The Substitute

You know, I was once asked in an interview, "If you were a candle, what part would you be?" I didn't get the job. I'm glad I didn't get the job.

John Locke's interview with Lynn Karnoff was amusing on several levels, but sadly, I only picked up on the obvious. But thank goodness for the internet, because I learned that Lynn Karnoff in a different timeline was hired by Hurley's father in Tricia Tanaka is Dead to convince Hurley that she can erase the curse from the numbers. Hurley figured it out and stormed out. Pretty funny, hunh?

I thought this was a fabulous episode, but then aren't all John Locke-centric episodes? Here are some thoughts:

John Locke in 2004

Rose sees John as in denial over his paralysis, but I believe that he is actually bordering between denial and anger. He is angry at anyone who might hint that he can't do what he wants to do. He refuses to park in the handicapped spot at work, even though it would give his van room to open with his wheelchair ramp. He tries to get off the broken wheelchair ramp, even though Helen was inside and could have helped.

And who wasn't surprised when Helen just popped out of the house to help John? They're engaged? The wedding is in a month? And John's father is on the invite list? Is this the same Anthony Cooper we know and hate? Or is this a foster father perhaps? If it is Cooper, did he not con his son out of a kidney and push his son out a window to paralyze him? I guess we'll learn that answer later. Hopefully.

But Helen was a welcome surprise. She had left John because of his obsession with his father. I guess if John wasn't obsessed with his con artist father, then there's no reason for Helen to dump John.

But there's still trouble in paradise. John lies to Helen (just like he does to his boss) about the walkabout. He doesn't tell her he'd been fired immediately. But he faces up to his lies, and it seems the lies are all related to his anger at his paralysis, and his lack of hope in a miracle leading to his walking again.

In this timeline, John doesn't believe in destiny or miracles. And somehow, that just seems sad. It's Helen who thinks it's destiny that John met a spinal surgery. John thinks it's just a dream. But the wedding is still on, and Helen shows how much she loves John. I think they make a good couple.

John Locke in 2007

Locke is finally buried in this episode. Sun puts aside her own desire to reunite with Jin to make sure that Locke was buried with the other fatalities after the crash of Oceanic 815. I guess this means I can stop hoping that John's eyes will pop open at any time.

notLocke in 2007

I don't tend to think of Locke and notLocke as sharing anything but a body, but it turns out that they both hate being told what they cannot do. Is there some of Locke in notLocke? Did some of John's personality transfer over? Or are they that much alike and that's the real reason Mr. Smoke Monster selected John?

We learned more about the nature of notLocke last night. It turns out that traveling as the Smoke Monster is pretty cool looking. From Ilana we learned that notLocke is now stuck in John's form. I wonder why? Ilana also believes that notLocke is recruiting, but she didn't say what for.

When asked by James what he was, his answer was most revealing:

What I am is trapped, and I've been trapped for so long that I don't even remember what it's like to be free. Maybe you can understand that. But before I was trapped, I was a man, James. Just like you...I know what it's like to feel joy...to feel pain, anger, fear...to experience betrayal. I know what it's like to lose someone you love.

Although James notes that notLocke wasn't scared, the presence of the boy whose arms were sometimes bloody clearly shook him. He is also surprised to learn that James could see the boy. Despite the fact that notLocke can travel as the Smoke Monster, he chooses to chase him on foot, resulting in a big trip. And then a warning, "You know the rules. You can't kill him." What did that mean?

Richard told James that notLocke would kill Sawyer, but a trip down Jacob's ladder (everyone's calling them that) showed that notLocke needs James alive, at least right now. I'll talk about the cave below, but the scene showed a master manipulator at work. James may be a con man, but I suspect notLocke is too.

Ben Linus in 2004

If you had asked me whether we'd see Ben in 2004, I'd have said no way! But there he is, complaining about his fellow teachers who just can't seem to remember to throw away the coffee grounds! But he seems pleased when the new substitute teacher wants the more civilized Earl Grey tea (Jean-Luc Picard's beverage of choice, by the way). So, welcome world, to Benjamin Linus, European history. This is going to be good. I've got some theories below.

Ben Linus in 2007

Honestly, I can't blame Ben for lying to Ilana about who killed Jacob. However, his lengthy pause before answering is clue enough to the observant listener that he lied. Ben will probably argue that he wouldn't have killed Jacob without notLocke's manipulation. But even Ben seems to know no one believes his lies. He's slipping.

A lot of people in the blogosphere assumed that Ben would follow notLocke wherever he went, but this episode showed otherwise. Why didn't Ben follow notLocke? Why didn't notLocke want Ben to follow him? Does notLocke need Jacob's candidates, a group to which Ben does not belong, perhaps? Instead, Ben sticks with Ilana, Sun, and Frank, and ends up helping Frank tote John's body to the cemetary.

The money shot of the whole episode was Ben's eulogy. I feel it was heartfelt. I feel bad for the pain that Ben is suffering now, and I do believe he is. How could he not? His whole world and his whole understanding of the world is now radically altered, and he has been as much a patsy as the mover of things. All that's left is the patsy, and that must leave a bitter taste in his mouth. Here's the eulogy:

Alright, I know him. John Locke was a...a believer, he was a man of faith...he was...a much better man than I will ever be. And I'm very sorry I murdered him.

James Ford in 2007

Josh Holloway continues to delight in his interpretation of James Ford. He could have been just a redneck grifter, but there's so much more to the character than that. His lack of surprise at seeing the dead John Locke. His quick understanding, despite probably being totally sauced, that this is notLocke, "Who are you? 'Cause you sure as hell ain't John Locke...'Cause Locke was scared." I'm going to assume that this quick assessment comes from his practice as a con artist.

I guess that Sawyer finds the idea of following notLocke in the jungle more appealing than drinking lots of whiskey and wearing just his underwear. He doesn't follow Richard, despite Richard's warning that notLocke will eventually kill James and everyone James cares for. The only person James cares for is now dead, so the latter isn't likely to change his mind. But James is not suicidal, as we saw in his scary trip down Jacob's ladder. How will they get out of that cave, anyway? But I was truly concerned that Richard's prediction would come true and the ladders were just notLocke's way of killing James.

Someone wrote in a blog or in a comment to someone else's blog that you can't con a con man, but they've forgotten that Ben did con Sawyer on the Hydra Island in the third season. I'm sure that notLocke is conning James, but I also believe that unlike Sawyer on the Hydra Island, James is walking in with both eyes open.

Frank Lapidus in 2007

There wasn't much from Frank tonight, except for the night's best line, "Weirdest damn funeral I've ever been to." Really, Frank?

Hugo Reyes in 2004

What a happy man Hugo is! I wonder if he is ever called Hurley in this time line?

Hugo's personality is still the same, pointing out to John that he could have parked in the handicapped spot. And his own amusement that he actually owns a company. But what a take-charge guy he is, giving John the number to his temp agency for another job "pronto". But then the kicker, "And chin up. Things are gonna work out." This guy's a real optimist.

Ilana in 2007

Unlike Ben, I think that Ilana cried because of the death of Jacob, not because of her cohorts. I could be wrong. She's hard to read, so I can't tell if she knows Ben is lying to her about who killed Jacob.

She must wonder what crazy group she's attached herself to. First, instead of retreating to the safety of the Temple, they have to bury John. And when they do bury John, no one wants to eulogize him, and the one that finally does admits he murdered the dead man.

Ilana seems to know a lot about the Island and its occupants. She knew that Sun searched for Jin, even though Sun has never confided in her. She knows about the Temple. She knows about the ashes. She knows what notLocke is up to. Now, if only the people around her would be smart enough to start asking the right questions!

Randy Nations in 2004

Hugo is right. Randy is still a huge douche.

Richard Alpert in 2007

I've never seen Richard so shaken and scared as he has been since realizing notLocke's identity. It's nice that he stopped and tries to rescue James from notLocke, but he runs like a scared rabbit at notLocke's approach.

I'm sure notLocke wasn't the only one disappointed that Jacob never shared his plans or thoughts with Richard. And Richard seemed okay with not knowing why Jacob wanted certain things done. With knowing nothing. What's wrong with the people on this Island?

Rose Nadler in 2004

One question answered - Rose still has terminal cancer. But pretty cool that she works for Hugo. And I bet she's really good at her job. Just watching the way she handles John's unrealistic expectation of becoming a construction supervisor was great. Her level gaze and this, "But eventually I got past the denial part and I got back to living whatever life I've got left."

If I have terminal cancer, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be working. I'm just saying.

Theories

The Boy

Who is this boy? Why didn't Richard see him? Can only Jacob's candidates see him? Or notLocke's recruits? And why does he scare notLocke so? I've seen some theories that the boy might be an older Aaron or a younger Jacob or John Locke.

The Rules

What are these rules anyway? Are the rules between Ben and Widmore the same as the rules between Jacob and the Man in Black? What does "You can't kill him" mean, anyway? He's impossible to kill or it's wrong to kill him? And is "him" Jacob?

The Cave

Why would Jacob write down the names of his candidates on the roof of that isolated cavern? And why attach numbers to the names? According to notLocke, a not necessarily reliable source, the names were of people that Jacob has touched. Some names are scribbled out. And what are the candidates, anyway? What are they candidates of? Remember that Ilana said that Frank might be a candidate. Several things to note: Austen was never shown. A lot of people are convinced that this is significant. Ryan McGee from Zap2it saw Littleton scribbled out. Is that Aaron or Claire? The names notLocke pointed out to James are (in no particular order):

• 23 Shephard
• 8 Reyes
• 16 Jarrah
• 42 Kwon (but unknown which - maybe it's both?)
• 4 Locke (scribbled out by notLocke)
• 15 Ford

As notLocke pointed the names out, we were taken back to The Incident, where we saw Jacob touching each of the named persons. notLocke tells James that by Jacob's touch, Jacob was taking away all free will from the touched, causing them to act in ways that would lead them straight to the Island. And what is the successful candidate supposed to do? Well, according to notLocke, three things:

1. Do nothing, die, and get your name scribbled off.
2. Protect the Island, essentially from nothing.
3. Leave, with notLocke.

No surprise that Sawyer picked the latter. I'm curious to see how this turns out.

Others Elementary School

The last person I was expecting to see in the teachers' lounge was Benjamin Linus, who, frankly, seems quite pedantic in this timeline. Some bloggers believe they also saw Harper, Goodwin's wife, in the lounge as well, but I didn't spot her. If we see other Others....

But Ben's presence at the school brings a lot of questions. How did he get there? How much did Jughead change? A lot of us just assumed that the only thing Jughead would change for the Oceanic 815ers is that the plane would not crash. This is clearly not true. We saw the Island submerged, and I assumed that the Island sank as a result of Jughead. If so, then Ben would have sunk with it, since he was with the Others/Hostiles during the Incident (surely if Ben had been "found" and put into the submarine something would have been said). So, at what point did the Island sink? Was Ben ever on the Island? Had this Ben been shot by Sayid and treated at the Temple?

Hopefully more answers will be forthcoming. I didn't sense any glance of recognition between Ben and John similar to the recognition we saw between Kate and Jack and Jack and Desmond earlier. Other bloggers did see it however. I'll be curious to see what y'all think about that.

What Kate Does was all about relationships. This episode was too, but with a heaping helping of mythology and leads to potential answers too. There's so much to think about, that I feel like I left something major out. Let me know what it is. I hate forgetting things. In the meantime, I look forward to seeing your comments!

The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham

My mother may never watch Lost with me again. Two weeks in a row with nary a glimpse of Sawyer. A role in the previews for next week does not count, I assure you.

Unlike last week’s episode, Jeremy Bentham was an exceedingly difficult episode to watch. As you may know, John Locke has always been one of my favorites. It was his shamanic role in the first season that solidified my affection for him, as his comments gave his cohorts insight into their lives and circumstances. I’ve also been fascinated by his search for his destiny.

But clearly, off the island, John is miserable, no matter which philosopher’s name he bears. As Jeremy Bentham, he finds himself crippled again, depending on a wheelchair and an uncanny driver (one question was answered for me – I had wondered if John would return to paralysis once he left the island. Apparently his spine is healed. However, his body clearly does not heal as quickly off the island as it did on the island. A few more thoughts on that later.). Off the island, John is disabled, helpless, and at the mercy of others. John left the island with a mission – to bring the Oceanic 6 back to the island. Usually, John responds with passion and alacrity to any mission. But in Jeremy Bentham, he is weak, unpersuasive. None of the Oceanic 6 believed in him, and he spoke with no messianic fervor. He seemed half the man he once was.

However, upon awakening on the Hydra Island, his leg wound appears healed – John walks with no assistance. I cannot remember – if you do, let me know – whether John also recovered from the wounds he sustained from the car accident. And of course, John was healed from the biggest wound of all – strangulation.

Some remaining thoughts:

• How frustrating is it that no one ever asks the right questions? John had numerous opportunities to ask questions , of Widmore, Abaddon, and Walt, yet he failed to.
• Most disappointing scene: John with Walt. Remember the connection between Walt and John in the first season? John sensed something special in Walt, something that Michael never seemed to pick up on. And who can forget how Walt saved John in the third season’s “Through the Looking Glass”, reminding Locke of how much work John still had to do? The only sign of this in Jeremy Bentham was John’s wave toward Walt. John seemed to have forgotten Walt’s connection with the island, and seemed to ignore Walt’s dream as just a dream (really John? Just a dream? Is anything on this show “just a dream”?). But the most disconcerting issue of all for me was the lack of continuity. In last season’s “There’s No Place Like Home,” Walt visits Hurley who is in the mental hospital, asking why none of the Oceanic 6 never looked him up. He added, “Do you know who did come see me? Jeremy Bentham. ..” In the scene we saw in Jeremy Bentham, John never told Walt his alias. Was there another meeting we haven’t seen yet? Or is this yet another dream of Walt’s? And I must agree with Brian – the actor who plays Walt could use some acting lessons.
• One of my favorite scenes – John with Hurley! I loved how Hurley figured John was just another poltergeist visiting him. When John, justifiably confused, asserts that he still lives, Hurley asks the staff if they see him talking with a guy in the wheelchair. When he gets a yes from the staff, then Hurley gets upset.
• My other favorite scene – John with Jack. Jack engages in what may have been his last stand against John’s belief in destiny. Indeed, Jack looks dissipated, bloated, and as weak as Jeremy Bentham was. And how shocking for him to learn that John knew Christian.
• I have come up with a timeline for Sayid. Assuming that the Oceanic 6 have been off the island a full three years, Sayid was married to Nadia for nine months, worked as an assassin for Ben for 2 years, and therefore, has been involved in the pseudo-Habitat for Humanity for three months. Give or take. I also love that Sayid is working in Santo Domingo as atonement for his “work” with Ben.
• Kate either really hated her on-island life or loves her off-island life. She seems remarkably uncaring about those left behind, though she actually might think that John is delusional.
• How cool that John honored his promise to Jin. I almost want to take back what I’ve been thinking about Locke – he really is a better man than Ben.
• I was surprised by Abaddon’s early demise. I thought he might have a similar role as Richard Alpert. I hope that we see him again, even if only in flashback.
• I almost believed in Ben. I thought he really did care about Locke, and believed that John’s continued survival was necessary to the survival of the island. But Ben continues to surprise. So, what made him do it? John’s mention of Eloise Hawking sparked Ben’s murderous behavior. But why? Was it the one piece of knowledge that Ben needed to return to the island? Or was it the reminder that John has communication with Jacob and has supplanted Ben? Or maybe Ben believes that he can return to his place of prominence if John is eliminated? Or maybe all or none of the above. Who really knows with that recalcitrant Ben?
• Neither Ben nor John “flashed” onto the main island. Neither did Lapidus or “a woman”. Could that woman be Sun? We’ve seen Jack, Hurley, and Kate on the island, but no Sun or Sayid.
• Ben certainly doesn’t seem to heal on the island like John does. He doesn’t deserve to.
• Who is Caesar? Who is Ilana?

These last two episodes have felt like placeholders for me. I feel like next week we should return to the rocking ride that will have our noses bleeding again. I’m really looking forward to it.