The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on. - - Walter Lippman
If leadership was a central theme to the drama of the show, how did the characters pass "the final test?"
Jack did leave Hurley in charge of the island. A very, very, very reluctant Hurley in charge of the island. But it is inferred that Ben was very "beneficial" in Hurley's island reign, so much so that Hurley was rewarded with heavenly reunion with Libby. (In the succession plan, that would leave Ben in charge of the island and sideways view, with the dual knowledge that only Eloise had).
Locke was only briefly in charge of the group when the time skips happened after Ben screwed things up in the FDW. However, Locke was a pawn in Christian smoke monster's plot to get Jack back to the island in order to thwart, kill Jacob to find MIB's alleged loophole (which may be the same as everyone else on the island - - - get to the sideways plane of existence, the after life, from the way station island).
Flocke was a more successful faux leader, who ruled like Ben and Widmore did the Others, by an iron fist and no mercy. But Flocke was not a real human being, and he wanted to leave no one behind (as his mental state, if any, was to destroy all human candidates in order to escape his prison.)
Sayid was only briefly in charge of his Iraqi torture unit. But when push came to shove, he betrayed his uniform, killed a superior, let a prisoner escape, then became a U.S, CIA operative. On the island, Sayid refused a full leadership role (except on a few rescue missions) because he could not trust himself.
Sawyer was in charge of the beach castaways ("by default," as Hurley said) but that time Sawyer tried to "act" like a leader, but as a lone wolf con-man it was impossible for him to adapt. However, in the time warp arc, Sawyer did become a leader of his castway time travelers by becoming the sheriff of the barracks, waiting for the time skip to send them back. It was during this three year period that Juliet apparently tamed the wild Sawyer beast.
Kate led a few rescue missions, but tried to avoid becoming the leader of either the beach castaways or the candidates forum. She always put her own self-interests above other people. Even when she claimed to have "saved" Claire in the end by getting her on the plane, Kate could have stayed and gone back to try to save Jack, but she did not. She only wanted to get off the island. There were no tears in her decision.
Jacob was the leader who hid in the statue. He commanded through his liaison, Alpert, who in turn, gave instructions to Ben (who would twist things so he had the power.) Alpert led the quiet Other near revolt against Ben, when he gave the file to Locke to make Locke the leader (by killing Cooper, his father, by Sawyer's hand.) Jacob assumed the leadership of the island at the request of his Crazy Mother, and regretted his actions that led to his own brother's demise (by the hands of the smoke monster). A leader with such guilt, shame and regret was never a good leader.
Widmore was a born bully of a leader. He was exiled from the island, and made his sole mission in life to return to recapture it. He used his inner strength to gather a vast fortune to fund his quest. In a certain respect, he succeeded at the task as he returned to the island, and indirectly defeated Flocke. But as a leader, he got blindsided by the vengeful rage of Ben, who killed Widmore for killing Alex. Many leaders find it appropriate to lead with "an eye for an eye" mission statement.
In their own way, and collectively, no one person was a great leader. Each had terrible personal faults and lacked command of their people and circumstances (which led to many lives lost.)
Friday, January 30, 2015
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
WHY MOTHERHOOD WAS CRAZY
From Locke's child common law wife mother who went institutional crazy after abandoning her child in the 1950s, to Claire's "Rousseau's Walk" into the dark side of the jungle, LOST's writers painted a real bleak picture of motherhood.
Almost a tortured representation of the divine gift of life.
Juliet was kidnapped so Ben and the Others could find an answer to why their pregnant women were dying in the third trimester. Why would the island, as the alleged place of "life, death and rebirth" continually kill expectant mothers and their unborn children?
Jacob and MIB's mother gave birth on the island, but she was killed by another crazy woman, whom we think was a smoke monster (by the aftermath of her wiping out the Roman camp). She had been alone so long that she was crazy. Crazy dangerous.
Rousseau also gave birth on the island, to Alex. They survived but were separated by the Others (who apparently could reproduce or keep children alive. Perhaps there was a social stigma against any woman except those worshipping Jacob.) Rousseau saw the violence of the smoke monster killing her shipmates, which led her to kill their reincarnated corpses in order to protect her unborn baby. For her honor, she was to live a lonely, hardscrabble life in the jungle - - - under constant threat of attack, real and imagined.
Even the surrogate mothers were crazy. Kate was no Ms. Housekeeping when she took charge of Aaron. Kate's background was a homicidal runaway. Eloise, Daniel's mother, thought nothing of throwing her son or step-daughter, Penny, to the flames of hell in order to maintain control over the island and its secrets.
There clearly is an undertone of anti-motherhood in the series.
There is no explanation for it. Yes, bad mothers could infuse psychotic traits in their children. But the vast majority of mothers who had children were crazy, alcoholics (Jack's mother) or totally out of the picture, strangers to their own children.
Was the undertone a subliminal message for mass contraception, zero population growth, or an oddity of male dominated showrunner excess?
Monday, January 26, 2015
PROOF
Modern science believes that if one cannot visually find and reproduce the results of an experiment over and over again, then the subject matter does not exist.
Repeatable proof is the standard for scientific study.
But the debate on whether human beings have a spiritual element, a soul, is harder to fathom in the scientific circles. Scientists believe that the "spiritual" connotations of instinct, subconscious, emotional responses, free will, etc. are not a separate being within a person's brain but merely the output of normal human bio-chemical brain activities.
The concepts of love, lust, anger, hate, good, evil have no predetermination or propensity in science, which seeks to find a physical call to mental illness and phobias. Some naturalists believe that human beings survival instincts, which were formed on the deep emotion of fear, were natural selection processes since for a long time man was not the top predator on the planet. As mankind evolved, its larger brain capacity was filled with more knowledge and applied knowledge to increase their survival chances. Knowledge does not equate to divine intervention, according to scientists.
But it is odd that science dismisses the unseen as not being real, when they use formulas, theories and assumptions to confirm the existence of a Higgs-Bosum "the God" particle, an invisible building block in physics.
Spirituals point out to a few studies which state that human beings have a natural spiritual connection to themselves and to the planet. These connections run the gambit of cultures, genetics, environments and history. The idea that ancient man believed that there was something more inside him or her than just flesh and bones had to come from something other than their environment. Many anthropologists believe that ancient man was more "in tune" with their own bodies and mind than modern man, who is overwhelmed with outside information, to have introspective analysis of one's self.
Science states that if you cannot "show me" your conclusion, then it does not exist. Spiritualists state that the premise of the scientific standard does not make the unseen untrue.
A few point to the dead weight studies which physicians have weighed bodies just prior to and just after death. The results have been that the deceased person loses approximately 6 ounces of weight. Now, scientists would counter the argument that that weight loss is the release of a soul as being the muscle tension forces being released, but tension is not the equivalent of actual mass.
People tend to believe what they want to believe about science. Junk science has invaded all elements of the modern academic world, which further clouds the search for the truth. But the truth for many people is that there is a hope that after this life, there would be a continuation into a better one.
Repeatable proof is the standard for scientific study.
But the debate on whether human beings have a spiritual element, a soul, is harder to fathom in the scientific circles. Scientists believe that the "spiritual" connotations of instinct, subconscious, emotional responses, free will, etc. are not a separate being within a person's brain but merely the output of normal human bio-chemical brain activities.
The concepts of love, lust, anger, hate, good, evil have no predetermination or propensity in science, which seeks to find a physical call to mental illness and phobias. Some naturalists believe that human beings survival instincts, which were formed on the deep emotion of fear, were natural selection processes since for a long time man was not the top predator on the planet. As mankind evolved, its larger brain capacity was filled with more knowledge and applied knowledge to increase their survival chances. Knowledge does not equate to divine intervention, according to scientists.
But it is odd that science dismisses the unseen as not being real, when they use formulas, theories and assumptions to confirm the existence of a Higgs-Bosum "the God" particle, an invisible building block in physics.
Spirituals point out to a few studies which state that human beings have a natural spiritual connection to themselves and to the planet. These connections run the gambit of cultures, genetics, environments and history. The idea that ancient man believed that there was something more inside him or her than just flesh and bones had to come from something other than their environment. Many anthropologists believe that ancient man was more "in tune" with their own bodies and mind than modern man, who is overwhelmed with outside information, to have introspective analysis of one's self.
Science states that if you cannot "show me" your conclusion, then it does not exist. Spiritualists state that the premise of the scientific standard does not make the unseen untrue.
A few point to the dead weight studies which physicians have weighed bodies just prior to and just after death. The results have been that the deceased person loses approximately 6 ounces of weight. Now, scientists would counter the argument that that weight loss is the release of a soul as being the muscle tension forces being released, but tension is not the equivalent of actual mass.
People tend to believe what they want to believe about science. Junk science has invaded all elements of the modern academic world, which further clouds the search for the truth. But the truth for many people is that there is a hope that after this life, there would be a continuation into a better one.
Saturday, January 24, 2015
SAD SAYID
The only saving grace for our Iraqi character is that he clung to some form of personal honor to stave off the normal hatred of American eyes upon him. Those who mistrusted him did not know his back story (he never really shared the full extent of his deeds, and his own betrayal of his people by working with the American military). It was probably that guilt that led him into personal martyrdom. He could never be happy and he made it so. That is why he was obsessed with a woman he could never have, Nadia (and some would say that was because she was truly gone - - - tortured to death by his own hand.) That is why Sayid is the saddest character on the show.
He could have set a different path for himself. But he was consumed by his own personal wrought of having been controlled by so many other people that his actions became involuntary and sick. He hated himself for being himself. He knew what he was, and made that fact an excuse to keep other people at bay. When things got tough at the beginning of the castaways survival period, after confrontation, Sayid retreated to the jungle alone. He was captured by Rousseau, another bitter survivor of her own war with the island. The irony is that Rousseau's torture made Sayid realize how sad Rousseau was in clinging to a hope that she could never attain.
It seems fate had dealt Rousseau and Sayid the same conclusion: that if they were reunited with their true love (Alex and Nadia), those precious objects of affection would be cruelly taken away.
So it was his destiny to be a sad, lonely man.
On the island he gained the respect of a few people, including Jack, because Sayid had an unbelievable array of paramilitary talents. But he never really gained a strong friendship among the main characters. His cold demeanor probably influenced his time with the other castaways.
He knew he was a ticking time bomb. In the time flash arc, it was his savage state that burst on the scene when he shot (and presumably) killed young Ben. But that action had the unintended consequences of turning young, island reincarnated Ben into the monster that Sayid loathed and shot.
When Sayid himself was shot in the ironic island circle of life, he was taken to the temple just as Alpert had done with young Ben. In the temple waters, Sayid was reincarnated as an evil being. He struggled with it but knew it was his true self. He followed Flocke on his rampage of candidate murder, until Sayid decided to give up.
Sayid had a sad and useless ending on his island story. For a man with major military intelligence, taking the time bomb down the submarine corridor and NOT sealing the various hatch compartments was a serious lapse in common sense and the cause of his suicide. As a result, the entire ship was lost, including Sun and Jin.
Even in the finale, Sayid comes across with a sad result. He is paired not with Nadia, but with Shannon, a rich bitch manipulator for whom he had only a short island affair. If that was Sayid's only true love with a real woman, than that is very sad indeed. And no man on Earth could stand spending any amount of real time with the selfish and petty Shannon - - - so it is also sad that Sayid was cast to live in eternity with her.
Friday, January 23, 2015
CREATURES
When you rise in the morning, form a resolution to make the day a happy one to a fellow-creature. - - - Sydney Smith
A "creature" is normally defined as an animal, as distinct from a human being, however it can be used for either an animal or person, such "as fellow creatures on this planet, animals deserve respect."
It can also mean a fictional or imaginary being, typically a frightening one like a creature from outer space.
There is a possibility that the characters on LOST were a combination of both definitions. The main characters could be human, animal or imaginary beings from another world.
It goes back to the survival of one coming to the island. It is debatable whether anyone of Flight 815 survived the crash. However, if one looks back on how other people got to the island, there is also a clue about what dimension the island truly occupies. Juliet was given a massive overdose of drugs in order to board the submarine which would take her to the island. There is no reason for a person to be sedated in order to travel the Pacific in a submarine. It was a possible ruse to kill her and take her spirit to the island. Likewise, Desmond came to the island after being adrift on the Pacific Ocean for weeks, which could also have led to his own demise before reaching the island.
The island could be the bridge between the human world and the spirit world (and the after life).
This nexus point between real, unreal and surreal does touch on elements of the series that are unexplained, unexplainable and unknown.
Theology aside, what happens to a person when they nearly die? There are ample studies of the "near death" experience where patients get to a euphoric dream state where there is a white light. There body is still alive, but their mind (or soul) has left it to start another conscious passage to another place. The question is the place, for people who don't come back cannot tell their doctors what was that new place.
So in chart form, one can imagine:
LIFE - - - - NEAR DEATH - - - DEATH - - - - AFTER LIFE
If one believes that man has more than just a biochemical body, a soul which differentiates man from other creatures, then a body's demise does not mean actual "death" in the conventional sense. A person's mind can live on, and possibly be re-created with a new "body" or vessel.
I theorized during the series run that if one ties the show to the ancient Egyptian rituals referenced in the series, the premise of the plots could center around near death and death experiences in a supernatural underworld. In the near death phase, the characters like the 815ers do not realize they are dead (or they don't accept it), therefore their spirits continue to "live" their past lives in a different dimension created by their collective memories. It is when these spirit creatures actually realize and accept their mortality, do they become full spirits in the sideways world, ready for their journey into the after life. This multi-stage process helps clarify the apparent conflicts within the plot about who dies and what happens to them (such as Patchy dying several times but somehow came back to life to torment the castaways).
By viewing the main characters not as continuations of their past selves, but as spiritual creatures trying to reel in their fate (death) by masking it with subconscious and dream state emotions would be a complex resolution to the characters' overall development.
A "creature" is normally defined as an animal, as distinct from a human being, however it can be used for either an animal or person, such "as fellow creatures on this planet, animals deserve respect."
It can also mean a fictional or imaginary being, typically a frightening one like a creature from outer space.
There is a possibility that the characters on LOST were a combination of both definitions. The main characters could be human, animal or imaginary beings from another world.
It goes back to the survival of one coming to the island. It is debatable whether anyone of Flight 815 survived the crash. However, if one looks back on how other people got to the island, there is also a clue about what dimension the island truly occupies. Juliet was given a massive overdose of drugs in order to board the submarine which would take her to the island. There is no reason for a person to be sedated in order to travel the Pacific in a submarine. It was a possible ruse to kill her and take her spirit to the island. Likewise, Desmond came to the island after being adrift on the Pacific Ocean for weeks, which could also have led to his own demise before reaching the island.
The island could be the bridge between the human world and the spirit world (and the after life).
This nexus point between real, unreal and surreal does touch on elements of the series that are unexplained, unexplainable and unknown.
Theology aside, what happens to a person when they nearly die? There are ample studies of the "near death" experience where patients get to a euphoric dream state where there is a white light. There body is still alive, but their mind (or soul) has left it to start another conscious passage to another place. The question is the place, for people who don't come back cannot tell their doctors what was that new place.
So in chart form, one can imagine:
LIFE - - - - NEAR DEATH - - - DEATH - - - - AFTER LIFE
If one believes that man has more than just a biochemical body, a soul which differentiates man from other creatures, then a body's demise does not mean actual "death" in the conventional sense. A person's mind can live on, and possibly be re-created with a new "body" or vessel.
I theorized during the series run that if one ties the show to the ancient Egyptian rituals referenced in the series, the premise of the plots could center around near death and death experiences in a supernatural underworld. In the near death phase, the characters like the 815ers do not realize they are dead (or they don't accept it), therefore their spirits continue to "live" their past lives in a different dimension created by their collective memories. It is when these spirit creatures actually realize and accept their mortality, do they become full spirits in the sideways world, ready for their journey into the after life. This multi-stage process helps clarify the apparent conflicts within the plot about who dies and what happens to them (such as Patchy dying several times but somehow came back to life to torment the castaways).
By viewing the main characters not as continuations of their past selves, but as spiritual creatures trying to reel in their fate (death) by masking it with subconscious and dream state emotions would be a complex resolution to the characters' overall development.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
CYNICAL
A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. - - - Oscar Wilde
The dictionary meaning of cynic is a person who believes that people are motivated purely by self-interest rather than acting for honorable or unselfish reasons, i.e. some cynics thought that the controversy was all a publicity stunt.
A cynic is a person who questions whether something will happen or whether it is worthwhile.
The main characters of LOST were cynics, in the sense that they were motivated purely by self-interest. Each person fell to the island with a gnawing sense of dread. Each of the main characters felt that they could only control their lives by being true to themselves first and foremost; to the abandonment of friends, hopes and dreams.
As a result, the characters in LOST were deeply flawed from the start. Kate, the selfish runaway. Sawyer, the vengeful child. Jack, the weak son. Locke, the born loser. Sayid, the tortured soul. Claire, the responsibility shirker. Charlie, the troubled loner. Ben, the psychopathic control freak. Shannon, the manipulative, selfish, trust fund baby. Even Frogert, the whiny idiot.
Just as the characters were cynics, a good portion of the LOST fan base became cynical in the direction of the series long before the twisty turns of Season 6. The lifeboats were started to be lowered around the middle of Season 2 when the drama series started to turn toward science fiction-fantasy with more questions than answers.
The sentiment grew more cynical when TPTB told viewers that they had mapped out the complex stories in advance, so expectations were high for a monumental ending to the show. But the grand mysteries were never explained or solved; the show dissolved into what the TPTB claimed at first "a character study," then retreated further into a show about "asking the big question" (but at the same time not answering it). Some mysteries are left alone, but when the show runners pumped up the mysteries to retain viewership, the bargain should have been honored to give solutions (even if they were not expected or reasonable). This led to many fans after the finale to be critical and cynical that the writers and producers were making the show up "on the fly," that there was no real story plan, and that the sudden mysteries, plot turns were "a con" to retain viewers and to maintain TBTB employment with ABC.
There was a lasting cynicism in television audiences since LOST. Show runners today are well aware of being caught in a LOST-trap - - - promising something to viewers and not delivering it in the end.
The dictionary meaning of cynic is a person who believes that people are motivated purely by self-interest rather than acting for honorable or unselfish reasons, i.e. some cynics thought that the controversy was all a publicity stunt.
A cynic is a person who questions whether something will happen or whether it is worthwhile.
The main characters of LOST were cynics, in the sense that they were motivated purely by self-interest. Each person fell to the island with a gnawing sense of dread. Each of the main characters felt that they could only control their lives by being true to themselves first and foremost; to the abandonment of friends, hopes and dreams.
As a result, the characters in LOST were deeply flawed from the start. Kate, the selfish runaway. Sawyer, the vengeful child. Jack, the weak son. Locke, the born loser. Sayid, the tortured soul. Claire, the responsibility shirker. Charlie, the troubled loner. Ben, the psychopathic control freak. Shannon, the manipulative, selfish, trust fund baby. Even Frogert, the whiny idiot.
Just as the characters were cynics, a good portion of the LOST fan base became cynical in the direction of the series long before the twisty turns of Season 6. The lifeboats were started to be lowered around the middle of Season 2 when the drama series started to turn toward science fiction-fantasy with more questions than answers.
The sentiment grew more cynical when TPTB told viewers that they had mapped out the complex stories in advance, so expectations were high for a monumental ending to the show. But the grand mysteries were never explained or solved; the show dissolved into what the TPTB claimed at first "a character study," then retreated further into a show about "asking the big question" (but at the same time not answering it). Some mysteries are left alone, but when the show runners pumped up the mysteries to retain viewership, the bargain should have been honored to give solutions (even if they were not expected or reasonable). This led to many fans after the finale to be critical and cynical that the writers and producers were making the show up "on the fly," that there was no real story plan, and that the sudden mysteries, plot turns were "a con" to retain viewers and to maintain TBTB employment with ABC.
There was a lasting cynicism in television audiences since LOST. Show runners today are well aware of being caught in a LOST-trap - - - promising something to viewers and not delivering it in the end.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
LONERS
A loner is from parts unknown: a recluse, introvert, lone wolf, hermit, solitary, misanthrope, outsider.
John Locke was such a person. He kept other people from getting too close to himself. He feared that he would be hurt with any new, close relationship - - - still deeply broken from the abandonment by his own parents.
Boone was also a loner. We never saw him in a happy, personal relationship. He was working for the family business, or rescuing his step-sister, Shannon. He was so committed to solving family issues that he allowed his own personal life to atrophy and wither.
That is why both Locke and Boone were alone at the sideways church.
But society still frowns upon such behavior. Loners are deemed losers in many cultures. It is said that it is better to love and lost, then to never have loved at all. But at the surface, could either Locke or Boone actually be loved?
In order to be loved, a person needs to love themselves first. They need to have inner confidence to allow themselves to expose their deeply secret thoughts and emotions to another human being. For many, this is a difficult task to achieve. They think they can never meet the expectations of others. They think their flaws are magnified to monster status. They fear the unknown consequences of opening their heart, and the possibility that they will be crushed by rejection.
The only true haven for loners is the company of other loners. The series was filled with such characters, drifting through their lives with little purpose or goals. It was the plane crash that forced them to concede the fact that their lives had forever changed; that fate had brought them all together to break down their personal barriers in order to forge something foreign to most of them: solid friendships.
Friends can accomplish many amazing things. And true friendships between men and women can lead to every lasting love, as seen with the coupling of Sawyer-Juliet, Jack-Kate, Charlie-Claire and Rose-Bernard.
Monday, January 19, 2015
A BROTHER?
Evil begets evil.
Without the time travel arc, where tortured soul Sayid kills a still innocent child in young Ben (who is taken to the temple and reborn as "a different" person, "one of the island") we could assume that Ben would have grown up as a bookish, meek man (like in the sideways teacher arc).
But instead, Ben turns into an evil, angry, vengeful tyrant.
But if the island "saved" Ben thorough the temple waters (and water was a means of summoning a smoke monster) one could resume that Ben was transformed into a smoke monster.
When Jacob killed his brother, the smoke monster was released from the light cave. We assume that MIB was the manifestation of Jacob's dead brother as a smoke monster. That is how MIB was created, from the waters of the island. Likewise, we can assume that since Ben was taken to the temple for a water ceremony (such as what happened with Sayid), then Ben would have been created into a smoke monster as well (and perhaps a better representation or brother to Jacob).
Ben was loyal to Jacob like a younger brother would have been under normal circumstances. But like a younger brother, Ben was upset that his younger sibling did not give him the attention, admiration and acknowledgment he thought he deserves. That was the focal point, the weakness, that MIB used to kill Jacob.
It makes some logical sense that only another smoke monster could kill another immortal entity on the island. But since the Crazy Mother's law that Jacob and his brother could not harm each other, that "loophole" was Ben.
MIB would have had to created a vast, complex and long term plan to even reach the loophole stage. He would have have spent centuries trying to find the right people to use, manipulate and sacrifice to get his "loophole." MIB knew about the island's special powers, and what it would take to create a smoke monster. So, by allowing humans to work on the island, try to tap the potential of the island energy, he got the humans to create an inexact time travel machine which the mixed up 815ers go back to encounter there nemesis, Ben, when he was an innocent boy. Already mixed up and confused, a time traveling Sayid was the perfect "assassin" to put MIB's final plan into action: shooting Ben gave the opening to create a smoke monster who would become Jacob's "assassin." It would have been the perfect check mate after a long game of cat and mouse between Jacob and MIB.
Without the time travel arc, where tortured soul Sayid kills a still innocent child in young Ben (who is taken to the temple and reborn as "a different" person, "one of the island") we could assume that Ben would have grown up as a bookish, meek man (like in the sideways teacher arc).
But instead, Ben turns into an evil, angry, vengeful tyrant.
But if the island "saved" Ben thorough the temple waters (and water was a means of summoning a smoke monster) one could resume that Ben was transformed into a smoke monster.
When Jacob killed his brother, the smoke monster was released from the light cave. We assume that MIB was the manifestation of Jacob's dead brother as a smoke monster. That is how MIB was created, from the waters of the island. Likewise, we can assume that since Ben was taken to the temple for a water ceremony (such as what happened with Sayid), then Ben would have been created into a smoke monster as well (and perhaps a better representation or brother to Jacob).
Ben was loyal to Jacob like a younger brother would have been under normal circumstances. But like a younger brother, Ben was upset that his younger sibling did not give him the attention, admiration and acknowledgment he thought he deserves. That was the focal point, the weakness, that MIB used to kill Jacob.
It makes some logical sense that only another smoke monster could kill another immortal entity on the island. But since the Crazy Mother's law that Jacob and his brother could not harm each other, that "loophole" was Ben.
MIB would have had to created a vast, complex and long term plan to even reach the loophole stage. He would have have spent centuries trying to find the right people to use, manipulate and sacrifice to get his "loophole." MIB knew about the island's special powers, and what it would take to create a smoke monster. So, by allowing humans to work on the island, try to tap the potential of the island energy, he got the humans to create an inexact time travel machine which the mixed up 815ers go back to encounter there nemesis, Ben, when he was an innocent boy. Already mixed up and confused, a time traveling Sayid was the perfect "assassin" to put MIB's final plan into action: shooting Ben gave the opening to create a smoke monster who would become Jacob's "assassin." It would have been the perfect check mate after a long game of cat and mouse between Jacob and MIB.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
LIGHTER MOMENTS
Hurley's "golf" course took our minds away from the relentless tension of the attacks, the smoke monster and the mysteries. It also showed a few of the main characters having uncharacteristic flaws, like Jack the Doctor not being able to hit a golf ball (contrary to the stereotypical country club physician).
Hurley's ping pong beat down of Sawyer was also funny. Sawyer had the skills to play people off each other, but when it came to a simple game against a perceived simpleton like Hurley, Sawyer was taken down a few pegs.
Kate and Jack played Sawyer poker for the return of medical supplies.
When Walt wanted to hang out with Locke and learn backgammon, it was a moment when Locke was able to teach Walt valuable life lessons, like the black and white chips. Walt was out of place going back to America with his father who was a stranger, but at the same time he felt his place on the out of place island. The conflict between symbols of black and white would guide many characters down paths of both good and evil.
One of the most shocking game moments in the series was when Kate's party attempted to rescue Jack from the Others, but found Jack playing a friendly game of football with Mr. Friendly on gthe barracks grounds. It was one of those WTH? moments.
The barracks also provided the scene for Hurley beating Sawyer in horse shoes because Hurley was "lucky." In reality, Hurley was quite good at games of chance, including Connect 4, at the mental institution. When Hurley was in deed "lucky," he was cursed (i.e. lottery win with the Numbers).
Games provide relief from the daily routine, boredom and despair of every day living . . . . and at least the LOST writers fit in a few normal moments of relaxation into the drama series. The lighter moments made things a little more believable, and more invested in the characters.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
FALLING OUT
How easy is it to fall in and out of love.
Shannon knew she was a beautiful young woman. She used to it to gain the attention of suitors, boyfriends and a lazy, carefree lifestyle. But she continually made bad choices, ran out of money and had boyfriend issues because her relationships were so superficial.
Kate knew she was cute, but never dolled herself up as a beauty queen. She used her charm to get men to do her bidding, and falling in love with her was not on her agenda. She was independent and did not need the admiration of a man to make her happy. Or so she thought, until it was too late. Her relationships were hit and miss, and the men in her life literally got caught in the cross fire and paid a heavy price trying to capture her heart.
Juliet never expressed herself as attractive since she was engrossed with her work. As a student, she fell for her smart scientific husband, but that puppy love did not equate into a meaningful, story book relationship. His work and her work did not allow the couple to work on their own personal feelings for each other. It ended in divorce. And to further to cut the ties, Ben had Juliet's ex hit by a bus in order for her to accept Alpert's invitation to join the island research.
The only woman who truly had a deep, caring and loving relationship with a man was Rose. She found her soul mate late in life. They was a strong and natural bond between them. When Rose got sick, she accepted her fate while Bernard tried in vain to find a miracle. In one regard, the island was the couple's final paradise - - - together, alone, forever.
Juliet and Sawyer's final relationship started as a matter of convenience and security, then bonded when the time travel arc ended with the Swan construction site implosion. Only in death would Juliet be happy with her Sawyer.
Shannon's true love story was much weaker. A week long affair with Sayid was somehow transformed into the epic tale of lost lovers - - - even though Sayid had pined for 6 seasons for a woman named Nadia.
But just as improbable, Kate's relationship with Jack was also weak. In the O6 story line, they had a major falling out because of Jack's addictive jealousy personality and Kate's inner will to be independent. Kate was trapped in the suburban homemaker lifestyle of her mother which Kate detested. The "divorce" in the O6 arc was clean and absolute, as Jack spun off into his own personal darkness. They fell out of love harder than a person jumping out of a plane without a parachute. Why Kate and Jack reunited in the after life is one of those music chair moments - - - because there was nobody us to pair up.
Shannon knew she was a beautiful young woman. She used to it to gain the attention of suitors, boyfriends and a lazy, carefree lifestyle. But she continually made bad choices, ran out of money and had boyfriend issues because her relationships were so superficial.
Kate knew she was cute, but never dolled herself up as a beauty queen. She used her charm to get men to do her bidding, and falling in love with her was not on her agenda. She was independent and did not need the admiration of a man to make her happy. Or so she thought, until it was too late. Her relationships were hit and miss, and the men in her life literally got caught in the cross fire and paid a heavy price trying to capture her heart.
Juliet never expressed herself as attractive since she was engrossed with her work. As a student, she fell for her smart scientific husband, but that puppy love did not equate into a meaningful, story book relationship. His work and her work did not allow the couple to work on their own personal feelings for each other. It ended in divorce. And to further to cut the ties, Ben had Juliet's ex hit by a bus in order for her to accept Alpert's invitation to join the island research.
The only woman who truly had a deep, caring and loving relationship with a man was Rose. She found her soul mate late in life. They was a strong and natural bond between them. When Rose got sick, she accepted her fate while Bernard tried in vain to find a miracle. In one regard, the island was the couple's final paradise - - - together, alone, forever.
Juliet and Sawyer's final relationship started as a matter of convenience and security, then bonded when the time travel arc ended with the Swan construction site implosion. Only in death would Juliet be happy with her Sawyer.
Shannon's true love story was much weaker. A week long affair with Sayid was somehow transformed into the epic tale of lost lovers - - - even though Sayid had pined for 6 seasons for a woman named Nadia.
But just as improbable, Kate's relationship with Jack was also weak. In the O6 story line, they had a major falling out because of Jack's addictive jealousy personality and Kate's inner will to be independent. Kate was trapped in the suburban homemaker lifestyle of her mother which Kate detested. The "divorce" in the O6 arc was clean and absolute, as Jack spun off into his own personal darkness. They fell out of love harder than a person jumping out of a plane without a parachute. Why Kate and Jack reunited in the after life is one of those music chair moments - - - because there was nobody us to pair up.
Saturday, January 10, 2015
THE RECYCLED
A LOST showrunner and actor are about to get another new series.
"The Returned," an American
remake of the French format "Les Revenants," will air from March 9 on
the cable network. The fantasy drama series is written and produced by
former "Lost" showrunner Carlton Cuse.
First
aired on the French cable network Canal+ in fall 2012, "Les Revenants"
has garnered glowing reviews and was honored at the 2013 International
Emmy Awards with the title of best drama.
The French-language series has
even developed a strong following abroad, as its first season was
broadcast in the original format on Channel 4 in England with the title
"Rebound" and on Sundance in the US as "The Returned."
Also titled "The Returned," the
forthcoming American adaptation will reprise the premise of the
original: a small town is rocked by the sudden return amongst the living
of several dead individuals, who have no idea of their death and
resurrection. While they attempt to carry on with their lives where they
left off, the loved ones who have been grieving their death struggle to
come to terms with their new circumstances.
Mark Pellegrino (Jacob on "Lost"), Tandi
Wright ("Jack the Giant Slayer") and Jeremy Sisto ("Law & Order")
star in this remake from Carlton Cuse, who is described in the media reports as "something of an expert at
fantasy drama TV thanks to his time as a producer and showrunner on Lost."
In the writing room, J.J. Abrams' former colleague enlisted the
help of Raelle Tucker, a screenwriter and producer on another famous
drama series with supernatural elements: "True Blood."
The French channel Canal+ is known for its quality drama programs, so there is probably a good chance that the original source material is solid.
Thursday, January 8, 2015
WHAT NUMBERS REPRESENT
What do Numbers represent?
A number is an arithmetical value, expressed by a word, symbol, or figure, representing a particular quantity and used in counting and making calculations and for showing order in a series or for identification. It is also a quantity or amount; such as several, in a group, company or order (such as a magazine issue to indicate a position in a series).
In the LOST mythology, the Numbers were the glue that bound many clues.
We really first learn of the power of the Numbers by Hurley hearing them while he was at the mental institution. The Numbers were supposed to have been heard by a patient, who said they were cursed. But despite the warning, Hurley used the Numbers on a lottery ticket. So, the Numbers were at first, lucky. But as Hurley started to embrace his new wealth and fame, the winning lottery ticket became his own curse (with family members being hurt, people dying, etc.)
We also found out that the Numbers were broadcast possibly as an island location beacon to the DHARMA group. Why the numbers were important to DHARMA has led to speculation that the main purpose of island research was to re-set the Valenzetti Equation, a large doomsday-predicting formula on the demise of mankind.
We also found the Numbers stamped on the Hatch cover. This apparent serial number freaks Hurley out as a bad omen. In some respects, that was true. The Hatch discovery led to Desmond and the internal workings of DHARMA, and more mysteries and clues (such as the blast door map). Desmond was a lost soul also imprisoned on the island to do unexplained work for an alleged higher purpose. (One new theory is that the Hatch and electromagnetic fields were being operated by human souls in order to regulate the gateways between life, death, heaven and hell. The operators were not told of their role, least they could interfere and destroy the natural world.)
Finally, the Numbers are the code in which needed to be placed into a computer control every 108 minutes or bad things would happen (an electromagnetic build up would create a lockdown, a purple flash, release of energy, to dangerous explosion-implosion events). Why human beings had to enter the code to regulate the release of an alleged energy build up is unclear, but may take homage to the soldiers who man defense missile silos - - - who have to manually enter launch codes in order to fire destructive nuclear warheads. The idea is that these men and women have the final say on their own fate; and as a check against a computer malfunction.
So the Numbers represented good luck, bad luck, a key, a curse, and tie that bound many different elements of the story together. But in the end, TPTB merely said that the Numbers were a red herring, with no real significance to the main story. That reveal was one of the major disappointments to serious fans.
A number is an arithmetical value, expressed by a word, symbol, or figure, representing a particular quantity and used in counting and making calculations and for showing order in a series or for identification. It is also a quantity or amount; such as several, in a group, company or order (such as a magazine issue to indicate a position in a series).
In the LOST mythology, the Numbers were the glue that bound many clues.
We really first learn of the power of the Numbers by Hurley hearing them while he was at the mental institution. The Numbers were supposed to have been heard by a patient, who said they were cursed. But despite the warning, Hurley used the Numbers on a lottery ticket. So, the Numbers were at first, lucky. But as Hurley started to embrace his new wealth and fame, the winning lottery ticket became his own curse (with family members being hurt, people dying, etc.)
We also found out that the Numbers were broadcast possibly as an island location beacon to the DHARMA group. Why the numbers were important to DHARMA has led to speculation that the main purpose of island research was to re-set the Valenzetti Equation, a large doomsday-predicting formula on the demise of mankind.
We also found the Numbers stamped on the Hatch cover. This apparent serial number freaks Hurley out as a bad omen. In some respects, that was true. The Hatch discovery led to Desmond and the internal workings of DHARMA, and more mysteries and clues (such as the blast door map). Desmond was a lost soul also imprisoned on the island to do unexplained work for an alleged higher purpose. (One new theory is that the Hatch and electromagnetic fields were being operated by human souls in order to regulate the gateways between life, death, heaven and hell. The operators were not told of their role, least they could interfere and destroy the natural world.)
Finally, the Numbers are the code in which needed to be placed into a computer control every 108 minutes or bad things would happen (an electromagnetic build up would create a lockdown, a purple flash, release of energy, to dangerous explosion-implosion events). Why human beings had to enter the code to regulate the release of an alleged energy build up is unclear, but may take homage to the soldiers who man defense missile silos - - - who have to manually enter launch codes in order to fire destructive nuclear warheads. The idea is that these men and women have the final say on their own fate; and as a check against a computer malfunction.
So the Numbers represented good luck, bad luck, a key, a curse, and tie that bound many different elements of the story together. But in the end, TPTB merely said that the Numbers were a red herring, with no real significance to the main story. That reveal was one of the major disappointments to serious fans.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
THE TURN
In the first Act of "LAX, Part One," this happens:
[The Previously on Lost ends with the detonation of the bomb - then cuts to the clouds, as the view zooms out to Jack. Jack is then interrupted by Cindy.]
CINDY: So how's the drink?
JACK: Uh... it's good.
CINDY: That's not a very strong reaction.
JACK: Well, it's--it's not a very strong drink.
[She hands Jack a single Vodka bottle.]
CINDY: Don't tell anyone.
JACK: It'll be our secret.
[As Jack pours the Vodka into his drink, the plane shakes causing him to spill a little. Jack buckles his seatbelt.]
CINDY: [Over P.A.] Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has turned on the "fasten seat belts" sign.
[Rattling stops.]
CINDY: [Over P.A.] Please return to your seats and keep your seat belts fastened.
ROSE: It's normal. My husband said the planes want to stay in the air.
[Jack chuckles.]
JACK: Sounds like a smart man.
ROSE: You be sure and tell him that when he gets back from the bathroom.
JACK: Well, I'll keep you company until he does. Don't worry--
[The plane starts to shake again, this time more violently. Luggage falls from the overhead compartment and Jack grips his seat, almost in anticipation. The turbulance ends and Jack breaths a sigh of relief.]
ROSE: You can let go now.
[Passengers murmuring.]
ROSE: It's okay. You--you can let go.
[Jack let's go and sighs.]
JACK: Looks like we made it.
ROSE: Yeah. We sure did.
[Bell dings.]
In the previous story, the plane does not survive the turbulence and it crashes on the island.
But in this scene, the plane does not crash. It lead to many viewers thinking that LOST was a) jumping the shark; b) introducing another sci-fi element in parallel universes; or c) giving us clues that the what we had previously seen was not true (like reworking a dream over and over again) or d) that the atomic bomb somehow re-set the time line so the plane would not crash.
But in retrospect, there are several key elements in this short scene that have great import in trying to understand the big premise.
What does Cindy represent?
What does Rose represent?
Why are they comforting Jack, who is a man used to pressure situations?
We know that Rose has terminal cancer. She has come to terms with her fate, that she was going to die.
We know that Cindy represents as a flight attendant, a kind person who works in the sky, which could symbolize a guardian angel.
We would learn later that Jack would have his inner demons tear a part his soul in fits of rage, addiction and regret. Perhaps, this is the point in time where Jack actually dies.
Instead of walking into a tunnel of light, Jack is rocked and jolted into "letting go" by a kind and wise older woman who herself is on the ride to the other side.
And so this flight is merely symbolic of Jack and the other soul's journey into the after life (as represented by the sideways world). The transition period of not truly understanding one's own death is the key to inner peace that is required in the sideways world in order to "awaken" one's spirit to move on to heaven.
[The Previously on Lost ends with the detonation of the bomb - then cuts to the clouds, as the view zooms out to Jack. Jack is then interrupted by Cindy.]
CINDY: So how's the drink?
JACK: Uh... it's good.
CINDY: That's not a very strong reaction.
JACK: Well, it's--it's not a very strong drink.
[She hands Jack a single Vodka bottle.]
CINDY: Don't tell anyone.
JACK: It'll be our secret.
[As Jack pours the Vodka into his drink, the plane shakes causing him to spill a little. Jack buckles his seatbelt.]
CINDY: [Over P.A.] Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has turned on the "fasten seat belts" sign.
[Rattling stops.]
CINDY: [Over P.A.] Please return to your seats and keep your seat belts fastened.
ROSE: It's normal. My husband said the planes want to stay in the air.
[Jack chuckles.]
JACK: Sounds like a smart man.
ROSE: You be sure and tell him that when he gets back from the bathroom.
JACK: Well, I'll keep you company until he does. Don't worry--
[The plane starts to shake again, this time more violently. Luggage falls from the overhead compartment and Jack grips his seat, almost in anticipation. The turbulance ends and Jack breaths a sigh of relief.]
ROSE: You can let go now.
[Passengers murmuring.]
ROSE: It's okay. You--you can let go.
[Jack let's go and sighs.]
JACK: Looks like we made it.
ROSE: Yeah. We sure did.
[Bell dings.]
In the previous story, the plane does not survive the turbulence and it crashes on the island.
But in this scene, the plane does not crash. It lead to many viewers thinking that LOST was a) jumping the shark; b) introducing another sci-fi element in parallel universes; or c) giving us clues that the what we had previously seen was not true (like reworking a dream over and over again) or d) that the atomic bomb somehow re-set the time line so the plane would not crash.
But in retrospect, there are several key elements in this short scene that have great import in trying to understand the big premise.
What does Cindy represent?
What does Rose represent?
Why are they comforting Jack, who is a man used to pressure situations?
We know that Rose has terminal cancer. She has come to terms with her fate, that she was going to die.
We know that Cindy represents as a flight attendant, a kind person who works in the sky, which could symbolize a guardian angel.
We would learn later that Jack would have his inner demons tear a part his soul in fits of rage, addiction and regret. Perhaps, this is the point in time where Jack actually dies.
Instead of walking into a tunnel of light, Jack is rocked and jolted into "letting go" by a kind and wise older woman who herself is on the ride to the other side.
And so this flight is merely symbolic of Jack and the other soul's journey into the after life (as represented by the sideways world). The transition period of not truly understanding one's own death is the key to inner peace that is required in the sideways world in order to "awaken" one's spirit to move on to heaven.
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