Lost 4/25 (spoilers)

[Son of Jarhead]

Ok, I'm lost. Another good episode. What do you guys think about that "they found the plane and there were no survivors."??? I did not see that coming. Also, I was somewhat surprised to see Patchy show up, though I had wondered about whether he was really dead and whether the fence harmed people, but I had thought I must be wrong. I am starting to question all that I thought I had figured out.

[ChrisP]

First off, I was legitimately surprised to see Mikhail again. I don't know why - nothing ever seems "normal" on the island. But...it looked to me his brains were pretty much scrambled and fried a couple weeks back there.

Can't figure out what's up with Juliet just yet - it seemed pretty obvious that she was trying to get info on Sun - and that she already knew Sun was preggers. I don't believe the whole "mystery" of the island has to do with fertility issues, but the Others certainly are interested in that subject.

Maybe the weirdest part of this epsiode was when parachute chick (or is it RPC?) told Hurley that Flight 815 was found and all the passengers were dead. I know early on in Season one, there was some speculation that the Losties were no longer alive and instead in some kind of purgatory. I seriously doubted that theory from the beginning, and don't put much stock in it now, but with RPC's revelation tonight...it does make one wonder. I really can't wrap my brain around the idea that the producers would jerk us around like that (what's next, are we gonna wake up and find Bobby is in the shower?), but if the Others, or someone, were able to stage a fake crash with bodies and all, that would explain why no one appears to be looking for them/trying to rescue them.

I need to think about this episode some more, but overall I liked it. I especially appreciated the fact that they didn't leave us hanging with regard to RPC. I was really afraid they'd focus on Locke or something this week and not mention her at all.

[Jarhead]

I need to think about this episode some more, but overall I liked it. I especially appreciated the fact that they didn't leave us hanging with regard to RPC. I was really afraid they'd focus on Locke or something this week and not mention her at all.

Next week's previews show Locke after apparently kidnapping Ben. He is trying to get Sawyer to kill Ben.

The RPC's statement about Flight 815 suggests a corollary to what some have thought -- that some sort of time warp is involved. The possibility of a false crash site staged by The Others is also a possibility, but not one that I like.

After Juliet goes back in and records her report (to Ben?) after she ends the report she makes a pretty strong statement to show her displeasure with whoever she is reporting to. The writers are jerking us around more than a little bit on her intentions. What's next?

[JasonEvans]

Next week's previews show Locke after apparently kidnapping Ben. He is trying to get Sawyer to kill Ben.

Semi-spoiler about next week's episode... highlight the text to read. I won't give it all away, but this spoiler will make you think about the above comment:

In the preview, Locke does not say "I took Ben." He says, "I took him from Ben's tent." Think about the difference in those two statements. Who would Locke want to kidnap and kill?

And why would Locke want Sawyer to help him kill whoever it is? Who would Sawyer also want to kill?

Ok, spoilers done.

-Jason "now, to comment on the episode and not on the previews" Evans

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I liked the episode a lot, and at the end thought "Wow! I didn't see that coming." Purgatory? A conspiracy by Penny & Co. to make them think they are dead? Why?

Too bad Juliet didn't leave the tape recorder on when she said "Ben, I hate you." He probably knows that anyway.

Next week's preview looks pretty good - lots of Locke action!

[JasonEvans]

I liked the episode a lot, and at the end thought "Wow! I didn't see that coming." Purgatory? A conspiracy by Penny & Co. to make them think they are dead? Why?

No way it is a conspiracy by Penny. She's trying to find Desmond. Why would she cover up what happened to 815? Plus, as far as wee know she does not know 815 is tied to Desmond at all. She's merely searching for her boyfriend who got lost at sea. I think it could be a setup by Dharma or The Others (who are not one and the same, IMO) to keep anyone from searching for the survivors, but it is not something cooked up by Penny.

I may be wrong, but I believe the producers/writers have said several times that the Island is not purgatory. The purgatory talk really got going when Boone and Shannon died and again with the death of Eko because each of those characters was seen as someone who were flawed and then died right after "fixing" their flaw (almost like they resolved their issue and then go to move on to heaven). Heck, you could make an argument that the utter failure of Paulo and Nicki to resolve their issues led to them being sent to hell (burried alive!).

Still, I think the purgatory answer is such a crappy one that there is no way the show would go that way. Plus, this page (http://lostpedia.com/wiki/Purgatory) discusses it pretty thoroughly and lays out all the times the show has debunked that theory.

Plus, how did they get Juliet to purgatory? Did they kill her? And where did Michael and Walt go? On the other hand, the inability to have babies in purgatory makes some sense. But, why would Ben get cancer in purgatory?

-Jason "We've seen Ben and the others interract too much with the real world for me to think purgatory is an answer" Evans

[dukeblueyes]

Such a great episode...

Russian dude- "Nothing on this island stays buried" and Locke's ability to walk, Rose's recovery and the uberfertility on this island clearly demonstrates ridiculous healing powers. It's a bit much, but hopefully they'll explain how to recover from bleeding out of your ears. Maybe the fence's relation to the smoke monster also allows it to create illusions? I also love how he tried to steal the phone: "You wouldn't respect me if I didn't try."

Fertility- Interesting how Jin's father might not biologically be related (maybe he has his own fertility issues?). Also, saying fertility is increased 5x and Juliet mentioning Kate... Sawyer might be well on his way to a second kid... although I can't imagine them putting a fake belly on Kate (she's really just too hot).

RPC- Flight 815 found and no survivors?! WHAT?! Ridiculous plot twist I never thought of... sadly, RPC will probably die (smoke monster or something on the way back) and we don't figure out that mystery for a long time, nor her connection to Desmond. I'm assuming there's some sort of time warp... maybe it has to do with the exploding hatch and Desmond's space-time continuum. And has anyone figured out what she ACTUALLY said to Russian dude when he said she thanked him?

Predictions/potential spoilers- Clearly Locke kidnaps his Dad and wants Sawyer to kill him. Sawyer takes the bag off of the head, realizes it is the original Sawyer he wanted to kill in the first place. Interesting internal moral debate ensues, good triumphs, Sawyer doesn't kill him. Blah.

Hurley= priceless. "No one knows we're here!" *POW! Flare gun* "Oops."
and dialing the broken phone, "... Mom?"

[blublood]

I may be wrong, but I believe the producers/writers have said several times that the Island is not purgatory.

No, this is true - that's one of the few theories that they've out and out debunked if memory serves. My money is on a Dharma/Mittelos cover-up. We've seen suggestions that the island is not quite as isolated from the real world as you'd think - for example, Ben's communications with "Richard" re: Juliet's sister, and his being able to play Jack a recording of the Red Sox winning the WS.

It seems that it would easily be within their power to crash a plane with Flight 815's markings and arrange it so that the bodies were burned badly enough that a positive ID was impossible. They would obviously have a vested interest in keeping search and rescue teams away from the island.

[feldspar]

My money is on a Dharma/Mittelos cover-up.

Mine too...

[JasonEvans]

Anyone speak Itallian to know what the Random Parachute Chick (RPC) was saying that Patchy translated? At one point she clearly said something signficant and his translation was "she said thank you." Uhhhh, I doubt it.

I was a bit bothered by Jin's mom's intial meeting with Sun. Sun's movements were a buit too random. It was a bit too convenient for Sun to sit on a bench right next to the woman who was blackmailing her.

Anyone want to speculate on the significance of that flashback? Was it to demonstrate Sun's love of Jin so she does not feel bad to be condemned to death for having his baby? I am not sure what else it could be. It was nice backstory, but did not relate to the actions of the character in the episode very much.

Also, has anyone thought about whether Sun would die if she had an abortion/miscarriage? She and the baby are both going to die anyway (if we believe Julliet). What is the point of continuing the pregnancy if neither one of them will live.

-Jason "everyone think it is a pretty safe bet that Kate is preggers, right?" Evans

[dukeblueyes]

I read somewhere else that RPC told Patches "I am not alone" in Portuguese. Therefore-- she's an Other? She tells Mikhail there is another Other that landed somewhere else on the island. He comes running to her because of the flare (or he was expecting her and also saw her blinking light go down). Makes sense... since Mikhail was the communications dude, and she seemed to have a hard time finding the island w/ the helicopter going down and she has the sat. phone. Mikhail tries to take the phone because it was intended for him to resume communications. She has the picture of Desmond because she's bringing in his biographical info for the others to update themselves with. Or maybe Penny has somehow contacted the Others to make a deal for Desmond?

I also stand by my earlier comment that Kate won't be pregnant simply because they are not going to waste her amazing body with a fake belly.

Wow, Lost would NOT be the same if they made it 10 years ago without the help of DVRs and the internet for viewers to carefully dissect it.

[BlueDiablo]

I read somewhere else that RPC told Patches "I am not alone" in Portuguese. Therefore-- she's an Other?

According to Lostpedia, Naomi, the woman who parachuted from the helicopter before it crashed, said something that "sounds like 'Eu não estou só' which is Portuguese (spoken with a Brazilian accent) for 'I am not alone.'" I think it's likely that Naomi is part of a team of Portuguese-speaking rescuers (the people in the arctic station at the end of season 2 were also speaking Portuguese) searching for Desmond and working for Penny Widmore. It's also likely that the helicopter took off from a yacht parked somewhere in the South Pacific that also has other members of Naomi's team. I think that's what she meant by "I am not alone"--that she is part of a group of people and there are more like her.

[johnb]

The Island may not be a Catholic purgatory, but they are certainly hinting at Greek mythology in which the Island is Hades and perhaps an entry point to Tartarus. There's a body of water to cross (River Styx) and some people who can go back and forthe between the worlds (various Gods as was as Charon) but which most people simply cannot go back. We've got Penelope, the faithful wife, and a likely Odysseus, a Cyclops, Ascalupeus (sp?)--the doctor character; and Oceanus (the mother of all bodies of water). Titans would figure in, and the mythology is crammed with all sorts of confused parentage, and parents turning on their chidlren, and severe punishment for transgressions that are either not the fault of the child or are fated by parental error or reflect a moral failing.

Maybe the mythologic stuff is just meant to deepen our associations and to give them some ready made structure, but I'm thinking they used it to create a modern day mythology even if it's not a 1:1 correspondence.

[BlueDiablo]

The Island may not be a Catholic purgatory, but they are certainly hinting at Greek mythology in which the Island is Hades and perhaps an entry point to Tartarus.

To further support your theory, we know from the blast door map that the Smoke Monster is referred to as "Cerberus."

I think what's going on here is that the writers use a lot of allusions to Greek mythology, in addition to drawing from many other traditions with archetypes, including the Old Testament, classical literature, and enlightenment philosophy.

[Rich]

Judging from Patches' recovery, it seems like they also took a smidge from the Roadrunner/Wile E. Coyote cartoons.

[johnb]

I agree that it was a relatively weak episode in that I didn't want to watch it twice to look for missed details.

The fisherman does win my "Best Father of the Series" award. Of course, the competition is a con man kidney stealer; abusive; an alcoholic unethical philanderer; an alcoholic unethical philanderer; and absent, absent, absent. Is there another father who is a good guy?

[JasonEvans]

I agree that it was a relatively weak episode in that I didn't want to watch it twice to look for missed details.

The fisherman does win my "Best Father of the Series" award. Of course, the competition is a con man kidney stealer; abusive; an alcoholic unethical philanderer; an alcoholic unethical philanderer; and absent, absent, absent. Is there another father who is a good guy?

Father rundown-

We've seen a lot about Jack, Locke, and Claire's fathers. Same with Jin and Sun's dads (well, we dont really know Jin's dad for sure). Kate's father was among the worst characters around as he left her mom and, once he came back, he tried to play the incest card with Kate.

Sawyer's dad killed his mom after she had an affair with -- well -- someone (wink wink).

Hurley's father ran off and then came back for the money. Still, as played by Cheech Marin, you have to like him a little bit.

Boone and Shannon's father seemed to be pretty good. He just married a horrible woman.

Do we know anything about Charlie's family? He at least had enough of a family unit to be in tight with his brother. His father is unknown, I think.

We know nothing of Sayid's family, do we?

We never met Eko's dad. Same with Desmond, I think.

Michael was a mostly absent father to Walt but that was not his fault. He certainly cares a great deal about protecting Walt.

So, we have a few who we do not know about but the only good father is Michael.

--Jason "I am eager to meet Ben's father-- which should happen in a couple episodes" Evans

[mr. synellinden]

I don't know if people regularly check the Pop Candy Blog on USA Today, but in this week's edition, there are some interesting, and I think mind-bending, theories floating around.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/popcandy/2...sh_3.html#more

Check out # 9, #10 and the Matrix Theory. I find this stuff fascinating even if it's off-base.

[johnb]

I don't know if people regularly check the Pop Candy Blog on USA Today, but in this week's edition, there are some interesting, and I think mind-bending, theories floating around.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/popcandy/2...sh_3.html#more

Check out # 9, #10 and the Matrix Theory. I find this stuff fascinating even if it's off-base.

I like the matrix theory...

[Ralph-Wiggum]

Kate's father was among the worst characters around as he left her mom and, once he came back, he tried to play the incest card with Kate.

Was that her biological father or her step-father? If the former, who was that army guy she went to see?