The Substitute

That was a good one, huh? Flocke/Smokey/Nemesis addressed some issues, though in true Lost fashion, answered many questions with more questions.

Locke in the Real World:

1. “FML” . . still.

2. FML . . . not so much . . . he has Helen and is planning a wedding. He seems to have a better perspective when things go wrong, and at last he is trying to accept who he is. No longer held captive by the things he cannot do. No longer shouting “You can’t tell me what I cannot do” . . .instead, he is discovering the things he can. And once again, he was given great wisdom by . . .

3. ROSE! Terminal cancer . . .

4. Tries to scratch up Hurley’s big ass car. As a reminder – Hurley always owned the company, in both realities. “Randy? That guy’s a huge douche” – Hurley -- “chin up, things are gonna work out.”

5. I appreciate the old cellphone as an authentic nod to 2004.

6. BEST MOMENT FOR A NERD LIKE ME: Locke a substitute teacher and coach. Ben Linus a teacher, too. A history teacher. Or is he . . .?


SNUGGIE ENDORSEMENT – Allow me a moment to extol the virtues of the snuggie. No, seriously, it allowed me to be comfy cozy and type at the same time.


Locke as Smokey/Flocke:

1. I dug the smokey perspective as the scene began, flying around the island.

2. Jacob and Richard:
a. John is (was) a candidate – for what?
b. Richard does not know why he is doing what Jacob asked.
c. Tells James of Flocke, “He wants everyone dead.” This is not the line Flocke feeds James, but I am tending to be a bit more believing of Richard.
d. Apparently Richard does not wear guyliner – he is naturally pretty.
e. Why couldn’t Richard see the kid in the jungle? James could . . . is James getting “infected”?


3. Ilana –
a. On Flocke -- “he’s recruiting.”
b. Ilana KNOWS things (Jin, recruiting, etc).

4. My poor, poor James, who is sitting around in a wife beater and undies, not looking so good. (I read somewhere that Josh Holloway requested not to be shirtless so often. Why would he do that to us?)
a. “locke was scared, even when he was pretending that he wasn’t”
b. “Most important question in the world – why are you on this island?”
c. “Guess I better put some pants on.”
d. “Trapped” before that a man just like you


5. THIS WEEK IN LOST LITERATURE: “Tell me about the rabbits, George.” Of Mice and Men
a. Although James seems to think that he is Lenny, putting George (Flocke) down, I think he is in fact the George character. Flocke is trying to pull the wool over his eyes by implying that they will “leave and go home.”

6. Poor Sun -- Headed to temple . . . too bad Jin already took off. Will these two ever reunite?

7. Motif: “Don’t tell me what I can’t do” – sound familiar? Locke’s creed.

8. WTF moment: Why are they letting Ben come with them?

9. Scales of justice? White rock and black rock in balance. “inside joke”

10. THIS WEEK IN BIBLE STUDIES: Flocke takes James down JACOB’S LADDER:
a. Jacob's Ladder is a ladder to heaven, described in the Book of Genesis, which the biblical patriarch Jacob envisions during his flight from his brother Esau.
b. Flocke trying to regain his place as the first son?
c. The ladder breaks as James tries to go down. Could this be symbolic of his return to the dark guy he used to be? A break from the goodness he had discovered with Dharma and Juliet?
d. According to Jewish interpretation of lore, one of Esau’s descendants was the farthest climber and that Jacob worried all was lost; however, God assured him that at the End of Days, Esau’s descendant would fall, allowing the true believers to reclaim heaven.
e. The angels ascended and descended the ladder . . . moving between heaven and earth. Is/was Jacob trying to maintain the connection of faith? Connecting heaven and earth? God and man?

11. HOLY CRAP MOMENT: 4 – Locke 8 -Reyes, 15 – Ford 16 – Jarrah 23 - Shephard 42 – Kwon all over the ceiling, as well as hundreds of other names all crossed off – all the folks that Jacob has brought to the island . . . throughout history.
a. Why is each person assigned each number?
b. All are “candidates.”
c. Jacob pushing you to island. Do you think Flocke is telling the truth? Is Jacob looking for a successor to be the keeper of the island?
d. Flocke claims there is nothing to protect.
e. So I guess Frank isn’t a candidate after all.
f. MOST IMPORTANTLY: KATE IS NOT A CANDIDATE. Why not? Jacob “touched” her after all.

12. Flocke says that all the people were candidates for Jacob's job, for protecting this place "from nothing." He then gives Sawyer three options:
a. Do nothing. See how all this plays out. And possibly your name will get crossed out - MiB crosses out Locke's name).
b. Perform Jacob's job. Protect the Island "from nothing, there's nothing to protect it from, It's just a damn Island."
c. We just go. We get the hell off this Island and we never look back. We do that together.
MiB asks Sawyer if he is ready to go home. Sawyer says "Hell yes". Sing along with me; “Should he stay or should he go now? If he goes there will be trouble; if he stays it will be double. Flocke’s just gotta let him know . . .”
But really, back to the literary allusion, this has got to be a set-up.

Phew . . . I could go on and on, but I should probably work; you know, do my job. Looking forward to your thoughts and observations!

Namaste,
LLL