Sacrifice of the Little Prince?

Well, it's Lost-eve night and I know that y'all are as excited as I am to see what tomorrow night brings us. Before my thoughts are completely consumed by what the new episode brings, however, I wanted to discuss a theory that Nicole brought up in the comments last week.

"There's some major Christ symbolism going on:

• The island selects a "chosen one"


• The "chosen one" gets killed


• The island resurrects the "chosen one"


• The "chosen one" goes on the lead the island's people.

Ben was the chosen one, he just got killed and will now be resurrected to lead the others. Then, when it becomes Locke's time to lead, Ben realizes he has to kill Locke so Locke can fulfill that same destiny - if Locke would have killed himself then it would all be messed up. This might also be why Ben tried to kill Locke before - but it wasn't time yet. I bet Richard was at one time a leader too (got killed and resurrected years ago - which is why he doesn't age)."

This is an intriguing theory. I know that there is more to it than an attempt by Nicole to justify some of Ben's more abhorrent behaviors. I don't know that Ben's first attempt to kill Locke was really to help John on his chosen one journey so much as an attempt to keep Locke from supplanting Ben. Whether Ben's eventual killing of Locke had pure or mixed motives will be seen.

We've known for most of this season that Locke would die, which Christian/Jacob called a sacrifice. No one said how he had to die. Let's look back at the event. John, heartbroken from his failure to convince any of the Oceanic 6 to return to the island, takes steps to hang himself. Ben breaks into the room, and talks John out of suicide. After talking with Locke a little while, suddenly Ben chokes John to death. He then arranges the scene to look like the suicide John had planned. The only thing he missed was the suicide note.

If Nicole's theory is right, then Ben will die, only to be resurrected so he can lead.

Similarly, Jesus was the Son of God, you know, the "chosen one". He was killed as a sacrifice to save us from our sins. He was then resurrected, and continued to lead his people. Another tale of sacrifice was found in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, in which Aslan chose to be executed by the Witch to save his people, only to be resurrected later.

One difference between Lost and Jesus and Aslan is that Jesus and Aslan knew exactly what they were getting into. They made a choice to submit to death fully aware of the ramifications of their choices. Neither Locke nor Ben made a choice. Yes, Locke knew he had to die, and he made a conscious decision to die, but he changed his mind at Ben's urging. Ben never told Locke, "I'm sorry John, you have to die. And it can't be by your own hand." Nor did Sayid let Ben know his plan to save the future by killing the young Ben. Unlike Jesus and Aslan, there was no free will on the part of Ben and Locke. Instead, it's only the executioners who acted with free will.

Whatever the case may be, I suspect that we've not seen the end of Ben. After all, tomorrow night's episode is titled Whatever Happened, Happened.

Tikrit, Iraq

Perhaps we knew this already - I didn't. Sayid and his family are from Tikrit. Tikrit is also the home of Saddam Hussein. Many of Hussein's co-horts in the Baathist party were also from Tikrit.

Will this have any relevance? I don't know. Sayid's background has always seemed to be the most connected to actual events, including his involvement in the first Gulf War. I mean, they could have chosen any other Iraqi city. Is Sayid's family connected with Hussein's? Or was the choice just another parrallel, this time between the brutality of Saddam Hussein and Sayid.

Just something to ponder on a Monday night.

He's Our You - Part II

So, now that we’ve finished obsessing over the state of Sayid’s soul, I think it is time to focus on the rest of the episode that we saw Wednesday night. Ironically, until the final scene, the episode seemed to be a moderate effort. Not a bad episode, but not an on-the-edge of your seat episode either. Well, the first 55 minutes or so can apparently be very misleading.

Ben and Juliet

If Sawyer is aware that Ben is on the island, surely Juliet knows too. Presumably they’ve met. Assuming that Ben survives his gunshot wound or is resurrected, we must rethink Ben and Juliet’s relationship too. In The Other Woman, we see Ben tell Juliet that “your mine.” Harper, Goodwin’s cuckolded wife (can you be a cuckold and a wife?), remarked that Ben was smitten with Juliet because she looks “just like her.” I had assumed that “her” was perhaps Annie, but perhaps “her” is Juliet herself. Some people think that Juliet might be the woman in the painting above, which can be found in the Linus home. However, I don’t think so. It was first seen in the home shared by Roger and Ben before Juliet joined the Initiative. I think it more likely a picture of Ben’s mother, Emily.

Dharma Initiative

The introduction of Oldham and his odd methods and living habits along with Chang’s experiments furthers my curiosity as to what the Dharma Initiative really is. I just don’t buy that they are a hippie, peace- and yoga-loving group organized to research for the betterment of mankind. We know through various Dharma orientation videos that the Dharma Initiative was created in 1970 by Gerald and Karen de Groot, two doctoral students at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, anyone?). We also know that Danish industrialist Alvar Hanso and his Hanso Foundation financially backed the Initiative until 1987. Allegedly, the Hanso Foundation stopped funding the Initiative alternatively because the Initiative “collapsed” or because of financial struggles. I am looking forward to learning more about this group of people.

Ilana

And now we know how Sayid ended up being on Ajira Airlines 316. She claims to have been hired by the Avellino family. Sayid suspected that she was in actuality hired by Ben, whom she denied knowing. Knowing that Peter Avellino may have been an associate of Charles Widmore’s, I think it is entirely possible that she was really hired by Widmore. Or Ben.

Jack

I guess I was wrong last week – Jack seems to be quite happy to let Sawyer lead. Is he on drugs? Does he need drugs?

Juliet

Juliet had quite a devastating line: “It’s over, isn’t it?” She has a far clearer-eyed view of what the return of the Oceanic 6 has than Sawyer does. Yes, Juliet, it probably is over, I’m sorry to say. The woman who had hoped to leave on the sub as quickly as possible has found herself enjoying domestic bliss. Although she was desparate to leave after her first three years on the island, she is genuinely sad to see her happiness end.

Kate

Not much of Kate in the episode. She somehow missed that Sawyer and Juliet were living together, and apparently knows nothing about cars. I must admit I was slightly frustrated that when Sawyer asked her why they came, instead of saying, “Locke and Jack thought you were in danger,” she starts into her own tale of woe, “Well I don’t know why they came.” However, she really came through in helping rescue people from the burning house.

MacCutcheon Scotch whisky

Don’t bother looking for this at your nearest package store; it only exists in Lost-verse. Widmore told Desmond that a swallow of this whisky is worth more than Desmond could ever make in a month. We even see that Widmore brings a bottle to bed with him at night. Anthony Cooper poured Locke a glass before pushing him out the window. And Charlie found a bottle in Sawyer’s stash, and used it to make Desmond drunk enough to share his secrets. Sawyer was very upset that it was gone.

Oldham

I really wanted to label this “Hey, where’s your brother Darryl and your other brother Darryl?” It’s just impossible not to love William Sanderson. He was quite scary in this role, but I was expecting more torture than truth-serum sugar cubes, especially since Sawyer sees Oldham as the Dharma Initiative’s Sayid. I absolutely enjoyed Sayid’s “moment of truth” under the serum. Everything Sayid said is true, but his listeners (save one) all thought he was babbling drug-induced fantasy. We also learned that Sawyer was right to adopt yet another name.

Peter Avellino

We have only seen Mr. Avellino once, when Sayid killed him after losing a bet on a golf course. Granted, Sayid killed the man not because of the lost bet, but because Ben told Sayid the man is associated with Charles Widmore. It is Avellino’s family that has allegedly hired Ilana to capture Sayid.

Radzinsky

Remains an annoying person. Perhaps it is Radzinsky’s bloodthirstiness ways that make me question the true goals of the Dharma Initiative.

Roger Linus

Roger appears to be one of those nasty drunks who thinks he’s better than anyone else, despite evidence to the contrary. Loved Sayid’s riposte. Seeing Roger shove Ben into the bars of Sayid’s cell just made me feel pity for Ben. I had hoped it would inspire pity in Sayid too. Guess not.

Sawyer

Other than Sayid, this episode was Sawyer’s. We learned that Sawyer truly has no idea for how to handle the Oceanic 6’s return other than to integrate them into the Dharma Initiative. It never seems to occur to him, until too late, that this might not be the desires of his friends. I’m not sure I can blame him, however. Is this the best life Sawyer’s ever had? After all, “These people trust me. I’ve built a life here.” Certainly, this is the most constructive and traditional life Sawyer’s ever had (though it is hard to see the Dharma Initiative as traditional). Sadly, as Juliet said, it’s all over, but Sawyer doesn’t get that. With Sayid, Sawyer clearly wants to do the right thing for his former adversary and ally, but not in a way that will risk his present station. Therefore, he tries first to get Sayid to lie when Sayid wants to run. When the Dharma leaders vote for Sayid to die (with Sawyer’s vote!), Sawyer tries to get Sayid to run, but Sayid wants to stay. Sawyer can’t see beyond his own situation. I said before that Sawyer is most likely not the Little Prince. This episode did nothing to convince me otherwise.

Sayid

Cool parallel of the night: Ben was a captive when Sayid met him; Sayid was a captive when Ben met him. Note to the producers and costume designers: I really prefer Sayid with a full beard. He looks funny without one. Please let him grow it back. And I’m also not fond of that shirt. I’m just saying.

I hope you enjoyed the photographs too. We must thank my husband, who fixed whatever was wrong with my internet connection that prevented me from attaching pictures. Let me know what you think, about the photos and the show!

He's Our You

Wow, what a stunning episode. Okay, well, stunning ending - the episode itself was just so-so as it led inexorably to a scene I hoped never to see: Sayid killing a 12 year-old boy. This scene sparked so much thought in me, that honestly, I’m glad I had an extra day to compose my thoughts. Further, just that scene alone requires me to have separate posts about this episode, one focusing solely on that final scene, and another on everything else.

Many of y’all know that Sayid is one of my favorites. A large part of it has to do with how, well, gorgeous the man is. The actor plays an Iraqi but is in reality of Asian descent (India), and I’ve always had a thing for Asians. But Sayid is more than just a pretty face (and body) to me. He’s a fierce warrior with a strong streak of loyalty. He develops strong attachments to women, Nadia, Shannon, even Elsa. He has almost as much of a spiritual component as Locke does, and believes that he must atone for his sins. Yes, he’s a killer, but he’s a killer with a heart of gold. Right?

I know I said last week that it looked like Sayid was going to try to kill Ben, so I sort of expected something like this, but this foreknowledge didn’t lessen the impact. But because of my previously mentioned affection for the character of Sayid, I honestly didn’t think too much about the death of Ben. I figured he’d survive, one way or the other. If the island doesn’t mean for him to die, there will be a course correction, and a young Ben will hold this extra betrayal in his devious little heart and be closer to being the Ben we know and love and detest. Instead, I went to bed thinking of the implications of Sayid’s actions on Sayid’s soul. I gave Ben hardly a passing thought.

That ended the next day, in talking with friends (hi Amber, Brian, and Karen!) and reading blogs here and there. People really are contemplating that Ben might be dead. That Sayid pulled what people have wondered for years – he’s gone back in time to kill a horrible man before he becomes the horrible man. Sayid killed his personal version of Hitler.

Or not. So, this post will focus on the shooting and the two major characters in this transaction, Sayid and Ben, both dead and alive.

Sayid Kills a 12 Year-Old Boy

When it comes down to it, Sayid killed a 12 year-old boy who had placed his trust and hopes for the future in Sayid. Ben may have had ulterior motives (and honestly, what 12 year-old child doesn’t? I was 12 once – I remember.), but he did show kindness to an imprisoned Sayid, bringing him sandwiches and a book. Sayid justifies his actions by declaring, “I know exactly why I’m here.” He told Ilana that Ben was a liar, a manipulator, and a monster, and Sayid was clearly disgusted with himself that Ben manipulated him so easily. Lastly, Sayid told the young Ben that “You were right about me. I am a killer” before shooting the boy. The killing was justified – why else would Sayid be back on the island in 1977 with a defenseless Ben – yet clearly a terrible thing to do.

The episode seemed designed to have us agree that Sayid is a killer at heart. We open to a scene reminiscent of one we’ve seen before. A young boy can’t kill, so his brother kills for him. In Mr. Eko’s case, his brother Yemi had been ordered to kill an old man. The victim in “He’s Our You” was a chicken. I know that we were supposed to think, how coldly Sayid the boy killed that chicken! But I just can’t go there. The doomed chicken was penned with a number of other chickens; clearly, the family was raising their own food. When you’re raising your own food, you don’t anthropomorphize them like I would, you don’t give them names (Prunella and Bobbin come to mind, for some reason), and you develop no attachments to the beasts. I don’t find it that odd or telling that the young boy can do what he’s probably seen done hundreds of times. Was he a little efficient at it? Yes, he was, so it probably wasn’t his first time. I think it more means that he’s a survivor. He becomes a cold-hearted killer later.

The next flashback shows us the killer side of Sayid. He’s in full assassin mode, hunting his prey heartlessly. Clearly, being Ben’s assassin has given Sayid’s life meaning, for he’s clearly adrift when Ben tells him, rather coldly, that Sayid’s done. There’s no one left to kill. Sayid is now free to live his life. Sadly, Sayid has no life to live. He never bothered to develop one.

We then see Sayid in full atonement mode, working with a Lost-created version of Habitat for Humanity, building homes or schools or some such. Here takes place the conversation that I had to watch over and over. Ben comments on Sayid’s lack of enthusiasm about killing the men watching Hurley. The rest I wrote (thank goodness for DVR):

Sayid: What makes you think I want to [kill the men watching Hurley]?

Ben: You are capable of things most other men are not. Every choice you’ve made in
your life, whether it’s to murder or to torture, it hasn’t really been a choice at all, has
it? It’s in your nature. It’s what you are. You’re a killer, Sayid.

And to some extent, Ben’s right. Sayid has always fallen back on his torture skills when he felt the situation called for it. Remember when he tortured Sawyer in the belief the con man was hoarding Shannon’s asthma inhalers? That’s the only way to get information out of someone? And the only way to keep your friends safe is to kill a group of people named by Ben? A man you know to be less than forthright and honest? Whether Sayid took joy in torture or killing, whether it is his nature, however, I believe to be debatable. Just because he’s capable doesn’t mean it’s what he is.

The final flashback reminded me of Sayid’s relationship with women, as Ilana seduced the depressed Iraqi. He bemoans that he no longer wants to do the one thing in the world that he’s good at. What? The only thing you’re good at is killing and torture? Isn’t he some kind of telecommunications expert? Wasn’t he perfectly capable of fixing anything electronic? And the only thing you’re good at is killing? Whatever.

I had hoped throughout the episode, that Sayid would see what kind of life 12 year-old Ben had. Sayid witnessed the elder Linus' brutality toward the boy. Why couldn't Sayid instead of taken pity of Ben, helped him escape from his life, and generally be a good influence? Did Sayid even consider this option?

We last saw Sayid flying through the jungle. No matter how fast or far he runs, however, he won’t be able to outrun himself. He will feel the consequences of this for the rest of his life.

A Young Ben is Shot, Part I: Ben Lives

So we'll first assume that Ben survives the gunshot wound to the chest or somehow is resurrected as John Locke was.

My friend Nicole has a theory about resurrection. Ben needs to die and be resurrected in order to become the Chosen One, the leader, or the Little Prince of the Island, which has chosen him for this role. This is an interesting theory, and one I’ll think of for some time to come.

However Ben survives, if he survives we must rethink everything we know about Sayid and Ben’s relationship. I have to assume that Ben remembers the man who tried to kill or successfully killed him (similar to how Locke remembers that Ben killed him). Sayid first meets “Henry Gale” in one of Danielle’s traps. Perhaps “Henry’s” fear was more than just feigned – here’s the man who killed me. (If I really want my nose to bleed, I would have written, “here’s the man who will kill me nearly 30 years ago”).

Then there’s “It’s your nature” speech. We knew this speech was designed to manipulate Sayid to rescue Hurley and eventually return to the island. Was the harshness also designed to inspire Sayid to kill him? So he can be resurrected?

In This Place is Death, Ben angrily told Sun and Jack they’d thank him “if you had any idea what I’ve had to do to keep you safe”. Was he referring the amount of time he had to spend with the man he knew would shoot/kill him?

A Young Ben is Shot, Part I: Ben Dies

And by dies, I mean that he is not resurrected, he’s either buried or cremated, and Michael Emerson loses the best job he’s ever had. If that happens, then everything changes.

Does Widmore remain on the island?
Does the Purge never happen?
Will adequate staffing of the Swan mean that Oceanic Flight 816 never crash?
Does Juliet never leave Miami?

The questions are never ending.

So, with all these thoughts still racing in my head, I’ll sign off. I have at least one more post in me for this episode. We gotta discuss Sawyer’s comfortable Dharma life, Juliet’s realization that “It’s over”, and Sayid's reaction to truth serum.

Delay in Posting

This is just fair warning that I will be a day later than usual in posting my episode thoughts this week. Bruce and I are going to the symphony tomorrow night. I'm sorry that our attempts to add culture to our lives are interrupting with the blog. I'll try to keep incidents like this to a minimum.

I'm Sending Out A Search Party

All I want to know is where are Rose, Bernard, and Vincent? Are they in the Dharma Initiative? Are they with the Hostiles/Others? How come no one cares?

Namaste

I haven't decided how I feel about last night's episodes. I really liked some parts of it, but most left me sort of ... grey. I read somewhere that this seems like a transitional episode, and perhaps that's why it seemed like, even though a lot happened, none of it connected as emotionally as some of the earlier episodes.

• Didn't Frank do a great job of landing the plane? How did the Others know that a runway would be needed? I am assuming that this was the very runway Kate and Sawyer helped build - at gunpoint.
• Why didn't Sun flash with the others? I guess we'll find out, but I'd like to know now.
• The reunion between Sawyer, Hurley, Jack, and Kate was very nice and touching.
• Ethan! Why didn't I think of him! Of course Amy and Horace's son is Ethan. Far more logical a choice than Karl.
• The term "recruit", as in "Dharma recruit" makes me nervous.
• Poor Sayid. He must have felt like he was in bizarro world, with Sawyer in charge and Jin with good English.
• I think that Sun is my new favorite character. Who knew she was so smart? And how refreshing to see Ben being manipulated.
• How cool to see Pierre Chang, complaining about having to leave the lab, registering Jack.
• How uncomfortable was Juliet and Kate's reunion? And how odd that Chang had Jack's name but Phil didn't have Kate's? (Thanks to Brian for noticing).
• Radzinsky was the Paul Giamatti look alike in the Flame station building a model of the Swan station. The Swan station is where the numbers had to be inputted into the computer. Do you remember Kelvin Inman? Long story: Inman was the American soldier who taught Sayid how to torture. We also saw him in the Swan, with Desmond. Inman told Desmond about a man named Radzinsky, who served in the Swan with Inman and started the map on the door that Locke saw. One night, while Kelvin slept, Radzinsky shot himself dead. Inman had 108 minutes to bury him.
• What's going on with the creation of the Swan, anyway?
• Is Hurley going to try to save the Dharma Initiative from Ben's Purge?
• What a nice picture of the Dharma class of 1977.
• So, when Christian takes Sun on her journey, will Frank accompany her?
• Keep an eye on Phil; he's going to be trouble.
• Sayid and Ben's meeting was taut with meaning. I really hope we don't see Sayid trying to kill a young Ben. That would bother me for some reason.

Best lines of the night were all Hurley's (no surprise). "Um....what?" (Upon learning that they were all back in 1977). Later, seeing Sayid hauled out of the van: "I guess we found Sayid."

It was the penultimate confrontation of the episode that left the biggest impression on me. At first, I wanted to bang Jack and Sawyer's heads together, what with all that posturing. Did they need a measuring stick? They had an opportunity to compare notes, to learn what has been happening to them in the past three years. But no, instead, sword rattling.

But I thought about it. Remember Jack's interview with Pierre Chang? Based on Jack's aptitude test, he's suited for janitorial work. It reminded me of Roger Linus's reaction upon learning of his similar assignment. Two alcoholics, two demeaning work assignments. Did Sawyer arrange for the position with an intent to demean Jack? Later that night, he challenges Sawyer. Sawyer responded in kind, criticizing Jack's leadership skills and pointing out that Sawyer saved the day, for all of them. Did Sawyer go too far? Probably, but I can't say that Jack didn't deserve it. Some commentators thought that Jack was shamed, but I'm not so sure. I just think that he'll act on his own (or should I say "react"), without Sawyer. Good things will probably not happen from this.

I'm sure that I'll think of something to add later. I'm curious to hear what y'all think.

Who is The Little Prince?

I asked this question after The Little Prince aired, and I've had a few conversations about this topic. It occurs to me that since we're having a Lost-free week, that tonight might be the perfect time to express my own thoughts on this subject.

Before I discuss who the little prince is, I think I should first start with what I believe the little prince is. With a caveat that this is speculation and assumption on my part, the little prince is the future leader of the island, whether an Other, a member of the Dharma Initiative, or a Hostile. The little prince is the person that the island or Christian Shephard or Jacob has appointed as leader, perhaps because of their special qualities or talents.

In Jughead, we learned from Richard that there is a specific process for selecting the leader of the Others, which starts at a very young age. We know that Locke was indeed tested by Richard, when Locke was approximately five and living in a foster home. Richard told Locke to select the items Locke already owned. When Locke selected a knife (along with a vial of powder and a compass), Richard became completely disgusted and left. That wasn't the end of it, however, since a "Dr. Alpert" tried to recruit a teenaged Locke to join the summer camp at Mittelos Laboratories. This time, Locke rejected Richard.

Now, without much ado, I will list all the potential candidates for this leader, or Little Prince, along with their current whereabouts (as of LaFleur), the pros and cons of their being the leader, and then a final conclusion. Sadly, the little prince is all male, so no females will be listed. With that in mind, in alphabetical order:

Aaron Littleton - Current: MIA. There is speculation that he is on his way to Australia with his grandmother or to Korea to be a playmate for Ji Yeon. Pros: Aaron is the grandson of Christian Shephard, who appears to be some kind of mystical conduit of Jacob. Furthering the mystical association, Richard Malkin, the fake Australian psychic, turned a little less fake as he discovered that Claire "must raise this child." Cons: Aaron is MIA. It is doubtful he is currently on the island, unless he was for whatever reason in coach on 316. Claire, who seemed to be associated with Christian and Jacob, told Kate to not return Aaron to the island. Neither Ben nor Locke made any effort to ensure that Aaron returned to the island. Likelihood of Princedom: Highish.

Baby Austen-Shephard - Current: Theoretical only. Bloggers speculate that Kate became pregnant the night before flight 316 as a replacement for Claire. Gender, obviously, unknown. Pros: Conceived off-island, so is likely to live. Will also be the child of two prominent 815-ers. Con: Barely conceived yet! Likelihood of Princedom: Low.

Baby Goodspeed -Current: Just born in the Dharma Initiative to Horace Goodspeed and Amy. We never learned the baby's name, but speculation is rife that we've met this baby as an adult. Pro: Even though Dharma Initiative babies were typcially born off island, that Baby Goodspeed survived a birth on the island might be meaningful. Con: There's really no reason to believe this baby is more important a character than say, Karl. Likelihood of Princedom: Low to none.

Ben Linus - Current: On the Hydra Island, injured and unconscious, presumably in 2008 or 2009. Pros: Ben has been the leader of the Others, presumably for a long time. Not many know the island and its myriad secrets and subtleties better than he. Plus, he always has a plan. Cons: Ben has apparently lost his leadership and connection to the island to Locke. He developed a tumor on his spine, despite the island's healing powers. No one trusts Ben, as Ben's goals are always cloudy. He doesn't mind following his desires (killing Keamy knowing it would mean the death of those on the freighter, killing Locke twice) at the expense of what is best for the island or his associates. Lastly, Ben claimed that anyone who moved the donkey wheel could not return to the island. Likelihood of Princedom: Nil. Ben's been dethroned.

Bernard Nadler - Current: MIA. Presumably he's in 1977 Dharma Initiative. Pro: Bernard is more heroic than might be assumed, to Rose's dismay. Con: He's not even a main character! Likelihood of Princedom: Nil.

Charles Widmore - Current: Presumably in his office in the UK, trying desparately to find the island and keep Penny safe. Pros: Widmore has been on the island and apparently has acted as leader. He may have been on the island for a long time. Widmore has plenty of resources to help him get whatever he wants. He can also change the rules. Cons: Like Ben, Widmore is willing to harm anyone to get what he wants. Also, like Ben, Widmore may have permanently lost his association with the island due to turning the donkey wheel. Plus, the producers call Widmore "the big bad". Surely the big bad can't be the leader? Likelihood of Princedom: Nil.

Charlie Hume - Current: Presumably with his parents, Desmond and Penny. Some theorize that he may be Charlie Pace - however, I don't buy it. Pros: Charlie is a child of Desmond, to whom the rules do not apply. Further, he's the grandson of Widmore, who was once a leader of the island. Con: Charlie is still a child. Likelihood of Princedom: Low.

Daniel Faraday - Current: MIA. Presumably he's in the Dharma Initiative, 1977-time. Pros: Daniel has esoteric knowledge of the time travel qualities of the island. He took an active role in trying to rescue islanders on the zodiac and dealing with the nuclear bomb in 1954. Daniel is also the son of Eloise Hawking, who clearly has a mystical connection to the island. Cons: Daniel's brain may be permanently affected by his time travel experiments, his own time travel, and Charlotte's death. Plus, the insane rarely make princes (at least, in fiction). Likelihood of Princedom: Low to medium.

Desmond Hume - Current: Presumably with his wife and child, Charlie. Possibly on his way to the island to kill Ben for killing or trying to kill Penny. Pros: Desmond is extremely sensitive to the time qualities of the island. We know that the island is not done with Desmond yet. And, of course, the rules don't apply to Desmond. Cons: Desmond wants nothing to do with the island. And, of course, the rules don't apply to Desmond. Does any of this make sense where he is concerned? Likelihood of Princedom: Medium.

Frank Lapidus - Current: On a boat between the Hydra Island and the main island, presumably in 2008 or 2009. Pro: Lapidus has been peripherally associated with the island 3 times. Con: Frank's not a major player. Likelihood of Princedom: Nil.

Hugo "Hurley" Reyes - Current: Has returned to the island and is now in 1977. Pros: Everyone likes Hugo. He has always maintained his connection to the island, mainly through visitations by dead people. He was the first of the Oceanic 6 that recognized they needed to return to the island. Hurley has also seen Jacob. Cons: Hurley requires too much assistance from others, including ghosts, to survive. Plus, jesters rarely become princes (I'm talking fiction here). Likelihood of Princedom: Low to medium.

Jack Shephard - Current: Has returned to the island in 1977. Pros: Jack is the son of Christian Shephard, who is clearly a conduit for Jacob. He has demonstrated leadership skills in times of crisis. The tatooist, Achara, told Jack that she saw a leader who was unhappy. His tattoo - "He walks among us, but is not one of us" - could reference his princedom. Cons: Jack sucks when he has no one or thing to save. He became addicted and has a limited belief or faith in the island. The Others noted that Jack was not on "Jacob's list." Lastly, the island did not heal Jack's appendix. Likelihood of Princedom: Pretty high.

James "Sawyer" Ford - Current: A Left Behinder who just reconnected with 3 of the Oceanic 6. Pros: Sawyer may have evolved the most of all the 815ers. From a self-centered con-man, he's taken on a leadership role among the Left Behinders. Cons: Sawyer has no clear vision with a history of selfishness and being a con man. Likelihood of Princedom: Medium to low.

Jin-Soo Kwon - Current: A Left Behinder who has just reconnected with 3 of the Oceanic 6. Pros: Jin is loyal and a hard worker. Like Sawyer, he has changed a great deal on the island, becoming the husband that Sun deserved. Con: We've seen no leadership from Jin - he's always a follower. Likelihood of Princedom: Low.

John Locke - Current: Resurrected on Hydra Island in approximately 2008 or 2009. Pros: John has been identified by Ben, Jacob, Christian, Richard, and Widmore (at least) as special. He's only truly alive when he's on the island. Unlike Ben, he is truly interested in doing what is best for the island. He has been healed by the island numerous times. Locke believes it is his destiny to be on the island. He successfully confronted the smoke monster. He discovered the Hatch. John can hear Jacob. Cons: John can be exceedingly indecisive, and has lost his faith in the island a few times. He picked the wrong item when tested by Richard, and rejected the offer of attending science camp at Mittelos Laboratory. He was extremely tyrannical when he took leadership of the Barracks. Like Jack, John wasn't on "Jacob's list" because he is "angry". One day, Ben's attempts to kill John might succeed. Lastly, like Ben and Widmore, John has turned the donkey wheel, which may prevent his ability to return to the island. Likelihood of Princedom: High.

Miles Straume - Current: A Left Behinder in 1977 Dharma Initiative. Pros: Miles talks to dead people and animals. He has probably been on the island before (son of Marvin Candle, perhaps?). Cons: Miles is out for himself with no moral center. On top of that, he's not a very likeable guy (no matter how much fun he is to watch). Likelihood of Princedom: Low.

Richard Alpert - Current: Labeled an "Other". Pro: Richard has a long mystical association with the island. Con: Apparently, Richard is always second in command, never first. Likelihood of Princedom: Low.

Sayid Jarrah - Current: Presumably on the island in 1977 time. Previews indicate that he will meet up with the Left Behinders in a less than friendly fashion. Pros: Sayid is a warrior with a strong moral center. He is also loyal. Further, he's been injured and shot on the island so many times, the island has to have healed him. Cons: Sayid continues to atone for his years as a torturer and assasin for Ben. He works more behind the scenes rather than leading others. He's easily manipulated. He also was not on Jacob's list because he is "weak and frightened." Plus, he becomes obsessed with women. Likelihood of Princedom: Medium to low.

Vincent - Current: MIA. Presumably in 1977 Dharma Initiative. Pro: Vincent has worked for Christian before, including waking up Jack immediately after 815 crashed. Con: He's a dog. Likelihood of Princedom: Nil, but wouldn't it be hilarious?

Walt Lloyd - Current: New York City with his grandmother. Pros: Walt has a mystical association with the island. He may have control over the weather and can make birds commit suicide. Cons: No one has made any effort to ensure that Walt returns to the island. Maybe he's sitting with Aaron in coach? The actor can't seem to act his way out of a paper bag. Likelihood of Princedom: High to medium.

So, these are just some thoughts. Let me know what you think.

An Addendum to "LaFleur"

Well, last night we had company while I was trying to write my blog, and I realized that I forgot something extraordinarily important. So important, that I'm breaking my self-imposed rule of not blogging during the day.

Sawyer, Juliet, Jin, Miles, and Daniel last flashed into 1974 - that's what Sawyer told Juliet when he was convincing her to stay. We know that all but Daniel remained with the Dharma Initiative in 1977 (I assume Daniel is still with them, but as I noted before, we didn't see him.).

I think they might have met Ben by now. If not, they will soon.

Not the adult Ben. He didn't flash with Jack, Kate, and Hurley. He is currently too injured at this point to even know that Locke has resurrected.

I'm talking the young Ben. The Ben we met in "The Man Behind the Curtain." The boy who was born too soon, whose mother died in childbirth, whose father hated him. I did some investigating, because I needed a timeline.

Using Lostpedia, I discovered that Ben was born in the early 1960s. It's a little frustrating that we don't know a specific year, but that will be sufficient for our current purposes. I don't remember if we were told in "The Man Behind the Curtain" how old Ben was when he landed on the island with his father. The actor who played him was Sterling Beaumon. According to the Internet Movie Database, Beaumon was born in 1995. The episode in question aired in 2007. Therefore, the actor was 12 when he played Ben. So, I think it is fair to say that Ben was approximately 12 too.

To me the early 1960s could be anywhere between 1960 - 1964. I think 1965 is just too close to "mid-1960s", but I could be reading too much into this. (I know, a shock). But, using my assumption and my tortured math skills (I am not a rocket scientist), let's take the latest year Ben could have been born, 1964, and add twelve, 1976.

If all these assumptions are correct, Ben is on the island already. If I'm off, or Lostpedia is off, even a little, then it is conceivable that Ben arrives on the island around the same time as three of the Oceanic 6.

If you ask me, the possibilities are rich. I can't wait.

LaFleur

Do you think my mother will ever watch Lost with me again? The first week of Lost after I return home, and it's all about Sawyer. If I were her, I wouldn't watch Lost with me either.

And what an episode it was! Josh Holloway has really grown as an actor, making Sawyer one of the most compelling characters on a drama full of characters. The con man conned his way into the Dharma Initiative, and before he knows it, he is an upstanding member of the Initiative. So much so, that he's chief of security and arranges with Miles to keep Horace's alcoholic indiscretions "on the down low". How did that happen?

Well, I don't know if or when we'll find out. But it all makes sense. Locke disappears, leaving the Left Behinders with two more skips in time - some ancient time when the four-toed statue was intact, and then to 1974. Sawyer is clearly trying to keep it together, and takes on a leader role, a move which Juliet clearly supports. His moral compass remains in tune, leading to the rescue of Amy from the Hostiles, and their eventual capture by the Dharma Initiative. He figures out just the right thing to tell Richard Alpert to prevent the end of the truce between the Initiative and the Hostiles. He's still the con man though, deciding that lies would be safer than the truth. So, Jim LeFleur was born (apparently LaFleur is a common Creole name).

As for Sawyer and Kate, this one hour made me now root for Juliet, who's been second to Kate before. What a sweet couple Sawyer and Juliet made! He talked her into doctoring Amy, even though she's not had any successful birthing experiences on the island. She made him dinner, but more importantly, she supported him, in a way I don't think I've ever seen Kate do (for Jack or Sawyer). Juliet had his back, even if she didn't like his decision. What a great partner! I don't want to see her pine for Jack and I certainly don't want to see Sawyer pine for Kate. But, I doubt that wish will be granted.

That said, Sawyer's face when he saw Kate was exactly what I had hoped to see all those episodes ago in The Little Prince. Despite his assertion to Horace that he couldn't even remember what Kate looked like, the moment he saw her, he looked like a man in a desert eyeing a cold glass of water. Kate, what have you done to deserve this?

Other random thoughts:

• Pay attention to all the Egyptian symbols in this season. We've seen hieroglyphs before, and now an ankh and a statue that looks like Anubis, the Egyptian god with a jackal head, associated with mummification and the afterlife. Remember when Jin, Sun, and Sayid saw the four-toed statue?
• Remember Horace Goodspeed? We met him in the early 1960s, when he met Roger Linus after Ben was born and as Emily died. Horace then encouraged Roger to join the Dharma Initiative. Horace, of course, was killed in the Purge of 1992. He also showed up in one of Locke's dreams, telling Locke that he needed to find his body for what eventually turned out to be blue prints for Jacob's cabin.
• I want to throw dynamite at trees. It looks so entertaining.
• Pretty cool to see the con man at work. Haven't seen that in a while.
• Charlotte's body did not skip in time with the other Left Behinders. I nearly cried watching Daniel's devastation. He clearly loved Charlotte. He repeated, "I won't tell her. I won't do it." Does he mean that he plans to not tell Charlotte to stay away from the island? And I wasn't sure whether to be touched or freaked out when he stared at the red-headed girl. Yes, I'm sure she's Charlotte.
• Did you notice we never saw Daniel in 1977?
• Daniel releases the Left Behinders to act: "Whatever happened happened."
• I wonder if my mother likes Sawyer without a beard?
• I was so happy to see Juliet successfully deliver Amy's baby.
• Jin's English is much better.
• There were a number of scenes that just got to me, including Daniel mourning Charlotte, the guards' obvious fear at waking LaFleur/Sawyer, Juliet's recognition of Richard Alpert, Sawyer's conversation with Richard Alpert, Sawyer convincing Juliet to deliver Amy's baby, Sawyer giving Juliet a rose, seeing Juliet and Sawyer spooning in bed, and Sawyer greedily eating up Kate with his eyes.
• How long will we keep looking? As long as it takes.

I finally feel like we're back where we seemed to be heading when the season first started. "316" and "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham" were excellent shows, but, as I commented before, I felt like we were in a holding pattern. But that's okay, they're back.

Except for one thing - no new Lost next week?