I have to say this at the outset: I’m just really still not digging the whole flash-sideways thing. Here’s my problem: If I didn’t know this was the final season — if I didn’t know we only had 12 episodes or so left, I would be completely frustrated by this stuff, I’d think the producers were just flying by the seat of their pants, and I’d be tempted to change the channel. I know all the homers out there will cry heresy here and they’ll tell me to just roll with it, but I just can’t fake it. The stakes are too high here. I’ve been notoriously brutal in my condemnation of some of my favorite shows when they jump the shark (see: 24, Heroes). Suffering through the final couple of seasons of The X-Files will do that to a guy. I’m not saying LOST has jumped the shark just yet, but the Dharma shark is circling. The ONLY thing that gives me hope at this point is that we are, in fact, barreling down the home stretch and I still hold some modicum of faith that the producers WILL in fact bring all of this stuff together in a satisfying way. But I’m just going on record by saying that the “man of science” in me is ready for some stinkin’ answers. Given that we’re a quarter of the way through the final season, I think that’s a reasonable expectation.
In “The Substitute”, we’re given heaping doses of Alterna-Locke (on the Island) and Alternate Locke (in the sideways 2004 reality). John Locke appears to be much the same sad sack we knew before: crippled, working at the same box company, haplessly trying to go on the same walkabout in Australia. But we find that some things are quite different for John, most notably his relationship with Helen.
Her mention of John’s father as a guest at the wedding has me wondering if this iteration of Locke has a more traditional relationship with his father. By traditional I mean, “Maybe Anthony didn’t con a kidney from John before plunging him eight stories and breaking his back.” But if that’s the case, then why is John in a wheelchair?
Maybe the most disconcerting difference is that we’re witnessing the erosion of Alternate-Reality Locke’s faith. By episode’s end, he makes the same blundering pronouncement Jack Shepherd make at the end of Season Four: there’s no such thing as miracles. This is frustrating, since Locke has always been vital to the show as a man of faith. In Locke’s case, maybe that’s true; the faith John so vehemently subscribed to turned out to be nothing but stone cold manipulation by MIB who has been playing John like a fiddle since their fortuitous encounter way back in Season One (when John looked into the eye of the Island and beheld something “beautiful”).
Meanwhile, Terry O’Quinn’s FLocke is quickly becoming a bad guy for the ages. What a fun role that must be for him: to get to play a more nuanced version of John Locke in the sideways-story while indulging the inner villain for his scenes as FLocke. FLocke is all over Sawyer in this episode. The question is why? We know Sawyer is a candidate. What we don’t know is why Smokey needs Sawyer to help him go home.
I thought it was a little hokey that Sawyer could so immediately pick up on FLocke’s identity. One minute Sawyer is angry at the world; the next minute he’s giving FLocke the stare-down, saying things like “You’re not John Locke.” I know it’s a convenient plot point to get Sawyer and FLocke on the move again and all, but it seemed like a stretch to me.
My friend David pointed out that each of the three sideways characters that these episodes have focused on thus far (Jack, Kate, Locke) have been shown staring at themselves in a mirror at some point. Perhaps an Alice in Wonderland reference? The producers have long proclaimed their love for the Dodgson classic. Or maybe they’re simply in cahoots with Tim Burton. Who knows?
Anybody wanna bet that weird kid in the jungle was an older version of Aaron? And what does it mean that Sawyer could see him?
Coolest scene of the season so far: the first person prerogative of Smokey roaming the Island and New Otherton.
What is Illana going to do with Jacob’s ashes? And how does she know anything about Jin?
When FLocke / MIB shows Sawyer the names of the Oceanic passengers, one name is conspicuously absent from their discussion: one Kate Austen. This scene gave us corresponding images from the Season Five finale where Jacob touches each of the individual “candidates”: Locke (4); Hurley (8); Sawyer (15); Sayid (16); Jack (23); and either Sun or Jin or both (42). But in the same episode, Jacob has the same kind of encounter with Kate. What does it mean that she’s not listed as one of the wall’s “candidates”?
Does Locke’s burial mean that we’ve seen the last of him in the Island reality? I certainly hope not. But Ilana says MIB is “stuck” in his current form, so I’m afraid we might not see John Locke as we formerly knew him again.
Ben’s remorse over murdering Locke was endearing, or ast least as endearing as Ben can be.
Your thoughts?
already & not yet 
The thought of the young boy being Aaron hadn’t crossed my mind. I thought maybe it could be Jacob reincarnate or something? How would Aaron know the “rules” and why would FLocke be so shaken by him. If it was Jacob, it would make sense that only the candidates would be able to see him as well. Maybe this explains why Sawyer could see him, but not Richard? Your thoughts?
In my mind, so many things FLocke said made me think of the lies Satan uses to pull us away from the Light. (In Richard’s conversation with him… in the 3 options he gave Sawyer…) Do you think this is intentional on the part of the directors, or something I pull from it due to my perspective?
The popular thought is that the boy is either 1) Jacob reincarnated; 2) an older version of Aaron; or 3) a young Sawyer. The only way it could be Aaron is if he is experiencing some sort of time-travel reality; however, he could’ve “come back” to the Island at a different part of his timeline when he’s older (like, say, 2013, when he’s be nine). With this show, who knows?
Whoever the kid is, he seems to really give FLocke the creeps. It’s odd to see this character scared.
I’ve talked to a lot of people today who are making the FLocke / Satan connection. Personally, I’m wondering if the producers are planning some sort of switcheroo on us and we’ll realize that Jacob was the baddie all along, twisting people’s fates to bring them to the Island. Again, who knows?
Jenna,
I agree wholeheartedly with you about Flocke’s comments heavily resembling Satan’s lies. Every episode is full of those types of metaphors for me. I have secretly been holding out hope from Season 1 that this whole show has been an elaborate scheme to share the Gospel. My dream would be that the writers/producers would rope people into this amazing show they can’t stop watching and by the very end they have shared the Gospel in such a way that all of the traditional “questions” non-believers typically have would be answered by the 6 previous seasons and all signs point to Jesus as the “Answer” (both to the show and to eternal life). I know we are talking about Hollywood here and I know that my dream is a longshot to say the least. But, with the constant metaphors of Satan/Good, evil/good, light/dark, I really can’t help but hold out hope for this.
Jason – I have to reiterate your distaste for the flash-sideways. At this point, I just want some cotton-pickin answers and I don’t want anymore alternate realities or alternate timelines or alternate anything thrown my way. With each passing episode I am wondering more and more whether they will honestly be able to tie everything together the way I have always wanted them to.
Rebecca,
Redemption has been a long running theme on this show and that’s what draws me in more than any other element. I’ve become so engrossed in these characters and their different narrative arcs. Who will find “redemption” and who won’t? Who will survive and who won’t? At this point, that’s what is driving my viewing interest in the show. I’m still looking for a real anchor point with the flash – sideways stories. I’ll keep watching, but I am frustrated right now. Everybody keeps telling me to be patient. We’re in the final season! The time for patience was way back in Season 3 with polar bear cages and numbered bunny rabbits! We only have 12 episodes left!
As for the show sharing the Gospel, I doubt that’ll happen. Mainly because the producers have said they don’t want to engage in active proselytizing. Also Damon Lindelof is Jewish. I think the best we can hope for are some of the nods to the Christian faith we’ve seen, from the little nuances (like Charlie invoking the sign of the cross just before he drowned) to the more explicit moments (like Ben’s spot-on recollection of the Doubting Thomas story in the episode “316”).
I can’t help but think answers are in the flash-sideways (although, i hate that phrase). I mean, there is a TON at stake this season, and surely the producers are keen enough to understand that you don’t screw up what has been in the works for so long.
My favorite line was when Lupides said something to the effect of “that’s the strangest funeral I’ve ever been to”.
I think the glimpse into the wall of names was neat, but it still did not provide answers as to what qualifications there are to be a “candidate” or why they are on the island. Its an answer without being an answer.
Alterna/MIB/Island-reincarnate Locke seemed somewhat frightened of the Aaron/Jacob Reincarnate/Kid. If that’s the case, it would indeed prove that the kid is Aaron, because he was supposed to be “evil”, and if the Smoke Monster is afraid, it really must be a scary kid.
I thought the same thing about the Smokey “First Person” scene. I felt like seeing that alone made the episode worth it. Having said that, I’m about to stop watching on a weekly basis, so I can watch 10 episodes in a row so I won’t get frustrated waiting to see if an answer will pop up or not.
I feel like we were given part of an answer — the numbers have some sort of connection to the castaways, specifically Hurley, Sawyer, Jack, Sayid, Locke, and either Sun or Jin — but we’re still waiting for more intel. My friend made a good point today; of the people listed, Sawyer is the only one who hasn’t left the Island. Will something happen if he does leave with FLocke? Will that somehow give MIB the victory / homecoming he’s looking for? I wonder if MIB / Smokey / FLocke is realizing that the one thing he’s wanted for so long — the death of Jacob — has left him feeling kind of hollow now that he’s achieved it.
I think I finally understand what is going on here. I didn’t catch it as quickly as Sawyer did, but now I see that my old Lost blogging friend Jason died and a mysterious “Blogger in Black” has taken his form. Everything makes sense now. The old Lost blogger stuck through the show and was even positive about the show through the dark times of mid-season 2 through early season 3 (even the Nikki and Paulo episode), and the time jumps of early season 5. He always allowed for the writers to tell their story. He didn’t overreact when things weren’t moving quite the way he wanted them to. He appreciated the subtle nuances and quality writing of the episodes and didn’t let the various plot movements frustrate him from the big picture. But this “Un-Jason” or “F-ason” throws out misguided over-reactive “J.T.S.” (I wouldn’t even dare actually say the phrase) statements. He won’t trust the writers, who have taken us through the best 5 seasons in the history of television, to tell their story, even when they’ve said repeatedly that the flash-sideways are important and that both storylines will reconcile. He even fails to recognize that there ARE major revelations (they explained the numbers people! what more do you want?), plot movements (the smoke monster is recruiting for the eventual final war), intense character development, the best acting in all 6 seasons of the show, some beautiful theological moments (Jacob’s ladder anyone?), and that obviously the characters in the flash-sideways ARE the same ones who we’ve grown to know and love and that their experiences on the island are shaping their decisions now even if they don’t consciously realize it. He apparently wants just a checklist of answers this season instead of an actual storyline and an actual mystery (even though he said before the season started that he didn’t).
Ah yes, I’m onto you Blogger in Black (BIB for short). Everything makes sense now. The old Jason must have gone away once he left Blogspot and so you set up in his form here on WordPress! Your blog even had a black design until you must have realized that it was too obvious! Well I suppose I’ll have to be the Jacob commenter here to represent the bright side to balance out your darkness. And I’ll say to you in the words of Jacob that LOST “only ends once. Anything that happens before that, it’s just progress.” So if you’ll allow me a few things that I appreciate about this wonderful episode:
Yeah, I knew you would be upset with me. It’s not that I think the show has jumped the shark; but I’m getting really frustrated at this point. The flash sideways is just not a story I’m interested in; nor is it a story-telling device that intrigues me that much. I guess this is the inevitable part of having such high expectations for a show like LOST. You run the risk of those expectations not being met. It’s not that the sideways stories are BAD; it’s that it’s not the story that I was hoping to see. I know that sounds like a pretty selfish way to view the show, but I can’t help it. It’s hard to “just roll with it” at this level of investment for me.
In the immortal words of Randy Jackson: Just keepin’ it real, dawg.
I’ve said it before but Terry O’quinn has been PHENOMENAL playing both Flocke and Locke in such amazing contrasting ways. He doesn’t over-sell the differences, but just has these careful subtle and nuanced techniques that makes you see how entirely different these people are who are in the same form. And then they go and pair him with the other actor who is on the hottest streak of his career in Josh Holloway. Watching their scenes together would be like watching a ’92 Jordan and an ’86 Bird on the same team. Sawyer and Flocke’s give and take was awesome, with Sawyer quoting Steinbeck, Flocke giving Sawyer the perfect sell to help him get off the island, and both getting weirded out by Little Blonde Boy. Speaking of great performances, Michael Emerson was only on screen for a few minutes, but he made great use of them with his awesome eulogy to Locke and his hilarious portrayal as the annoying European history teacher (he would be your worst nightmare for a teacher, right?).
The flash-sideways Locke was fascinating. I’m still grappling in my mind the spiritual implications of Locke’s attitude here. He’s lost his faith become more like Jack (“there’s no such thing as miracles”), but yet he is also more at peace with who he is and is able to accept/give love (something Locke was never able to do). So I’m left to wonder which Locke was better off. The faith-filled Locke who was always miserable and eventually dead or the at peace Locke? So Blogger in Black, before you start saying stupid things like Lost has J.T.S’d ask yourself if there’s another show that has ever caused us to ask ourselves such deep questions as these and is still able to provoke these deep discussions in the sixth season.
Oh and yeah, we got information on the numbers! And we finally know why Jacob has been working in all these people’s lives! They are candidates to be his replacement. And I loved how MIB laid out the information and the 3 choices to Sawyer. It seems pretty obvious which one he’d choose. We finally know the direction this show is taking as it continues it’s build towards its climax (why don’t people realize that?) I’m excited for where we’re headed. It should be fun.
As for info on the numbers, I still contend that this was a non-reveal. So the numbers are somehow linked to six of our castaways. Big deal. We already knew that the castaways were “brought” to the Island (presumably by Jacob, per his touch) for a “reason”. We already knew these castaways were special. Seeing their names with some of the numbers beside them doesn’t prove much. Just as strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government, so too the castaways names scribbled in chalk on the wall of a remote cave is not an “explanation” of the numbers.
You hit on my least favorite part of the episode: seeing a faithless Locke. We’ve been here before (Locke’s decision to stop pushing the button was pretty much his most despondent moment in the Island timeline), but the Locke that emerged from that experience was a fierce devotee to the Island’s mysticism, and I loved him for that. But this alternate reality Locke is different. His declaration — “There’s no such thing as miracles.” — is a radical (and unwelcome) departure from the Locke I’ve known and loved for 5 seasons. Sure, he’s domestically happy with his life with Helen; but something is dying or has fully died in this Locke. And I can’t stand watching it.
(Don’t think I don’t see the irony here either; the fact that I’m bemoaning Locke’s passing as a “man of faith” while at the same time demanding answers from the show in true “man of science” fashion. My irony radar is through the roof, my friend.)
Lest you think I’m totally being negative here, let’s talk about the positives. You’re absolutely right: Terry O’Quinn and Josh Holloway have made this season thus far. I turned to Sunny in the middle of this week’s episode and said, “Imagine how much fun this must be for Terry O’Quinn this season. In this episode, he gets to riff on a character he’s played for years — albeit a character minus his most elemental component (his faith); and in the same episode, he’s playing this diabolical scheming baddie in FLocke. And Holloway just keeps getting better and better. So yes, I can definitely appreciate thesbianic greatness when I see it.
A lot of people are making the comparison between MIB and Satan, how each of them lie and manipulate and twist the truth to serve their purposes. I can appreciate this, but something in me wonders if we’re not being duped. I just have this feeling that MIB may just emerge as the good guy in all of this. If Jacob has indeed been manipulating the castaways lives to bring them to the Island, then he would seem to oppose the castaways’ free will. And in Scripture, Satan is the one who opposes human free will by manipulating and deceiving and telling half-truths. Sounds more like Jacob if you ask me. From what we know of Jacob, he’s contacted the castaways at key moments in their lives; he even gives some of them specific instructions, but leaves them thinking it’s their choice (I’m thinking of the taxi cab scene with Hurley and the guitar case). He sets himself up as the great champion of free will, but in reality, isn’t Jacob trying to get the castaways to do his bidding? He’s actually using a Ben tactic with Hurley; get someone to do something, but make them think it was their idea.
Jason I share your frustration. I don’t think I could have been loyal 7 years like you. Remember, we just starting watching season 1 in Jan 2009. Lane I have thought the same thing. DVR the whole season, then watch them all back to back. I would do this if I knew I wouldn’t overhear a spoiler. Lane I also share your favorite line of the movie!