tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post8657288844149401616..comments2024-02-04T05:13:04.501-05:00Comments on Nik at Nite: Lost 5.06: 316Nikki Staffordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04463618183850438914noreply@blogger.comBlogger130125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-78057066587586598052011-12-24T03:19:54.521-05:002011-12-24T03:19:54.521-05:00JACK: Kate... what happened? Where's Aaron? Wh...<i>JACK: Kate... what happened? Where's Aaron? Where--<br /><br />KATE: [Getting up and facing Jack] No, don't ask questions. If you want me to go with you... you'll never ask me that question again. You will never ask me about Aaron. Do you understand, Jack?</i><br /><br /><br />I understand that Kate was upset over handing Aaron over to Carole Littleton, but what a bitch! Really! She brought this whole mess upon her head by manipulating Jack into supporting her lie about Aaron and when she's finally forced to give him up, she projects this attitude that it was Jack's fault that she lost Aaron in the end.<br /><br />What a bitch!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-30516534554053056112009-02-25T15:44:00.000-05:002009-02-25T15:44:00.000-05:00Posting for the first time, after reading for a mo...Posting for the first time, after reading for a month or so. Amazing, amazing ideas and creativity by everyone here.<BR/><BR/>A few thoughts:<BR/><BR/>--I'm wondering if the reel-to-reel tape recorder in Jack's bedroom could be a relic of his family's history as physicians. Doctors dictate reports into tape recorders, over the phone, or onto a computer nowadays, but I'm guessing that a recorder like this may have been used when Christian became a doctor. (This dictation is typed up by Medical Transcriptionist, my wife's occupation.)<BR/><BR/>--I believe we've seen evidence that the wheel doesn't always send the turner forward in time. Since Charlotte found the excavated polar bear remains with the DHARMA collar in current time, doesn't that suggest that the polar bear was sent back in time? I would think that more would be left than just the skeleton if it had jumped into the future at all, since DHARMA was initiated in the 1970s.<BR/><BR/>--Between Jack's "daddy issues" and Kate's "mommy issues", it would be poetic justice for them to have a child together.<BR/><BR/>Can't wait for tonight's episode to see how Locke pulled it off, and next week to see what's happening back on The Island.<BR/><BR/>And Nikki, keep up the great work.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04553555304080508418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-67326421880143548302009-02-24T09:45:00.000-05:002009-02-24T09:45:00.000-05:00No one asks "WTF happened to you?"I've always felt...<I>No one asks "WTF happened to you?"</I><BR/><BR/>I've always felt that, for the most part, the characters on Lost are chronically unable to ask questions designed to penetrate another character's mysteries, basically because it means those inquisition could be turned back on the asker and EVERYONE on this show has secrets they're determined to keep. <BR/><BR/>It's sort of like Lost's version of don't ask/don't tell: for example, Kate won't ask Sayid why he's in custody so long as Sayid doesn't ask her where Aaron is, and vice versa. <BR/><BR/>Desmond, who always somehow seems more rational and willing to say "WTF?" to the crazy going-ons, is the exception to this rule. <BR/><BR/>It may not be all that realistic, in terms of how people would react in the "real world" but it is consistent with the reality the show has created, and certainly fits with the show's themes of secrets, personal identity and the determination thereof.Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-7210233662936231622009-02-24T05:32:00.000-05:002009-02-24T05:32:00.000-05:00Jason - I think Vincent was one of the Left-Behind...Jason - I think Vincent was one of the Left-Behinders although we haven't seen him for a while - he's probably hanging with Rose and Bernard.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-45678751071146873022009-02-23T21:54:00.000-05:002009-02-23T21:54:00.000-05:00For God so loved the world that he gave his only b...For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish, but have everlasting life.<BR/><BR/>John 3:16Colleen/redeem147https://www.blogger.com/profile/17125457976511333341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-85534635227370434172009-02-23T21:31:00.000-05:002009-02-23T21:31:00.000-05:00Jason - I always knew in my heart that Jin survive...Jason - I always knew in my heart that Jin survived the explosion on the ship. There is NO WAY Michael could have though. And didn't Christian come to him right before the big bang and say The Island was done with him? DSadly, I don't think we will be seeing him again. I hope we see Walt and Vincent though.Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14727838932426472799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-71219434577930189972009-02-23T19:55:00.000-05:002009-02-23T19:55:00.000-05:00Great episode I thought. Especially the scene wher...Great episode I thought. Especially the scene where we see Jack in the jungle directly after the crash taking us straight back to the pilot episode in the very first scene of Lost. But it wasn't Jack from 815 but 316. A re-enactment of the original crash to get them all back to the island. Well, not all of them in this episode...Where was Michael and Walt etc and more importantly where was Vincent? I can only presume (hope) that he is in the hold! <BR/>Talking of flight numbers, as soon as I learned the title of this episode the first thing to come into my mind was not a flight number but the famous verse from the Bible that is John 3:16. I must admit to not knowing much of anything at all about this verse or in fact any of the bible, but thought it was too much of a coincidence. Maybe someone may find some interesting connections between Lost and John 3:16 apart from the obvious (John). After a quick look on Wikipedia I noticed such phrases as 'born again' and 'eternal life'...both having a lot of meaning in Lost's mythology.<BR/><BR/>Great blog Nikki! I can't wait each week to read your posts to see if I can make any sense of this truly wonderful TV series:)Jason Paul Tolmiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00962392193350051397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-7840946538038836712009-02-23T08:39:00.000-05:002009-02-23T08:39:00.000-05:00The time discrepancy between 46 hours and 36 hours...The time discrepancy between 46 hours and 36 hours may accounted for in the time between the plane's scheduled take off and the time the plane crossed the special area.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-31191765522307042292009-02-23T04:07:00.000-05:002009-02-23T04:07:00.000-05:00I think we all have to accept that 99% of the time...I think we all have to accept that 99% of the time Ben is lying, it is weird that nobody bother to ask him why he was looking slightly ruffled but just maybe they have realised he'll only lie about the answer!<BR/>Some excellent writing yet again..with one hand the writers give you some answers and then with the other they give you more puzzles...'who convinced Hurley to be on the flight ?'...'who's got Aaron ?'..Aaaaaaaaaaaggggghhhhhh so frustrating !! ;-0M9 EGOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04953944098834603403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-83120500827296641962009-02-22T18:12:00.000-05:002009-02-22T18:12:00.000-05:00Great post & comments! Just a brief note about...Great post & comments! <BR/><BR/>Just a brief note about Desmond and the pendulum: I think that was a very cool way to highlight the fact that Des is somehow "out of time" and not affected by the rules of the island...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-66868889137035758812009-02-22T15:17:00.000-05:002009-02-22T15:17:00.000-05:00Whoa, great episode. Great write up and great comm...Whoa, great episode. Great write up and great comments.<BR/><BR/>Wendy here, with a couple things - don't you just love it that NO ONE seems to notice, or at least no one comments on the sorry state of Ben's appearance when he boards the plane? No one asks "WTF happened to you?" or seems the slightest bit concerned? <BR/><BR/>A litany of Ben's lies: He's lying about knowing anything about Locke's "suicide", about knowing anything about The Lampost, and of course about the true nature of his "tying up a loose end". I think he's also lying about doing anything to keep the O6 "safe" or "your friends (back on the Island) safe". Even if what he means is "safe from Widmore" he didn't do it - Sayid did. What have we seen him do that deserves their thanks? And even if he did manage to be truthful about pre-empting Widmore's bad guys, he still vowed to kill Penny and perhaps has already accomplished it. He's a lying liar (and a brilliantly conceived and played character) and I am horrified to think what mayhem he will cause next.<BR/><BR/>And what about Eloise Hawking? Is she really deliberately aiding Ben or her own interests? Is Desmond right, that Widmore, Linus and now (perhaps always) Hawking are simply<BR/>"playing" them all in a huge game? Ohhh poor Desmond.<BR/><BR/>Third time through I noticed two things<BR/>1. a "clever man" figured out that it would be good to predict where the island was going to, but "his team" created the equations that found the windows. <BR/><BR/>2. Flight 316 is going to <BR/>"Honolulu and Guam" so maybe Sayid is being extradited to Hawaii, not Guam. Which also suggests the Island is somewhere between LA and Hawaii, not further into the Pacific.<BR/><BR/>And finally, a tiny correction, FYI, it's Fiji - not Figi. No offense meant!<BR/><BR/>Can't wait till next ep and the return of Locke!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-6600436066249955942009-02-21T18:19:00.000-05:002009-02-21T18:19:00.000-05:00Batcabbage: "I can understand a prop error, or som...<I>Batcabbage: "I can understand a prop error, or something like that, but do you really believe that the producers would cast an actor/actress that had played a different character previously?"</I><BR/><BR/>This happens a lot with shows on location, for instance (besides Hawaii) those shooting in Vancouver. <I>The X-Files</I> had much more egregious examples, including Krycek appearing before he was Krycek, but you're right that with the way <I>Lost</I> is analyzed it's not only jarring but narratively confusing.<BR/><BR/>I think I know what's responsible for sorry-ass-looking Ben: Alpha. 8^)<BR/><BR/>Why is Sayid headed to Guam? Maybe he's being extradited to someplace in the East, or even Australia, and there's a layover in the Pacific.<BR/><BR/>How could Faraday have been responsible for The Lamp-Post? Obviously he's back in time right "now" on the show, but for him to have overseen construction off-island he'd have to leave either on whatever secret bearing might be applicable in this time and place, or by turning the wheel, thus exiling himself in the past. Using the wheel shunts you forward somewhat in time, or maybe it varies each instance and you could go backward too, in either direction to a larger degree than we saw Ben travel, or maybe you just get shunted out where and when the island wants you, as some have speculated. Faraday could end up in the 1960s and have a French daughter who's named for him. 8^)<BR/><BR/>What happened to the rest of the passengers on the plane if the returnees were spirited off and it didn't actually crash? As Angel said, "they may think the rapture happened"; hopefully, if Lapidus disappeared, God is still their co-pilot. Then again the other passengers could have the same utter lack of awareness that people on <I>Heroes</I> and <I>Smallville</I> do when Daphne and Clark super-speed around town and just not have noticed anyone's missing.<BR/><BR/><I>Sonshine: "I definitely think that Ray Shepard has some sort of part to play in the future."</I><BR/><BR/>As do I. Not much introduced at this point will be throwaway, and like you I thought that with his wanderlust -- or at least a desire to get out of the seniors' home -- he'd end up on the plane, perhaps after dropping some enigmatic information about the island or destinies or whatever. In fact, I kinda thought it anticlimactic when that <I>didn't</I> happen. But I also thought that guy was gonna be Jack's uncle, not his <I>grandfather</I>. <BR/><BR/><I>Sonshine: "And one final thought....Is Jin the reason that Charlotte knows Korean?"</I><BR/><BR/>I like this, but her mother would have a <I>really</I> hard time explaining that one. "That island is just in your imagination, darling. And what is this strange language you've made up?"Blamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07342343767763035991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-79055880455727500702009-02-21T12:10:00.000-05:002009-02-21T12:10:00.000-05:00I'm sorry I couldn't be here sooner. Thanks for ch...I'm sorry I couldn't be here sooner. Thanks for checking on me, Nik! Lots to say and I haven't even got halfway down the comments, so forgive any redundancies...<BR/><BR/>My favorite lines (same as most folks):<BR/><BR/>Lapidus: "We're not going to Guam, are we?"<BR/><BR/>The exchange between Jack and Mrs. Hawking about Ben: "Is he telling the truth?" "Probably not."<BR/><BR/>Ben when Jack mentions that all the non-returnees aft of the curtain are probably going to die: "Who cares?" (Not that I'm a sicko, just that it's vintage Ben.)<BR/><BR/>This was a good, strong episode, I think in large part because of its focus. And next week's looks to be even juicier. Even though the trade-off is that some parts of the storyline aren't furthered for a week (or more) -- and the toggling back and forth between the beach and the Others' camp frustrated a lot of folks back in Season 3 -- I welcome these discrete chapters. Sure, this season has been exciting from the start, but structure is something that to a degree has been lacking, with the breaks between episodes feeling arbitrary; the loss of flashbacks that center on a particular character or mix of characters definitely heightened the feeling that this was not just a serial but one trying to hit certain beats on its race towards a conclusion that's still over a year away.<BR/><BR/>(Heidi MacDonald, a longtime comics-biz journalist who now writes the blog <I>The Beat</I> for <I>Publisher's Weekly</I>, years ago coined the phrase "satisfying chunk" as what each issue [or, in this case, episode] of a series needs to provide, even if it's part of an epic storyline, for the reader [or viewer] to come back and invest money [or time and even psychic energy] for the next installment.)<BR/><BR/>Another favorite line of mine, actually, was Ben's response to Jack's "How can you read?" Like Nikki, I immediately thought, "but Ben's mother <I>didn't</I> teach him how to read; she was dead," although I didn't take it one step further to her brilliant conclusion, "I love that even his jokes are complete lies".<BR/><BR/>Then there was Jack to John's corpse: "You must be laughin' your ass off, because this... this is even crazier than you are." Which brings me to an actual disagreement with Ms. S!<BR/><BR/><I>Nikki: "Jack wouldn’t believe in the existence of a rock if Locke was the one who had pointed it out to him, and now the guy is hanging on every one of Eloise’s words."</I><BR/><BR/>I didn't see it that way. He replied, "This is ridiculous!" -- to my consternation. As Ali Bags said in an early post, it's not like the ridiculous is anything new, and in fact it breaks the fourth wall for me ever so slightly when someone offers up such an exclamation, <I>especially</I> Jack when he's been hip-deep in mysterious shinola for awhile now. Lost invites us to cogitate up on the meta level to a certain degree, and it needs to be careful in having sympathetic characters question a fantastical premise when the show doesn't give us anything beyond what the characters know to back it up. Of course, we the viewers need to take the ballyhooed leap of faith, and yes we've seen conclusively fantastic things that Jack hasn't which give us a more open mind (plus, of course, we actually know that this is fiction), but like Jack we don't have anything more than Mrs. Hawking's word on this particular weirdness of arranging the new flight to mimic the old one via people or totems or whatever, and I will absolutely cop to fearing that certain questions raised in the show won't be satisfactorily explained when it's all over.<BR/><BR/>At the same time, I'm with Humanebean on Mrs. Hawking's revelation about the island being underwhelming. It did feel a bit too much like exposition, yet at the same time it didn't go beyond what we long suspected to actually clear anything up. I still have a huge problem with how time works or doesn't work on the island, although some thoughts offered last week by Jeff Jensen may have helped a bit. <BR/><BR/>I don't want to spoil the movie, by the way, but I've never been able to see Fionnula Flanagan since her appearance in <I>The Others</I> and not think of that film (2001, starring Nicole Kidman, directed by Alejandro Amenábar, had that shot in the trailer of an old lady in a bridal veil saying, "What do you <I>mean</I>, mummy? I <I>am</I> your daughter"). That the actual name of the film ties into <I>Lost</I> was only an afterthought for me, because there's a certain group of characters in a touching predicament that may be paralleled by Locke.<BR/><BR/><I>Calvin: "The station underneath the church was called "the lamp post". I think that is in refrence to Narnia."</I><BR/><BR/>Jeff Jensen mentioned this in his analysis at the Entertainment Weekly website. He does a great job with both substantive and goofy speculation; it's the only place I visit to supplement my <I>Lost</I> musings besides this banquet of discussion hosted by Nikki.<BR/><BR/>The award for this week in great unintentional puns goes to...<BR/><BR/><I>Nikki: "How the DI got all of them on the plane in the first place is still up in the air..."</I><BR/><BR/>Benny is the runner-up, with, "I totally liked the idea of an 'Island crash course'". I'm sure nobody wanted Mrs. Hawking's crash course to be so literal -- although, to be fair, we don't know if the Ajira flight actually crashed or not.<BR/><BR/><I>Nikki: "So THAT is why the plane happened to go down. THAT is how these people were chosen and they knew it would crash on that island."</I><BR/><BR/>I'm not sure about this. (A) I don't think Dharma (the group) got all of them on the plane, although <I>dharma</I> (the principle of cosmic order) might have. (2) Even if some of the castaways were desired by the island, it may be that the plane wouldn't have crashed without the EM spike. Wouldn't it be interesting to find out if the returning castaways appeared on the island in a formation that matched where they were sitting on the aircraft (taking into account that Hurley probably drifted in the water and so forth)? This would lend credence to the idea that they simply vanished off the plane when it was within the island's sphere of influence and, having previous ties to the island, were transported via time jump, leaving the plane behind in normal spacetime. However, as others have mentioned, Jin has apparently spent some time in the past, meaning that the time jumps experienced by those left behind have probably stopped. So did the island merely snatch up the returnees when they got close? And if so, who if anyone on the original Oceanic flight might have been taken by the island if the entire plane hadn't been physically brought down by the EM spike when Desmond didn't hit the numbers in time? Maybe anyone who didn't die and was in fact miraculously nearly unharmed at all, like Jack and Kate and Locke, were snatched by the island during the original crash just as the returnees were this time, and anyone who died instantly or soon after of their injuries simply had their "Is the island finished with me?" meter set to zero (similarly, Boone fulfilled his purpose early on and lost protection, whereas it took Michael until the freighter explosion).<BR/><BR/>Very nice job making the "musical chairs" correlations, by the way, LotteryTicket... The idea that Jack and Kate have a bun in the oven is compelling.<BR/><BR/><I>Nikki: I subscribe to neither ship, by the way.</I><BR/><BR/>Do you mean you don't care either way, or that you don't find either relationship believable and/or desirable? Just curious!<BR/><BR/><I>Nikki: "When Ben is on the payphone you can see stickers for “Long Beach” and “Big Oyster.” CLUES?!"</I><BR/><BR/>Nope, only in-jokes: They're both Geronimo Jackson songs.<BR/><BR/><I>Nikki: "Was anyone else waiting for that pendulum to clock Desmond in the stomach and send him sailing across the station?</I><BR/><BR/>Yeah, that was distracting. (I'm surprised you could take your eyes off Desmond enough to notice where he was standing.)<BR/><BR/><I>Nikki: "Is Ben a religious person at all, or is he just playing the part while he’s in the church?"</I><BR/><BR/>I think the latter, but the former would be kinda fascinating. What do you think people who grow up on the island as "Others" even think of organized religion? How much do you think they learn about the outside world, the ones who've been there even longer than Ben, like Charlotte's peers? Mr. Friendly had a grand old time in the Michael between-island-visits flashback, but we don't know how long he'd lived on the island or how often he got off. He was probably indulging in what he missed of back home that you couldn't get on the island, but do you think that if lifelong Others are allowed to leave the island, besides Richard, they go Rumspringa when they get to visit the outside world?<BR/><BR/><I>Redeem147: "The Aaron thing was very strange. My first assumption was that Ben had him kidnapped to force Kate on the plane. Perhaps since he was first on the Island in utero, he didn't have to go back as part of the group."</I><BR/><BR/>Or perhaps, to turn that statement on its head, he had to not go back. What if regardless of time-jumping the island is dangerous to those who've been born there, and what if instead of a fixed amount of time the sickness develops after a ratio of time spent there to your lifetime-to-date. I don't actually think this, but each week I have to bring up at least one theory that the producers never even meant to introduce, which brings us to the following.<BR/><BR/><I>Nikki: "Do you all remember The Moth? Where Charlie can't find his guitar and Locke tells him if he stops using the heroin, he'll help him find it? He takes him out to the jungle and points up to a cliff, and there's the guitar in the case on the side of the hill. I wonder if Hurley will be carrying it and will drop it on the side of the hill?"</I><BR/><BR/>At first I thought that this would put the guitar in an endless loop, as may be the case with Locke's compass, and so leave another version of the guitar -- which was on the original Oceanic flight with Charlie -- destroyed in the crash or still undiscovered on the island. But I don't think the guitar found in the tree ever left the island, certainly not via the chopper and raft, so this guitar brought by Hurley would have to be <I>identical</I> to the one brought originally by Charlie for him to take it out of the tree and not say, hey, this is a different guitar. I'd chalk this up to a case of us being conditioned to overthink things sometimes.<BR/><BR/>The thing about Aaron's absence being due to another visitation on Kate by Claire or even Christian, as some have speculated, is that on the Ajira flight it's made clear that Kate finds the reunion coincidental until Lapidus is announced as the captain. She's more skeptical than Jack is at that point. I'm afraid that whatever Aaron's fate, the show introduced it too melodramatically in having Kate ask Jack to promise that he would never bring up the subject again, the way the returnees were only referring to Locke as Bentham before it was revealed to us that Bentham was Locke, leading us to rationalize that they must never speak his name to preserve the secret behind the Oceanic Six, only for them to call him Locke when this season started up because it wasn't a plot point anymore.<BR/><BR/><I>Nikki: "Does Jin know who they are, or did they land somewhere in the 50s and Jin’s always been on the island? Was that a time-travelling Jin, or has he always been on the island, but doesn’t remember it?</I><BR/><BR/>You can definitely see him start to crack a smile before the screen goes black.<BR/><BR/>I wonder if we'll stay in the past long enough to reach the point of the Dharma massacre and lose Jin after all. Paging Elton John: "Goodbye Dharma Jin / Though I never really knew you at all / You have a daughter now / Well, you will in twenty years ..."Blamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07342343767763035991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-61078150734515635332009-02-20T23:15:00.000-05:002009-02-20T23:15:00.000-05:00I really enjoyed this last episode. It was so ful...I really enjoyed this last episode. It was so full of lots of goodness and questions.<BR/><BR/>Many people have expressed my thoughts and ideas and a few even surprised me.<BR/><BR/>So I will jump in with what I still have:<BR/>Hurley - Ben's lawyer said something about being able to get Hurley off for a lesser charge. I am going to assume that he went and did that and therefore Hurley was then out of jail. Because he needed to be there and because he could help in the "recreation" of the initial event from Oceanic 815 - I like the idea that Charlie convinced him to go and to take the guitar case so as to represent Charlie. Also loved the part with the sleep mask. LOL<BR/><BR/>Ben - I also believed that he was beaten by Sayid. To me, it was not so important where Ben was when he made the call... just that he was injured. Again I could be wrong and he could have gone after Penny - although Ben's encounter with Desmond gave no apparent indication that Penny was to be found with Desmond in MHO. Loved that Ben filled in for Hurley on the flight... although I am ticked that I fell for Ben's (possible) lie that he could not return to the island.<BR/><BR/>Agent/Officer with Sayid - who's to say after everything we have seen in the last few episodes that she is not working for Ben also? We have seen enough people who have been. Someone had to fill the seat after all.<BR/><BR/>Unknown guy in airport/plane: He represents Sayid. 'Nuff said.<BR/><BR/>Frank: What a YES moment when he appeared. Best line of the entire show.<BR/><BR/>Opening: Captured that first episode so well. Nice touch.<BR/><BR/>Jack/Kate: Hmmm. Not sure but am glad that Kate put Jack in line re. their relationship. whispers "Go, Sawyer!"<BR/><BR/>Aaron: Agree Kate took him to his grandmother. Might be an upheaval for him but he deserves to be with his real family.<BR/><BR/>Walt: never thought about him - good ideas, everyone.<BR/><BR/>I agree that the weakest part of the show was Mrs. Hawking, which is unfortunate as Ms. Flannigan is a great actress. Not sure what happened there.<BR/><BR/>Can't wait for next week. This train is just picking up steam! LOLSenexMacdonaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07627665857390777236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-52452006062768085252009-02-20T20:19:00.000-05:002009-02-20T20:19:00.000-05:00Regarding Ben killing Penny as a reason for Desmon...Regarding Ben killing Penny as a reason for Desmond to come back to the island: <BR/><BR/>Desmond would also go back if Penny was missing. Maybe there was a fight/struggle but instead of killing her, Ben kidnapps her and she is now on her way to the island or maybe Mrs. Hawking has her for now and will be sending her later. She may not be sent to the island at all but Desmond is told that is where he will find her and Charlie and of he goes. (Please let it be that.)<BR/><BR/>To some who mentioned Ben being on the plane and how he said he could never go back. Maybe he couldn't go back to the last time period he was in but could go back to a different time period. Then again he could be lying (again). LOL<BR/><BR/>@NurseBrian <BR/><BR/>Maybe Ben was reenacting Charlie. Remember he was in the bathroom I believe doing drugs when the plane crash started. Just a thought. :o)Doehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07885364402642185540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-81133675356516536052009-02-20T19:18:00.000-05:002009-02-20T19:18:00.000-05:00I have a question. When Jack was boarding 815 and ...I have a question. When Jack was boarding 815 and arguing to get Christian's coffin transported, did any of the losties give their condolences like new guy did in this episode? <BR/><BR/>Also I think this whole John 3:16 is significant. If Jack is now John, and John is now Christian (and Jack is his only begotten son) is there some trinity thing going on here? The verse also says whoever believes will have everlasting life. Is this Johns reward for his belief? Will jack have it now since he believes?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-1916950678900870332009-02-20T16:57:00.000-05:002009-02-20T16:57:00.000-05:00Nice observations Niki-Here are just a few percept...Nice observations Niki-<BR/><BR/>Here are just a few perceptions about a couple things you mentioned:<BR/><BR/>1- Ben's "loose ends" were I thought pretty clear -- to kill Penny Widmore. One of the creepiest, disturbing things in the whole series was seeing Ben call from the payphone all messed up. Unfortunately I dread what has become of Penny and Charlie. Perhaps Desmond won't be done with the island after all once he's discovers what Ben did (and Charles will tell him.)<BR/><BR/>2- Ray IMO IS in on whatever is going on -- FATE or DESTINY -- to bring the chosen ones back. He completely had an air of expectation about Jack's visit and watched ever so carefully as Jack discovered Christian's shoes.<BR/><BR/>In other words -- UN-freakin-believeable!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-67636507728794422642009-02-20T15:14:00.000-05:002009-02-20T15:14:00.000-05:00You've got to admit, that opening shot for the epi...You've got to admit, that opening shot for the episode sold it to me instantly. The second I saw the eye, I knew this episode was going to be absolutely hands down, one of the best of the season. And apart from the blithering Eloise Hawking, it was stellar.The Chapati Kidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08916089544395886858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-10219686156079952872009-02-20T13:55:00.000-05:002009-02-20T13:55:00.000-05:00Brian's (sort of) Unification Theory:Okay, first a...Brian's (sort of) Unification Theory:<BR/><BR/>Okay, first a brief recap of events in chronological order.<BR/><BR/>1) The DI find the moving island using the Lamppost to find the proper window.<BR/><BR/>2) The "Incident" occurs. The Swan station is rededicated to entering numbers every 108 minutes.<BR/><BR/>3) Danielle arrives on the island.<BR/><BR/>4) Desmond arrives on the island.<BR/><BR/>5) Eko's plane arrives on the island (according to Lostpedia, this happened after Desmond arrived).<BR/><BR/>6) Desmond fails to enter the numbers on time. Oceanic 815 crashes on the island.<BR/><BR/>7) Ben puts a seed of doubt in Locke about the Swan station.<BR/><BR/>8) Locke stops putting in the numbers, and Desmond turns the failsafe key. Michael leaves the island by following bearing 325. The island is detected from the outside.<BR/><BR/>9) Widmore's freighter arrives on the island using bearing 315.<BR/><BR/>10) Ben turns the FDW starting the time jumps.<BR/><BR/>11) Locke turns the FDW.<BR/><BR/>Now, while the Swan was running, the DI and later the Others seemed to come and go as they pleased using the submarine. Desmond wasn't able to leave via boat. The DI was able to drop supplies from somewhere above for the Swan station. Were they able to create there own "window" by going above/around a bubble surrounding the island?<BR/><BR/>Danielle, Desmond, and the freighter people all put the island physical location somewhere near Figi. Did the DI anchor the island in one place so they could come an go? Perhaps the "Incident" did this. Perhaps this is what stopped the FDW from turning, and why Ben and Locke needed to get it moving again.<BR/><BR/>If the island was fixed in place near Figi, how did Eko's plane get there then? If was moving, then why did Danielle, Desmond, and the freighter folk all give locations at approximately the same spot when they arived over a period of 15 years, yet Eko's plane, which clearly falls into this time frame, couldn't possible have been near Figi. Did he take a "shortcut" through Tunsia?<BR/><BR/>Also, if the island was fixed in place, then why does the bearing change from Michael to the freighter folk in only about one month time?<BR/><BR/>One more thing to point out: the DI and the Others needed a beacon at the Looking Glass to guide the submarine.<BR/><BR/>Did the Swan station keep the window closed while it was running? After it was destroyed, Widmore was able to find the island and send his people there pretty easily.<BR/><BR/>Ben seemed to want Locke to destroy the Swan station. We know he's good at getting others to do what he wants them to do, and he was the one the gave Locke his first little push that lead to destroying the Swan. Was his plan to eventually get the island moving again to better protect the island in the longterm?<BR/><BR/>Did someone fail to enter the numbers for Danielle to arrive? For Desmond? For Eko's plane? For the real Henry Gale?<BR/><BR/>Okay, I better stop now and take some Advil. This is starting to make my head hurt.Brian Douglashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17850766773943226299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-23612623494123240202009-02-20T11:38:00.000-05:002009-02-20T11:38:00.000-05:00Great question, Ms. G.! I think that eventually, ...Great question, Ms. G.! I think that eventually, we are going to see that moment - now that we are Back In The Day for the Dharma Initiative.<BR/><BR/>Perhaps Ben, himself, will try to change the past ... even though he, of all people, should know the consequences.humanebeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15717844158635399246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-56248232197841479402009-02-20T11:28:00.000-05:002009-02-20T11:28:00.000-05:00humanbean - I think that is an excellent analysis....humanbean - I think that is an excellent analysis. I wonder what Ben's "aha" belief moment could have been to make him willing to all that he has done for the island?Missing Georgiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10129096481578011865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-28613983482041600672009-02-20T09:32:00.000-05:002009-02-20T09:32:00.000-05:00Another night's sleep ... another LOST fever dream...Another night's sleep ... another LOST fever dream! I take back my initial reservations about this episode - it is much more rewarding upon review and reflection. I've been thinking about Ben's scene with Jack in the church, relating the story of Doubting Thomas. Most of the posts or blogs that I have read have (naturally) interpreted this as referring to Jack - his endless doubts and refusal to believe anything other than what his eyes can see and he can prove, empirically.<BR/><BR/>I think there is at least a dual meaning here: this speech could also be about Ben himself. He mentions that despite his bravery in sticking by Jesus even as danger/fate approaches, Thomas' 'claim to fame' is his doubt/refusal to believe. Ben certainly sees himself as the brave defender of the Island and the O6 (and on-Island Lostaways). Yet, he feels that even after all he has done for the Island, he has been been punished for his doubt/ because he refused to accept certain things: the inability of women to bear children on the Island, Locke's ascension to leadership and his own fall from favor with Jacob.<BR/><BR/>"I used to have dreams...". "Destiny is a fickle bitch". "If you had any idea what I've had to do to keep you safe - to keep your friends safe - then you'd never stop thanking me". And yet now, Ben is accepting to a degree that he is also responsible for his punishment. "We're all convinced sooner or later". <BR/><BR/>Thoughts?humanebeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15717844158635399246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-39870641568885661682009-02-20T09:11:00.000-05:002009-02-20T09:11:00.000-05:00I have to admit, my first thought then they got on...I have to admit, my first thought then they got on the plane was to wonder if the in-flight movie featured Shahrukh Khan. :)<BR/><BR/>How long is a flight to Guam?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-79826649934490535722009-02-20T08:15:00.000-05:002009-02-20T08:15:00.000-05:00Danny - Ajira is Hindi for Island, so I think it i...Danny - Ajira is Hindi for Island, so I think it is pretty fitting that is the airline that is going to get them back to "the island."Missing Georgiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10129096481578011865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30892649.post-39856774974078656782009-02-20T00:53:00.000-05:002009-02-20T00:53:00.000-05:00Just watched the episode, and it's totally one...Just watched the episode, and it's totally one of my favorites. (Anyone catch the edit with Eloise when she says "let's get started"? I thought it was funny... she didn't give that creepy glare haha) <- Just an observation LOL And I was totally waiting for Desmond to get taken out by the pendulum.<BR/><BR/>So... everything I caught has pretty much been addressed.<BR/><BR/>Does Ajira stand for anything? I'm probably missing something because I didn't read every post here. It's kind of funny the logo is a Sun. (..Sun.. Sun? Coincidence? Maybe not... although Sun seems to be a hot topic because she left her kid.) There has to be a reason behind it.. Eh. I would have personally used Southwest to "crash" because they SUCK.Daniel Larshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12061981198669051431noreply@blogger.com