"Don't try to stop me, Peter. I am sure Aslan would not. I am sure it is not wrong for me to mourn for Narnia. Think of all that lies dead and frozen beyond that door."
- Lucy Pevensie, The Last Battle
"Is everything sad going to come untrue?"
- Sam Gamgee, The Return of the King
"I chose you because you needed this place as much as it needed you."
- Jacob, What They Died For
We've known for a long time that The End was coming, and I've been preparing myself by setting aside songs that I might use to work through my feelings about the finale. I have a list of them jotted down, but one grabbed me and refused to release me, forcing me to do something about it before I even watched the last episode, anticipating that I would spend the wee hours of this morning ripping it to shreds in light of everything in the finale that contradicted it. Instead I changed it just before I watched the episode, and I kept it pretty much the same after that. Initially I imagined it being set immediately after the Island events in the finale, as I strongly suspected the Island would sink; now, it's set in the Sideways world, at which point it does seem that the Island is indeed under the sea, or certainly inaccessible to our castaways. And despite all evidence to the contrary, I believe that Jacob and Hurley will reunite on the other side of that door.
The Village That They Call the Moy is a song written and performed by Celtic Thunder's Ryan Kelly, a musician for whom I have enormous respect and affection. I came across his demo online last year and it instantly resonated deeply. I evaded it all year, mostly because I felt a little funny filking a song that isn't actually on an album yet. But the album's coming soon, and I hope everyone reading this buys a copy, because it's sure to be brilliant. And when this song tapped me on the shoulder, it would not be stopped. So I hope Ryan will forgive me for piggybacking off of his tender hometown ode, and I thank him for giving me the perfect vehicle for expressing my sense of grateful melancholy as my favorite show comes to a close.
(Update: Ryan Kelly's first solo album, In Time - which features a more up-tempo version of The Village That They Call the Moy - is available now. Buy it here!)
The Island Where I Was Reborn
Sawyer: Leavin’ it should have been easy.
It put me through such an ordeal.
But still, I shuddered to think, As the memories shrink,
I someday could doubt it was real.
I went there so jaded and lost and afraid
Of the darkness that’s inside of me;
I passed through the flames, and I left as just James.
I’m found, and I’m finally free.
That doesn’t mean I don’t miss it.
Jacob knew that I needed that place,
So I boarded that flight, and I went toward the light,
Toward the source of all wisdom and grace.
I am happy and whole and at ease in my soul,
But a part of me always will mourn
That it’s under the sea, so I never will be
Back on the Island where I was reborn.
Kate: How dreary were days I did nothing but run
From my conscience and from the police!
My own complicity in my friend’s death
Haunted me and kept me from peace.
My love life always was messy.
At last I’m sure of which romance to pursue,
But I think of the track that I traveled with Jack
Before all of our grief came untrue.
That’s when I realize I miss it.
Jacob knew that I needed that place,
So I boarded that flight, and I went toward the light,
Toward the source of all wisdom and grace.
I am happy and whole and at ease in my soul,
But a part of me always will mourn
That it’s under the sea, so I never will be
Back on the Island where I was reborn.
Hugo: It’s well I remember that life-changing day
When he asked me to go catch that plane.
Then he tried to prepare me for leaving him there,
For the close to his long-standing reign.
He brought me so far from that chat in the car
But also learned something from me;
Since love never ends, we will always be friends,
And it all started under the sea.
Everyone knows that I miss it.
Jacob knew that I needed that place,
So I boarded that flight, and I went toward the light,
Toward the source of all wisdom and grace.
I am happy and whole and at ease in my soul,
But a part of me always will mourn
That it’s under the sea, so I never will be
Back on the Island where I was reborn.
All: I am happy and whole and at ease in my soul,
But a part of me always will mourn
That it’s under the sea, so I never will be
Back on the Island where I was reborn.
The Village That They Call The Moy
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Sunday, May 23, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
The Seven Great Lessons of LOST
After I watched What They Died For, I wasn’t sure just what I thought about it. I felt a bit muddled, so I watched it again. And then I slept on it. And in the morning, clarity began to come. Nonetheless, as this was essentially part one of the finale, I wondered whether I might do well not to try writing any songs about the episode until I put them into context with the finale. But I’ve lived with these characters for six seasons, and gotten to know them even more deeply than many because of my songwriting efforts. So I found that they came to me.
Richard arrived first. I’d been thinking a lot about The Minstrel of Cranberry Lane, one of the few songs I hadn’t yet gotten to in my feverish efforts to filk the Irish Rovers’ magnificent Tales to Warm Your Mind. A wistful song about wisdom and lost innocence, it called out to me, but I had no fitting subject. Until I recalled how moved I was by the tiny scene with Richard and Ben on the outskirts of the Others’ old stomping grounds, where Richard had buried Alex near a place where she and her adoptive father had spent a few precious moments of carefree happiness.
I struggled a bit with that one, but working through it felt like a spiritual experience. And so I turned my thoughts to Michael Card, the one songwriter I most admire who I’ve most avoided throughout this project for fear that it was inappropriate to write songs about a TV show based on songs rooted in the Bible. But when I considered the way that LOST sometimes illustrated Biblical principles, I decided it was time to dig into his music. After all, he, more than any other songwriter, demonstrated to me how to use lyrics to put a fresh spin on familiar stories and characters, while remaining true to the source material. The intricacy of his lyrics and his fondness for alliteration have leaked into my writing for years as well; though I seldom think about it, I suspect that he is one of my most important influences. And so I decided to try to honor his influence by taking a stab at some of his songs.
And a funny thing happened. One by one, several of the most vital players remaining on the Island began nudging me as I browsed through a selection of his songs. Jacob. Ben. Jack. Sawyer. They came and tapped me on the shoulder like Jacob himself and spoke their piece; it was all eerily effortless, flowing one after another so quickly that I really did feel as though they were doing the writing and not me. And it wasn’t until I got to Hurley that I realized what was happening. They were showing me how to say goodbye to the show and carry it with me. And I found that, while other characters remained on the Island, if I could just crack Kate, who’s always eluded me more than most, I would have a complete set of lessons. So I thought, and once I realized what it is that I think makes her tick, everything clicked into place.
So I present the Seven Lessons of LOST, along with the primary song I use to illustrate them, along with links to previous songs that have some resonance with the theme.
“If We Can’t Live Together, We’re Gonna Die Alone” / We Must Be Men of Science and Faith
Jack's Pledge (Jack)
It might sound like two distinct lessons, but I think of it more like a two-pronged lesson. Love the Lord your God, and love your neighbor as yourself. Faith and works. How we relate to the universe, and how we relate to each other. It all comes down to embracing possibility: that it is a good and worthy thing to use reason and observation to explore our world; that we are sinners in the hands of a loving God; that our fellow sinners, no matter what their crimes, are both worthy and capable of love. We need community, and we need differing perspectives. We shouldn’t be so sure of ourselves that we refuse to learn from others or to accept their help. If LOST can be boiled down to one lesson, I think this would have to be it, and while it’s something all the characters have worked through to some degree, nowhere is the struggle and the growth more apparent than in Jack, who eventually comes to a resolution of the contraries expressed in Jacob and his brother.
I'll Never Leave You (Sun / Jin) * This Island Is My Home (Jacob / Smokey) * Brothers (Jacob / Smokey) * Brother in Black (Jacob / Smokey) * I'll Search for Jin (Sun) * Hush, Little Aaron (castaways) * Any Team Will Do (viewers) * Eucalyptus (Jack) * September (Jack / Kate) * Can You Lead Me to the Plane? (Eko) * Lookin' Like Locke (Smokey) * She Was There (Charlie) * My Freedom (Smokey / Jacob) * Smokey * John Locke's Body * Getting Harder (George / Desmond) * I'll Search for Sun (Jin) * God Help Us All (Eloise) * You Need Love (Charlie) * Penny Milton (Desmond / Eloise / Daniel) * Stubborn Tomato (Jack) * Sawyer's Candidacy (Hurley / Sawyer) * Cork in the Wine (Jacob) * Known for the Doubt (Ben) * Jacob's Chosen (Smokey) * Not As Others (Tom) * The Loophole (Smokey) * See You in Another Life (Desmond) * Sittin' on the Shoreline (Smokey) * John Locke * The Crazy Man (Charlotte / Daniel) * Michael, Build the Raft With Jin * Crazytown (Sawyer) * Faraday (Jacob / Daniel) * Way Over (Frank) * John Locke in the Rain * Daniel's Warning (Daniel / Charlotte) * Tallies, Time and Tapestries (Jacob) * The Hidden Hatch (Desmond) * Langdon Street (Claire) * Bye Australia (815ers) * In the D. I. (Horace) * The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham (John) * Hey There, Ricardus (Ilana) * Fly On (Sawyer) * The Island's Call (viewers) * Goodbye Mr. Linus (Jack / Juliet) * I'm His Mother (Kate) * I Can Make Time (Daniel) * Dan in My Dream (Desmond) * The Thinker (Daniel) * That's the Island (John / Jack) * Where We're Destined to Be (Jack) * Yesterdayland (Sawyer) * Penny Girl (Desmond) * What the World Needs Now Is LOST (viewers) * When They Arrive (Jack) * Leaving This Island (Charlie) * I Never (Sawyer / Kate) * Hey Dude (Hurley) * For Her Sake / Sacrificial (Charlie / Desmond) * The Box Man (Desmond) * Fatal (Jack / Kate) * A Flash Before My Eyes (Desmond) * The Reader of My Hand (Claire) * I Can't Take a Shower (castaways) * Never Too Old (Bernard) * Despair (Charlie) * The Star of My Supreme Deception (Ben / Tom) * Christmas on the Island (castaways) * We Wish We Could Find an Isthmus (castaways) * Castaway Canon * I Am John Locke * Castaways' Rhapsody
“Fear Leads to Anger, Anger Leads to Hate, Hate Leads to Suffering”
Alex's Grave (Richard)
Yes, Yoda said it first. But this is a principle that LOST has powerfully demonstrated time and again, and most succinctly in Ab Aeterno. Richard was a good man who was terrified of losing his wife, which led to anger and hatred toward the man who refused her treatment. He killed the corrupt doctor, and he spent the next 140 years working through the consequences of that action, trying his hardest not to repeat his error and to encourage others to learn from his mistake. He seems to have taken a particular interest in Ben, who he first met as a scared little boy. Ben grew up to be a scared little man who clothed his fear in a mask of fearsome authority and who never was able to learn from Richard just how poisonous hatred could be. He had to come by his wisdom a little differently.
I'll Walk Away (Hurley) * The Man With No Name (Jacob) * Whoever You Are (Claire) * Communication (Hurley) * You're Mine (Ben) * My Brother (Claire) * Sayid's Message (Sayid) * Widmore's Whiskey (Desmond) * Tell Desmond I'm Sorry (Ben) * Meant to Suffer (Christian / Jack / Sawyer) * Richard's Penance * Sundown! (Smokey / Sayid) * Eloise (Richard / Jack) * Well, I Certainly Hope You Help Him (Ben) * Eulogy (Ben / Frank) * Please Kill the Girl (Don't Kill the Girl) (Charlotte et. al.) * My Old Man's a Conman (John) * Before He Had Been Born (Eloise) * You Were Wrong, Jack (Sawyer / Kate) * Just Because He's John (Ben) * Stealing Walt (Tom) * Penny Hume * Why Did You Shoot Me? (John) * My Younger Brother's Cross (Eko) * I Will Not Avenge Boone (Sayid) * In That Hatch (Claire) * Goodbye Mr. Clean (Sawyer) * Stuck Here on a Rock (Juliet) * Girls Just Gotta Have Guns (AnaLucia) * Flight 815 (Boone / Hurley / John)
Wisdom Comes Through Experience and Mentorship
Invincible (Jacob)
I spent most of LOST waiting for Jacob. Even, I think, before Ben cryptically mentioned him in season two. It was always clear to me that no one among the castaways could be considered a figure akin to Dumbledore or Gandalf or Obi-Wan, and I needed the assurance that somewhere out there was someone who knew just a little bit more about what was going on than these hapless castaways. Someone tied in with the sense of purpose that John felt and that resonated so deeply with me. When we met Jacob at last, I feel the experience was as profound for me as it was for Hurley. And knowing where he comes from does absolutely nothing to diminish my respect for him. No, it just shows that this is a show about how people relate to the divine; it doesn’t make any definitive statements about the divine itself. And so Jacob is just someone who has been grappling with these questions longer than most. An idealist who was thrust into a role for which he didn’t feel remotely ready, guided by long years of trial and error - as well as a wise word from a much younger but ultimately sager man.
The Back-Up Plan (Jacob) * The Guardian (Jacob) * Try Treating Him Better (Christian) * Katie Be Good (Kate / Jacob) * What Will You Tell Her? (Desmond) * It's Me Callin' (Jack) * Still Think You're Dead? (Richard) * My Beacon on the Water (Jacob) * Give Them Life (Jack / Sawyer / Hurley / John) * Brother Desmond
Grace Truly Is Amazing
I Will Destroy the Beast (Ben)
Jacob is not God, but he is a man of God, someone who has spent centuries striving to embrace the noble and to prove that the human capacity for goodness is just as strong as its capacity for evil. So it is that Jacob chose flawed individuals for the very purpose of refining them, allowing them to become better versions of themselves. Those Candidates often veered horribly from the path, and no character has demonstrated the depths of depravity and the heights of grace so effectively as Ben Linus, particularly in Dr. Linus, which is very possibly my favorite episode, at last bringing the hopes that Jacob and I had to fruition. Many would say that Benjamin Linus didn’t deserve mercy. But he got it anyway, and I believe that he will ultimately be remembered much like seemingly sinister Severus Snape, “the bravest man I ever knew.” Meanwhile, I've come to realize that Ilana is grace personified. "I'll have you" is probably my favorite three words in the entire season.
Creepy Kid (Jacob / Smokey) * Choice in an Underwater Cell * My Sister (Jack) * I'll Have You (Ben / Ilana) * The Island and Me (John) * Jacob's Apology * The Summons (Jacob) * Mr. Eko * Eye of the Island (John) * Will You Like Me More? (Sawyer) * Quit Callin' Me James (Sawyer)
We Must Learn Humility and Trust
Our Noble Leader (Sawyer)
Long before Ben Linus was a glimmer in the eye of LOST fans the world over, we had Sawyer, another severely broken man whose suffering had led him to evil deeds. By the end of the first season, he had begun to work through many of his issues, though it wasn’t until the end of season four that he truly began to embrace his potential for heroism. It was a beautiful thing. But he still had a hard time letting go of his ego. While skepticism is a worthwhile quality at times, Sawyer can't stop his cynicism from getting in the way. His inability to trust Jack persisted all the way through The Candidate, when it led to the deaths of Sayid, Sun, Jin and presumably Frank. Now, at last, he is finally ready to humble himself and to trust the man who he once described as “the closest thing I have to a friend”...
Doing Construction (Rose) * Lightning Was Striking Your Tent (Desmond) * Find the Plants for Me (Ben / John) * I'll Win This Race (Desmond / Libby) * Hoffs-Drawlar (Jack) * Take a Walkabout * Hugo, Lead On (Jack) * Soulmates (Libby / Hurley) * Let's Start Over (Jack / David) * Blow Up the Island (Daniel / Jack / Kate) * Jughead (Richard / Daniel) * I Am With You (Isabella) * You're the Best (Alex / Ben) * Tell Me About It (Miles) * Dr. Linus (Arzt) * Cursing His Protection (Richard) * Keep This Guitar Case For Me (Jacob) * Tell My Sister That I Love Her (Miles) * Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do (John) * Trust (Sayid) * Your Vanishing Hut (Daniel) * Resurrected Man (Richard) * My Mother Was Armed (Daniel) * Walkie Man (Tom) * The Humble Fisherman (Mr. Kwon) * Jacob (Ben) * Henry With the Arrow (Ben) * A Militant Man (Sayid) * The Perfect Crime (Nikki / Paolo) * Henry (Not Ben)
No One Deserves to Be a Redshirt
The War You Had to Wage (Kate)
...The closest thing, anyway, besides Hurley, his gentle mentor, and Kate, who has attached herself to both Sawyer and Jack throughout the series, frustrating me immensely as her flirtation and lack of commitment often lead to major problems for the castaways. It’s only in these last couple of weeks that I think I’ve begun to really understand Kate, and to see her unique perspective on a problem that has plagued the show from the outset. I’ve always thought of Hurley as the Patron Saint of Redshirts. Whether he’s eulogizing little-known castaways, defending skeletal Roger’s dignity or buying up every spare ticket on Flight 316, Hurley has consistently demonstrated his dedication to those others might disregard. But I finally realized that this is what drives Kate as well; she just isn’t as good at expressing this concern effectively as Hurley. Because of her actions, her best friend died. Ever since, she’s been tortured by her complicity and has wanted to avoid perpetuating the pattern, even as she does so, again and again. The only reason the Marshal caught her in Australia was because she stopped to help the man who was on his way to turn her in. In this past episode, she is the voice of indignation for everyone who has died, expressing her utter disdain for allowing people to be collateral damage. Everybody has a story. Every person has dignity and value; every life is worth protecting. Ilana understood that well; I'm coming to realize that I love her and Kate every bit as much as Rose, and in this glorious exchange from The Incident she perfectly explains my thoughts on the redshirt matter: "BRAM: Why'd we even bring this yahoo? ILANA: Because, we might need him. BRAM: For what? He didn't know the answer to the question. ILANA: That doesn't mean he's not important."
The Island He Ruled (Smokey) * I Translate for Dogen (Lennon) * The Ballad of Frank Lapidus * Plastic Jet Plane (Kate) * Leonard's Numbers (Hurley) * Should I Save His Life Again? (Desmond) * Who'll Fly the Plane (Kate) * A New Color (Hurley / Desmond) * Casualties Are Common (victims) * When the Island's Done With Us (Ben) * That Dynamite (Hurley) * Sawyer's Threat * For Those in the Background (Hurley) * Careful Flyin' (Frank) * The Smoke Thing (Smokey / Sawyer) * Rose and Bernie * Flaming Arrows (Frogurt) * Lapidus * Goodbye Maddening Code (Kelvin) * Mikhail * For Charlie (Desmond) * He Was An Other (Danny)
The People and Stories We Loved Never Leave Us
When It Ends (Hurley)
I anticipate that we will have a Grey Havens moment in the series finale of LOST with Hurley, Kate and Sawyer, who I suspect will be the only ones left standing aside from Jack, who will remain with the man with whom he now shares a deep communion. They will speak for us as they bid farewell to the Island and to their mentors. I expect that Kate will have an especially difficult time letting go of Jack and Hurley will find it very hard to say goodbye to Jacob. But throughout the show, we have seen how these characters are influenced by those they have loved and lost. And we’ve also seen, mostly through Sawyer and Hurley, how great stories can influence a person’s life, and in that way the Island is a metaphor for the show itself, so although we leave it behind, we carry its lessons with us always.
Hippocratic Lament (Jack) * Dissin' Anakin (Sawyer) * Reading as the Doc Rambles On (Doc Jensen) * Little House (Sawyer) * Ben's Song (Annie) * Alexandra (Ben) * We Are Home (Oceanic Six) * The Ring From My Hand (Liam) * I'm Gonna Read (Sawyer) * I'll Follow My Friend (Hurley) * She Wore the Ring He Left Her (Charlie)
Richard arrived first. I’d been thinking a lot about The Minstrel of Cranberry Lane, one of the few songs I hadn’t yet gotten to in my feverish efforts to filk the Irish Rovers’ magnificent Tales to Warm Your Mind. A wistful song about wisdom and lost innocence, it called out to me, but I had no fitting subject. Until I recalled how moved I was by the tiny scene with Richard and Ben on the outskirts of the Others’ old stomping grounds, where Richard had buried Alex near a place where she and her adoptive father had spent a few precious moments of carefree happiness.
I struggled a bit with that one, but working through it felt like a spiritual experience. And so I turned my thoughts to Michael Card, the one songwriter I most admire who I’ve most avoided throughout this project for fear that it was inappropriate to write songs about a TV show based on songs rooted in the Bible. But when I considered the way that LOST sometimes illustrated Biblical principles, I decided it was time to dig into his music. After all, he, more than any other songwriter, demonstrated to me how to use lyrics to put a fresh spin on familiar stories and characters, while remaining true to the source material. The intricacy of his lyrics and his fondness for alliteration have leaked into my writing for years as well; though I seldom think about it, I suspect that he is one of my most important influences. And so I decided to try to honor his influence by taking a stab at some of his songs.
And a funny thing happened. One by one, several of the most vital players remaining on the Island began nudging me as I browsed through a selection of his songs. Jacob. Ben. Jack. Sawyer. They came and tapped me on the shoulder like Jacob himself and spoke their piece; it was all eerily effortless, flowing one after another so quickly that I really did feel as though they were doing the writing and not me. And it wasn’t until I got to Hurley that I realized what was happening. They were showing me how to say goodbye to the show and carry it with me. And I found that, while other characters remained on the Island, if I could just crack Kate, who’s always eluded me more than most, I would have a complete set of lessons. So I thought, and once I realized what it is that I think makes her tick, everything clicked into place.
So I present the Seven Lessons of LOST, along with the primary song I use to illustrate them, along with links to previous songs that have some resonance with the theme.
“If We Can’t Live Together, We’re Gonna Die Alone” / We Must Be Men of Science and Faith
Jack's Pledge (Jack)
It might sound like two distinct lessons, but I think of it more like a two-pronged lesson. Love the Lord your God, and love your neighbor as yourself. Faith and works. How we relate to the universe, and how we relate to each other. It all comes down to embracing possibility: that it is a good and worthy thing to use reason and observation to explore our world; that we are sinners in the hands of a loving God; that our fellow sinners, no matter what their crimes, are both worthy and capable of love. We need community, and we need differing perspectives. We shouldn’t be so sure of ourselves that we refuse to learn from others or to accept their help. If LOST can be boiled down to one lesson, I think this would have to be it, and while it’s something all the characters have worked through to some degree, nowhere is the struggle and the growth more apparent than in Jack, who eventually comes to a resolution of the contraries expressed in Jacob and his brother.
I'll Never Leave You (Sun / Jin) * This Island Is My Home (Jacob / Smokey) * Brothers (Jacob / Smokey) * Brother in Black (Jacob / Smokey) * I'll Search for Jin (Sun) * Hush, Little Aaron (castaways) * Any Team Will Do (viewers) * Eucalyptus (Jack) * September (Jack / Kate) * Can You Lead Me to the Plane? (Eko) * Lookin' Like Locke (Smokey) * She Was There (Charlie) * My Freedom (Smokey / Jacob) * Smokey * John Locke's Body * Getting Harder (George / Desmond) * I'll Search for Sun (Jin) * God Help Us All (Eloise) * You Need Love (Charlie) * Penny Milton (Desmond / Eloise / Daniel) * Stubborn Tomato (Jack) * Sawyer's Candidacy (Hurley / Sawyer) * Cork in the Wine (Jacob) * Known for the Doubt (Ben) * Jacob's Chosen (Smokey) * Not As Others (Tom) * The Loophole (Smokey) * See You in Another Life (Desmond) * Sittin' on the Shoreline (Smokey) * John Locke * The Crazy Man (Charlotte / Daniel) * Michael, Build the Raft With Jin * Crazytown (Sawyer) * Faraday (Jacob / Daniel) * Way Over (Frank) * John Locke in the Rain * Daniel's Warning (Daniel / Charlotte) * Tallies, Time and Tapestries (Jacob) * The Hidden Hatch (Desmond) * Langdon Street (Claire) * Bye Australia (815ers) * In the D. I. (Horace) * The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham (John) * Hey There, Ricardus (Ilana) * Fly On (Sawyer) * The Island's Call (viewers) * Goodbye Mr. Linus (Jack / Juliet) * I'm His Mother (Kate) * I Can Make Time (Daniel) * Dan in My Dream (Desmond) * The Thinker (Daniel) * That's the Island (John / Jack) * Where We're Destined to Be (Jack) * Yesterdayland (Sawyer) * Penny Girl (Desmond) * What the World Needs Now Is LOST (viewers) * When They Arrive (Jack) * Leaving This Island (Charlie) * I Never (Sawyer / Kate) * Hey Dude (Hurley) * For Her Sake / Sacrificial (Charlie / Desmond) * The Box Man (Desmond) * Fatal (Jack / Kate) * A Flash Before My Eyes (Desmond) * The Reader of My Hand (Claire) * I Can't Take a Shower (castaways) * Never Too Old (Bernard) * Despair (Charlie) * The Star of My Supreme Deception (Ben / Tom) * Christmas on the Island (castaways) * We Wish We Could Find an Isthmus (castaways) * Castaway Canon * I Am John Locke * Castaways' Rhapsody
“Fear Leads to Anger, Anger Leads to Hate, Hate Leads to Suffering”
Alex's Grave (Richard)
Yes, Yoda said it first. But this is a principle that LOST has powerfully demonstrated time and again, and most succinctly in Ab Aeterno. Richard was a good man who was terrified of losing his wife, which led to anger and hatred toward the man who refused her treatment. He killed the corrupt doctor, and he spent the next 140 years working through the consequences of that action, trying his hardest not to repeat his error and to encourage others to learn from his mistake. He seems to have taken a particular interest in Ben, who he first met as a scared little boy. Ben grew up to be a scared little man who clothed his fear in a mask of fearsome authority and who never was able to learn from Richard just how poisonous hatred could be. He had to come by his wisdom a little differently.
I'll Walk Away (Hurley) * The Man With No Name (Jacob) * Whoever You Are (Claire) * Communication (Hurley) * You're Mine (Ben) * My Brother (Claire) * Sayid's Message (Sayid) * Widmore's Whiskey (Desmond) * Tell Desmond I'm Sorry (Ben) * Meant to Suffer (Christian / Jack / Sawyer) * Richard's Penance * Sundown! (Smokey / Sayid) * Eloise (Richard / Jack) * Well, I Certainly Hope You Help Him (Ben) * Eulogy (Ben / Frank) * Please Kill the Girl (Don't Kill the Girl) (Charlotte et. al.) * My Old Man's a Conman (John) * Before He Had Been Born (Eloise) * You Were Wrong, Jack (Sawyer / Kate) * Just Because He's John (Ben) * Stealing Walt (Tom) * Penny Hume * Why Did You Shoot Me? (John) * My Younger Brother's Cross (Eko) * I Will Not Avenge Boone (Sayid) * In That Hatch (Claire) * Goodbye Mr. Clean (Sawyer) * Stuck Here on a Rock (Juliet) * Girls Just Gotta Have Guns (AnaLucia) * Flight 815 (Boone / Hurley / John)
Wisdom Comes Through Experience and Mentorship
Invincible (Jacob)
I spent most of LOST waiting for Jacob. Even, I think, before Ben cryptically mentioned him in season two. It was always clear to me that no one among the castaways could be considered a figure akin to Dumbledore or Gandalf or Obi-Wan, and I needed the assurance that somewhere out there was someone who knew just a little bit more about what was going on than these hapless castaways. Someone tied in with the sense of purpose that John felt and that resonated so deeply with me. When we met Jacob at last, I feel the experience was as profound for me as it was for Hurley. And knowing where he comes from does absolutely nothing to diminish my respect for him. No, it just shows that this is a show about how people relate to the divine; it doesn’t make any definitive statements about the divine itself. And so Jacob is just someone who has been grappling with these questions longer than most. An idealist who was thrust into a role for which he didn’t feel remotely ready, guided by long years of trial and error - as well as a wise word from a much younger but ultimately sager man.
The Back-Up Plan (Jacob) * The Guardian (Jacob) * Try Treating Him Better (Christian) * Katie Be Good (Kate / Jacob) * What Will You Tell Her? (Desmond) * It's Me Callin' (Jack) * Still Think You're Dead? (Richard) * My Beacon on the Water (Jacob) * Give Them Life (Jack / Sawyer / Hurley / John) * Brother Desmond
Grace Truly Is Amazing
I Will Destroy the Beast (Ben)
Jacob is not God, but he is a man of God, someone who has spent centuries striving to embrace the noble and to prove that the human capacity for goodness is just as strong as its capacity for evil. So it is that Jacob chose flawed individuals for the very purpose of refining them, allowing them to become better versions of themselves. Those Candidates often veered horribly from the path, and no character has demonstrated the depths of depravity and the heights of grace so effectively as Ben Linus, particularly in Dr. Linus, which is very possibly my favorite episode, at last bringing the hopes that Jacob and I had to fruition. Many would say that Benjamin Linus didn’t deserve mercy. But he got it anyway, and I believe that he will ultimately be remembered much like seemingly sinister Severus Snape, “the bravest man I ever knew.” Meanwhile, I've come to realize that Ilana is grace personified. "I'll have you" is probably my favorite three words in the entire season.
Creepy Kid (Jacob / Smokey) * Choice in an Underwater Cell * My Sister (Jack) * I'll Have You (Ben / Ilana) * The Island and Me (John) * Jacob's Apology * The Summons (Jacob) * Mr. Eko * Eye of the Island (John) * Will You Like Me More? (Sawyer) * Quit Callin' Me James (Sawyer)
We Must Learn Humility and Trust
Our Noble Leader (Sawyer)
Long before Ben Linus was a glimmer in the eye of LOST fans the world over, we had Sawyer, another severely broken man whose suffering had led him to evil deeds. By the end of the first season, he had begun to work through many of his issues, though it wasn’t until the end of season four that he truly began to embrace his potential for heroism. It was a beautiful thing. But he still had a hard time letting go of his ego. While skepticism is a worthwhile quality at times, Sawyer can't stop his cynicism from getting in the way. His inability to trust Jack persisted all the way through The Candidate, when it led to the deaths of Sayid, Sun, Jin and presumably Frank. Now, at last, he is finally ready to humble himself and to trust the man who he once described as “the closest thing I have to a friend”...
Doing Construction (Rose) * Lightning Was Striking Your Tent (Desmond) * Find the Plants for Me (Ben / John) * I'll Win This Race (Desmond / Libby) * Hoffs-Drawlar (Jack) * Take a Walkabout * Hugo, Lead On (Jack) * Soulmates (Libby / Hurley) * Let's Start Over (Jack / David) * Blow Up the Island (Daniel / Jack / Kate) * Jughead (Richard / Daniel) * I Am With You (Isabella) * You're the Best (Alex / Ben) * Tell Me About It (Miles) * Dr. Linus (Arzt) * Cursing His Protection (Richard) * Keep This Guitar Case For Me (Jacob) * Tell My Sister That I Love Her (Miles) * Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do (John) * Trust (Sayid) * Your Vanishing Hut (Daniel) * Resurrected Man (Richard) * My Mother Was Armed (Daniel) * Walkie Man (Tom) * The Humble Fisherman (Mr. Kwon) * Jacob (Ben) * Henry With the Arrow (Ben) * A Militant Man (Sayid) * The Perfect Crime (Nikki / Paolo) * Henry (Not Ben)
No One Deserves to Be a Redshirt
The War You Had to Wage (Kate)
...The closest thing, anyway, besides Hurley, his gentle mentor, and Kate, who has attached herself to both Sawyer and Jack throughout the series, frustrating me immensely as her flirtation and lack of commitment often lead to major problems for the castaways. It’s only in these last couple of weeks that I think I’ve begun to really understand Kate, and to see her unique perspective on a problem that has plagued the show from the outset. I’ve always thought of Hurley as the Patron Saint of Redshirts. Whether he’s eulogizing little-known castaways, defending skeletal Roger’s dignity or buying up every spare ticket on Flight 316, Hurley has consistently demonstrated his dedication to those others might disregard. But I finally realized that this is what drives Kate as well; she just isn’t as good at expressing this concern effectively as Hurley. Because of her actions, her best friend died. Ever since, she’s been tortured by her complicity and has wanted to avoid perpetuating the pattern, even as she does so, again and again. The only reason the Marshal caught her in Australia was because she stopped to help the man who was on his way to turn her in. In this past episode, she is the voice of indignation for everyone who has died, expressing her utter disdain for allowing people to be collateral damage. Everybody has a story. Every person has dignity and value; every life is worth protecting. Ilana understood that well; I'm coming to realize that I love her and Kate every bit as much as Rose, and in this glorious exchange from The Incident she perfectly explains my thoughts on the redshirt matter: "BRAM: Why'd we even bring this yahoo? ILANA: Because, we might need him. BRAM: For what? He didn't know the answer to the question. ILANA: That doesn't mean he's not important."
The Island He Ruled (Smokey) * I Translate for Dogen (Lennon) * The Ballad of Frank Lapidus * Plastic Jet Plane (Kate) * Leonard's Numbers (Hurley) * Should I Save His Life Again? (Desmond) * Who'll Fly the Plane (Kate) * A New Color (Hurley / Desmond) * Casualties Are Common (victims) * When the Island's Done With Us (Ben) * That Dynamite (Hurley) * Sawyer's Threat * For Those in the Background (Hurley) * Careful Flyin' (Frank) * The Smoke Thing (Smokey / Sawyer) * Rose and Bernie * Flaming Arrows (Frogurt) * Lapidus * Goodbye Maddening Code (Kelvin) * Mikhail * For Charlie (Desmond) * He Was An Other (Danny)
The People and Stories We Loved Never Leave Us
When It Ends (Hurley)
I anticipate that we will have a Grey Havens moment in the series finale of LOST with Hurley, Kate and Sawyer, who I suspect will be the only ones left standing aside from Jack, who will remain with the man with whom he now shares a deep communion. They will speak for us as they bid farewell to the Island and to their mentors. I expect that Kate will have an especially difficult time letting go of Jack and Hurley will find it very hard to say goodbye to Jacob. But throughout the show, we have seen how these characters are influenced by those they have loved and lost. And we’ve also seen, mostly through Sawyer and Hurley, how great stories can influence a person’s life, and in that way the Island is a metaphor for the show itself, so although we leave it behind, we carry its lessons with us always.
Hippocratic Lament (Jack) * Dissin' Anakin (Sawyer) * Reading as the Doc Rambles On (Doc Jensen) * Little House (Sawyer) * Ben's Song (Annie) * Alexandra (Ben) * We Are Home (Oceanic Six) * The Ring From My Hand (Liam) * I'm Gonna Read (Sawyer) * I'll Follow My Friend (Hurley) * She Wore the Ring He Left Her (Charlie)
Thursday, May 20, 2010
This War You Had to Wage (Spirit of the Age, Michael Card)
"I wanna know why. I wanna know that Sun and Jin and Sayid didn't die for nothing."
- Kate, What They Died For
I've been trying to get into the heads of each of the major Island players as they move into the final chapter, and I've had a harder time getting a handle on Kate than most. But I think I have a pretty good understanding of where she's coming from, and I don't begrudge her the angry questions she hurls at Jacob. Here's Kate to the tune of Michael Card's Spirit of the Age.
This War You Had to Wage
My eyes are red from crying for Jin, Sayid and Sun,
And I can’t stop thinking of their little girl Ji Yeon.
So what Locke said to Sawyer... Swear to me he lied.
I cannot continue till you tell me why they died.
So Jacob, did you care about the wailing?
What about the sorrow and the rage?
It’s time that you apologized for killing
Victims of this war you had to wage!
You seem so understanding, benevolent and kind.
But does it even bother you that we left them behind?
And what about my number? How come it has been crossed?
Is that your way of saying that all hope for me is lost?
So Jacob, did you care about the wailing?
What about the sorrow and the rage?
It’s time that you apologized for killing
Victims of this war you had to wage!
The accidents and murders that piled up here in Hell
Ought to haunt you even if you only meant us well.
If you’re to be our mentor, our shining spectral sage,
Say sorry for the victims of this war you had to wage!
So Jacob, did you care about the wailing?
What about the sorrow and the rage?
It’s time that you apologized for killing
Victims of this war you had to wage!
Because of me, my best friend died for nothing,
And ever since I’ve craved a blank page.
So how can you accept there are so many
Victims of this war you had to wage?
The victims of this war you had to wage...
Spirit of the Age
When It Ends (A Face That Shone, Michael Card)
"My ashes are right there in that fire... When it burns out, you’ll never see me again."- Jacob, What They Died For
LOST is so filled with wonderful characters, and I love nearly all of them, but there will always be an extra special place in my heart for Jacob and Hurley. In the great epics, this always tends to be my favorite pair: the wise mentor and the loving, humble apostle. Gandalf and Sam. Dumbledore and Hagrid. Aslan and Lucy. Granted, Aslan is something More than those others, Jacob included. But Jacob reflects the light in a powerful way, and Hurley feels a deep sense of connection to him. I was very saddened by Jacob's words to Hurley in What They Died For. I thought of Lucy leaving Narnia in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and I anticipate this parting being equally difficult for Hurley. But even as he dreads the loss, his chief concern is harmony, and something tells me this Star Wars geek holds the key to a satisfying resolution. Here's Hurley to the tune of Michael Card's A Face That Shone.
When It Ends
Though Richard raved and ranted to Jack on the Black Rock,
I was sure that we should follow, for we’re Jacob’s chosen flock.
I knew it from the moment he blessed me with his touch.
When he gave me that guitar case, his assurance meant so much.
He met me at the Temple, and he helped me find the stone
That hid a secret passage to a lighthouse long unknown.
Jacob never acted like he thought that I would fail.
I began to think that maybe the light of kindness could prevail.
So when it ends, I will feel I’ve lost a father,
A faithful friend who believed that I had worth.
But when it ends, I will know that I would rather
Have been blessed to briefly know him.
I’ve been searching for him since my birth.
He brought us to the Island. We became his flustered flock,
And he’s charged us now with stopping his old friend who looks like Locke.
Oh, I know that he’s a monster and he really isn’t John,
But he used to be his brother. That part of him’s not gone.
Jacob said he’d try to kill us and we would need to guard the light,
But reconciliation’s the best end to this fight.
We’ll somehow find the balance so the conflict can be done.
Like Anakin and Luke, the fractured family will be one.
And when it ends, I will feel I’ve lost a father,
A faithful friend who believed that I had worth.
But when it ends, I still will know that I would rather
Have been blessed to briefly know him.
I’ve been seeking him since birth.
He said to me, “You’ll never see me once it’s ended.
I’ll have to go, but you will know you have my love.
You’ll bear the light, and everyone who you’ve befriended
Will snatch a spark, and they’ll be mended both from within and from above.”
And when it ends, I will feel I’ve lost a father,
A faithful friend who believed that I had worth.
But when it ends, I still will know that I would rather
Have been blessed to briefly know him.
I’ve been seeking him since birth.
A Face That Shone
Our Noble Leader (The Gentle Healer, Michael Card)
Sawyer: And I thought that guy had a God complex before.
Kate: James.
Sawyer: Yeah, I know.
- What They Died For
After seeing such a snarly Island Sawyer for so much of season six, I was touched by his humility in What They Died For. Here's Sawyer coming to grips with Jack's role as his leader, to the tune of Michael Card's The Gentle Healer.
Our Noble Leader
Our noble leader always has to save the day.
He gives commands, and I balk and disobey.
Yeah, you can depend on my gettin' in his way.
Our noble leader always has to save the day.
Our noble leader always has to save the day,
And Juliet was the price I had to pay,
For she fell in the well, and now my world is gray.
Our noble leader always has to save the day.
Oh, I know that he’s a tender-hearted man.
When no one cared, he lent a helping hand.
Yeah, but trustin’ folks was never quite my plan.
And yet I know that he’s a tender-hearted man.
Our noble leader, he’s number twenty-three,
And now Jacob’s told him, “Jack, you’re just like me.”
I want to be sarcastic, but I see
That our noble leader is what he was meant to be.
He Called Him Brother (They Called Him Laughter, Michael Card)
"I only picked one name."
- Claudia, Across the Sea
The epic rivalry between Jacob and his brother started with their birth. Here's a reflection on that to the tune of Michael Card's They Called Him Laughter.
He Called Him Brother
A stormy wind and a restless sea
Left Claudia lost. She was destined to be
A pawn in the game of the woman who guarded the Island.
Accepting the help of the stranger who spoke,
She pushed, and her baby was born and awoke.
But Jacob would soon have a brother because there were two.
He called him Brother thanks to their mother.
Though she was expecting,
She didn’t know twins would be due.
So Jacob was frozen in the name she had chosen,
But he called him Brother.
There weren’t enough names for two.
She clothed him in darkness and Jacob in light
And planned for the day when she’d force them to fight.
She applauded the sins of the brother, and poor Jacob knew.
He tried to be faithful to mother and twin,
But given the choice between parent and kin,
He stuck with the former, becoming a desolate boy.
He called him Brother thanks to their mother.
Though she was expecting,
She didn’t know twins would be due.
So Jacob was frozen in the name she had chosen,
But he called him Brother.
There weren’t enough names for two.
He called him Brother thanks to their mother.
Though she was expecting,
She didn’t know twins would be due.
So Jacob was frozen in the name she had chosen,
But he called him Brother.
There weren’t enough names for two.
They Called Him Laughter
Jack's Pledge (The Edge, Michael Card)
"I'll do it... This is why I’m here. This is... this is what I'm supposed to do."
- Jack, What They Died For
Jack has been Our Hero from the very beginning of LOST, but he's had to work through some massive issues before he was ready to embrace the role of Island guardian. Here, he reflects on what he's learned as fatherly Jacob makes him his replacement, to the tune of Michael Card's The Edge.
Jack’s Pledge
You were calmly watching me on that momentous day
When I arrived and dove into the fray.
Yes, you tracked me down and followed me and drove me to the edge,
And now I am content to make this pledge.
I promise I will cast away the dark and serve the light.
I swear, as your replacement, I will face this final fight.
I’ll drink your holy water, and I will count upon each friend
Who will aid me, for you made me the ticket to the end.
I’ve found more than I lost, and I am ready for this task.
I’m glad you think that I have what it takes.
You’ve given me a mission, and I’ll do just what you ask,
For you’ve healed me and forgiven my mistakes.
I promise I will cast away the dark and serve the light.
I swear, as your replacement, I will face this final fight.
I’ll drink your holy water, and I will count upon each friend
Who will aid me, for you made me the ticket to the end.
I realize the thirst for good in every human heart
Is better quenched together than apart.
I never was a Man of Faith; I stuck with facts instead.
But at last I see it’s best to blend the spirit and the head.
I promise I will cast away the dark and serve the light.
I swear, as your replacement, I will face this final fight.
I’ll drink your holy water, and I will count upon each friend
Who will aid me, for you made me the ticket to the end.
I will cast away the dark and serve the light.
I will face this final fight.
I Will Destroy the Beast (God's Own Fool, Michael Card)
"It's where I was told I could summon the monster. That's before I realized that it was the one summoning me."
- Ben, What They Died For
Ben's actions on the Island in What They Died For initially really depressed me because it felt like such a sad regression back into villainy. But the more I think about it, the more certain I am that Ben is running his own con, and because of his incredibly dark past and his willingness to kill his old enemy to get his point across, he may just be able to pull it off where Sawyer failed. Here's hopin'. Here is Ben to the tune of Michael Card's God's Own Fool.
I Will Destroy the Beast
Seems he misled me for all of my life
Since I came to this place as a kid,
And he molded me into a murderous man.
I cringe at the things that I did.
For ever since Jacob clutched me as he died
And then Miles confirmed that he cared,
I've seen how this monster made use of my pride
Until I was wholly ensnared.
So I, in my foolishness, ate up his lies.
I was his tool then, but now I’ve grown wise.
When I was a leader, he conned me so long.
Now I’ve been humbled and know I was wrong.
And so I’ll make that thing a fool.
I owe that to Jacob at least.
I won’t stand by and be his tool.
I will destroy the beast.
I’ll give up my life for the sake of this con
That will rid us of evil at last.
I’ll do it for Jacob and Alex and John.
I’ll purge the mistakes of my past.
I’ll surrender the power that never was mine,
Be the man Jacob hoped I could be.
For I’ve been through the fire and I’ve been refined,
And though I was blind, now I see.
Yes, I, in my foolishness, ate up his lies.
I was his tool then, but now I’ve grown wise.
When I was a leader, he conned me so long.
Now I’ve been humbled and know I was wrong.
And so I’ll make that thing a fool.
I owe that to Alex at least.
I won’t stand by and be his tool.
I will destroy the beast.
So I’ll make that thing a fool.
I owe that to John Locke at least.
I won’t stand by and be his tool.
I will destroy the beast.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Invincible (Now That I've Held Him In My Arms, Michael Card)
"Now you're like me."
- Jacob, What They Died For
I've been thinking about the song that Charlie started to write in the season two episode Fire + Water and hoping that it makes an appearance, in completed form, in The End. It was a beautiful song, and its lyrics - "All alone, I tried to be invincible; together now, we can be saved" - seem so fitting for what's about to happen. Jack has always had a little trouble letting go and allowing others to help him, and now that he is almost literally invincible, I imagine Jacob wanting to give him just a little reminder of the importance of his own "Live Together, Die Alone" philosophy. Here's Jack's coronation scene, to the tune of Michael Card's Now That I've Held Him in My Arms.
Invincible
The old man didn’t look it.
Golden-haired and strong,
Jacob had been forty-three forever.
The centuries of planning
Led him to this moment,
The time of his anointing his replacement.
“Now, Jack, at last you are like me.
I know we’re nearing the end.
You will be the one to make it cease.
But I hope you remember
That you must work together.
Please don’t try to be invincible alone.”
Jacob once was in Jack’s place,
But not his state of being.
He drank, but he didn’t have a choice.
Now brimming with affection,
Jacob’s gentle eyes
Look upon Jack, the long-awaited son.
“Now, Jack, at last you are like me.
I know we’re nearing the end.
You will be the one to make it cease.
But I hope you remember
That you must work together.
Please don’t try to be invincible alone. No...
Now you’re like, but more equipped than, me.
Don’t be afraid to count on your friends.
All of them will help you make it cease.
I hope you remember
That you must all work together.
Please don’t try to be invincible alone. No...”
Now That I've Held Him In My Arms
Alex's Grave (The Minstrel of Cranberry Lane, Michael and Judy Callahan)
"It's Alex... It's your daughter... After you left, I buried her."
- Richard, What They Died For
One of my favorite parts of What They Died For was the small scene in which Richard tells Ben that he buried Alex. It was such a testament to his decency and his long friendship with Ben. Additionally, I've been thinking a lot about Jacob as an Obi-Wan figure and his brother as akin to Anakin, and I've decided that Richard is like Yoda: old, wise, spending most of his life as an adviser. He's certainly acted as a mentor to Ben, and here I see him using this as one last teaching moment as he differentiates between violence for the sake of vengeance and for the sake of eradicating evil. Here's Richard, to the tune of the Irish Rovers' The Minstrel of Cranberry Lane.
Alex’s Grave
I have a confession to make.
I hope it helps ease your ache.
See, our friend here has found
Where I laid her in the ground.
We’re standing on Alex’s grave.
I heard the news, and I grieved
To think of your being bereaved
And remembered her wings
When she soared on these swings.
We’re standing on Alex’s grave.
Though I have felt the weight of grief
And the wrath that enticed me to kill,
It’s best to restrain every urge to cause pain,
To exert our virtue and will.
Ben, I know that has never been easy for you.
I’ve been trying to teach you for years.
Yes, I’ve told you that hate is a deadly drug
That only will lead to more tears.
But foiling the Devil could free us from Hell,
So let’s collect some C-4.
Although violence is wrong, it is time for the end.
It’s time we concluded the war.
We’ve gone through our ups and our downs,
With our laughs less abundant than frowns.
But you always will be important to me.
We’re standing on Alex’s grave.
Yes, you always will be important to me.
We’re standing on Alex’s grave.
The Minstrel of Cranberry Lane
“What If All This... Maybe This Is Happening For a Reason. Maybe You’re Supposed to Fix Me.”
It was always going to be Jack. It all started with him opening his eye in the jungle, and this whole experience has been about refining him into the man he needs to be for this final, all-important step. And Jack finally joins my pantheon of firm favorites. Probably no other character has frustrated me as much as he has, but at long last he is ready to let go and embrace this role he’s been preparing for, even as Sideways John lets go in order to become the man who can at last walk down that aisle. I never wanted John to leave the Island; I wanted him to remain indefinitely in this place where he felt so happy and whole. But maybe he doesn’t need the Island to be complete after all. Or maybe he could still return. I’ll get back to him.
But first, Jack and Jacob. Before the episode, I said that the title probably referred to a Jack Makes an Inspirational Speech moment. Then as soon as Jacob showed up, I said, “Oh, it’s going to be Jacob Makes an Inspirational Speech.” Jacob finally faced his most resilient Candidates and spoke to them directly. When Jack stood up, I was so reminded of Frodo, announcing, “I will take the Ring! Though I do not know the way...” And Jacob, like Gandalf, is profoundly moved by this decision, even if there always was a certain air of inevitability about it. What a monumental difference between this scene and the one last week.
The respect between Jacob and Jack was tangible, the affection flowing from the old guard to the new, and I again marvel at whatever quality it is in Mark Pellegrino that allows him to exude such ethereality. (As well as more earthy humanity. The scene from last week in which Jacob realizes that his brother is serious about leaving? The cheeky laugh slowly dying on his lips, gradually fading into pensiveness and, at last, flat-out worry? Genius.) Last week, Mother said, “Now you and I are the same,” and I shuddered. This week, Jacob said, “Now you’re like me,” and I cheered. The method of transfer in and of itself has to have a positive impact on the Island psyche. Instead of cowering and bitterly drinking out of a sense of obligation, Jack bravely accepts the responsibility and absolves Jacob of any sense that he is forcing this upon him.
The basics of the scene were very similar. We did learn that the wine was not an essential component, that it was Jacob’s words and Jack’s acceptance of them that really mattered. Drinking was an important element, but it didn’t matter what the substance was. Though I confess that what I thought in that moment was, “Jacob turned the water into wine.” Note, however, one key difference between what Jacob said and what his mother said. “You’re going to need to protect it for as long as you can, and then you’re going to have to find your own replacement.” Jacob told Jack “as long as you can,” but there he stopped. I think he believes it ends with Jack. Something will change.
Jacob didn’t reveal anything too earth-shattering this week. Everything he said merely confirmed what we saw last week and what we could’ve guessed, namely that he brought people to the Island who in some way reflected his own situation. The most startling thing he said was that he hoped that Smokey could be killed. We’ve never heard that from him before, but what it immediately reminded me of was Obi-Wan telling Luke that he needed to kill Darth Vader. At this time, Jack and Jacob are on the same page in that regard, though it seems clear to me that Jacob doesn’t know how to put this monstrosity he claims responsibility for out of commission. So how will Jack proceed? When he reaches the light, will he suddenly realize what he has to do?
I’ve drawn comparisons to Lord of the Rings before, but this week they seemed strongest, and I have a feeling that the Source is the Island’s Mount Doom, where it all will end. And it will indeed be cataclysmic. Ben, who spent so much of his life seeking that elusive Power, may be the one who makes it all work at the last minute, possibly unwittingly. Or maybe it will be Smokey himself, tumbling into the depths from whence he came. Yes, I think I like that even better. Desmond, who mysteriously made it out of the well before anyone could come to claim him, is like Aragorn, a man who has a destiny that he must come to embrace after years of wandering, as well as an epic romance from which he draws strength. Whatever he does with the electromagnetism will be like the tactical offensive on Mordor, the physical attack, but it will all come down to Frodo and Sam - Jack and Hurley. I’m more convinced than ever that Hurley is the most important player in all this. “I’m just glad it wasn’t me” clinched it for me, and made me think of Prince Caspian: “If you had felt yourself sufficient, it would have been proof that you were not.” And I think the producers are teasing us by having Hurley and Desmond wear red all season. They will be the keys to the whole game, as reflected in Sideways world.
“We’re very close to the end,” Jacob said, and it made me sad, though not quite as sad as when he told Hurley, “When this fire burns out, you’ll never see me again.” Sad for me, and sad for Hurley, who I’m certain will deeply miss him. We’ve often contemplated Jacob as a phoenix, and I did have a feeling that he was actually physically there when Hurley encountered him in the clearing, though I don’t know how his ghostly boy body was able to physically take his ashes from Hurley. Or why he was such a twerp. He was Peter Pannishly pixie-ish there, just as he was when Desmond saw him; why didn’t he just politely ask Hurley to dump his ashes in a fire? At any rate, we did get a physical resurrection of Jacob, but not a permanent one.
Again, rather like Gandalf, only more abbreviated, because I get the sense that Jacob is going to blink out of existence any minute now. That he won’t be around for the last chapter. Maybe that fire is very special and will continue to burn just long enough that he can see this through to the end, but I don’t really think so. The Candidates will have to figure this out on their own. At the same time, however, I’m not entirely convinced we will never see him again. I foresee a Grey Havens, and at last a reconciliation with his brother as he bids farewell to his Candidates. And Jack will go with him. Hurley will toddle back to his parents and Libby with a “Well, I’m back,” but I’m not at all certain that Jack and Kate have a cozy life together ahead of them. I’m starting to think, actually, that my Kate-Tom shipper dreams actually have a chance of coming to fruition. I don’t think that Jack will make it to Sideways world. He and Jacob are the same, and he will leave as Jacob does. And David, like Jack, will have to come to grips with the loss of his father, but unlike Jack, he will have the blessing of their reconciliation first, and he will be able to be at peace with it.
Kate moved me in this episode. Like Jack, she has frustrated me time and again throughout the series, but in season six, I’ve applauded her selflessness, her fierce devotion to Claire and determination to get her back to Aaron. And there was something so sweet and sad about the way she lay her head on Sawyer’s shoulder in such a defeated manner. Jack's ex-wife Juliet awaits Sawyer in Sideways world, but Kate and Jim will always have the easy rapport of old friends - and Kate, as a Leia figure, will cherish the memory of the brotherly/sisterly bond between her and Jack. If this all plays out as I suspect it will.
Kate was affronted that Jacob had crossed her name out - and actually, I was surprised to hear his acknowledgment. I had pretty much decided that the cave belonged to Smokey. That there were two lists of names, and Smokey had crossed Kate out in error. I do still think the Lighthouse list is the more important one. She’s not crossed out at the Lighthouse, and that’s because she still is a viable Candidate. Jacob crossed her out because he didn’t like the idea of her having to abandon Aaron, but she could still do the job if she wanted. Again with the choice. And it puts his conversation with Richard about not wanting to force people to do anything into context. He was forced, and he absolutely doesn’t want to repeat the sins of his mother.
And Sawyer... I applaud Josh Holloway again for breaking my heart in the scene with Jack in the jungle, when he acknowledges that it was his actions that led to the deaths of their friends. (Including poor Frank, who again didn’t merit a single mention here. I mean, come on, guys! Show the poor pilot a little respect!) The pain in his eyes was so profound, yet this time, it yielded much-needed humility instead of more destructive rage. Sawyer was mellower here than we’ve seen him all season. Naturally, he would be the one to waspishly coax out of Jacob the knowledge that they all came from broken situations. But this is a Sawyer who is at last fully ready and willing to work with Jack on whatever he needs him to do. This is Han finally discarding the “anti-” for good and embracing the “hero”. He tried to make a snarky comment as Jack took on his role, but his heart wasn’t in it. He knew it wasn’t just “delusions of grandeur”; Jack genuinely needed to do this.
Richard is the Elrond in all of this, or the Yoda, and I’m left scratching my head a bit as to what happened to him. Did he die? Can he? Jacob made him ageless; we don’t actually know if he made it so that he can’t be killed. Was he actually in danger when Daniel was waving a gun around? (Well, no, because Daniel never would have shot Richard. But if he had...) We’ve left Dharmaville. Miles is running around in the jungle somewhere, and so are Ben and Smokey. What about Richard? Because he is Richard, he could still be alive. But if that was his end, there was something serenely satisfying about it. Him and Ben sitting together like old friends, then Richard calmly rising to face his old enemy and getting blasted to kingdom come before the tiniest sound could escape his mouth. Sudden and violent, but also strangely peaceful. If this was his end, it was fitting. And I was so moved by the moment when he told Ben that he buried Alex for him. Richard, I love you.
And then there is Ben. What a conundrum. “Benjamin, you never cease to amaze me,” said Smokey, and I agreed. We never know what’s coming next from him. I had really hoped that he wouldn’t kill Charles. I was sure they’d meet, but I didn’t want Ben to be a murderer yet again. I hated it. However, the more I think about it, the less I hate it. I think Ben was scheming. You could see that little twitch of an idea when Smokey offered him the Island. Ben needs Smokey to think that he wants it.
Now, once Ben revealed his position, Charles was dead whether or not Ben killed him. While he might have survived if he hadn’t done that, I think Smokey would’ve found him sooner or later. In any event, unless children or mothers are involved, Ben has generally not been too concerned about collateral damage, and that’s what Charles was. (And Zoe too, and I cringed when she died because I know a lot of cheers went up. Me, I just wish she'd had a chance to become interesting.) And given all of the bad blood, he didn’t feel too badly about it. But I’m glad to see that Charles, too, was on a path to redemption. That he was ready and willing to make up for the crimes of his past. That Jacob enlightened him. It was a different Charles we saw in Oxford talking to Desmond in Jughead, in L. A. talking to Eloise in The Variable. It was Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas morning. No, not that dramatic; he still had a good bit of his old arrogance left in him. But he found a better path, and the Sideways will reward him by at last giving us a scene with Charles and Penny together, reconciled like Ebenezer and Fred.
I think Ben did it for two reasons: to stop Charles from revealing any more vital information, and mainly to convince Smokey that he was back on the Dark Side. And now Ben will try to do what Sawyer could not: pull the ultimate con on the ultimate conman. “He doesn’t get to save his daughter,” Ben said, and I was angry, because sparing Penny was such a major redemptive moment for Ben. But again, upon reflection, I believe that was part of the deception. He needs Smokey to see him as angry and vengeful and power-hungry. And Charles doesn’t get to save his daughter, but Ben does.
In Sideways World, Ben was a flat-out hero, albeit a rather comical one. When Desmond showed up at the school again, I just burst out laughing: “What, you didn’t make a big enough impact last time, so you’re gonna try again? And how is it that you’re not in prison yet?” And then Ben came charging up, ablaze with righteous indignation, and all I could think of was The Andy Griffith Show when he hollered, “I’m making a citizen’s arrest!” And then he so boldly bellowed, “I won’t let you hurt Mr. Locke!” Yes, indeed, destined kindred spirits. Mom realized before I did that Desmond had come for Ben, not John. Now Ben has some small measure of enlightenment, though he doesn’t yet know what to do with it, except to pass on his suspicions to John. And so the man who choked the life out of him in Island world becomes the key to his finally getting the life he deserves in Sideways world.
“You’re, like, the nicest guy ever,” indignant Alex told her hero, the man who was the closest thing she’s had to a father, and that is what Ben always had within him. I wonder how much he remembers now. I wonder if he realizes what befell Alex on the Island. In any event, he was profoundly moved by Danielle’s comments. And the more I think about it, the more satisfied I am with the notion of Ben and Danielle ending up together, as I believe they will. It’s as though Ben was always meant to be Alex’s father. And we mustn’t forget that Ben was ordered to kill Danielle, and instead he spared her. And he tried to spare her again when the freighter came to the Island. However, I cannot count myself fully satisfied unless Ben takes Danielle back to his house and shows her the doll he’s kept in his room all these years and tells her about the friend he made and lost all those years ago, who helped show him how to love and inspire him to become a teacher.
And while we’re talking about Annie, let me run through the other minor players I’ll need to see before I can be completely satisfied. Tom Brennan, whose relationship with Kate had all the purity all of her others lacked, whose plane was as important to her as Desmond’s photo and Sawyer’s letter. I need to know that he is alive and well. And I’d like to know that he and Kate are together. And her father - her dad by choice, not by blood - needs to be rewarded for being one of the few dads on this show who actually got it right. In Sideways world, Kate is innocent of the crime of which she is accused, and nothing stands in the way of her continuing to have a close relationship with Sam Austen. Similarly, I would really love for Mr. Kwon to get some recognition. Again, he was Jin’s dad because he chose to be. Implications are strong that they aren’t biologically connected; even if they are, he could certainly have abandoned Jin like so many other parents on the show have. But he didn’t, and I need to know that he will be rewarded for his dedication through a relationship with his son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter, even if it’s from afar. And finally, I need assurance that Essam, the gentle philosopher-turned-reluctant-terrorist-turned-martyr whose death led Sayid to be on the Island, is alive and is living a life of scholarly pursuits and working through his bereavement, if that still applies, in a positive manner. Perhaps we will see Nadia mention to Sayid that she got a letter from him (because at this point I’m unclear on whether Sayid even has an address). I don’t need to see him, but I need to know that he has been spared the damage Sayid inflicted upon him.
I don’t know where Desmond is on the Island, but he’s everywhere in the Sideways, always with that hilariously zen manner about him. I mean, he’s cool as a cucumber, and it’s just plain funny to see him cheerfully informing Jim about a “suspect,” who happens to be him. And so breezily asking Kate and Sayid to trust him. Doc said this was a funny episode, and it really was, because as the Island gets worse, the Sideways gets better. And we get AnaLucia as a slightly corrupt cop, and Hugo gets to bumble a bit because, as usual, he’s no good at concealing it when he knows too much. “Oops - I shouldn’t have said that!”
Now what does Hugo have in mind for Sayid? And could he possibly have something very important in the back of that Hummer? While Desmond lied about his identity when he called Jack, is it possible that he does have Christian, and Hugo is transporting him? And/or - could it be that Hugo and Sayid are going to bust Anthony out of his facility, and Sawyer is going to track his escapees down (probably at this all-important concert) and finally have his chance to kill Anthony, which he will this time reject? And will we learn Anthony and John had only known each other a short time before the plane crash, and that Anthony was, in fact, in the midst of his long kidney con? Because the more I think about it, the more I think that’s the only thing that makes sense. Anthony Cooper was the closest thing we’ve seen to pure evil in a regular human being on this show aside from Martin Keamy and Mr. Paik. He doesn’t get to be magically a decent guy in Sideways world.
It was so sweet to see Jack and David’s easy rapport yet again, joking around over that goofy Super Bran and opening their home to Claire, who will go to the concert to watch her nephew’s performance and finally meet Charlie. Jack’s scene with John was absolutely magnificent, mostly because of John, even though I predicted half the words out of his mouth. Oh, to see that huge, genuine smile spread across Terry O’Quinn’s face as John readied himself to let Jack fix him! So powerful.
And so as we anticipate the finale, I anticipate good things indeed, and a major convergence at this concert, and expansive happiness with a bit of sadness sprinkled in. And on the Island, sadness and destruction, but heroism and sacrifice, all somehow culminating in the destruction of the Source, which will spread that light out to one and all, along with the potential to do evil. Island world will close, Jack, Richard, Jacob and his brother will go on to whatever enigmatic West awaits them, and there will be acceptance for all. The Good Shephard will sacrifice himself on the 23rd, and the people from a wide variety of backgrounds will be filled with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
Or it was all in the dog’s head all along.
But first, Jack and Jacob. Before the episode, I said that the title probably referred to a Jack Makes an Inspirational Speech moment. Then as soon as Jacob showed up, I said, “Oh, it’s going to be Jacob Makes an Inspirational Speech.” Jacob finally faced his most resilient Candidates and spoke to them directly. When Jack stood up, I was so reminded of Frodo, announcing, “I will take the Ring! Though I do not know the way...” And Jacob, like Gandalf, is profoundly moved by this decision, even if there always was a certain air of inevitability about it. What a monumental difference between this scene and the one last week.
The respect between Jacob and Jack was tangible, the affection flowing from the old guard to the new, and I again marvel at whatever quality it is in Mark Pellegrino that allows him to exude such ethereality. (As well as more earthy humanity. The scene from last week in which Jacob realizes that his brother is serious about leaving? The cheeky laugh slowly dying on his lips, gradually fading into pensiveness and, at last, flat-out worry? Genius.) Last week, Mother said, “Now you and I are the same,” and I shuddered. This week, Jacob said, “Now you’re like me,” and I cheered. The method of transfer in and of itself has to have a positive impact on the Island psyche. Instead of cowering and bitterly drinking out of a sense of obligation, Jack bravely accepts the responsibility and absolves Jacob of any sense that he is forcing this upon him.
The basics of the scene were very similar. We did learn that the wine was not an essential component, that it was Jacob’s words and Jack’s acceptance of them that really mattered. Drinking was an important element, but it didn’t matter what the substance was. Though I confess that what I thought in that moment was, “Jacob turned the water into wine.” Note, however, one key difference between what Jacob said and what his mother said. “You’re going to need to protect it for as long as you can, and then you’re going to have to find your own replacement.” Jacob told Jack “as long as you can,” but there he stopped. I think he believes it ends with Jack. Something will change.
Jacob didn’t reveal anything too earth-shattering this week. Everything he said merely confirmed what we saw last week and what we could’ve guessed, namely that he brought people to the Island who in some way reflected his own situation. The most startling thing he said was that he hoped that Smokey could be killed. We’ve never heard that from him before, but what it immediately reminded me of was Obi-Wan telling Luke that he needed to kill Darth Vader. At this time, Jack and Jacob are on the same page in that regard, though it seems clear to me that Jacob doesn’t know how to put this monstrosity he claims responsibility for out of commission. So how will Jack proceed? When he reaches the light, will he suddenly realize what he has to do?
I’ve drawn comparisons to Lord of the Rings before, but this week they seemed strongest, and I have a feeling that the Source is the Island’s Mount Doom, where it all will end. And it will indeed be cataclysmic. Ben, who spent so much of his life seeking that elusive Power, may be the one who makes it all work at the last minute, possibly unwittingly. Or maybe it will be Smokey himself, tumbling into the depths from whence he came. Yes, I think I like that even better. Desmond, who mysteriously made it out of the well before anyone could come to claim him, is like Aragorn, a man who has a destiny that he must come to embrace after years of wandering, as well as an epic romance from which he draws strength. Whatever he does with the electromagnetism will be like the tactical offensive on Mordor, the physical attack, but it will all come down to Frodo and Sam - Jack and Hurley. I’m more convinced than ever that Hurley is the most important player in all this. “I’m just glad it wasn’t me” clinched it for me, and made me think of Prince Caspian: “If you had felt yourself sufficient, it would have been proof that you were not.” And I think the producers are teasing us by having Hurley and Desmond wear red all season. They will be the keys to the whole game, as reflected in Sideways world.
“We’re very close to the end,” Jacob said, and it made me sad, though not quite as sad as when he told Hurley, “When this fire burns out, you’ll never see me again.” Sad for me, and sad for Hurley, who I’m certain will deeply miss him. We’ve often contemplated Jacob as a phoenix, and I did have a feeling that he was actually physically there when Hurley encountered him in the clearing, though I don’t know how his ghostly boy body was able to physically take his ashes from Hurley. Or why he was such a twerp. He was Peter Pannishly pixie-ish there, just as he was when Desmond saw him; why didn’t he just politely ask Hurley to dump his ashes in a fire? At any rate, we did get a physical resurrection of Jacob, but not a permanent one.
Again, rather like Gandalf, only more abbreviated, because I get the sense that Jacob is going to blink out of existence any minute now. That he won’t be around for the last chapter. Maybe that fire is very special and will continue to burn just long enough that he can see this through to the end, but I don’t really think so. The Candidates will have to figure this out on their own. At the same time, however, I’m not entirely convinced we will never see him again. I foresee a Grey Havens, and at last a reconciliation with his brother as he bids farewell to his Candidates. And Jack will go with him. Hurley will toddle back to his parents and Libby with a “Well, I’m back,” but I’m not at all certain that Jack and Kate have a cozy life together ahead of them. I’m starting to think, actually, that my Kate-Tom shipper dreams actually have a chance of coming to fruition. I don’t think that Jack will make it to Sideways world. He and Jacob are the same, and he will leave as Jacob does. And David, like Jack, will have to come to grips with the loss of his father, but unlike Jack, he will have the blessing of their reconciliation first, and he will be able to be at peace with it.
Kate moved me in this episode. Like Jack, she has frustrated me time and again throughout the series, but in season six, I’ve applauded her selflessness, her fierce devotion to Claire and determination to get her back to Aaron. And there was something so sweet and sad about the way she lay her head on Sawyer’s shoulder in such a defeated manner. Jack's ex-wife Juliet awaits Sawyer in Sideways world, but Kate and Jim will always have the easy rapport of old friends - and Kate, as a Leia figure, will cherish the memory of the brotherly/sisterly bond between her and Jack. If this all plays out as I suspect it will.
Kate was affronted that Jacob had crossed her name out - and actually, I was surprised to hear his acknowledgment. I had pretty much decided that the cave belonged to Smokey. That there were two lists of names, and Smokey had crossed Kate out in error. I do still think the Lighthouse list is the more important one. She’s not crossed out at the Lighthouse, and that’s because she still is a viable Candidate. Jacob crossed her out because he didn’t like the idea of her having to abandon Aaron, but she could still do the job if she wanted. Again with the choice. And it puts his conversation with Richard about not wanting to force people to do anything into context. He was forced, and he absolutely doesn’t want to repeat the sins of his mother.
And Sawyer... I applaud Josh Holloway again for breaking my heart in the scene with Jack in the jungle, when he acknowledges that it was his actions that led to the deaths of their friends. (Including poor Frank, who again didn’t merit a single mention here. I mean, come on, guys! Show the poor pilot a little respect!) The pain in his eyes was so profound, yet this time, it yielded much-needed humility instead of more destructive rage. Sawyer was mellower here than we’ve seen him all season. Naturally, he would be the one to waspishly coax out of Jacob the knowledge that they all came from broken situations. But this is a Sawyer who is at last fully ready and willing to work with Jack on whatever he needs him to do. This is Han finally discarding the “anti-” for good and embracing the “hero”. He tried to make a snarky comment as Jack took on his role, but his heart wasn’t in it. He knew it wasn’t just “delusions of grandeur”; Jack genuinely needed to do this.
Richard is the Elrond in all of this, or the Yoda, and I’m left scratching my head a bit as to what happened to him. Did he die? Can he? Jacob made him ageless; we don’t actually know if he made it so that he can’t be killed. Was he actually in danger when Daniel was waving a gun around? (Well, no, because Daniel never would have shot Richard. But if he had...) We’ve left Dharmaville. Miles is running around in the jungle somewhere, and so are Ben and Smokey. What about Richard? Because he is Richard, he could still be alive. But if that was his end, there was something serenely satisfying about it. Him and Ben sitting together like old friends, then Richard calmly rising to face his old enemy and getting blasted to kingdom come before the tiniest sound could escape his mouth. Sudden and violent, but also strangely peaceful. If this was his end, it was fitting. And I was so moved by the moment when he told Ben that he buried Alex for him. Richard, I love you.
And then there is Ben. What a conundrum. “Benjamin, you never cease to amaze me,” said Smokey, and I agreed. We never know what’s coming next from him. I had really hoped that he wouldn’t kill Charles. I was sure they’d meet, but I didn’t want Ben to be a murderer yet again. I hated it. However, the more I think about it, the less I hate it. I think Ben was scheming. You could see that little twitch of an idea when Smokey offered him the Island. Ben needs Smokey to think that he wants it.
Now, once Ben revealed his position, Charles was dead whether or not Ben killed him. While he might have survived if he hadn’t done that, I think Smokey would’ve found him sooner or later. In any event, unless children or mothers are involved, Ben has generally not been too concerned about collateral damage, and that’s what Charles was. (And Zoe too, and I cringed when she died because I know a lot of cheers went up. Me, I just wish she'd had a chance to become interesting.) And given all of the bad blood, he didn’t feel too badly about it. But I’m glad to see that Charles, too, was on a path to redemption. That he was ready and willing to make up for the crimes of his past. That Jacob enlightened him. It was a different Charles we saw in Oxford talking to Desmond in Jughead, in L. A. talking to Eloise in The Variable. It was Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas morning. No, not that dramatic; he still had a good bit of his old arrogance left in him. But he found a better path, and the Sideways will reward him by at last giving us a scene with Charles and Penny together, reconciled like Ebenezer and Fred.
I think Ben did it for two reasons: to stop Charles from revealing any more vital information, and mainly to convince Smokey that he was back on the Dark Side. And now Ben will try to do what Sawyer could not: pull the ultimate con on the ultimate conman. “He doesn’t get to save his daughter,” Ben said, and I was angry, because sparing Penny was such a major redemptive moment for Ben. But again, upon reflection, I believe that was part of the deception. He needs Smokey to see him as angry and vengeful and power-hungry. And Charles doesn’t get to save his daughter, but Ben does.
In Sideways World, Ben was a flat-out hero, albeit a rather comical one. When Desmond showed up at the school again, I just burst out laughing: “What, you didn’t make a big enough impact last time, so you’re gonna try again? And how is it that you’re not in prison yet?” And then Ben came charging up, ablaze with righteous indignation, and all I could think of was The Andy Griffith Show when he hollered, “I’m making a citizen’s arrest!” And then he so boldly bellowed, “I won’t let you hurt Mr. Locke!” Yes, indeed, destined kindred spirits. Mom realized before I did that Desmond had come for Ben, not John. Now Ben has some small measure of enlightenment, though he doesn’t yet know what to do with it, except to pass on his suspicions to John. And so the man who choked the life out of him in Island world becomes the key to his finally getting the life he deserves in Sideways world.
“You’re, like, the nicest guy ever,” indignant Alex told her hero, the man who was the closest thing she’s had to a father, and that is what Ben always had within him. I wonder how much he remembers now. I wonder if he realizes what befell Alex on the Island. In any event, he was profoundly moved by Danielle’s comments. And the more I think about it, the more satisfied I am with the notion of Ben and Danielle ending up together, as I believe they will. It’s as though Ben was always meant to be Alex’s father. And we mustn’t forget that Ben was ordered to kill Danielle, and instead he spared her. And he tried to spare her again when the freighter came to the Island. However, I cannot count myself fully satisfied unless Ben takes Danielle back to his house and shows her the doll he’s kept in his room all these years and tells her about the friend he made and lost all those years ago, who helped show him how to love and inspire him to become a teacher.
And while we’re talking about Annie, let me run through the other minor players I’ll need to see before I can be completely satisfied. Tom Brennan, whose relationship with Kate had all the purity all of her others lacked, whose plane was as important to her as Desmond’s photo and Sawyer’s letter. I need to know that he is alive and well. And I’d like to know that he and Kate are together. And her father - her dad by choice, not by blood - needs to be rewarded for being one of the few dads on this show who actually got it right. In Sideways world, Kate is innocent of the crime of which she is accused, and nothing stands in the way of her continuing to have a close relationship with Sam Austen. Similarly, I would really love for Mr. Kwon to get some recognition. Again, he was Jin’s dad because he chose to be. Implications are strong that they aren’t biologically connected; even if they are, he could certainly have abandoned Jin like so many other parents on the show have. But he didn’t, and I need to know that he will be rewarded for his dedication through a relationship with his son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter, even if it’s from afar. And finally, I need assurance that Essam, the gentle philosopher-turned-reluctant-terrorist-turned-martyr whose death led Sayid to be on the Island, is alive and is living a life of scholarly pursuits and working through his bereavement, if that still applies, in a positive manner. Perhaps we will see Nadia mention to Sayid that she got a letter from him (because at this point I’m unclear on whether Sayid even has an address). I don’t need to see him, but I need to know that he has been spared the damage Sayid inflicted upon him.
I don’t know where Desmond is on the Island, but he’s everywhere in the Sideways, always with that hilariously zen manner about him. I mean, he’s cool as a cucumber, and it’s just plain funny to see him cheerfully informing Jim about a “suspect,” who happens to be him. And so breezily asking Kate and Sayid to trust him. Doc said this was a funny episode, and it really was, because as the Island gets worse, the Sideways gets better. And we get AnaLucia as a slightly corrupt cop, and Hugo gets to bumble a bit because, as usual, he’s no good at concealing it when he knows too much. “Oops - I shouldn’t have said that!”
Now what does Hugo have in mind for Sayid? And could he possibly have something very important in the back of that Hummer? While Desmond lied about his identity when he called Jack, is it possible that he does have Christian, and Hugo is transporting him? And/or - could it be that Hugo and Sayid are going to bust Anthony out of his facility, and Sawyer is going to track his escapees down (probably at this all-important concert) and finally have his chance to kill Anthony, which he will this time reject? And will we learn Anthony and John had only known each other a short time before the plane crash, and that Anthony was, in fact, in the midst of his long kidney con? Because the more I think about it, the more I think that’s the only thing that makes sense. Anthony Cooper was the closest thing we’ve seen to pure evil in a regular human being on this show aside from Martin Keamy and Mr. Paik. He doesn’t get to be magically a decent guy in Sideways world.
It was so sweet to see Jack and David’s easy rapport yet again, joking around over that goofy Super Bran and opening their home to Claire, who will go to the concert to watch her nephew’s performance and finally meet Charlie. Jack’s scene with John was absolutely magnificent, mostly because of John, even though I predicted half the words out of his mouth. Oh, to see that huge, genuine smile spread across Terry O’Quinn’s face as John readied himself to let Jack fix him! So powerful.
And so as we anticipate the finale, I anticipate good things indeed, and a major convergence at this concert, and expansive happiness with a bit of sadness sprinkled in. And on the Island, sadness and destruction, but heroism and sacrifice, all somehow culminating in the destruction of the Source, which will spread that light out to one and all, along with the potential to do evil. Island world will close, Jack, Richard, Jacob and his brother will go on to whatever enigmatic West awaits them, and there will be acceptance for all. The Good Shephard will sacrifice himself on the 23rd, and the people from a wide variety of backgrounds will be filled with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
Or it was all in the dog’s head all along.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Creepy Kid (Oh You Mucky Kid, Stan Kelly)
Little Jacob: You know the rules. You can't kill him.
Smokey: Don't tell me what I can't do!
- The Substitute
When that mysterious boy showed up in the jungle in The Substitute, it was a strange thing indeed. We now know that this was Jacob as a boy, so I presume that he is a ghost, which Smokey can see but Richard can't (though it's surprising to think that Desmond and Sawyer can). Here's a little reflection about little ghostly Jacob, to the tune of the Irish Rovers' Oh You Mucky Kid.
Creepy Kid
Oh, you are a creepy kid.
Smokey knows just what you did.
Are you merely his ego or id?
Are you a ghost, jungle lad?
You look so spooky standing there
Under your shock of golden hair,
And Richard claims to be unaware,
So is Smokey going crazy?
Your arms and hands are limply spread,
Augmented now with trails of red.
So are you a vision or are you dead?
Are you a ghost, jungle lad?
Oh, you are a creepy kid.
Smokey knows just what you did.
Are you merely his ego or id?
Are you a ghost, jungle lad?
You’ve cleaned up nicely now for James.
Is this another of your games?
When you warn your rival not to kill,
He doesn’t like rules, so he’s angry.
Perhaps it is your youthful plight
That’s reminded James to bear the light.
He’ll follow “John,” but it’s a con.
You’re counting upon his trickery.
Oh, you are a creepy kid.
Smokey knows just what you did.
Are you merely his ego or id?
Are you a ghost, jungle lad?
You really have an impish face,
But it could be his saving grace.
Yes, maybe the Smoke can be erased,
And you’ll be left with your brother.
Oh You Mucky Kid
I'll Never Leave You (Yankee Bayonet, Colin Meloy)
Sun: Go! Please... go!
Jin: I won't leave you. I will never leave you again... I love you, Sun.
- The Candidate
I've been casting about for a fitting tribute to Sun and Jin ever since The Candidate, but it wasn't until my brother Nathan mentioned that I ought to dip into the Decemberists that I realized the perfect song for LOST's doomed couple was lurking just out of earshot. I tried to incorporate several elements of their journey - Sun's naive girlhood dreams, Jacob's blessing, the difficulties they worked through together and Ji Yeon, the "flower of wisdom". Here's Jin and Sun to the tune of the Decemberists' Yankee Bayonet.
I’ll Never Leave You
Jin: Captured glimpses of my unknown treasure -
Such a sweet surprise!
Sun: Far from this sub that I’ve no hope of escaping,
That’s where our daughter lies.
Go, Jin, go, please, go, Jin, go.
Please, go, Jin, go, please go.
Jin: Look at me. Can you see the love
That has sustained me through these years?
Sun: I carried it with me as our young flower blossomed
In the midst of my anguished tears.
Go, Jin, go, please, go, Jin, go.
Please, go, Jin, go, please go.
Jin: No, Sun, no, Sun, no, Sun.
No, Sun. No, Sun. No, Sun. No.
Our love is so blessed.
I’ll never take it for granted, Sun.
Together, we will rest,
For I’ll never leave you. I’ll never leave you.
I’ll never leave you. I’ll never leave you. No.
Sun: When I was a girl, I believed when I found my love,
My world would have no pain.
Jin: But oh, for a moment within your sunshine,
I would face a lifetime of rain.
Sun and Jin: Oh, you know I love you so.
You know I love you so.
Jin: We’ve come to the end, but we leave here together,
And we’ll only be apart for a while.
Sun: But Jin, you can live. You can save yourself
And you can go and be with our child.
Go, Jin, go, please, go, Jin, go.
Please, go, Jin, go, please go.
Jin: No, Sun, no, Sun, no, Sun.
No, Sun. No, Sun. No, Sun. No.
Our love is so blessed.
I’ll never take it for granted, Sun.
Together, we will rest,
For I’ll never leave you. I’ll never leave you.
I’ll never leave you. I’ll never leave you.
Jin: You have my heart, so take my hand.
Jin and Sun: I’ll always love you.
Sun: A love as vast as stars and sand.
Jin and Sun: I’ll always love you.
Jin: It’s time, my love, for our fingers to be parted.
Let our last embrace begin.
Sun: Let my lips speak the only language
That we need as we drift away, Jin.
Sun and Jin: Oh, you know I love you so.
You know I love you so.
Oh, you know I love you so.
You know I love you so.
Jin: I won't leave you. I will never leave you again... I love you, Sun.
- The Candidate
I've been casting about for a fitting tribute to Sun and Jin ever since The Candidate, but it wasn't until my brother Nathan mentioned that I ought to dip into the Decemberists that I realized the perfect song for LOST's doomed couple was lurking just out of earshot. I tried to incorporate several elements of their journey - Sun's naive girlhood dreams, Jacob's blessing, the difficulties they worked through together and Ji Yeon, the "flower of wisdom". Here's Jin and Sun to the tune of the Decemberists' Yankee Bayonet.
I’ll Never Leave You
Jin: Captured glimpses of my unknown treasure -
Such a sweet surprise!
Sun: Far from this sub that I’ve no hope of escaping,
That’s where our daughter lies.
Go, Jin, go, please, go, Jin, go.
Please, go, Jin, go, please go.
Jin: Look at me. Can you see the love
That has sustained me through these years?
Sun: I carried it with me as our young flower blossomed
In the midst of my anguished tears.
Go, Jin, go, please, go, Jin, go.
Please, go, Jin, go, please go.
Jin: No, Sun, no, Sun, no, Sun.
No, Sun. No, Sun. No, Sun. No.
Our love is so blessed.
I’ll never take it for granted, Sun.
Together, we will rest,
For I’ll never leave you. I’ll never leave you.
I’ll never leave you. I’ll never leave you. No.
Sun: When I was a girl, I believed when I found my love,
My world would have no pain.
Jin: But oh, for a moment within your sunshine,
I would face a lifetime of rain.
Sun and Jin: Oh, you know I love you so.
You know I love you so.
Jin: We’ve come to the end, but we leave here together,
And we’ll only be apart for a while.
Sun: But Jin, you can live. You can save yourself
And you can go and be with our child.
Go, Jin, go, please, go, Jin, go.
Please, go, Jin, go, please go.
Jin: No, Sun, no, Sun, no, Sun.
No, Sun. No, Sun. No, Sun. No.
Our love is so blessed.
I’ll never take it for granted, Sun.
Together, we will rest,
For I’ll never leave you. I’ll never leave you.
I’ll never leave you. I’ll never leave you.
Jin: You have my heart, so take my hand.
Jin and Sun: I’ll always love you.
Sun: A love as vast as stars and sand.
Jin and Sun: I’ll always love you.
Jin: It’s time, my love, for our fingers to be parted.
Let our last embrace begin.
Sun: Let my lips speak the only language
That we need as we drift away, Jin.
Sun and Jin: Oh, you know I love you so.
You know I love you so.
Oh, you know I love you so.
You know I love you so.
Monday, May 17, 2010
This Island Is My Home (Castles in the Air, Don McLean)
Smokey: Come with me, Jacob. Please... What are you gonna do when she dies?
Jacob: She's never gonna die.
Smokey: Jacob, everything dies.
Jacob: Well, I don't wanna leave this island. It's my home.
- Across the Sea
Here's a conversation between Smokey and Jacob as the former tries to convince the latter to leave the Island, to the tune of Don McLean's Castles in the Air.
This Island Is My Home
Smokey: What do you plan to do when she dies?
Jacob: I don't believe she ever will.
This Island is my home.
I don’t know why you’re so inclined to roam.
Smokey: Why should you stay? You’ll just be left alone.
Living here with men, I have watched them steal and lie,
And I have learned that everyone must die.
The tide has turned, and Mother’s end is nigh.
How I have yearned to bid this place goodbye!
Jacob, can’t I convince you to join in?
How I have missed our times together, gentle twin.
Jacob: Brother, you know how lonely I have been,
But if I left her now, I would shudder in chagrin.
Remember long ago, back when she led us to the water
Where we saw the ever-glowing light?
She said, “One day, I’m going to incite
One of you boys to protect it, day and night.”
Smokey: Look, I do not belong on this God-forsaken Island.
Can’t you see we’re in a foreign land?
What must I say to make you understand?
Don’t go along with what that woman’s planned.
Jacob, can’t I convince you to join in?
How I have missed our times together, gentle twin.
Jacob: Brother, you know how lonely I have been,
But if I left her now, I would shudder in chagrin.
Smokey: What do you plan to do when she dies?
Jacob: I don't believe she ever will.
This Island is my home.
I don’t know why you’re so inclined to roam.
Smokey: Why should you stay? You’ll just be left alone.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
The Back-Up Plan (Superman's Ghost, Don McLean)
Mother: It has to be you, Jacob.
Jacob: No, it doesn't. You wanted it to be him. But now I'm all you have.
- Across the Sea
When I set myself a goal of finishing 200 LOST songs before the finale, I didn't really expect to achieve it. I was sure that the strange writing streak that began on my birthday would peter out soon. But it didn't, and here I am, a week before the finale, posting number 200. I decided to go with Don McLean's Superman's Ghost for this one; I'd had it on the back burner since season three, always intending it to be from Ben's perspective, sulking about John's favored status, but I always felt like I needed more of the story. Across the Sea showed me that Ben and John were just perpetuating a long pattern. After the episode ended, I announced that it was probably my second-favorite episode of the season. The more I think about it, the more sure I am of that. Though I thoroughly expect the last three and a half hours to blow even Dr. Linus out of the water. Here's Jacob, wondering along with us what's coming next.
The Back-Up Plan
“I don’t want the cup to pass to me.
He was your favorite son.
I never questioned. I never disobeyed.
The best one grew restless, and he strayed,
So I had to be your back-up plan.”
We came from another place over the sea,
Though I didn’t know that as a boy.
I lived with my brother harmoniously;
Our companionship brought me such joy!
But I was contented and he was a rover,
And Mother encouraged the rift.
So when she insisted her time here was over,
I snapped at the sight of her gift.
“I don’t want the cup to pass to me.
He was your favorite son.
I never questioned. I never disobeyed.
The best one grew restless, and he strayed,
So I had to be your back-up plan.”
He claimed she would die, and I yelled, “It’s a lie!”
But her weariness weighed on my mind,
And I was in fear of my solitude here
If he succeeded and he left me behind.
No, I never asked to take on the task
That she had intended him for,
But when I tried to protest, she wasn’t impressed
And said, “You have no choice anymore.”
“I don’t want the cup to pass to me.
He was your favorite son.
I never questioned. I never disobeyed.
The best one grew restless, and he strayed,
So I had to be your back-up plan.”
She damaged us both, but I still took the oath,
And her death sent me into a rage,
So I perverted my twin with the source of all sin,
And my penance has lasted an age.
I’d proven him right that between dark and light,
People always will choose the wrong course.
But I dreamed of one day discerning a way
To reap good from the seeds of remorse.
“I don’t want the cup to pass to me.
He was your favorite son.
I never questioned. I never disobeyed.
The best one grew restless, and he strayed,
So I had to be your back-up plan.”
Well, I’ve watched from above and witnessed the love
That humanity strives to embrace.
But the women and men, down to little lost Ben,
Have succumbed, although some have sought grace.
I can’t be sure how it all will end now,
But children, acknowledge my plea:
You have shown, through this test, that you’re special and blessed,
And so don’t mess it up just like me.
“I don’t want the cup to pass to me.
He was your favorite son.
I never questioned. I never disobeyed.
The best one grew restless, and he strayed,
So I had to be your back-up plan.
I never questioned. I never disobeyed.
The best one grew restless, and he strayed,
So I had to be your back-up plan.”
Superman's Ghost
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