As the Lost world goes, "There's No Place Like Home" begins about as far away as it possibly could from the place where "Cabin Fever" ends. Locke's declaration that they need to move the island is decidedly disjointed from the briefing the Oceanic Six receive on their plane ride to Hawaii, especially when viewed on the linear storyboard of the series' progression. If a viewer watched the fourth season for the first time on DVD and saw the episodes back-to-back, I doubt they would expect the return to civilization immediately after Christian tells Lock to transport the island. This jump in the narrative appears a second time in Part I of "There's No Place Like Home," as the episode ends in seemingly disjointed fashion from the genesis. We know the six somehow end up together, but exactly how? Jack is with Sawyer tromping after Hurley, who is with Ben and Locke at the Orchid. Meanwhile, Kate and Sayid are nabbed by the roaming band of Alpert-led Others, who reappeared just in time for the end of the season. Further, Sun has Aaaron on the freighter, as Desmond, Michael, and Jin try not to mess their pants when they discover explosives line the ship.
How do the six reunite? Where do the six reunite? How do they reunite without Jin, Desmond, Michael, Sawyer, etc? Obviously, that point is one of the large setups of the first part of the episode. Many times the idea of entropy comes up when dissecting Lost and this episode could easily add fire to the flame. We begin with the ordered return to the world at large, build toward chaos as the six are scattered on the island, and will ultimately rebound to order when they reunite. That order-to-chaos-to-order progression obviously contains one cog too many for the natural universe, but it works well in storytelling. Figuring out a plausible way to get them all to the freighter or to have Sun get back to the island is daunting; there are many ideas out there, I won't even give it my best shot here.
"We're Not in Kansas Anymore, We're on Oahu"
Arriving in Hawaii was a touching and revealing scene. Hurley's parents are overjoyed and, true to his word, Cheech is still there. Sun embraces her mother, but seems awfully distant from dear old dad. Jack's mother probably received the best gift of her life, since she finally discovered she didn't lose his father and her son in one basic blow. Sayid understandably has no family, but he immediately finds warmth with clan Hurley. Kate, on the other hand, has no one but her "son," which is interesting when you juxtapose that idea against the fact that, later in the story, Kate seems to be the least willing to return to the island, meaning she is most likely the most fulfilled in the real world.
The abbreviated press conference features a well-woven lie and just one question for each of the six. Jack seems content with the story, perhaps indicating that he negotiated some sort of deal with whichever power forces the plot to arrive at the point where the six might escape. Hurley, retaining his humor, calls a female reporter a dude and remarks on his girth before renouncing his wealth. Sun appears to be the most ill-at-ease with lying, though she sticks to the story when asked if her husband made it off the island. Kate gives a succinct answer to how it felt to "give birth" on an island: "scary." Sayid receives the most important query. The reporters wonder if other survivors might have possibly escaped the crash and definitively answers, "No, absolutely not." I surmise that this answer is the key to the negotiation the six leveraged to go home. They agree to stick to the story that everyone else is dead and they can get back to their lives. The key question then becomes, which person or persons made the agreement? Ben? Widmore? Abaddon? A combination?
Doctor Dumbo or Doctor Common Sense?
Flashback to the island (notice how we're getting closer to the point where island time might very well become flashback fodder, with post-island time becoming the present), all those who took jabs at Jack for stating he thought the chopper wanted the beach survivors to follow now have their feet firmly implanted their mouths. Dumb idea, right? After all, he received confirmation from Daniel that the freighter crew never intended to save the survivors. So why follow to mercenaries with ill intentions? Stupid Jack. Except all those people forgot Lapidus in their judgment. Frank has a plan and, though it might ultimately fail, Jack wasn't acting as unintelligently as everyone expected.
When Jack and Kate run into Sawyer, Miles, and Aaron, Sawyer looks more fatigued than we've ever seen him. He is especially distraught as he relays the fact that Claire is missing. Though Captain Nickname and Doc Hero verbally spar, the scene shows just how similar the two have become. Though Sawyer does not possess the technical skills of Jack, he has grown into a protector and, based on his body language and mental state, he has realized it is not as easy as it might seem. Though he passes it off, Sawyer cannot let Jack go to the chopper on his own.
After all, in the past Sawyer confided to Jack that he was probably the closest thing he has to a friend on the island. The Lost world tends to separate Jack and Sawyer as opposites, largely due to their affections for Kate, but in reality they are extremely similar, right down to their taste in marooned women. The end of the first hour of the finale shows the two in tandem, attempting to save their friends, working as one to save Hurley, with Jack again muttering Sawyer's mantra: "son of a bitch" (the situation is obviously the child of fate, the fickle bitch).
Preservatives Work Well
Elsewhere, the well balanced trio of John, Ben, and Hurley move toward the Orchid. While Hurley chows down on 15-year-old soda crackers, Ben flashes a signal to an unseen person with a mirror. By the end of the episode, most people assume the message went to the Others, but really we have no evidence to corroborate any theory at this point, since Ben deflects questions about the sequence.
Later, Hurley poses an important question. He asks Ben that if they achieve the movement of the island, doesn't that mean Keamy and crew will move with them? Ben can only answer that he is working on that aspect. We also receive confirmation that the spot referred to in the second protocol - the place Ben would go if he knew a firestorm was coming - is the Orchid. This revelations strengthens the theories that Widmore and Dharma are connected.
The Ferry of Death?
Meanwhile, Consta-Necktie Daniel becomes ferry-man as he shepherds survivors to the freighter. Dan became extremely distressed when he heard Keamy was heading to the Orchid. Dan either knows about the second protocol, which would mean Gault was even more out of the loop than he seemed, or surmised a second protocol existed when he heard about the play on the Orchid. If he did know beforehand about the second protocol, the pure intentions many of the four freighter mainstays have exhibited might come into question. While they still seem to have the best intentions for humanity in general, the only character I'm absolutely convinced about at this point is Lapidus. He almost goes out of his way to help the survivors, while Daniel, Charlotte, and Miles all feature a self interest in some part of the island. My instincts tell me they will all turn out to be beneficent, but obviously only time will tell.
A great deal of viewers expressed wonder that Jin didn't knock Michael out within seconds of discovering him on the freighter. I find it illogical to think Jin would act in such a fashion; I would most likely find myself extremely shocked to see Michael on the ship and would probably tend to my exploding head before I thought about jacking him in the face. Michael managed to fix the engines, but the mountain of C4 and its wiring are interfering with the ship's computers, so they can't approach the island and its reefs until that problem is solved. The device on Keamy's arm seems unavoidably connected to the explosives. If Keamy's heart stops sending a pulse, the boat will go boom. I fear for Desmond's life, which would be an extremely difficult loss for the show. Is the island Michael reached in his story about getting to New York the same island we see in the photo of the Oceanic Six being rescued?
Power Finance 101 with Professor Sun
The first flash forward beyond the point of the press conference displays Sun on a financial tear. She waltzes up to her father, dismisses his flippant questions about the pregnancy before she tells him that she bought a "controlling interest" in his company with her Oceanic settlement. More than a few viewers scoffed at the ability of Sun to purchase 51% of the company with that sort of compensation, but stopped before they contemplated that perhaps her story is a cover. Sun could easily have received money from another interested party. Is it possible that the bond we see between Hurley and Sun in the "Ji Yeon" points to a combination of forces? Hurley certainly has a lot of cash at his disposal.
In "Ji Yeon" Hurley says something to the effect of "Let's go see him," referring to Jin. The duo visits his grave marker, but perhaps the statement was a larger sentiment about finding Jin, alive and on the island? Widmore and Sun's father have established ties (thanks to the Lost Experience), so perhaps Sun and Hurley have teamed to use his resources to relocate the island?
The Numbers are Back
It is no stretch to see how Hurley could have this motivation. Since the beginning of the season, he has displayed the want to return in flash forwards. His feeling begins almost immediately after arriving home, as he can't seem to escape the island or the numbers. At his island-themed birthday party, a DJ spins Geronimo Jackson as a kid with a shirt emblazoned with "42" walks by.
Shortly thereafter, Hurley's father shows him the restored ride, but before the giddy Malomars-lover takes it for a spin, he notices the full set of numbers on the odometer. Interesting to note, in the opening scene, one of the pilots holds a rabbit's foot for good luck because the cargo they carry is "bad mojo." Attached to the keys Cheech gives Hugo is a similar rabbit's foot.
Jack, Meet Your Nephew
Jack's flash forward, during his father's funeral, is chock full of interesting developments and lines. Jack mentions that he fittingly mapped out the eulogy of his father on the back of a cocktail napkin. The scene undoubtedly will give fits to the people who cannot understand Jack's father issues. Coupled with the compliment he gives Christian in "Something Nice Back Home," Jack tells his "deceased" father that he loved him. Obviously Jack has started to sort out his feelings for his father, which are much deeper and more troubling than many want to admit. What a lot of people also cannot understand is that these troubles, even when faults are forgiven, still leave lasting imprints that just cannot be "gotten over," as some suggest.
Still, the big bomb in the scene is that Jack learns that Claire is his half-sister. The news comes from the now-coma-less mother of Claire, who unknowingly, ironically notes the good looks of her grandchild. The info floors Jack, which perhaps points to the possibility that Claire is alive and still on the island, which triggers a guilt in Jack for leaving. This scene could be the first seed in Jack's psyche that the six indeed need to go back. Of course, the way he reacts could also simply mean that Claire is dead and Jack does not know how to comprehend the fact that his sister is already gone. Also, Jack turns around to view Kate holding his nephew.
Click Your Heels in Two Weeks
The reemergence of the Others was a great scene. The Ageless One, Richard Alpert seems to possess some inside information about the situation, of course unspoken. My guess is that Ben summoned them to the Orchid, at which point they will engage Keamy. I count at least 15 Others, including Richard, as they march during the scene that shows the disparate locations of the Oceanic Six. Ben gives himself up to the soldiers, knowing that their orders are to keep him alive. I find Ben's line to John to be one of the most comical in the show's history. Well, the line is really made by the look Emerson gives Terry O'Quinn, as if Locke is a precocious high school kid fresh out of the locker where he was stuffed. "How many times do I have to tell you, John? I always have a plan."
And that sentiment is the resounding coda of the first hour. In "Cabin Fever," Ben seemingly passed the Chose-One torch to John, but no one doubted that Ben might still be pulling strings. John might be the Chosen One, but his crown as the guy in charge lasted all of one episode, as he takes orders from Ben in "There's No Place Like Home." Who knows how it will turn out, but Ben still has a plan in motion.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
When Home's No Place Like Home - Part I
Friday, May 9, 2008
I Have a Fever and the Only Prescription is More Cabin
Of all people, Buddy Holly opens Season 4's 11th episode, "Cabin Fever." The young performer, who is eternally stuck in time thanks to his untimely death, provides a timely subliminal, Lost-ian message. Not only does he signal a flashback, but the song also hints at the future: "Everyday it's a-gettin closer, goin faster than a rollercoaster." Not only are we nearing the end of the season, but, indeed, every day during Season 4 has been one closer for the next "Chosen One" to discover his destiny.
The Leader of the Pack
We discover the young lady taking in Buddy Holly is actually Emily, five or six months pregnant with someone familiar: John Locke. Like her son will do so many times in the future, Emily defies authority and hits the road for a date with a man twice her age. Unfortunately, her poodle skirt never made it to the sock hop, as a car cut her down as she sprinted away from Grandma Locke. The result was a trip to the ER and the premature birth of her son. As seems fitting for John's character, his mother never gets to hold him when he's born. John spends his first few months in an incubator.
Even when Emily gets the chance to hold John, she balks, unable to bear the weight of motherhood. Who would have thought the first parent to deny and abandon John wouldn't be his father? The long line of people walking out of John's life started early. But all was not lost, for waiting outside the viewing room was a face we've yearned to see for quite some time: Richard Alpert. That's pretty early in John's life for the unaging one to show up. Perhaps John is special, indeed.
The parallels between Locke and Ben's origins are now overt. Both were born early to mothers that suffered some kind of accident. Both drew attention from Richard, who seems to bend time and space at will. It might be important to note, however, that John's mother did not die and Richard seemed to stumble upon Ben in the jungle, instead of seeking him, as he did with John. Perhaps Locke is destined to be the greater "Chose One?"
Later in the flashback, Richard visits John in a foster home, under the pretense that he runs a school for special children. Two things to note in the pre-test scene: John's already playing Backgammon and he already drew a picture of the Smoke Monster, which obviously nets Richard's attention. Richard then lays out six items - a baseball glove, a book of "laws," a vial of sand, a compass, a Mystery Tales comic book, and a knife - and asks John to pick out the ones belong to him "already." The wunderkind starts off seemingly well, as Richard seems pleased that he selects both the sand and the compass. But when John foreshadows his love of knives, Richard immediately ends the exam and deems John not ready for the school. What is the significance of these items? Could the vial be full of the same sand that encircled Jacob's cabin in Season 3? Why is the knife an incorrect choice? Is there a third correct item and, if so, which one was it? The comic, by the way, is a relic of the Silver Age of comics, a period that would make it contemporary with the scene. A nice find for the writers, as the mysterious tale features a hidden city.
High-School John was stuck in a locker, Screech-style, before we learn that Richard Alpert is still keeping tabs on him. Check the inside of John's locker. Our old friend Geronimo Jackson and a black-and-white photo of a mysterious man adorn the locker. Mittelos Laboratories, the same "company" that recruited Juliet, wants John to attend their summer "science camp." John, however, whips out his mantra as the teacher/guidance counselor tries to tell him he can't be one of the popular kids: "Don't tell me what I can't do." While the line is inspiring when Locke uses it in the future, he just seems like a stuck-up wannabe here.
Rehabbing in an orderly fashion
The most interesting scene of the episode, in my opinion, centers around John's rehab after his father threw him from a building. While we might have expected Richard Alpert to show up in the episode, to our surprise the orderly telling John not to give up is Matthew Abaddon, last seen badgering Hurley at the mental institute and assembling the scientific Dream Team with Naomi. Some viewers have noted the abundance of Abaddon's usage of "Mr. Lock," which mirrors that of Walt. Is Abaddon connected to Walt? Is Abaddon a time-warped Walt? A short discourse on miracles leads Abaddon to suggest a walkabout to Locke. (Note that the poster on the wall as they wheel toward Locke's room says "Get back into the game.") Did anyone else notice that Abaddon has a patent on the creepy persona (nice, bloodshot eyes)? We learn a bit about the mystery man. The dialog seems rather important:
Abaddon: You know what you need, Mr. Lock? You need to go on a walkabout.
Locke: Uh, what's a walkabout?
Abaddon: It's a journey of self-discovery. You go out into the Australian Outback with nothing more than a knife and your wits.
Locke: I can't "walkabout" anything. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a cripple.
Abaddon: Is that what you are, Mr. Locke? I went on my walkabout convinced I was one thing and I came back another. I found out what I was made of, who I was.
Locke: And here you are. An orderly.
Abaddon: Oh I'm a lot more than just an orderly, John.
(elevator opens)
Abaddon: When you're ready, Mr. Locke, you'll listen to what I'm saying. And then when you and me run into each other again, you'll owe me one.
Not only do we receive some sort of confirmation that Abaddon is also a special character, but he knows John is special as well. Notice the only usage of "John" comes when Locke questions Abaddon's occupation. He breaks character as wise orderly just to let John know that something strange is afoot. He reverts to "Mr. Locke" to deliver the last bit of info: they'll see each other again. Also, note the walkabout reference to the knife, the same item John was not supposed to choose during his test with Alpert.
Lincoln Logs
On the island, future John, Ben, and Hurley trek through the jungle in search of Jacob's cabin. Both defer to John, the new "Chosen One," who has them bunk down for the night so he can receive instructions in dreamland. Locke's dilated pupil "awakens" to the sounds of someone chopping wood. A character we probably never thought we'd see again, Horace Goodspeed, is clearing a tract of land for, surprise, a cabin. His D.I. uniform fits well over the tie-dyed shirt, as he starts to chat with John. Horace informs John that he's been dead for 12 years and that Jacob has been waiting for John for a long time. Eerily, the tree he cuts down reappears upright twice and Horace repeats his greeting. This scene is yet another piece of the larger motif of circularity that permeates Lost. Not only are the dead still circulating in the jungle, but their actions and even seemingly-irreversible acts (cut-down tree) are all looping. With each instance, the circularity theory gains more and more credence.
Of course, Horace was all a dream. We see a second eye-shot and John wakes to find Ben already awake. In one of the funniest moments of the episode, John was dreaming of Horace while Hurley had visions of Mallomars. Ben, feeling left out, notes that he used to "have dreams," which shows he understands that his prophetic visions have shifted wholly to the domain of Locke.
John digs around in the pile of Dharma bones, the spot where Ben shot John at the end of Season 3. Ben notes to Hurley that the act was "pointless," perhaps a nod that Locke cannot be killed on the island. Interestingly from Ben, we learn that he was not the leader of the Others during The Purge. Locke pulls schematics for the cabin from Horace's body.
Ben and Locke then come toe-to-toe in another parallel. Locke cajoles Hurley to stay with the group, convincing Hurley in the process that it was his idea. Ben notes the similarity between the two, as this sort of manipulation is Ben's calling card. John retorts, however, "I'm not you." Ben has an excellent response: "You're certainly not." Apparently John still has a way to go.
The two share an intriguing exchange, as Ben for the first time airs his frustration with what has happened to him. Once the "Chosen One" himself, Ben then suffered the "fickle bitch" of destiny, netting a tumor and a dead daughter. John surprisingly offers apologies, but Ben realizes those outcomes were his fate, in stark contrast to High-School Ben who thrashes against any fate he can't stomach. John's on his way to embracing the fatalism of his life, however.
At the cabin, Ben and Hurley let John rendez-vous with the undead alone. John has fully assumed the spot as the man, while Ben and Hurley share an Apollo Bar (they have great on-screen chemistry). Of course, Jacob is MIA, but Christian Shephard appears in casual clothes, with legs crossed, passing the time until John arrived:
Locke: Are you Jacob?
Christian: No, but I can speak on his behalf.
Locke: Well, who are you?
Christian: I'm Christian.
Locke: You know why I'm here?
Christian: Yeah. Sure. Do you?
Locke: I'm here because I was chosen to be.
Christian: That's absolutely right.
Before we can grasp exactly what that means, creepy Claire shows up in the cabin. For the first time in the series, Claire appears older and bears an "I'm-in-the-know" grin. John wonders why she's there, but Christian implores him to ask the important question, you know, because there's not enough time, as usual. John discovers that to save the island, they need to move it. Another circularity: John, once unable to move even himself, is now tasked with moving the biggest thing in the show.
And that's when it's clear that Abaddon had complete foresight. Of course he knew John would not and could not embark on a walkabout in the Outback. John's entire trek, to Australia, on the plane, on the island, has been his walkabout. The dialog in the cabin shows he went in as one thing and came out another. Now John knows what he's made of, whom he is. Lost is John's walkabout.
Beating Kevin Johnson
An enraged Keamy discovers that Michael as Kevin Johnson informed Ben about his identity. Mirroring "Meet Kevin Johnson," Keamy tries to kill Michael, but his gun misfires. Again Michael couldn't be offed, which seems to indicate that the island has granted him death-protection. Why is this ability only available to some people? Why is Michael special? Is he forced to atone for his transgressions, invincible until he saves his friends?
Keamy is dead set on getting back to the island. He bullies just about everyone on the boat to make it happen, even usurping the leadership of Captain Gault. Apparently Keamy and the captain were both in control, as they each had a key to a safe that, by protocol, they were supposed to open together. Keamy seems to know more than the captain, however, as he knows the safe hides a second protocol, which features the Dharma logo for the Orchid and the place Ben will be going next. When the captain wonders how Widmore would know where Ben would head next, Keamy only replies, "he's a very smart man." Many people have speculated that this place must be the cabin, but it could really be anywhere, from the Temple to the Orchid (if they are different places). One thing is for sure, Keamy wants to wipe the island clean.
Armed with this knowledge, Gault shows a side we have yet to see. In "Meet Kevin Johnson," Gault was presented as a character in the know, fully on the side of Widmore. He believed Ben needed to be "extracted," which is what he was tasked to do. When Gault realized he wasn't privy to everything, he questions the entire mission. He then attempts to hide Sayid and Desmond, who would rather take the raft back to the island to ferry survivors to the boat.
The most interesting aspect of this scene, however, comes from Omar's pocket. In freighter time, he just receives the Morse-code transmission sent by Farraday two episodes prior. Another piece to the time conundrum. Obviously, the body of the doctor washes up on the beach before the Morse even reaches the freighter. Does time slow down as you move away from the island?
After his protective move in "Something Nice Back Home," Lapidus solidifies his role as a good guy in this episode. He wonders why Mike hadn't informed him about being a survivor, but balks at the idea of Widmore putting the plane on the bottom of the ocean. Perhaps this info is legit, but it could easily be outside of Frank's realm of knowledge.
The two see Keamy being armed with some sort of gadget to his arm. Not even the captain knows what it is. Bomb? A bit small to be overly explosive.
Ready to raft back to the island, Desmond tells Sayid he's not going with him. He'd rather wait for Penny on the freighter. Does anyone else think Desmond won't have a choice at some point and will step foot on the blasted island once more?
Omar tells the doc that he received a message about the doc's body washing up on the shore. The seeming paradox was answered as Keamy slits the doctor's throat in response to Frank's attempt at derailing the mission. Keamy then murders Gault as well. Lapidus hops in the chopper quick-like. He does, however, hatch a plan. As the helicopter reaches the island, he drops a pack with a homing device to Jack, Juliet, Kate, etc, at the beach. I'd love to know what the papers were in the pack.
Interestingly, the pack lands right next to Aaron's cradle. Obviously, the placement of John's wooden gift is not an accident. More foreshadowing of Aaron's importance?
Click Your Heels
In what seems a flash, the season is set up for another showdown in the finale. How will Locke and company manage to move the island? Will Jack become disillusioned again as he marches the survivors a second time toward rescue? Or will his wariness of the freighter folk prove useful in another way? The preview for next week's episode also promises more Oceanic 6. Nice, but I'd rather see more of the remaining Others and Richard Alpert. Regardless, Locke has been chosen and now he knows it.
One thing that sits with me after watching the episode, though: Ben seems resigned to being out of control. Yet we've seen him whipping through the real world, taking things into his own hands. How the balance between John's authority and Ben's know-how plays out will be very interesting.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Revisiting the Top 50 Lost Loose Ends #5
Part four of a series revisiting IGN's article, "Top 50 Lost Loose Ends." For part one and for more information about the original article and the series, point your browser here. In this edition, we'll discuss and throw a verdict onto 10 more of IGN's top Lost mysteries, #10 through #1.
Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V
#10: The Disease
UNSOLVED
Little has been mentioned about the disease that ravaged Rousseau's people, if it ever existed. The connection between the Others' injections and the disease is probably non-existent, as we know the injections usually involve pregnant women. Still, the Others are able to make Claire sick and Desmond revealed that those in the Swan were into vaccines. Those the Dharma quarantine and vaccine could have simply been a way to keep the workers pressing the buttons, we really have no definitive explanation for any of it. I assume this mystery will go largely untouched by the writers in the future, but, as always, I could be wrong.
#9: The Healing Powers of the Island
UNSOLVED
This mystery will, most likely, be one of the ultimate reveals of the show. Obviously the island has some sort of strange hearing power, but its properties are limited and/or inconsistent. It can heal, but it cannot save absolutely. The Magic 8-Ball says, "I foresee an answer in Season 6."
#8: Locke's Legs
PARTIALLY SOLVED
Although we do not know the answer to how the island brought back power to Locke's legs (see previous entry), we found out in grand fashion how he lost the ability to walk. Though I envy Locke's communion with the island, I do not envy any man's fall from a tower thanks to a push from his father.
#7: Dead Characters Appearing
UNSOLVED
I believe the ultimate answer to this will stem from the smoke monster, but to this point we have no solid leads. In fact, we really haven't seen a dead character's apparition in quite some time. I would love to see Eko reappear. Based on previews for Season 4, we could be in for a Charlie coda. Back on topic: the answer is still a big mystery.
#6: The Polar Bears
UNSOLVED
The IGN article cites the commonly-held theory that the bears came from Dharma experiments (thanks to the bear cages on the Hydra). Honestly, though, we have no confirmation about much other than the fact that the Hydra has bear cages...
I go with the article on this one: that answer is lacking.
#5: The Unusual Connections Between Castaways
UNSOLVED
Indeed one of the high mysteries of the show, well placed at number five. Playing into one of the central themes of the show, is it coincidence or fate that these characters, so extensively connected outside of the island, all board the same plane? My instinct tells me the answer leans toward the "fate" side of the equation, but of course that seems fairly obvious to most viewers. The answer to this question will probably be one of the most rewarding, well worth the six-year wait.
#4: The DHARMA Initiative
UNSOLVED
We received a glimpse of the Dharma Initiative late in Season 3 and some of the details about the group have emerged. They are now much less mysterious thanks to the fact that we know they were eradicated from the island by the Others. Still, the goals, dealings, and methods of the group are largely unknown. Why are supplies still arriving on the island? Is the Initiative alive and well off the island? All questions we have no answers to heading into Season 4.
#3: Walt's Powers
UNSOLVED
One of the most intriguing questions about the show, what in the hell is going on with Walt? He apparently had special powers before the island, but the Others were keenly interested in him. The most interesting part about Walt is that for all the knowledge of the island and its strange happenings, even the Others were baffled and overwhelmed by Walt. With the return of Michael for Season 4, hopefully Walt and his magic will return as well.
#2: The Monster
UNSOLVED
A great and overlooked aspect from Season 3 was the reveal from Juliet that the Others have no idea what the monster is. The sonic fence keeps him back, but that's about all we really know. The dude sounds like a roller coaster, scans memories like a copying machine, moves like the world's most agile snake, and apparently smokes 42 packs a day. Although the monster might turn out to be nanotechnology, a creation by humans, I believe the monster will most likely turn out to be an offshoot of the island itself. I think it would be amazing if all the apparitions and even Vincent turned out to be Smokey. This mystery will almost certainly be explained at some point; and I look forward to that day with delight.
#1: The Numbers
UNSOLVED
Rounding out an almost completely unsolved Top 10, the numbers certainly merit a spot at number one. Though their significance in the tale diminished greatly in Season 3, they seem to be the black-hole beacon of the island. From the Valenzetti equation to the Swan to the lottery to the radio tower, the numbers loom large over the arc of Lost. If the numbers turn out to mean nothing, I believe the Lost Nation will rise up and devour the offspring of every writer for the series. As the article notes, this aspect of the show is simply too large to go unanswered. One thing is for sure, I believe that 25 years down the road, the thing remembered most about Lost will be 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42.A Glaring Omission - Vincent
I think the IGN article did an excellent job at covering most of the large mysteries of the show, at least those presented by the time of its publication. If I had created the list, I would have put Vincent in the Top 10. Something big is going on with that dog. Every time something strange happens, the lovable pup shows up. Vincent is there from the very first scene and then later peers ominously at the group heading toward the cockpit. Why? You got me, but I am certain the dog is significant.
Revisiting the Top 50 Lost Loose Ends #4
Part four of a series revisiting IGN's article, "Top 50 Lost Loose Ends." For part one and for more information about the original article and the series, point your browser here. In this edition, we'll discuss and throw a verdict onto 10 more of IGN's top Lost mysteries, #20 through #11.
Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V
#20: Aaron
UNSOLVED
We might look back and be able to mark this "solved" before Season 4 by chalking the interest of the Others in Aaron to their fertility problems. Still, the deal with the psychic (though he claimed in Eko's flashback that he is a fraud) leaves me uncertain about that scenario. I used to think Aaron might turn out to be the most important character in the series, but then Walt's importance emerged and Aaron surged to the background. I think it's about 50-50 on whether Aaron will turn out to be Walt-esque or just a normal kid who garnered the attention of a bunch of baby-starved Others.
#19: Voices in the Woods
UNSOLVED
I absolutely love that the writers actually script the whispers. In terms of the mystery, however, we have absolutely no idea. My best guess would involved the smoke monster above all the explanations IGN ponders. Supposedly we will discover more about the whispers in the future and, as the article suggests, that discovery will certainly lend us a lot of info on the island and its powers/properties.
#18: Eko's Death
UNSOLVED
I agree with the article that Eko's death via Smokey has significant literary impact on the storyline. The article claims the monster had never landed a death blow, but they forget the pilot. Certainly the monster has a vicious side, as evidenced by the deaths and its chase after Kate and Juliet, but it has confusingly let some people live, most notably Locke. The Locke "white" monster, who lets him live, versus the Eko black monster will most likely reveal an ultimate truth about the island. The answer could be religious, as the article postulates, but I believe it will most likely have to do with "communion" with the island. The island and the monster are probably highly linked, if not the same entity, and Locke certainly finds favor with the island. Though Eko marveled at and respected the island, in the end he felt his life's purpose had reached finality. Perhaps the refusal to bow to the island led to the monster's ire.
#17: The Others' List
PARTIALLY SOLVED
I think we learned enough about the list to slap a "partially solved" on this one. The list was indeed most likely Jacob's list and we now know Ben takes orders from the mysterious shack-man. I assume the list reveals those for whom invitation to live with the Others exists, but it could really be anything. We do not yet know the true purpose. A question I have always wondered about is why those on the list were all from the tail. Not one person from the beach was on the initial haul.
#16: The "Good" People on the Others' List
UNSOLVED
As with the previous entry, I assume the "goodness" of the people comes from the man with a list, Jacob. I think IGN's commentary in the second paragraph on this mystery is probably off base, but I have definitive answer with which to replace it. We will probably discover this answer in due time.
#15: Why Do the Others Want Children?
SOLVED
Easy: because they can't have any! The why is still uncertain, but we definitely now understand the obsession. Probably the most cut and dry answer in the entire article.
#14: Surviving the Crash
UNSOLVED
I highly doubt we will ever know the answer to this question. The most likely guess is outlined in the article: the island's properties. But we have clearly seen that the island cannot stop fatality, which would most likely ensue following a crash of 815's magnitude. As of now, I give it to the island and move on.
#13: Christian Symbology
UNSOLVED
Another mystery that will likely span the entire show. The Christian symbolism in the show is prevalent to a point that one has to assume it plays a major role in the crux of the plot. However, it could turn out just to be a large part of the story at the character level, just a lot of characters. Those who value the island the most - The Others - do not seem to be overtly Christian, so that outcome is a distinct possibility. But I believe Christianity has played too large a role to simply be a vehicle for character redemption.
#12: The Others' Master Plan
UNSOLVED
Ben seems to spend a lot of his time in the end of Season 3 defending the island from outside forces. Initially, those forces were limited to the survivors. Things started to spin out of control, however, and now most of the impetus of the show seems to hinge on the Others' protection of the island. Before the problems, however, can we say that was their master plan? From what we have seen to this point, I would say their master plan is simply to continue the existence of their people in harmony of the island. Perhaps that notion will prove to be far too narrow, but we have no proof as of now. It is interesting to view the progression of a viewer's take on the Others as the show moves from season to season. During Season 1, they were a completely unknown force. In Season 2 they were primitives before morphing into master tacticians and the most cunning of adversaries. In Season 3 we saw them as normal people who had a leg up on information before they almost wilted completely in strength, dying by the bushel and unable to stop an assault on the island. A very interesting arc.
#11: What Hides the Island?
UNSOLVED
I assume the electromagnetism of the island is what kept it hidden from the outside world, but that is nothing more than my best guess. We know the Penny's team detected the island after the implosion, but we still do not know the method by which the island remains hidden. A big mystery, for sure.
Revisiting the Top 50 Lost Loose Ends #3
Part three of a series revisiting IGN's article, "Top 50 Lost Loose Ends." For part one and for more information about the original article and the series, point your browser here. In this edition, we'll discuss and throw a verdict onto 10 more of IGN's top Lost mysteries, #30 through #21.
Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V
#30: Ben's Always Lived on the Island
SOLVED
We discovered all we could handle on this sucker. First of all, Ben lied about being born on the island. Secondly, IGN's speculation about him coming to the island as a young boy via Dharma was spot on. Almost too spot on. The real payoff of this mystery came from how a young Dharma boy morphed into the leader of the Others. Can you say gaseous Purge?
#29: Where Was Desmond Hiding His Boat?
UNSOLVED
A great question. Though the island is larger than your typical I-can-monitor-all-shores isle, one would think a sail boat of that size would have found detection at some point. The Others certainly were wrapped up with some things (fertility, etc), but if Desmond resided on the island for three years, where was it hidden? I can understand the Others' lack of intrusion to the Swan much more than I can to a sail boat sitting at harbor for three years. This mystery will most likely never be answered due to its seeming lack of importance.
#28: Survivors Captured by the Others
SOMEWHAT SOLVED
Season 3 did give us the answer to the "where" part of the mystery when Cindy and the children talk with Jack in the cages. Cindy later interacts briefly with Locke after he has taken up residence in the tent town o'the Others. Although a slight insight into what the Others are up to and why they take/accept outsiders has been given by the writers, we still don't really know why they were taken or what the Others really want with them. Cindy seems to be sold on the utopia the Others peddle. I am sure time will sow many fruit on this question.
#27: The Dharma Shark
UNSOLVED
Juliet clues us in that the Hydra was the likely origin of Ezra J. Sharkington (nom de plume of Mr. Shark, says the official podcast), but how it got into the ocean or what its purpose was are still two unchecked boxes on the mystery list. I am sure the exploits of the Dharma Initiative and their infiltration into the wild (thanks to the Purge? But why would the Others want to unleash polar bears and sharks?) will emerge in the coming seasons.
#26: Libby
UNSOLVED
Damon and Carlton have hinted at big things with Libby's background, but we learned zilch in Season 3. Could she be Dharma-related? The Others? My money is on Dharma over the Others, but as is the Lost tradition, anything is possible. I strongly suspect we will learn more about Libby in Season 4, but are those answers included in the first eight episodes?
#25: The Black Rock
PARTIALLY SOLVED
In my estimation, the biggest questions relating to the Black Rock still go unanswered. Why is it in the middle of the jungle? Tsunami? Purple sky? And how did it end up lured to the island? The Black Rock had no radio to snag those pesky numbers, the plague that afflicted Rousseau. We have learned a bit about the ship, however, mostly thanks to the ARG Find815. The survivors correctly assumed the vessel was a slaving ship, which was verified by the ARG. We also now know that Magnus Hanso was the captain of said vessel. The connections always become more complex! Does the Black Rock hold the key to the origin of the "natives?" My Magic 8 Ball gives me a murky yes.
#24: Michael & Walt
UNSOLVED
Two of IGN's questions were answered in Season 3. We know the Others were more than happy to boot Walt as far away as possible. Apparently Walt is a bit more of a special boy than they could handle, as evidenced in the Missing Pieces episode called "Room 23." It seems Walt really warmed it up for Karl. Also, we definitely saw Walt on the show again, as he convinced Locke to put the ancient gun down and finish his work. The larger mysteries of Michael and Walt, of course, remain unsolved, but some clarity seems imminent, as at least Michael returns in Season 4.
#23: Desmond Can See the Future
SOLVED
Most of the questions about Desmond's premonitions were answered in "Flashes Before Your Eyes" and subsequent episodes. The implosion definitely triggered Desmond's abilities and they usually come in the vision form, not guided by a dead Lostie. Although most of the visions involved Charlie's death, they also managed to portent the arrival of Naomi. Whether Desmond will continue to see the future or not is still up in the air. To this point, IGN, Desmond's lack of clothes after the implosion has not been a foreshadowing of a survivor nudist colony.
#22: The Hatch Implosion
UNSOLVED
One of the larger conundrums of the island, how exactly does the electromagnetism function, what are its effects, and how did Dharma harness or control it? Further, what exactly did the fail-safe key do? Is the juice now constantly flowing? Or is it now out of the bag forever? The greater properties of the island will likely be one of the last major reveals on the show, so pack your bags for the journey on this question. To me, the electromagnetism, the hatch, the numbers, etc, have always been one of the greatest allures to the show, so I can't wait to discover the answer to this mystery.
#21: Christian's Body
UNSOLVED
I hear rumblings that this entry could move from unsolved to solved in the near future. Indeed, near nothing has been revealed about this question for quite some time. We have seen Christian alive via flashbacks inordinately more than Jack has wondered about his father's body, somewhat puzzling, especially since he followed his father's apparition into the jungle.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Revisiting the Top 50 Lost Loose Ends #2
Part two of a series revisiting IGN's article, "Top 50 Lost Loose Ends." For part one and for more information about the original article and the series, point your browser here. In this edition, we'll discuss and throw a verdict onto 10 more of IGN's top Lost mysteries, #40 through #31.
Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V
#40: The Skeletons in the Cave
UNSOLVED
I might rate this mystery slightly higher on the list, but the skeletons found in the cave are easy to forget since they have not been mentioned since Season 1. Sometimes I even forget the survivors ever went to the cave, it's been so long. We have little other than speculation as to the answers to the skeletons, though thanks to the currently-running ARG, Find815, the last sentence of IGN's guess, that the skeletons could be Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan, do not seem as far fetched as they once did.
#39: Why Didn't Ben Take Jack Earlier?
UNSOLVED
The unsolved label on this question will probably remain that way for the rest of the show. Although I can see the plot aspects that elicited this question as stumping at the time of the article, this mystery does not exactly keep me up at night. My best guess is based on the line Ben delivers to Jack about wanting to Jack to want to do the surgery. Or perhaps Ben did not think he would necessarily need Jack, since he commented that Ethan was a fine doctor before he was killer. Maybe Ethan could have done the surgery? Another potential explanation lies with the island's healing powers. Ben could have thought he would simply heal and was waiting for it to happen. Perhaps not until Jack commented on the promptness of Ben's death would Ben really feel the need for Jack to perform the surgery. Regardless, I think we might never find a definitive answer, unless someone asks for specificity during an official podcast.
#38: The Significance of 108 Minutes
UNSOLVED
Another question I believe deserves a higher spot on the list of Lost's biggest intrigues. Although I suppose you would have to group the numbers and the Valenzetti equation in there to really cover the numbers. I fear we may never receive a satisfying answer to "why 108?" The IGN article channels Occam and his razor (who just happens to make an appearance in Find815) and the simplest answer here would be "because it is the sum of the island's numbers."
#37: How Long Have the Events on the Island Been Going On?
UNSOLVED
Although we learned that Ben's island-birth was indeed false, Season 3 also lent us some more less obvious clues that the island's mystique has happened for quite some time, such as the temple. I believe the ultimate answer will be "a long freaking time," but, as the article notes, I believe we will not know for a long freaking time.
#36: Who Is Christian's Daughter?
SOLVED
We finally nab a solved in this part of the series. This question was definitively answered in Season 3. Aaron will grow up saying, "Uncle Jack," because Claire is Christian's daughter, which makes her Jack's half sister.
#35: Where Is the Pearl's Crew?
UNSOLVED (but meaningless?)
Just a bit high on this ranking, no? Desmond was still in the Swan, yes, but because he was not a member of the Initiative, we cannot assume that other stations have survivors somewhere on the island. I never even asked myself about the Pearl's crew. We did see Ben and Juliet visit the Pearl when Paolo was hiding the diamonds, so the cigarette could easily have come from an Other.
#34: Black & White Symbolism
UNSOLVED
Again, I'm not sure this "loose end" is such a mystery. I don't want to downplay the black and white symbolism employed on the show, but I would guess that it largely stands for good and evil. Those issues are conflated quite a bit by the characters and the forces at work, so the question has relevance, but is it really something we will come to discover in the future?
#33: Jack Tossed from the Plane
UNSOLVED
Ah, a mystery we have pondered since the birth pangs of the entire series. To me, two huge questions erupt before we even see the beach or the plane. Why is Jack in the jungle and what significance does Vincent hold? The answer to Jack could end up being as simple as "he was just thrown from the plane somehow" or it could be a jaw-dropper. Vincent, on the other hand, I suspect will be a huge element to the show.
#32: The Supply Drop
UNSOLVED
Although we discovered that food drops could seemingly be requested via the Flame station, we really have no idea as to how they arrive, from whom they come, or how often they are scheduled. Theories on this mystery run the gamut, from time-travel implications to Hanso-funded cargo planes. Until the Initiative and all the forces attempting to control the island are fully explained, this question will most likely remain unsolved.
#31: Why Couldn't Desmond Leave?
UNSOLVED
We go 9-for-10 in the unsolved category during this segment. Perhaps when Michael returns to the show in Season 4 we will get a better idea on this one. Obviously, the island seems to funnel anything and everything to its bosom. Desmond and his boat had no better luck getting away from the pull than anything else. Though you could couple this question with compass bearing 325, I think it will end up being more significant than a 31st ranking merits.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Revisiting the Top 50 Lost Loose Ends #1
In late 2006 IGN posted an article about the large pile of unanswered mysteries of Lost. Although many people bemoan the questions-outnumber-the-answers aesthetic of the show, I actually appreciate the arc for the unknown. I think deep down we all know what draws us to the show is the intrigue of mystery. What fun would it be to have all our questions answered? I, for one, will mourn the final answer when the show concludes. The IGN article is attractive because it delves into a large number of the island's goodies, all while encapsulating them in the favorite internet pastime of the ranking's list. The list was created during the break between the first six episodes and the rest of season three. Now that we've had some time to develop ideas and digest more information, let's revisit the list. For each entry, I'll note what the verdict on the mystery is to this point and perhaps posit some ideas along the way. Take a look at the original article to see what the original questions were; I don't have the room to repost the entire article. For the sake of the site's format, I'll break up the list into several posts.
Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V
#50: The Others and the Outside World
SOLVED
This question seems a bit low at #50. Regardless, I think we can safely throw a solved on this bad boy. We now know the Others and Dharma are not the same entity. Further, the others definitely have access to the outside world. All the info on the survivors came through the Flame's communication equipment. Some members even travel to the outside world via the sub. And, of course, we know why the Others don't want to leave the island. The island is the electromagnetic Field of Dreams.
#49: Who Is the Guy with the Eye Patch?
SOLVED
One of the coolest moments of the entire show came when "Patchy" showed up on one of the Pearl's televisions during "The Cost of Living." Looking back, not only did we lose Eko, but the scope of the island became even bigger when Mikhail and his eye patch momentarily graced our vision: an action-packed episode. Mikhail manned the Flame station and played a huge role in Season 3.
#48: Getting to the Prison Island
Partially Solved
The article seems to mesh several mysteries into one on this entry. If the main question is "how did Jack, Sawyer, and Kate not know they were moved to another island" then the answer is we have no idea. They were captured via drugging, so I would assume that is the ultimate answer.
But they also ask about other mysteries. We now know they had(?) a submarine. But as the Others and Jack departed from the Hydra and Alcatraz Island, they simply used boats to do so. It goes without saying that the two islands are not connected. I would say there is no underwater tunnel, but again that would be an assumption, albeit a highly likely one.
#47: The Quote on Eko's Stick: John 3:05
SOLVED
Eko guides Locke postmortem via the inscription on his stick. Thanks to some help from the sunlight, Eko's message allowed Locke to discover the Flame. As to whether the Gospel passage will turn out prophetic in some way is still up in the air, although one could argue the construction of a metaphor as Locke attempts to enter the kingdom of the Others by "cleansing" himself of his father.
#46: The Four-Toed Statue Foot
UNSOLVED
I'm not sure the promise made by Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse that we would discover the statue predates Dharma in Season 3 was fulfilled. If it was, I certainly missed it. We know people inhabited the island before the Dharma Initiative, but the meaning and origins of the statue are still one of the biggest mysteries of the show. Theories on this one are aplenty; I won't even attempt a prediction.
#45: Why Were All the Guns in the Hatch?
MOST LIKELY SOLVED
Though never stated, the nearly certain answer to this question is for protection from the Hostiles. As we discovered in "The Man Behind the Curtain," the Dharma Initiative were armed for a full-fledged war against the people who turned out to be the Others. Away from the sonic fence at the barracks, the Initiative likely packed its members in the Swan to the teeth in case of an incursion.
#44: The Cable
SOLVED
A conundrum nearly as old as the show itself, the cable discovered by Sayid during "Solitary" and rediscovered by Hurley was always a high point of interest to Lost viewers. The speculation by IGN is dead on. We now know the cable leads to the Looking Glass station, an underwater point for blocking communications to and from the island. The bigger question regarding the cable to me now is: why didn't Charlie and Desmond just cut the cable? Did Charlie really need to dive to the station in order to disable the signal?
#43: Compass Bearing 325
UNSOLVED
Michael sailed away from his mutiny to the compass bearing of 325 at the end of Season 2. Exactly where this northwesterly direction would take Michael and Walt is still up in the air, as is any significance to the number itself. Michael was absent for Season 3, but Walt's eerie presence in the finale and the return of Michael four Season 4 might be the harbingers for some closure on this subject.
#42: The ? Hatch a.k.a. "The Pearl"
UNSOLVED
The significance of the Pearl is still a matter of speculation. Most of the other stations have distinct purposes, but the Pearl's ultimate reason for existence is still within the clutch of the writers. As to what happened to the team in the hatch, I think the question is largely irrelevant now, as their fate seems likely to be the same as the rest of the Initiative. The collection of information and the pneumatic vomiting into a field, however, is as big a question heading into Season 4 as it was when it was discovered.
#41: The Radio Tower
SOLVED
Perhaps the most recently solved mystery, the characters assaulted the radio tower in the Season 3 finale. Led by Rousseau, they discovered her looped tape, turned it off, and attempted to phone home. Cut and dry, it seems.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Genesis/Terminus/Purpose
My name is Kyle and like you, most likely, I am a fan of Lost. We are currently in the midst of the interregnum between season three and four and, excitingly, the second official Alternate Reality Game - Find815 - related to the show. A slew of Lost websites are scattered across the internet; so why add another? I'm not looking to create a spoiler site or a place dedicated to screen captures or recaps. Instead, I'm going to fill these pages with analysis and musings on the show. At heart I am an English student and I will be until I die. When I read something or watch something, I cannot help but analyze. The deeper and better the material, the more I ponder. Unlike many literature fanatics, I rarely become emotionally invested in creations. Instead, I am drawn to their intelligent or philosophical bends. Embarrassingly, Lost defies my usual tendencies. Like the X-Files before it, Lost has managed to touch a chord in me that causes me to be affected in a way I cannot easily explain. I'm sure most of you can relate. The third season finale filled me with such melancholy that I have never really shrugged it off. In a way, I find the sadness that inhabits the episode a sort of happiness, simply because I feel that sense of loss or misstep. Anyway, because of the connection I have to the ideas of the show, I feel the pull to write about it. In the coming months and, hopefully, years, I will add my thoughts on the show and what the hell is going on. If I somehow manage to snag a few readers, I will look forward to comments and getting to know fellow fans along the way.