Scattered thoughts and observations which may or may not become more coherent during the eight months that we must wait for our next LOST fix:
The conversation at the beginning of the episode:
Antagonist: “They come, fight, they destroy, they corrupt. It always ends the same.”
Jacob: “It only ends once. Anything that happens before that is just progress.”
Is this summation the same as Sawyer’s statement something to the effect: “Whatever happened, happened.”?
Discuss. ‘Cause I’m clueless.
Jacob was reading from a book of short stories by Flannery O’Connor, Everything That Rises Must Converge, as John Locke fell from the umpteenth story of that building. I must read some Flannery O’Connor, even though I don’t like short stories.
Locke is/was the “loophole” that allowed the Smoke Monster/Partner of Jacob to do whatever it is he’s doing inside Locke’s (second?) body or with Locke’s appearance. Those two, Jacob and his antagonist, reminded me of the two brothers in the computer game Myst. In that game two brothers, Sirrus and Achenar (Cain and Abel?), are engaged in a struggle for power in which they both try to engage the person playing the game to help them.Of course, the problem for the game player is figuring out which brother is the “good guy” and which is not. The emphasis in LOST on books and puzzles and an unexplored island is also very Myst-like.
I loved the Star Wars moment when Sawyer shot the communication console in the sub. Sawyer is definitely the Han Solo type. And when Juliet gave Sawyer fits by changing sides with the simple declaration, “I changed my mind”?Classic woman’s prerogative. And Sawyer had the best lines last night:
“I don’t speak destiny.”
“This don’t look like LAX.”
However, I’m mad at Juliet. She gives up Sawyer, who obviously adores her, who tamed himself for her, who has her back, because she saw the way he looked at Kate? Stupid. Wrong-headed. Kate goes with Jack; they deserve each other. Sawyer goes with Juliet; they complement each other. Happily ever after.
So Jacob shows up at crisis points in each of the Losties lives and does what? Except for the conversation he had with Hurley, I can’t see that Jacob did much to influence the course of events or make them do anything in particular. Oh, I guess Jacob did cause Nadia’s death. Was he just mostly watching them, waiting to see what they would do, knowing that their destinies intersected? I don’t get it.
Ben was playing Aaron to Locke Impersonator’s Moses. Ben was going on and on about how Jacob never revealed himself to Ben in all the years he was on the island, and how he was passed over, and how, when Locke requests a meeting, Jacob immediately shows himself. But Ben didn’t know that Locke wasn’t really Locke.
Miles: “Has it occurred to any of you that your buddy is actually going to cause the thing he is trying to prevent. Perhaps the nuke is the incident.”
Good call, Miles.
I loved the Rose and Bernard retirement scene. They’re retired. “It’s always something with you people.” And now Rose and Bernard have opted out. I think they’re out of the show now, and although I will miss them, they made the right decision. Little Cabin in the Woods/Jungle.
With the scene at the beginning, I started to think of Jacob as being the biblical Jacob. We never did get the name of the other one, but I’m guessing “Esau.” He certainly looked older than Jacob, which would fit, and with the writers flair for using names, I don’t think we can overlook that. Though what it implies, I’m not sure.
Also, I’m thinking that at least with Locke, Jacob did take a hand in things. It looked like his touch kind of brought Locke back a little bit. They also made a point of showing Jacob touch certain people. Again, don’t know what that means.
Jacob touched each person he visited – I think he was creating a connection with them. Remmeber when Farraday told Desmond he had to have a focus point, or whatever he called it, when he traveled through time? Maybe it has something to do with that. I could be wrong, though. I can’t believe we have to wait until January!
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Haven’t started watching Lost…must not get sucked into another show! 🙂
But I was wondering if you could email me. I can’t find a way to contact you directly. Had a question for you. 🙂
Jolanthe
http://homeschoolcreations.blogspot.com
I also got super annoyed at Juliet… and Kate… and Jack.
BUT I found Jacob and his nemesis (who I am calling Fred) fascinating, and the O’Conner book that Jacob was reading is very symbolic of his philosophy, if you ask me. I blogged about the book and the philosophy here: http://kaciesmixedmedia.blogspot.com/2009/05/lost-finale-incident.html
Yeah, I do not like Kate. Nor Jack. In fact, there aren’t many likable characters in the show!
One observation: I wonder if Jacob wasn’t causing Nadia’s death but preventing Sayid’s?
I can’t be mad at Juliet. Her ‘almost’ death scene was just too great, so sad! But Kate…I am starting to wish Kate would essplode or something. Sawyer and Jack mooning over her is getting tiring.
With due respect, I think you might be mistaken about Ben & his perspective. What do we CONSISTENTLY know about Benjamin Linus?
He lies.
Not only do I think he lied about never having seen Jacob, I also think he knew that Locke was not Locke. He says, “dead is dead” when Sun asks him. Remember? I think he’s still Jacob’s man through and through, putting on a show for pretend-Locke. Jacob’s not dead and it’s not over until it’s over……
I love that show! So much going on with Juliet Shakespearean allusions, perfect characterizations, literary references (Remember: Ben was reading James Joyce’s Ulysses when the second plane crashed? – I think this is the entire story arc and will prove the story was always Ben’s and not Jack’s) …. Oh! Don’t get me started.