Actually Mr. M, I think the sideways timeline diverges from the "real" timeline much further back than the Oceanic 815 flight. If we are to assume that Juliet detonated the bomb back in 1977 then that is the most likely point at which the two timelines begin to diverge. Therefore, it is entirely possible that Sawyer is a conman in one timeline and a cop in the other. This would also explain why Jack has a son in the sideways world but not the "real" one and why Ben is a decent man who actually has a good relationship with his father in the "sideways" world as well.
That would make sense then. Thanks for explaining.
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
Richard was on that ship, so I am hoping we finally get an episode based around him soon.
Your wish is coming true, Mr. Drake--next week!
Nice one. Also the redhead was back as well. :x I really enjoyed the Sawyer as a cop episode. Anybody else have 1980's flashbacks to Miami Vice? Geez he looks like Don Johnson.
Mr MartiniThat nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,707MI6 Agent
Richard was on that ship, so I am hoping we finally get an episode based around him soon.
Your wish is coming true, Mr. Drake--next week!
Nice one. Also the redhead was back as well. :x I really enjoyed the Sawyer as a cop episode. Anybody else have 1980's flashbacks to Miami Vice? Geez he looks like Don Johnson.
I didn't. I was more shocked to see Miles as his partner. And yes, I was very happy to see the redhead again ( :x :x :x ) Me thinks it was for the last time though ( )
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
Awesome episode. The Origin of Richard was in itself interesting, including elements of a lost love and white slavery, but what really made the show a winner is that it pretty well spilled the beans about what the island is and why the castaways are there. It's a "cork" that keeps the smoke monster/man in black/Fake Locke from unleashing its evil throughout the world; while Jacob both keeps and eye on it and occasionally brings people to the island to show him/it that people are capable of being and doing good. In effect, the island is a model earth while Jacob and the dark being are playing the roles of God and Satan--especially as seen in the Book of Job. How the parallel world story fits into things hasn't been explained; but, as I've said before, this season is shaping up to be a real classic.
And something interesting was brought up in the syndicated review by Kevin McDonough, which runs in many newspapers: "[Richard] Alpert's name may be a clue or a red herring in itself. Richard Alpert was the original name of 1960s guru Ram Dass, a Harvard faculty colleague of Timothy Leary and fellow experimenter in drugs and Eastern beliefs. Ram Dass' famously quoted mantra was 'Be here now,' a telling reference to a character who has been there for a very, very long time." Maybe all this means is that you need to be on LSD to really appreciate Lost? :007)
Anyway, till next week. . . Seven episodes to go. . .
Very entertaining episode which, in a rarity for Lost, actually spells things out pretty clearly and directly rather than veiling them in innuendo.
I found it interesting that in trying to recruit Richard to kill Jacob, the Man in Black presents him with the same knife and uses almost the exact same words Dogan used when he sent Sayid to kill the Locke thing. In a show like Lost, where hardly anything is coincidence I'll be curious to see that little bit has any significance going forward.
In watching last night's episode I was also reminded of two other works of fiction:
Paradise Lost, with its story of fallen angels and choosing to be good, rather than being told to be good, and...
An old Twilight Zone episode called The Howling Man about a group of monks hold the devil prisoner in an old castle, and a man who comes into their midst and unwittingly releases him on the world.
It also reminds me of the original Star Trek episode The Alternative Factor where the "good" Lazarus has to keep the "evil" Lazarus bottled up so both universes can be safe.
Mr MartiniThat nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,707MI6 Agent
edited March 2010
Ever since this show started most people have said that everyone is in Purgatory and they are all in Hell. I like how during the whole show they wanted us to believe the survivors are in some sort of Purgatory. I'm glad to see the writers aren't going that route, at least not yet. If the man in black kills Jacob or Flocke kills Jacob, everyone on the island will go to hell. 7 episodes left until the series finale. I have a feeling from here on out we will be on the edge of our seats. The battle between good and evil has just begun.
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
Mr MartiniThat nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,707MI6 Agent
Hmmmmm, just reading up on Mark Pellegrinos IMDB page. Mark plays Jacob on Lost. I've read in multiple places that Jacob is believed to be the God on the island, representing all that is good. How funny is it that right before Mark took this role as Jacob (or maybe he played both at the same time) he played Lucifer on a different show.
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
Well, I could have lived very well without the lower-right-corner network "bug" giving a countdown to the premiere of V that ran throughout the entire episode!
That said, an entertaining outing, though not a great one. It was a bit like watching a chess match, with the pieces being moved into play: Jin taken to the other island, Sayid realizing he no longer has emotions, Desmond turning up, and so on. The main story is clearly moving toward its climax, and even the "parallel" story seems to be winding up--we now know how Jin ended up in the clutches of "big scary Martin Keesey." Wow--only six episodes left? I'll miss Lost, but at least it seems to be going out on a high!
Vox clamantis in deserto
Mr MartiniThat nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,707MI6 Agent
What ever happens, happens. ~ Smoke Monster (Flocke)
What is done, is done? (Charles Widemore)
This is some what confusing. Sun had her and Jins daughter when she left the island. She came back to the island but left her daughter behind. Why? Who did Sun leave her daughter with? I'm so confused right now. Maybe this was shown and I missed it (or forgot). Could Charles Widemore be playing games with Jin? Is that Suns camera?
Some more things I noticed.
In time line X, Sayid is a hired gun. Who is Sayid working for in time line X? Remember Sayid was a hired gun working for Ben Linus. This is getting interesting.
In time line X (in past episodes)
Jack Shepard is a father. (In flashbacks and flash forwards this was never mentioned)
Hurley Is rich. (Hurley won the lottery before boarding the plane.)
Rose has Cancer (Rose has cancer)
Kate is running from the law (Kate was arrested and captured and being flown back to L.A. to stand trial)
Ford is a Cop (Sawyer is a known con man)
This is getting interesting. Some of the survivors have change in their history or their X time line story, while others have slight changes to a completely different story. In the X time line mostly everyone has had interaction with another passenger on the plane, just like if they were on the island. Could the message the writers are trying to send be "it's a small world after all" I don;t know. I do believe we know have all the flash sideways (X time line) covered for all the "candidates" that were on the wall. We should now be able to focus on them leaving the island and getting back to their lives. Will their lives merge with the X time line. Only time will tell.
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
Well, I could have lived very well without the lower-right-corner network "bug" giving a countdown to the premiere of V that ran throughout the entire episode!
That bugged the hell out of my brother and me as well, especially as the show being plugged is so mediocre (random off topic thought: why is it everytime we see an underground movement, somebody has to wear that stupid black knit hat?)
This is some what confusing. Sun had her and Jins daughter when she left the island. She came back to the island but left her daughter behind. Why? Who did Sun leave her daughter with? I'm so confused right now. Maybe this was shown and I missed it (or forgot). Could Charles Widemore be playing games with Jin? Is that Suns camera?
If I recall correctly the baby was left with Sun's mother when Sun decided to go look for Jin. She obviously left the baby behind because of the dangers she knew she would face.
I think Widmore is sincere in his desire to destroy (or at least trap) Smokey. I'm still not convinced that he's one of the good guys and probably wants the island and/or the monster for his own devices.
Will their lives merge with the X time line. Only time will tell.
I'm just guessing here but I think Desmond will be the means by which the two timelines will merge and or be reconciled. The show made it pretty clear that Desmond had acquired some special properties or abilities after detonating the hatch - he could see the future (he knew Charlie was going to die) he was able to have his consciousness travel thru time in The Constant and the opening episode of the this final season subtly hinted that he could travel between realities (remember how he briefly appeared on Oceanic 815, spoke with Jack and then promptly disappeared).
Well! A little light has been shed on this parallel earth situation, but there are still plenty of shadows around. In this Desmond-centered episode, two possibilities have been floated: 1) that the nuclear explosion on the Island literally changed reality--past and present (and, if that's the case, wouldn't what we see on the Island today be the parallel reality?); 2) that the survivors now find themselves in a kind of terrestrial paradise, where their deepest desires are granted. (This could explain why Hurley has good luck and Jack has a son--but why would Locke be a loser?) Whichever. . .there's still some 'splaining to do before Lost disappears forever.
All in all, a good outing. Desmond is actually one of my favorite characters, and it was great not only seeing Charlie back but seeing him use near-death experiences as a way of connecting to that "other" reality. As always, it's a blast to see familiar characters--a couple of them, like Charlie, dead--in a somewhat new identity and totally different context. Farady as a rocker? Somehow, it makes sense.
Vox clamantis in deserto
Mr MartiniThat nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,707MI6 Agent
edited April 2010
I read somewhere that Desmond could be the key to everything. He could be the connection that brings the X time time line and the Island time line together. It's weird to see Desmond and Charlie in a similar situation again. Very similar to the end of season 4 (or was it 5?) It's also weird to see that Desmond seems to remember this situation. When he was on the island he lost his love Penny. In the X time line he never met Penny, but acted like he knew who she was. Could the Electromagnetic Shock Desmond had at the beginning on tonights episode be the key that brings both time lines together as one? Of course only time will tell, but with 5 episodes left, there's still a lot to be answered.
*Edit, one other thing. The electromagnetic shock Desmond encountered has me thinking. I wonder if that is also the key to bringing both time lines together. So far this season episodes have had flash-side ways. In the flash sideways the survivors have had their X time line shown. Tonight, it almost seemed like the Desmond X time line was a forced time line. Desmond was placed where he would of been if Oceanic had never crashed, by way of the Electromagnetic shock. Desmond actually experienced never crashing on the island, but was once again brought back to the island. Pieces are falling into place. My prediction, Desmond has to be in the electro magnetic chamber with the six survivors. The smoke monster will somehow be captured in the glass bottle and brought into the chamber also. The six people will have Desmond to protect them from the damaging effects of electromagnetic pulses. They will be placed in the time line and will have no memory of the crash ever happening. The smoke monster will be destroyed and Desmond will inherit the island.
Does this make sense?
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
Mr MartiniThat nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,707MI6 Agent
A fun episode--even if it bordered on romantic comedy, with Lucky Hurley reconnecting with Libby. . .though of course Hugo has no memory of her and Libby is apparently out of her mind. So, hmmmm, is the alternate reality some kind of physical heaven, where everyone really gets to live the life they want? If it is, how is it so many dead people find themselves alive and well there? And is Locke still the smog monster in this reality? Why else would he be targeted at the end--unless Des is so committed to the idea a "near-death" experience will wake you up to reality that he's just trying to give Locke a push. And who's the "god" in charge of this "heaven?" Given the conflict that seems to be developing between Desmond and Smokey Locke, I'm wondering if the honor goes to Des, brother.
Other good stuff was the reappearance of Michael, who implied that the island is indeed a kind of purgatory for the dead souls that are there; and the sudden exit of Iliana--I didn't see that one coming at all. As for the preview for next week, Lord knows what will happen. . .can anything be creepier than showing scenes from the episode over Gene Wilder singing that boat song from Willy Wonka?
Vox clamantis in deserto
Mr MartiniThat nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,707MI6 Agent
I still think Desmond is the connection between the X time line and Island Time line. Something will have to be explained in a future episode but I think the "Oceanic 6" can remember events on the island if properly motivated. I think the connection between the two lines has begun. Desmond is the glue that will bring the two together. Now they just need to explain why the other people can't remember events on the island.
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
I know a guy at work who is so traumitized that the show will soon be coming to an end that he's stopped watching the episodes, vainly hoping to somehow prolong the experience by remaining oblivious to what's happening. I'm really getting my kicks teasing him with non-spoilers about what he's been missing.
That was another entertaining episode last night, though I must admit that I saw Ilana's exit coming from a mile away. When she started droning on and on about how she had been preparing for this all her life I had a feeling she was mere seconds away from disaster. Lost has done that sort of thing with other characters in the past and they didn't fool me on this one.
Hurley's sideways story was entertaining (loved his line about eating when depressed) and seemed to take us all a step closer in resolving these two disparate timelines. On the other hand Richard's clueless, panic-riddled attitude has started to grate on me as he really doesn't seem to be contributing much to the current story. Likewise Ben seems like he's teetering on the brink of switching sides again.
The explanation of the whispering sounds was interesting but didn't seem to fit in with what we've seen before; Hurley regularly spoke with dead people back on the mainland but there were no similar sounds. We also often heard those sounds right before the Others used to appear. I can buy the explanation, but it seems to have been retconned in to the story rather than having been planned that way from the start.
The one scene from last night that did shock me was Desmond's hit and run on Locke. His casual attitude and that hint of a smile he showed were quite baffling; trying to induce a memory by running someone over would seem a bit extreme, even for this show. As such, I'm inclined to think that his actions are meant to impact on Smokey in some as yet unrevealed way. Desmond (who was always one of my favorite characters from the show) is shaping up to be the fulcrum around which everything will revolve. I loved the way he made fake Locke all nervous and uncomfortable by just standing there looking innocent and slightly bemused and I hope they don't pull an Ilana on him as well. I think the character deserves better and even if his fate involves some sacrifice as Widmore alluded to last week, I at least hope he gets a proper sendoff and contributes to the whole resolution in a meaningful way.
I've been thinking a little more about last night's show and another general thought occurred to me that I'd like to toss out there: is it just me or do Jacob's hand-picked helpers come across as a bunch of useless boobs?
- Richard Alpert: as soon as Jacob buys it, Richard devolves into a raving, whining clueless loser, running around with a look of bewilderment; a far cry from the Richard we saw in earlier seasons.
- Ilana: she supposedly trained all her life to protect the candidates, yet manages only to blow herself up. She also wasn't looking too good when Richard first recruited her (all bandaged up in a hospital bed). Her posse didn't fare much better either.
- Dogen: even though he was supposed to be the leader of the temple, he seemed too impotent to make the hard choices on his own, always trying to trick other people into doing the dirty work thru lies and doublespeak. Also, when the going got tough he got killed in about 5 seconds.
Now I wonder if this is just the writing or if there is some more meaningful reason for the fact that all these people charged with aiding Jacob's cause seem incapable of walking and chewing gum at the same time. Is Jacob trying to tell the candidates that they can only count on themselves or did the writers just run out of ideas for the characters?
Another enjoyable episode--this one showing how the characters in both "realities" are coming together. No big revelations, except that those visions of Jack's (and Claire's) father were actually Smokey--and, come to think of it, that only makes sense. I guess the big question that was raised is what went on between Sayid and Desmond--somehow I doubt the former really did kill the latter. And I wonder, with all the dead cast members who've returned, howcum we haven't seen Tom a/k/a "Zeke?" Anyway, four more more episodes to go. Here's hoping ABC's much-hyped "finale" is more than hype!
I dunno, I'm starting to feel like these last few episodes we get for Lost are going to be reminiscent of the finale we got for season 7 of 24 (ie way too many things coming to a head, trying to add new plot lines and unnecessary twists in the last few hours). I've started to accept the fact that some mysteries of the island are going to remain just that. I feel like i have so many questions that I've forgotten what they all are
Bond: That looks like a woman's gun.
Largo: Do you know a lot about guns, Mr. Bond?
Bond: No, but I know a little about women.
Mr MartiniThat nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,707MI6 Agent
Why did Jack jump ship? Why does he think the island still needs him? Is Jack the chosen one? Pieces are being put into place for the finale. One other thing I don't understand, how did Sun recognize Locke at the hospital? Is this another step in the two time lines merging? We saw Hurley have quick flash backs of him and Libby, could this be something similar?
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
One other thing I don't understand, how did Sun recognize Locke at the hospital? Is this another step in the two time lines merging? We saw Hurley have quick flash backs of him and Libby, could this be something similar?
The past few episodes have made it pretty clear that certain stimuli (physical trauma, emotional duress, being blasted by electromagnetic radiation) can trigger peoples' memories in the sideways world. Seeing as Sun was shot, I guess that would qualify as a physically traumatic episode and explain why she recognized and was frightened by Locke. It will be interesting to see what (if any) memories the Sideways Locke uncovers given his trauma.
Entertaining episode; not much new but it moved the plot and it looked like most (if not all) of the remaining others have been moved off the board. I noticed that we didn't see Ben, Miles or Richard on the island this week; something tells me they've been deliberately pushed to the background so that we forget about them for now...
Based on the way Jack called Locke a thing (he seemed revolted by it) and his growing faith, one would think he's going to be the new Jacob. While that would make sense it also seems too obvious. Something tells me Jack will goad Locke into killing him, thus breaking one of the rules Locke must follow to be able to leave the island. That just leaves us to figure out who the new Jacob will be.
I loved Hurley and Sawyer's little exchange about Sayid...
Sawyer: Sayid has gone over to the Dark Side.
Hurley: Yeah, but you can always bring people back from the dark side. I mean, Anakin.
Sawyer: Who the hell is Anakin?
Quality television has become something of an oxymoron and its been a pleasure to watch a show with a unique story, clever writing and some damned good acting. I will miss Lost when its all done but I'm also happy that we'll be getting a (hopefully) definitive ending.
Mr MartiniThat nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,707MI6 Agent
One other thing I don't understand, how did Sun recognize Locke at the hospital? Is this another step in the two time lines merging? We saw Hurley have quick flash backs of him and Libby, could this be something similar?
The past few episodes have made it pretty clear that certain stimuli (physical trauma, emotional duress, being blasted by electromagnetic radiation) can trigger peoples' memories in the sideways world. Seeing as Sun was shot, I guess that would qualify as a physically traumatic episode and explain why she recognized and was frightened by Locke. It will be interesting to see what (if any) memories the Sideways Locke uncovers given his trauma.
Makes me wonder why different things can trigger memories in people. Hurley being kissed by Libby unlocked memories from the island. It appears Sun being shot unlocked a memory. So what event will unlock memories for the rest of the people? Will Sayids arrest unlock memories, or is something else have to happen? Same with Kate, will her arrest unlock memories from the island? Also curious why James Fords car accident didn't trigger a memory. Or maybe I just need to pay a little more attention to the show. I'm also curious what Lockes car accident will unlock for him?
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
Well, for a while I felt like I was a time traveller in a parallel universe or something. . . I had no idea tonight's episode would be a re-run! Ah, well, we're bound to be in for something new next week!
Well, for a while I felt like I was a time traveller in a parallel universe or something. . . I had no idea tonight's episode would be a re-run! Ah, well, we're bound to be in for something new next week!
Hardyboy, I'm feeling ya! My wife and I always look forward to Tuesday TV night and a new episode of LOST.
Totally gutted to see the re-run.
Oh well, what better things could I be doing than posting at AJB!
Tonight's episode was a doozy; all the crosses and double crosses really kept struggling to stay in pace with the plot. Its a pleasure to watch a show that engages your mind on some level.
If the show had been lurching toward its conclusion until this point, it just took a massive leap forward. While I was not surprised with the night's first major departure (I thought that character would be the first to go) I was shocked to see what happened next. I was looking forward to next week's episode, which will give us more backstory on Jacob and the Man in Black, but now I'm PO'd that I'll probably have to wait two weeks before the main story is brought back to the fore. As to a few observations:
- I think we can all be pretty sure now that the Locke Thing is most definitely EVIL.
- Did Lapidus buy it? Unlike Sun and Jin we never saw a final shot of him sinking to the bottom. Something tells me he'll be back.
- Sayid came back from the Dark Side at the end and redeemed himself. I wonder if we'll see more of him in the sideways world or as a ghost on the island.
- Now Sawyer knows what Jack went thru when Juliet died; I think he'll be a bit more contrite from here on out.
- I am almost certain that Widmore and the Locke Thing are in cahoots; how else would Widmore know about the names in the cave or that Kate's has been scratched off.
- Based on what Sayid told Jack before he sacrificed himself it seems a pretty safe bet that Jack will be the new Jacob. The fact that he was the only one to figure out the riddle of the bomb and that he was the only one willing to stay behind makes this seem even more likely.
Tuesday nights just won't be the same when Lost comes to an end.
OK, I can say more. I was left positively stunned by the ending of tonight's episode--not just in the sense that it killed off three or four major characters, but because of the emotional impact of the departure of two of those characters. It was poetic, it was tender, it was real. The only thing I can say for sure about the ending of the series itself is that it will lead up to a big confrontation with EviLocke, but I wouldn't take any bets on who will survive. Maybe a happy ending isn't in the cards for any of these people?
As usual, I also enjoyed the "parallel existence" storyline, this one giving a different take on Locke's paralysis--and his relationship with his father. It almost seems that in this "best of all worlds" existence, there are still some massive flaws. Again, seeing all these disparate characters come together in this time and place is fascinating. . .and you have to wonder if the same entity that's on the island is bringing them together and for the same reason?
And where the heck did Richard go, anyway?
Chafing in anticipation of next week. . .
Vox clamantis in deserto
Mr MartiniThat nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,707MI6 Agent
I don't know what to say. What a great episode. Not too many shows left and it seems like there's still a lot of ground to cover. It's going to be an exciting finish.
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
Mr MartiniThat nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,707MI6 Agent
For everyone who watches Lost. Set your DVR,VCR or whatever it is you set to watch this show. Your going to want to watch this:
I hadn't checked any of the write-ups for tonight's show--I want my experience to be spoiler-free--so I didn't know what I was in for: a backstory about Jacob and the Man in Black (later EviLocke). I liked it--especially seeing Alison Janney as the brothers' "mother"--but there weren't any big surprises here: the Island has an incredible power source that must be guarded from greedy men; TMIB was apparently turned evil--and into the Smoke Monster--by the same pool that warped Sayid and Claire; etc. What WAS surprising, though, is finding out TMIB was really the sensitive type who just wanted to go out, explore, and find himself; while Jacob is revealed to be something of a snivelling drip who only wants his mom's approval--as a matter of fact, HE can blamed for turning his brother into what he becomes!
So, anyway, a nice break until what ABC is calling "the last original episode until the series-ending EVENT." Until next week. . .
Comments
That would make sense then. Thanks for explaining.
Nice one. Also the redhead was back as well. :x I really enjoyed the Sawyer as a cop episode. Anybody else have 1980's flashbacks to Miami Vice? Geez he looks like Don Johnson.
I didn't. I was more shocked to see Miles as his partner. And yes, I was very happy to see the redhead again ( :x :x :x ) Me thinks it was for the last time though (
And something interesting was brought up in the syndicated review by Kevin McDonough, which runs in many newspapers: "[Richard] Alpert's name may be a clue or a red herring in itself. Richard Alpert was the original name of 1960s guru Ram Dass, a Harvard faculty colleague of Timothy Leary and fellow experimenter in drugs and Eastern beliefs. Ram Dass' famously quoted mantra was 'Be here now,' a telling reference to a character who has been there for a very, very long time." Maybe all this means is that you need to be on LSD to really appreciate Lost? :007)
Anyway, till next week. . . Seven episodes to go. . .
I found it interesting that in trying to recruit Richard to kill Jacob, the Man in Black presents him with the same knife and uses almost the exact same words Dogan used when he sent Sayid to kill the Locke thing. In a show like Lost, where hardly anything is coincidence I'll be curious to see that little bit has any significance going forward.
In watching last night's episode I was also reminded of two other works of fiction:
Paradise Lost, with its story of fallen angels and choosing to be good, rather than being told to be good, and...
An old Twilight Zone episode called The Howling Man about a group of monks hold the devil prisoner in an old castle, and a man who comes into their midst and unwittingly releases him on the world.
That said, an entertaining outing, though not a great one. It was a bit like watching a chess match, with the pieces being moved into play: Jin taken to the other island, Sayid realizing he no longer has emotions, Desmond turning up, and so on. The main story is clearly moving toward its climax, and even the "parallel" story seems to be winding up--we now know how Jin ended up in the clutches of "big scary Martin Keesey." Wow--only six episodes left? I'll miss Lost, but at least it seems to be going out on a high!
What is done, is done? (Charles Widemore)
This is some what confusing. Sun had her and Jins daughter when she left the island. She came back to the island but left her daughter behind. Why? Who did Sun leave her daughter with? I'm so confused right now. Maybe this was shown and I missed it (or forgot). Could Charles Widemore be playing games with Jin? Is that Suns camera?
Some more things I noticed.
In time line X, Sayid is a hired gun. Who is Sayid working for in time line X? Remember Sayid was a hired gun working for Ben Linus. This is getting interesting.
In time line X (in past episodes)
Jack Shepard is a father. (In flashbacks and flash forwards this was never mentioned)
Hurley Is rich. (Hurley won the lottery before boarding the plane.)
Rose has Cancer (Rose has cancer)
Kate is running from the law (Kate was arrested and captured and being flown back to L.A. to stand trial)
Ford is a Cop (Sawyer is a known con man)
This is getting interesting. Some of the survivors have change in their history or their X time line story, while others have slight changes to a completely different story. In the X time line mostly everyone has had interaction with another passenger on the plane, just like if they were on the island. Could the message the writers are trying to send be "it's a small world after all" I don;t know. I do believe we know have all the flash sideways (X time line) covered for all the "candidates" that were on the wall. We should now be able to focus on them leaving the island and getting back to their lives. Will their lives merge with the X time line. Only time will tell.
That bugged the hell out of my brother and me as well, especially as the show being plugged is so mediocre (random off topic thought: why is it everytime we see an underground movement, somebody has to wear that stupid black knit hat?)
If I recall correctly the baby was left with Sun's mother when Sun decided to go look for Jin. She obviously left the baby behind because of the dangers she knew she would face.
I think Widmore is sincere in his desire to destroy (or at least trap) Smokey. I'm still not convinced that he's one of the good guys and probably wants the island and/or the monster for his own devices.
I'm just guessing here but I think Desmond will be the means by which the two timelines will merge and or be reconciled. The show made it pretty clear that Desmond had acquired some special properties or abilities after detonating the hatch - he could see the future (he knew Charlie was going to die) he was able to have his consciousness travel thru time in The Constant and the opening episode of the this final season subtly hinted that he could travel between realities (remember how he briefly appeared on Oceanic 815, spoke with Jack and then promptly disappeared).
All in all, a good outing. Desmond is actually one of my favorite characters, and it was great not only seeing Charlie back but seeing him use near-death experiences as a way of connecting to that "other" reality. As always, it's a blast to see familiar characters--a couple of them, like Charlie, dead--in a somewhat new identity and totally different context. Farady as a rocker? Somehow, it makes sense.
*Edit, one other thing. The electromagnetic shock Desmond encountered has me thinking. I wonder if that is also the key to bringing both time lines together. So far this season episodes have had flash-side ways. In the flash sideways the survivors have had their X time line shown. Tonight, it almost seemed like the Desmond X time line was a forced time line. Desmond was placed where he would of been if Oceanic had never crashed, by way of the Electromagnetic shock. Desmond actually experienced never crashing on the island, but was once again brought back to the island. Pieces are falling into place. My prediction, Desmond has to be in the electro magnetic chamber with the six survivors. The smoke monster will somehow be captured in the glass bottle and brought into the chamber also. The six people will have Desmond to protect them from the damaging effects of electromagnetic pulses. They will be placed in the time line and will have no memory of the crash ever happening. The smoke monster will be destroyed and Desmond will inherit the island.
Does this make sense?
What happened, happened (Eloise Widmore)
Other good stuff was the reappearance of Michael, who implied that the island is indeed a kind of purgatory for the dead souls that are there; and the sudden exit of Iliana--I didn't see that one coming at all. As for the preview for next week, Lord knows what will happen. . .can anything be creepier than showing scenes from the episode over Gene Wilder singing that boat song from Willy Wonka?
That was another entertaining episode last night, though I must admit that I saw Ilana's exit coming from a mile away. When she started droning on and on about how she had been preparing for this all her life I had a feeling she was mere seconds away from disaster. Lost has done that sort of thing with other characters in the past and they didn't fool me on this one.
Hurley's sideways story was entertaining (loved his line about eating when depressed) and seemed to take us all a step closer in resolving these two disparate timelines. On the other hand Richard's clueless, panic-riddled attitude has started to grate on me as he really doesn't seem to be contributing much to the current story. Likewise Ben seems like he's teetering on the brink of switching sides again.
The explanation of the whispering sounds was interesting but didn't seem to fit in with what we've seen before; Hurley regularly spoke with dead people back on the mainland but there were no similar sounds. We also often heard those sounds right before the Others used to appear. I can buy the explanation, but it seems to have been retconned in to the story rather than having been planned that way from the start.
The one scene from last night that did shock me was Desmond's hit and run on Locke. His casual attitude and that hint of a smile he showed were quite baffling; trying to induce a memory by running someone over would seem a bit extreme, even for this show. As such, I'm inclined to think that his actions are meant to impact on Smokey in some as yet unrevealed way. Desmond (who was always one of my favorite characters from the show) is shaping up to be the fulcrum around which everything will revolve. I loved the way he made fake Locke all nervous and uncomfortable by just standing there looking innocent and slightly bemused and I hope they don't pull an Ilana on him as well. I think the character deserves better and even if his fate involves some sacrifice as Widmore alluded to last week, I at least hope he gets a proper sendoff and contributes to the whole resolution in a meaningful way.
- Richard Alpert: as soon as Jacob buys it, Richard devolves into a raving, whining clueless loser, running around with a look of bewilderment; a far cry from the Richard we saw in earlier seasons.
- Ilana: she supposedly trained all her life to protect the candidates, yet manages only to blow herself up. She also wasn't looking too good when Richard first recruited her (all bandaged up in a hospital bed). Her posse didn't fare much better either.
- Dogen: even though he was supposed to be the leader of the temple, he seemed too impotent to make the hard choices on his own, always trying to trick other people into doing the dirty work thru lies and doublespeak. Also, when the going got tough he got killed in about 5 seconds.
Now I wonder if this is just the writing or if there is some more meaningful reason for the fact that all these people charged with aiding Jacob's cause seem incapable of walking and chewing gum at the same time. Is Jacob trying to tell the candidates that they can only count on themselves or did the writers just run out of ideas for the characters?
Largo: Do you know a lot about guns, Mr. Bond?
Bond: No, but I know a little about women.
The past few episodes have made it pretty clear that certain stimuli (physical trauma, emotional duress, being blasted by electromagnetic radiation) can trigger peoples' memories in the sideways world. Seeing as Sun was shot, I guess that would qualify as a physically traumatic episode and explain why she recognized and was frightened by Locke. It will be interesting to see what (if any) memories the Sideways Locke uncovers given his trauma.
Entertaining episode; not much new but it moved the plot and it looked like most (if not all) of the remaining others have been moved off the board. I noticed that we didn't see Ben, Miles or Richard on the island this week; something tells me they've been deliberately pushed to the background so that we forget about them for now...
Based on the way Jack called Locke a thing (he seemed revolted by it) and his growing faith, one would think he's going to be the new Jacob. While that would make sense it also seems too obvious. Something tells me Jack will goad Locke into killing him, thus breaking one of the rules Locke must follow to be able to leave the island. That just leaves us to figure out who the new Jacob will be.
I loved Hurley and Sawyer's little exchange about Sayid...
Sawyer: Sayid has gone over to the Dark Side.
Hurley: Yeah, but you can always bring people back from the dark side. I mean, Anakin.
Sawyer: Who the hell is Anakin?
Quality television has become something of an oxymoron and its been a pleasure to watch a show with a unique story, clever writing and some damned good acting. I will miss Lost when its all done but I'm also happy that we'll be getting a (hopefully) definitive ending.
Makes me wonder why different things can trigger memories in people. Hurley being kissed by Libby unlocked memories from the island. It appears Sun being shot unlocked a memory. So what event will unlock memories for the rest of the people? Will Sayids arrest unlock memories, or is something else have to happen? Same with Kate, will her arrest unlock memories from the island? Also curious why James Fords car accident didn't trigger a memory. Or maybe I just need to pay a little more attention to the show. I'm also curious what Lockes car accident will unlock for him?
Hardyboy, I'm feeling ya! My wife and I always look forward to Tuesday TV night and a new episode of LOST.
Totally gutted to see the re-run.
Oh well, what better things could I be doing than posting at AJB!
If the show had been lurching toward its conclusion until this point, it just took a massive leap forward. While I was not surprised with the night's first major departure (I thought that character would be the first to go) I was shocked to see what happened next. I was looking forward to next week's episode, which will give us more backstory on Jacob and the Man in Black, but now I'm PO'd that I'll probably have to wait two weeks before the main story is brought back to the fore. As to a few observations:
- Did Lapidus buy it? Unlike Sun and Jin we never saw a final shot of him sinking to the bottom. Something tells me he'll be back.
- Sayid came back from the Dark Side at the end and redeemed himself. I wonder if we'll see more of him in the sideways world or as a ghost on the island.
- Now Sawyer knows what Jack went thru when Juliet died; I think he'll be a bit more contrite from here on out.
- I am almost certain that Widmore and the Locke Thing are in cahoots; how else would Widmore know about the names in the cave or that Kate's has been scratched off.
- Based on what Sayid told Jack before he sacrificed himself it seems a pretty safe bet that Jack will be the new Jacob. The fact that he was the only one to figure out the riddle of the bomb and that he was the only one willing to stay behind makes this seem even more likely.
OK, I can say more. I was left positively stunned by the ending of tonight's episode--not just in the sense that it killed off three or four major characters, but because of the emotional impact of the departure of two of those characters. It was poetic, it was tender, it was real. The only thing I can say for sure about the ending of the series itself is that it will lead up to a big confrontation with EviLocke, but I wouldn't take any bets on who will survive. Maybe a happy ending isn't in the cards for any of these people?
As usual, I also enjoyed the "parallel existence" storyline, this one giving a different take on Locke's paralysis--and his relationship with his father. It almost seems that in this "best of all worlds" existence, there are still some massive flaws. Again, seeing all these disparate characters come together in this time and place is fascinating. . .and you have to wonder if the same entity that's on the island is bringing them together and for the same reason?
And where the heck did Richard go, anyway?
Chafing in anticipation of next week. . .
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-15166-Comedy-Examiner~y2010m5d8-Jimmy-Kimmel-to-air-three-alternate-endings-for-LOST-following-the-shows-series-finale
So, anyway, a nice break until what ABC is calling "the last original episode until the series-ending EVENT." Until next week. . .