One of the mysteries that is in the background but potentially explosive was the appearance of Libby at critical times in the series.
She was seen as a mental patient in Hurley's day room, but Hurley had no memory of her when the tail section survivors made it to the beach camp.
She was also instrumental in getting Desmond on his epic sailboat journey. The Desmond coffee shop meeting was one of the more forced coincidences in the series. While Libby was in a coffeehouse in California, she offered to pay Desmond's bill for a caffeinated drink, as he only had British currency. Desmond jokingly asked her for $42,000 to pay for a boat. Libby asked why he needed a boat; Desmond replied that he was going to participate in a race around the world, thereby proving to Penny's father, Widmore, that he was not a coward. Libby proceeded to tell him that her husband, David, had passed away a month prior, was an avid boating fan. David had purchased a yacht, which he named the Elizabeth
after Libby herself, intending to sail in the Mediterranean. Libby
encouraged Desmond to take it, saying that it was what David would have
wanted. Desmond promised her that he would win the race in the name of
love.
This apparently was the same time and place where Desmond met Jack running up the stadium stairs. So Libby was at the epicenter of two critical meetings.
Now, some may say that Libby's role in these chance meetings with other characters prior to the island as suspicious. Was she working for someone, like Jacob or Widmore? Was she a conduit to get people to do things, such as Hurley believing in imaginary friends like "Dave," or getting Desmond out into the Pacific to perish on the island? Or was she a guardian angel type, leading an individual to their destiny?
What if Hurley's Dave, his best friend, was the person killed when Hurley went out on the party porch that collapsed because his alleged weight? It was that traumatic event that put Hurley into a mental institution. He blamed himself for causing death and pain. And his weight gain was to remove the pain and guilt of his father leaving him as a young boy.
So if Dave was killed in the overloaded porch collapse, it could be that Dave's ghost was still around Hurley. Hurley could communicate with dead people, so that is consistent with the future story lines. Dave was probably ghosting Hurley so he could a) get Hurley to realize that it was not his fault; or b) to get revenge for dying; or c) pushing Hurley to take care of his loved one.
If Hurley was devastated by losing his best friend in an accident, likewise Libby could have been traumatized by the death of her husband, David. If Libby's David was the same person as Hurley's Dave - - - what a connection! Dave's haunting Hurley at the mental hospital, getting him to try to break out and leave, could have been a means of keeping Hurley away from institutionalized Libby. But that does not explain how Libby was manipulating the other characters to the island, and once on the island, keeping Hurley from following Dave off a cliff (and certain death). Maybe Dave was haunting Libby at the same time - - - unable to let go of her, to the point where she went insane. And the only way to get over him was to move on with Hurley.
But Dave does not seem the type to be rich to have a sailboat in pricey Newport Beach. So maybe there was another David for whom Libby shared her life. There is one other known David in the series, and that was Jack's son from the sideways world . . . a boy he allegedly fathered with sideways Juliet. It would be weird and bizarre if Libby's David was Jack's after life son - - - but since time does not make logical sense in the series, anything is possible. So Libby giving a boat to Desmond to push him on his quest to sail the Pacific got Desmond to the stadium to give Jack the advice that would push him to leadership on the island and fulfill his destiny by becoming a caring father in an alternative universe.
Or, it all could be an elaborate mental fiction crazy Libby created in order to end her lonely existence by finding a sweet, gentle, introverted rich man like Hurley. But another odd point is that Hurley's live for Libby was really solidified when Libby was killed by Michael. So Hurley and Libby could only find their happiness if they were dead. (Some would say that is a sad commentary on how the main characters were actually treated by the writers.)
The Elizabeth was a vessel that carried Desmond to the island; it represented hope of escape; and it was used to ferry characters on missions around the island. But it never like the snow globe pull of the island itself. It could be symbolic of the show itself: it was an object that had great promise and purpose, but it was shipwrecked and lost at sea. It was rebuilt and served its sailors once again. But it never left the island, just like the main characters.
Showing posts with label Libby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Libby. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Thursday, June 12, 2014
DREAMWEAVERS
“
Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.
” - - - Leon J. Suenens
If there was one Dream Master, for which the entire series was inside his/her head, who would it be?
First, there are several types of dreams. There are day dreams, where a person loses track of his/her conscious self in a real world/public setting. They go into sleep mode like a computer does; ready to wake up when some outside force interrupts their escape from reality.
Second, there are traditional REM sleep. Researchers have concluded that REM sleep is an important aspect of human health. Some believe that the brain needs to reconfigure the day's events into memory pathways so a person can problem solve in the future. Others believe that a human body needs to rest in order for its organs, tissues, blood supply and nerve endings can regenerate from a long and stressful daytime of activities. In order for the body to rest, the brain must "trick" the subject into having dreams (adventures and thoughts) so the rest of the body can heal.
Third, there are night terrors or nightmares. These are spawn from the subconscious fears every person has from their instinctive distrust of the darkness or wild animals, to interpersonal relationship problems caused by the social, moral or cultural pressures of daily life.
The entire LOST saga could fit into any one of those categories: escapism, rest or nightmares.
Candidates for the LOST dreamer:
1. Libby. When we saw her in the day room of the mental hospital, she was in a "blank stare" like she had zipped out on her meds. She seemed unaware of her surroundings, yet, she was staring at Hurley (who would later not recognize her on the island.) This non-recognition is the building block for the thesis that Libby's escape from reality in a mental institution created the various "coincidental" characters that invariably got caught up on the island: Desmond and the boat; Jack as a hospital doctor she saw in passing; Locke, whose crazy mother was institutionalized in the same facility; to even criminal psychological evaluations on people like Kate, Sawyer or Cooper. The main characters could have been composites of the people who would live and work at the mental hospital. They could have been the personality traps she wanted to release, such as motherhood (Claire), freedom (Kate), moral strength (Rose), intelligence (Juliet), leadership (Ana Lucia), or beauty (Shannon).
2. Sayid. He was the one who needed the most "rest," as his life was a turmoil. From a young child, he was dealt a rough hand. He had to step up to do the dirty deeds. He was trained to kill. It went beyond his religious beliefs, but he continued to do what he was told. He became a torturer, which led to mind torturing him. So when he went to sleep, he dreamed of a more idyllic paradise away from the war torn nation of Iraq. He would be the center of a noble journey to find his true love, happiness, acceptance and friendship with everyone in the world. But which each happy segment of island life, his memories of his real life would take over in violence, mistrust and self doubt. He tried to run away to protect the others in his dream world, but he could not - - - he would return to hurt them and himself over and over again. In a dream state, the mind can play simulator and go over problems to find different end games. In Sayid's case, the end to ease his pain would be death - - - which played out in several different ways in the island dream world (plane crash, being shot, tortured, and blown up by a bomb on the submarine.) To him, LOST was a series of stories on how he could possibly fit into a different world from his own.
3. Hurley. He was the one most open about his fears and concerns. He understood and accepted his weak mental state. He blamed himself for causing others pain. He acknowledged that he was "crazy," but that could have been a misdirection to deal with his constant nightmares. Hurley was a bundle of self doubt, lack of self-esteem, introverted neurosis, shyness, lack of social skills, and the inability to find acceptance in himself. He was a follower, not a leader. He was a wallflower, not a lover. He was person in the crowd, instead of the center of attention. As a result, he consumed the various aspect of escapism culture: television shows, comic books, movies. It was those aspects that fueled the improbable and disturbing island adventures that were Hurley's own night terrors. Hurley lacked the focus, will power and applied reasoning to follow through on things; that is why he was comfortable as a low wage fry cook. In the same way, that is why the LOST stories were a jumbled mess of half baked or incontinent conclusions because that is the way Hurley's real life was - - - a random smattering of thoughts and ideas that could mesh well brainstorming comic book hero plot lines that never would amount to any logical conclusion. Hurley felt hopeless in his real life situation. He had a single mother who pushed him from the nest but he resisted. He felt abandoned by his father. He believed he had no future. These thoughts would amplify his nightmares as these were real burdensome issues. He could only find happiness with people as "mixed up" as he was, his imaginary characters who we would come to know as the LOST cast.
If there was one Dream Master, for which the entire series was inside his/her head, who would it be?
First, there are several types of dreams. There are day dreams, where a person loses track of his/her conscious self in a real world/public setting. They go into sleep mode like a computer does; ready to wake up when some outside force interrupts their escape from reality.
Second, there are traditional REM sleep. Researchers have concluded that REM sleep is an important aspect of human health. Some believe that the brain needs to reconfigure the day's events into memory pathways so a person can problem solve in the future. Others believe that a human body needs to rest in order for its organs, tissues, blood supply and nerve endings can regenerate from a long and stressful daytime of activities. In order for the body to rest, the brain must "trick" the subject into having dreams (adventures and thoughts) so the rest of the body can heal.
Third, there are night terrors or nightmares. These are spawn from the subconscious fears every person has from their instinctive distrust of the darkness or wild animals, to interpersonal relationship problems caused by the social, moral or cultural pressures of daily life.
The entire LOST saga could fit into any one of those categories: escapism, rest or nightmares.
Candidates for the LOST dreamer:
1. Libby. When we saw her in the day room of the mental hospital, she was in a "blank stare" like she had zipped out on her meds. She seemed unaware of her surroundings, yet, she was staring at Hurley (who would later not recognize her on the island.) This non-recognition is the building block for the thesis that Libby's escape from reality in a mental institution created the various "coincidental" characters that invariably got caught up on the island: Desmond and the boat; Jack as a hospital doctor she saw in passing; Locke, whose crazy mother was institutionalized in the same facility; to even criminal psychological evaluations on people like Kate, Sawyer or Cooper. The main characters could have been composites of the people who would live and work at the mental hospital. They could have been the personality traps she wanted to release, such as motherhood (Claire), freedom (Kate), moral strength (Rose), intelligence (Juliet), leadership (Ana Lucia), or beauty (Shannon).
2. Sayid. He was the one who needed the most "rest," as his life was a turmoil. From a young child, he was dealt a rough hand. He had to step up to do the dirty deeds. He was trained to kill. It went beyond his religious beliefs, but he continued to do what he was told. He became a torturer, which led to mind torturing him. So when he went to sleep, he dreamed of a more idyllic paradise away from the war torn nation of Iraq. He would be the center of a noble journey to find his true love, happiness, acceptance and friendship with everyone in the world. But which each happy segment of island life, his memories of his real life would take over in violence, mistrust and self doubt. He tried to run away to protect the others in his dream world, but he could not - - - he would return to hurt them and himself over and over again. In a dream state, the mind can play simulator and go over problems to find different end games. In Sayid's case, the end to ease his pain would be death - - - which played out in several different ways in the island dream world (plane crash, being shot, tortured, and blown up by a bomb on the submarine.) To him, LOST was a series of stories on how he could possibly fit into a different world from his own.
3. Hurley. He was the one most open about his fears and concerns. He understood and accepted his weak mental state. He blamed himself for causing others pain. He acknowledged that he was "crazy," but that could have been a misdirection to deal with his constant nightmares. Hurley was a bundle of self doubt, lack of self-esteem, introverted neurosis, shyness, lack of social skills, and the inability to find acceptance in himself. He was a follower, not a leader. He was a wallflower, not a lover. He was person in the crowd, instead of the center of attention. As a result, he consumed the various aspect of escapism culture: television shows, comic books, movies. It was those aspects that fueled the improbable and disturbing island adventures that were Hurley's own night terrors. Hurley lacked the focus, will power and applied reasoning to follow through on things; that is why he was comfortable as a low wage fry cook. In the same way, that is why the LOST stories were a jumbled mess of half baked or incontinent conclusions because that is the way Hurley's real life was - - - a random smattering of thoughts and ideas that could mesh well brainstorming comic book hero plot lines that never would amount to any logical conclusion. Hurley felt hopeless in his real life situation. He had a single mother who pushed him from the nest but he resisted. He felt abandoned by his father. He believed he had no future. These thoughts would amplify his nightmares as these were real burdensome issues. He could only find happiness with people as "mixed up" as he was, his imaginary characters who we would come to know as the LOST cast.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
HURLEY'S FALL
Back to reviewing what actually happened in the show, we look back at a key moment in Hurley's backstory.
There is no question that the porch collapse profoundly affected Hurley. He blamed himself for the death of another person as a result of his overweight presence on an overcrowded deck. This was a major issue that the doctors at the mental institution wanted Hurley to come to terms with as part of his treatment plan. However, Hurley never does. In fact, Hurley resists the treatment plan - - - and refuses to discuss or come to terms with his fatal fall.
From this traumatic event, there are several theories that have been proposed about the show.
First, and most profound and hard to believe, is that Hurley was actually the person who died in the porch collapse. The entire show is Hurley's soul in denial - - - running away from the tragic event that ended his life. We know that Hurley was introverted but with a vivid pop culture, comic book imagination. It is possible he created his own virtual limbo to avoid acknowledging his own demise.
Or, more likely, Hurley survived the porch collapse, but caused the death of another person. We are never told the name of the victim, but there are two intriguing possibilities. One, is Hurley's imaginary friend, Dave. Dave appears to be Hurley's best friend. It appears they have known each other for a long time, since childhood. Dave is more outgoing and adventurous, so it is possible that it was Dave who pushed Hurley to go with him to the party. Or, two, the person that died in the porch collapse was Libby. Now, we saw Libby briefly in the day room at the mental institution, so Hurley should have recognized her when they met on the island (but he did not). That was always a strange situation. Hurley, being the most normal and comfortable in the facility, would have known everyone in the day room. Perhaps, that Libby was a ghost from Hurley's past there to subconsciously haunt him or save him, as Libby did on the island when Dave tried to get Hurley to jump off a cliff to "wake up" from his dream.
Yes, it has been theorized that LOST was all an elaborate dream inside Hurley's head . . . a creation of his subsequent mental illness, or as a result of his injuries from the fall such as being in a coma.
There is one key plot element in Hurley's story, and that is coming to terms with this incident. The only closure gets to this life event is finding peace and happiness with Libby in the after life (sideways world). So if one works back from that moment of resolution, we can track back how Hurley viewed himself. In the sideways world, he was a confident millionaire lottery winner who still had a void in his life, no soul mate. Tracking further back to the island world, he was an insecure millionaire lottery winner who believes he was cursed and never could be loved. Tracking further back to pre-flight 815, Hurley was an insecure loner with few friends and no real future in a career or in love. His best friend stole the girl he had a crush on. And if we roll back a little further, we have the story of Hurley and the porch collapse which traumatized him so much he had to be institutionalized in order to get treatment. It is at that place, Hurley learns of the numbers . . . which he uses to win the lottery in a miracle change-of-life fairy tale. But was that even real? Would his guilt cause all the curses after his good fortune (like his grandparent dying, the meteor hitting Mr. Cluck's, etc.). It could be that Hurley's deep neurosis kept turning his fantasy dreams into nightmares, culminating in the Flight 815 story.
It makes some sense that in order for Hurley to heal himself from the guilt of the porch collapse, he had to make it up to the one person he hurt most, that being Libby, the person killed in the accident. The means of accomplishing this resolution would be that Hurley's soul would have to search the underworld to find her, then make a connection - - - a strong bond - - - to find her again as her soul passed through the various levels of the underworld (as represented in the Egyptian rituals incorporated into the LOST sets). It was only after Hurley realized that death does not end life, but there is a rebirth with the ones you have lost, is when his fairy tale dream came to a conclusion in the after life church.
The Hurley dream theories are some of the most viable "unified" story structure theories in the LOST fan universe.
From this traumatic event, there are several theories that have been proposed about the show.
First, and most profound and hard to believe, is that Hurley was actually the person who died in the porch collapse. The entire show is Hurley's soul in denial - - - running away from the tragic event that ended his life. We know that Hurley was introverted but with a vivid pop culture, comic book imagination. It is possible he created his own virtual limbo to avoid acknowledging his own demise.
Or, more likely, Hurley survived the porch collapse, but caused the death of another person. We are never told the name of the victim, but there are two intriguing possibilities. One, is Hurley's imaginary friend, Dave. Dave appears to be Hurley's best friend. It appears they have known each other for a long time, since childhood. Dave is more outgoing and adventurous, so it is possible that it was Dave who pushed Hurley to go with him to the party. Or, two, the person that died in the porch collapse was Libby. Now, we saw Libby briefly in the day room at the mental institution, so Hurley should have recognized her when they met on the island (but he did not). That was always a strange situation. Hurley, being the most normal and comfortable in the facility, would have known everyone in the day room. Perhaps, that Libby was a ghost from Hurley's past there to subconsciously haunt him or save him, as Libby did on the island when Dave tried to get Hurley to jump off a cliff to "wake up" from his dream.
Yes, it has been theorized that LOST was all an elaborate dream inside Hurley's head . . . a creation of his subsequent mental illness, or as a result of his injuries from the fall such as being in a coma.
There is one key plot element in Hurley's story, and that is coming to terms with this incident. The only closure gets to this life event is finding peace and happiness with Libby in the after life (sideways world). So if one works back from that moment of resolution, we can track back how Hurley viewed himself. In the sideways world, he was a confident millionaire lottery winner who still had a void in his life, no soul mate. Tracking further back to the island world, he was an insecure millionaire lottery winner who believes he was cursed and never could be loved. Tracking further back to pre-flight 815, Hurley was an insecure loner with few friends and no real future in a career or in love. His best friend stole the girl he had a crush on. And if we roll back a little further, we have the story of Hurley and the porch collapse which traumatized him so much he had to be institutionalized in order to get treatment. It is at that place, Hurley learns of the numbers . . . which he uses to win the lottery in a miracle change-of-life fairy tale. But was that even real? Would his guilt cause all the curses after his good fortune (like his grandparent dying, the meteor hitting Mr. Cluck's, etc.). It could be that Hurley's deep neurosis kept turning his fantasy dreams into nightmares, culminating in the Flight 815 story.
It makes some sense that in order for Hurley to heal himself from the guilt of the porch collapse, he had to make it up to the one person he hurt most, that being Libby, the person killed in the accident. The means of accomplishing this resolution would be that Hurley's soul would have to search the underworld to find her, then make a connection - - - a strong bond - - - to find her again as her soul passed through the various levels of the underworld (as represented in the Egyptian rituals incorporated into the LOST sets). It was only after Hurley realized that death does not end life, but there is a rebirth with the ones you have lost, is when his fairy tale dream came to a conclusion in the after life church.
The Hurley dream theories are some of the most viable "unified" story structure theories in the LOST fan universe.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
THE STORY OF LIBBY
Elizabeth Smith, or Libby, is an enigma.
She begins her time on the series as a Tailie in Season 2. She is caring but very secretive of her past.
She claimed to be a clinical psychologist, but also apparently dropped out of medical school. She was a supportive character, first to Ana Lucia when she was leading her group and then to Hurley when he was having his own personal issues. Libby had a very short term relationship (one date) with Hurley. Libby died along with Ana Lucia when Michael shot them while arranging Ben's escape from the Hatch. Libby died without being able to tell anyone that Michael killed her.
From her own words and background observations, this is what we "know" about Libby:
1. She lived in Newport Beach, California.
2. She was a medical student but dropped out in her first year.
3. She eventually became a clinical psychologist.
4. She broke her leg skiing with an instructor in Vermont.
5. She was married three times, apparently last to a man named David Smith.
6. David Smith named his boat Elizabeth after her.
7. David Smith died of an unknown illness.
8. Libby inherited David's boat, and later gave it to Desmond for his Pacific race.
9. Some time after David died, Libby admitted herself to Santa Rose Mental Health Institute, the same place where Hurley and Leonard Sims were patients.
10. Libby was traveling home from Australia on Flight 815.
11. Libby briefly intervened in an argument that Eko was having with Charlotte Malkin, the young woman who had drowned but miraculously returned to life on the autopsy table. Her father was a psychic who refused Eko's request to interview Charlotte for the church investigation on the miracle. Charlotte was telling Eko that she saw Eko's brother, Yemi, when she was between worlds. Libby had asked them if everything was alright, but she got the silent treatment and left to board to the plane.
There were only five Tail section survivors left when Jin, Michael and Sawyer washed up on shore (Ana Lucia, Eko, Libby, Cindy and Bernard). Libby was the first person to reach out some support to the raft survivors, telling them that Ana Lucia "had trust issues."
She begins her time on the series as a Tailie in Season 2. She is caring but very secretive of her past.
She claimed to be a clinical psychologist, but also apparently dropped out of medical school. She was a supportive character, first to Ana Lucia when she was leading her group and then to Hurley when he was having his own personal issues. Libby had a very short term relationship (one date) with Hurley. Libby died along with Ana Lucia when Michael shot them while arranging Ben's escape from the Hatch. Libby died without being able to tell anyone that Michael killed her.
From her own words and background observations, this is what we "know" about Libby:
1. She lived in Newport Beach, California.
2. She was a medical student but dropped out in her first year.
3. She eventually became a clinical psychologist.
4. She broke her leg skiing with an instructor in Vermont.
5. She was married three times, apparently last to a man named David Smith.
6. David Smith named his boat Elizabeth after her.
7. David Smith died of an unknown illness.
8. Libby inherited David's boat, and later gave it to Desmond for his Pacific race.
9. Some time after David died, Libby admitted herself to Santa Rose Mental Health Institute, the same place where Hurley and Leonard Sims were patients.
10. Libby was traveling home from Australia on Flight 815.
11. Libby briefly intervened in an argument that Eko was having with Charlotte Malkin, the young woman who had drowned but miraculously returned to life on the autopsy table. Her father was a psychic who refused Eko's request to interview Charlotte for the church investigation on the miracle. Charlotte was telling Eko that she saw Eko's brother, Yemi, when she was between worlds. Libby had asked them if everything was alright, but she got the silent treatment and left to board to the plane.
There were only five Tail section survivors left when Jin, Michael and Sawyer washed up on shore (Ana Lucia, Eko, Libby, Cindy and Bernard). Libby was the first person to reach out some support to the raft survivors, telling them that Ana Lucia "had trust issues."
| Libby used her knowledge of psychology to persuade Sawyer that his wound was not as bad as it looked or felt (which was a comforting lie). Unlike Ana
Lucia, she was willing to help construct a stretcher to transport Sawyer
in the hopes of keeping him alive. When they were lifting this
stretcher up a steep cliff, Cindy disappeared without a sound. Libby expressed great fear when they heard The Whispers right before Ana Lucia shot Shannon, as the two groups of survivors paths' collided in the jungle. The Tail section survivors met the beach camp members on Day 48 after the crash. Libby was killed on Day 65. This means that Hurley and Libby only had only 17 days to interact. When they met during this time, neither one of them acknowledged that they had been together previously in the mental hospital. During a Hurley flashback involving his imaginary friend, Dave, we clearly saw a disheveled Libby in the same day room, staring blankly into space, being given medications from a nurse. Even when she was visibly emotionally spent and mentally out of it, she looked intently in Hurley's direction. Hurley, being comfortable in the day room, would have noticed all the other patients, including Libby. This is one of those plot points that screams "set up." Was it a background story to lessen or tarnish Hurley's monumental moment (his first island date) since Libby knew him before the crash? Or, in an inversion of a fan theory that the whole Island adventure was Hurley's own dream, that the whole LOST sage was the imagination or dream of mental patient Libby. It is odd that Libby was the person who gave a stranger, Desmond, an expensive boat to sail off on a one man race across the Pacific Ocean. It is also odd that Libby is suddenly on Flight 815 in Sydney making sure that Eko was okay - - - and would board the flight. It is too convenient to place Libby at such desperate locations which have direct consequences of other people landing on the island. One could extrapolate the Libby was a player early on. She could have been an agent for Jacob just like Naomi was later on. Libby was a spy that was making sure that the candidates would make it to the island. And Libby died like Naomi trying to get the candidates all back together. Even if Libby was just another lost soul who found her way to the Island, why would she have wound up with Hurley? She had a more serious relationship with her husband, David, whose death traumatized her enough that she had to be admitted to Santa Rosa. Why did she not wind up with her husband in the after life? One answer is that her entire back ground was lies and cover stories. Even so, why did Libby become Hurley's "soul mate" after an extremely short island tenure? One could speculate that Libby was merely a prop or a reward that Hurley desired and that the Island's magic box provided to him. But this I Dream of Libby explanation is based purely on a childlike crush and not an intense romantic relationship and commitment. The character of Libby gave us certain plot twists and mysteries. But her predominate position in the end with Hurley makes little sense. If Hurley's relationship with Libby (the courage to ask her out) was the lesson why Hurley had to journey to the island in the first place, then when Hurley finished his guardianship and "closed" it, he would have returned to the main land to live a long, rich life (and presumably meet other women). But based upon the ending construction, Hurley gave us no indication that he had a life after he became the island guardian. That the island and the people he met "were the most important people" in his life. Libby's inclusion in the end church was merely to give a popular character, Hurley, happiness in the end. Apparently, that was the whole objective of the end sequence: to give the main characters a happy ending (logic and common sense not required.) |
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
REBOOT EPISODES 45-48
POSTING NOTE: Due to work changes, I may not be able to post updates on Tuesdays after Monday night marathon G4 reruns, but updates will occur later in the week.
LOST REBOOT
Recap: Episodes 45-48 (Days 63-66)
The second season begins to wind down with the build up of the confrontation with the Others.
Michael reveals secrets about the Others' camp to the survivors; Hurley and Libby plan their first date. When Ana is attacked by Ben, she begins to contemplate taking matters into her own hands. Meanwhile, Michael is reunited with his friends and tells them he wants to go back for Walt, which Ben said the Others would never give up. Michael takes matters into his own hands, and as a result he shoots Ana and Libby.
After Eko experiences unusual dreams, he asks Locke to take him to the “?” from the blast door map. They go out and find the Pearl Station. Michael must maintain his cool as he watches Libby die slowly. In the Hatch, the rest of the survivors must come to terms with what just transpired and try to ease the suffering of a mortally wounded Libby.
As the survivors mourn the losses Ana and Libby, Michael continues to badger the 815ers to launch a rescue mission for Walt, an assault against the Others who are to blame for their current situation. Michael convinces Hurley, Jack, Kate and Sawyer to ambush the Others.
Events come to a head as Michael leads his friends across the Island to confront the Others. Meanwhile, Desmond returns to the Island on his sailboat, and he and Locke make a decision to see what happens if the Hatch countdown timer goes beyond zero.
Michael’s ambush party is seen by the Others; Michael is confronted by Jack. Sayid, Jin and Sun use Desmond’s boat to counterattack and to meet up Jack's crew. Locke and Desmond trick Eko from leaving the station during a Lockdown, in order to test whether something happens if one does not press the Hatch button.
Science:
Brain washing is a technique to make people do something against their natural will.
Scientific studies began in the 1950s including the spheres of cults, marketing, influence, thought reform, torture and reeducation.
The neurological basis for reasoning and cognition in the brain, and brings the point across that the self is changeable. The physiology behind neurological pathways which include webs of neurons containing dendrites, axons and synapses; and this explains that certain brains with more rigid pathways will be less susceptible to new information or creative stimuli. Neurological science to show that brainwashed individuals have more rigid pathways, and that rigidity can make it unlikely that the individual will rethink situations or be able to later reorganize these pathways.
Certain techniques in influencing and brainwashing others, including a restriction of individual freedoms, deception, and methods that conflict with one's decision-making processes. the techniques used by cults to influence others are similar to those used by other social groups, and compares similar totalitarian aspects of cults and communist societies. These techniques include isolating the individual and controlling their access to information, challenging their belief structure and creating doubt, and repeating messages in a pressurized environment. cults emphasize positive aspects of the group over negative aspects of outsiders, endlessly repeat simple ideas in "highly reductive, definitive - sounding phrases", and refer to "abstract and ambiguous" ideas associated with "huge emotional baggage” according to neuroscientist Kathleen Taylor.
Improbabilities:
Inman, the American soldier in Iraq with Sayid, is now pushing button in Hatch with Desmond.
In the 13 day Island flashback, why would Jack and/or Locke trust anything Michael would say after Michael knocked out Locke and pulled a gun on Jack in the Hatch? Michael’s violence against his friends under the guise of finding his son would get more paranoid after his return when he wants to organize a small ambush party that Jack agrees Michael has a right to lead.
Mysteries:
How can Ben and the Others leave the Island, and Desmond in his boat could not?
Is the vaccine actually the sickness or merely another fake element to get people to do something that does not matter?
What is the four toe foot statue base represent? We will learn that it is the remains of the statue of Tawaret, an ancient Egyptian god of fertility and death.
Themes:
Life and Death. There is a fine line between life and death. To what ends will a father do to save the life of his son? Is it rational for Michael to murder two people under the anger that his group is not helping him enough to find his son? At this point in the story, it is the plane survivors who act more like savages - - - killing three others and a few of their own people by gross negligence. But later on, we will be told that pales in comparison with Ben’s purge of Dharma.
Missions and Quests. The main characters are often viewed, from even within the secondary characters, as going off into the jungle on dangerous missions. Those roles are similar to those of characters in massive on-line games like Worlds of Warcraft.
Clues:
When Desmond returns on his sailboat, which floated back to the Island, he states "we are stuck in a bloody snow globe! There's no outside world, there's no escape."
Desmond finally asks Jack if they are "still pushing" to which Jack replies with a smile, "Yeah, we're still pushing it." Locke later remarks that the “world’s still here,” for which Desmond responds “not so sure.”
Ben tells Ana, “you are the killers!” And when confronted with his lies, Ben knows his fate with the survivors or his own group by saying “I’m dead anyway.”
Desmond won’t read Dickens “Our Mutual Friend” until just before his death; but his copy is tattered and worn like it has been read a lot.
When Michael asks Eko if he is a priest, Michael says next that he must believe in Hell.
Eko tells the story of a boy who kills a dog to protect his sister. The boy wonders if he can go to heaven for his action, and Eko tells him he will be forgiven so long as he is sorry. But the boy is still afraid that he will to Hell and find the dog waiting there for him.
Eko pieces together the impossible facts to conclude the Island is a magical place because his brother’s plane crashes halfway around the world, his plane crashes in the same place, and that he and John have vivid dreams of his brother telling them what to do.
Eko sees the vision of bleeding/dead Ana, who tells Eko to help Jack, and to help Locke find the question mark.
Discussion:
“ Business demands faith, compels earnestness, requires courage, is honestly selfish, is penalized for mistakes, and is the essence of life. ”
— William Feather
“Equal opportunity means everyone will have a fair chance at being incompetent.”
--- Laurence J. Peter
“Love must not touch the marrow of the soul. Our affections must be breakable chains that we can cast them off or tighten them.”
---- Louise Erdrich
As the second season winds down, there was a huge event that should have answered several burning questions about the Island and the Hatch. When Desmond returns, he tells the survivors that they are never going back to their old life; that there is no escape from the Island. Desmond then begins to drink himself to death.
The other element of these episodes is Michael’s dissent into his personal hell. His incompetence as a father transforms him into an incompetent killer. He compounds his mistakes by blaming Ben for the shootings, and covers up the truth while his friends watch innocent Libby die. As a result of his misguided love for his son, Michael will forever chain his soul to the Island seeking answers to his misery, as a trapped whisper in the jungle, which in some respects is his purgatory.
We also begin to get clear understanding of the fears and motivations of the characters.
We also see continuing repetition of themes and situations between characters.
Christian and Ana “run away” from their problems to go to Australia much in the same way that Kate is running away from her past decisions. We see characters like Desmond having to prove himself but fails just like Hurley believes he failed Libby on his organization of their first date.
Desmond is called a coward by Widmore. In order to restore his honor, he decides to win a round the world boat race sponsored by Widmore in order to win Penny back. How that makes any sense when Penny is engaged to another man, and upset with Dez for not writing her while he was “away.” (It is noteworthy that she does not acknowledge his “prison,” but uses the word “away” which has one meaning of “to go toward nonexistence.”) So Desmond’s fate is to do something incredibly brave in order to restore his honor so he can reconnect with his love, Penny. As in the Wizard of Oz, courage can only be obtained by the tests along the way to the end.
We see Michael as a father who allowed his son to be adopted and taken away by another person be racked by guilt of his selfish decision to compound his mistakes in order to get Walt back. Michael’s incompetence continues in his role as a murderer, because he could not do that right when he shot Libby, who suffered an agonizing death in front of her friends.
Charlie has his own personal demon, drugs. It tears a part his personal relationships. It leaves him alone; he fears being alone. So in order to restore his friendship with Claire, he must break free from the hold that drugs has on his soul. He does so when Vincent shows him Sawyer’s stash. Charlie throws all the statues out to sea. Later, at the funeral of Ana and Libby, Claire holds his hand, re-connecting their bond.
Bonds appear to be an important element of Island survival. Sawyer admits to Jack that Jack is the closest thing he has to a friend. Friendship could be equated to Faraday’s concept of having “a Constant” to keep you mind frying during the time travel elements of the future story arc. The bonds of friendship are important facets of human life, of social order and social behavior. When Jack repeats his mantra, “Live Together, Die Alone,” he means that their group bonds are more important than self-centered, selfish goals. We will find that those who go it alone, such as Michael, will wind up with damnation as a trapped island whisper, believed to be a lost soul that has not or cannot be redeemed.
Magical/Supernatural/Elements:
Desmond sailing “due west” for three weeks and not finding Fiji, but the only land is his return to the Island, which he considers “a large snow globe.”
Dead people showing up on the island, like Eko’s brother and Ana, telling Eko what to do next. Spirits are guiding individuals along the path of Island existence, in the same way one could say angels may guide souls through the after life.
Last lines in episodes:
EP 45:
LIBBY: [appearing] Michael?!
[Michael, surprised, turns and shoots her twice. He opens the armory door. He and Gale stare at each other for a long moment. Michael shoots himself in the arm.]
EP 46:
JACK: Michael. He's okay. He made it, Libby. It's okay. It's alright.
[Libby gasps for air and dies. Jack closes her eyelids. Hurley cries. Kate cries and Sawyer comforts her. We hear the timer alarm start sounding. We see Eko and Locke walking through the jungle. We see Michael standing by himself in the armory. We see a close up of the prompt at the computer monitor.]
EP 47:
SUN: Boat. Boat!
[We see a sailboat coming in to shore.]
EP 48:
SAYID: We’re here.
New Ideas/Tests of Theories:
If one looks to what is actually said within the show as the answers and theories to the Island mysteries, this is what we have so far:
1. Dave’s explanation to Hurley that Hurley is still in the hospital, in a catatonic state, and that he has created all these characters and events in his own mind.
2. Desmond believes that they are no longer in “their world” after sailing for three weeks in a “bloody snow globe.” The concept as the Island in a different dimension or realm is a compelling premise, even if the characters survived the plane crash and transported to a spirit world interacting with dead souls seeking redemption.
3. Sawyer believes satirically that the Others are aliens. This would infer that the survivors are alien abductees on a ship or other planet as test subjects, like the Star Trek episode The Cage.
4. Many characters have referenced the Island being Hell or the after life. Rose and Locke acknowledge their secret “miracles” after the plane crash, a crash a normal person would not have survived. Radinzky, Inman’s partner in the Hatch, puts on the blast door map reference to Cerberus, the guardian dogs of Hell. Through Michael’s guilt and cover up, he references a belief in Hell to Eko.
5. That the survivors are unfortunate castaways who have landed on a crazy island controlled by dangerous psychopaths who have built several scientific stations to monitor and test human behavior in a series of cruel lies.
6. Likewise, there is evidence that the inhabitants of the Island all have mental illness symptoms or traits, including parenting and social issues, criminal behavior and paranoia. The Island may be a symbolic view point of insane people receiving treatment in a mental institution in order to “change” their behavior. The ability to “change” one’s path is an important element in each person’s back story. When Ben yells at Ana that her group “are the killers,” there could be truth in that statement that everyone on the island is criminally insane, and being treated in an unconventional manner as part of their sentence on an isolated penal colony. All the 815ers came from Australia, which began its existence as a penal colony.
7. After Walt is captured and sees Michael briefly, he warns him that it is all “pretend.” The Others are pretending to be a band of shoddy hillbillies. But it is a lie. But to pretend in a child’s world is to dream and act out adventure stories with other children. The idea that there are no children around could infer that the children are present, but in the form of adults, acting out their own interconnected dramas. This could all be as simple as a game of pretend. It could be an on-line game, it could be a virtual world, or it could be a fantasy dream of a “special” child. Any form of dream state could explain away all of the inconsistencies, continuity, legal errors, medical errors and supernatural elements of the show. For in a dream you can do anything you want, including reviving the dead.
These episodes dynamically reinforce the science that mind control is at the heart of the Island characters survival. Is it about mental illness in a person(s) that creates a fantasy world that the characters are trying to get through, via quests, religious ritual or missions of survival? Or is characters in a hospital setting getting treatment from real doctors for whom the patients turn into villains? The whole idea that Dharma, the Others, Widmore or any other group is using brain washing techniques to “change” a person’s behavior or beliefs is compelling when viewed from the point of the last eight episodes. Ben and Klug use spies, interviews, and data collection of the survivors, including capturing subjects, isolating individuals from their group, controlling their access to information, challenging their belief structure; creating doubt, and repeating messages in a pressurized environment of confinement or supernatural dangers. It seems that the Island structures are all available means to re-train a person’s mind or brain wash them to change. It seems that some characters must reach their personal “rock bottom” in order to change, and in turn, in order to be saved from their personal demons.
Example, when Klug is interviewing Michael in the Other’s camp, she is asking questions like a physician would to a new patient. She gives Michael a list of names, similar to what Dr. Brooks did with Hurley at the mental institution. When Walt is given three minutes with Michael, Klug threatens Walt with “the room,” which is Room 23 at a station that was used by Dharma and the Others for brain washing individuals. But Walt warns Michael that “this is all PRETEND!!” The whole scene leaves Michael an emotional wreck, willing to do anything asked of him to get his son back, including murder. The question is whether Klug is helping Michael “change” his maniac personality disorder, re-channel his emotional guilt of not being a good father to his son, or feeding Michael’s fragile emotional state to act on impulses of pure evil.
LOST REBOOT
Recap: Episodes 45-48 (Days 63-66)
The second season begins to wind down with the build up of the confrontation with the Others.
Michael reveals secrets about the Others' camp to the survivors; Hurley and Libby plan their first date. When Ana is attacked by Ben, she begins to contemplate taking matters into her own hands. Meanwhile, Michael is reunited with his friends and tells them he wants to go back for Walt, which Ben said the Others would never give up. Michael takes matters into his own hands, and as a result he shoots Ana and Libby.
After Eko experiences unusual dreams, he asks Locke to take him to the “?” from the blast door map. They go out and find the Pearl Station. Michael must maintain his cool as he watches Libby die slowly. In the Hatch, the rest of the survivors must come to terms with what just transpired and try to ease the suffering of a mortally wounded Libby.
As the survivors mourn the losses Ana and Libby, Michael continues to badger the 815ers to launch a rescue mission for Walt, an assault against the Others who are to blame for their current situation. Michael convinces Hurley, Jack, Kate and Sawyer to ambush the Others.
Events come to a head as Michael leads his friends across the Island to confront the Others. Meanwhile, Desmond returns to the Island on his sailboat, and he and Locke make a decision to see what happens if the Hatch countdown timer goes beyond zero.
Michael’s ambush party is seen by the Others; Michael is confronted by Jack. Sayid, Jin and Sun use Desmond’s boat to counterattack and to meet up Jack's crew. Locke and Desmond trick Eko from leaving the station during a Lockdown, in order to test whether something happens if one does not press the Hatch button.
Science:
Brain washing is a technique to make people do something against their natural will.
Scientific studies began in the 1950s including the spheres of cults, marketing, influence, thought reform, torture and reeducation.
The neurological basis for reasoning and cognition in the brain, and brings the point across that the self is changeable. The physiology behind neurological pathways which include webs of neurons containing dendrites, axons and synapses; and this explains that certain brains with more rigid pathways will be less susceptible to new information or creative stimuli. Neurological science to show that brainwashed individuals have more rigid pathways, and that rigidity can make it unlikely that the individual will rethink situations or be able to later reorganize these pathways.
Certain techniques in influencing and brainwashing others, including a restriction of individual freedoms, deception, and methods that conflict with one's decision-making processes. the techniques used by cults to influence others are similar to those used by other social groups, and compares similar totalitarian aspects of cults and communist societies. These techniques include isolating the individual and controlling their access to information, challenging their belief structure and creating doubt, and repeating messages in a pressurized environment. cults emphasize positive aspects of the group over negative aspects of outsiders, endlessly repeat simple ideas in "highly reductive, definitive - sounding phrases", and refer to "abstract and ambiguous" ideas associated with "huge emotional baggage” according to neuroscientist Kathleen Taylor.
Improbabilities:
Inman, the American soldier in Iraq with Sayid, is now pushing button in Hatch with Desmond.
In the 13 day Island flashback, why would Jack and/or Locke trust anything Michael would say after Michael knocked out Locke and pulled a gun on Jack in the Hatch? Michael’s violence against his friends under the guise of finding his son would get more paranoid after his return when he wants to organize a small ambush party that Jack agrees Michael has a right to lead.
Mysteries:
How can Ben and the Others leave the Island, and Desmond in his boat could not?
Is the vaccine actually the sickness or merely another fake element to get people to do something that does not matter?
What is the four toe foot statue base represent? We will learn that it is the remains of the statue of Tawaret, an ancient Egyptian god of fertility and death.
Themes:
Life and Death. There is a fine line between life and death. To what ends will a father do to save the life of his son? Is it rational for Michael to murder two people under the anger that his group is not helping him enough to find his son? At this point in the story, it is the plane survivors who act more like savages - - - killing three others and a few of their own people by gross negligence. But later on, we will be told that pales in comparison with Ben’s purge of Dharma.
Missions and Quests. The main characters are often viewed, from even within the secondary characters, as going off into the jungle on dangerous missions. Those roles are similar to those of characters in massive on-line games like Worlds of Warcraft.
Clues:
When Desmond returns on his sailboat, which floated back to the Island, he states "we are stuck in a bloody snow globe! There's no outside world, there's no escape."
Desmond finally asks Jack if they are "still pushing" to which Jack replies with a smile, "Yeah, we're still pushing it." Locke later remarks that the “world’s still here,” for which Desmond responds “not so sure.”
Ben tells Ana, “you are the killers!” And when confronted with his lies, Ben knows his fate with the survivors or his own group by saying “I’m dead anyway.”
Desmond won’t read Dickens “Our Mutual Friend” until just before his death; but his copy is tattered and worn like it has been read a lot.
When Michael asks Eko if he is a priest, Michael says next that he must believe in Hell.
Eko tells the story of a boy who kills a dog to protect his sister. The boy wonders if he can go to heaven for his action, and Eko tells him he will be forgiven so long as he is sorry. But the boy is still afraid that he will to Hell and find the dog waiting there for him.
Eko pieces together the impossible facts to conclude the Island is a magical place because his brother’s plane crashes halfway around the world, his plane crashes in the same place, and that he and John have vivid dreams of his brother telling them what to do.
Eko sees the vision of bleeding/dead Ana, who tells Eko to help Jack, and to help Locke find the question mark.
Discussion:
“ Business demands faith, compels earnestness, requires courage, is honestly selfish, is penalized for mistakes, and is the essence of life. ”
— William Feather
“Equal opportunity means everyone will have a fair chance at being incompetent.”
--- Laurence J. Peter
“Love must not touch the marrow of the soul. Our affections must be breakable chains that we can cast them off or tighten them.”
---- Louise Erdrich
As the second season winds down, there was a huge event that should have answered several burning questions about the Island and the Hatch. When Desmond returns, he tells the survivors that they are never going back to their old life; that there is no escape from the Island. Desmond then begins to drink himself to death.
The other element of these episodes is Michael’s dissent into his personal hell. His incompetence as a father transforms him into an incompetent killer. He compounds his mistakes by blaming Ben for the shootings, and covers up the truth while his friends watch innocent Libby die. As a result of his misguided love for his son, Michael will forever chain his soul to the Island seeking answers to his misery, as a trapped whisper in the jungle, which in some respects is his purgatory.
We also begin to get clear understanding of the fears and motivations of the characters.
We also see continuing repetition of themes and situations between characters.
Christian and Ana “run away” from their problems to go to Australia much in the same way that Kate is running away from her past decisions. We see characters like Desmond having to prove himself but fails just like Hurley believes he failed Libby on his organization of their first date.
Desmond is called a coward by Widmore. In order to restore his honor, he decides to win a round the world boat race sponsored by Widmore in order to win Penny back. How that makes any sense when Penny is engaged to another man, and upset with Dez for not writing her while he was “away.” (It is noteworthy that she does not acknowledge his “prison,” but uses the word “away” which has one meaning of “to go toward nonexistence.”) So Desmond’s fate is to do something incredibly brave in order to restore his honor so he can reconnect with his love, Penny. As in the Wizard of Oz, courage can only be obtained by the tests along the way to the end.
We see Michael as a father who allowed his son to be adopted and taken away by another person be racked by guilt of his selfish decision to compound his mistakes in order to get Walt back. Michael’s incompetence continues in his role as a murderer, because he could not do that right when he shot Libby, who suffered an agonizing death in front of her friends.
Charlie has his own personal demon, drugs. It tears a part his personal relationships. It leaves him alone; he fears being alone. So in order to restore his friendship with Claire, he must break free from the hold that drugs has on his soul. He does so when Vincent shows him Sawyer’s stash. Charlie throws all the statues out to sea. Later, at the funeral of Ana and Libby, Claire holds his hand, re-connecting their bond.
Bonds appear to be an important element of Island survival. Sawyer admits to Jack that Jack is the closest thing he has to a friend. Friendship could be equated to Faraday’s concept of having “a Constant” to keep you mind frying during the time travel elements of the future story arc. The bonds of friendship are important facets of human life, of social order and social behavior. When Jack repeats his mantra, “Live Together, Die Alone,” he means that their group bonds are more important than self-centered, selfish goals. We will find that those who go it alone, such as Michael, will wind up with damnation as a trapped island whisper, believed to be a lost soul that has not or cannot be redeemed.
Magical/Supernatural/Elements:
Desmond sailing “due west” for three weeks and not finding Fiji, but the only land is his return to the Island, which he considers “a large snow globe.”
Dead people showing up on the island, like Eko’s brother and Ana, telling Eko what to do next. Spirits are guiding individuals along the path of Island existence, in the same way one could say angels may guide souls through the after life.
Last lines in episodes:
EP 45:
LIBBY: [appearing] Michael?!
[Michael, surprised, turns and shoots her twice. He opens the armory door. He and Gale stare at each other for a long moment. Michael shoots himself in the arm.]
EP 46:
JACK: Michael. He's okay. He made it, Libby. It's okay. It's alright.
[Libby gasps for air and dies. Jack closes her eyelids. Hurley cries. Kate cries and Sawyer comforts her. We hear the timer alarm start sounding. We see Eko and Locke walking through the jungle. We see Michael standing by himself in the armory. We see a close up of the prompt at the computer monitor.]
EP 47:
SUN: Boat. Boat!
[We see a sailboat coming in to shore.]
EP 48:
SAYID: We’re here.
New Ideas/Tests of Theories:
If one looks to what is actually said within the show as the answers and theories to the Island mysteries, this is what we have so far:
1. Dave’s explanation to Hurley that Hurley is still in the hospital, in a catatonic state, and that he has created all these characters and events in his own mind.
2. Desmond believes that they are no longer in “their world” after sailing for three weeks in a “bloody snow globe.” The concept as the Island in a different dimension or realm is a compelling premise, even if the characters survived the plane crash and transported to a spirit world interacting with dead souls seeking redemption.
3. Sawyer believes satirically that the Others are aliens. This would infer that the survivors are alien abductees on a ship or other planet as test subjects, like the Star Trek episode The Cage.
4. Many characters have referenced the Island being Hell or the after life. Rose and Locke acknowledge their secret “miracles” after the plane crash, a crash a normal person would not have survived. Radinzky, Inman’s partner in the Hatch, puts on the blast door map reference to Cerberus, the guardian dogs of Hell. Through Michael’s guilt and cover up, he references a belief in Hell to Eko.
5. That the survivors are unfortunate castaways who have landed on a crazy island controlled by dangerous psychopaths who have built several scientific stations to monitor and test human behavior in a series of cruel lies.
6. Likewise, there is evidence that the inhabitants of the Island all have mental illness symptoms or traits, including parenting and social issues, criminal behavior and paranoia. The Island may be a symbolic view point of insane people receiving treatment in a mental institution in order to “change” their behavior. The ability to “change” one’s path is an important element in each person’s back story. When Ben yells at Ana that her group “are the killers,” there could be truth in that statement that everyone on the island is criminally insane, and being treated in an unconventional manner as part of their sentence on an isolated penal colony. All the 815ers came from Australia, which began its existence as a penal colony.
7. After Walt is captured and sees Michael briefly, he warns him that it is all “pretend.” The Others are pretending to be a band of shoddy hillbillies. But it is a lie. But to pretend in a child’s world is to dream and act out adventure stories with other children. The idea that there are no children around could infer that the children are present, but in the form of adults, acting out their own interconnected dramas. This could all be as simple as a game of pretend. It could be an on-line game, it could be a virtual world, or it could be a fantasy dream of a “special” child. Any form of dream state could explain away all of the inconsistencies, continuity, legal errors, medical errors and supernatural elements of the show. For in a dream you can do anything you want, including reviving the dead.
These episodes dynamically reinforce the science that mind control is at the heart of the Island characters survival. Is it about mental illness in a person(s) that creates a fantasy world that the characters are trying to get through, via quests, religious ritual or missions of survival? Or is characters in a hospital setting getting treatment from real doctors for whom the patients turn into villains? The whole idea that Dharma, the Others, Widmore or any other group is using brain washing techniques to “change” a person’s behavior or beliefs is compelling when viewed from the point of the last eight episodes. Ben and Klug use spies, interviews, and data collection of the survivors, including capturing subjects, isolating individuals from their group, controlling their access to information, challenging their belief structure; creating doubt, and repeating messages in a pressurized environment of confinement or supernatural dangers. It seems that the Island structures are all available means to re-train a person’s mind or brain wash them to change. It seems that some characters must reach their personal “rock bottom” in order to change, and in turn, in order to be saved from their personal demons.
Example, when Klug is interviewing Michael in the Other’s camp, she is asking questions like a physician would to a new patient. She gives Michael a list of names, similar to what Dr. Brooks did with Hurley at the mental institution. When Walt is given three minutes with Michael, Klug threatens Walt with “the room,” which is Room 23 at a station that was used by Dharma and the Others for brain washing individuals. But Walt warns Michael that “this is all PRETEND!!” The whole scene leaves Michael an emotional wreck, willing to do anything asked of him to get his son back, including murder. The question is whether Klug is helping Michael “change” his maniac personality disorder, re-channel his emotional guilt of not being a good father to his son, or feeding Michael’s fragile emotional state to act on impulses of pure evil.
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