LOST Recap

The Substitute

Wow. Just wow. Last night was one of the best episodes in a long time. So much better than last week when I couldn't even muster up a recap post that didn't say "I just wasted an hour of my life" because it was so awful. But, wow. Let's see...

• On the island...(2007)
• I loved the scene of Locke flying around as the smoke monster. That scene alone was better then all of last weeks episode.
• Poor Richard. He really has little to no clue what's going on. I do like him though.
• Flocke could see the boy, but Richard could not.
• Sawyer could see the boy and Flocke was surprised by that. Perhaps he could see him because he is on the wall as a possible "substitute" for the island.
• I think the boy is Jacob.
• The boy tells Flocke he "knows the rules" and "he can't be killed"... so, who is he? Sawyer? I think that Flocke is unable to kill anyone on the list.
  
• Sawyer and Flocke head to the cave on the side of a cliff where Flocke sees a black stone and a white stone standing equal on a scale. Flocke picks up the white stone and throws it into the ocean telling Sawyer that it's an "inside joke." Another form of symbolism of good (Jacob) vs. evil (Flocke/Nemesis/Man in Black).
  
• They walk into the cave to see a very extensive list of people's names, most of which are scratched out. The names that are left uncrossed are: 4-Locke, 8-Reyes, 15-Ford, 16-Jarrah, 23-Shephard, 42-Kwon (either Jin or Sun)
• The list is people that Jacob has touched at important times in their life.
• Jacob touched Kate (when she was younger and stealing the NKOTB lunch box) yet she wasn't on the list. I wonder why?
• What is the significance of the numbers as they are listed next to the names? (Why is Locke number 4, etc?)
  
• Lastly, Flocke explains to Sawyer that these names are possible substitutes that Jacob feels could protect the island ("from nothing") and gives Sawyer 3 options: (which I had to look up)
  

1. Do nothing. See how all this plays out.
   
2. Perform Jacob's job. Protect the Island.
   
3. We just go. We get the hell off this Island and we never look back. We do that together.

• It appears as though Sawyer is choosing option 3.
  

• Off the island... (2004)
• Locke comes home from the walkabout and we see that he was suppose to be on a business trip.
• He's engaged to Helen, which clearly signifies that the island explosion in 1977 has changed the lives of everyone. In previous seasons/episodes, it was revealed that Helen left Locke because of his unhealthy obsession with his dad (remember the phone calls to the call girls and he would call them all Helen? One of the reasons why Locke went on the Walkabout.)
• Locke and Helen discuss their wedding and Helen tells him that she wants to elope with just her parents and Locke's dad present.
  
• Obviously Locke and his dad have a different relationship now.
  
• If Locke is paralyzed and his dad is a honored guest at his wedding it's safe to assume that Locke's dad did not push him out of the window. Locke has now become paralyzed a different way. But how?
  
• Locke seems to have the worst luck ever, while Hurley is now "the luckiest man in the world."
• Locke gets fired from Hurley's box company, his wheel chair ramp gets stuck about 6 inches from the ground causing him to fall on the lawn just as the sprinklers when on. Yikes.
• Hurley, however, parked right next to Locke and although Locke was trying to scratch Hurley's Hummer with his wheel chair ramp, it magically gets stuck just inches away from his car (Locke = unlucky / Hurley = lucky.)
• If Hurley won the lottery (which we are assuming by his ownership of a Hummer, the box company, the chicken place, etc.) then what numbers did he use to win? Without the island, there's no way he would have found out about 4,8,15,16,23,42 and then been able to play them.
  
• Hurley helps Locke get a new job through the temp agency he owns, and Rose supervises.
• Locke ends up being a substitute teacher where he runs into Ben, who is teaching European History. Significant? I think so.
  
• How is Ben in 2004? He was on the island when it exploded in 1977. He was at the Temple being healed (remember, he was shot and they took him to Richard to be healed. Richard proceeded to take him to the Temple.) If the "alternate timeline" of 2004 is "what would have happened" then how is Ben alive?

I love this show.