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Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Lost 6.4: Better LA, Wilder Island, Some Partial Answers at Last

We learned two crucial things about Lost alternate-reality LA in episode 6.4 tonight:  It's a far better place for our characters than their original reality, back in LA, before our original story began.  And it's just crawling with inexplicable coincidences in the intersections of our characters' lives.

First, about the better place.   Tonight's story was primarily about Locke.  Back in this non-plane-crash LA, we find Locke happily married to Helen (in the original reality, Locke's father spoiled that relationship).    Further, even when Locke is fired, his luck is changing for the better,  because-

Locke meets Hurley in the parking lot.   Here is where LA not only is a better place, but starts teeming with inexplicable coincidences.   Hurley gives Locke a job in another one of Hurley's companies (he's rich), a temp agency.   And after Locke runs into a bit of a problem with the woman interviewing him, he asks to see her boss - who turns out to be Rose.   And after she places him in a job as a substitute teacher, Locke runs into a history teacher in the faculty lounge - Ben Linus!   A much better LA indeed!

The Rose thread introduces another important theme of hope in this alternate LA.  Rose has terminal cancer, as she did in the original reality (another tenacious detail).   But in this improved LA reality, she has come to terms with it, and is determined to live what is left of her life to the fullest.   And, for good measure, Locke is able to admit that he didn't really go on the walkabout in Oz after all.   He's about give up his belief in miracles, but Helen tells him she'll always believe in miracles and never give up on him.

Meanwhile, back on island, things are aren't so hopeful at all, though we get some answers to long hanging questions.     Most important, the numbers that played such a role in Hurley's life, and which Desmond was chained to entering in the hatch, come from a cave that Jacob kept.   In this cave, Jacob listed the names of all the people he visited off the island (we saw some of these visits, to our characters, last year).   Jacob assigned them numbers - and the numbers next to the names of our characters, Sayid, Hurley, etc,  correspond to the numbers in Hurley's string of numbers, and entered on the computer in the hatch by Desmond and for a short time by Locke.

Of course, this still does not explain why the numbers were on Hurley's his life, why Desmond had to enter just that sequence in the hatch, etc.

But at least Lost, in its home stretch, is finally moving to address this long perplexing, fascinating, questions.

Even as it is still raising what seem like new ones.   Who was the boy who appeared to Locke/Nemesis, and to Sawyer, too?   I'm betting Aaron - but he did he get so old so quickly?  More time travel?

But the biggest question of all is still which of the realities is the most real, the most true, and will be standing and breathing at the series' conclusion.   The LA reality may be too good to be true, but the island is still a little too crazy to comprehend, so I'm still expecting some combination of both.



5-min podcast review of Lost

See also  Lost Season Six Double Premiere ... Three Questions Arising from the Lost Season Six Premiere: Linkage Between Two Realities,  Dead Bodies Inhabited, Who/What Survived H-Blast?
... Lost 6.3:  Kate and Claire, Tenacious Details, and Dr. Arzt's Arse at the Airport

More Lost - see : The Richard-Locke Compass Time Travel Loop ...

and Lost Returns in 5 Dimensions and 5.3: The Loops, The Bomb ... 5.4: A Saving Skip Back in Time ... 5.5 Two Time Loops and Mind Benders ... 5.6 A Lot of Questions ... 5.7 Bentham and Ben ... 5.8 True Love Ways ... 5.9 Two Times and a Baby ... 5.10 The Impossible Cannot Happen ... 5.11 Clockwork Perfect Time Travel ... 5.12: Ben v. Charles, and Locke' Slave ... 5.13: Lost Meets Star Wars and the Sixth Sense ... The Problem with Baby Aaron and the Return of the Oceanic Six ... 5.14: Eloise, Daniel, and Obsession Trumping Paradox ... 5.15: Moral Compasses in Motion ... Lost Season 5 Finale: Jacob and Locke








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4 comments:

Cliff Martin said...

"And, for good measure, Jack is able to admit that he didn't really go on the walkabout in Oz after all."

You meant either "John" or "Locke"

Paul Levinson said...

Thanks for the catch, Cliff - corrected!

TheLooper said...

This was a great episode!

In some previous postings it wasn't completely clear to me whether MIB was the black smoke or not, but last night pretty much answered that. Loved the sound effects moving quickly over the island and culminating with Locke picking up a michette.

Good vs. Evil definitely is the primary premise now, as represented by the balance scale within the cave (as if we had any real questions about this). I loved when UnLocke picked up the white rock and tossed it out of the cave, allowing the black rock (hmmmm???) to remain and tip the scales (obvious statement here that the scales are in favor of the darkness now on the island). Also the obvious comparisons to another bad guy tempting a long haired man inside a mountain cave in the middle of nowhere was awesome. Except the other guy, Sawyer, for now, appears more than willing to go along with UnLocke (however we know Sawyers penchant for conning people...see how that plays out).

Sawyer is in a confused placed right now, which does make him vulnerable, but this is Sawyer we're talking about here.

Love that the numbers signify different members of the Losties, Jack, Sayid, Hurley, Jin or Sun, Sawyer, and Locke. Unfortunately it was also definitively answered that Locke is in fact dead and is no longer a "candidate" to be the next Jacob, which apparently is why the Losties were brought their in the first place.

However, is there significance to each number? Why does Kate not have one (which if I recall her name was on the list in the guitar case, correct)? What about all the others trapped on the island, where are their names at? Or is that cave strickly for those willing to possibly replace Jacob? Furthermore, could the numbers indicate the difficulty inherent in convincing these people to take Jacob's place? Locke was at 4, I think. Obviously he was the most easily swayed to the possibility because the island gave him the use of his legs back. Jin or Sun or both were 42, the hardest, if that is the case. It's going to be interesting to see how that plays out.

But in all of UnLocke's ranting about the island, he made it clear the island is just fine on it's own, but that Jacob somehow has felt the need or earned the right to protect it (and in a very Satan-like reponse he told Sawyer that he could stay there and protect the island from nothing, much like saying someone could inherit the kingdoms of the world just by simply bowing?)

I did like the coincidences in Alt-04, especially Ben showing up as a school teacher. Kinda could feel that one coming, particularly after Ben's moving eulogy at Locke's burial (ha ha). But as Paul said though, about Alt-04, if it seems too good to be true, and Alt-04 does, then it probably is. Everything continues to progress just fine in that reality, which is a very sharp contrast to the reality we've followed for 5 seasons. It's just going TOO well now. Although I did like the fact Locke seemed to be losing faith in Alt-04, again a sharp contrast from the last 5 seasons for his character.

The blonde boy though? What if that is a younger Jacob? Kinda reminded me of him. I could possibly see that being Aaron, maybe, but something just screams Jacob. Also, UnLocke really seemed afraid of him, with a very similar reaction that he had when Jacob said, "They're coming." Is this boy one of the "They" he was referring to?

I'm beginning to feel that "Home" is simply a recruiting tool UnLocke is using and that their is no home. He just wants to unleash his hunger from the island and do what he wants (again, very Satan-like). Much like tempting people with a piece of fruit on a tree.

Aaaah, just keeps getting better and better! Can't wait for next week.

TheLooper said...

Greetings my people.

I just wanted to say I'm finally starting my own blog. Fittingly it's called The Looper, Looping Around...come by, visit, talk about...whatever (Lost), and let me know what you think as well.

Look forward to many more insights!
http://thelooper-loopingaround.blogspot.com/

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