Lighthouse

I apologize for being a day later in posting than I like to be. Last night I just didn't feel good enough to actually put any thoughts to blog. But I'm better now, and here goes:

Perhaps I would have been more likely to write had I been blown away by the episode, but I wasn't. I must confess that I have a prejudice against the tried and trite typical troubled television teenager. And what else could be said about David Shephard other than that when we first met him? That may have blinded my impressions of the show and kept me from enjoying it as much as I would have normally. But I've thought about it, and I get where the episode was trying to go, and I think it mostly got there.

Jack in 2004

It wasn't surprising to hear Jack's conversation with his neurotic mother on the phone, but it was surprising when he drove to pick his son up at school. It's clear the relationship between the two is as strained as Jack's relationship with his own father, but it's not clear why. Even when David explains that his father was just too into his piano playing, it just seemed odd. But it's clear Jack cares about his son and wants to be closer. He's startled when his mother, seemingly self-centered, notes that David might be as terrified of Jack as Jack was of Christian. And so it was. Jack was also told he didn't have what it takes, and David was afraid of letting his father down. Jack saves the day, telling his son he'll love him no matter what. At last, Jack gets something right.

Did it seem to you that Jack just noticed that he has an appendectomy scar? According to his mother, he had the surgery as a boy. Or a man when marooned on an Island. Whichever. He also seemed to recognize Claire's name when his mother asked about her. And are the Others just all over the place or what? Lastly, unless the new timeline had Jack and Sarah meet at a different time, I doubt she is the mother of David. Sarah had the accident that led to her meeting Jack in approximately 2001, way too late to become the mother of a 16-year-old. Maybe Jack's meeting Sarah broke up his marriage with David's mother? And did you notice Jack turning down a drink?

Jack in 2007

Jack in 2007 was far more interesting than he was in 2004 - to me. I was actually impressed when Jack told Sayid about the infection - I presume he also told Sayid about Claire, but if so, we didn't see it.

But Jack's story this week was intertwined with Hurley's attempt to get Jack to do something. Of course Jack refused to go with Hugo, but Jacob's magic words, "You have what it takes", changed his mind.

Jack has one goal in following Hurley - to talk to Jacob. Even knowing that Jacob is dead. And why did Jack want to see Jacob? Perhaps his answer to Hurley about why he returned to the Island might shed some light on this: "I came back here because I was broken, and I was stupid enought to think this place could fix me." As bitter as he sounds, I think he's still hoping for some healing. And someone who cares enough to say, "You have what it takes", the opposite of what his father always told him, might have what it takes to either be healed or heal himself.

But Jacob is a no show - after all, Hurley and Miles are the only ones able to communicate with the dead. And in helping Hurley set the compass (or whatever) to 108 degrees, Jack sees his name at 23 degrees, and insists that they move the whatever it was to 23 degrees. And is horrified to see his childhood home. "What does he want from me?" Jack then does what Jack does best (just ask Sawyer) - he reacts, and destroys the mirror.

But Jacob's okay with that. As he and Hurley watch Jack stare out into the ocean, Jacob acknowledges that he wanted Jack to see what was in the mirror. "It was the only way for him to understand how important he is." I assume we'll see how Jack takes to that lesson later.

Hurley in 2007

Hurley was certainly my favorite part of the whole episode. At last, we got to spend time with him, and how delightful it was! Unlike all the other characters, Hurley actually asks questions, and he's become strong enough to stand up for himself, to Dogen and Jack (both with Jacob's help), and even to Jacob.

Hurley's showdown with Dogen was classic. "I'm a candidate and I can do whatever I want." He almost said it with conviction too. He clearly didn't believe Jacob, as noted when he said, "I just lied to a samarai." Then Hurley's initial attempt to get Jack to accompany him, "Be cool, man. Act natural." Oh, Hurley, you could never work for the CIA, could you?

Hurley again spoke for the audience as he and Jack surveyed the caves where they had stayed so long ago. Gazing at the skeletons, Hurley wonders, "What if these skeletons are us?" Maybe they are Hurley, maybe they are.

Otherwise, he's an unwilling witness to Jack learning a lesson. After confronting Jacob, he suddenly realized, "Did you want Jack to see what was in that mirror?" Well, yes, Hurley, because while you can be convinced during a short cab ride, Jack needs to internalize. He's slower than you are.

Claire in 2007

Wow, wacko Claire! With unpretty, dirty hair. She's got a crib with some kind of animal skin baby, and barely a shelter to call home. She clearly recognizes Jin, and takes good care of his wounds, but her eyes and her words indicate that she's far more disturbed than Danielle Rousseau ever thought of being. Convinced by her father and her friend that the Others are keeping Aaron from her, she decides to torture the surviving Other. She almost stops when Jin tells her that Kate has Aaron, but whack! the Other is killed in the most shocking scene of the night. Oh, Claire, what has happened to you these past three years?

It's a good thing that Jin changed his story about who has Aaron, because, "If Kate were raising Aaron, I'd have to kill her." Why, Claire? After all, you're the one who disappeared, leaving Aaron with Sawyer and Miles. When notLocke walks into her shelter, she tells Jin, "This isn't John, this is my friend." And that ain't good.

Dogen in 2004

It seemed like every time we turned around in The Substitute we saw someone we knew. Not so this week, which focused almost exclusively on Jack's family. Instead, the only familiar face we saw was Dogen, the father of another pianist auditioning for a spot at a conservatory. These kids are under too much pressure, right?

Dogen in 2007

We never saw Dogen's interpreter this time, even when he confronted Hurley about trying to escape. He and Jack have a leader-to-leader moment of honesty, and proves his intentions to keep Jack and Hurley at the Temple. But even he was powerless in the face of Hurley's candidacy. A Japanese threat ensued, and Dogen was seen no more.

Jacob in 2007

I must admit that I thoroughly enjoy Jacob, and I love his interactions with Hurley. I don't love how he was manipulative of Hurley, though given the way Hurley can't tell a lie well, I can understand why he did. I look forward to more Jacob in later episodes.

Jin in 2007

Jin again gets more lines in one episode than he ever did last season combined. Daniel Dae Kim did an excellent job of showing Jin's growing concern turn to outright fear as he watched the once sweet Claire murder a man for essentially nothing. With the evidence before him, he must have decided that Claire needs to go to the Temple. This makes me a little nervous - what is your endgame on this one, Jin?

Kate in 2007

Kate gets a small role this episode, nearly shooting Jack when he startles her in the jungle. For the first time ever, she doesn't follow Jack and Hurley. Heck, maybe she didn't join them because she was invited. Who knows with Kate? Instead, she's going to find Claire, because, after all, that should be easy. She's warned, however, that Claire might be changed, but she doesn't appear to take this as seriously as she perhaps should.

Miles in 2007

We saw Miles play tic-tac-toe with Hurley. It's a boring game when it always ends in a tie. That's it. I saw in another blog and I must repeat, did Ken Leung have a DUI that we don't know about? Because we're clearly not getting enough Miles-time.

Sayid in 2007

Like Miles, Sayid gets one scene, but at least he got some lines. Apparently all the Others know that Sayid is infected, and their stares are making him uncomfortable. Imagine that.

Theories

Compare and contrast Jacob's interactions with Hurley as opposed to what we learned about notLocke's interactions with Claire. Both lied to one of our heroes, both manipulate, both are mysterious. But Jacob lacks the sinister air that follows notLocke. And while Jacob's lie to Hurley helped Jack realize his importance, notLocke's lies to Claire only seemed to result in dead Others. After Lighthouse, I feel a little more clear on whether Jacob is good and whether notLocke is evil. The details of their conflict, of course, are still a mystery.

The numbers attached to our heroes returned again. I didn't discuss them much last week, partially because I found notLocke's explanation for them unsatisfying, "Jacob likes numbers" indeed. At first, I thought that the numbers were inconsistent, but no, Jack was 23 on the cavern wall and 23 on the compass thingie. I still have no idea what, if anything, they mean.

It doesn't help that I don't keep up with the numbers. I seen some rumblings on other blogs from people who do keep up with the numbers that they are different in the 2004 flash sideways. That would be interesting to explore.

Jack's issues with his father ran rampant through this episode, with Jack in one timeline confronted with his son's fear of disappointing Jack, and Jacob telling Jack that he does have what it takes. Jack's father issues have always gotten in his way, and perhaps being confronted with seeing the mirror version of his childhood home and hearing he is competent, in combination with developing a better relationship with his son than his father ever did with Jack, will help heal him enough that he can do whatever it is that Jacob needs him to do.

A lot of through the looking glass in this episode, with Jack again staring at himself in a mirror to find an unexpected wound or scar on his body. Staring at his childhood home in the mirror (or whatever) in the lighthouse. And how great that the key to David's home was under a rabbit?

I'll be curious to see what y'all think!