The LOST Interrobang: Oh snap! (S6E4)
Posted on 18. Feb, 2010 by theashcan in Television, The Lost Interrobang
"I am the ghost of Aaron future... or something?"
Knowing that the ingredients for a good LOST episode is a healthy mix of “!!” and “??” Jef and Anupa will be interrobanging the show’s final season every week. As LOST winds down to its conclusion, can its creators dish out all the needed explanations without resorting to exposition? Can they keep up the mystery without succumbing to just more mindfuckery? It’s only week three and already the confusion is settling in. SPOILERS after the jump:
Jef: I want to jump in because I am itching to talk about this shit.
Anupa: Me too.
Jef: Can we start by saying YAY John Locke!
Anupa: “hell yeah” (c) dead prez.
Jef: Locke episodes are always awwwwesome.
Anupa: Yeah, he is the most interesting character by far. I wonder if that’s on purpose.
Jef: He’s easily the most relatable. We are either Lockes, or we feel like Lockes.
Here’s what i love about the open: (or at least near the open)
Anupa: Besides the return of Peggy Bundy?
Jef: Where Locke says “All right Richard; time to talk”
You just KNOW the episode is aiming for your g spot!
Oh and yes, Peggy Bundy!
Anupa: You know, there’s a theory out there that Richard is Smokey-the-man’s son.
Jef: Hmmm. I don’t see the foundation for that though? How you feel about that?
Other than Richard wearing all black everything.
Anupa: LOL. Well it might help explain why Richard doesn’t age.
Jef: Hm. It’s possible. But it’s not moving me.
Anupa: Yeah I mostly don’t care, but it could help explain things.
Like why Smokey-Locke let Richard go instead of killing him.
Also, how did Richard get in the hammock?
Jef: I like that you call it a hammock.
And my guess is Claire.
Anupa: Ahhh.. or wait, didn’t Smokey-Locke (Slocke?) knock him ouuut at the end of the first episode?
Never mind, mundanities.
Jef: Yeah he gave him the throat punch, which is an awesome punch.
Anupa: I loved that sequence from Smokey’s perspective.
That shit was awesome!
Jef: Smokey Vision!
OK let’s talk about the stuff we learned about Smokey.
Smokey has visions!
This is huge.
Anupa: How you mean?
Jef: Because I thought they were implying that he was a shape shifter, and hence all the visions were him.
But he’s creeped out when that kid with the blood hands appears and Rich-boy can’t see him.
Anupa: Ah right
Jef: He’s not a shape shifter, he’s trapped as Locke.
So all those ghosts are still a mystery.
Anupa: Yes, you’re right.
Well in keeping with that… I thought it was curious that they showed Smokey-vision and then he appeared trapped as Locke from then on in.
Anupa: Like, what triggered the trapping?
This was manifest, of course, in me saying “WHY DOES HE NEED A PACK? HE’S A SMOKE MONSTER”
Jef: This is perfect Lost! Answers + riddles at the same time.
Anupa: “WHY IS HE CHASING THE BOY WHEN HE CAN TURN INTO THE MONSTER AND SMOKE HIM?”
I meant that pun.
Jef: Haha.
Anupa: You don’t have to be nice.
Jef: It was sarcastic!
LOL soooo the boy:
What’s your theory?
Anupa: God, I have no idea. He looks kind of like a mash-up of Sawyer and Jacob but I think all white people look alike so….
Jef: Yaow.
I’m saying though: he’s Aaron!
Anupa: You’re just saying that because he’s a little white boy.
Jef: Exactly!
Haha no, but Aaron is made such a big deal out of he has to figure in somehow?
I think Walt and Aaron return to run shit
Anupa: Yes, that would be the perfect place to slot him in.
Jef: OK I am just talking shit now but maybe!
That would explain Walt’s superpowers, if he is Smokey-redux or some shit
Anupa: So this also begs the question:
Should Sawyer not be able to see him? Does Sawyer have powers?
Jef: Hmmmmmm
I doubt he has powers, but it has to be something.
The only one for sure who can’t see him is Richard.
Obvs this can’t be real-time Aaron, because he would only be like 3-years-old.
Anupa: Right right.
Jef: But if it’s like, Time Travel Aaron, then maybe Sawyer can see him because he’s not fully settled in this timeline anyway.
HOLY SHIT TALKING HAPPENING.
Anupa: Yeah, you lost me there.
“Lost” me there
Jef: LOL, okay let’s just deal with some shit we saw on our screens.
womp WOMP
Anupa: I know. I’m sorry.
Jef: That last womp was violent.
Anupa: Okay, let’s rewind a second and go back to sideways world.
Jef: Let’s talk about timeline two!
Get out of my head!
Anupa: JINX
Let us bask in the glory that is a well-adjusted, Peggy-lovin’ Locke.
What caught my attention right away was when Peg said something about inviting John’s dad, Anthony Cooper, to a shotgun wedding
Does that mean Locke was put in a wheelchair in a different way? And, if so, that opens up the idea that he was always meant to be in a wheelchair—regardless of “Jacob’s touch” (no pedo)
Jef: “Always meant to be in a wheelchair”
I love how the wheelchair changes Locke so much.
Instead of the man of faith we see on the island, here he’s all rational and Mr. Science, hence the science teacher gig
Anupa: Well is it the wheelchair? Or how he was put in the wheelchair?
In our usual timeline, after the wheelchair he went nuts. In this one, he’s mostly calm.
Locke looked really content as the science teacher.
But wait, we’ve gone too far!
Jef: He did! Which is so interesting.
Anupa: He gets fired and then runs into Hurley, who is like, boss man.
Large and in charge.
Jef: Yes, and he sends him to Rose, whom you love so much, and she tells Locke what he can’t do, and he acquiesces!
Meanwhile, back on the island
Anupa: I love Rose because she wise, as that scene proved.
Jef: Smokey-Locke is throwing a “Don’t Tell Me What I Can’t Do” FIT at some blonde kid.
Anupa: Yeah, that was kind of weird that he used Locke’s line.
Jef: Go on.
Anupa: Does it mean that part of Locke gets passed into Smokey?
Because he is inhabiting his body?
Jef: I liked it. I like that Smokey is becoming more of a character, not just some stupid God-thing that would get annoying quick.
I have thoughts on that but I can’t articulate right now.
Also because it could just be a funny haha from the writers.
Anupa: You’re right. I kind of predicted Smokey to be ruthless and nuts, not measured and… human.
Jef: It totally brings him down to earth, but also elevates everyone else because we know now that any of these people could BE him.
Anupa: Ah, true.
So, okay, what do you think “the rules” are?
Why can’t he kill Sawyer? And do you really think he will?
Jef: Can he not kill Sawyer?
I just know he can’t kill Jacob.
(But did.)
Anupa: Stop answering my questions with questions!
Jef: That’s what Lost is all about!
OK well to answer your question:
Smokey and Jacob can’t kill each other, or anyone who takes their place. I think Smokey WANTS Sawyer to inherit the position because he’s the one most likely to bounce from the island without giving a fuck about everyone else. I think Smokey and Jacob can’t leave unless they leave together, which is why Smokey pulled the okey-doke.
Can’t kill Jacob? Get a new Jacob.
Anupa: Ahh…
I must compliment you on that fabulous thinking cap.
Jef: *curtsy*
Anupa: Okay. Alright, so, shit. What now…?
Jef: Can I just say:
This isn’t important, but that Locke-burial scene was so good.
Anupa: Hell yeah.
Jef: Ben had jokes, plus seeing all those CROSSES?
It really gets across what kind of journey we/they’ve been on these past years.
Anupa: Yeah, I liked that they brought him back there.
It only felt right.
Jef: This was a good episode. Tight like that.
Anupa: Word.
I feel like Ilana is an unnecessary character.
Just had to throw that in there.
Jef: Yo did i miss something? What happened to her partner?
Anupa: She had a partner?
Jef: The mustachioed dude with the guns.
Anupa: I have no fucking idea who that is. But maybe he died when Smokey fucked shit up under the giant foot in the first episode?
Jef: He was on the plane with them! He was the first one to find Smokey/Locke I think.
I seriously thought they were making him a character, then he disappeared.
Anupa: I have nothing to add since I still don’t know who you are talking about. But I am picturing a guy who looks like Stromboli from Pinocchio
Jef: There were some nice parallels happening in this episode
Not cheesy ones, like last week with Ethan.
Anupa: Yeah, they were a bit more nuanced I’d say.
Jef: Nuanced is the word.
I like that Locke is going through the Ben cycle of needing a spinal surgeon and magically meeting Jack.
But unlike Ben, Locke didn’t follow up. He let that shit go.
Anupa: Which was curious. I mean, I’d say that negates the whole point of that interaction, but it probably just means the writers have something else up their sleeves.
Jef: Oh yeah, I think they’ll still meet somehow. The fate card is a strong one and no way are they done playing it.
OK, let’s talk about the thing we haven’t mentioned but is all !!!??!!!
The numbers!
Describe your oh shit reaction to me
Anupa: I screamed.
And then right away I was like OMG:
The numbers correspond to people!
Jef: I think I did the OH SNAP, which I’m not proud of.
Anupa: Yeah I did that finger snap hand shaking thing.
You know what I mean.
Jef: I am doing it right now.
Anupa: Basically I am a 28-year-old West Indian guy.
Jef: Different still, guy.
Anupa: AHAHAHAHHAHA
OK, enough with the Toronto-isms.
Jef: the numb3rssss
Anupa: At first I thought 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42 would correspond to the Oceanic 6.
6 numbers, 6 people
Jef: True. Well, you weren’t far off.
Anupa: But Kate was swapped out for Sawyer.
Jef: They def did correspond to “survivors.”
It’s still messed up how they play into Hugo’s lottery and the hatch, which I am now confident it will.
Anupa: Yeah it’ll be interesting to see how this connects to that.
But I like this direction so far.
Jef: I think that’s what I like most about this episode:
It felt like the writers are for-serious about providing answers and while I still hate the last episode, I can dig it because one by one they’re addressing shit.
Episode one: smoke monster.
Episode two: infection.
Episode three: numbers.
Anupa: Right.
Jef: This is all shit that was established in like, the first season, so I’m down now.
I feel good about this!
Anupa: Word.
I also liked how they showed that scale with the rocks.
Jef: Ahahah Smokey’s got jokes.
Anupa: Remember the dream Claire had back in season.. 2, I think it was?
Where Locke was behind the scale with one white eye and one black eye?
Jef: Oh crap!
Anupa: Foreshadowing
Jef: (I am doing the snap finger)
I don’t think I have to ask what you give this episode, do I?
Anupa: I give it an !!!!
And I will add that I found Locke kinda hot in an old man way when he was sitting in the tub talking to Helen. That’s why all of those extra !!!’s are there.
Jef: ..and you hate on me for crushing on Claire??
Anupa: Whatever guy, Locke’s a G.
Jef: I give this episode an ???
With our powers combined:
Interrobangs, guy.
