You Say That the Series Is Over (You Say That the Battle Is Over, David Mallett)

The series may be over, but a LOST balladeer's work is never done. Here I pledge to focus much of my post-LOST writing efforts on the show's minor characters. Not that I will be able to resist the more major ones when they come calling...  Here's me to the tune of John Denver's You Say That the Battle Is Over.


You Say That the Series Is Over

And you say that the series is over.
At last, all this LOST talk is done.
You’re up the wrong tree if you’re talking to me;
My musing has only begun.
And I can guarantee that I’ll get season six.
I will not be deterred by the cost.
Yes, I’m going to buy it and faithfully try
To honor the losers of LOST.

And you say that the series is over.
You think my fixation should cease.
Ah, but you would be wrong, since I know there’s a song
For a dozen more redshirts at least.
There are those who appeared in a flashback or two.
There are those who fell back in year one.
Though we didn’t know them so we didn’t weep,
Resurrecting them now would be fun.

For the series has shown that although just a few
Fought the fight and have finished the race,
It is proper to cherish the peons who perish
And hope that they too are afforded some grace.
From Scott and Joanna to Zoe and Bram,
Here’s a toast to those women and men.
LOST cast them aside and they violently died,
But they also will find life again.

And you say that the series is over.
At last, all this LOST talk is done.
You’re up the wrong tree if you’re talking to me;
My musing has only begun.
And I can guarantee that I’ll get season six.
I will not be deterred by the cost.
Yes, I’m going to buy it and faithfully try
To honor the losers of LOST.

Yes, I’m going to buy it and faithfully try
To honor the losers of LOST.

Eucalyptus (Calypso, John Denver)

"Eucalyptus - smart, Jack...  Thank you, very much."
 - Jack, Confidence Man

One of my favorite moments involving Sun comes when she helps Shannon by calming her breathing down with eucalyptus. It's at this moment that she really becomes a part of the group. Here's Jack thanking Sun for her efforts to the tune of John Denver's Calypso.

Eucalyptus

I’ve had a rough day. I am so sick of Sawyer,
But still I’m depressed that I let him get hurt.
It’s making me nervous, ‘cause what will it lead to?
A crisis I’m trying my best to avert.
Not to mention the fact that this sinister action
Landed us nothing... What’s in your hand?

Eucalyptus! A potent solution.
I knew it at once from the strength of the smell.
Eucalyptus! Sun, you are a marvel,
And after this, Shannon is bound to breathe well.
So I thank you for helping her, Sun.
Yes, I thank you for helping her, Sun.
Oh, I thank you for helping her, Sun.
Yes, I thank you, Sun.

Though your husband’s been chiding,
You’ve come out of hiding,
And your contribution saved Shannon today.
I hope you’ll consider remaining around.
Are you understanding a word that I say?
If you are, give a nod. We’ll make you feel welcome.
Join me in keeping the chaos at bay.

Eucalyptus! A potent solution.
I knew it at once from the strength of the smell.
Eucalyptus! Sun, you are a marvel,
And after this, Shannon is bound to breathe well.
Eucalyptus! A potent solution.
I knew it at once from the strength of the smell.
Eucalyptus! Sun, you are a marvel,
And after this, Shannon is bound to breathe well.

So I thank you for helping her, Sun.
Yes, I thank you for helping her, Sun.
Oh, I thank you for helping her, Sun.
Yes, I thank you, Sun.
So I thank you for helping her, Sun.
Yes, I thank you for helping her, Sun.
Oh, I thank you for helping her, Sun.
Yes, I thank you, Sun.

Stubborn Tomato (Homegrown Tomatoes, Guy Clark)

"That's one stubborn tomato. Guess no one told it it was supposed to die."
- Jack, The Package

I enjoyed Jack's little heart to heart with Sun in The Package. Here's a recreation of his pep talk, to the tune of Guy Clark's Homegrown Tomatoes.

Stubborn Tomato

I know you’ve gotta find it so frustrating
Just sitting around here and silently waiting.
Easy to see how your heart would harden.
Still, I saw promise out in your garden.
Went to look for Locke, but I didn’t find him.
Why couldn’t he leave a better trail behind him?
All things considered, it was not a waste, though,
‘Cause I walked away with a stubborn tomato.

Stubborn tomato. Stubborn tomato.
See what I found? It’s a stubborn tomato.
Never was told that it oughtta die.
I call that a stubborn tomato!

You can no longer speak in English. Sure,
It’s a pain, but until I can find you a cure,
I recall a patient banged on the head.
Since he couldn't talk, we just had him write instead.
Can you pick up this pen, write down an answer?
It’s a little bit slow; still, it’s a chance for
Getting to express all the things you’re thinking.
That ought to help you keep your soul from sinking.

Stubborn tomato. Stubborn tomato.
See what I found? It’s a stubborn tomato.
Never was told that it oughtta die.
I call that a stubborn tomato!

It’s live together, die alone,
So you’re never gonna be on your own.
Right now it might seem hard to cope,
But you’ve got a friend, and here’s a symbol of hope.
Listen, Sun, do you trust me?
If you stay, then you have my firm guarantee:
You’ll find your husband and leave this place. So
Have a little faith. Be like the stubborn tomato.

Stubborn tomato. Stubborn tomato.
See what I found? It’s a stubborn tomato.
Never was told that it oughtta die.
I call that a stubborn tomato!
Stubborn tomato.
See what I found? It’s a stubborn tomato.
Never was told that it oughtta die.
I call that a stubborn tomato!

Blow Up the Island (Blow Up Your TV, John Prine)

Daniel: I think I can negate that energy under the Swan. I think I can destroy it. If I can, then that hatch will never be built, and your plane... your plane will land, just like it's supposed to, in Los Angeles. Kate: And just how exactly do you plan on destroying this energy?
Daniel: I'm gonna detonate a hydrogen bomb.
- The Variable

Daniel had a crazy plan for fixing the castaways' predicament. Here's a song about that, to the tune of John Denver's version of John Prine's Blow Up Your TV.

Blow Up the Island

Daniel: I caught a sub here from Ann Arbor, and you know why I came back?
That photo in the paper of your DHARMA welcome, Jack.
Well, it seems my mother fed you her old talk of destiny.
You gave her a say and you tried things her way,
But now lend your ears to me.

Blow up the Island!
(Jack: Blow up the Island?)
Daniel: It’s the variation
(Jack: Crazy variation!)
Daniel: In the equation that is the key.
We can change what happened.
(Jack: Can we change what happened?)
Daniel: We can strike your stranding. Yes, Jack.
(Jack: Can we strike our stranding?)
Daniel: Make it a landing. We’ll be free.

My mother is an Other. She’s the one who brought you here.
But I bet she didn’t say you’d wind up in another year.
She left that little detail out, and she clearly led you wrong.
She can show how to go back where we all belong.

Blow up the Island!
(Jack: Blow up the Island?)
Daniel: It’s the variation
(Jack: Crazy variation!)
Daniel: In the equation that is the key.
We can change what happened.
(Jack: Can we change what happened?)
Daniel: We can strike your stranding. Yes, Jack.
(Jack: Can we strike our stranding?)
Daniel: Make it a landing. We’ll be free.

In just a few more hours, at the site you call the Hatch,
The DHARMA folks will blunder into a hidden patch.
Since that energy is fatal, they will seal it and keep it at bay.
If the Swan and the button are gone, you’ll never crash that day.

Jack: Let’s blow up the Island!
(Kate: Blow up the Island?)
Jack: It’s the variation
(Kate: Crazy variation!)
Jack: In the equation that is the key.
We can change what happened.
(Kate: It won’t change what happened.)
Jack: We’ll strike our stranding. Yes, Kate,
(Kate: It won’t strike our stranding.)
Jack: We will make it a landing. We’ll be free.

Blow Up Your TV

For Those in the Background (A Song for All Lovers, John Denver)

Hurley: No. I bought those seats, all 78 of 'em. I'm Hugo Reyes. They're not open. They're mine. Check and see.
Woman: Yes, I see that. Sir, these people just want to get to their destination. Why would you not want them to be able to travel?
Hurley: You know, it doesn't matter why. They can take the next plane.
- 316

One of my favorite Hurley moments came in 316 when it was revealed that he had bought all of the remaining tickets on the flight to the Island in order to ensure that there would be as few redshirts as possible this time around. I'd say that there are a lot of people out there who owe Hurley their lives. Here's a song to the tune of John Denver's A Song For All Lovers in which Hurley makes his decision.

For Those in the Background

I’ll stop those people from boarding Ajira,
From boarding 316, from boarding that bomb.
I've seen the danger for those in the background,
For those who don’t know it isn’t going to Guam.

Imagine the carnage upon our return.
An uneven landing is cause for concern.
I know I’ll survive it; I know that’s my fate.
For most of the others, rescue may come too late.

They’ll drown in the ocean. They’ll burn in the plane.
They’ll fall to the monster. They’ll crumble in pain.
They’ll wither in sorrow. They’ll tremble in fear.
Yes, that’s what awaits them unless they stay here.

What’s the point of my millions if I can’t do some good?
If I’m able to spare them, then I’m sure that I should.

They’ll wither in sorrow. They’ll tremble in fear.
Yes, that’s what awaits them unless they stay here.

So I’ll stop those people from boarding Ajira,
From boarding 316, from boarding that bomb.
I've seen the danger for those in the background,
For those who don’t know it isn’t going to Guam.
For those who don’t know it isn’t going to Guam.

Jughead (Whispering Jesse, John Denver)

Richard: How do I know you weren't sent here on some suicide mission? That I'll take you out to the bomb, and you'll just detonate it?
Daniel: Because... I'm in love with the woman sitting next to me. And I would never... I would never do anything to hurt her.
- Jughead

After Ab Aeterno, that scene in Jughead in which Daniel's love for Charlotte wins Richard over seems even more meaningful. At the time, I took it as a mark in Richard's favor, that he's noble enough to recognize the value of true love, but it goes deeper than that. Like Daniel, he has loved deeply, so he empathizes, and I think he senses Daniel's sincerity. Daniel, who I have come to think of as "the little prince" referred to in the episode that followed and who never has seemed more authoritative than in this brief stay in 1954. Here's a recreation of their conversation to the tune of John Denver's Whispering Jesse.

Jughead

Richard: So you are the leader, and I hear from Ellie
You don’t want to tell me where your comrades have gone.
Daniel: And why would I do that? You just want to kill them.
Richard: We didn’t start this, friend. The battle lines have been drawn.
Your people came calling with evil intentions.
Did Ellie here mention that they fired first?
Daniel: We weren’t with those soldiers. We’re on a mission.
Let me disarm that bomb before it can burst.

I think the device is in need of new casing,
Which I am basing on these burns on this man.
If you send me over there, I know I can fix it.
Richard: I wish I could trust you; don’t know how I can.
I ought to fear you because you might be here to
Detonate Jughead and blow us away.
Daniel: I love this woman who’s sitting beside me.
I never would hurt her. Believe what I say.

Richard: Detonate Jughead?
You won’t, you’ve convinced me.
Your manner is princely.
You’re guided by love.

Whispering Jesse

Richard's Penance (Casey's Last Ride, Kris Kristofferson)

"We'll always be together."
- Isabella, Ab Aeterno

Richard: Can you absolve me of my sins so I don't go to Hell?
Jacob: I can't do that either.
Richard: I never want to die. I want to live forever.
Jacob: Now that... I can do.
- Ab Aeterno

Ab Aeterno gave us a whole lot of background on Richard, a fundamentally decent man who accidentally killed a man in the heat of extreme agitation, much like Desmond did with Kelvin. (And y'know, maybe I can go ahead and blame Jacob for that bus accident; he seems especially good at orchestrating crashes for the purposes of bringing people to the Island...) We saw his profound love for his wife and his deep desire for absolution. Scarred by a corrupt priest's statement that he was going to Hell unless he could perform sufficient penance, which would take a long time indeed, he welcomed Jacob's offer of a job that would allow him to do a lot of good. Here's a reflection on his story to the tune of John Denver's Casey's Last Ride.

Richard’s Penance

Richard was a humble man who labored with a lofty plan
Of going with the wife he loved to seek another world.
Stumbling to the table of the doctor who seemed able to
Repair her broken body, Richard’s desperation swirled.
His hands were built for farming, and he had no thought of harming
When he left his little cottage and rode out into the rain.
But Richard made an error at the apex of his terror,
And he heard his love’s last words as he was dragged away in chains.

“Here,” she said. “Take along my only worldly treasure.
Go,” she said, “mindful of the promise that you hold.
Please,” she said, “know that we will always be together.
Yes,” she said, “even if my very life goes cold.”

Richard swapped a prison cell for passage on a ship to Hell,
Or that’s how he perceived it when the vessel came aground.
There he met a Man in Black who told him that he must attack
The Devil; then an angry whack from Jacob turned him ‘round.
That’s when Jacob mentioned his disdain for intervention
With the pawns who earned detention on the Island he controlled.
But his rival’s reach was greater, so perhaps a mediator
Was a fitting compromise who could advise his flustered fold.

“So,” he said, “what will you be paid for this endeavor?
No,” he said, “I cannot absolve your sins for you.
Still,” he said, “you insist you want to live forever.
Now,” he said, “that is something I‘ll be glad to do.”

“Here,” she said. “Take along my only worldly treasure.
Go,” she said, “mindful of the promise that you hold.
Please,” she said, “know that we will always be together.
Yes,” she said, “even if my very life goes cold.
Yes,” she said, “even if my very life goes cold.”

Boone and Shannon (Bread and Roses, James Oppenheim)

One of the oddest pairings LOST has presented is Boone and Shannon, who really ought to stick to being brother and sister. This is a reflection on their relationship to the tune of John Denver's Bread and Roses. Here's hoping their lives are a little less complicated in the Sideways storyline.

Boone and Shannon

He said she was his sister, but that wasn’t quite the case,
For a fierce infatuation was emblazoned on his face
As he stood and criticized her for her superficial tannin’,
Knowing she would just berate him. Boone and Shannon, Boone and Shannon.

She said he was her brother. That’s a matter for debate.
When their parents wed each other, he was ten and she was eight.
Surely such romantic ardor wasn’t what they had been plannin’,
But it’s what was in the cards for Boone and Shannon, Boone and Shannon.

They said that they were siblings, and they tossed the “step” away.
Did they need a stern reminder that the game they tried to play
Was a deviant idea that deserved a brutal bannin’?
Will another life be kind to Boone and Shannon, Boone and Shannon?
Will another life be kind to Boone and Shannon, Boone and Shannon?

Known For the Doubt (Never a Doubt, John Denver)

Ben: Thomas the Apostle. When Jesus wanted to return to Judea, knowing that he would probably be murdered there, Thomas said to the others, "Let us also go, that we might die with him." But Thomas was not remembered for this bravery. His claim to fame came later... when he refused to acknowledge the resurrection. He just couldn't wrap his mind around it. The story goes... that he needed to touch Jesus' wounds to be convinced.
Jack: So was he?
Ben: Of course he was. We're all convinced sooner or later, Jack.
- 316

316 is named, on the surface, for the flight that Ben and five of the Oceanic Six take back to the Island. But I presume that the name also is a reference to John 3:16, sometimes referred to as the Bible boiled down to one verse about God loving the world so much that He gave His Son so that whoever believed in Him would not perish but have eternal life. This seems especially fitting given Ben's conversation with Jack about the apostle Thomas and his struggle to believe. Here are Ben's biblical musings, to the tune of John Denver's Never A Doubt.

Known For the Doubt

He is known for the doubt,
Known for the doubt he confessed
When he looked on his Savior.
Known for the doubt.
It’s always been linked to his name.
He is known for the doubt
That compelled him to make his request.
Can we fault his behavior?
Known for the doubt.
Don’t you think we’d have acted the same?

Of the Apostles, not one has been misunderstood more than Thomas.
He was loyal and brave.
When Jesus was threatened, he said, “Let us go and die too.”
I assume, given the chance, that he would have made good on his promise
Of embracing the grave.
For the sake of his Lord, there was nothing that he wouldn’t do.

Reason was whispering to him, “It must be a hoax or illusion.
No, this cannot be real,”
Because Christ’s resurrection was something beyond his belief.
In his shoes, which of us wouldn’t have come to a kindred conclusion?
But when granted a feel,
We’d have trembled like Thomas as joy washed away all our grief.

Was he wrong to refuse to accept an imposter
When he did not dare hope for such glorious news?

He is known for the doubt,
Known for the doubt he confessed
When he looked on his Savior.
Known for the doubt.
It’s always been linked to his name.
He is known for the doubt
That compelled him to make his request.
Can we fault his behavior?
Known for the doubt.
Don’t you think we’d have acted the same?
Don’t you think we’d have acted the same?
We would have acted the same.

Little House (The Garden Song, Dave Mallett)

Charles: Hey, you heard that? Now that's what life's all about. Laughin' and lovin' each other. And knowin' that people aren't really gone when they die. We have all the good memories to sustain us until we see 'em again.
Laura: It's hard not being afraid, Pa...
Charles: I know, sweetheart. I know.
- Little House on the Prairie, Remember Me I
 
Sawyer is just full of surprises. One of my favorites is the fact that he is a fan of Little House on the Prairie. He dropped that little tidbit back in season three; now it's finally come up again, and Sawyer's softie status is assured... Here's a reflection by him to the tune of Dave Mallett's The Garden Song. (Below is the closest recording I could find online to the version I modeled mine after.)

Little House

Little House. What a show!
Sorta sappy, sorta slow.
Secretly, I’m a softie, though,
So I won’t apologize.
Little House. What a show!
Half-Pint has it good, ya know.
I’d’ve lived through lots less woe
If my dad had been that wise.

They endure though times are tough.
They‘ve got each other. That‘s enough.
They have the kind of life I‘d love.
It‘s the life I was denied.
Hard work don‘t bother me.
I'm a man of industry.
I have craved a family
Since the day my parents died.

Little House. What a show!
Sorta sappy, sorta slow.
Secretly, I’m a softie, though,
So I won’t apologize.
Little House. What a show!
Half-Pint has it good, ya know.
I’d’ve lived through lots less woe
If my dad had been that wise.

Could it be I was wrong
Hangin’ onto hate so long?
When I thought it made me strong,
Did it keep me weak instead?
Before I work out what to do,
Guess I’d better think this through.
Maybe I should listen to
All the things Pa Ingalls said.

Little House. What a show!
Sorta sappy, sorta slow.
Secretly, I’m a softie, though,
So I won’t apologize.
Little House. What a show!
Half-Pint has it good, ya know.
I’d’ve lived through lots less woe
If my dad had been that wise.
The Garden Song

The Island and Me (Alaska and Me, John Denver)

The last couple of seasons of LOST have not been so kind to John Locke. Nonetheless, his troubles as a result of the Island have not diminished my exultation in his joy upon finding the Island in the first place. Here's a reflection by him to the tune of John Denver's Alaska and Me.

The Island and Me

When I was a child, a strange man came to see me.
He spoke of a school where special kids stay.
And he gave me a test, but when he found me a failure,
He packed his bag and strode swiftly away.

Well, the next few years burdened me with boatloads of bullies
Who stuffed me into lockers and shoved me aside.
But when I heard a science camp awaited in Portland,
I derided the summons to salvage my pride.

Here's to the Island. Here’s to amazement.
Here’s to enjoying just jubilee.
Here's to embracing deferred destiny.
Here's to the Island and me.

I was born to a teen in the city of Tustin,
Raised as an orphan, so unmoored and alone
And aware of the void that was left by my father.
I swore that I’d find him one day when I’d grown.

But he couldn’t give me the purpose I longed for.
He tricked me and crushed me, and he splintered my spine,
And I wound up a chump getting chewed out by Randy.
How could I know glory soon would be mine?

Here's to the Island. Here’s to amazement.
Here’s to enjoying just jubilee.
Here's to embracing deferred destiny.
Here's to the Island and me.

Now, as I stand with my face to the rain,
I see my life led me straight to that plane.
Oh, I was in bondage, but now I am free.
Here’s to the Island and me.

Here's to the Island. Here’s to amazement.
Here’s to enjoying just jubilee.
Here's to embracing deferred destiny.
Here's to the Island and me.
Oh, here’s to the Island and me.

See You in Another Life (Shanghai Breezes, John Denver)

"See you in another life, yeah?"
- Desmond, Orientation

By the end of the season two finale, disoriented Scotsman Desmond had become one of my favorite characters on LOST. In the beginning of the season, he seemed totally unhinged in Island times but sage and serene in Jack's flashback. When I first saw him taking five with Jack in those bleachers, I had no idea how important and beloved he would become. Here's a reflection by Desmond just before his first departure from the Island, with just a hint of season six thrown in, to the tune of John Denver's Shanghai Breezes.

See You In Another Life

Promise me that if, by some strange miracle,
The computer starts to work again,
You’ll cast away your pride. Oh, Jack, don’t be a fool.
Don’t wait; it will be too late then.
You want to see what happens when the clock runs out?
I hope by then I’m far away.
First, a little something to reduce your doubt:
We were running buddies in L. A.

I remember you now from Los Angeles, mate,
About to take the surgeon’s knife.
My meeting you here feels a whole lot like fate,
So I’ll see you in another life.

Learn the numbers. They start with a four and an eight.
There’s fifteen and then sixteen, too.
And these numbers, the ones I so thoroughly hate,
End twenty-three, forty-two.
I’m sorry that the woman who I helped you save
Is not wed to you anymore.
Brother, let it go. The consequences will be grave
If you don’t perform this little chore.

I remember you now from Los Angeles, mate,
About to take the surgeon’s knife.
And my meeting you here feels a whole lot like fate,
So I’ll see you in another life.

In another life, I’ll see you,
No doubt in my mind.
In another life, I’m key to
Unearthing what you yearn to find.

I remember you now from Los Angeles, mate,
About to take the surgeon’s knife.
And my meeting you here feels a whole lot like fate,
So I’ll see you in another life.

I remember you now from Los Angeles, mate,
About to take the surgeon’s knife.
And my meeting you here feels a whole lot like fate,
So I’ll see you in another life.
Yes, I will see you in another life.

Shangai Breezes

Ben's Song (Annie's Song, John Denver)

"It's us. That's you and that's me. Now we never have to be away from each other. Happy birthday, Ben."
 - Annie, The Man Behind the Curtain

Last night, I watched a video that filled me with more happiness than any video rightly should. Entitled Old Spice Fills Up My Senses, this video ingeniously takes the text of the iconic new Old Spice commercial (with which I am currently obsessed) and marries it to the melody of John Denver's Annie's Song. As the main singer, Emily, explains, "There's a video that's making the rounds on the Internet, and I think it's the most romantic thing that I've ever seen... and we thought it might be fun to set the words to the video to the tune of the most romantic song ever written."

Well, I was elated and inspired, and I watched it half a dozen times, and when I woke up this morning, I watched it again. And then I had a thought: "I need this song." Every time I've heard Annie's Song in the past three years, I've briefly wanted to toy with the idea of turning it into a way of exploring Annie, who ties for my favorite flashback character on LOST. But I always shot myself down because I have a strict rule of never using the same song twice, and I made short work of Annie's Song back in 2006 shortly after my filking began in earnest.

This time, I decided to throw out the rules, especially since that was one of the dumbest songs I ever wrote, and hardly worthy of John Denver's beautiful melody. I shunned my first attempt, freeing me to say everything I've been longing to say about Annie, or rather to have her say. It was a strange revelation to me when I finished that everything we really know about Annie is contained in this one brief song. She appeared in one episode, and then she was never mentioned again.

I have a few theories about what happened to her. My most outlandish speculates that she was either Jacob or Smokey (akin to the theory that Vincent is Jacob or Smokey). Intriguing thought, but I don't give it a lot of credence. My most prominent theories are as follows:

1. Annie left the Island with her parents shortly after she presented the dolls to Ben. The very nature of the gift suggests that she knew they would be separated soon, and this would explain why she seemed to be out of the picture when Jack and his buddies arrived.

2. At some point in the mid-to-late 1980s, Ben impregnated Annie, who subsequently died in childbirth. That explains why he was so deeply moved by the presence of the infant Alexandra and protective of her mother, even as he stole the baby to claim as his own. It also gives more reason for the fervor with which he tried to keep Karl away from Alex and attempted to find a solution to the Island's fertility problems, which Richard (the man who barely remembers what birthdays are) clearly found inconsequential.

Whatever Annie's story is, I feel certain that we will get it this season and that it will prove an important piece of the puzzle that is LOST. Until then, we're left with three short but incredibly sweet scenes.

Ben’s Song

I guess that you’re new here.
Nice to meet you; I’m Annie.
Won’t you have an Apollo?
They’re amazingly good.
Take a taste of this candy.
We will never run out here.
You want to be friends, Ben?
I think that we should.

Come to the corner!
It’s a Hostile invasion.
It’s a little bit scary,
But don’t be afraid, Ben.
Take my hand, and I’ll guide you.
I am right here beside you.
Soon they will leave us.
You’ll be okay then.

I am right here beside you.
Someday I’ll leave you,
But I can’t say when.

I know it’s your birthday,
Though your dad has forgotten.
Here’s a gift that I made you,
And it comes from the heart.
Take the doll, for it’s me, Ben;
This one’s you, and I’ll keep it.
As long as we have them,
We’re never apart.

Faraday (Fly Away, John Denver)

Yesterday, I incorporated a bit of a dialogue between Daniel and Jacob into my LOST song dealing with Charlotte's landing on the Island. I wanted to explore that further, and I had a revelation. The title of the season five episode The Little Prince always bothered me a bit, since the book is never seen or mentioned, nor quoted from, and aside from the appearance of the French team, I couldn't see much of a correlation. I think I've finally figured it out. The Little Prince is Daniel Faraday.

In Because You Left, we learned that Daniel Faraday's mother had something important to say to Desmond. In The Lie, we learned that Ben was meeting with Ms Hawking, previously seen only in connection with Desmond, in Los Angeles and that she was key to getting everyone back to the Island. In Jughead, we learned that Daniel's mother was now living in Los Angeles and that Charles Widmore knew her. We also met Ellie on the Island for the first time - and given that his rat's name was Eloise, it wasn't much of a stretch to imagine that could be her, especially since Daniel recognized her. And, of course, we discovered that young Charles was living on the Island too. All of the clues had been carefully laid out. I believe that The Little Prince was an indication of Daniel's true identity - the son of former Island Queen Eloise Hawking and Island King Charles Widmore.

What's more, in Jughead, the episode in which Daniel finally overtly declared his love for her, Charlotte first suffered serious side effects from time travel. In his part of the story, The Little Prince is primarily concerned with him figuring out why this is happening to Charlotte and how to stop it. To quote the book referenced in the title, "You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed." Daniel has "tamed" Charlotte, and now his mandate is to protect her.

All this is to say that Daniel Faraday has a pretty special place in LOST lore. And this week - though I had to consult Lostpedia for confirmation - he was revealed as a Candidate, bearing the number 101. I suspect that Jacob cares a great deal about this prince who was, presumably, taken off the Island when he was little indeed - before he was born. And just as the Little Prince longed to return to his tiny planet and the rose he loved, Daniel, without consciously realizing it, longed to return to his Island and the girl to whom he would issue a protective warning, in her past and his future.

Here's a dialogue between Jacob and Daniel to the tune of John Denver's Fly Away.

Faraday

Jacob: All of your dreams have been disregarded.
Sometimes it’s too much to bear.
Your life has never been yours to pilot.
Daniel, it doesn’t seem fair.

Faraday.
Come, blessed Island son.
Faraday.
Come, Number One-Oh-One.
Faraday.

Life in a lab coat has made you lonely
For more down-to-earth company.
(Daniel: More company…)
Jacob: Life in the shadow of Eloise
Has limited who you can be.

Faraday.
Come, blessed Island son.
Faraday.
Come, Number One-Oh-One.
Faraday.

Daniel, one day you’ll be able to do as you please.
(Daniel: One day I will do as I please.)
Jacob: No longer controlled by your father and by Eloise.
(Daniel: No Eloise…)

Jacob: You’re waiting for someone to share your life with.
You’re waiting for laughter and song.
(Daniel: Where is my song?)
Jacob: You’re waiting for someone who cares for you.
Oh, Dan, you won’t have to wait long.

Faraday.
Come, blessed Island son.
Faraday.
Come, Number One-Oh-One.
Faraday.
Come, blessed Island son.
Faraday.

Daniel: Where is my beauty?
Why only strife?
Let me have music
And love in my life.
Love in my life…

Fly Away

Give Them Life (All This Joy, John Denver)

LOST is chock-full of fascinating characters. But if I had to pinpoint the four most important, at least of those we've known from the very first season, I'd have to go with Jack, Sawyer, Hurley and John. Here's a little dialogue between head writers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse and viewers, to the tune of John Denver's All This Joy.

Give Them Life

Darlton: This is Jack.
This is Sawyer.
This is Hurley.
This is John.

He’s a doc.
He’s a conman.
He’s a rich man.
He’s a chump.

Pity poor Jack.
Pity poor Sawyer.
Pity poor Hurley.
Pity poor John.

He lacks faith.
He lacks scruples.
He lacks self-worth.
He lacks life.

Viewers: Please save Jack.
Please save Sawyer.
Please save Hurley
And please save John.

Just give him faith.
Give him scruples.
Give him self-worth.
Give him life.

Darlton: We’ll save Jack.
We’ll save Sawyer.
We’ll save Hurley.
We’ll save John.

He’ll find faith.
He’ll find scruples.
He’ll find self-worth.
He’ll find life.

They’ll have self-worth.
They’ll have life.

Tallies, Time and Tapestries (Poems, Prayers and Promises, John Denver)

One of my favorite scenes in LOST - and one of the most iconic in the series - is the opener of The Incident, which at last introduces us to the elusive Jacob and reveals that he has a nemesis.

When I watch this scene, I can't help being reminded of the old Looney Tunes cartoons about Ralph the Wolf and Sam the Sheepdog. Ralph spends his day trying to steal Sam's sheep, while Sam spends his day trying to thwart his efforts. Just when it seems like one will have the definitive victory, the bell rings to signal the end of the workday, and they cease their chase, exchanging pleasantries before they head home in separate directions.

Jacob and his Nemesis measure their existence in eras rather than days, but it seems that at the end of each era, they too have this moment. Just how genuine is their enmity, anyway? Do they truly hate one another? Or is it more of a partnership? Here are some musings from Jacob, to the tune of John Denver's Poems, Prayers and Promises. (Hat-tip to my good friend Beth, whose contemplation on the possible alchemical framework of LOST gave me the perfect way to extend my slightly reworked version of Jacob's famous quote.)

Tallies, Time and Tapestries

I’ve been on this Island for a long, long time -
Just how long, you know, my old friend.
Although you don’t believe in my grand design,
I’ll prove that you’re mistaken in the end.
We’ve waged an epic battle. I summon, you repel.
You see the worst in men, I see the best.
We keep the scales in balance, do our duties well.
But now and then, it’s nice to have a rest.

You and I understand
How years slip past like grains of sand
Until we stand again as brothers on this shore.
You’re dark and I am light, but now, we needn’t fight.
We have a chance to meet as equals, to enjoy a warm rapport

And talk of tallies, time and tapestries
And which of us is winning,
And whether it has been a waste
And when we will be done.
Why does the world have suffering?
Does fate or free will triumph?
Might we part in friendship when at last the war is won?

You see the ship is coming now; we’ll soon resume our game.
I know what you will have to say to that.
“They come, they fight, destroy, corrupt… It always ends the same.”
How well we have rehearsed our little chat!
You know as well as I do what I’ll tell you in response,
What I’ve replied for centuries untold.
“You’re wrong,” I’ll calmly counter. “My friend, it just ends once.
The rest is progress - lead refined to gold.”

You and I understand
How years slip past like grains of sand
Until we stand again as brothers on this shore.
You’re dark and I am light, but now, we needn’t fight.
We have a chance to meet as equals as we often have before

And talk of tallies, time and tapestries
And which of us is winning,
And whether it has been a waste
And when we will be done.
Why does the world have suffering?
Does fate or free will triumph?
Might we part in friendship when at last the war is won?

Poems, Prayers and Promises

Eulogy... (I'm Sorry, John Denver)

In The Substitute, LOST provided one of my absolute favorite scenes of the series, one that was simultaneously among the saddest, most touching and funniest scenes thus far. I'm talking about John Locke's funeral, and Ben's heartfelt, albeit slightly petulant, eulogy (and Frank's subsequent assessment that probably echoed the thoughts of many viewers). I think that spending a couple of days with Fake Locke made him appreciate Real Locke much more deeply, and realize that Jacob was right all along about his being special. The eulogy takes on an even sweeter edge when you consider the Sideways storyline, especially if you believe as I do that the Flash Sideways are actually Flash Forwards. Here's my take on that tender moment, to the tune of John Denver's I'm Sorry.

Eulogy (by Ben for John at the Weirdest Funeral Frank’s Ever Been To)

Ben: It’s strange to feel this pity,
This sorrow and remorse.
Maybe I will recover from this in due course.
Knowing that you were chosen,
Knowing that I was not,
Knowing that I reacted like a sulky snot.

I’m sorry I was not a true believer.
I’m sorry I manipulated you.
I’m sorry, now that you’re gone,
I was so petty, John.
You were a victim too.

I’m just so lost without you;
I guess I need a foil.
It feels like I’m the one who’s lying steeped in soil.
I dreamed of you dying;
Now the moment’s come.
It seems more like a nightmare, and I’m nearly numb.

I’m sorry I shot you in the jungle.
I’m sorry that I choked you with a cord.
I’m sorry, now that you’re gone,
I was so petty, John.
I wish your life could be restored.

Frank: This is the weirdest funeral I've been to in all my life.
This is the weirdest funeral, I swear.

Ben: I’m sorry, for you were a kindred spirit.
I’m sorry that I brought about your end.
I’m sorry, now that you’re gone,
I was so petty, John.
I should have been your friend.

Bye, Australia! (Sing Australia, John Denver)

My very first LOST parody was a group song, but I've only had a few let's-get-as-many-characters-involved-as-we-can-style parodies. I figured it was time for another one. Here's one that crams in 30 815 passengers, I think; most have a line, some are mentioned by others. To the tune of John Denver's Sing Australia, this imagines their thoughts en route to L. A. (in the original timeline).

Bye, Australia!

Hurley: I came to Australia to break the Numbers curse.
Jack: I came to find my father; didn’t think I would need a hearse.
Boone: Came to help my step-sister.
Arzt: Came here for a date.
John: I came for a walkabout; I was four years too late.

Rose: We were here on our honeymoon.
Bernard: I came to help her heal.
Nikki: I arrived as an actress but I found some gems to steal.
Charlie: Liam is on my black list since he won’t revive the band.
Kate: Maybe I’ll find some way to lose the Marshal when we land.

Hurley: I’m unlucky.
Kate: I am plucky.
Jack: I’m a surgeon of great renown.
Charlie: I’m a druggie.
John: I had a purpose, but Australia let me down.

Michael: Walt is my son, but I bet I’m a lousy dad.
Sawyer: Killed a guy I didn’t know; now I’m feelin’ bad.
Sun: Do I still love my husband?
Jin: Could Sun still be in love with me?
Neil: Excuse me while I dream of a frogurt factory.

Sayid: Will Nadia embrace me when we meet again at last?
Shannon: I made my brother chase me.
Eko: I have a sordid past.
Gary: I hope Bad Twin’s a winner.
Steve: I’ll go by Scott someday.
Claire: I’m scared to see this couple waiting in L. A.

Sawyer: I’m a killer.
Gary: Wrote a thriller.
Sayid: I am headed for my true love.
Claire: Funny how it all seems so tiny when we’re watching from above.

Cindy: Bye, Australia!
Paolo: Bye, Australia!
Ana Lucia: Bye, Australia!
Libby: Bye, Australia!

Seth: Folks, I hope your belts are buckled,
‘Cause this plane is goin’ down!

Sing Australia

For Charlie (For Baby (For Bobbie), John Denver)

I was so busy composing reviews last month, I never got around to penning any parodies. Now that the fervor is over, I thought I'd break my unintended fast with a subject I've been meaning to write on for a month and a half: Desmond David Hume, the wild-eyed, suddenly psychic Scot who's become such an intriguing part of LOST's third season. It's set to Peter Paul and Mary's version of John Denver's For Baby (For Bobbie); the song has been running through my head since I listened to it yesterday, and I figure the gentle tone is exactly what's needed for such a grim moment, when Desmond comes clean to Charlie about his disturbing psychic flashes.

Gotta feel bad for the guy; he tries to distance himself from everyone, yet he's bound to Charlie through this strange ability that makes him the only one who can serve as his protector. He cares about Charlie whether he wants to or not, and though he doesn't believe he can avert calamity for long, he knocks himself out trying to prolong the pipsqueak's life as long as possible. Good ol' Dez...

For Charlie

I witnessed the rain when you died.
I saw you lie lifeless upon the sand.
I know it will bring you pain to understand
The universe has made you a marked man.

And so, brother, you have my sympathy.
Destiny has doomed you in your prime.
Despite what I do, you're gonna die.
You're running out of time.

I saved Claire so you wouldn't drown.
These misty visions sear my mind's eye.
I care for you, so my sorrow is profound,
But I cannot comfort you without lies.

Do you still think it's wrong that I say "No"
When you ask for what's on my mind?
Despite what I do, you're gonna die.
You're running out of time.

I witnessed the rain when you died.
I saw you lie lifeless upon the sand.
I know it will bring you pain to understand
The universe has made you a marked man.

And so, brother, you have my sympathy.
Destiny has doomed you in your prime.
Despite what I do, you're gonna die.
You're running out of time.