Libby: "Being here with you feels so familiar, like a date we've never had."
I feel like I need a degree of some sort to figure out what happened in this episode. The big question is what sort of degree. Psychology? Physics? Egyptian history? Parapsychology?
Smokey just tried to kill Desmond, and alt-Desmond just tried to kill alt-Locke. Did Smokey do it because of Desmond's incredible power over electromagnetism (and possibly over Smokey)? It seems like a strange coincidence that Locke survived a fall down a similar well; did Smokey expect Desmond to live?
It feels like Desmond and alt-Desmond are the same person now, with the same knowledge and the same agenda. I'm sure Desmond knew what Smokey was, but he wasn't afraid. Did Smokey throw Desmond down the well because of what alt-Desmond was doing in the alternate universe, perhaps? Or did alt-Desmond hit alt-Locke with his car to bring him close to death so that alt-Locke would remember the Island, as Charlie did for him?
But alt-Desmond didn't have to kill alt-Hurley to get him to remember the Island; he just had to get him to go out with Libby.
I'm so confused.
Love is the answer, but what is the question? It has occurred to me that none of the characters in the alternate universe have the ones they love – except Locke has Helen. Is alt-Locke really Locke, or is he Smokey? Or is Smokey in charge of the alternate universe, and alt-Locke gets special privileges?
In a stroke of utter weirdness, Ilana just went boom in exactly the same way that Arzt did, prompting Ben to conjecture that the Island was done with her. (The same way the Island was finally done with Michael, too?) I kept thinking we'd see Ilana pop back into the story unexpectedly, but no. Maybe the dead Ilana will show up and tell Hurley what to do, like Michael just did. Interesting that it was Michael, huh? The perfect curtain call for Harold Perrineau, what with the Libby plotline and all.
I've never been that into Hurley's doomed romance with Libby, but the two of them finally picnicking on the beach together was just beautiful. I also thought it was lovely that Hurley had never been in Santa Rosa, which meant he never caused that balcony to collapse. And that he was known for his "unparalleled philanthropy." Alt-Hurley was everything he should have been. Except that he didn't have love, of course. He does now.
The episode ended in a cliffhanger. All of the candidates in one place. Next week's should be interesting.
What have we learned?
— We finally found out what the whispers are: they signal the arrival of ghosts trapped on the Island because of what they did. Hell. Purgatory. Who knows. Will they ever tell us?
— Smokey mentioned that he needs to get everyone on the plane who was on it when they arrived. So maybe it's not a candidate thing; maybe Smokey is doing that "sympathetic magic" thing they did with Flight 316.
Character bits:
That last shot of alt-Locke on the cement seemed very like the shot of him after he was pushed out of the eight story building by his father. I wonder if he's going to wind up in the St. Sebastian emergency room? I wonder if Jack is going to fix him, after all?
Loved Doctor Chang as the emcee for Hurley's award at the Golden State Natural History Museum. That must be where Charlotte works.
Alt-Ben was once again actively trying to protect children. It is by far his most appealing personality trait.
Interesting that alt-Desmond remembered his son's name. Again, it seems like both Desmonds are the same person now.
Libby's doctor, Dr. Brooks, was Hurley's doctor in "Dave." Note the obvious picture of a desert island in Brooks' office. There was one on the chalk board in the rec room, too.
Desmond saw a boy in the jungle as he and Smokey were heading toward the well. It was the same boy Sawyer saw in "The Substitute." Smokey was freaked that Sawyer saw him. I think he was freaked that Desmond saw him, too.
Jack seems to be doing penance for causing Juliet's death by submerging his overachieving personality and following others, instead of trying to lead. I really liked how he just did what Hurley said in this episode.
Michael expressed his regret for killing Libby.
Ilana, we hardly knew ye.
Bits and pieces:
— The title references the earlier Hurley episode, "Everybody Hates Hugo."
— Flight 815 landed a week ago. And we thought time went slowly during the first five seasons, huh?
— That car accident was an accident to end all accidents. Except it wasn't an accident. In the first season, most of the car accidents were caused by a gold car. Lately, it seems that all of the cars are silver. Can bronze be next?
— Four sticks of dynamite. And Desmond's chicken order was number 42.
— So much for the Black Rock. Boom. All that drama and pain, and it's gone.
— Smokey said that there are a number of very old wells, and that compass needles spin above them. Are there more donkey wheels?
— What was the title of the book in Russian? And hey, what was in the pouch?
— Something from Willy Wonka was playing over the preview for next week. Disturbing lyrics. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067992/quotes?qt0537669
Quotes:
Sawyer: "That gonna be a spear?"
Smokey: "I'm not sure what it's gonna be yet, James. When the time is right, it'll tell me."
Sawyer: "You talk to wood now?"
Shades of Eko's Jesus stick.
Richard: "We get more dynamite. Or else she died for nothing."
Jack: "Maybe she died to show us to stay the hell away from dynamite."
Hurley: "I mean, it takes a lot of guts to go up to a total stranger and tell them you know them from some bizarro alternate universe."
Hurley: "So what do you think we should say to Locke when we get there? I mean, how do you break the ice with a smoke monster?"
Smokey: "Why aren't you afraid?"
Desmond: "What is the point of being afraid?"
This felt important. Again, like both Desmonds were on the same page and couldn't be killed, maybe?
Another terrific episode, even though it was oh so confusing. Would it be three polar bears? What's your rating?
Billie
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Billie Doux loves good television and spends way too much time writing about it.
totally upset about ilana....come on..seriously were they just bored and decided to kill someone cuz they hadnt done it in a while?? she could have at least gone off to fight flock and die in a cool way or something. By the way..so the guys digging the wells..they had compasses but had no digging instruments..say a pick n shovel? weird. and how come flock couldnt be stabbed but jacob could? Miles clearly stated Jacob didnt want to die so it wasnt a voluntary obiwon thing
ReplyDeleteHey Billie,
ReplyDeleteI love your reviews! I can't beleive LOST is almost over :( I thought it was Jacob's ashes that were in the pouch, the ones that Ilana collected.
liv
It's *Notes from the Underground* by Dostoevsky, from what I hear. Interestingly (although this might be my Doc Josie personality speaking), *Notes* was a major inspiration for *Invisible Man*, the title of which sounds an awful lot like the ghosts that Hurley sees.
ReplyDeleteI say four polar bears, because I actually yelled at my TV screen, "Oh no they didn't!" when Ilana blew up.
Smokey needs all the candidates on the plane so that he can kill them all in one go. He said to Jacob that he will kill anybody that succeeds him (ie the candidates) so he needs to kill them in order to leave the island
ReplyDeleteHi Billie, I've also been a fan of your reviews from the Buffy days. The song from next week's preview is The Rowing Song sung by Wonka when everyone is in the boat and everyone sees a lot of strange images. And think Violet says, "what is this a freakout?"
ReplyDeleteVerses include "there's no earthly way of knowing, which direction we are going" and "not a speck of light is showing, so the danger must be growing". I thought it was very apt and very creepy. I guess the countdown has begun.
Billie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reviews. I have to say I have a problem with the "whisper" reveal. Okay, so Michael says that the whispers are dead people who are stuck...this would make sense with Christian Shepherd, I guess, but in the past seasons, we always heard the whispers just before one of the "others" would pop up. Such as Ethan, and Harper, the others' shrink. So does this mean that members of the "others" are walking dead? It just doesn't really work for me.
I thought the black and white marbles were in the pouch - thought I heard some stones banging together. Might be wrong - haven't checked it.
ReplyDeleteGreat episode.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was clear that alt-Desmond run over alt-Locke to send him to alt-Jack to get fixed (wow, what a sentence).
And if Ilana is not coming back for more than 2 minutes, I'm going to be really angry at the writers.
I posted this thought on Billie's discussion group, but wanted to suggest it here, too.
ReplyDeleteWhat if Ilana's true purpose was to offer forgiveness/acceptance to Ben? To provide possible redemption for an irredeemable man, because as a result of that act, Ben will play a significant role in the ensuing war.
Even though Jacob didn't want to die, and was hoping he was wrong about Ben, he may have still been prepared for Ben to kill him in that moment. So whatever has come since could all be part of Jacob's plan. Including redemption for Ben, through Ilana. She may have thought her purpose was to protect the candidates, but perhaps she was only meant to say "I'll have you" to the man that killed her father figure. And then the Island was done with her.
All of which would still give her character meaning, even though she seemingly just went out in a senseless bang. Just a thought.
Not a great episode.... a fantastic one!! Too damn many commercials but it seems like each one is a mini cliff hanger. Each show also has a cliffhanger aspect to it. The past few weeks have been great as they have been channeling all the stories too one place. My kids & I were comparing it to a fireworks display. Just before you get the big finale, you get this slow build up which hightens the anticipation of the last furious explosions.
ReplyDeleteAt the same time by spending each week focusing on a different charachter they are really keeping us guessing and wondering what is next. Each week just when you think you have an idea of where they are going, switcheroo & off in a new direction. Then throw in the classic magicians slight of hand... look at my left whilst I make it "dissapear" from my right & you just find yourself on the edge of your seat trying not to be fooled... I LOVE IT!!!!
Willy Wonka song was great, it summed up the uneasy feelings perfectly. Gene Wilder's voice in that song is PERFECT, All I said after I heard it was "get ready to hold on, this rides 'bout to get bumpy"!!!
I just wish I had an alt universe so I could go to Hulu & watch all the final episodes right now.. "I want it now Daddy, I want it now"!
Has it really only been a week since 815 crashed?! Maybe I'm mixing details in my mind, but I cannot figure out how that's possible. Could someone help me out?
ReplyDeleteMarissa321, it's been a week since 815 crashed in the alternate timeline, not on the Island. In the alternate timeline, it's still September 2004. I assume it's still 2007 in the Island timeline.
ReplyDelete815 has not crashed, will crash, crashed just a few days ago, crashed a long time ago, all depends on where you look in the "arc" of the show. In the alt uni, it would have happened (had it crashed) just a few days ago!
ReplyDeleteI like Jess Lynde's musings above, about Ilana's contribution being a 'nudge' to Ben. I was definitely caught off guard when she blew up, and have so much been hoping for more of her backstory and calm yet empathic competence. Richard is now on a manic steamroller to blow up the plane; Ilanna was inclined in the same direction but explained that she didn't know for SURE it was the right thing to do, saying simply that it was the only plan they had. (Not necessarily true, but understandable from her action-oriented POV.) I sure hope she comes back, even if only with the whispers!
ReplyDeleteMy one push against the tide is in re: the concept (floated by Ben, who is still pretty sore towards the island, and therefore may not be the best or most impartial mind on the subject) that the island was done with Ilanna, and then kaboom. Is the island and/or Jacob that coldly wasteful? Seems more like Smokey to toss the kleenex when done with it. Jacob seems to play via subtle pushes most of the time, and even some of the big 'bads' we can lay on his doorstep may also be interpreted as simply what folk did to themselves - and Jacob just stood out of the way and let it happen. I mean, they WERE playing with dynamite, after all! Ancient, nitro-sweating sticks of terribly unstable TNT! Wasn't Ilanna even talking about having to be careful with them, right as she dropped down the bag of boom? --Anyway, it was a shocker; and even when I VERY much don't like the results, boy I sure enjoy how it's all up for grabs!
I think this episode deserves at least three polar bears -- emotionally I want to give it four; and looking back at it after the series is complete, we might deem it even more keystone (wellstone?) in nature.
As usual, I've been thinking of Lost when I should be doing something else, and I think I missed something critical -- that perhaps Ilana got blown up because Jacob wants the plane to take off (after his candidate replacement is secured, of course), and blowing her up was the only way to stop her.
ReplyDeletellana blew up cuz she was a dumb broad! If a great guy like Dr. Arnst would go boom, why wouldn't a moody, manipulated broad do the same!!!
ReplyDeleteAhhhh, just playing with ya'll
She went boom because she got caught with a DUI recently & the writers don't like that at all.
About people in Lost X "remembering" the real timeline: I think they all need to experience the most important event of their life in the original timeline. For Charlie it was his death so he had a vision while dying, Desmond flashed when he got an MRI (which is of course magnetic) which ties back to the hatch implosion. For Daniel it was his love for Charlotte etc. So i guess Locke's most important experience is him regaining the use of his legs. So i guess you're spot on Billie that Jack will operate on Locke. Now we need to find defining moments for Sawyer, Kate and Jack.
ReplyDeleteAs for the boy in the forest, wasn't he smaller the last time Smokey saw him? Maybe it's Jacob regenerating and when he's fully grown he will be able to posess one of the candidates. There has got to be a reason he let Ben kill him after all.
i heard an interesting comment that perhaps Desmond is now the new Jacob in the alt-timeline. He has been affecting many people from the plane, just like Jacob did with the candidates. However, instead of bringing them to the island, he is helping them to realize their other life.
ReplyDeleteI also found it interesting that the first people to remember their island lives, were dead on the island. Could that mean something?
Patryk - I had the same thought as you. CHarlie nearly drowns, Desmond gets electormagnetised, Locke nearly dies (well he's already dead in island-verse). Jack admits that he's a crap leader(No, wait, thats happened once, theres no way the universe could get that lucky twice!)
ReplyDeleteI don't like this theory though, mainly because I have a soft spot for Sun and Jin. Alt-Sun just got shot, whats that say about Island-Sun? I really don't like this theory
-- What was the title of the book in Russian? And hey, what was in the pouch?
ReplyDeleteI forget the book title, but read somewhere that the pouch was the one Iliana put jacob's ashes in.
correct me if i'm wrong but jin is still with widmore, right? so all the candidates aren't in one place.
ReplyDeleteI didn't enjoy this episode as much as previous episodes and i'm not really sure why. Although i am beginning to wonder if every single actor who has ever appeared in the show had a clause in their contract stipulating that they return if and when the writers want them.
ReplyDeleteI think i enjoyed reading people's theories about what is going on and why more.
Jo,
ReplyDeleteit's not every single actor, but I saw an interview with that guy who played Horace and he said it's pretty common for actors in LOST to actually have this clause in their contract
The question that's bugging me - who was Ecko's brother and Jack's dad? Were they Smokey or Jacob or both? And whose to say Michael isn't Smokey in disguise. As for the mysterious boy - its Jacob of course. Hence his admonition to Smokey/Locke not to kill the candidates.
ReplyDeleteMan, did I like this episode. I always like Hurley-centric episodes for some reason. Perhaps because of Hurley's unconditional sympathy and kindness, or perhaps because I like Garcia's acting. Or both. But the best thing about it to me was Desmond, the Love Messiah. They could probably make a whole series out of that; stranger with kind eyes reminds people of a love they never had.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if it helps but from what I can read the book title in Russian means something like 'Note from the Underground'. Not too sure what that means exactly, though.
ReplyDeleteAside from Sawyer, Hurley is my favourite character. I just love any episode in which he is the centre and this one was no exception. It made me cry several times, all of which were around the scenes with Lilly, both in LAX and the graveyard. I've always had a soft spot for this couple and it made me so happy to see them finally get their picnic.
ReplyDeleteI also like the fact that alt-Hurley is still the same basic person as the original -- sweet, gentle, kind and generous. The difference is that he believes that he is lucky, not unlucky. Because of this, he controls his life much more than he did (the perfect example being the expansion of the chicken franchise).
I simply love the LAX stories. They have made this season for me and I really enjoying watching how each of the characters is beginning to remember the Island. I like Patryk's idea of it being generated by the defining moment in their lives. Interesting!
Something tells me that as we get closer and closer to the finale, people are going to begin to die. Ilana was the obvious first to go as she is the newest, the one we know the least well and, at least for me, the one I care the least about. As we can assume that Richard can't die and that killing "Locke" will be tricky, it might be interesting if they are the last two standing.
Reading the review and everyone's comments 10 years later, as Lost was recently added to Netflix in my country and looks like no one has mentioned this: I can't really think how circular-timeline-wise, but I bet the husband that left Libby the boat "Elizabeth", the boat she gave Desmond, was Hurley? Seems like something expensive and romantic that Hurley would buy. Maybe that's not possible, but it seems fitting.
ReplyDelete