minute when she got shot, but when I realized it was in her shoulder I relaxed. People always survive shoulder injuries on Lost.)

-What is the smoke monster's ultimate goal? He keeps saying he wants to go "home" - but where is that? And what does that entail? I love Ryan McGee's theory that "home" might actually be another location on the Island.

Moments of Pure Awesomeness

-I loved loved LOVED the conversation between Jack and Locke where Jack is trying to convince him to let go. Flashsideways Jack is so much more self-aware than we've seen him be in the past. It's like something in the sideways world is allowing the characters to grow and develop in ways they were unable to before - they're "unstuck" somehow.

-Jin and Sun's final scene was so well done (I have just one minor quibble with it below). I agree with the complaints that it was a bit too Titanic - but hey, I liked Titanic! The scene that really started the waterworks for me was on the beach when Hurley, Kate and Jack break down. Just heart-wrenching.

Not So Awesome

-When Kate was trying to reach those keys through the cage bars, how come Sawyer didn't try to get them? His arms are much longer.

-During Sun and Jin's big moment they were speaking English to each other, even though they were the only ones there, which makes no sense at all. I can see wanting to avoid subtitles in such an emotionally charged scene, but it was just so obviously not true to life - in an emotionally charged moment you'd be much more likely to speak in your native tongue. Not a big deal, but it took me out of the moment.

We only have 3 episodes left! What are your thoughts about the direction things are taking? Any predictions you'd like to share? The next episode (tomorrow!) looks like it's going to reveal a lot of Island mythology - I can't wait!

What Will Be Answered, and What Won't

2010-04-23T12:44:00.000-04:00

Damon and Carlton were recently featured in Wired magazine and they talked about what will and won't be answered by the finale. The interviewer asked if we will get an explanation for how the two timelines fit together. Damon's response: "That, to us, is the only answer we owe." Later he says "There’s still going to be plenty of room for debate when the show is over. We are going to take a stab at providing a conclusion, one that we hope will be satisfying. The bigger questions, we recognize, are not answerable."

And you know what? I'm fine with that. For me, the best part about LOST has always been the mystery. Getting a checklist of answers is anti-climactic. Like when we learned what the whispers were, or that the smoke monster was pretending to be Christian Shephard in season one. It's nice to know, but not nearly as fun as the first time we actually heard the whispers, or saw that eerie figure dressed in a suit and white tennis shoes. I will be perfectly happy if a lot of the mysteries of LOST remain mysteries forever.

That said, there are a few questions I really want answered:

-I want to know more about the Man in Black (an actual name for him would be awesome, especially if it ends up being something like Kevin, or Steve.) How far back his history goes with Jacob. How Jacob got him trapped on the Island in the first place.

-I'd like resolution for most of the characters. Not that they all have to end up happy and smiling with their lives tied up neatly with a bow on top, but some sort of semi-satisfying ending for them.

-I want to know what the sideways universe is, and to have the two timelines resolved - and it looks like we can count on this one happening. Whatever other loose ends they leave us with, the writers have always been good about wrapping up the plot within any given season, so I have no doubt they'll achieve that this time.

What do you guys think? Are there certain questions that you'll be disappointed if they don't answer?

6:13 The Last Recruit

2010-04-21T09:27:00.005-04:00

The end is near, my friends. Only 5 hours of LOST to go until it's all over, and we're left to debate all the loose ends for the rest of our lives. This was a "setting the stage" episode, putting all the pieces in place for the final game to begin.

Flashsideways Connections

-Sawyer offers an apple to Kate, yet another Garden of Eden reference. I don't think it's pointing towards a literal Garden, just making use of a rich allegory that is familiar to us all. What choices have our Losties made which led to their fall? And what could give them redemption?

-Kate figures out that Sawyer didn't arrest her in the elevator because he didn't want anyone at the police department to know he had gone to Australia, which is exactly what Jay and Jack theorized. Nice!

-I totally called it that the injured Losties would meet up in Jack's hospital! Which is actually kind of disappointing. I like it better when the writers do something completely unexpected.

-Desmond and Claire have appointments on the 15th floor.

-Desmond tells Claire "Contracts are complicated - you could find yourself in a situation that's irreversible." I'm becoming more and more convinced that the flashsideways world is a result of a contract made between the Losties and the Smoke Monster.

-I never really got attached to Ilana as a character (good thing too considering what happened to her) but it was cool seeing her as Jack and Desmond's lawyer.

-Ilana asks Jack "Do you believe in fate?" It's clear that these characters are destined to be part of each other's lives, plane crash or no.

-Mirror image: Jack sees his own face next to Locke's in the mirror on the operating table. If each character has a "soulmate" (Libby's words) who reminds them of their life on the Island, I think Locke is Jack's.

Revelations

-It's official - the Christian Shephard Jack saw on the Island was the smoke monster! It's not much of a surprise, but it's nice to have something answered. But as usual, this leads to more questions, because Jack's also seen his father off the Island. The smoke monster can't leave the Island, so who was that?

Questions

-Sawyer says "We're done going back Kate." Is he right, or are they going to "go back" again when the two timelines come together? With their sideways selves decide to "go back" to make things right?

-Locke tells Jack "You're with me now." Jack is the last recruit. Is Jack going to change like Claire and Sayid have? Is he going to end up being a pawn like Locke was?

-There's no way Sayid actually killed Desmond - so why is he lying to Locke? Is pulling away from Locke's influence rendering him and Claire less zombie-like? Or even cooler, is their interaction with the other Losties in the sideways influencing them? Is Hurley right that Sayid and Claire can come back from the Dark Side?

-How did Sun recognize Locke? And what is she remembering that made her so afraid of him?

-Who is David's mother? They teased us with it yet again when Jack spoke to her on the phone and never said her name. Oh how they love to tease us!

-I wonder if Locke is telling the whole truth about his ability to appear as other people. We know that the smoke monster isn't actually in Locke's body, because we saw Locke's body lying on the beach and Fake Locke walked right past it. But last night, Fake Locke tells Jack that he needed Locke's body to be on the Island in order to appear as him. And when the smoke monster appeared as Christian Shephard, Christian's body was missing from his coffin. If Smokey is just projecting himself as different people, why does he need their actual bodies to be on the Island?

Moments of Pure Awesomeness

-Jin and Sun are reunited! Finally! (And I'm not even going to rant about the feminist implications of Sun only having a voice because of her husband.)

-Jack jumping off the boat to go back to the Island mirrors Sawyer jumping out of the helicopter in season 4. Except instead of Juliet waiting for him on the beach with a bottle of rum, it's Fake Locke.

-I love how everyone is connecting in the sideways: Jack, Sun, Jin, Locke and Ben at the hospital, and Sawyer, Kate, Sayid and Miles at the police station. Although I still don't know where they're going with this sideways world, it feels like things are coming together and there is a greater purpose. There are a lot of loose ends to tie up, sure, but I have no doubt it's going to resolve in an interesting way.

-Jack having Locke on his operating table and saying "I think I know this guy." I got chills.

-Hurley's mention of Anakin coming back from the dark side cracked me up, along with his greeting to Claire, "Hey, you look....great..."

-Fake Locke: "John Locke was not a believer Jack. He was a sucker." Is he right? Or will there be redemption for Locke in the end?

Not So Awesome

-There are so many questions to be answered and an unbelievably short amount of time in which to do it. I'm doing my best to let go and just enjoy the ride - I need to have faith like Jack! (Never thought I'd say that before this season...)

LOLcats do LOST

2010-04-19T20:31:00.000-04:00

For those of us who love LOLcats and LOST, our dream has come true: http://www.popsuede.com/2010/01/lolst-season-1.html

6:12 Everybody Loves Hugo

2010-04-14T17:25:00.001-04:00

I love Hugo (who doesn't?) and I loved this episode. It had so many warm fuzzy moments, some big answers, TWO big explosions plus a hit-and-run (maybe a record for a non-finale?) and the pace is seriously picking up as we get closer and closer to the end.

Flashsideways Connections

-The man announcing Hurley's Man of the Year Award was Pierre Chang, who we learned earlier works at the museum and is Charlotte Lewis' boss. Funny that he's narrating Hurley's award ceremony rather than the Dharma Initiative films.

-Did Hurley win the lottery in the sideways? Dr. Chang says he was "born to humble surroundings" but doesn't mention how he got enough money to buy Mr. Clucks. We do know that in this timeline he never went to the mental hospital where in the original timeline he got the winning numbers from Leonard, so if he did win the lottery it was with different numbers. Maybe that's why he's lucky instead of cursed.

-I think it's hilarious that Hurley is this incredibly wealthy big-shot humanitarian, and his mom STILL isn't happy with him. I guess in any timeline she's destined to be a complainer.

-Hurley says he has an upcoming award from "The Human Fund," which is the name of the fake charity George Costanza invented on Seinfeld. ("The Human Fund: Money for People")

-The restaurant where Hurley's blind date stands him up is called Spanish Johnny's, which is a reference to the Bruce Springsteen song "Incident on 57th Street". His date was named Rosalita, the title of another song from the same album.

-When Hurley tells Desmond he's eating chicken because he's depressed Desmon responds "So what's her name?" It's similar to what he asked Jack when he met him running a tour de stade in season 2.

-Desmond's order at Mr. Clucks is #42

-The scene with Hurley and Libby's date opens with Hurley spreading a blanket. On the Island, he forgot the blankets for their picnic, which is why Libby went back to the hatch where she was shot by Michael.

-When Libby tells Hurley about her memories of the Island he calls it a "bizzaro alternate universe." In Superman comics, Bizzaro Earth is a world just like ours where characters act opposite to how they act normally - very similar to Through The Looking-Glass.

-Hurley's conversation with Libby mirrors their conversation on the clifftop in season 2 when Libby talks Hurley off the ledge and convinces him that he's not crazy, and that the Island is real.

-Libby was able to remember her time on the Island from seeing Hurley on TV, and he remembered when they kissed, so apparently the characters don't have to be close to death to catch a glimpse of the other timeline. Someone should have told this to Charlie before he drove Desmond's car into the water.

-I think Desmond is the most interesting character on the show now - he's filling the place of both Jacob and Ben. A slightly creepy matchmaker who has good intentions but runs over paraplegics with his car...more please!

-I just noticed that in the sideways Locke doesn't have a scar under his right eye, because it was supposed to be from the crash of 815. Very cool detail.

Revelations

-After 6 seasons, we now know what the whispers are! The voices of people who died on the Island and are stuck there, unable to move on because of what they did. Why are they stuck there? Remember the cork analogy Jacob used? Maybe the "cork" that's keeping the Man in Black on the Island is also keeping all these departed souls there. If he leaves, they get to leave too. In which case Hurley should probably not be following Michael's advice.

-Locke/MiB clarifies that in order to leave the Island they all have to go together, similarly to how they got there in the first place.

-Locke says that the well was dug by hand by people who were "looking for answers" about the electromagnetism on the Island, which reminded me of the Swan Hatch. It's not the same well that was dug near The Orchid, and Locke hints that there may be more of them on the Island.

-Before being thrown into it Desmond says the well is "very deep", yet another Alice in Wonderland reference - at the very beginning of the story the rabbit hole she crawls into turns into a "very deep" well.

-In a bit of ominous foreshadowing, Ben points out that Ilana died suddenly after doing the job Jacob assigned her because the Island was done with her, and he wonders what will happen to the rest of them when the Island is done with them. Dun dun DUN.

-By bringing Jack and Sun with him to talk to Locke, it looks like Hurley just delivered the remaining candidates to the Man in Black. Uh-oh.

Questions

-Why hasn't Libby ever visited Hurley when so many other deceased people have? Is it only the ones who are stuck on the Island who can visit him?

-Does Desmond really believe that Locke is still Locke? Or does he know more about it than he's letting on?

-Who is the boy who appeared (again) to Locke and Desmond in the jungle? (He looked different to me than the boy we saw before, but imdb.com confirms that he is the same actor.) Why is Locke afraid of him?

-Why isn't Desmond afraid of Locke? What does he know that is making him so confident? I had to chuckle when Desmond asks "What is the point in being afraid?" Clearly the answer is "So you'll be better prepared when someone tries to throw you down a well."

Moments of Pure Awesomeness

-The Locke/Jack confrontation right at the end sent chills up my spine. I can't wait to see the face-off.

-Ilana blowing up à la Arzt. Not that I wanted her to die or anything, but I totally saw it coming. I cringed during her entire monologue because of the way everyone was watching her while she tossed that bag of dynamite around. Ouch.

-Locke: If I didn't know better I'd say this Island has it in for you.
Desmond: Do you know better?
Locke: Excuse me?
Desmond: There's nothing special about me, brother. This Island has in it for all of us.
Locke: Yes it does.

-The book Hugo finds is Dostoyevsky's "Notes From Underground". I'm not familiar with the story, but found this little gem on Lostpedia:

In Fyodor Dostoevsky's "Notes From Underground" the narrator muses that science will one day teach man that he possesses neither will nor uncontrollable urges and is nothing more than a piano key or organ stop operating by laws of nature, and that if discovered, these laws could be used to compute human actions mathematically like tables of logarithms up to 108 - 000.

-I loved the juxtaposition of Locke throwing Desmond in the well and Desmond hitting Locke with his car. Really great storytelling.

Not So Awesome

-I'd hoped to learn more about why Hurley is so lucky in the sideways, but maybe that's coming later.

-Does anyone else get tired of the groups constantly splitting in two? I know why the writers do it; it sets up conflict between characters, and it goes along with the theme of each individual having to chose, trying to determine which side is good and which side is bad (which is always a moving target on LOST.) But because they use it so often, it starts to feel cliché. Maybe it's just me.

So...what did you think of this episode? Did you like it as much as I did? And what do you think will happen to our Losties when the Island is done with them?

6:11 Happily Ever After

2010-04-07T14:51:00.005-04:00

Last week Damon Lindelof tweeted that "In one week, the conversation is going to change." After watching last night's episode, I see what he meant. Things are really starting to come together and move in a specific direction. Not that I know AT ALL what that direction is, but I can sense the momentum.

Flashsideways Connections

-Desmond's driver is George Minkowski, the communications officer from the freighter in season 4.

-Widmore pours Desmond a glass of MacCutcheon and tells him "Nothing is too good for you" - the exact opposite of what he tells him in the original timeline when he sneers "[You're not] worthy of drinking my whiskey. How could you ever be worthy of my daughter?"

-On the wall in Widmore's office there's a painting of scales with white on one side, black on the other, perfectly balanced. Is this a world where good and evil are balanced?

-Desmond tells Charlie he has a choice: he can exterminate his music career, or come with him to the hotel. Charlie: "That doesn't seem like a choice." Desmond: "There's always a choice, brother." The Desmond we know has always leaned towards destiny over free will.

-Charlie drives the car into the water at the same marina where Ben attacked Desmond last season.

-On the plane Charlie nearly dies and Jack saves him, then later Desmond saves him from the sunken car. On the Island the same thing happens: Jack saves Charlie from being hanged by the Others, and then Desmond saves him multiple times later.

-All of the other characters have had a "mirror moment" in their flashsideways when they seem to be aware of the other world, but Desmond's moment is through a window, because he is the one who can see the most clearly between the two worlds.

-The doctor checking Desmond's eyes mirrors the doctor on the freighter examining him in "The Constant."

-The MRI machine makes the same sounds as the solenoids during Widmore's test.

-The panic button for the MRI mirrors the fail-safe key in the hatch. The technician says "try not to press it, because then we have to start all over again from the beginning." When Desmond turned the key, he found himself starting all over in his relationship with Penny, but unable to change anything.

-In the original timeline Widmore marries Penny's mother, but in this one he marries Eloise.

-Eloise says that what Desmond wants more than anything is Widmore's approval, and in the original timeline, that's exactly right - it's why he goes on the race around the world and ends up on the Island in the first place. But now that he's aware of Penny and Charlie, his motivations are changing.

-Eloise says Desmond is Widmore's "best fix-it man" - and now he's playing the same role on the Island.

-Penny's last name is Milton (as in John Milton, the author of Paradise Lost.) Does anyone else really want to know what instrument Penny was supposed to play at the ball?

-I thought it was funny that when Daniel saw Charlotte for the first time she was eating a chocolate bar, just like when she was a little kid. Once a chocoholic, always a chocoholic!

-Desmond says he needs the names on the flight manifest because he wants to "show them something." Is he going to show them the same way Charlie showed him? (Hop on the bus everyone, we're going for a little drive into this lake.)

Revelations

-Daniel confirms that it was the detonation of Jughead that caused all these changes, and he suggests that it was the wrong thing to do.

-The test rabbit is named Angstrom, which is a measurement of electromagnetic radiation.

-Eloise says that Charlie telling Desmond about the other world is "a violation." The rules again! Are we ever going to find out what exactly all the rules are, and who created them?

-Being close to death allows the characters to see into the other world. I'm more sure than ever now that we're going to see Juliet invite Sawyer out for coffee.

-It's looking more and more like the relationships between characters are the one thing that transcends time. Who's ready for a Harry Potter ending to the battle? I think I'd actually be OK with that.

Questions

-What did the test prove to Widmore? Does the ability to withstand electromagnetic events mean that Desmond is the one person who can overthrow the smoke monster?

-Who are Desmond's parents? I still think this is a glaring omission that has everything to do with his abilities, especially now that we know that those abilities predate his using the fail-safe key in the hatch. Could he possibly be related to Jacob or the smoke monster?

-What sacrifice is Desmond going to have to make? (Please don't let it be Penny and Charlie!)

-How does Eloise know so much about both timelines? Is Charles Widmore as aware as she seems to be?

-Charlie says "This doesn't matter. None of it matters." Are he and Daniel right that this timeline is less valid than the one we've already seen - that it's not what was supposed to happen?

-Why does Eloise think Desmond isn't ready yet? Ready for what?

Moments of Pure Awesomeness

-As usual, Desmond cleans up nice. Reeeeally nice.

-I loved the montage of Desmond's life with Penny in the MRI machine.

-The solenoids used to test Desmond looked just like two eyes.

-We heard repeats of lots of key phrases from the past.
Widmore "The Island isn't done with you yet." (originally said by Eloise)
Desmond "There's always a choice." (Jacob)
Eloise "What happened happened." (Daniel)

Not So Awesome

-More bad hair: Claire's horrible wig, Eloise's ginormous bouffant, and Daniel's greasy locks. Hey, if all I can complain about is bad hair, that's a pretty great episode.

What are your thoughts and theories? Do you think this episode has changed the conversation?

6:10 The Package

2010-04-06T09:23:00.004-04:00

Thanks to my son Sawyer being home for spring break last week and then Easter over the weekend, I'm beyond behind. Hopefully you guys can still remember what happened in this episode - I definitely relied on my notes for this one.

This episode made me a little cranky. Like a lot of other fans, I feel the clock ticking towards the final episode - there is so little time left, so every minute seems more important. When it seems like the writers might be spinning their wheels, it can be frustrating. I think part of the issue for me is that we don't know what the flashsideways are all about, so it's difficult to get invested in those stories when we have no idea how they tie in to the stories we've seen thus far, or even how real they are.

I listened to an interview with Damon Lindelof on the Jay and Jack Podcast last week, and he said that whenever the characters have to exercise faith, it's a nod to us as viewers, who need to have faith in the writers that they're not just jerking us around. Whenever someone on the Island says "I want some freaking answers!" it's because they know that's how the viewers feel. So I'm going to try to have faith that they know what they're doing, and there's going to be a payoff in the end.

Flashsideways Connections

-Sun losing her ability to speak English mirrors her inability to speak English in her flashsideways. Is this just a storytelling device, or is there actually cause and effect taking place between the two timelines?

-Like everyone else in the sideways, Sun has a mirror moment where she looks at her reflection and seems to notice that something isn't quite right. The fact that we saw her look in a mirror and not Jin suggests to me that she might be the candidate.

-Jin telling Sun not to button her top is a mirror image to season 1, when he was always telling her to cover up. This was such a cute scene.

-It's interesting that Sun and Jin's relationship is better in the sideways, even though their circumstances are worse (with Mr. Paik hiring a hitman to kill him and all.)

-We probably won't get an answer to this, but I wonder why Jin was working for Mr. Paik in this timeline - in the original one he took the job so Paik would let him marry Sun.

-Keamy is still alive after Sayid's attack, just like he was after Sayid knifed him on the Island. This time Jin finished the job, while on the Island it was Ben.

-Mikhail loses the same eye that was missing when we first met him on the Island.

-In their sideways, Jin and Sun are running away from Mr. Paik, while on the Island they are both running from Man in Locke.

-Sun tells Jin she's pregnant after she gets shot. Who else thinks her doctor at the hospital will be Juliet Burke?

Revelations

-The smoke monster can't fly over water, even between the two Islands, which is interesting considering that in the sideways the whole Island is underwater.

-Ilana says Jacob has never lied to her before. If that's true, he's the only honest person on the Island.

-Man in Locke: "I'm three people shy of getting off this Island." This is a biggie - he needs the candidates to leave the Island. It explains why he's not simply killing them off, and also explains why he looked so upset when he thought everyone in his camp was dead. He needs them alive.

-The words that appeared on the screen in Room 23 were:
"Think About Your Life"
"We Are The Causes Of Our Own Suffering"
"Everything Changes"

Questions

-What's inside Man in Locke's backpack? Is it something important or is he just carrying it because that's what Locke always did?

-Keamy refers to Mikhail (the Russian translator) as "Danny's friend." Daniel Faraday? Or Danny Pickett (one of the Others)?

-Who is the "wise man" Man in Locke refers to who said war would come to the Island? Man in Black?

-Is Widmore correct that if MIB got off the Island, "everyone we know and love would simply cease to be"?

Moments of Pure Awesomeness

-Sawyer bringing Kate pretend cocoa reminded me of Charlie bringing Claire pretend peanut butter. Who would have guessed that Charlie would end up dead and Claire would be a crazy feral woman with a squirrel baby? We were so innocent back then.

-It's so cool to see Jack as a true believer. He has the kind of confidence Locke had in season 1.

-The scene where Jin sees photos of his daughter for the first time was so well done. The room got pretty dusty in my house. But the thing that puts a slight damper on the sweetness of this scene is that it takes place in Room 23; Widmore is clearly pushing Jin's emotional buttons to use him for his own purposes.

-Ben: For the fourth time, I was gathering mangoes and she was already unconscious when I found her! Why won't you believe me?
Ilana: Because you're speaking.

-Mirror image: MIL holds out his hand to Sun and she runs away; Jack offers his hand and she takes it. Sun and Jin chose the same side independently of each other.

-Sayid swimming to the other Island = creepiest thing ever.

-DESMOND! I can't wait to see how he ended up being "the package" (although I did see it coming.)

Not So Awesome

-STILL no reunion for Sun and Jin! Now I'm wondering if it's going to happen at all.

-I was not a fan of the whole tomato thing. Where did Sun get tomato seeds for her garden? And the "stubborn tomato" line from Jack was SO cheesy.

-I actually laughed when Sun ran away from Man in Locke - straight into the only tree in sight. Really?! She's too stupid to avoid a TREE?!

-I get a bit frustrated sometimes with LOST's treatment of its female characters. Compare them to the male characters and their story lines are pretty pathetic. Sun's ONLY motivation is to find her husband - and it's been this way for two whole seasons. And now, she literally doesn't have a voice. BOO.

6:9 Ab Aeterno

2010-03-24T18:21:00.001-04:00

I can't believe it finally happened. Ever since we first heard the name "Richard Alpert" we've been not so patiently waiting for his story. And it was worth the wait! I haven't enjoyed an episode this much since "The Constant", it was that good. In addition to Richard's history, we also got more answers than ever before about Jacob and the Man in Black.

This is the first episode of season 6 to center around a flashback, not a flashsideways, so my format will be a bit different this time as well. It was almost all revelations this time! With just a few questions.

Revelations

-"Ab Aeterno" is Latin for "from eternity" or "from time immemorial." Wikipedia, the fountain of all knowledge, says that the phrase is sometimes used in theological language to indicate that something was "created outside of time."

-Richard was from the Canary Islands (part of the Spanish Archipelago off the northwestern coast of Africa). Again from Wikipedia:

The original inhabitants of the island, guanches used to worship dogs, mummified them and treat dogs generally as holy animals. In the ancient times the island was well known about its people who worshipped dogs there, and when the Romans first visited the island, they gave it the name: 'canaari', which means in Latin: "the ones who worship dogs", or "the ones with dogs". The ancient Greeks also knew about a people, living far in the west, who are the "dog-headed ones", who worship dogs on an island. Some theorize that the Canary Islands dog-worship and the ancient Egyptian cult of the dog-headed god, Anubis are in close connection, but there is no explanation as to which one was first, and how is it possible for those two far areas to be in contact with each other.

So maybe later we'll see Richard worshiping Vincent! OK, maybe not.

-Richard is from the village of El Socorro, which is Spanish for "the aid" or "the help."

-The way Richard accidentally kills the doctor is very similar to the way Desmond accidentally killed Kelvin. Sharp blows to the back of the head are brutal!

-The Bible passage Richard is reading in prison is Luke 4:24 : "Verily I say unto you, no prophet is accepted in his own country."

-Jacob's fellow passenger on the Black Rock is the first to see the Island and says "I see the devil! The island is guarded by the devil!" We've seen both Jacob and the Man in Black call each other "the devil," but from what we know so far, it seems like Jacob is the one who is guarding the Island - guarding it so that the Man in Black can't escape. That would make Jacob not the devil exactly, but more like a gatekeeper of hell, like Cerberus.

-A big question answered: the Black Rock is what destroyed the four-toed statue! I'm not sure how a wooden ship breaks through a stone statue, but I'm not an engineer.

-I didn't piece together at first that Smokey coming to the Black Rock would have occurred soon after the beach scene ("always nice talking to you Jacob") where Jacob admits that he brought the ship to the Island. That makes it pretty clear that Smokey/Man in Black was going to search the Black Rock specifically to find someone who would kill Jacob for him.

-One of the coolest moments for me was seeing Smokey scan Richard. It reminded me of the other times we saw this happen, and how much more we know about him now. Now I'm sure that Smokey/MiB isn't judging whether someone's good or evil; he's looking for malleability, a weak spot that he can exploit. He didn't find it in Mr. Eko, so he killed him. He apparently found it in Richard, Kate, Juliet, Sayid, and of course, Locke.

-The Isabella that appears to Richard in the Black Rock has to be a manifestation from the smoke monster. Smokey scanned Richard, found out what he wanted most in the world, and voilà! There's ghostly Isabella.

-It's interesting that Richard made a promise to the Man in Black first, before he met Jacob.

-Jacob describes the smoke monster as "malevolence...evil...darkness" and uses the analogy of a cork holding wine inside a bottle, the Island being the cork. This illuminates why Jacob is so hell bent on protecting the Island, but it doesn't explain why others want it so badly. Could it be that Widmore (who seems to be a pretty bad guy) actually wants the Island for unselfish reasons, to protect the rest of humanity from the smoke monster? That would be a pretty big twist.

-Richard gives the MiB a white stone from Jacob, like the white stone we later see Locke remove from the scales and throw into the ocean.

-Hurley speaks for Isabella (and presumably Jacob) and gives Richard his final task: stop the MiB from leaving the Island, or "we all go to hell."

Symbolism and Themes

-Fire and water: MiB first gives Richard a cup of water, then brings him to his campfire. Jacob dunks Richard in the ocean repeatedly, then brings him to his campfire.

-The MiB tells Richard "If he [Jacob] speaks, it will already be too late," the same thing Dogen told Sayid when he sent him to kill the MiB. In many mythologies, speech is a powerful force.

-It's interesting that the Man in Black always finds what people want the most and then promise it to them if they will do what he asks. It's a very Doctor Faustus-like strategy. In contrast, Jacob's promises are much more realistic, and require a lot more blind faith.

-I loved the scene where Jacob plunged Richard into the water. It reminds me of this Zen parable:

A Zen monk and his student were walking by the river when the young student begins to plead with his master, "How do I become enlightened? What must I do?" The master grabbed him roughly, pulled him into the river and pushed him under the water until the young student was completely submerged. The Zen master continued to hold the student under water and soon the student began to thrash frantically. But still the master held him under the water. Desperately the student tried to free himself, to no avail. Finally, just at the point of drowning, the master released his grip and the student surfaced, gasping for air.
"What were you thinking while I held you under the water?" the master asked. "At first I thought of many things," the student answered. "But after a few seconds, when there was no sign that you would let me up, all I could think of was: Air! Air! Give me air!" "When you desire enlightenment with the same intensity," said the master smiling, "you will soon have it."

Once Richard realized that he could still die, what he wanted most of all was to live forever.

-Jacob's wine bottle analogy immediately made me think of the story from Greek mythology of Pandora's box. Pandora (which means "giver of all gifts") was the first woman. In the story it's actually not a box, but a jar. The type of jar described in the story was often used to contain oil, grain, or...wait for it...wine. When Pandora opened the jar, she unleashed evil, sickness and pain on the world. In some versions of the tale hope was released as well, but in others hope is the only thing to remain inside the jar. The story has many similarities to the Biblical story of Eve being tempted by the serpent; in both cases all the ills of mankind are blamed on the first woman (ahh, misogyny!)

-My favorite part of the episode was when Jacob and Richard sit down and hash out Jacob's theology - because it definitely is theology at this point (and I love it!). Jacob reiterates that the Man in Black believes that all people are corruptible because "it's in their very nature to sin". Jacob brings people to the Island to prove the Man in Black wrong. He says "When they get her their past doesn't matter." This is interesting, because from what we've seen of the main characters since season 1, their past DID matter; in fact, it influenced and interacted with their present in a huge way. But some of them were able to overcome it.

The best lines from this exchange:
Richard: Why didn't you help them?
Jacob: Because I wanted them to help themselves, to know the difference between right and wrong without me having to tell them. It's all meaningless if I have to force them to do anything. Why should I have to step in? [At which point I have to ask, who is the Mormon on the writing team, because wow!]
Richard: If you don't, he will.

-Some people have commented that the scene with Hurley translating for Isabella was too much like a scene from Ghost. I loved it. It's a perfect illustration of the difference between MiB and Jacob. MiB "resurrects" dead people that aren't really themselves - they are tangible and believable, but ultimately they're fake. What Jacob offers is much harder to believe in because it's not visible, but it's real.

Questions

-Why was Ilana in the hospital? I would love to know more about her background, but I'm not sure I want a whole episode dedicated to her at this point - there's not enough time! Maybe we'll get a nice expositional soliloquy from her, à la Dogen.

-Richard says that they are all dead and in hell, which was hinted at many times during season one. The other person who has insisted that they were in hell? Anthony Cooper. I wonder if Cooper got that idea from the same person Richard did?

-Why do all these Catholic people (Isabella, Mr. Eko, Charlie) wear crosses instead of crucifixes? Not a big deal to the story, but it's an interesting prop choice.

-Could the Man in Black really believe that Jacob is the devil, keeping him in hell? I'm inclined to believe that he only said this to manipulate Richard. Also, the MiB says that Jacob ("the devil") betrayed him, and took his body and his humanity. Could this be true, or is it another part of the manipulation?

-Why can't Jacob bring back Isabella or save Richard from hell, but he can give Richard eternal life? Is it a matter of "can't" or "won't"?

Moments of Pure Awesomeness

THE WHOLE THING. My heart was racing from start to finish, and when I realized it was almost over I couldn't believe the hour had already gone by. It felt like half the time. Just flat out amazing.

Not So Awesome

-I'm being really nitpicky here but...I wanted to see Magnus Hanso! I wonder if there's a reason we never saw his face, or if it's just a matter of the writers not wanting to introduce yet another character this late in the game.

-I was holding out hope that we'd learn the Man in Black's real name (if only so I don't have to keep typing "Man in Black" all the time!) but no such luck.

Tell me your thoughts! Did you find this one as amazing as I did? Are you happy with the direction they've taken in the mythology? And what do you think will happen next?

6:8 Recon

2010-03-18T16:33:00.003-04:00

My apologies for getting this up so late. Yesterday was Eric's birthday and I spent all day preparing for the festivities, wrapping gifts, and baking the ugliest carrot cake in the world.

Flashsideways Connections

-I love the double entendre title: "Recon" could be short for "reconnaissance", which Sawyer does in the Island story, or it could mean "con again," which he does as part of his police work off Island and in his interactions between Locke and Widmore.

-I love that Sawyer and Miles are working together fighting crime. (All in favor of a Sawyer/Miles spinoff cop show, say "aye"!) I also loved the fake-out where we think Sawyer is still a con man, and then realize that he's a cop... but is still conning people in that capacity.

-I wonder if Miles still has the ability to speak to the dead. Did he still spend time on the Island in this timeline?

-For all that seems better in his life here - Sawyer decided to be a cop, not a criminal - he is still out to avenge his parents' death. It is interesting though that he this time he doesn't go by the name of his parents' killer, even though he's still out for vengeance.

-Also the same in Sawyer's world - his taste in books. Watership Down is on his bureau when Charlotte goes rifling through it.

-I haven't gone back to verify this, but it seems like Sawyer has more connections with other Island characters than anyone else. In this one episode he interacted with Miles, Kate, Charlotte, and Liam (Charlie's brother).

-Sawyer looking at himself in the mirror is a great visual representation of what this season is all about - mirror images. They're not being especially subtle about it either - every character (except for Sayid) has looked at their mirror image during the flashsideways. More about that in an upcoming post.

-Funny that Sawyer still watches "Little House on the Prairie." ("You call it 'Little House'?")

Revelations

-The scene where Locke slaps Claire into submission shed a lot of light on the type of relationship they have. He says "This is completely inappropriate, I'll deal with you in a minute," as if she's an unruly child. He seems more like a father figure than a friend.

-Locke says that he lied to Claire about the Others taking Aaron because he wanted to give her something to "keep her going". Interesting that what keeps Claire going is hate, but what keeps Kate is her love for Aaron.

-Sawyer seems to have given himself a haircut while he was in New Otherton, and his hair is shorter in the Sideways too. COINCIDENCE? (just kidding)

-Charles Widmore wants to kill Locke/Smoky! I am so confused about this, because I was sure he was on Smoky's side.

Questions

-Maybe this fits under "Revelations", but on this show sometimes it's hard to separate the questions from the answers. Locke/Smoky says he had a crazy mother, and this "resulted in growing pains." Obviously this description fits Locke's life perfectly, but does it also apply to Smoky as well? If so, how can a column of smoke have a mother?

-Locke also says that if his mother hadn't been crazy, problems could have been avoided and "things could have been different." What we're seeing in the Sideways is the result of things being different - so which specific things are the crucial ones?

-The same question I have every week when we see these flashsideways - what exactly caused Sawyer to make different decisions in this timeline? Why would he choose to be a cop rather than a criminal?

-Which side is Widmore really on? I am pretty convinced that Jacob is "good", but I don't know if I can stomach the idea of Widmore being on the good side.

-And the biggie - what is in the locked room in the submarine? The writers keep giving us these kinds of situations where we have to guess what is inside the ________ (the hatch, the "magic box", the coffin, the container Ilana and Bram were carrying.) If the past can tell us anything at all, whatever is inside the room will end up being a person.

Moments of Pure Awesomeness

-Finally having Josh Holloway back! Yay!

-Once again, we have fire and water - Sawyer boiling a kettle over an open fire. Like mirrors, this is an image that has appeared in just about every episode this season.

-When Sawyer tells Zoe that he's not alone and can take her back to the main Island she says "Thank God" and he responds "Trust me, God's got nothing to do with it." I think he's alluding to the Jacob/God parallel, and since Smoky/Satan is the one who sent him back to get Zoe, it's not God's doing. And how great was Zoe? I loved the whole sequence with her and Sawyer. You can see on his face precisely the moment when he realizes that she's lying.

-Kate telling Sawyer that they ate "rabbit, I think."

-Is it just me, or does Claire's fake baby look like Jar Jar Binks?

Not So Awesome

-Sayid just sitting there while Claire tried to kill Kate. I hope we'll get more information about his state of mind, because the way he's acting doesn't make any sense. That's not what regular Sayid would do, and it's not what Locke/Smoky would do either.

Your turn! What did you think of this episode?

God vs. Satan, Jacob vs. Esau, Jacob vs. Smoky

2010-03-16T14:15:00.002-04:00

There's a great post over at By Common Consent called "Yahweh, Satan, and Lost". The author (Ronan J. Head) notes a similarity between the beach scene with Jacob and his nemesis and the Biblical story of Job. In the story, God and Satan converse about how Job will be tested, and essentially make a wager about which side Job will eventually wind up on. [On a completely unrelated side note, I can't hear the name "Job" anymore without thinking of GOB on Arrested Development. Curses on you, funniest show ever made!] Satan believes that if everything Job cares about is taken away from him, he will give up on God. In the end, Job refuses to abandon God and remains faithful. In the LOST narrative, Jacob keeps bringing people to the Island, believing that they will make progress, whereas Smoky believes that it's all for nothing. This season is all about which side our characters will end up on. Will they pass the test and choose the good side, or get fed up with all they've been through and choose Smoky/Locke?

Interestingly, I've seen a lot of discussion about whether or not Jacob actually is on the good side, because he's done a lot of things that don't seem particularly benevolent. I've wondered the same thing, and I've decided that this confusion isn't really our fault because 1) we know by now that the writers love to fake us out and 2) our modern concept of God is extremely different than the one I think LOST's writers are referencing. We (and I'm using "we" in an extremely broad sense here) tend to see God as a kind of omniscient, smiling, wise grandfather. He loves everyone, is all-powerful, merciful, and answers our prayers. Yahweh, the God of the Hebrew Bible, is characterized completely differently. He is incredibly demanding of his followers, requiring them to give up everything they hold dear. He acts violently out of vengeance and anger, wiping out thousands of lives on a whim. And at times he even seems less than all-powerful. To quote the aforementioned BCC post:

The writers of Lost have made [Jacob] remarkably Yahweh-like. At times he seems beneficent but also demands absolute loyalty and, from the perspective of the humans at least, he takes an indifferent view of human life. Many people have suffered and died to maintain his vision for the island (whatever that is). Richard’s loss of faith in the last episode was exactly like of that a believer ultimately crushed underneath God’s capriciousness.

On the flip side, Smoky/Man in Locke/Whatever You Want To Call Him rings true as the Satan archetype. He tempts characters by promising them knowledge, berating Jacob for keeping his followers "in the dark." He tells Sayid he can have "anything you ever wanted" and appeals to Ben's ego by telling him he should be the one running the Island. He coaxes Richard "Come with me, and I promise I will tell you everything." (I have to admit that after 5 1/2 seasons, I might fall for that one!) And when the smoke monster is on a rampage it greatly resembles a snake; it even hisses sometimes.

Another story that comes to mind is the story of Cain and Abel (when Dr. Linus writes "Elba" on the blackboard in last week's episode a lot of people recognized it as an anagram for "Abel.") Cain was the world's first murderer, and he killed his brother Abel because God accepted Abel's sacrifice, but not Cain's. There are numerous different interpretations* as to why Cain's offering wasn't accepted - that he didn't give the best of his crop, that he gave it grudgingly, or even that God didn't approve of cultivating crops but approved of hunting/gathering - but whatever the reason, Cain was angered by Abel's status before God and killed his brother. Cain is then cursed to wander the earth in exile for the rest of his days, but also protected from harm with an identifying mark. Smoky as Cain and Jacob as Abel works pretty well, but I can't help picturing Benjamin Linus saying "What about me?" and Jacob answering "What about you?" Ben had sacrificed everything, and still his offering was not acceptable.

Perhaps the most obvious Biblical story to look to is Jacob and Esau, the twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah who started fighting each other in the womb. Esau was born first and Jacob came out holding onto Esau's leg, which gave him his name (Jacob means "leg-puller" or "supplanter", which makes me picture all kinds of unfortunate practical jokes during their childhood.) The narrator implies that Jacob was favored by his mother, but Esau was favored by his father (daddy issues abound). Eventually Rebekah helps Jacob pretend to be Esau in order to steal the birthright from his older brother. In LOST there is clearly much jockeying for power going on between Jacob and Smoky, and we've seen a few instances of Smoky pretending to be Jacob. Has Smoky been displaced in some way? Or has Jacob always had the upper hand?

We're getting close to the end - it's the final countdown [not GOB again!] Who will it be - Jacob or Smoky? Both? Or neither? I like the idea that the flashsideways are the result of individual characters making a deal with either Jacob or Smoky - those who choose Jacob are relatively happy in the sideways world, and those who choose Smoky remain unredeemed. Like the devil himself, he makes big promises, but rarely follows through.

*One tradition says that Cain killed Abel because he wanted Abel's intended wife...who was his twin sister. This version has the added bonus of concluding that "thus because of a woman was the first blood shed." Ahh, misogyny.

6:7 Dr. Linus

2010-03-10T16:16:00.001-05:00

Oh, how I love Benjamin Linus episodes! They are the best of the best.

Flashsideways Connections

-This was the first flashsideways of a character who is not an 815 survivor, and who has not been visited by Jacob.

-Dr. Linus teaches his history class about Napoleon's exile, and his loss of power. By the end of the episode it becomes clear that the Napoleon in our story is Charles Widmore, who Ben himself forced into exile. Elba Island is also a parallel to the Island, like the famous palindrome says: "Able was I ere I saw Elba." The Island is the controlling force in all of their lives.

-Ben as the sponsor of his school's History Club cracked me up, because I was one of those HC nerds in high school. (Although at my school it was the largest club, mostly due to the awesome Victorian Ball we hosted every year, which got better attendance than prom.)

-I loved seeing Dr. Linus have lunch with Leslie Arzt (why is it so funny when a guy is named Leslie??) and got a good laugh out of Arzt complaining about having something on his shirt. HA!

-Ben's strategy when he blackmails Principal Reynolds seemed familiar to me, and it took me a while but I finally figured out why. On the Island, Ben blackmailed Charles Widmore for having an off-Island affair in order to take over his position, and eventually exiled him. In retaliation, Widmore had Alex killed. In this mirror image, Ben is unwilling to sacrifice Alex's well being - not even her life this time, just her college education! - to gain power for himself. Despite Arzt's comment that "You really had me fooled with that sweater vest - you're a killer!", this is a very different Ben than the one we've known. He's not a killer. He really does have his students' best interest at heart. What caused this difference? The defining moment of Ben's life on the Island is being shot by Sayid and brought back to life by the Others, which Richard said would change him for the rest of his life. Since that didn't happen in this timeline, we get to see who Ben really is at heart.

-Along the same lines, Ben has a good relationship with his dad - instead of giving him poisonous gas, he's giving him oxygen and frozen dinners. And here's a big one: Roger Linus says that they "should have stayed on that Island." Which leads me nicely into....

Revelations

-I know it's not happening as quickly as a lot of us would like, but we really are getting answers! I think we can assume the big ones will come at the very end of the season, and although I get just as impatient as the next fan, I can't imagine it working any other way.

-For me the big one of this episode was that the flashsideways timeline appears to have nothing to do with Jack and the other survivors detonating the bomb. But the Island WAS around when Ben was a child (i.e. it wasn't underwater yet.) So what was the defining moment that made this version of time happen differently than the one we've already seen? What caused the Island to be underwater at the moment 815 flew above it?

-Richard confirms that he came to the Island on the Black Rock, and that Jacob gave him the gift of longevity when he touched him. He also confirms that he's not young from time traveling, and he's not a cyborg or a vampire (thanks for asking the tough questions, Hurley!)

-Ben learns that Jacob really did know who he was, and was hoping he would choose the good side. This definitely affects Ben's decision to follow Ilana rather than Locke at the end (and parallels Ben choosing to protect Alex rather than himself in the flashsideways.)

-Ilana reiterates that the candidates are supposed to be the ones to replace Jacob. Now that we've heard it from both her and Locke, I'm more inclined to believe it. I think it's interesting that Ilana calls the candidates by their last names, just as they appear on the cave wall and in the lighthouse.

Questions

-This is one of my favorite theories floating around: Are Jacob and the smoke monster the same person? There are a lot of things that point to them being two sides of the same coin. I haven't thought it through yet, but I like it.

-Another theory comes from what Ben said to Lapidus when Lapidus tells him that he was supposed to be the pilot of 815 but overslept. Ben says, "The Island still got you in the end, didn't it." Maybe the flashsideway is what happens if the Island DIDN'T get them in the end.

-Richard says that Jacob touched him, and gave him a "gift" that actually turned out to be a curse. We've seen Jacob touch many characters, so what gift/curse did he give each of them? Is it as simple as not being able to kill yourself until he is done with you, à la season 4 Jack and Michael? Or is there something else involved?

-Where is James? How is he playing into Locke's plan?

Moments of Pure Awesomeness

-Locke telling Dr. Linus "Maybe you should be the principal."

-Miles finding Nikki and Paulo's diamonds. I didn't expect those two to be referenced at all, but I' so glad they were. Hilarious!

-Jack saying about Richard "If he wants to die we're not going to do anything to stop him." Because that is sooooo not a Jack thing to say! He has changed more than any other character (except maybe Locke, but that doesn't count because Locke isn't really Locke anymore.)

-Ben finds The Chosen by Chaim Potok in Sawyer's stash (right next to "Booty Babes"; Sawyer's taste is nothing if not eclectic!) I haven't thought yet about how it ties into LOST, but it is an awesome book.

-The scene where Jack and Richard watch the fuse burn down to the dynamite was SO well down. Pure suspense.

-WIDMORE!

Not So Awesome

-I was really, really hoping for a lot more information on Richard - how the Black Rock got to the middle of the Island, whether he was a slave on the ship, how he first encountered Jacob. It was so disappointing that he just blew past all the questions Hurley and Jack asked him without revealing much of anything. I'm going to hold out hope that the answers will come in a future Richard-centric episode.

-I am beyond ready for a Sun and Jin reunion. And for Sawyer to come back. Maybe next week.

Dream

2010-03-10T11:01:00.000-05:00

I had a dream last night that I was hanging out at the beach with Josh Holloway. Just sitting in the sun, drinking lemonade, reading books. He asked me to go back to the house to get his shirt, and the rest of my dream involved me looking all over this huge beach house for the shirt.

Which makes NO sense at all, because why, WHY would I EVER put any effort into helping Josh Holloway put on MORE clothing?

Dreams are crazy like that.

(Don't worry, there is a real post coming later.)

Is Kate a Candidate?

2010-03-04T11:40:00.001-05:00

There's been a lot of speculation about why Kate's name did not appear to be on the cave wall, yet it was on the wheel in the lighthouse - AND she was visited by Jacob as a child. Here's an interview with Carlton Cuse that may put the whole issue to rest! They also go on to discuss some other interesting details about the flashsideways and the season in general (don't worry, no spoilers!)

More Lost News & Previews

So there you have it. Kate's name WAS on the cave wall, and it was crossed out. The lists on the cave and in the lighthouse are the same.

6:6 Sundown

2010-03-03T13:27:00.005-05:00

Talk about an aptly named episode. With creepy Claire, scary Sayid, and Smokey cleansing the temple, this was definitely the darkest LOST yet (and the darkest part of all - no Josh Holloway!) Remember those promos that promised "The time for questions...IS...OVER"? Yeah, they lied.

As I watched new alliances developing and sides forming, I couldn't help but think of this promo photo for season 6.

It's clear now why Locke is the central figure - not only did he rise from the dead like Christ, he is the one directing most of the action so far. Now look who's on Locke's right - Claire and Sayid have already been "claimed" by him, and Kate also seems to be going along with his group. What does this mean for Kate, Sawyer, Richard and Ilana? (Also, comparing character placement to the real Last Supper, Sayid is standing in the place of Judas. Will he change allegiance near the end?)

Flashsideways Connections

-Nadia is married to Sayid's brother. Poor Sayid. Maybe it's because I'm really trying to see it, but even though this is an unhappy position for him to be in, he seems more at peace than we've seen him before. He seems to know who he is.

-One thing that's the same for Sayid - he is still doing other people's dirty work. We saw this theme begin when he killed a chicken for his brother, and later when he works for Ben.

-Keamy is the mob boss. Now there's someone I never wanted to see again. What a D-bag.

-I was completely surprised by Jin being the one tied up in the closet. It makes sense though, since Widmore hired Keamy to be on the freighter, and Mr. Paik and Widmore were apparently business associates. It's all connected in this reality too.

-Sayid gives Nadia's kids a boomerang, which ends up breaking a vase. A symbol for karma? ("It'll come back around.")

Revelations

-Dogen tells Sayid that Locke is "evil incarnate." Throughout the whole series we've heard both sides insisting that they are the good guys, but after this episode I'm more inclined to believe Dogen than I was before. Whatever is going on with Claire and Sayid, it's not good. Of course, this doesn't mean that Jacob is necessarily the personification of good, but I think it's leaning that way.

-Dogen says that Sayid failed the test because "the scales tipped the wrong way", showing that he had more evil than good in him. A machine that measures morality? This could be useful for people who are dating, or looking for a business partner. The image of balancing the scales is one we've seen recently, when Locke and Sawyer visit the cave and the scale is balanced with a white rock and a black rock. Is this whole game about balancing good and evil?

-The Smoke Monser/Locke wasn't able to get into the temple until Dogen died. Apparently the protective ash only works as long as the temple master is alive.

-When Sayid stabs Locke there is no blood on the knife. This is interesting to me (and probably only me!) because it's a bit of Mormon folklore/pseudo doctrine that a resurrected body has flesh and bones, but no blood. I'm sure that's what the writers were going for! In any case, it definitely suggests that Locke/Smokey is not in a mortal body, which most of us had already guessed.

Questions

-Dogen reveals how he came to the Island after making a deal with Jacob that if he went there, his son could live. Is this an example of Jacob's goodness, or just a selfish manipulation?

-What does Dogen's baseball represent? It seems to have been his son's, or at least it reminds him of his son. Dogen seems ready to kill Sayid until that baseball falls onto the ground, and he suddenly stops. Is not killing anyone part of his bargain with Jacob? If he kills, will his son's life be in danger? (On a side note, I learned today that there are 108 double stitches on a baseball.)

-Miles tells Sayid "Whoever brought you back [to life], it wasn't them [the people in the temple.]" What does this mean about Ben's experience in the temple as a child? Did Jacob bring him back, or Smokey?

-Dogen warns Sayid that if he lets Locke speak to him, it's already too late. Locke says "Hello" to Sayid right before Sayid stabs him, so he did speak. Is that why he was unable to kill him?

Moments of Pure Awesomeness

-Claire was so, so scary. Singing "Catch a Falling Star" to a pretend baby, telling Kate "he's coming"...she's right out of a horror flick. I bet Emilie de Ravin (who always gets cast as the innocent sweetheart) is having the time of her life with this character.

-The samurai/banker goes head to head with the Iraqi soldier/torturer! Epic.

-Sayid stabbing Locke in the heart and Locke saying, "Now why did you do that?" as if he had just spilled a glass of milk. The look on Sayid's face was pure fear, not something we see from him very often.

-Sayid telling Dogen "I want some answers." Me too Sayid, me too. I hope that doesn't mean I'm also under the influence of the Smoke Monster.

-And not from the show, my favorite part of Jimmy Kimmel's monologue last night: "Tonight we learned that John Locke (or at least the guy that's renting John Locke's body) is evil incarnate. He's evil...today he tried to block the Island from getting unemployment benefits."

6:5 Lighthouse

2010-02-24T17:13:00.003-05:00

Another great one last night. It's taking me a lot longer than usual to get this one blogged because there's just so much to go through. This was the 108th episode of LOST, and it aired on the 23rd of the month. So of course, The Numbers had to figure in somehow.

Flashsideways Connections

-The big shocker - Jack is a dad. I found this off-Island storyline so satisfying and redemptive. Jack seems to finally break the cycle of distant father-son relationships with David. Another brilliant name choice - the Biblical David (which means means "beloved") was a poet and musician, and composed many of the Psalms, including Psalm 23. The casting was great here - the actor who plays David really looks like he could be related to Matthew Fox.

-Jack apparently doesn't remember getting his appendix removed as a child. Another example of some crossover between this timeline and the one we're seeing on the Island. I thought it was interesting that Jack's mom said "Your father wanted to do the procedure himself but they wouldn't let him"; on the Island Jack wanted to assist in his own appendectomy.

-The song David plays at his audition is Chopin's "Fantaisie Impromptu in C-Sharp Minor." This piece has been played on LOST before, in the season 5 episode "The Variable," where young Daniel Faraday played it. And coincidentally, February 22nd, 2010 would have been Chopin's 200th birthday.

-Jack's literary theme throughout the entire show has been Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass." The season 1 episode "White Rabbit" refers to the creature Alice follows down a rabbit hole. In "Through the Looking Glass," Alice goes through a mirror to discover a world where everything is a mirror image of the real world - exactly reversed. In a way what we're seeing this season is a mirror image of season 1. "Lighthouse" pretty much bashes us over the head with the Alice references: David is reading the annotated book, Jack says he read it to him as a child, Jack talks about Alice's cats Kitty and Snowdrop (more on them in a later post), David's hidden key is under a rabbit statuette, and the main imagery of this episode of mirrors and game playing figures in hugely in Carroll's work. I highly recommend reading both of these books if you're at all interested in the symbolism in LOST (and even if you're not - they're just really fun to read.)

-Another beautiful mirror image moment is when Hurley tells Jack "You have what it takes," another reference to "White Rabbit" where we saw Christian Shephard witheringly tell his son that he will always be a failure because "you don't have what it takes."

-The sign outside David's audition says "Welcome all candidates."

-On David's bedroom wall there's a poster for the band Meat Coat - the band Driveshaft (Charlie's band) was supposed to open for in L.A. Maybe David was listening to Driveshaft on his headphones.

-Dogen was at David's audition! His words to Jack are significant "They're too young to have this kind of pressure, aren't they?...It's hard to watch and be unable to help."

-A common thread in all of the flashsideways we've seen so far is that life is better for all of the Losties. Claire might get to keep her baby. Kate may be innocent. Locke is with Helen, and learning to be content with his lot in life. And Jack has hope in a loving relationship with his son. Could we be seeing their eventual redemption instead of just another alternate timeline?

Revelations

-I loved it when Jack looks at the lighthouse and says "I don't understand, how is it we've never seen it before?" because that's exactly what I was thinking. How many more undiscovered places can there be?

-I got so excited when Hurley and Jack found the caves again with Adam and Eve because I was sure we were finally going to find out who they were. I believed the promo that said "The time for questions...is...over!" Silly me. We still don't know. Damon and Carlton, why do you keep teasing us?? Why?!?! (I agree with Jay and Jack though when they say that we should appreciate LOST while we still have it - because soon it will be over and we'll be left with nothing but "Two and a Half Men." Noooo!)

-Jack tells Hurley he wanted to come back to the Island because he was broken, and he thought the Island could fix him. If the flashsideways are real, it seems that maybe he was right.

-My favorite reveal of the episode was the lighthouse dial. Man in Locke was lying about Jacob having "a thing" for numbers - the numbers actually have a meaning.

Although Kate's name didn't appear on the cave wall (that we saw, anyway) she is on the dial - number 51. So now the question is, are the two lists the same? I think one belongs to Jacob and one belongs to the Man in Black, and they may not correspond exactly. Man in Locke goes into the cave and throws a white stone out; Jacob has Jack go in the lighthouse and smash the mirrors - this may be evidence that the cave is Jacob's list and the lighthouse is Man in Black's. Also, the writing on the cave wall is white, and the writing on the dial is black.

The images that appeared in the mirror are the temple where Jin and Sun got married, the church where Sawyer's parents' funeral was held, and Jack's childhood home. The first two are locations where Jacob visited them, but Jack's visit with Jacob was at the hospital where he worked. This makes me think that Shephard actually refers to Christian, not Jack. Hurley's instructions were to turn the dial to 108˚ - the name at 108 was "Wallace."

-It's becoming more and more clear that we can't trust anything Man in Locke says, and I'm not sure Jacob is any more trustworthy. Nikki Stafford pointed out that everything that comes from the two of them is a lot of smoke and mirrors - literally.

-Man in Locke is Claire's "friend." I probably should have figured that one out, but I didn't see it coming at all. Wow.

Questions

-Who is David's mother?

-When Hurley finds Jacob in the temple he's crouched by the spring and seems to be putting something in the water. If so, what did Jacob put in the spring and why did he put it there?

-What is the lighthouse for? Is it really just for watching the candidates, as Jack believes, or does it have another function? And why did Jacob want the mirrors destroyed?

-How does Claire know that John Locke isn't himself? Is she aware of what has taken over him, and presumably her too?

-Jacob says that "someone bad" is coming to the Temple. Who is it - smokey? I think this puts to rest theories that Jacob is the one influencing Sayid.

Moments of Pure Awesomeness

-Hurley and Miles' game of tic-tac-toe ends in "a tie again, dude." If you play tic-tac-toe well, it's impossible for either side to win. A reference to the ongoing battle between Jacob and the Man in Black?

-I loved Jin's quick thinking in dealing with Claire and convincing her that Aaron is at the Temple and they need to go get him. The whole scene was so tensely creepy and well acted by both of them.

-Hurley: "I just lied to a samurai." Haha!

Your Turn!

Please share your thoughts and theories with me! I know a missed a lot in this one, there was so much to think about.

6:4 The Substitute, Second Thoughts

2010-02-23T17:03:00.003-05:00

After listening to podcasts and reading blogs and message boards this week I've had some additional thoughts about "The Substitute."

-I had completely forgotten about this one - in season 3 when Mr. Eko's is killed by the smoke monster, he whispers something right before he dies: "You're next." And the person he whispered it to? None other than John Locke. At the time I assumed he meant a collective "you", but now it looks like he meant it specifically. Locke was the next one to be taken over. Interestingly, Sayid was there too. [The Lostpedia entry says that if you turn the volume up during this scene you can hear Eko say "I saw the devil." Evidence that the smoke monster is on the bad side?]

-The number next to Jack Shephard's name on the cave wall is 23. Psalm 23 is the one that begins "The Lord is my shepherd." The Christian symbolism in this episode (and just about every Locke episode) is amazing. More on that later.

-The good folks at Lostpedia put together a comprehensive list of the names that appear on the cave wall. Some are very interesting.

-I completely agree with those of you who pointed out that Fake Locke is not to be trusted. I'm not buying a word he says about Jacob forcing everyone to the Island - and I wonder if it's even Jacob's cave at all.

-The first place we saw the protective ash was around Jacob's cabin. Ben brings Locke there intending to pretend he's talking to Jacob, and when things start flying around the room we thought it was Jacob. But now that we know what is in John Locke, it seems much more likely that it was the smoke monster in the cabin all along. Ilana discovers the broken circle of ash and says "Someone else has been using it." I think the smoke monster was trapped inside the cabin by the circle of ash and somehow managed to break the circle and escape. Other manifestations we've seen inside the cabin (Christian Shephard and Claire) are likely Smokey related as well.

6:4 The Substitute

2010-02-17T08:54:00.010-05:00

Ladies and gentlemen, the pace has officially picked up! Last night's episode more than made up for last week. And what a cliffhanger! (Ba dum, ching!)

Flashsideways Connections

-Locke getting rained on by the sprinklers and laughing about it reminded me of all the times he predicted rain on the Island. Given what we know now, I'm pretty sure all his knowledge about the Island was influence from the smoke monster.

-Helen's t-shirt says "Peace and Karma." This is a reality where Locke has found some measure of peace because of his life with Helen (BTW, how fantastic is Katey Sagal?)

-Helen suggests that she and John elope and just invite her parents and John's dad. It seems that Locke can't walk for another reason in this time line and still has a relationship with his father.

-I recognized Hurley's Hummer right away (he drives the same on in the season 1 episode "Numbers".) Locke tried to scratch it with his wheelchair lift, but it jammed - because Hurley is the luckiest guy in the world now. I can't wait to see more of his story.

-Part of me was hoping that Locke really had gone on the walkabout like he told Boone on the plane, but it turns out that his experience in Australia was the same as the one we saw in season 1. I wonder though why he didn't go to the conference?

-Rose still has terminal cancer. It's so interesting that she convinces Locke to accept that he is disabled and be "realistic" about his life, when on the Island, she and Locke are both miraculously healed.

Revelations

-Biggest one first - we saw Jacob's list! The list of all lists! And the people on the list are connected to the Numbers! A "candidate" is someone that Jacob believes could be his replacement, and that's what the lists (and apparently the Numbers) are all about. Here they are.

4 Locke
8 Reyes (Hurley)
15 Ford (Sawyer)
16 Jarrah (Sayid)
23 Shephard (Jack)
42 Kwon (either Jin or Sun.)

These are the people we saw Jacob visit in the season 5 finale. Noticeably absent is Kate, who Jacob visited when she was a child. My theory is that she was a candidate at one point, but she was disqualified after she killed her father.

Some of the crossed-out names that were visible include: Locke, Mattingley, Rousseau, Rutherford (Shannon), Troup, Burke (Juliet), Faraday, Littleton (Claire), Goodspeed.

-Ilana says that the smoke monster can't "change his face" anymore - he's stuck where he is as Man in Locke. So whatever is taking over Sayid now, it's probably not Smokey. Unless the monster can "claim" people without becoming them. Maybe "claiming" is about recruiting.

-I was so surprised to find out that Richard didn't know about Jacob's plan to find a replacement. All this time, he really has been operating just on faith in Jacob.

-Man in Locke yells at the blond boy "Don't tell me what I can't do." Clearly there is still a part of John Locke there - or maybe there was part of the smoke monster in Locke all along.

-Man in Locke says Steinbeck was "a little after my time". I think it's safe to say the smoke monster has been stuck on the Island for quite a while.

Questions

-Who is the blond boy Man in Locke keeps seeing in the jungle? I think it's Aaron. I don't have a good explanation for why, that's just my gut feeling. And he really looks like him.

-When Ben tells Ilana Jacob's body was burned, she immediately collects some of his ashes. Are all the protective ashes we've seen the burned remains of Jacob's predecessors?

-Why didn't Locke attend the conference in Australia?

-The set of scales has one black stone, one white; Man in Locke throws the white one into the ocean and tells James "it's an inside joke." This is most likely a reference to the pilot episode where Locke explains to Walt how to play backgammon: "Two sides, one light and one dark." Jacob is dead, so the light stone gets tossed. Another place we saw a white stone and a black one is with the bodies they found in the caves during season 1, the ones Locke calls "Adam and Eve."
The question (still!) is which side is good and which is bad?

-Man in Locke tells James "the most important question in the world" is "Why are you on this Island?" Why is that THE question? (I half-expected Locke to say "The answer is 42". And then it turned out that the answer WAS 42 - well one of them was anyway.)

Moments of Pure Awesomeness

-Traveling the Island from the perspective of the smoke monster, who then becomes Locke. So, so cool.

-I love that Sawyer immediately knew that Locke was not himself. He does the dumb hick thing pretty well, but he's a smart guy. However, I lost some faith in him when he believed Man in Locke so easily and followed him down the ladder. Nooo, Sawyer!

-Man in Locke entices Sawyer by saying "Come with me and I'll tell you everything." (He uses the same exact line on Richard.) Knowledge as a temptation is a common theme in the Bible, starting with the serpent in the Garden of Eden.

-Another brilliant song choice: Sawyer is listening to Iggy Pop and The Stooges' "Search and Destroy" when Man in Locke comes to find him. Some of the lyrics:

I am a world's forgotten boy
the one who searches and destroys
Honey gotta help me please
Somebody gotta save my soul
Baby detonate for me

-I love that Hurley helped John get a new job. It's such a Hurley thing to do. And he hit the nail on the head when he called Randy "a huge douche."

-The real Locke finally gets a burial, and a bizarre eulogy from Ben. I said "That was the weirdest funeral ever" right before Frank said it. Ha ha ha!

-Ben Linus as a high school history teacher is just too perfect. And he would be the one nagging everyone else in the teacher's lounge about the proper use of coffee filters. Besides the spot-on career assignment though, this is a big deal, because WHY? Why would Ben be off the Island, apparently living a normal, innocuous life? When they detonated the bomb Ben had already been born, and shot by Sayid, and revived by the Others. Clearly the Incident caused far greater ramifications than anyone expected.

Your Turn!

What are your thoughts and theories? Why are so many unanticipated things different in the flashsideways? Who is the blond boy in the jungle?

6:3 What Kate Does, Second Thoughts

2010-02-16T10:43:00.003-05:00

I kind of feel like I need to apologize to episode 6:3. After watching it a second time and reading your comments I think I might have missed the point. And it was right there in the title all along.

"What Kate Does" is a reference to the season 2 episode "What Kate Did." Back then, Kate was defined by running away from her problems. She kills her father and runs away. She visits her stepfather and runs away. She kisses Jack and yep, she runs away. It isn't until the end of season 5 that she finally confronts her problems by giving Aaron to his grandmother and going back to the Island to try to find Claire. In the flashsideways it's almost like we're seeing season 5 Kate instead of season 1 Kate. Yes, she's on the run from the marshal. But she also goes back to find Claire. She takes some responsibility for her actions. "What Kate Does" is very different from "What Kate Did." Kate asks Claire "Would you believe me if I said I was innocent?" This time, maybe she really is.

Something else I missed the first time is in the shot of Claire's sonogram picture:
Notice the date - 10/22/2004. The original flight 815 crashed on the Island on September 22, 2004, so this episode apparently takes place a whole month later. Has something happened to push the time line back? One possible explanation is that the date is Claire's due date (which would be about a month away according to Dr. Goodspeed), but I have had a lot of ultrasounds and they have never had the due date on them.

See you later tonight after the new episode!

6:3 What Kate Does

2010-02-09T22:26:00.007-05:00

I have to be honest, this episode was a bit of a let-down for me. After "LA X" my expectations were high - probably too high. I normally like Kate episodes but this one didn't resonate with me the way they usually do. Still, there's some cool stuff to talk about.

Flashsideways Connections

-I've heard a lot of cool theories about Claire's flashsideways life (the coolest: Stephanie from gspn.tv's podcast theorized that maybe Claire wasn't pregnant, but was at the airport picking her brother up for their dad's funeral!) - but so far Claire's life path seems to be pretty much the same in this version of reality. She's still pregnant and planning to place her baby for adoption.

-Kate getting her handcuffs removed reminded me of Fake Locke's comment to Richard "Good to see you out of those chains," and also Fake Locke telling Bram "There's nothing left for you to protect. You can go. You're free." The dichotomy of captivity and freedom is huge on LOST.

-Kate ends up being instrumental in Claire's decision to keep Aaron, while in the original timeline she was the one who took him away.

-Kate seems to recognize the stuffed killer whale in Claire's bag, which we saw 3 year old Aaron holding in season 5.

-Claire and Kate obviously sense a connection with each other, even though this is the first time they've ever met.

-Ethan is Claire's creepy doctor once again. But this time he has his father's last name (Goodspeed) and he doesn't want to stick Claire with needles.

Revelations

-Dogan explains that "a darkness" has "claimed" Sayid, and that it also claimed Claire. This explains why Claire would leave Aaron in the jungle and walk off with Christian at the end of season 4. She most likely died when her house exploded, and was "claimed" soon after that. My guess is that the "darkness" is the Smoke Monster, because the process we're seeing take place in Sayid seems very similar to what happened to Rousseau's team after their exposure to Smokey last season.

-The method used to claim people is explained as an infection, which is the same word Rousseau used. I think this is finally our explanation for what the vaccine was supposed to do - although ironically, Claire was the only survivor who actually received the vaccine. Maybe she stopped taking it?

-Claire has been in the jungle living by herself, setting up traps and carrying a rifle. I can't wait to find out more of her story and how she's become the new Rousseau.

Questions

-Why do the Temple Others think is it so imperative for Sawyer and Kate to be there?

-Sawyer's comments about Sayid stood out to me:

SAWYER: Of course he's fine.

KATE: What does that mean?

SAWYER: He's an Iraqi torturer who shoots kids, he definitely deserves another go around.

Is this just a throwaway line, or could he be on to something that those who are at peace are the ones who get to die? Sawyer commented in "LA X" that he wanted Jack to stay alive because he deserved to suffer along with the rest of them. Are the ones who are stuck on the Island being punished somehow? It's interesting that this was a big question during season one (remember all the purgatory theories?) and now it's coming up again.

-If Dogen is right that Claire's body has been claimed, what about Christian Shephard? Did he get claimed in a similar way? This would explain his missing body, and the apparent necessity of burying bodies on the Island or sending them off on burning rafts. But then on the other hand, Locke seems to have been "claimed" without the use of his body at all. Could there be two different methods the Smoke Monster uses to influence others, or are we seeing two different entities at work here?

-Thanks to Jack, we found out that the pill Dogen wanted him to give Sayid contained poison. If it's just a way to kill Sayid (or Fake Sayid maybe) why did Dogen say that Sayid had to take it willingly? Wouldn't poison work even if they forced it on him? Maybe Dogen can't kill Sayid and needs someone else to do it for him. Is this another case of the Others wanting someone else to do their dirty work?

-What has Claire been doing out in the jungle for the past 3 years?

Moments of Pure Awesomeness

-I laughed out loud when Sawyer told Kate "Don't follow me." He should know by now that in Kate Language, "Don't follow me" means "Please track me down and keep bugging me no matter what I say."

-Josh Holloway had some amazing moments, both in this episode and "LA X". He has come a long way as an actor.

-Sayid: "No, I am not a zombie" ... delivered in the most zombie-like way possible.

-Star Wars references! After being tortured Sayid tells Jack "They didn't even ask me any questions," reminiscent of Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back. In another Han Solo moment, Aldo tells Kate "After you, princess."

-I didn't recognize Aldo at first, but once I heard his name it clicked. He's the Other we met during season 3 when Kate, Sawyer and Alex rescue Karl from Room 23 (using "the ol' Wookie prisoner gag," according to Sawyer.)

Not So Awesome

-Claire's wig was reeeeally bad. It's almost like the costume department is intentionally using bad wigs just to keep up with their bad wig reputation. Or maybe finding a good wig is a lot harder than it seems.

-Personal TV pet peeve coming up: If a woman with a healthy pregnancy went into labor at 36 weeks there is no way they would try to stop it just because she didn't feel ready. And even if they tried, there's no guarantee it would work. That said, I can understand why they made this decision for the story's sake - it mirrors Ethan telling Claire it's her choice what she does with the baby in the medical hatch.

-I had a hard time understanding the decisions made by both Claire and Kate throughout the flashsideways. If we're supposed to believe that they've never met, why on earth would Claire want someone who just carjacked her cab to come along with her to meet her baby's adoptive parents? And why would she cover for Kate at the hospital and then give Kate her credit card - just because she gave her a ride to the hospital? Kate telling Claire "I think you should keep him" sent me over the edge. Who says that to a stranger?? I'm able to suspend disbelief a lot on LOST but I had a really hard time with this one.

So what were your thoughts? Do you agree with my initial reaction? What do you think is going on with Claire?

-

We Want Some Freakin' Answers!

2010-02-07T09:56:00.006-05:00

This nicely summarizes how a lot of people feel about the final season.

It's pretty obvious at this point that every question will not be answered, but all of us have an idea of which answers are essential for us to be satisfied by the end of the season. At the top of my list would be:

-How did Jacob and the Man in Black/smoke monster first come to the Island?

-Why do Charles Widmore and others want the Island so much?

-What is up with on-Island Claire? Dead, alive, other?

-What is Christian Shephard's history with the Island? Why is his body missing, and why are both his children (and his grandson) so important?

-Who are Desmond's parents?

-How will all the fractured relationships resolve?

-Why were these particular people (Jack, Kate, Sawyer, etc.) supposed to go to the Island in the first place?

-And a brand-new question since the premiere: Will the two timelines resolve?

Your turn! What are the answers you just HAVE to have?

Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse on Jimmy Kimmel

2010-02-05T11:42:00.004-05:00

LOST's masterminds Damon and Carlton talk about the season premiere, announce the end date of the final season (May 23!) and discuss which changes in the flashsideways were intentional and which were coincidental. They also (sort of) address the theory that Jacob has taken over Sayid's body. As always they are charmingly geeky and funny, and only slightly smug about knowing all the answers.

Part 1:

Part 2:

The Two 815s

2010-02-05T10:05:00.007-05:00

Someone directed me to this video - a side-by-side comparison of Jack's two experiences on board flight 815. Watching them together, Jack really seems to be "remembering" something that has never happened to him and it explains why his reaction to the turbulence is so much stronger than Rose's this time. Also, Matthew Fox looks much better with less hair.

6:1 LA X

2010-02-02T23:56:00.021-05:00

It finally arrived! The final season premiere. After all the anticipation I think a lot of us were worried that the premiere would be a letdown. Thankfully all the worrying was for naught. I can't imagine a better season opener. There were lots of revelations, and enough left unanswered to keep us scratching our heads - which is just the way I like it. (For those of you who are interested, my friend Erin referred me to an interview with Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse where they talk about the premiere. I found it very interesting!)

Revelations:

-First, the biggie: Fake Locke is the smoke monster! I'm sure the implications of this will continue to unfold for the rest of the season. In a podcast last summer the producers said that by the end of this season premiere, all the pieces will be in place for viewers to figure out the end game of the entire show. I'm sure this is what they meant. I keep thinking of the scene where Locke plays backgammon in season one: "Two sides; one is light and one is dark." I think we can unequivocally say now that the smoke monster is not using the bodies of those who have died on the Island, because the whole time he is walking around with Ben, Locke's body is lying there on the beach.

-One of my favorite aspects of LOST is the use of unconventional narrative styles. First it was flashbacks, then flashforwards, then time skipping, and now it's what the producers call "flashsideways" - a glimpse at an alternate timeline. To many viewers this was the only logical next step, but I have to say I'm thrilled that they've introduced it in a way that no one would have expected: showing an alternate reality while leaving some of the Losties on the Island to deal with the aftermath of the hydrogen bomb detonation. Did anyone else notice that the "whoosh" sound they use for flashbacks is different now? It sounds like a combination of the flashback sound and the time travel sound.

-Juliet is definitely dead. It was devastating watching her die again. With the recap show, and the opening sequence showing her fall down the hole yet again, I felt like I'd watched her die dozens of times in one episode. She seems to have had a glimpse of their alternate reality as she died. Will she and Sawyer be meeting up for coffee in that timeline (and go dutch)?

-There is a group of Others living at the Temple, and they have a pool that can heal people. I think we now know where Richard took young Ben in season 5 after Sayid shot him. Richard tells them that if he is healed, Ben will lose his innocence and he will always be "one of us." Sayid doesn't have much innocence to lose, but I'm guessing he will be changed in a significant way as a result of his experience in the pool.

-Detonating the bomb DID change things...but not the way they thought it would. They assumed that flight 815 would land in L.A. as scheduled and their lives would go on as normal. But in our glimpse of the alternate 815, things are already different way in advance of the flight. Hurley still owns a Mr. Clucks and says he's the luckiest guy in the world. Shannon stays in Sydney instead of flying home with Boone. Michael and Walt don't appear to be on the flight at all. Sun doesn't speak English (although there may be reason to believe she's lying about this.) Cindy gives Jack one bottle of alcohol instead of two. Charlie is convinced he's supposed to die. Desmond was on the flight - Desmond, who caused the original crash of 815! - and then seems to disappear. And the biggest surprise to me: the Island itself is completely under water. We haven't seen this yet, but it's likely that Kate has been arrested for a different crime this time, as seen in this video clip from Comic-Con 2009.

-Both Jack's déjà vu on the plane and Juliet's last words seem to indicate that there is some kind of crossover between the two timelines. I think this might be what causes the Whispers, the temporary intersection between two versions of reality. The Others seem to be able to control this in some way, and perhaps can even view what people are doing in other times and places.

-The contents of Jacob's guitar case are finally revealed. I laughed when Hurley admitted he had peeked inside, because a few minutes before I had said "there's no way I would carry that thing around for three years without peeking!" The object inside was an ankh, the Egyptian symbol for eternal life. It's the same symbol that was carried by Tawaret (the four-toed statue when it was still whole) and worn by Paul, Amy's husband who was killed by the Others in season 5.

-We see yet another of Jacob's lists. Everyone on the list is someone we saw Jacob visit (and touch) off the Island in season 5 - Jack, Kate, Hurley, Jin, and Sayid. The ones missing are Ilana, Sun, Sawyer and Locke.

-It's very interesting to me that so many characters we know from the Island make connections in the flashsideways. Jack and Locke, Kate and Sawyer, Jack and Charlie, Jack and Desmond, Locke and Boone, Kate and Claire. There must be something about these people that draws them together. (When Kate got into the cab with Claire I thought for a second "Hey, maybe Claire will ask Kate to adopt Aaron!" - but then I realized Kate was holding the cab driver at gunpoint. Not quite the ideal person to give your baby to.)

Literary References and Allusions:

-I recently explored how in seasons 1 and 2 the writers often used the symbols of fire and water, and that theme is back big time. The scenes in the statue use fire (burning Jacob's body, torches), and the scenes in the temple use water (the healing pool.) Both fire and water often refer to baptism - in this case Jacob had a literal baptism by fire (which doesn't seem too pleasant) and Sayid was baptized in water (also not a fun time.) When they carry Sayid out of the pool his arms are extended out in the shape of a cross, which can't be coincidental. Religious symbolism is one of my favorite aspects of LOST and I'm glad it seems to be making a comeback.

-The healing pool reminds me of the Biblical story of the Pool of Bethesda. Bathing in pools has a long history within ancient medicine (i.e. the Roman baths) and some of that tradition shows up in the Bible. The story says that sick people would wait around the edges of the pool for the water to move. When they saw movement it meant that an angel has stirred the water, and the next person to get in the water would be healed. Jesus comes and heals a man who has been waiting by the water for years, showing that he was more powerful than the legendary waters.

-Hurley discovers a copy of a French translations of Søren Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling. The title refers to Paul's epistle to the Philippians, a verse which reads, "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed — not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence — continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling." The book specifically addresses aspects of the Abrahamic test, when Abraham was commanded by God to kill his only son Isaac, and explores the ethical dilemmas inherent in a religious life. The foremost question: Does duty to a higher power override common sense morality? (The Others could probably benefit from these kinds of questions, don't you think?)

Moments of Pure Awesomeness:

-Boone asking Locke "You aren't pulling my leg are you?" and Locke responding "Why would I pull your leg?" HA! And then even better, Boone goes on, "If this thing goes down, I'm sticking with you." Maybe not the best idea, Boone.

-The smoke monster's description of Locke's final thoughts broke my heart. And I SO wanted it to be true when he told Boone that he went on the walkabout. It seems that even in the alternate reality Locke is a broken, frustrated man. I hope he gets some sort of redemption.

-Jack's whole conversation with Desmond. Suddenly the oft-repeated phrase "See you in another life, brother" has a whole new meaning.

-Jack offering to help Locke and saying "Nothing is irreversible" gave me shivers down my spine.

Still unanswered:

-Why is everyone in trouble if Sayid dies? Are they still in trouble now that he's come back to life?

-Is the pool how Richard has stayed so young all these years? And Jacob?

-I heard Damon and Carlton answer a very interesting question (I think it was at Comic-Con): "Has Jacob ever appeared in another form?" The answer was no. I think it might be safe to say that whenever we've seen someone dead appear alive again, it was the smoke monster.

-We've heard a lot about course correction when someone tries to change their destiny. Are we going to see course correction taking place in this new timeline, even with the Island underwater?

-Now that we know a circle of ash is a protective measure against the smoke monster, what was it being used for at Jacob's cabin? Was it keeping Smokey in, or keeping him out? Locke hears a voice in the cabin saying "help me". Was that Smokey or Jacob? I'm inclined to think it was the smoke monster, but I don't think we can know for sure yet.

-Where are Christian's body and Locke's knives?

-How does the smoke monster have all of Locke's memories, including his thoughts as he was dying?

-How does Richard recognize the smoke monster/Jacob's nemesis, and what does is mean that he was "in chains" (slave on the Black Rock?) Was Richard a witness to the smoke monster's arrival on the Island?

-I think the title "LA X" refers to "X" as a variable - we are seeing an alternate arrival in L.A. The big question is, what is that variable that has caused so much to change? Is it free will, as Daniel Faraday has hypothesized? Is it Desmond (who is the one character who the rules of time travel don't apply to)? Is it because of Jacob's death? Or is it simply that they detonated the bomb at the right time and the right place?

5:16 The Incident, Parts 1 and 2

2010-02-01T14:00:00.001-05:00

5:16 The Incident

See my original posts on this episode here and here.

Who would have guessed that the final episode of the season would be Jacob centric - and that we would actually get to see him interacting with characters in the past?! Pure awesomeness, that's all I can say.

-The scene with Jacob spinning and weaving always makes me think of this classic scene on Flight of the Conchords, which explains that weaving is a man's game.

...now on to more serious analysis. The symbol of weaving is one that comes up a lot in mythology. The first example that comes to my mind is the Greek myth about the Fates, three figures who control the mortals' destiny through the patterns they weave. The thread they used represented someone's life, and they had complete control over when that life began and when it ended. Interestingly, in many cultures weaving was predominantly a woman's craft, but in Egypt it was solely the men (this cultural disparity may have been what caused Brett and Jemaine's confusion.)

-Is that fish Jacob is eating a red herring? HA!

-Still unanswered: Why does the man in black need a loophole to kill Jacob?

-There is some great casting in this episode. Young Kate and young Sawyer are very believable as the kid versions of the characters we know and love.

-Richard tells Locke he doesn't age because of Jacob, and he believes that Jacob is why Locke is alive. He's right - but doesn't know that Locke is alive to kill Jacob.

-Another "yahoo!" this time from Bram.

-I paid closer attention this time to Jacob's interactions with each of the Losties. Both Sawyer and Kate say "thanks" to Jacob. I can't figure out if Jacob saved Sayid from getting hit by a car, or if he was helping Nadia be killed.

-It still cracks me up that Sayid wraps the nuclear core in a blanket as if it will help things. And he sure throws that bag around during the shoot-out!

-Vincent! If you watch closely you can see Madison (the doggie actor) take a treat from Sawyer's hand.

-Bram repeats a phrase we keep hearing "We are the good guys." Will we ever know for sure who the good guys actually are? Frank says that in his experience the people have to have keep saying they're good guys are actually the bad guys, and I totally agree.

-Jacob reading a book (Flannery O'Connor's short story collection, Everything That Rises Must Converge) reminds me of Ben reading a book on the plane waiting for it to crash. When he apologizes to Locke ("I'm sorry this happened to you") it also reminds me of Ben telling Locke "I'm sorry I made your life so miserable" in season 4.

-Jacob touches each person he visits, except for Ilana. Is this because Ilana is already an Other?

-I love, LOVE seeing Ben, the master manipulator being manipulated by fake Locke. For once the man who always has a plan has no idea what is going on or who to trust.

-Jack's flashback makes him seem so petty and whiny. Why didn't he ever mention his dad before when he told that story?

-Once again, the group splinters - Jack, Miles, Hurley and Sayid vs. Kate, Sawyer and Juliet.

-FINALLY Sawyer and Jack beat each other to a bloody pulp. That was a long time coming!

-I have to say that I agree with Sawyer here - Jack is willing to blow up a nuclear bomb because his relationship with Kate didn't work out? Seriously?

-I was too wrapped up in the excitement the first time to notice that Juliet changing her mind a million times is annoying. Super annoying. And not characteristic of Juliet at all. I think this is a clear example of the needs of the story overriding characterization.

-Locke promises that things will change once Jacob is gone. What exactly will we see change in season 6?

-I wonder if it's Jacob death that allows them to change the future, and not just the nuclear bomb?

-When the structure around the Swan site starts collapsing I just want to yell RUN AWAY!

-Jacob is always talking about how everyone has a choice. Is this true, or is it a case of protesting too much (similar to always saying "we're the good guys")?

-Juliet hits the bomb 8 times.

-Jacob says "They're coming." Who does he mean?

-The reversing of the end title (black on white rather than white on black) is an interesting touch. Is it just aesthetic, or does it mean they did change things?

Best lines:

GRAY-HAIRED MAN: I don't have to ask. You brought them here. Still trying to prove me wrong, aren't you?

BLOND MAN: You are wrong.

GRAY-HAIRED MAN: Am I? They come. They fight. They destroy. They corrupt. It always ends the same.

BLOND MAN: It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.

5:13 Some Like It Hoth, 5:14 The Variable, 5:15 Follow the Leader

2010-01-31T09:39:00.001-05:00

5:13 Some Like It Hoth

In which Miles hears dead people, and Hurley becomes a screenwriter!

-When Miles gives his fake reading to Mr. Gray he holds his hands with the palms up - the same way the psychic Richard Malkin holds Claire's hands in season 1.

-We know now why Miles asked Ben for 3.2 million dollars - it's double the amount Widmore was paying him. Greedy greedy, Miles.

-The taco shop where Miles grabs some food before being abducted by Bram is named La Vida (Life) Tacos.

-After seeing the finale is seems pretty clear that Bram and Ilana are both on Team Jacob, and are Others.

-It's such a sweet moment when Miles sees his dad reading to him as a baby, and then when Dr. Chang says "Miles, I need you," and Miles says "You do?" Miles does have a soft side after all.

Best lines:

JACK: Her [Kate's] heart was in the right place.

SAWYER: Yeah, well, where was her head?

---

HURLEY: And let's face it. The Ewoks sucked, dude.

5:14 The Variable

The symbol of this whole season could be the one introduced in this episode: the metronome. Measuring the passage of time is obviously a big deal, and Daniel is the expert.

-One thing that kind of bugs me is how everyone within one family will have different last names just to throw us off. Charles Widmore, Eloise Hawking and Daniel Faraday? Why didn't Daniel get his father OR his mother's last name? Did Eloise just make up a name for him?

-Daniel says he tested things on himself first before Theresa, and while he's in bad shape he's not nearly as incapacitated as she is. It makes me wonder if someone intentionally got Theresa out of the way to let Daniel focus on his work. I wouldn't put anything past Eloise or Widmore at this point.

-We find out once and for all that Widmore is the one who planted the fake plane.

-We also find out why Daniel and Charlotte were running memory tests on the Island - Widmore had told Daniel that the Island would heal his mind.

-Sawyer says "yahoos" again! I might start referring to season 5 as "the yahoo season."

-I crack up when Sawyer calls Daniel "H.G. Wells". HAHAHA!

-I still can't believe Penny so readily leaves little Charlie with a nurse in the waiting room. After what just happened to them I wouldn't let that kid out of my sight!

-With the end of this episode we're back to the overarching question: Can free will change destiny?

Best lines:
HURLEY: You guys were in 1954? Like... Fonzie times?

5:15 Follow the Leader

-What does Richard mean when he says he "watched them all die"? Did he see the nuclear bomb going off?

-The scene between Kate and Jack where they discuss whether or not they should change their future is heart wrenching. Interesting that Kate is on Locke's side for this one - believing that they needed to have those experiences, even if they were painful, because there was good in them too.

-HILARIOUS that Hurley gets busted by Dr. Chang for not knowing who the President is, since that's what he was worried about at the beginning of their DI adventure.

-Interesting that fake Locke insists "I am the leader now." Why is it so important that he is the leader? So he can get access to Jacob? Can Jacob only be killed by one of his own?

-Richard explains about Eloise and Widmore to Jack and says "love can be complicated." You're preaching to the choir on that one, Alpert.

-Locke refers to himself in the 3rd person - which makes a lot more sense now that we know that he really is talking about someone else.

-Once again, the writers make Kate be the complication. When she got on that sub all I could think was "Awwww crap!"

-Question: If they were successful in detonating the bomb, in theory everyone on the Island would be killed. So how is Eloise going to be around in the future, and Dr. Chang, Richard, and Widmore too for that matter? That really would change things.

-Mirror image: Another exodus scene, complete with that amazing soundtrack. And even cooler this time with Ben's words resonated in my mind that Locke marched up to Jacob "as if he was Moses."

Best lines:

BEN: This must be quite the out-of-body experience.

LOCKE: Something like that.

----

MILES: Dr. Chang? What are you doing here?

DR. CHANG: I could ask you the same question.

HURLEY: But we asked you first.

Season 6 Promo

2010-01-23T10:35:00.004-05:00

Another official promo is out - and I promise it's one of those you'll want to watch more than once. I'm intrigued by all the familiar sequences going backwards, and the hatch countdown counting UP. There's also a brief flash of new footage at 0:15 - check out who that is holding a gun!

How to Make a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich, LOST Style

2010-01-21T15:25:00.003-05:00

My brother e-mailed this to me and I just had to share! (From Titled on tumblr.)

Jack
1. Gather ingredients
2. Point gun at ingredients and shout “HOW DO I MAKE A SANDWICH OUT OF YOU?!?!?”
3. Breathe heavily through your nose as though you were about to hit ingredients
4. Give up and make the sandwich yourself, and eat it bitterly

Kate
1. Make separate sandwiches, one with peanut butter and one with jelly
2. Take a bite of the peanut butter sandwich, declaring it the best
3. Take a bite of the jelly sandwich, declaring it the best
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 ad infinitum
5. Follow peanut butter or jelly sandwich into grave danger

Sawyer
1. Throw the jar of jelly at wall, sneering “I don’t need no sandwich”
2. Call the mascot on the jar of peanut butter lots of clever nicknames
3. Huff and puff and stomp around and grumble a lot
4. When no one’s looking, make perfect, even, symmetrical peanut butter and jelly sandwich and sit in a corner, enjoying every bite

Locke
1. Sit idly by, believing that the ingredients will find a way to make a sandwich out of themselves
2. Lose faith and make the sandwich anyway
3. Realize that you were the instrument by which the ingredients chose to make a sandwich after all
4. Run around the room and grab everyone’s knives, insisting that their sandwiches will do the same in time

Hurley
1. Make sandwich
2. Eat sandwich
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 ad infinitum

Sayid
1. Procure 23 milligrams of uranium-20
2. Set hadron supercollider to eight megajoules
3. Program a sandwich-making macro using Cobol or Visual Basic
4. Act all tough-like

Desmond
1. Eat sandwich
2. Call the sandwich “brother”
3. Place peanut butter slice over jelly slice
4. Spread jelly on the other slice
5. Spread peanut butter on one slice
6. Take two slices of bread, a jar of peanut butter and a jar of jelly

Ben
1. Steal someone else’s sandwich
2. Claim you coerced them into making the sandwich for you all along
3. Say you’ll tell them everything if they make you another sandwich
4. Stare at them all creepy-like

Libby
1. Lay out plans for one of the most intricate, fascinating, and delicious sandwiches of all time
2. Just as you start making it, get shot

Danielle
1. Apply peanut butter
2. Disappear for eight months
3. Apply jelly
4. Disappear for eight months
5. Eat sandwich

Claire
1. Mmmmmmm, peanut butter

Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse
1. Make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich
2. Have someone take a bite, then tell them it’s a baloney sandwich
3. Make up a whole bunch of other shit, then say you had planned it all along
4. Buy a few yachts

5:10 He's Our You, 5:11 Whatever Happened, Happened, 5:12 Dead Is Dead

2010-01-21T14:15:00.001-05:00

5:10 He's Our You

-Juliet is a pretty absentminded cook - she burned those muffins, and now she's about to burn the bacon.

-Phil=SO ANNOYING. I can't wait for those metal bars to shoot through his chest.

-Jack, Kate, etc were convinced they had to go back to the Island to save their friends, but it turned out that their friends were fine. They won't realize until later the real reason they came back.

-Even though we're told young Ben forgets everything that happened to him prior to being healed in the Temple, I still think he knows that Sayid tried to kill him as a child. It makes sense when he says "You're capable of things most men aren't...you're a killer."

-Oldham was a serious letdown. All that buildup about him being a torturer like Sayid, and he just gives people drugs in a sugar cube?

-Mirror image: in season 1, Sayid tortured Sawyer, now Sawyer is (begrudgingly) overseeing the torture of Sayid.

-Young Ben asks Sayid if he will take him to his people (the Others). Sayid lies and says yes, that's why he's there. Little does he know that he's actually telling the truth - by shooting Ben, he makes it necessary for the Others to heal him and make him one of their own.

-Flaming Dharma van! You just KNEW Ben had to be behind that one somehow.

Best lines:

SAWYER: They're gonna kill you. They just took a vote. Even the new mom wants you dead.

5:11 Whatever Happened, Happened

...or, "A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it."

-A possible inconsistency - Cassidy says that Sawyer abandoned her daughter, but what about the money he left her in season 3?

-Oh, Jack, stubborn Jack. He refuses to operate on Ben, thinking that it doesn't matter what he does because whatever happened happened. But by not saving Ben, he allowed him to be healed by the Others, which made Ben into the person we know and love to hate.

-Through their choices, Sayid, Jack, Kate, Juliet, and Sawyer enable Ben's future to happen the way it has always happened. Very interesting to me that all of them had a hand in this.

-Hurley and Miles' discussion of time travel is so funny/brilliant.

-Kate completely redeems herself in my opinion by giving Aaron to his grandmother. But I have to admit that as the mom of a blond little boy, I can't watch that scene. It's just too gut-wrenching.

Best lines:
RICHARD: If I take him, he's not ever gonna be the same again.

KATE: What do you mean by that?

RICHARD: What I mean is that, he'll forget this ever happened, and that...his innocence will be gone. He will always be one of us. You still want me to take him?

5:12 Dead Is Dead

-Richard Alpert saying "He's just a boy" reminds me of the way Widmore is always calling him "boy" in such a condescending way. It makes perfect sense that Widmore has known him since he was a boy.

-This didn't drive home with me the first time, but now it strikes me as one of the most important points of the season: there are TWO Lockes - one walking around with Ben, and one in the box.

-Ben's wig in his flashbacks is SO bad. It kind of looks like Hitler's hair, but not real. So I guess it looks like a Hitler wig.

-Now we know why Rousseau is so freaked out by the whispers - Ben tells her every time she hears them to run the other way.

-Locke tells Ben he was just "hoping for an apology." That seems to be what the smoke monster is hoping for when he judges people (like Mr. Eko.)

-Is it true that Ben has never seen the Island bring someone back from the dead? Is he lying to Sun, or is he lying to Locke?

-Widmore seems SO sure that Ben won't be able to get back to the Island. Is it because of Locke's body (the loophole) that he was able to go back?

-Mirror image: Ben spares Penny because of little Charlie, just like he spared Rousseau because of baby Alex.

-So cool that we now know the answer to "what lies in the shadow of the statue?"

-I love the symbolism of Locke and Ben entering the Temple, descending through levels, lower and lower. It reminds me of Paradise Lost.

-It's so fitting that Ben says "What is about to come out of that jungle is something I can't control" (expecting the monster)...and out walks Locke. But it's true: it is something he can't control.

-It's so interesting that with everything Ben has done, the smoke monster is most concerned about Alex and his relationship with her. This makes me think that maybe this wasn't a judgment after all; maybe showing Ben Alex was simply an attempt to manipulate him so that he would help New Locke.

Best lines:
LOCKE: If all I had to do was die, Ben, they why did you stop me?

BEN: You had critical information that would've died with you. And once you'd given it to me... well, I just didn't have time to talk you back into hanging yourself.

5:7 The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham, 5:8 LaFleur, 5:9 Namaste

2010-01-20T13:13:00.000-05:00

5:7 The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham

-First clue that resurrected Locke might have something to do with Jacob/Man in Black: he asks Ilana if they have a passenger LIST.

-When Locke eats the mango Ilana gives him it's another reference to Jesus Christ - when he appeared to his disciples after his resurrection he eats with them to prove that he is really alive and not just a spirit.

-This might be the biggest unanswered question of the entire show: Why these particular people? What makes them so necessary to the Island? And is Locke really special, or has he just been manipulated all along?

-And on a related note - why does Locke keep falling for the manipulations of those who tell him he's special?

-Locke's murder scene is so dark and violent. It reminds me very much of the scene where Sawyer kills Anthony Cooper. I recently saw an interview with Quentin Tarantino (who knows a thing or two about filming murder scenes) and he said that in his opinion, strangling is the most violent way possible of killing someone, because it is so hands-on. Based on these scenes, I would have to agree.

-Once again, Locke is set up as a Christ figure in this scene, with Ben kneeling in front of him trying to stop him and Locke with his arms out to the sides.

Best lines:
LOCKE: Why would you help me?

WIDMORE: Because there's a war coming, John. And if you're not back on the Island when that happens, the wrong side is going to win.

5:8 LaFleur

This is such a great character episode. The title (and Sawyer's new assumed name) "LaFleur" is French for "flower" - and in many ways we see Sawyer flourish as head of security for the Dharma Initiative.

-It's hootenanny time! Seriously though, who says that? Even in 1977?

-Another Locke-as-Jesus allusion: Juliet says she thinks he was successful in stopping the time flashes, and Sawyer says "Now we wait for him to come back...as long as it takes."

-Horace's wife is named Amy. I've always wondered if she is the older lady named Amelia we see in the book club in season 3.

-So all you need to get through the sonic fence is EARPLUGS? Super lame.

-Paul's necklace is an ankh, the same Egyptian symbol being held by the four-toed statue. It represents immortality, especially that of the Pharaohs.

-All I can think at the end is NOOOOOOO! Not Kate!!! Although I remain firmly on neutral ground when it comes to the love quadrangle, this episode just about won me over to Juliet's side. Can't Kate and Jack be angsty together and let Juliet and Sawyer be happy?

Best lines:
PHIL: I'm gone ten minutes, and you're having a hootenanny?

5:9 Namaste

Go here to see my original post on this episode. I actually don't have that much to say here that I didn't already say there.

-We hear about lists again - this time for the Dharma inductees - and once again Kate isn't on the list.

-Sawyer tells Phil "We're not savages", a much repeated line on LOST.

-I love the scene where Sawyer sticks to it Jack, mostly because Sawyer is 100% correct. Jack is a reactor.

Best lines:
SAWYER: Easy on the ribs there, Kong.

HURLEY: "Kong." I actually missed that.

Can LOST Fans Get Even MORE Annoying??

2010-01-20T11:34:00.002-05:00

A fabulous piece by The Onion, featuring our beloved Damon and Carlton!

Final Season Of 'Lost' Promises To Make Fans More Annoying Than Ever

5:4 The Little Prince, 5:5 This Place is Death 5:6 316

2010-01-18T11:53:00.005-05:00

5:4 The Little Prince

See my original post on this episode here.

This is the episode that convinced me that season 5 is the season of character evolution. Nearly every main character makes HUGE changes that we never would have expected them to make. Jack sits back and lets things happen; Sawyer settles down with Juliet as a functioning member of society; Sun turns into a vengeful would-be hitwoman; and Kate finally accepts responsibility for her actions and stops running away from her problems. It's very interesting to watch that evolution take place - in this episode Kate is still hanging on to her new life with Aaron, but we know that will change soon.

-On the Searcher, Kate tells Jack she can't sleep and it's going to take her more than a couple of nights to get used to sleeping in a normal bed. I have to say, I don't think it would take me that long. I am no Kate.

-Kate tells Jack that Claire wanted Aaron to be placed for adoption. In Kate's mind, that justifies her taking Aaron as her own. What Kate doesn't know is that the Island didn't want Aaron to be "raised by another."

-I don't really get why Kate, Jack et al believe that the people they left behind are still alive. If I had seen the Island disappear I would be more inclined to think that they all died.

-Kate to Jack: "I have always been with you"... except when I was with Sawyer?

-It is SO horrible when Jack realizes that Claire's mom doesn't know about Aaron. That scene gives me the same feeling in my stomach as when I realize I've just sent an emotionally charged e-mail to the wrong person.

-It stood out to me that Locke says "I have to make them come back." Kind of a contrast to Jacob, who harps on and on about how it's their choice.

-Maybe I missed it, but do we know who sent the man to attack Sayid in the hospital? Was it Ben?

-When Aaron is born Kate tells Claire "This baby is all of ours." I'm guessing neither one knew that would literally be true.

-Claire is the best screamer on the show. Man can that girl scream!

-I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but I love how the van carrying Locke's body says "Canton Rainier" - an anagram for "reincarnation."

-How many times has someone referred to someone else as a "yahoo"? What a weird term.

-Still unanswered: Who was in the other outrigger shooting at them?

-Sawyer tells Juliet "What's done is done." Pretty soon we'll know why he likes that phrase so much.

-Kate lives at 42 Panorama Crest. Maybe I'm superstitious, if I was one of the Oceanic 6 and buying a house in L.A., I'd probably pick one that didn't have one of The Numbers in the address. Just sayin'.

-Newsflash to Island survivors: If something horrible is happening to you, there is a 99.9% chance that it's because of Ben.

-I love young Rousseau, and I'm so glad we finally got to see her story. And I love that the actress who plays her is actually a native French speaker (the older Rousseau is played by a Croatian actress, and you can really tell by her accent.)

Best lines:

JACK: Ben is on our side.

SAYID: The only side he's on is his own.

5:5 This Place is Death

Go here to read my original post on this episode.

-The voice Montand is listening to on the radio (the one repeating the numbers) is definitely Hurley. I can't believe I never noticed that before.

-I am SO glad Nikki Stafford said Sun's conversation with Ji Yeon reminds her of Annyong on Arrested Development. I thought it was just me!

-This episode gives us a better idea of why Rousseau is cucko for Cocoa Puffs. If I had seen my friend dragged down a hole and de-armed by a smoke monster I might start setting booby traps in the jungle too.

-Speaking of Montand, after his sexist remark I'm glad he got his arm squeezed off.

-Charlotte says "This place is death," and indeed it is. But for some, it is life. What is it about the Island that makes it kill some people and heal others?

-Ben says that if they knew what he had done to protect them, they would never stop thanking him. Is there something to this, or is he just being manipulative again? Sometimes I wonder if there will be a big twist to show us once and for all that Ben really is the "good guy." It would have to be a pretty damn big twist though considering everything he has done.

-Once again, why couldn't Christian help Locke turn the wheel? I think it has something to do with the way Ben wouldn't let anyone come with him when he turned it. Maybe it has to be a one-person job to have the desired effect. Christ metaphors abound.

-Another theme - Locke's broken leg, which is also a Christ metaphor - it was prophesied of the Messiah that none of his bones would be broken, like a sacrificial lamb, which had to be whole. Another story says that when a sheep wandered, a shepherd would intentionally break its legs, and then carry it until it was healed, ensuring that the sheep would always trust the shepherd and do what he asked. (There is no Biblical or historical evidence that this was ever done, but it does fit in quite nicely to Locke's story.)

Best lines:

BEN: What I’m doing is helping you! And if you had any idea what I’ve had to do to keep you safe – to keep your friends safe – then you’d never stop thanking me! You wanna shoot me, then shoot me – but let’s get on with it! What’s it gonna be?

5:6 316

See my original post on this episode here.

-I love that the Dharma Initiative built the Lamp Post under a church; it speaks to the balance of faith and reason that characters are constantly dancing around on the show.

-Eloise says that Jack needs to give Locke something that belonged to his father. Is this because Locke is going as Christian's proxy, or is it because that object will somehow tie him to the Man in Black?

-Ben's description of the apostle Thomas is just SUCH a perfect metaphor for Jack. LOVE that scene.

-Jack tells Locke's body "Rest in peace." Yeah, not gonna happen.

-Still unanswered: what is in that guitar case?

-Hurley buying out the rest of flight 316 is such a contrast to Ben's answer to what would happen to everyone else on the plane: "Who cares?"

-Ben is reading "Ulysses" by James Joyce, which is a key work in the modernist movement. I don't have time to get into it in too much depth here, but I'll just say that themes of the book include searching for your father, lightness and darkness, and lots and lots of symbolism.

-Ben tells Jack that it's not his fault that Locke is dead, but he neglects to mention how he knows this for sure. So creepy.

Best Lines:

JACK: Is he [Ben] telling the truth?

ELOISE: Probably not.

5:1 Because You Left, 5:2 The Lie, 5:3 Jughead

2010-01-17T17:30:00.003-05:00

5:1 Because You Left

Go here to see my original post on this episode.

-Dr. Chang putting a record on first thing in the morning reminds me of Desmond in the hatch at the beginning of season 2, and Juliet in her home at the beginning of season 3. I guess when you don't get TV or radio, music is all you've got.

-The skipping record is a nice foreshadowing of Daniel Faraday's explanation that the Island is skipping through time like a broken record.

-We learn the purpose of the Arrow Station (where the tail section survivors found shelter in season 2) was for defense and intelligence gathering in their ongoing battle against the Others.

-When a construction worker suggests that time travel could allow them to go back and kill Hitler, Dr. Chang insists "Don't be absurd. There are rules, rules that can't be broken." Does this have something to do with the rules Ben has referred to in the past?

-The reference to going back in time to kill Hitler is a common one in time travel theories. One line of thought is that it would be impossible: as we keep hearing during season 5, "what happened happened" and no matter what you do you can't change it. A second line of that is that it IS possible to change the past, but it would be unethical to do so; if it's possible to change what happened in the past (and prevent the Holocaust and World War II), then you must also assume that it's possible for Hitler to change his own course. Preemptively killing him for something he hasn't done yet is therefore unethical. We see this type of scenario play out when Sayid tries to kill young Ben, but the result points to the first conclusion - Sayid is not able to kill Ben, and in fact, it's likely that the whole experience turns Ben into the person we know today.

-Sawyer says he's the "ghost of Christmas Future," a reference to "A Christmas Carol." Some consider this Dickens novel the first book about time travel.

-Ben tells Jack that the last time he saw Locke was on the Island in the Orchid station: BIG FAT LIE. Ben also says "I guess we'll never know" what happened to those left behind. He TOTALLY knows.

-It's pretty convenient that they have a physicist on the Island for the time travel/nuclear bomb season. Kind of like how they conveniently had a doctor on the Island for Season 1, the injury season.

-Commenting on Aaron's cartoon about a train going into a tunnel, Kate says "He goes into that tunnel, he's never coming back out." Like going back to the Island?

-Sawyer says that not everyone is accounted for, they don't know where Locke is. Um, hello, what about Claire?! It was a big disappointment to me that we never found out what was up with Claire. I'm trusting that they're saving something really good for season 6!

-Widmore tells Sun, "You had the audacity to approach me in broad daylight." He also uses the word "audacity" to describe Ben coming to see him in his home in season 4. Apparently he doesn't like audacity. I'm guessing he would not be an Obama fan.

-Hurley and Sayid pick up some food at the Rainbow Drivein - a reference to the fact that they're about to go "over the rainbow" again.

-Tranquilizers can't take Sayid down!

-Somehow I didn't catch before that Miles says it took Widmore 20 years to find the Island the first time.

-Daniel provides our theme for this season: "Whatever happened happened." The big question is, was he right?

-I completely forgot about Ethan shooting Locke, and Richard commenting that "What comes around goes around." So Charlie shooting Ethan was karma. Richard reverses the usual phrase ("What goes around comes around"), probably because in Locke's experience of time, Ethan has already been shot and killed.

-Locke is at the Beechcraft AGAIN. So many big events have happened around that plane!

-So we know that the reason time is skipping is that the Island itself is dislodged from time. Why do the Others move along with it? Is there something tying them to the Island that prevents them from sticking in time?

-Richard gives Locke the compass that Locke will take back in time and give to Richard. This kind of circular theme makes my head hurt. It's almost as though the compass itself exists outside of time, and there might be more than one of it going around (like there is more than one Locke in the finale?) The compass exchange also explains part of what was going on in "Cabin Fever" when Richard presents young Locke with several items and tells him to choose the one that was his - maybe he wanted him to pick the compass.

-Another unanswered question: Why did Locke have to die to bring everyone back to the Island? Is it all so that the Man in Black could use his body?

-Another big question: Why don't the rules apply to Desmond? It wouldn't surprise me if Desmond turned out to be the key to saving everyone. Something else that is weird about Desmond: we've never seen anything about his childhood or his parents. It's a glaring omission for such a prominent character, and I'm sure there's a reason we haven't seen it yet.

Best lines:
HURLEY: You want a fry?

SAYID: No, thank you.

HURLEY: You know, maybe if you ate more comfort food you wouldn't have to go around shooting people.
------
FARADAY: Time--it's like a street, all right? We can move forward on that street, we can move in reverse, but we cannot ever create a new street. If we try to do anything different, we will fail every time. Whatever happened, happened.

5:2 The Lie

I really feel for Hurley. He is first and foremost a genuine, honest person. His realization that he will have to lie for the rest of his life is heartbreaking. I wouldn't want to have to do it either. But even with the sadness there are also lots of delightfully funny moments. That's why I love a Hurley episode!

-Frogurt has not one, but two red shirts. He gives one to Sawyer, which I hope doesn't mean anything about the future.

-I love Miles' correction of Sawyer's nickname - "I think it's Mr. Wizard." Ha!

-Hurley in the "I ♥ My Shih-Tzu" t-shirt is a stroke of genius, and I remember hearing on a podcast that it was scripted.

-Ben asks Jill the butcher if Gabriel and Jerry have checked in yet. I wonder if we'll hear those names again.

-Flaming Frogurt makes my heart sing. Every single time.

-I love how Carmen believes Hurley, even though what he's telling her makes no sense to her. What a great mom.

-Watch out or I will hit you with my Hot Pocket!

-Is Hurley right that all this "bad stuff" wouldn't be happening if they had told the truth? Or did they actually prevent worse events from happening?

-We get a glimpse of Ms. Hawking in her underground layer - under a church, of all things - writing mathematical equations on a chalkboard and using a Foucault Pendulum and a seriously outdated computer. I wonder why the Others haven't updated to an iMac?

-Ms. Hawking tells Ben if he can't get everyone back to the Island in time, "God help us all" - the same phrase used by Chang when he was talking about the energy under the Orchid Station.

Best lines:

CARMEN: Why is there a dead Pakistani on my couch?

5:3 Jughead

Here's my original post on "Jughead."

-The scene where the doctor uses forceps on Penny with no anesthesia makes me cringe, and thank my lucky stars that I was numbed up nice and good during Sawyer's delivery. OUCH!

-It stood out to me that when Penny asks Desmond to promise he won't ever go back to the Island he just says "Why would I ever want to go back there?" He doesn't promise.

-A little pet peeve I have is when Juliet calls the Others "the Others." That's the nickname the Losties came up with for them (because of how Rousseau referred to them). But Juliet is an Other. Don't they have a name for themselves?

-Daniel says he would never hurt Charlotte because he loves her, when in the past he hurt Theresa for the sake of his work - and his mother (who says she loves him no matter what) kills him.

-The name Theresa is one we've heard twice before: Boone's maid who fell down the stairs and died, and Ana Lucia's mother.

-Theresa's sister says "Everything here is due to Mr. Widmore, God bless him." The double meaning is that Mr. Widmore was also the cause of Theresa's illness in the first place because he pushed Daniel to do this research.

-I LOVE the scene when Desmond storms into Widmore's office. It's such a contrast to the grovelling he's done before him in the past.

-I am so proud of myself that I guessed that the young soldier on the Island was in fact Charles Widmore - but I notice now that his uniform says his name was Jones. Kind of an obvious misdirection since the only good explanation is that they were trying to fool us.

-Again, when Locke gives Richard the compass it explains why Richard was there when Locke was born, and why he has the compass when he interviews Locke as a little boy. Since Locke is the one who told Richard that he was to be their leader, it might follow that Locke was never supposed to be their leader in the first place. He wasn't special, he just wanted to be. I'm not sure if I believe that, but it kind of makes sense.

Best lines:
ELLIE: I don't believe you, by the way. You may have Richard fooled, you can't really expect me to believe that you, a British woman and a Chinese man are all members of the United States military.
-----
SAWYER: So who taught you Latin?

JULIET: Others 101. Gotta learn Latin--language of the enlightened.

SAWYER: Enlightened, my ass.

4:12 There's No Place Like Home I, 4:13 There's No Place Like Home II and III

2010-01-16T12:38:00.000-05:00

4:12 There's No Place Like Home I

Go here to see my previous post about this episode.

-Another Wizard of Oz reference! After trying lots of different tactics (including killing the Wicked Witch of the West), "There's no place like home" is all Dorothy has to say in order to get back to Kansas.

-Does the Oceanic representative who briefs them on the plane know that their story is a cover? Or has she bought the lie too?

-It stood out to me this time that during the press conference Jack mentions that his father's body was lost during the crash.

-It still cracks me up that Hurley's mom threw him an island theme party. "My mom...really doesn't get it dude."

-At Christian's funeral Jack mentions again that he wasn't able to bury his dad.

-I recently listened to a podcast where someone from the Lost prop department talked about designing the C4 pile on the Kahana. Apparently the producers kept saying "Nope, not big enough." I think it's safe to say they had plenty by the end.

-I wouldn't have recognized the anthuriums either.

Best lines:

CARMEN: Jesus Christ is not a weapon.

4:13 There's No Place Like Home II and III

Go here to see my previous post about this episode.

-The writers did an amazing job with keeping us guessing - since we knew at this point who the Oceanic 6 were, the big mystery was how those particular people get off the Island when for the majority of the finale they aren't in the same places.

-I had forgotten that Locke is the one who tells Jack that he has to lie. Of course, Jack resists, but eventually realizes Locke is right. That doesn't happen very much.

-Poor baby Aaron has never had a real item of clothing. Which is kind of odd if you think about it; I don't think I've ever been on a flight without ANY babies on it.

-The Orchid station video cuts off right at the most interesting part. Of course it does.

-Dr. Edgar Halliwax says not to put anything metal into the vault. So it's basically a giant microwave, huh?

-Sayid kills Sawyer's stalker at Santa Rosa at 8:15.

-It totally bugs me that Jin stayed down below deck with Michael for as long as he did. Dude, your PREGNANT WIFE is on the boat!

-In the future Jack is so angry with Kate for doing a favor for Sawyer, yelling at her "He made his choice, he chose to stay. I'm the one who saved you!" Which is a really douchey thing to say since Sawyer jumped out of the helicopter and stayed behind, saving not just Kate, but ALL of them.

-I hearby predict that Ben will die in season 6. I don't know why, I just have a hunch.

-Is Ben lying when he tells Locke that whoever moves the Island can never come back? Or does he really believe this is true?

-When Ben tells Locke "I'm sorry I made your life so miserable," there seems to be more to this apology than just the present circumstances. Did he have more involvement in Locke's pre-Island life than we're currently aware of? Or is he actually talking about murdering him in the future?

-I really hope we learn more about the Others and how they got to the Island in the first place.

-There is a White Rabbit on Aaron's bedroom door, a replica of an illustration from "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". I don't remember it being there in previous episodes.

-Ben climbing down into the hole behind the vault (where white rabbits were used to experiment with time travel) I can't help but think of the phrase "going down the rabbit hole."

-Jack is the most stubborn S.O.B. in history. He SEES the Island disappear - right in front of his face - and he still won't believe it happened.

-I sort of wonder why the Oceanic 6 are so worried about protecting the ones they left behind. They saw the Island disappear, so why do they even think they are still alive?

-Also, since the Island moved it's kind of funny that they bother sailing 3,000 miles away to Membata to begin their cover-up story. For all they know, they're actually closer to the Island there than they were at their start point.

-Ben's vampire-like appearance behind Jack in the funeral parlor made me jump even though I knew it was coming. Uber creepy. And I NEVER would have guessed that Locke was the one in the coffin.

Best lines:

LOCKE: I want you to reconsider leaving the island, Jack. I would like you to stay.

JACK: You'd like me to stay?

LOCKE: Yeah, that's right.

JACK: (Chuckles) You threw a knife into the back of an unarmed woman. You led half of our people across the island and got most of them killed.

LOCKE: Well, Jack, you put a gun to my head and you pulled the trigger. I was hoping we could let bygones be bygones.

--------

LOCKE: It's not an island. It's a place where miracles happen. And--and--if you--if you don't believe that, Jack, if you can't believe that, just wait till you see what I'm about to do.

JACK: There's no such thing as miracles.

LOCKE: Well...we'll just have to see which one of us is right.

Less Than a Month Now!

2010-01-07T10:36:00.005-05:00

...unless the White House decides to schedule the State of the Union address on February 2. In which case thousands of LOST fans' heads will explode with all the fury of the Swan hatch, the Flame station, and Jughead combined.

4:5 The Constant, 4:6 The Other Woman, 4:7 Ji Yeon, 4:8 Meet Kevin Johnson

2010-01-05T13:44:00.000-05:00

4:5 The Constant

I know I'm not alone when I say this is one of my all time favorite episodes. I almost wanted to stop watching the show completely after this one because it was so flawless. And even though it contributes a lot to the overall story arc, it's amazing as a self-contained story as well. In season 3's "Flashes Before Your Eyes" Desmond's consciousness travels from his present (on the Island) to his past (in London with Penny.) This time, past Desmond comes to the future, utterly confused and in danger of dying.

-Daniel and Charlotte's memory test makes a lot of sense now - it explains why Daniel doesn't remember meeting Desmond in his past.

-Clean-shaven Desmond is soooooo yummy.

-I missed a lot this first time I watched this episode because it jumps back and forth so quickly and I was so wrapped up in the story. Watching it again I could tell as soon as Penny answered the phone that present-day Desmond is back. It's a subtle change, but very cool.

-Penny and Desmond talking on the phone is the first time ever a scene on TV actually made me cry.

Best lines:
SGT: You were having a dream, were you? And what were you dreaming about, that it took you so sodding long to get to your mark?

DESMOND: I was in a helicopter, sir. And there was a storm, sir. And I don't remember the rest, sir.

SGT: Well, at least it was a bloody military dream.

--------

DANIEL: Hey, hey, hey, c'mon. Maybe we should just, just tell them.

JACK: Tell us what?

CHARLOTTE: Dan, let's not confuse anyone.

JULIET: Well, Daniel, maybe if you talk real slow, we'll be able to follow.

4:6 The Other Woman

Compared to "The Constant" this one was a let-down. I suppose it was inevitable. But I did enjoy getting more insight into Juliet. The title has a double meaning: Juliet was the "other woman" when she had the affair with Goodwin, and she's one of the Others.

-I like the opening scene fake-out where we initially think Juliet is one of the Oceanic Six, but then find out it's actually a flashback to her arrival on the Island.

-Still unanswered: Who does Juliet look "just like"? Ben's mother? Annie? Or Juliet herself, from 1977?

-When Ben shows Juliet Goodwin's body it seems to be in a different location than when Ana Lucia killed him.

-Juliet hears the whispers right before Harper appears in the jungle. I like the idea that the whispers are the sounds of the Others traveling through time and space; that could explain how suddenly Harper appeared. As Juliet enters the Tempest station we hear them again, saying "Juliet."

-The whole subplot of Daniel and Charlotte trying to shut down The Tempest is suspenseful in the moment, but it doesn't make a lot of sense in a larger context. If it was so crucial to shut it down, why didn't they try to do so earlier?

Best lines:

JACK: You people had therapists?

JULIET: It's very stressful being an Other, Jack.

-----

BEN: I always have a plan.

4:7 Ji Yeon

I usually enjoy "gotcha!" moments on LOST, but I felt a bit manipulated by this one. The use of flashbacks and flashforwards in the same episode felt too contrived. But maybe it's just me.

-I've mentioned this before, but I always wonder where these characters are going to the bathroom when they're being held in a room for days at a time. Gross.

-Once again, we get some great navigational instructions from Kate: "Go in a straight line for about a day and a half." Sounds easy!

-Like "Through the Looking Glass", this episode had several clues that Jin's flashes were in the past, not the future. The store clerk tells Jin that it's the Year of the Dragon, which was the year 2000. Jin's cell phone is an older model. And when Sun enters the hospital they recognize her as one of the Oceanic 6, but no one recognizes Jin.

-Kind of a big inconsistency: Bernard says they went with Jack because Locke was a murderer. But what about Jack pulling the trigger against Locke's head? Attempted murder is A-OK? And what about Bernard and Rose not wanting to get rescued?

-I still cringe when Juliet tells Jin that Sun had an affair. Oh NO SHE DIDN'T!

-The birth scene drives me batty, as almost all TV birth scenes do. They couldn't consult a real doctor (or even just ANY woman who has actually given birth) to get it right?

-The scene where Sun and Hurley visit Jin's grave is so heart-wrenching, even when I know that he's alive and OK.

-The man on the boat is Michael! All I can say is: I called it! :D

Best lines:

SUN: Why would Juliet lie about that?

KATE: Force of habit?

4:8 Meet Kevin Johnson

Finally, we get to see what happened to Michael when he left the Island! We waited a long time for this, and it's just as dark as many guessed. You've gotta love it when a character attempts suicide 5 times within 42 minutes.

-Mama Cass' "It's Getting Better" is THE perfect choice for Michael's suicide attempt, because it is the exact opposite of what he is feeling in the moment. Just brilliant.

-I don't know why, but it's hilarious to me the way the captain says "In the meantime, everybody JUST HOLD ON!" Then he says "Johnson!" and I really lose it. My brain is 13 years old.

-Michael's off-Island existence is so depressing and guilt-ridden. But in a way, I'm glad - had he gone skipping off into the sunset it would have been much worse. Michael proves once and for all that if the Island's not done with you, it doesn't matter where you go.

-One thing about Michael hasn't changed : he still loves to say "he's my son!"

-Why on earth did Michael tell Walt what he did? Talk about your all-time bad parenting choices.

-It cracks me up that Tom asks Michael for the time right after he's pawned Jin's watch. HAHA! That Tom has a great sense of irony.

-The game show that's on in Michael's apartment references Kurt Vonnegut, the author of Slaughterhouse-Five. It's one of my favorite books I read in college and deals with a World War II soldier named Billy Pilgrim who becomes "unstuck in time." He experiences past, present and future events in a nonlinear way.

-Who else would love to see the inside of the Black Rock ledger?

-Minkowski is a pretty nice guy when he's not going crazy from time travel sickness.

-The code Michael enters into the bomb is 71776 - July 1776 was the date of the start of the American Revolution.

-Ben says that Widmore is evil because he kills innocent people. Um, hello Ben? What was the Purge? The way Ben manipulates Michael throughout the episode is so despicable.

-Rousseau, noooooooo! I really thought she would miraculously be alive (let's face it, it's happened before on this show) but it was not to be. So sad.

Best lines:

JOHN: Yeah. Miles offered his loyalty in exchange for the money. But as I haven't seen a bank on the island, I didn't think it worth mentioning.

[Miles chuckles]

SAWYER: Somethin' funny?

MILES: Linus will find a way to get it.

SAWYER: And how will he do that?

MILES: He wants to survive. And considering a week ago you had a gun to his head, and tonight he's eating pound cake... I'd say he's a guy who gets what he wants.

4:1 The Beginning of the End, 4:2 Confirmed Dead, 4:3 The Economist, 4:4 Eggtown

2010-01-02T11:05:00.000-05:00

4:1 The Beginning of the End

Go here to see my original post on this one.

-The entirety of Jack's psychological well-being can be measured by his beard. We know he's still doing OK (even though he has started drinking) at the start of this episode because he's still beardless.

-The big reveal of this premiere was Hurley yelling "I'm one of the Oceanic Six!" How many nerdy discussions were inspired by that sentence? (I know I contributed to at least a few!)

-When Hurley is being questioned at the police station the officer asks him "You want to know a funny coincidence?" and then tells Hurley about his connection to Ana Lucia. I'm thinking after being on the Island Of Funny Coincidences for 4 months you'd be kind of sick of hearing about them.

-"No Smoking" is painted on the wall of the holding room Hurley is in, predicting that something related to the smoke monster is about to happen, and sure enough, Hurley has a vision of Charlie. On Charlie's hand instead of "Not Penny's Boat" it says "They Need You."

-Again, it's obvious in retrospect that Ben knows the freighter is not there to rescue them, but at the time it was a huge mystery. And it's not our fault - when has Ben ever actually told the truth?

-I can't figure out why Kate is so excited to be rescued; doesn't she realize she's going to jail? Maybe she's decided prison is better than the Island. For that matter, why does Rose seem so happy about it? She's already said she will never leave the Island.

-Mr. Abaddon = uber creepy. It is fun to watch his scene knowing so much more about him now, especially the fact that he is the one who puts the idea in Locke's head to go on a walkabout, which brought him to the Island.

-Hurley hears whispers in the jungle as Jacob's cabin appears. Those pesky whispers - I hope we'll find out what causes them. I wonder why Hurley is able to find the cabin so easily, and why the cabin seems to follow him.

-Right before Hurley flees the cabin we see a close-up of an eye.

I think we all assumed it was Jacob's. But now it's fairly certain that Jacob was not the one in the cabin at all. Ilana says it was being used by someone else. And Jacob has blue eyes. Was it Esau/the man in black? I don't know, to me it kind of looks like Mikhail, but that doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

-Charlie tells Hurley "I am dead, but I'm also here." Is he referring to alternate timelines?

-It still shocks me when Jack holds that gun to Locke's head and pulls the trigger. WOW.

-There's another "No Smoking" sign in the basketball court where Jack pays Hurley a visit. It seems like poor Hurley is being haunted by Smokey constantly, which would explain his constant visions of dead people - and as Jacob explains in season 5, it makes him special.

4:2 Confirmed Dead

It was so fun getting to know the freighter crew all over again. THIS is how you introduce new characters!

-We still don't know who Daniel's caretaker is, and I'm guessing there's a reason we don't see her face. I have no idea what that reason is, but there you go.

-When Miles comes down the staircase the photos on the wall have all changed since he went up. It could be a production error, but I don't think so since the camera hovers on that wall for a couple of seconds. It has to be intentional. Is this evidence of alternate timelines already showing up?

-After seeing season 5, it's clear that Miles got his gift of communicating with the dead because he was born on the Island.

-If they had left Naomi's body on the Island, unburied, would she have been taken over instead of Locke?

4:3 The Economist

Enter Sayid, international man of mystery! He's such a ladykiller. Literally. (Ba-dum, ching!)

-Naomi's bracelet is signed "R.G." Does anyone think we'll ever find out who R.G. is?

-It drives me CRAZY when Sawyer orders an "expresso." It's "eSpresso" Mr. International!!!

-I've said it before, but why was Naomi looking for Desmond? Why would Widmore want to find him?

-Daniel's experiment is the first concrete evidence that time is different on the Island. Thank you, science.

-Ben's fake ID in his secret room says that his name is Dean Moriarty. He got the name from one of the protagonists of Jack Kerouac's On The Road.

-Sayid says of Ben "The day I start trusting him is the day I will have sold my soul." A very chilling line, since we know that Sayid does end up working for Ben.

-The first clue that Sayid is working for Ben was when he said he was working from a list. I didn't pick up on that the first time, but now it seems obvious.

-Ben's voice is way too easy to identify, even when they try to disguise it. Which is part of what makes Michael Emerson so awesome.

-Still unanswered: Who are the "them" Ben is sending Sayid after? Are they all Team Widmore?

Best lines:

SAYID: The last time you encountered him [Locke] you put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger. That's not good diplomacy.

4:4 Eggtown

-I love the way Locke chops the melon in half. You can tell he's never watched the Food Network.

-Locke gives Ben a copy of Philip K. Dick's Valis and tells him "You might catch something you missed the second time around." (Very appropriate for a LOST rewatch!)

-When Locke throws his plate at the "concrete" wall outside of where Ben is being held, the wall bounces. Oops!

-Kate's judge is named Arthur Galzethron, which I was sure was an anagram of some sort, but I haven't been able to come up with anything good. On a forum someone said it's "Learn through Artz" - but that guy was an idiot.

-Jack is a REALLY good liar.

-Kate's lawyer, Shawn Doyle, will always be the Big Love guy to me. Although he was also on the movie Frequency, which I saw ages ago and don't really remember. Apparently it has some parallels to LOST, including time travel, and Shawn Doyle's character is named Jack Shepard.

-I crack up a little bit when Kate tells Sawyer she wants to break Ben out of his cell, because of the way she says it: "I wanna bust him out." It sounds very hillbilly.

-Miles asks Ben for 3.2 million dollars, which we now know is double the amount Widmore was paying him to be on the freighter. And 16 and 32 are both Numbers.

-Claire seems to have completely forgotten about Charlie already. I know she can't mope around forever, but one episode or two would have been nice!

-As Kate enters the court house a bearded man yells something unintelligible at her. It turns out if you play the audio backwards he is yelling "We hate you!"

-I remember getting on the forums and dissecting the coffee mug Kate drinks out of on the porch, which has some writing on the bottom. After all our careful research we found out the truth - it was a mug from Walmart. So I guess the moral of the story is that even the Dharma Initiative can't resist their super low prices.

-I don't understand why Kate is so against her mother seeing Aaron (other than the fact that her mom is just a huge d-bag.) Is she afraid her mom will realize that Aaron isn't really Kate's?

-Kate's pregnancy scare kind of bugs me. Sawyer says "What would we do with a baby?" and Kate's mad at him for not wanting to have a baby with her, but they don't even mention that it would be a bad thing because IT WOULD KILL HER to have a baby on the Island. The whole subplot is misdirection, leading us to think Kate's child is Sawyer's, but I didn't find it very convincing.

-I love love love the ending of this episode. Watching it the first time, just before Kate picks Aaron up and says his name I gasped out loud "No way, is that Aaron?!" That little boy looks JUST like Claire too. Excellent casting.

Best lines:

LOCKE: You may think this is a democracy, Kate, because of the way Jack ran things, but this is not a democracy.

KATE: Well, I guess that makes it a dictatorship.

LOCKE: If I was a dictator, I would just shoot you, and go about my day. Dinner's at six if you're hungry.

3:21 Greatest Hits, 3:22 Through the Looking Glass

2009-11-27T19:55:00.002-05:00

3:21 Greatest Hits

I love the narrative style of this episode, centering around Charlie's most important memories. I love Charlie (moments of past weirdness aside) and if he had to die, I'm at least glad he got such a beautiful send-off.

-I never noticed before that Rousseau has the dynamite that she got while Sawyer was killing Anthony Cooper. Very cool little detail! Although it seems like a pretty big waste of explosives just to demonstrate the plan. They couldn't have explained that without an actual detonation?

-Oh, Charlie. He's one of the characters I most wanted to have a happy ending. I hope we'll be seeing him in some capacity this season.

-Did Desmond really see Claire and Aaron get on the helicopter in his flashes? Or is he just telling Charlie this to get him to do what's necessary? I tend to believe Desmond, because I just don't think he's malicious enough to lie about something so important. I hope we'll see the helicopter rescue happen.

-I think I've mentioned this before, but in season 1 Charlie says he can't swim, and now he can. Writing error, or alternate timeline?

-As Charlie is about to jump to his dad in the pool you can hear a child in the background say "Come on, let's go Desmond!" Did Desmond and Charlie swim in the same pool as children?

-I had never noticed that Charlie's Drive Shaft ring is shaped like a compass (two arrows intersecting) - an important symbol in Island mythology.

-Charlie loses a shoe on his dive down to the Looking Glass, like Christian's corpse lost a shoe during the crash of 815.

Best lines:

JACK: So tomorrow night we stop hiding, we stop running, we stop living in fear of them, because when they show up, we're gonna blow 'em all to hell.

3:22 Through The Looking Glass

The season finales are always good, but this one is my favorite ever (so far, anyway!) The last scene is truly mind-blowing and literally changed the entire arc of the show.

-I realize he had a gun pointed at his head and was really scared, but why did Bernard tell the whole truth about where the Losties went? Couldn't he have misdirected them just a bit?

-In retrospect it's fun to see the clues that told us that the flashbacks in this episode are actually flash forwards. The newspaper Jack reads on the plane (containing Jeremy Bentham's obituary) is from April 2007. Jack's cell phone is a model that didn't come out until 2007. And the name of the funeral parlor, Hoffs/Drawlar, is an anagram for "flash forward."

-A connection I had never noticed before: off the Island Jack is repeatedly trying to make a phone call (which we eventually learn is to Kate). On the Island he's also trying to make a phone call (trying to get the sat phone to work.) The results of both calls are completely opposite, mirror images: in the present everyone is overjoyed that they finally manage to contact the freighter; in the future Jack reaches Kate and meets her at the airport, tearfully yelling at her that they have to go back.

-In his car Jack listens to "Scentless Apprentice" by Nirvana. Finally, an age-appropriate song choice!

-Why was Jack so surprised that no one else came to the funeral? Not many people knew who Jeremy Bentham was.

-Both Jack and Locke come close to committing suicide, and they are both distracted at the last minute. This also happens to Michael in season 4.

-For once Ben is actually telling the truth when he says that Naomi is not there to rescue everyone - although he conveniently forgets to mention that what she really wants is to capture him.

-OK, I know this is annoying, but I have to do some nitpicking about Charlie's death. First, how did he know which sequence of "Good Vibrations" to enter for the passcode? The line he uses is from the bridge, right in the middle of the song, kind of a weird choice. Also, why does Charlie shut the hatch door and seal himself inside the control room? He would have had plenty of time to get the scuba gear on and swim out with Desmond before the whole hatch flooded. The only explanation I can come up with is that maybe he knew he had to die in order for Claire and Aaron to get rescued as Desmond foresaw.

-Another detail about Charlie's death that has been much discussed is the fact that he makes the sign of the cross, but uses his left hand, not his right (as is proper.) It could be a mistake, but I kind of like the explanation that it was intended to be a mirror image - so many other aspects of this episode are in line with that idea.

-It is SO cathartic to see Jack pummel Ben. Ben sure knows how to take a beating.

-Goodbye Tom. See you in season 4!

-Kate tells Sawyer she wants to go back to see if Jin, Bernard and Sayid are OK and Sawyer tries to talk her out of it - much like Jack tells Kate they have to go back to help those they left on the Island and she doesn't want to go.

-The moment where we realize that the flashback was actually a flash-forward is definitely in my top 10 of LOST moments. So, so cool.

Best lines:

SAWYER: [after shooting Tom] That's for taking the kid off the raft.

HURLEY: Dude it was over, he surrendered.

SAWYER: I didn't believe him.

--------

KATE: Jin, Bernard and Sayid, they should have caught up to us by now. I wanna go back to make sure they're all right.

SAWYER: Course you do.

KATE: What's that supposed to mean?

SAWYER: It means, Kate, there's always someone to go back for.

--------

KATE: Saw you on the news. Still pulling people out of burning wreckage, huh?

JACK: Old habits.

--------
JACK: We have to go back, Kate. We have to go back!

3:17 Catch-22, 3:18 D.O.C., 3:19 The Brig, 3:20 The Man Behind the Curtain

2009-11-25T12:40:00.001-05:00

3:17 Catch-22

-Finally, we learn why Desmond calls everyone "brother!"

-The father of the monastery explains that on Mount Moriah, Abraham was tested by God to see if he would sacrifice his son Isaac (who later became Jacob's father), and he says it was a test of faith and patience. By that definition, Desmond's experiences in the hatch could definitely be called an Abrahamic test. When Abraham takes Isaac to the mountain top he is all set to kill him on an altar but at the last minute a ram gets stuck in a bush nearby and God tells him to kill the ram instead. When Desmond takes Charlie to swim down to the Looking Glass, he tries to take his place at the last minute, but Charlie won't let him.

-Desmond's ex-fiancée is named Ruth. In the Bible Ruth is the daughter-in-law of Naomi. We'll see another Naomi soon!

-Does the Father know about the Island? The photo on his desk of Eloise Hawking (which is a horrible Photoshop job!) would suggest that maybe he does. And speaking of Ms. Hawking, she's someone else who sacrificed her son.

-I was having serious Flashforward déjà vu during this one. The way Desmond tries to make his flashes happen or tries to avoid them reminds me so much of that show.

-It strikes me as slightly ridiculous to go on a camping trip when they're ALREADY ALL CAMPING.

-During ghost story time around the campfire, Hurley tells a story about the Chupacabra, which was one of many fan theories about the smoke monster. The writers love to toy with us. No, it's not a dinosaur...no, they're not all dead...no, it's not all in Hurley's mind. And no, it's not the Chupacabra.

-It cracks me up that we can tell Jin's story is about the hook man, even though he's telling it in Korean.

-The most super awesome idea ever is one I read on Nikki Stafford's blog, in one of the comments. What if the man who touched Desmond and led him to become a monk was...Jacob? That just blew your mind, didn't it?

-The title Catch-22 refers to the novel by Joseph Heller, which I wrote several papers on in college (aren't you glad? :D ) It takes place during World War II, and is distinctive for using a non-chronological structure, and for using multiple characters' points of view. "Catch-22" is a rule imposed on the fighter pilots: if you are crazy, you can get out of flying dangerous missions - all you have to do is ask. But if you're sane enough to worry about you're safety, clearly you're not crazy. Therefore no one can get out of flying missions. The expression originated with the book, which I think is pretty cool. In this episode, the catch-22 is that Desmond needs Charlie to find the crashed parachutist (who he believes to be Penny), but if he brings Charlie along, Charlie will be killed and won't be able to help him find the parachutist.

-If I'm remembering correctly, we still don't know why Naomi had information about Desmond with her. Their "primary objective" was to capture Ben. Did Penny somehow get through to Naomi, asking her to find him? This is unlikely though, since when Charlie speaks to her she has no idea who Naomi is. So it must have been Widmore...but what motive would he have in finding Desmond?

Best lines:
SAWYER: Hope I'm not interrupting. You two arguing over who's your favorite Other?

3:18 D.O.C.

-Mikhail is still alive?! The dude has got to be immortal somehow.

-Jin lying that his father is dead seems a bit over the top to me. Is being from a lower class really that shameful still in Korea?

-When Sun goes into his father's office, they are talking about the Hanso Foundation.

-Seeing Sun humbly ask her father for money is SUCH a contrast to the scene where she informs him that she has bought out the company and he will now answer to her.

-Mikhail reports that Naomi said "Thank you for helping me," but what she really said was "I'm not alone" in Portugese.

-Sun is presented with a catch-22: either the baby is Jin's and she will die, and if she is to live, the baby can't be Jin's. Her reaction when she finds out the baby is Jin's is very sweet. I think any mom who has had an ultrasound can relate to that moment when you first see a picture of your baby, it's amazing.

-As usual the medical information Juliet gives Sun is horribly inaccurate, but that's pretty normal for a TV show, so I'll try not to hold it against her.

-I love Desmond's comment to Charlie that "by my count, you've killed more of them than they've killed of you." It's true. So who are the real bad guys?

-Naomi reveals that their plane has already been found, and everyone inside was dead. THUD. All kinds of alternate timeline theories and general mayhem immediately ensue!

3:19 The Brig

-It's hard for me to understand why Locke is unable to kill his father. He has no problem killing Mikhail (although his attempt failed) and later he kills Naomi without flinching. And he seems happy to have Sawyer do the dirty work for him. Maybe this has something to do with "the rules" we've heard so much about from Ben and Widmore.

-The scene where Sawyer kills Anthony Cooper is out of this world. Cooper is pure evil; when he reads Sawyer's letter and says "blah blah blah", then rips the letter in pieces - WOW. I think I would have strangled him too. Cooper says that they're in hell, a nod to another popular fan theory. "A little hot for heaven, isn't it?"

-Again, I wonder how Naomi knows the whole story about Desmond and Penny. Maybe Widmore told her to tell Desmond that Penny sent her in order to gain his trust?

3:20 The Man Behind the Curtain

Although I've been watching since season 1, this is the first LOST episode I ever blogged about. It's fun to look back and see what my initial impressions were and how much has changed since then.

A Ben-centric episode! There is so much history in this one, which is so refreshing compared to the rest of season 3 up to this point. Finally, some answers! "The man behind the curtain" is another reference to "The Wizard of Oz," where the Wizard was actually an illusion, controlled by a man behind a curtain pulling levers and pushing buttons. The question here is who is really secretly controlling things? Is it Ben, or someone else?

-It's official: Ben was not born on the Island, but outside of Portland (where Richard Alpert told Juliet she would be working for Mittleos Bioscience.)

-Ben's mother is named Emily. Emily is also Locke's mother's name.

-When little Ben first speaks to Richard Alpert (who looks very hippie-like) Richard is surprised to hear that Ben was able to see and talk to someone who died off the Island. Is this what told Richard that Ben would be their leader?

-The biggest question left unsolved is Annie. What happened to her? I hope we'll find out this season.

-Jacob's cabin is one of my favorite recurring themes of the entire show. As soon as those peeper frogs start peeping I get chills. Now that we know that Ben has never actually spoken with Jacob, who was in the cabin? And why did he ask Locke for help? I'm betting on the man in black.

3:13 The Man From Tallahassee, 3:14 Exposé, 3:15 Left Behind, 3:16 One of Us

2009-11-24T10:41:00.001-05:00

3:13 The Man From Tallahassee

-We finally find out why Locke was in a wheelchair, and WOW. It was much more dramatic than I ever expected. No wonder Locke has issues; his dad isn't just a con man, he's pure evil. It's even more meaningful after season 5, where we saw that after falling from the building Locke was brought back to life by Jacob.

-I love how Locke is the only one who keeps his cool about Jack seemingly joining the Others. "I'm sure he has a good reason."

-Jack has a Dangerous Minds moment with Kate, sitting backwards on a chair and staring her down. Jack also uses the same greeting as when he was in the shark tank, "They hurt you?"

-It's interesting that Locke is angry with Ben for using so much technology the Island. Ben later says that Jacob doesn't like technology when he bring Locke to the cabin. However, we see in season 5 that Jacob actually does use technology quite a bit - he's weaving on a loom (an ancient form, but tehnology nonetheless) and he flies on airplanes. Maybe it's not Jacob that is anti-technology - maybe it's the man in black? Since he's the one who eventually uses Locke's body, it makes sense that he would be the one Locke is actually communing with on the Island.

-Once again, Ben lies about having been born on the Island. Why is this such an important detail to him?

-It's obvious that Ben has no intention of keeping his promise as Juliet tearfully thanks him for letting her finally go home. So devious.

-The moment when Locke blows up the submarine cements Jack's hatred for him. Talk about burning bridges. After watching this scene it's not so hard to imagine why Jack later puts a gun to Locke's head and pulls the trigger.

-Watching Locke get into his wheelchair for the first time is just excruciating. Terry O'Quinn is such a masterful actor. His nurse's line stands out: "I don't want to hear about what you can't do."

-Still unanswered - how did they get Anthony Cooper to the Island at just the right time? Ben later explains that the Magic Box is a metaphor, but a metaphor for what?

-Ben tells Locke he is "very, very important." Is this true, or is Ben being manipulative?

-When Locke sees his father and says "Dad?" it reminds me of Jack seeing his father and saying the same thing. We've heard "Dad?" several times - from Jack, from Claire (when she sees Christian in the jungle holding Aaron), and from (allegedly) Walt on the computer with Michael.

Best lines:

LOCKE: The man from Tallahassee? What is that? Some kind of code?

BEN: No, John, unfortunately we don't have a code for "There's a man in my closet with a gun to my daughter's head." Although we obviously should.

3:14 Exposé

Here it is: one of the most hated episodes of the entire show. But you know what? I like it. Yes, it adds precisely nothing to the overall story, and yes, Nikki and Paulo are annoying and despicable, but as a self-contained episode it's very well written, and I love the ending. I couldn't pick two nicer people to be buried alive.

-Nikki says "I'm just a guest star, and we all know what happens to guest stars." Shout out to Ana Lucia, Dr. Arzt, Libby, and many others. Not to mention Nikki herself.

-On the plane, you'd think Nikki and Paulo would have been flying first class. Then they would have died in the pilot and we never would have met them. We can only dream.

-I'm ashamed not to have noticed this myself, but I read it on The Lost Forum - at the airport Nikki and Paulo overhear Shannon and Boone arguing and Nikki says "Promise me we'll ever end up like them." They end up EXACTLY like them - dead.

-Dr. Arzt's exclamation that "the pigs are walking!" is a reference to Animal Farm, a passage that explains that the oppressed become like their oppressors.

-Because I am a nerd, I had to look up whether the Medusa spider is a real species. It's not.

-Why did Nikki run toward the beach when she knew she was going to be paralyzed? If she had just hidden in the jungle she would have been fine. So I guess it's a good thing she's not too bright.

Best lines:

HURLEY: That's evidence. You're messing up the crime scene.

SAWYER: Crime scene? There a forensics hatch I don't know about?

3:15 Left Behind

-The title is so apt for Kate, who is constantly being left behind by someone, and it applies to Juliet as well.

-I never noticed before that there is a Mouse Trap game in the rec room where Kate is being held. If she was Locke she'd be playing with it.

-Juliet takes Kate DOWN! Ouch. Kate is pretty tough, but somehow Juliet is able to thoroughly beat her without much effort.

-I love love love the subplot of Hurley scamming Sawyer. For a conman Sawyer sure can be gullible. The idea that someone could get voted out of the group is so ludicrous (maybe Hurley's a survivor fan?) but Sawyer believes him right away.

-The song playing at the bar where Kate and Cassidy have a drink is another great choice: "I'm restless again." But why is Cassidy having a stiff drink? She's pregnant!

-Juliet mirrors Cassidy in this episode - Cassidy was left behind by Sawyer, and Juliet was left behind by her people. The similarities are more meaningful now that we know that Juliet and Sawyer end up together.

-Kate and Juliet mud wrestling reminds me. Listening to a podcast recently I learned about movie mud. Apparently because of liability issues, TV and film crews can't use real mud off the ground to cover actors in - they have to buy fake mud, which is free of germs and stuff. And it's really expensive. Who would have guessed?

-Speaking of that (fake) mud, if I were Juliet or Kate I would have gone back to New Otherton to take a shower. Where are they going to wash on the beach?

-When the Smoke Monster surrounds Kate and Juliet it makes strange flashes of light, almost like a flash on a camera. We've never seen this before, but Locke did describe the Monster to Eko as a bright light, and Eko responded "that is not what I saw." Are we talking about two different entities here? Could it be recording information to bring back to someone else?

Best lines:

SAWYER: [To Aaron] Hey there, little baby ...Aaron.

CLAIRE: Is er, is there anything I can do for you?

SAWYER: No. I just came by to say, your baby's... he's not as wrinkly as he was a couple weeks ago.

3:16 One of Us

-Juliet tells Sayid "If I told you everything I know, you'd kill me." What is she referring to?

-I still don't understand all of the details behind how Claire got sick at just the right time. Was it all planned this way from the time they kidnapped her? I'm not sure I buy it.

-Juliet meets Richard at Herarat Aviation. Herarat is an anagram for Earhart. I hadn't noticed before that they had told her they were going to fly to the secret location, but as we know she gets there on the submarine. Tricky.

-I'm now convinced that Rachel never really had a cancer relapse. I think Ben falsified all the information to convince Juliet that she did to make her more desperate. Ben claims that Jacob promised to heal Rachel, but as we now know, Jacob has never told Ben anything.

-Another point I've brought up before is Claire's apparent illness not lining up with the evidence of what we know about pregnant women on the Island. Women who conceive on the Island are in danger, but Claire was already pregnant when their plane crashed. I think Claire's treatments have more to do with Aaron being unique in some way than with the Island's propensity to kill pregnant women.

-I love it when Juliet calls out Sayid and Sawyer: "Interesting that you two are now the camp's moral police." Oh, snap!

-Before we really knew what side she was on Juliet's questionable status was a fun mystery. On a rewatch though, it makes it kind of difficult to understand some of her choices.

-When Ben asks Juliet if she's all right and she says "I'm fine" you can see in her eyes how much she despises him. Great acting.

Best lines:

JACK: They'll come around. Just give them some time.

JULIET: My people kept Sayid chained to a swing-set for three days, then I dragged Kate into the jungle, handcuffed myself to her and lied about it. How much time do you think they need?

3:9 Stranger in a Strange Land, 3:10 Tricia Tanaka is Dead, 3:11 Enter 77, 3:12 Par Avion

2009-11-23T17:59:00.006-05:00

3:9 Stranger in a Strange Land

I've somehow lost my notes for this episode, which would be more of a problem if it weren't the WORST EPISODE EVER. Achara is slutty. Jack is personality-less. Juliet's trial and subsequent branding seem completely out of place and there's no follow up on them later on. We could skip this whole episode and nothing would be taken away from the season as a whole.

The one observation I can make is that the idea of Achara's tattoos defining who a person is fits in with a larger them on LOST about self-definition. Do we have the power to decide who we are - as Locke would put it, "Don't tell me what I can't do!" Or is everything we do fated by the person we are, whether we like it or not?

Also, Sawyer and Karl's little "man chat" in the jungle was fun.

Sorry, that's all I've got. Moving on...

3:10 Tricia Tanaka is Dead

This is another episode that doesn't add much to the overall story, but I have to admit, I love it. I love Hurley, and there are some nice light moments, which is so enjoyable on a show where light moments are relatively rare.

-The meteor hitting Hurley's restaurant is simultaneously horrible and hilarious. Seriously? A meteor? Lostpedia reports that it was the most expensive scene the show has ever shot. Worth it!

-Hurley's mom cracks me up! When she says "I have needs" and Hurley cringes I cringe along with him. So funny.

-The scenes with Roger Workman's skeleton also crack me up. Now that we know how his body got there it shouldn't be funny at all - he was a bad father and had a terrible death - but it's funny anyway, especially when his head falls off. Funny/horrible, just like the meteor.

-Sawyer is in rare form with his nicknaming - Jin-bo, Jumbotron, Jiminy Cricket, International House of Pancakes, Skeletor - all classic.

-When they get the van running and drive it around the meadow it's one of my favorite scenes ever. It's so happy and fun, in a place where not a lot of happy and fun happens.

Best lines:

SAWYER: Slate. Like on Little House?

KATE: What?

SAWYER: Little House on the Prairie? Laura Ingalls used to write on this little chalkboard at school.

KATE: [laughing] You call it "Little House"?

3:11 Enter 77

-Sawyer calling Paulo "Zorro" made me laugh out loud. Ditto when he says to Nikki "Who the hell are you?" Exactly what all of us are thinking, Sawyer.

-Rousseau says "I'll wait for those of you who survive." She's kind of a Debbie Downer sometimes. (Wah wah.)

-Mikhail says the Dharma Initiative wiped out the hostiles, but we now know it was the reverse.

-I love how Locke just can't resist that chess game waiting on the computer. Once a gamer, always a gamer! Is he really playing against the computer, or is he really playing against an unidentified person?

-Why in the world do Kate and Sayid drink the iced tea Mikhail gives them? That's not very smart, and they are probably the two smartest characters when it comes to these types of situations.

-Sayid's flashbacks with Amira (the woman he tortured during the war) are somewhat forgettable, but I found it very moving this time. Even though I knew he was lying, I SO wanted to believe Sayid that he was telling the truth, that it wasn't him who tortured her so brutally. You can tell he almost believes it himself.

-It's Bea Klugh! Weirdest minor character ever! I was wondering what she and Mikhail said to each other in Russian, and here's how Lostpedia translates it:

MS. KLUGH: Mikhail! You know what to do.

MIKHAIL: We still have another way out.

...

MS. KLUGH: We cannot risk it.

MIKHAIL: No.

MS. KLUGH: You know the conditions.

MIKHAIL: There is another way.

MS. KLUGH: They captured us. We will not let them to get into the territory. You know what to do. That's an order!

MIKHAIL: We still have another way!

...and then he shoots her. I do wonder why Mikhail asked Sayid to shoot him. Is it because he can't die? Or does it take 3 times to really finish him off?

Best lines:

LOCKE: I’ve played a lot of computers and I’m pretty sure they don’t know how to cheat. That’s what makes being human so distinctly wonderful.

3:12 Par Avion

-I'm probably being slow again here, but I had never connected the title with Claire's message which she sends "Air Mail" by attaching it to a bird. (Although literally "par avion" means "by airplane".)

-I had almost forgotten that we got a big reveal in this episode - that Claire is Jack's sister. Very Luke and Leia! But at least Jack and Claire didn't have any romantic interactions. Ew.

-Mikhail says that Kate and Locke aren't on "the list", which was made by a "great man". It seems that he's referring to Jacob, but in season 5 we saw Jacob visit both Kate and Locke - and we are led to believe that he is the one who brought them to the Island. Is it possible that "Jacob's list" as we understand it wasn't actually created by Jacob at all, but forged by Ben? Ben says Jacob has never spoken to him, so that explanation might work.

-One detail that bugs me: Australia has universal health care, so they would not have needed Christian's money to fund Carole's stay in the hospital. We forget that it's only in the US that an accident can bankrupt a family. OK, I'll step down from my political soapbox now.

-Here I go, nitpicking again - but if Kate, Sayid, etc could just climb over the top of the pylon and avoid the sonic fence's wrath, why couldn't the smoke monster just go over it?

-The only reason Kate is the first one to climb over the fence is because Jack and Sawyer are not around. They would never stand for that!

-Again...how in the world is Mikhail still alive after hemorrhaging blood from his ears?

-Claire working in a tattoo shop mirrors Jack's recent tattoo shop experience.

-Christian tells Claire she shouldn't keep her mother alive just because she feels guilty. Is Jack's guilt what brought Christian (and maybe even Locke) back to life?

-It's such a creepy moment when they watch Jack playing football with the Others, and being all buddy-buddy with Juliet. What the what?

Best lines:

CHRISTIAN: Claire, Claire listen to me. Do not keep your mother alive for the wrong reasons. Now there is hope and there is guilt. And believe me, I know the difference.

--------

CHARLIE (reading Claire's letter): To whom it may concern, we are survivors of Oceanic Flight 815. We have survived on this island for 80 days. We were 6 hours into the flight when the pilot said we were off course and turned back towards Fiji. We hit turbulence and crashed. We’ve been waiting here, all this time, waiting for rescue that has not come. We do not know where we are, we only know you have not found us. We’ve done our best to live on this island. Some of us have come to accept that we may never leave it. Not all of us have survived since the crash, but there is new life too, and with it, there is hope. We are alive. Please don’t give up on us.

3:5 The Cost of Living, 3:6 I Do, 3:7 Not In Portland, 3:8 Flashes Before Your Eyes

2009-11-22T16:33:00.001-05:00

3:5 The Cost of Living

-I think it's safe to say that Eko had the worst childhood of anyone else on the Island - and that's saying a lot. Everyone has daddy issues, but kidnapped and forced into being a child soldier probably wins in just about any contest.

-Hurley remarks "Do you guys smell smoke?" - a clue that the smoke monster is going to have a big role in this story. I think it's fun that we usually get a clue about smoke before we see the monster (a smoke alarm beeping, or a sign that says "no smoking.")

-Colleen's funeral has Buddhist overtones to it - everyone is dressed in white - but the way they send her body out to burn on a raft also seems rather Nordic. We've had hints in season 5 that dead bodies left unattended on the Island are not a good idea; maybe this is why they send bodies off the Island.

-Maybe I'm being a bit slow, but I had never realized before that the images Eko sees in flashes while the smoke monster surrounds him are all of people he has killed. Is the SM ultimately just concerned with murder?

-Again, maybe this is obvious, but there is no way Jack saw those x-rays by accident.

-The scene where Juliet is holding the signs on video tape to give Jack her secret message is one of my favorites - realizing that she might not be totally on board with what Ben is doing is a big twist.

-Who else does Juliet resemble? Ben tells Jack that they chose her to question him because she looks like Sarah. But we know that Juliet also looks like someone from Ben's past (Harper says Ben is nice to her because "you look just like her.") Who is it?

Best lines:

EKO: I did not ask for the life that I was given. But it was given, nonetheless. And with it... I did my best.

-------

BEN: I'm telling you this, Jack, because my wonderful plan got shot to sunshine when you saw my damned x-rays and figured out I was dying.

JACK: All of this... you brought me here to operate on you. You... you want me to save your life?

BEN: No, I want you to want to save my life. But we're beyond that now, so... all I can ask is that you think about it. Do you believe in God, Jack?

JACK: Do you?

BEN: Two days after I found out I had a fatal tumor on my spine, a spinal surgeon fell out of the sky. And if that's not proof of God, I don't know what is.

3:6 I Do

-The song "Slowly" is such a cool choice for Kate's flashback. Lostpedia points out that it's one of only two times a song has played on the soundtrack that the characters are not listening to (the other is "I Shall Not Walk Alone" during season 1.)

-Ben's plan to get Jack's cooperation is impeccable: get Kate to convince him, and if that doesn't work, convince Jack that Kate doesn't care about him, so he will give up all hope and agree to do the surgery just to get away from her. He knows that Jack wouldn't leave without Kate otherwise. So twisted, and so brilliant.

-Jack's behavior when he learns about Kate and Sawyer is very different than the way he reacted to his wife's betrayal. With Sarah he hounded her for explanations, contested the divorce, and just would not let it go. With Kate, he just wants to leave, and vows to come back and rescue her. Maybe he is growing after all.

-Locke notices that Eko's scripture stick says "Lift up your eyes and look north." Underneath that it says John 3:05, which refers to this verse: "Jesus answered, 'I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.'"

-Kate's captivity on Hydra island is a nice parallel to her feelings of being stuck in her marriage with Kevin in her flashbacks. It's those kinds of connections that make Lost so amazing.

-Whose voice told Jack to try the door? It kind of sounds like Alex to me.

-There must be some force on the Island that makes it possible for men to grow beards, but makes it impossible for women to grow armpit or leg hair. Even Rousseau is clean and smooth, and she's French for crying out loud!

-Ben says "See you on the other side" as he goes under for surgery, which is the same thing Anthony Cooper says to Locke before his kidney transplant.

-Kate's pregnancy scare is one of several we see on the show - Sarah has one right before she and Jack split up, and Kate has another one in season 4.

-A lot of drugging goes on too. Kate drugs Kevin, Sun drugs Michael, Kate (again) drugs Jack. That's another topic I'll be writing about soon.

-We hear the first mention of Jacob, from Pickett, who says "Shephard wasn't even on Jacob's list." Little did we know how important Jacob would be!

-Speaking of Skaters, they finally got their wish when Kate and Sawyer have some alone time in Sawyer's cage. Or at least they think it's alone time.

Best lines:

KATE: Taco night? I don't do taco night!

-------

JACK: You needed to be in surgery yesterday.

BEN: Alright, then. Whatever you need, it's yours. I'm ready.

JACK: I think you misunderstood me. I didn't say I was gonna do it. I just wanted you to understand how you're gonna die.

...

BEN: Well, Jack. I'm very disappointed in your decision.

JACK: Well, Ben. At least you won't have to be disappointed for very long.

3:7 Not In Portland

-Yay, Juliet's first episode! I didn't like Juliet at first, but seeing her back story provides so much insight into her motivations, and makes her a much more sympathetic character. Now she's one of my favorites.

-What is it with showing needles being stabbed into tummies on this show? Ouch! I'm so glad when I did IVF that the needles (at least the ones that went into my belly) were MUCH smaller than the one Juliet sticks Rachel with.

-Speaking of Rachel, I'm sure her name is not an accident. The Biblical Rachel was the second wife of Jacob. He fell in love with her first but was tricked into marrying her sister Leah. Rachel was infertile, and Jacob still loved her more than Leah, which in those times was a big deal, since a woman's worth was determined entirely by her ability to produce male children. Rachel eventually conceives twice (her first son was Joseph, of the coat of many colors story) and dies while giving birth to Benjamin.

-We get our first look at Room 23, the room where they threatened to put Walt if he didn't behave. So creepy and cultish.

-Once again, we see a character behave completely different on Island and off Island. Juliet is so calculating and hardened on the Island - she does what needs to be done without flinching, like when she shoots Danny and doesn't even blink - but in her flashback she is so vulnerable and afraid, hiding from her ex-husband and letting him control her life. She seems much stronger on the Island, but at the same time, we know she is being held against her will and controlled by Ben.

-I'm intrigued by the CT scan Richard Alpert shows Juliet. She says they appear to be the womb of an elderly woman, and he tells her the woman is actually 26. What on the Island would cause this? So far we've seen many women die during pregnancy, but early menopause wouldn't cause this - it would cause a complete inability to conceive. We also know that the Island makes men super fertile. What is behind all of this? I hope we'll find out.

-Richard tells Juliet she's "special" - something we've also heard him say to Locke. What exactly does it mean?

-Tania Raymonde is so great as Alex, but I always have flashbacks to Malcolm in the Middle when I see her. So funny.

-I love the scene where Jack has Kate tell him the story he told her the first time they met. It's so well done by both actors. It's scenes like this that make it impossible for me to decide whether I'm a Jater or a Skater.

-Ed getting hit by the bus = pure awesomeness. Every. Time.

-When Juliet tells Jack that Ben promised her she could go home, it's the first time that Jack realizes that he and Juliet are on the same side.

Best lines:

JULIET: Can my sister come?

ALPERT: Won't work. We're pretty remote. She wouldn't have access to the treatment that she needs.

JULIET: But, it's Portland. There's plenty of clinics and...

ALPERT: Well, actually we're not quite in Portland.

3:8 Flashes Before Your Eyes

-In some ways, this is the episode that changed it all. It's the first use of time travel as a plot device - although Desmond's experience is more mental than physical.

-There has got to be a reason we've never seen Desmond's father (or his mother, come to think of it.) Since parental issues are such a big deal on the show, our lack of knowledge about Desmond's childhood is a glaring omission. All we know is that Desmond helped his mother take care of his brothers because his father wasn't around, but we don't know why. I'd be willing to bet that we'll find out more in season 6.

-When Desmond sees Charlie busking on the street, he's singing "Wonderwall" : "Maybe you're gonna be the one that saves me." And as we know, Desmond IS the one that saves Charlie, several times. (And it's the first song I learned to play on the guitar, I'm sure that's the real reason the writers used it.)

-Desmond's interactions with Charles Widmore have so much more meaning now that we know more about Widmore's history with the Island. It makes me wonder if Widmore knew that Desmond would play an important role, or if he's really just acting out of pure spite.

-Eloise Hawking is one of the coolest characters of all time. Just brilliant.

-We get yet another Wizard of Oz reference - the man wearing red shoes is crushed under a collapsing building and only his shoes are sticking out, just like the Wicked Witch who is crushed by Dorothy's house.

-Ms. Hawking introduces us to the concept of the universe "course correcting." I have a feeling this is going to play a big role in the final season - can the Losties change things through free will or are they at the mercy of the universe/fate?

-Ms. Hawking says that Desmond has to go to the Island or "all of us are dead." Does she mean pushing the button was really saving the world? Or does Desmond have something else to do that we haven't seen yet?

-The only bad thing about this episode is that we find out Charlie is going to die. Waaah!

Best lines:

MS. HAWKING: You don't buy the ring, Desmond.

DESMOND: How do you know my name?

MS. HAWKING: Well, I know your name as well as I know that you that don't ask Penny to marry you. In fact, you break her heart. Well, breaking her heart is, of course, what drives you in a few short years from now to enter that sailing race -- to prove her father wrong -- which brings you to the island where you spend the next 3 years of your life entering numbers into the computer until you are forced to turn that failsafe key. And if you don't do those things, Desmond David Hume, every single one of us is dead. So give me that sodding ring.

--------

MS. HAWKING: That man over there is wearing red shoes.

DESMOND: So, what then?

MS. HAWKING: Just thought it was a bold fashion choice worth noting.

3:1 A Tale of Two Cities, 3:2 The Glass Ballerina, 3:3 Further Instructions, 3:4 Every Man For Himself

2009-11-21T14:14:00.006-05:00

3:1 A Tale of Two Cities

The season openers never disappoint! Seeing Juliet burn muffins and host book club reminds me of the season 2 opener with Desmond in the hatch - in both we have no idea what we're watching and where these people are until the camera zooms out. And one short scene introduces so many new questions. How did the Others get to this seemingly blissful suburban existence, where they all wear button-down pastel shirts, go to book club, and repair each other's plumbing? Are they really "the good guys", and if so, how can they do all the vicious and deceptive things they do? If we understood their motivations, would we do the same?

-"Downtown" is such a weird song choice for Juliet, and in a later episode we see her listening to it in her car too. What is she, 60 years old?

-Adam, the snobby book club member, cracks me up when he says that science fiction "is not even literature...there's no metaphor." I can just see the writers snickering as they wrote that line.

-In his flashback, Jack is also listening to music that isn't age appropriate - Glen Miller's "Midnight Serenade,' the same song Hurley and Sayid pick up on the radio.

-It drives me crazy that Sarah won't just tell Jack who she's seeing. Maybe it really is Christian?

-Jack drives me just as crazy with his inability to JUST LET THINGS GO. Although to be fair, that particular quality serves him well at times, his personal life aside.

-Jack running into the glass wall is super hilarious, and reminds me of a bird smacking into a window (à la Walt in Australia and Room 23.)

-Juliet has Jack pegged right away: "I don't think you're stupid, I think you're stubborn."

-Kate asks Tom "Where are Sawyer and Jack?" and she asks Ben "What did you do with Sawyer and Jack?" Very interesting that she asked about Sawyer first, and of course Ben picks up on this.

-I'm pretty sure Ben had Kate wear Alex's dress purely for Sawyer's benefit.

-After all of these scenes with Juliet questioning Jack in the shark tank, I was convinced she was a psychologist. She's very good at getting him to tell her things.

-I had forgotten Ben actually leaves Juliet behind to drown after Jack opens the underwater hatch door. Is this because he is still angry with her about her affair with Goodwin?

-There is no way they'd be able to shut that door with all the water pressure behind it.

-Very funny that Juliet captures Sawyer after his attempt to escape, since they end up together in season 5.

-It's so sweet when Sawyer shares his fish biscuit with Kate, but I always wonder - why is she hungry? Didn't she just have breakfast with Ben?

Best lines:

JULIET: It doesn't matter who we were. It only matters who we are. We know exactly who you are, Jack Shephard.
--------

TOM: Hey, you got yourself a fish biscuit. How'd you do that?

SAWYER: I figured out your complicated gizmos, that's how.

TOM: [exiting] Only took the bears 2 hours.

3:2 The Glass Ballerina

-There is a metronome on Sun's piano. We also see this symbol of timekeeping on Daniel Faraday's piano as he practices as a child.

-Sun looking at herself in the mirror is similar to Juliet looking at herself at the beginning of "A Tale of Two Cities." Mirrors are another big symbol on LOST which I'm going to blog more about soon.

-Sayid says there are tracks on the dock - how do you see tracks on a wooden dock? Was it really dusty?

-When Sun breaks the ballerina it foreshadows the way Jae will die.

-I had forgotten that we didn't know until this episode that Sun really had cheated on Jin.

-It's funny to me that Sawyer and Kate are pretty much whispering to each other - those cages are pretty far apart.

-Juliet is so convincingly calculating when she holds that gun to Kate.

-Ben decides to introduce himself "honestly" - and of course his honest introduction includes a big fat lie: "I've lived on this Island all my life."

-Ben tells Jack that he sent Walt and Michael home, but promises to take him home if he cooperates. Did Ben plan to go along with him?

-Ben gives us the exact date - November 29, 2001, which means the Losties have now been on the Island for 69 days.

-The look on Jack's face when he sees the Red Sox win the World Series is priceless. Matthew Fox is so good.

Best lines:

SAWYER: I noticed something else, too. You taste like strawberries.

KATE: You taste like fish biscuits.

3:3 Further Instructions

-The first shot of Locke's eye, then zooming back to see him lying on the jungle floor is reminiscent of the first shot of season 1.

-Naked Desmond running through the jungle always reminds me of the story of Adam and Eve, but instead of a fig leaf, he gets Hurley's tie-dye shirt.

-Locke's inability to speak mirrors Eko's voluntary vow of silence in season 2.

-Like Eko's dreams, Locke's presents us with the question of who gave it to him? Was it from Jacob, the man in black, or someone/thing else entirely? It is interesting to me that this voice is telling Locke to save Mr. Eko - because at least one other force on the Island (the smoke monster) decides to kill him.

-When Locke is being dragged up the escalator we hear the same sound the smoke monster made as it dragged him into its hole. (Thanks Lostpedia for confirming this!)

-The discussion of whether Locke is a hunter or a farmer has Biblical implications - and guess who it refers to? That's right - Jacob and Esau. Genesis says "Esau became a hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a simple man, a dweller in tents." Throughout the Old Testament, hunters are seen in a negative light, so it's interesting that Locke wants so badly to be a hunter.

-The commune leader says he likes Geronimo Jackson. Could he have ties to the DI?

-Ahh, Nikki and Paulo. How I love to hate you both.

Best lines:

CHARLIE (to Locke): So you're gone for a whole day after a massive hatch detonation -- you don't call, you don't write?
-----
DESMOND: The failsafe key must have detonated the electromagnetic anomaly -- made the hatch implode.

HURLEY: You didn't implode.

DESMOND: No.

HURLEY: You're not going to, like, turn into the Hulk, or something

3:4 Every Man for Himself

-I can't help it - I always wonder where Jack is going to the bathroom while he's in the shark tank. They addressed that problem when Ben was being held captive in the hatch, so it's even more noticeable that they didn't address it here. Not a big deal, just one of those TV things.

-Sawyer is reading "Of Mice and Men" in prison, which he will later discuss with Ben. Maybe prison is where he developed his love for books?

-Juliet says "I'm a fertility doctor; I'm not used to death." We know now that this is patently untrue; all of her work on the Island has resulted in death.

-I have a hard time believing NO ONE would have noticed the Hydra island before this point, since it's pretty easy to see from the main Island. Especially since Desmond sailed all the way around, Sayid, Sun and Jin sailed around, etc.

-Is Evangeline Lilly an amazing climber or what? She makes getting out of that cage look easy.

-Ben cons Sawyer by pretending to give him a pacemaker. This reminds me of someone else who had an implant courtesy of Ben - Claire. Was hers real?

-Ben admits to Sawyer that this was all a con to keep him in the cage, but what he doesn't say is that it's all part of a long con - bringing Sawyer and Kate together so that Jack will do the surgery.

-A fun tidbit - the producers have said before that they kept Sawyer, Kate and Jack in cages for the first part of season 3 to symbolize the writers being "caged" - the network would not give them an end date for the show, so they didn't know how long they'd have to keep telling the story. The season 3 finale was made possible by the end date finally being announced.

Best lines:

PAULO: You play golf?

DESMOND: I'm Scottish.
-------

BEN: Your heart's not going to blow up, James. The only thing we put inside you was doubt.

2: 21 ?, 2:22 Three Minutes, 2:23 Live Together, Die Alone

2009-11-19T19:34:00.002-05:00

2:21 ?

-Once again, Eko is the Island's prophet, having crazy dreams. Now that we have a better idea of the forces at work on the Island, I wonder which one is giving him these dreams? Jacob? The man in black?

-Lending credence to the idea that the Island (or some force on it) is giving Eko the dreams: Eko did not know yet that Ana Lucia had been shot, but he saw it in his dream.

-As a priest, Eko says "To receive God's forgiveness you must be penitent." This is significant because later on, a very impenitant Eko will confront the smoke monster and be killed for his unwillingness to admit to his wrongdoings.

-Locke investigates the death of Charlotte Malkin, who apparently came back to life the next day - this foreshadows many other characters who seem to have come back from the dead. Also, Libby appears to be dead, and then suddenly starts breathing and coughing up blood. Death and resurrection are big themes on LOST...even bigger after season 5, where we see Locke die and come back to life twice (once after falling from the building his father pushed him out of, and once after Ben murders him.)

-The tape of Charlotte Malkin's autopsy is absolutely chilling. I don't blame the coroner for never wanting to hear it again.

-Locke dreams that he is Eko, foreshadowing Eko taking Locke's place pushing the button.

-Mr. Malkin says "Everyday I meet people looking for a miracle, desperate to find one. But there are none to be had. Not in this world, anyway." Does he know that miracles happen on the Island?

-What does Locke mean when he says that "Boone was a sacrifice that the Island demanded"? If he is right, what was the payoff for that sacrifice?

-Michael hanging around to watch Libby die is almost worse than the actual act of shooting her. It makes him seem truly sinister and calculating.

-Viewing the Pearl Orientation video is a seminal moment for Locke - he wants to believe so badly, but he feels betrayed and so he completely gives up.

-I am convinced that the true experiment was on the people in the Pearl, not the people in the Swan. Ahh, Dharma Initiative, so crafty.

-It's possible that Ben used the Pearl station to observe the Losties in the Swan hatch.

2:22 Three Minutes

-I feel so bad for Michael. He does some deplorable things, but you can just see the desperation in his eyes. He truly feels that he has no other choice, and he will pay for the ensuing guilt with his life.

-Ms. Klugh is one of the weirdest characters ever. Uber creepy.

-Again, we hear about a "list" and "good people." The four people on Michael's list are Sawyer, Kate, Jack, and Hurley, and as we know, they later let Hurley go. So I'm guessing that particular list was not a "good people" list. More like a "we can use you towards our own selfish purposes" list. Ben is definitely behind this one, not Jacob.

-I LOVE Nikki Stafford's idea that Walt asks Michael about Vincent first because he is able to project himself onto Vincent as he roams around the Island.

Best lines:

JACK: We were caught in a net.

SAWYER: What the hell is that supposed to mean?

JACK: It means we got caught in a net.

SAWYER: Is that what they're calling it these days?

2:23 Live Together, Die Alone

-A Desmond episode! Desmond episodes are my favorites, and here we finally get his back story, including his ill-fated love for Penny. I love every minute of it.

-I love Desmond's line "We're in a bloody snow globe!" A nice nod to all the snow globe theories out there (although I personally hope the whole series won't be explained with one of those.)

-Eko really has become Locke, and he proves it by saying "Do not tell me what I can't do."

-I love Libby's part in Desmond's story, and I will ignore any implications that her generosity implies that she is an Other (sticking my fingers in my ears and singing "LA LA LA!")

-Libby's husband's death explains why she was in Hurley's psych ward.

-The Hurley bird! Talk about random.

-We get our first glimpse of the four-toed statue! At the time it seemed like a passing oddity; little did we know how important it would become in Island mythology.

-If Michael says "He's my son" one more time, I'll blow him up myself.

-Michael still refers to the other Losties as "my friends." Really, Michael??

-Whenever I watch the scenes of Desmond and Kelvin in the hatch it reminds me of my life as a Mormon missionary. There are some big similarities - you spend all your time with one partner, who you did not choose; the work you do is repetitive, every day the same; you have strict rules to follow, and are forbidden to leave a certain area; and you never know if the work you're doing is having any positive effect, and it's only through faith or fear that you keep doing it anyway.

-I love Heroic Jack when he picks Kate up and tries to run away from the ambush. It's such a contrast to what he later becomes, resigned and angry.

-It's such a profound moment when Desmond realizes that pushing the button DID have an effect, and it's so gripping to watch - all season we've been wondering what would happen if they don't push it. This is my personal favorite moment of season 2.

-I love seeing Desmond stand up and sing "Don't Stop Believing" to Locke, it's so inspiring. Oh wait, I might be mixing this episode up with one I saw on "Glee." Sorry.

-At least Locke can admit it when he's spectacularly wrong - you could learn a few things from him, Jack!

-Once again, Ben tells Michael "We're the good guys." And again, we're left wondering - if they're the good guys, what in the world do the bad guys do?

-The big question for me - when Desmond turned the key, did the Island move? And was it that motion that enabled Widmore to find it and send the freighter?

Best lines:

LOCKE: No, it's not real. We're only puppets—puppets on strings. As long as we push it, we'll never be free.

-------later------

LOCKE: ....I was wrong.

LOCKE: So what did one snowman say to other snowman?

DESMOND: Smells like carrots.

PENELOPE: Hello.

MAN #1: Ms. Widmore?

PENELOPE: Yes.

MAN #1: It's us. I think we found it.

2:17 Lockdown, 2:18 Dave, 2:19 S.O.S., 2:20 Two for the Road

2009-11-19T17:24:00.000-05:00

2:17 Lockdown

-Lots of cool stuff in this episode! So much that my notes on it are horribly lacking because I was so engrossed in watching.

-I love the image of Locke being trapped under the blast door, not able to push the button - not because I'm a sadist, but because it's such an apt metaphor for Locke's life. He is incapacitated emotionally by his need for greatness, by his desire for his father's love. Invariably it is that gaping hole in his past that prevents him from making good choices and moving forward.

-We get a nice reference to one of the worst episodes ever - "where did you get your tattoos Jack? No really, please spend another 40 minutes or so telling us!"

-That brief glimpse of the black light map is pure awesomeness. How many of us paused our DVRs/DVDs at that moment?

-Ben is soooo busted! Nice work, Sayid!

2:18 Dave

-I love Hurley episodes. OK, I just love Hurley.

-Another theory debunked! The Island isn't all in Hurley's head. And I'm very glad it's not.

-There are a lot of theories out there about Libby being an Other. I don't really think so - I don't really have any evidence, but I don't want her to be an Other. I'd like for there to be at least ONE nice, simple, good person on this show other than Hurley himself.

-It's hilarious that Ben tells Locke, "No, I'm done lying." Oh Ben, you're just getting started and you know it!

-The scenes with Dave creep me out, but in a good way. Really great casting and writing.

2:19 S.O.S.

-Poor Bernard is so annoying at times, and I really relate to him. Logical with sub par people skills, that's me!

-I love the way Bernard and Rose meet. Their whole story is so sweet.

-Sawyer calls Jack "Dr. Giggles" - tee hee!

-Jack invites Kate to come along for the prisoner exchange. This may be a first. Maybe he's finally learning his lesson that it doesn't matter if she's invited or not, she's going to come along.

-Jack tells Kate: "I only chose you because they don't want you." Smooth Jack, that should help with her rejection issues.

-I love it when Jack and Kate get "caught in a net," and it cracks me up when she reaches into his pants to get his gun.

-The faith healer Bernard takes Rose to is named Isaac of Uluru. In the Bible, Isaac was Jacob's father.

-Rose asks Isaac "How does this work?" It's the same question Claire asked the psychic she saw, who foresaw her arrival on the Island. Did Isaac see the same thing?

2:20 Two for the Road

-I've got to apologize for this one more time - I just can't like Ana Lucia. I tried, I really did. It's not meant to be. Thank goodness there is so much amazing Ben stuff in this episode.

-Ben tells Locke "You're one of the good guys, John." Locke shoots back "One of the good WHAT?!" Excellent question.

-When Ben tells Locke "I was coming for you" I always took it as more manipulation. Now though, I wonder if it's not actually true. Ben had to be aware of who Locke is and his potential for being a leader on the Island, given what we know about Alpert's interactions with him.

-Ben says that the man in charge "is a great man...a brilliant man...but he's not a forgiving man." Is he talking about Jacob? And if so, given that we know that he had never actually spoken to Jacob before, how does he know this?

-Christian decides to call Ana Lucia Sarah, and Ana Lucia calls him Tom. These are both names we've heard before. Maybe Jack wasn't so paranoid after all about his dad moving in on his ex-wife.

-Claire's mom is clearly a different actress the next time we see her.

-If only Ana Lucia actually had killed Ben, how differently things might have turned out!

-That moment where Michael shoots Ana Lucia and Libby is still shocking, even when you know it's coming. I'm still kind of bitter that they had Michael join the Dark Side. I wanted something better for him.

2:13 The Long Con, 2:14 One Of Them, 2:15 Maternity Leave, 2:16 The Whole Truth

2009-11-13T15:25:00.008-05:00

(By the way, you may have noticed that I'm predating all these episodes to make sure they stay in the proper order. Time travel through the magic of the interwebs!)

2:13 The Long Con

-I always forget about Sun being attacked. The whole con Sawyer runs on the Island is really weird, mostly because we never really hear about it again. He announces "There's a new sheriff in town," but his position doesn't seem to change that much. It is an interesting parallel though to season 5, where Sawyer is in charge of security for Dharmaville.

-It made me laugh when Sawyer suggested to Cassidy that they should take her money and go "find an island somewhere and sit on a beach drinking mojitos." The Island would probably be a more pleasant place if they all had unlimited mixed drinks.

-We know now that Cassidy was pregnant when Sawyer left her and took all her money. Poor Cassidy. I like the way they've incorporated her into later episodes, rather than having this one be the end of her story.

-Locke makes the connection that he's the one who taught Michael to shoot, which allowed him to run off with a gun. He doesn't realize yet that he essentially taught Michael how to kill Ana Lucia and Libby (although to be fair, everyone else seems to know how to use a gun without much help.)

-Hurley is reading a manuscript called "Bad Twin," which is a tie-in novel and available on Amazon. I'll probably never read it, but I think that kind of detail is cool. Twins are a big deal on LOST, and something I'm planning on blogging about soon, so stay tuned.

-Sayid and Hurley hear a radio broadcast of the Glen Miller Orchestra. Sayid says "It could be coming from anywhere" and Hurley responds "or any time...just kidding, dude." This was one of the first clues that the show was going to take on time travel, and I admit I never thought they actually would do it - I was sure the writers were making a joke about all the crazy fan theories out there. Talk about being wrong!

Best line:

Locke: You want to break seven Virgin Marys, be my guest.

2:14 One of Them

-Sayid's flashbacks are completely overshadowed here by what I think is the highlight of the entire season: the appearance of Henry Gale, who we know (and love to hate!) as Benjamin Linus. It's been said dozens of times before, but it's hard to believe that Michael Emerson was initially slated as a brief guest appearance. He's such an integral part of the show now that I can't imagine it without him.

-It's SO fun watching this episode with the benefit of knowing that Ben IS "one of them."

-Ben introduces himself as Henry Gale. If that name sounds familiar, it's because Henry Gale is Dorothy's uncle in "The Wizard of Oz," a story that also prominently features a hot air balloon. Ben will later also be referred to as "the man behind the curtain," another "Wizard of Oz" character.

-Rousseau isn't so crazy after all: she reveals the essence of Benry right off the bat: "Don't believe a word he says."

-The scene where Rousseau ruthlessly shoots Ben with an arrow reminds me of Sayid ruthlessly shooting young Ben in season 5. Poor Ben.

-Something that seems a bit inconsistent to me - why is Sayid so willing to torture Ben now, when he is so remorseful and repentant after torturing Sawyer in season 1?

-When Sayid introduces himself to Ben, I always get Princess Bride flashbacks: "My name is Sayid Jarrah and I am a torturer...you killed my father...prepare to die!"

-Benry says "I was rich" - a nice little slip of the tongue, since the real Henry Gale is dead.

-Locke says "To Rousseau, we're all Others." This is a huge theme in Sayid's flashbacks, not to mention the whole show: who is the bad guy?

-We hear Sayid questioning Benry: "Who are you? Who are you?" This is the same thing Rousseau asked Sayid in several different languages when she was holding him prisoner.

-One of the biggest questions of this season is: what will happen if the button isn't pushed? And some of the tensest moments come when that question is put to the test. It's so fun when Jack gets that crazy look in his eye and decides not to push it.

Best lines:

JACK: You talked me into pushing that button once, John, but it's yours now. You're the one who won't risk it, you. Me? I don't think anything's going to happen when we get down to zero.

LOCKE: Jack!

JACK: You want to see what's going to happen? Let's just see what's going to happen.

2:15 Maternity Leave

-In this episode we see Claire's flashbacks of her time in the medical hatch with Ethan, who I think rivals Ben in terms of creepiness. So so creepy. Claire is acting weird too, all drugged, which is the same way she was acting in the cabin with Christian in season 4 - I wonder if she was also taken against her will at that time?

-It made me chuckle when Locke gives Henry a copy of The Brothers Karamazov and he asks for something by Stephen King, because we learn in season 3 that Ben hates Stephen King.

-Jack says "We don't have a long term plan for the button, but we keep pushing it." I wonder if that's a writers' inside joke about not having a long term plan for the show?

-Very ironic when Sun exclaims to Claire, "A mother should not leave her child!" because that's exactly what Sun does when she goes back to the Island in season 5.

-There are some inconsistencies in this episode that drive me crazy. For example, Rousseau says that her team was infected, and that now Aaron has the same infection. But we found out in season 5 that her team was changed after having contact with the smoke monster, which made them "not themselves" - not really physically sick. So why does Rousseau think Aaron has the same thing?

-Another inconsistency - in season 3 Juliet explains to Sun that pregnant mothers on the Island die only when the babies are conceived on the Island - she tells Sun she'll be fine if her baby was conceived before their arrival. So then, why are they treating Claire? Aaron was obviously conceived off the Island, so Claire should be OK. So why are they treating her, and threatening to cut Aaron out of her?

-Yet another inconsistency, and then I promise I'll stop nitpicking (for a few minutes at least!) Eko confesses to Ben that he killed several of the Others, that he regrets what he did, and that he feels great remorse. This is quite different than the Eko we'll see not too far into the future who refuses to apologize for his actions when confronted with the smoke monster's judgment.

-Tom tells Ethan he was supposed to "make a list and then bring her in." It's the first time we hear about the all-important Lists.

-Juliet later uses Claire as a way to ingratiate herself with the Losties, apparently because Claire has an implant they put inside of her during her stay in the medical hatch. Had Ben planned out that far in advance for Juliet to infiltrate the group?

-Ben/Henry's manipulation of Locke is so genius; if there's anything we know about Locke it's that he longs for greatness and always feels that he comes up short. Benry goes for the jugular!

-Kate finds the costumes (complete with fake beards) and we start to realize that the image we have of the Others as a rag-tag jungle people aren't quite accurate. So well done.

-Ethan firmly tells Claire "You have a choice." This seems to be Jacob's theme: those who come to the Island do so by their own free will. Is this really the case though?

-Once again, Kate is the one helping Claire. Foreshadowing for the fact that she will take Claire's place as Aaron's mother?

-It's especially touching when Claire tells baby Aaron that it's just the two of them, and they have to take care of each other now that we know that Claire isn't the one who ends up raising him.

Best lines:

KATE: I need a gun. And you don't get to ask why.

SAWYER: Well, Thelma, seeing as I got all the guns, I do get to ask why.

KATE: No, you don't.

SAWYER: Yes, I do -- watch. Why?

2:16 The Whole Truth

-Remember when Jack had a hairy chest? It was a simpler time.

-It cracks me up every single time when we see Sawyer reading "Are You There God? It's Me Margaret." Classic!

-Here comes one of my personal pet peeves (which most other people won't care about). Jin and Sun's fertility doctor tells Sun her fallopian tubes are blocked and simply says there's nothing that can be done. In my extensive experience with fertility doctors, they never, ever say that nothing can be done, ESPECIALLY to a couple that could clearly afford some advanced reproductive technology. Whether their true issue is blocked tubes or low sperm count, they are both young and therefore ideal candidates for IVF. It just bugs me when that doesn't get mentioned. End of rant.

-It's a bit disingenuous of Charlie to throw it in Ana Lucia's face that the last time she had a gun she killed someone - because HE DID THE SAME THING.

-Ben's map to the balloon cracks me up, because in a real life scenario it looks like it would be completely unhelpful. It's basically just a squiggly line. Sayid looks at it and says "This is at least a day's walk" - oh really Sayid? Because it's to scale and you could tell from the key? OK, I'll stop mocking now.

-Ben quotes from The Brothers Karamazov: "Men reject their prophets and slay them, but they love their martyrs and honor those whom they have slain." Ben will eventually kill the Island's prophet, Jacob.

-Kate asks a good question: who flies with a pregnancy test?

-Sun could probably sue her doctor for malpractice if she got pregnant with Jae's baby after the doctor told her she was infertile. But maybe that only happens in the U.S.

-Sun and Jin share such a sweet moment together...which is slightly less sweet when you've seen the rest of the season and know that she's lying through her teeth about never having been with another man.

-I was seriously shocked when they found the balloon - I was convinced Henry was lying. And he was, just in a much more clever way than I expected. Very cool writing.

Best lines:

GALE: "Men reject their prophets and slay them, but they love their martyrs and honor those whom they have slain." [to Jack] So what's the difference between a martyr and a prophet?

JACK: Either way, it sounds like you end up dead.

GALE: That's the spirit.

And of course...

GALE: Wow, you guys have some real trust issues, don't you? Guess it makes sense she didn't tell you. I mean, with the two of you fighting all the time. Of course, if I was one of them -- these people that you seem to think are your enemies -- what would I do? Well, there'd be no balloon, so I'd draw a map to a real secluded place like a cave or some underbrush -- good place for a trap -- an ambush. And when your friends got there a bunch of my people would be waiting for them. Then they'd use them to trade for me. I guess it's a good thing I'm not one of them, huh? You guys got any milk?

2:9 What Kate Did, 2:10 The 23rd Psalm, 2:11 The Hunting Party, 2:12 Fire + Water

2009-11-13T10:56:00.000-05:00

The good news: I'm caught up on rewatching seasons one through four, and I have a notebook full of copious notes about my thoughts from those episodes. The other good news: there are only 20 days until the final season begins. (TWENTY DAYS, Y'ALL!!!) The slightly bad news: There is no way I'm going to catch up on blogging my rewatch by the time the new season begins. So it's time to kick things into high gear - four episodes at a time.

2:9 What Kate Did

-I know there are a lot of Kate haters out there, but I'm not one of them. Yes, she often gets to be the one to throw complications into the storyline, but for the most part I sympathize with her.

-The first big mystery in this episode is the black horse. If I'm remembering right, we still don't know if it was real or an apparition (smoke monster related?) We can be fairly certain though that it's not a figment of Kate's imagination, since Sawyer sees it too. Whatever it is, it works very well as a metaphor in Kate's story. She has a lot of black horses in her past and she spends a lot of time running from them, but that dark side of her is also what has protected her and kept her safe.

-I remember watching this the first time - I had some friends over to watch and when Kate gets on her motorcycle and speeds away from the house my friend Michelle said "Uh-oh, it's going to blow up." And then it did. I was thoroughly impressed.

-Jin finally gets that pesky handcuff removed. I bet Daniel Dae Kim was sick of wearing that thing.

-Sawyer speaking as if he's Wayne (asking Kate "Why did you kill me") takes on new meaning now that we know that Locke's body was being used for someone else's purposes during season 5. Is this an early example of this phenomenon?

-We've waited this long to see Jack and Kate finally kiss, and it has to be about the most unromantic moment possible. It's pretty clear that Kate only kisses Jack because she's so freaked out about what Sawyer said to her. Way to kiss and run, Kate!

-While I'm on the subject, the whole Kate and Jack vs. Kate and Sawyer (and Jack and Juliet vs. Sawyer and Juliet) love triangle is something else that we'll hopefully get some closure on in season 6. I honestly don't know who I want her to end up with. I think she has better chemistry with Sawyer (cage love, anyone?) but she and Jack work so well together as a team - it's less romantic, but more practical. Then again, Jack and Kate had their chance to make it work off the Island, and that didn't turn out so well.

-I like the parallel in this episode between Wayne and Sawyer. Kate is simultaneously drawn to Sawyer and repulsed by him because they are similar.

-Moving on from the relationship drama...Eko shows Locke the missing pieces from the Orientation film. He prefaces his discovery by telling the story of Josiah. In addition to discovering the Book of Law, he was a reformer; he kicked all the pagans out of the temple, had pagan priests executed, and even exhumed the bodies of dead pagans and burned them on their altars.

-In the missing piece of the film, Marvin Candle says that using the computer to attempt to communicate could lead to another "incident". Is he telling the truth? Or is this warning part of the ongoing experiment being conducted on those in the hatch? In a way, you could say that Michael contacting Walt with the computer did eventually lead an incident - the first one. Had Michael not made the deal with the Others that got him off the Island, things would have played out much differently and it's likely that the Losties would never have been transported to the 1970s...and they are the ones who caused the Incident in the first place. Did I just blow your mind?!?!

2:10 The 23rd Psalm

-Most of the characters have had rough childhoods, but this episode shows that it just might be Eko who wins the contest on this one. So heartbreaking.

-It is really amazing that pretty much all foreign locations are filmed in Hawaii. Africa, Berlin, Kansas, Florida, London, they can do it all, and rather convincingly I think.

-We find out the origin of the Virgin Mary statues, which is one of my favorite subplots of the whole show. I love the symbolism of heroin inside a religious figure - who was it who said that religion is the opiate of the masses? Eko's back story shows how religion can be used to wield power over and deceive others, and how it can nevertheless be redemptive at the same time. Sidenote - Lostpedia says that one of the statues can be seen in Eloise Hawking's office in season five. I'll be watching for that!

-Eko literally has blood on his hands when Yemi's plane takes off.

-Eko's ethical dilemma is a classic one that the Losties face again and again: if you have to do something to survive (or protect others), can it be a sin? Eko decides that it's not, but later the smoke monster seems to disagree with him. The question for this episode is, why didn't the monster finish him off this time?

-When Michael indirectly asks how old Locke is he replies "I'm old enough." Why would he be elusive about his age?

-Eko and Charlie recite Psalm 23 (slightly incorrectly). I think it's interesting that they recites the King James version of the text when most people these days use a modern translation. It makes sense though that the writers would go for a more ancient feeling rendition.

Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death [Eko says "though I walk through the shadow of the valley of death], I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

2:11 Hunting Party

-We learn why Jack is no longer married. Yes, he was a distant husband, and kissed Gabriela, but still the moment where Sarah reveals that she is leaving him is devastating. Jack is a jerk sometimes, but I really felt for him in this one.

-Jack's failure to save Gabriela's father provides some insight as to why he doesn't believe in miracles.

-Sarah's pregnancy scare mirrors Kate's - both during her marriage to Kevin, and on the Island with Sawyer.

-Jack asks Ana Lucia how long it would take to "train an army" - hmmm, we seem to have lost that storyline somewhere!

-Once again, Kate is left behind when the men set out on their hunting party to find Michael. And once again she acts like an idiot and follows them, resulting in her capture by the Others.

-The moment where Tom yells "Light 'em up!" and we see that circle of torches is still so eerie.

2:12 Fire + Water

-I really hate seeing Charlie go all crazy. I like sane, nice Charlie much better.

-Despite crazy Charlie, I like this episode because of all the religious symbolism in it. I kind of miss all the references to Christianity we got because of Eko and Charlie. Maybe we'll get more in season 6?

-In a Christian context, fire and water often refers to baptism. In Matthew 3:11 John the Baptist predicts the coming of Jesus when he says "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."

-The painting in Charlie's dream is based on Andrea del Verrocchio's The Baptism of Christ.

-Charlie can swim in this episode and in later ones as well. But in season 1 he clearly says he doesn't swim. Continuity error, or alternate time line?

-At the end of Charlie's dream we hear the "whoosh" sound that usually indicates a flashback.

-Charlie's need to protect and care for other people is probably his defining characteristic. This is played out in every one of his flashbacks, as well as his death.

-Liam is hurt that Charlie is trying to take care of Megan, when it's not his responsibility. In the same way, Charlie is hurting Claire by trying to care for Aaron.

-After Locke thrashes Charlie he leaves him lying in the water, which could be seen as a very unconventional kind of baptism. Locke even punches him three times - one for each member of the Trinity?

-Speaking of unconventional, Eko is not your average priest. As far as I know, none of the major Christian traditions teach that John the Baptist baptized Jesus to cleanse him of sin - the traditional belief is that Jesus, as God in human form, was the only sinless person ever to live. To suggest that Jesus was a sinner who needed to be baptized is an extremely heretical notion. Eko also baptizes Claire without asking her about any of her beliefs. Baptism isn't traditionally about protection, it is a statement of faith and commitment to a system of belief. But I guess it fits in well, since Eko wasn't actually trained as a priest in the first place.

-Why did Charlie keep that stash of heroin? Was it really always his intention to dispose of it?

2:8 Collision

2009-11-07T14:18:00.004-05:00

My notes on this episode say "Can I just skip this one?" This Ana Lucia episode was not my favorite, probably because Ana Lucia is not my favorite.

-One positive - Unlike nearly every other character, Ana Lucia actually has a good explanation for her gun skills from all her training as a police officer.

-Negative - Michelle Rodgriguez over-pronounces and overacts in just about every. Single. Scene.

-Ana Lucia first met with her psychologist 4 months ago.

-Ana Lucia's working relationship with her mother strikes me as a parallel of Jack's relationship with his dad. Both want the professional approval of their parents, and both sometimes react in very childish ways to setbacks. Now that I think of it, Ana Lucia and Jack are actually quite similar characters; they're both natural leaders, pessimists, skeptics, driven to achieve their goals, and prone to overreactions. It's interesting that some of those traits make me respect Jack, and the same traits make me hate A.L. Sexist double standard?

-The golf match between Kate and Jack provides some nice light moments to contrast with the darkness of Shannon's death and Ana Lucia's flashbacks. This is something the LOST team is incredibly talented at - keeping a balance of just the right amount of emotional intensity.

-I've wondered before if Danny had feelings for Ana Lucia that went beyond a working relationship as her partner. When we see him question Hurley in season 4, it definitely comes across that way.

-Locke answers the crossword clue "Enkidu's friend" with "Gilgamesh." Gilgamesh was a Sumerian king who ruled around 2700 BC. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a series of stories about his life, and depict him as a godlike man. (And yes, I had to look that up on Wikipedia.) One of the later stories about him was written in Greek:
The King of Babylon determines by oracle that his grandson Gilgamos will kill him, and so he throws him out of a high tower. An eagle breaks his fall, and the infant is found and raised by a gardener.

Sound like Locke's story at all?

-Rose and Bernard are reunited!

Best lines
Sayid: She has no plan. She only has her guilt and a gun. [This could apply equally well to Sayid once he gets off the Island.]

Sayid, to Ana Lucia: What good would it do to kill you when we're both already dead?

2:7 The Other 48 Days

2009-11-05T16:06:00.000-05:00

-Finally, we get to see what happened to the Tailies and why they are so scared all the time. Their experience on the Island is a mirror image of what our families Losties went through, just much, much worse. As it turns out, tarps, food, medicine, and weapons make a big difference.

-48 days; 4 and 8 are the first two of The Numbers.

-Libby is so incredibly nice; she almost balances out Ana Lucia.

-Since I have an irrational fear of heights, Bernard being stuck in that chair up in the tree is pretty much my worst nightmare. I think I would freeze up and die out of sheer terror.

-Is it just me or does Brett Cullen (who plays Goodwin; no relation to vampire Edward) look a lot like Aaron Eckhart?

-Goodwin says "We're not savages," which is a phrase we also hear from Jack, Kate, and Sawyer.

-Poor Nathan - Ana Lucia and Libby are suspicious of him because he was in the jungle going to the bathroom for two hours, and because he was in the lavatory on the plane. They think he's an Other but really the poor guy just has IBS.

-When the Tailies catch the chicken it always makes me think of Lord of the Flies.

-I love the scene where Bernard speaks to Boone on the radio, because we've already heard it from the other side. Brilliantly done.

-Goodwin tells Ana Lucia "Nathan was not a good person" and that's why he wasn't on the list. Which makes me wonder, what is their criteria for deciding who is a "good person"? And how in the world did BEN make it through that screening process?

-A contradiction I noticed - both Cindy and Ana Lucia say that 815 was in the air for 2 hours. We've been told elsewhere that the plane was in the air for 6 hours. Who is right?

-Mr. Eko's 40 days of silence could be a reference to Jesus' 40 day fast.

2:5 ...And Found

2009-11-05T14:34:00.001-05:00

-I love that we get to see both Sun's and Jin's points of view in the same episode.

-The tail section survivors are a glimpse of what the Island could have been like for the fuselage people: no luggage full of clothes and shoes and medicine, no guns, no airplane food, and no tarps (although I'm still puzzled as to why the fuselage crew got all those tarps anyway. Who packs tarps on a plane?) Even the hatch the Tailies discover sucks compared to the Swan station.

-Sun losing her wedding ring in the sand strikes a chord, because that happened to me. Except mine was in the water and I never found it.

-Jin's friend suggests that he could let a woman take care of him - which is exactly what he does when he goes to work for Sun's father.

-The "Destiny Book" says that Jin will find love and it will look orange. A woman wearing orange causes him to pause and bump into Sun. He also wears an orange rose in his lapel, which he gives to Jae Lee, which Jae Lee gives to Sun. There is orange juice on the table during Sun and Jae's blind date.

-Jin spends so much time and energy overcoming the shame of his low class. Is class still really such an issue in Korea?

-The 360˚ shot of Eko in the jungle is so. Brilliantly. Done.

-The scene where we get our first view of the Others (muddy bare feet only) is chilling every time, even when I know it's coming.

After Season 5:

-When Eko and Jin come across Goodwin's body, Jin asks him if it was the Others who killed him. Eko nods. At the time, I thought it meant that the Others had killed Goodwin. Of course, the truth is that it was actually Ana Lucia who killed him - and Goodwin was an Other.

-Speaking of Goodwin's death - the place where Ben later brings Juliet to see his body looks totally different than the place where we see Ana Lucia kill him.

-Jack tells Sun that he lost his wedding ring, and had a replica made so that Sarah would never know. An early example of his ability to lie?

2:4 Everybody Hates Hugo

2009-11-04T11:47:00.001-05:00

-We start to get an idea for just how rough the tail section survivors had it when Libby says that "there *were* 23 of us."

-Aaron is one big baby. I pity the mother who had to birth that kid without an epidural.

-One of the key characteristics of Hurley's personality highlighted in this episode is that he doesn't like change. Kind of rough for someone who spends any amount of time on the Island.

-Out of all the characters, Hurley is one of the only ones I'd say is really a 100% good guy. With both winning the lottery and being in charge of all the food, he genuinely doesn't want to have something others can't have.

-On a similar note, Ana Lucia is fundamentally unlikeable. The combination of the way her character is written and Michelle Rodriguez's harshness makes it impossible to relate to her or feel sympathy for her when she messes up. She's like Arrogant Jack on steroids.

-I just love Hurley's mom. She's one of those overly-involved, nagging, quirky moms that you know loves her kid to death and would do anything for him.

-Rose saving the Apollo Bar for Bernard always makes me tear up a bit.

-Nikki Stafford points out that when Sun buries the bottle, you see her wedding ring as she's digging the hole, but then when she's covering the hole you see her hand without the ring. Very cool tie-in to the next episode.

Favorite quote:

Ana Lucia: I say jump, you say-
Sawyer: You first.

2:3 Orientation

2009-11-03T09:36:00.001-05:00

And...I'm baaaack!

Jumping right back in with my rewatch notes, to "Orientation."

Favorite quotes:
Hurley: Things are finally returning to normal-ness.
Kate [running up to them]: Sayid!
Hurley: Oh crap.

Locke: We're gonna need to watch that again.

-The title refers both to the Dharma video they find, and to the Losties' introduction to the protocols of the Swan hatch via crazy Desmond.

-It always strikes me in Locke flashbacks that he is a completely different person off the Island. I used to think that it was because he was in a wheelchair, but this episode reiterates that paralysis was not the cause of his feelings of powerlessness (although it certainly added to them.)

-Locke's dad is pretty much the worst father ever. He makes Jack's father seem like Santa Claus.

-Mirror images: Helen tried to get Locke to make a leap of faith by letting go of his anger toward his father. Now Locke is trying to get Jack to make a leap of faith by pushing the button.

-We get a glimpse of the book The Third Policeman, which like LOST deals with themes of perception, mind games, alteration of time flow, and even an underground bunker.

-We get to see the first Dharma Orientation video, introducing us to lots of great mythology, including the first we hear of the Dharma Initiative.

After Season 5:

-We now know that Marvin Candle's real name is Pierre Chang. Why he felt the need to use an alias in these videos (Mark Wickmund, Edgar Halliwax) is unclear.

-Dr. Candle mentions an Incident, which he says occurred at the Swan Hatch "not long after the experiments began." However we saw in season 5 that the Incident happened while the Swan was still under construction.

-We know now why Dr. Candle/Chang has a prosthetic hand; his hand was crushed during the Incident.

-Locke convinces Jack to push the button. Very interesting now that we know that Jack was the one who caused the Incident to happen in the first place (by insisting they detonate Jughead) - the reason the button needs to be pushed every 108 minutes.

It's about time!

2009-10-05T12:20:00.003-04:00

I am beyond behind on my rewatch schedule. It all started when the first season of Arrested Development arrived in my mailbox. And then I had to get two and three. And now there is actually good new TV on my DVR. So I haven't been watching as much Lost as I had planned. The result is that I'm supposed to be almost done with season 3 and I'm still only halfway through season 2. I'm going to do my best to catch up.

In the meantime, here is the season 6 promotional poster. It gives me chills every time I see it.

2:2 Adrift

2009-07-29T14:21:00.003-04:00

-I hate to say it, but by the end of this episode I am already sick of hearing Michael yell "Waaaaalt!" and call him "my son." It's at this point in the story that Michael becomes seriously one-dimensional, which is really too bad because he didn't start out that way.

-When Desmond asks Locke "Are you him?" it tickles me that Locke almost immediately said "Yes." What did he think Desmond meant?

-The snowman riddle ("What did one snowman say to the other?") parallels the Ajira passengers' ("What lies in the shadow of the statue?")

-I noticed for the first time that there is a Black Rock-esque model of a ship in the conference room where Michael and Susan discuss custody of Walt.

-Michael gives toddler Walt a toy polar bear.

-Visually, so far season 2 has been overwhelmingly dark. Interesting parallel to the theme of light vs. dark?

-Kate is a girl after my own heart. When she discovers that she's in a food storage closet, she goes straight for the chocolate.

-When we first were introduced to Desmond we thought he was crazy and a little bit scary. Now we know that he had good reason to be afraid of Jack, Locke and Kate - he thought they were Hostiles. I'd be scared too.

-Speaking of scary, Mr. Eko scares the crap out of me in this first introduction. No wonder Jin assumed they were the Others.

-Sawyer remarks when the current brings them back to the Island, "We're home." The Island really does become his home when they go back to the 70s.

Favorite lines:

Michael: Well, I guess I know why the shark is hanging around -- your shoulder.
Sawyer: Oh, well, I'll just stop bleeding then!