Thursday, February 7, 2008
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
I'll Follow My Friend (I'll Follow the Sun, Paul McCartney)
LOST returned last week with a doozy of an opener that included Hurley's impassioned speech to Jack explaining his decision to join Locke in deference to Charlie. Here's my version of it, to the tune of the Beatles' I'll Follow the Sun.
I'll Follow My Friend
Heed the warning that Charlie penned.
He did not die in vain.
No, I'll follow my friend.
I'm in mourning. Don't condescend.
He did not die in vain.
No, I'll follow my friend.
So now the boat has come,
And where's it from? We don't know,
But Penny's not the one
Who is running the show. Oh...
Heed the warning that Charlie penned.
He did not die in vain.
No, I'll follow my friend.
He did not die in vain.
No, I'll follow my friend.
So now the boat has come,
And where's it from? We don't know,
But Penny's not the one
Who is running the show. Oh...
Heed the warning that Charlie penned.
He did not die in vain.
No, I'll follow my friend.
I'll Follow My Friend
Heed the warning that Charlie penned.
He did not die in vain.
No, I'll follow my friend.
I'm in mourning. Don't condescend.
He did not die in vain.
No, I'll follow my friend.
So now the boat has come,
And where's it from? We don't know,
But Penny's not the one
Who is running the show. Oh...
Heed the warning that Charlie penned.
He did not die in vain.
No, I'll follow my friend.
He did not die in vain.
No, I'll follow my friend.
So now the boat has come,
And where's it from? We don't know,
But Penny's not the one
Who is running the show. Oh...
Heed the warning that Charlie penned.
He did not die in vain.
No, I'll follow my friend.
Friday, February 1, 2008
P.S.
I think that Charlie probably didn't really have to die, that he was so hung up on Desmond's visions that at that point he sort of gave up. I'm guessing the door couldn't be locked from the outside, maybe, so perhaps he figured there was no way to seal off the room if he left, but I'm not sure if that was the case, and anyway you'd think they'd have time to put on the gear before the whole station flooded.
And Desmond is putting too much stock in these visions of his; at first, he was using them to save Charlie's life, but then he was letting them guide him into leading Charlie into danger. The first time it resulted in them finding Naomi, who evidently was bad news, and meeting up with Mikhail, who told Ben what the castaways were up to, which was definitely bad news. The second time, it led to them getting in contact with that freighter, which seems to be a set-up for disaster, and it got Charlie killed. I feel like somebody is somehow controlling these visions and yanking Desmond around like a marionette. He needs to be a little more careful.
I think Hurley has been very haunted by Charlie's death, and what he saw was just replaying what Desmond had described to him. I would say that the figure he saw at that point was not Charlie but Mikhail, that he was just putting himself in Charlie's shoes, but I'm not sure. Charlie's visit to him seemed very much to me like Obi-Wan coming to see Luke. I think he's definitely dead but still able to communicate with the living, though communicating is one thing and slapping somebody in the face is another. He seemed to be too corporeal to be a ghost; more like an angel, like Jonathan on "Highway to Heaven" or something.
Seems to me that all of the Others, and Ben most of all, have major problems when it comes to social interaction. How difficult would it have been to just greet the survivors of the crash right when it happened and ask Jack to fix Ben's spine and warn them that pregnant women are endangered and all that? Why couldn't they all have cooperated with each other? Seems to me that the castaways are going to wind up on the same team when they discover the newbies' sinister purposes; they could have saved one another a whole heck of a lot of heartache if they'd played nice to begin with.
It would be really weird for Walt not to have gone to his father's funeral. And Michael's mother was still around too - though not in LA, I don't think... I suspect we'll be seeing both Michael and Walt soon. I don't know how they're going to handle Walt though, when he's getting so much older than he should be. Seems like he's a time traveler like Desmond or something.
I think there are definitely people who stay on the island, probably by their own choice; I'm thinking maybe they made a pact that Jack, Hurley, Kate and the other three would tell the world that everyone else was dead, so they wouldn't go looking for them, and maybe they were able to jam up communications and hide the island again, because it shouldn't have been that hard for Jack to get back otherwise. His going back doesn't seem to be for particularly noble purposes; I think he just wants to go back for himself because he realizes he was more fulfilled there than he's ever felt back in the "real world". But I think it's like "Brigadoon," and by leaving he had to accept that he wouldn't ever be able to return. But I'm guessing he'll make it back anyway...
And Desmond is putting too much stock in these visions of his; at first, he was using them to save Charlie's life, but then he was letting them guide him into leading Charlie into danger. The first time it resulted in them finding Naomi, who evidently was bad news, and meeting up with Mikhail, who told Ben what the castaways were up to, which was definitely bad news. The second time, it led to them getting in contact with that freighter, which seems to be a set-up for disaster, and it got Charlie killed. I feel like somebody is somehow controlling these visions and yanking Desmond around like a marionette. He needs to be a little more careful.
I think Hurley has been very haunted by Charlie's death, and what he saw was just replaying what Desmond had described to him. I would say that the figure he saw at that point was not Charlie but Mikhail, that he was just putting himself in Charlie's shoes, but I'm not sure. Charlie's visit to him seemed very much to me like Obi-Wan coming to see Luke. I think he's definitely dead but still able to communicate with the living, though communicating is one thing and slapping somebody in the face is another. He seemed to be too corporeal to be a ghost; more like an angel, like Jonathan on "Highway to Heaven" or something.
Seems to me that all of the Others, and Ben most of all, have major problems when it comes to social interaction. How difficult would it have been to just greet the survivors of the crash right when it happened and ask Jack to fix Ben's spine and warn them that pregnant women are endangered and all that? Why couldn't they all have cooperated with each other? Seems to me that the castaways are going to wind up on the same team when they discover the newbies' sinister purposes; they could have saved one another a whole heck of a lot of heartache if they'd played nice to begin with.
It would be really weird for Walt not to have gone to his father's funeral. And Michael's mother was still around too - though not in LA, I don't think... I suspect we'll be seeing both Michael and Walt soon. I don't know how they're going to handle Walt though, when he's getting so much older than he should be. Seems like he's a time traveler like Desmond or something.
I think there are definitely people who stay on the island, probably by their own choice; I'm thinking maybe they made a pact that Jack, Hurley, Kate and the other three would tell the world that everyone else was dead, so they wouldn't go looking for them, and maybe they were able to jam up communications and hide the island again, because it shouldn't have been that hard for Jack to get back otherwise. His going back doesn't seem to be for particularly noble purposes; I think he just wants to go back for himself because he realizes he was more fulfilled there than he's ever felt back in the "real world". But I think it's like "Brigadoon," and by leaving he had to accept that he wouldn't ever be able to return. But I'm guessing he'll make it back anyway...
LOST Offers Closure at Last, and a New Beginning
First of all, how beautiful is it that season four opens with a Hurley-centric episode? Except... Hurley is just as miserable in the future as Jack is. Why, oh why did they go back? Presumably, Hurley's main motivation was his mother. Where's she in all of this? And if I saw my dearly departed friend in a convenience store, I would think I would be overjoyed rather than terrified. What's Charlie gonna do to you, Hurley? Spit water at you?
But I loved how focused the episode - which I suddenly realized I don't know the name of - was on Charlie. I knew Hurley would take it really hard, but I imagined Claire being the one to go ballistic, and it really was the other way around. I think it was very appropriate, though, that Hurley was the one to break the news. I was rather hoping it would be; the connection there is much deeper, and Claire was in major need of a Hurley hug at that moment. She looked so luminous throughout this episode, and I just felt so bad for her when they all showed up and Sun and Rose ran to their husbands, and her expectant smile turned into a slightly worried frown, and Hurley didn't have to say the words before she knew the truth.
I found his speech to Jack both rousing and touching - though a tad troubling in light of the flash forward. Why was going with John the wrong call? What happened? At any rate, throughout the whole episode we really get a sense of the depth of Hurley's friendship with Charlie. I was also very moved by Sawyer's rather clumsy attempts to reach out to Hurley. Grief and empathy can help one heal; maybe in death, Charlie can help Sawyer to make a fresh start at last. Incidentally, no long goodbyes for any of the Others. Colleen's was actually quite beautiful. But Ben and Juliet are the only Others on hand, and Ben's tied up, while Juliet's jumped ship. I don't think either is too concerned about funeral rites at the moment.
Charlie looked and sounded amazing in this episode. So serene, cleaner than we've ever seen him, totally at peace, yet still very much in possession of his sly wit. What did it all mean? "I am dead, but I'm here." Was he really? I took him at his word, that he was more than a hallucination. Who knows? Yemi, Boone and Christian seem to have spoken from beyond the grave as well. I can't make hide nor hair of Darlton's mythology, but I sure was glad to see Charlie again. While it didn't make me cry like Jonathan Kent's last conversation with Clark did, it somehow made me feel much more hopeful. I don't think Hurley will let himself truly give into despair. But who is "them"? Jack and the other known survivors, or those still on the island? Or both?
By the way, when Hurley said, "I'm one of the Oceanic Six," Libbie and I just repeated incredulously, "Six?!" Goodness gracious. Horrible! Unless it just means there's a big ol' castaway settlement back on the island, and most of them decided they'd rather stay. That's not nearly as depressing. But if so many stayed, why would those six have returned?
I was thrilled to see Rose and Bernard playing such a prominent role again, though I was surprised that Rose went with Jack instead of John when she thinks leaving the island might mean having her cancer come back. I hope that Rose remains a major force. She and John both have been touched by miracles, but she reacts to hers in a very different way. Rose's is a much more mature faith than John's, and when it comes down to it he is much more like Jack than he might like to admit. He needs to have answers. He needs explanations for everything; he just may be a little more open-minded than Jack when it comes to what those explanations might entail. Rose just goes about her business and trusts that things will work out the way they're supposed to.
Poor Ben really was a mess tonight. He was almost back to Henry status, though he wasn't quite so sniveling as he was then. Actually, he cracked me up half the time he was on screen. Ben can be a very funny guy, and it's a mark of how badly he wants to maintain some degree of control over his situation that he is able to make snidely wry remarks when he's in such a predicament. I really did feel bad for him, though, when Danielle socked him in the face; he probably had it coming, but I do believe that in that moment he was genuinely concerned for their welfare and was trying to save them. (And why was everybody so slap-happy tonight? Jack was ready to beat John within an inch of his life, and Charlie whapped Hurley pretty good too. And I was shocked when Jack actually tried to shoot John. Never thought he'd do it.) Jack's "He's all yours" comment was priceless. Which one was he talking to? It could go either way!
Desmond was a desperate gun-toting basket-case. It was heartbreaking when he had to explain to Hurley that Charlie wasn't coming back. I think he's going to have major issues this season - as if he didn't already. I hear a rumor we're going to find out why he wound up in prison during his army service. I can't wait to see that. I think right now he just wants to do something proactive to keep his mind off his misery. In the back of his mind, meanwhile, there is the happy thought that Penny is still out there looking for him, and that now she knows he is waiting to be found.
Hurley deserves happiness. There's a sense that his exuberant cannonball is the last purely joyful moment he's going to have for a very long time, and that makes me sad. This season will be even darker than the last, I suppose, which is troublesome, but there will be enough levity to keep us afloat. Speaking of which... Where are you, Christmas? I have an uneasy feeling it just came and went without being acknowledged. Most unsatisfying!
The new "I wouldn't say rescuing you is our primary objective" guy looks eerily like Charlie, though he sounds nothing like him. I'm still mourning the loss of a potential Billy and Dom reunion. Why couldn't you figure out a way to work that into the script, writer? Couldn't you have made Billy that scummy pal of his in the goofy copier flashback? That would have been something at least... But I digress.
I saw the Oceanic ad during Eli Stone - which was disappointing and totally failed to engage me - and I got a kick out of that, particularly the little snatches of Sam warning us not to listen to those smiling faces encouraging us to get a golden pass. The website doesn't seem to be much yet - nothing but a press release and a privacy policy that I can't open. But something tells me that Sonya is going to show up at some point on the show. When she does, I will be excited.
Who are the other three Oceanic survivors who returned? We know it's Jack, Kate and Hurley. I can't imagine John would have left unless someone dragged him kicking and screaming, and same goes for Ben, who wasn't an Oceanic survivor anyway. Dad thought Michael might have been in the coffin, and I hadn't really considered that one before, but it's certainly a possibility. Presumably he would have been one of the Six, so that only five remain at the time when Jack meets Kate and tells her they have to go back. So many possibilities...
And then there's Jacob, who it would seem Hurley can see. When we caught a glimpse of him, he looked like Christian to me, or was that just my imagination? I'm not sure. But it would not surprise me at all to learn that Hurley, too, is "special". Notice how the Hurleybird started up again as he neared the cabin. Someone needs to tell him something. Hurley is tapped into the island. He just may not realize it yet.
Every time I think I'm done typing, I think of something else, but I probably ought to wrap it up now. I thought it was a phenomenal opener, and I want to give Hurley a ginormous hug right now. I don't like the dreary futures that seem to be unfolding, but I will keep the faith. They're in good hands with Hurley.
But I loved how focused the episode - which I suddenly realized I don't know the name of - was on Charlie. I knew Hurley would take it really hard, but I imagined Claire being the one to go ballistic, and it really was the other way around. I think it was very appropriate, though, that Hurley was the one to break the news. I was rather hoping it would be; the connection there is much deeper, and Claire was in major need of a Hurley hug at that moment. She looked so luminous throughout this episode, and I just felt so bad for her when they all showed up and Sun and Rose ran to their husbands, and her expectant smile turned into a slightly worried frown, and Hurley didn't have to say the words before she knew the truth.
I found his speech to Jack both rousing and touching - though a tad troubling in light of the flash forward. Why was going with John the wrong call? What happened? At any rate, throughout the whole episode we really get a sense of the depth of Hurley's friendship with Charlie. I was also very moved by Sawyer's rather clumsy attempts to reach out to Hurley. Grief and empathy can help one heal; maybe in death, Charlie can help Sawyer to make a fresh start at last. Incidentally, no long goodbyes for any of the Others. Colleen's was actually quite beautiful. But Ben and Juliet are the only Others on hand, and Ben's tied up, while Juliet's jumped ship. I don't think either is too concerned about funeral rites at the moment.
Charlie looked and sounded amazing in this episode. So serene, cleaner than we've ever seen him, totally at peace, yet still very much in possession of his sly wit. What did it all mean? "I am dead, but I'm here." Was he really? I took him at his word, that he was more than a hallucination. Who knows? Yemi, Boone and Christian seem to have spoken from beyond the grave as well. I can't make hide nor hair of Darlton's mythology, but I sure was glad to see Charlie again. While it didn't make me cry like Jonathan Kent's last conversation with Clark did, it somehow made me feel much more hopeful. I don't think Hurley will let himself truly give into despair. But who is "them"? Jack and the other known survivors, or those still on the island? Or both?
By the way, when Hurley said, "I'm one of the Oceanic Six," Libbie and I just repeated incredulously, "Six?!" Goodness gracious. Horrible! Unless it just means there's a big ol' castaway settlement back on the island, and most of them decided they'd rather stay. That's not nearly as depressing. But if so many stayed, why would those six have returned?
I was thrilled to see Rose and Bernard playing such a prominent role again, though I was surprised that Rose went with Jack instead of John when she thinks leaving the island might mean having her cancer come back. I hope that Rose remains a major force. She and John both have been touched by miracles, but she reacts to hers in a very different way. Rose's is a much more mature faith than John's, and when it comes down to it he is much more like Jack than he might like to admit. He needs to have answers. He needs explanations for everything; he just may be a little more open-minded than Jack when it comes to what those explanations might entail. Rose just goes about her business and trusts that things will work out the way they're supposed to.
Poor Ben really was a mess tonight. He was almost back to Henry status, though he wasn't quite so sniveling as he was then. Actually, he cracked me up half the time he was on screen. Ben can be a very funny guy, and it's a mark of how badly he wants to maintain some degree of control over his situation that he is able to make snidely wry remarks when he's in such a predicament. I really did feel bad for him, though, when Danielle socked him in the face; he probably had it coming, but I do believe that in that moment he was genuinely concerned for their welfare and was trying to save them. (And why was everybody so slap-happy tonight? Jack was ready to beat John within an inch of his life, and Charlie whapped Hurley pretty good too. And I was shocked when Jack actually tried to shoot John. Never thought he'd do it.) Jack's "He's all yours" comment was priceless. Which one was he talking to? It could go either way!
Desmond was a desperate gun-toting basket-case. It was heartbreaking when he had to explain to Hurley that Charlie wasn't coming back. I think he's going to have major issues this season - as if he didn't already. I hear a rumor we're going to find out why he wound up in prison during his army service. I can't wait to see that. I think right now he just wants to do something proactive to keep his mind off his misery. In the back of his mind, meanwhile, there is the happy thought that Penny is still out there looking for him, and that now she knows he is waiting to be found.
Hurley deserves happiness. There's a sense that his exuberant cannonball is the last purely joyful moment he's going to have for a very long time, and that makes me sad. This season will be even darker than the last, I suppose, which is troublesome, but there will be enough levity to keep us afloat. Speaking of which... Where are you, Christmas? I have an uneasy feeling it just came and went without being acknowledged. Most unsatisfying!
The new "I wouldn't say rescuing you is our primary objective" guy looks eerily like Charlie, though he sounds nothing like him. I'm still mourning the loss of a potential Billy and Dom reunion. Why couldn't you figure out a way to work that into the script, writer? Couldn't you have made Billy that scummy pal of his in the goofy copier flashback? That would have been something at least... But I digress.
I saw the Oceanic ad during Eli Stone - which was disappointing and totally failed to engage me - and I got a kick out of that, particularly the little snatches of Sam warning us not to listen to those smiling faces encouraging us to get a golden pass. The website doesn't seem to be much yet - nothing but a press release and a privacy policy that I can't open. But something tells me that Sonya is going to show up at some point on the show. When she does, I will be excited.
Who are the other three Oceanic survivors who returned? We know it's Jack, Kate and Hurley. I can't imagine John would have left unless someone dragged him kicking and screaming, and same goes for Ben, who wasn't an Oceanic survivor anyway. Dad thought Michael might have been in the coffin, and I hadn't really considered that one before, but it's certainly a possibility. Presumably he would have been one of the Six, so that only five remain at the time when Jack meets Kate and tells her they have to go back. So many possibilities...
And then there's Jacob, who it would seem Hurley can see. When we caught a glimpse of him, he looked like Christian to me, or was that just my imagination? I'm not sure. But it would not surprise me at all to learn that Hurley, too, is "special". Notice how the Hurleybird started up again as he neared the cabin. Someone needs to tell him something. Hurley is tapped into the island. He just may not realize it yet.
Every time I think I'm done typing, I think of something else, but I probably ought to wrap it up now. I thought it was a phenomenal opener, and I want to give Hurley a ginormous hug right now. I don't like the dreary futures that seem to be unfolding, but I will keep the faith. They're in good hands with Hurley.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Season Three Review
The third season was the first LOST season I watched live. And it was soooo good...
When They Arrive (Sons and Daughters, Colin Meloy)
It's been a long, long time since we last saw Jack and his buddies learning that rescue was on the way. Before we find out what really happens to them when the supposed rescuers come, here's a little rah-rah speech I imagine Jack making as they wait, to the tune of the Decemberists' Sons and Daughters. Bring on season four!
When They Arrive
When they arrive, Eight One Fivers,
They'll hail the great crash survivors.
They'll interview us on CNN.
We'll make a mint at minimum then.
We will be courted by reporters.
Our books will sell out at Borders.
The bonds that made this livable
Are sure to stay unbreakable then.
We'll flee from harm, Eight One Fivers,
Thanks to the brave deep-sea diver
Who risked his life saving everyone,
But most of all, saving Claire and her son.
When they arrive, Eight One Fivers,
They'll hail the great crash survivors.
They'll interview us on CNN.
We'll make a mint at minimum then.
(Repeat three times)
We have been found, castaways.
We have been found, castaways...
(Fade out)
When They Arrive
When they arrive, Eight One Fivers,
They'll hail the great crash survivors.
They'll interview us on CNN.
We'll make a mint at minimum then.
We will be courted by reporters.
Our books will sell out at Borders.
The bonds that made this livable
Are sure to stay unbreakable then.
We'll flee from harm, Eight One Fivers,
Thanks to the brave deep-sea diver
Who risked his life saving everyone,
But most of all, saving Claire and her son.
When they arrive, Eight One Fivers,
They'll hail the great crash survivors.
They'll interview us on CNN.
We'll make a mint at minimum then.
(Repeat three times)
We have been found, castaways.
We have been found, castaways...
(Fade out)
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Shannon Rutherford Action Figure Review
Shannon, like her counterpart in the show, is rather useless. The most skippable of the LOST figures.
Kate Austen Action Figure Review
For some reason, Kate's arms look like tree branches. Otherwise, though, great figure with a very cool prop.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Changing Nights
According to the paper today, LOST will be airing on Thursdays next year instead of Wednesdays. Makes sense, I suppose; no more competition with American Idol. I don't know what the timing will be, though. After Grey's Anatomy, maybe, and bump Men in Trees somewhere else? Or will they want it earlier? Anyway, works for me. Of course, this means that it again starts on Dad's birthday. And Dad is flying to Hawaii on his anniversary, and the anniversary of the crash of Flight 815. Ah, connections...
By the time we get to season four, Libbie, Dan and I will have re-watched the first three seasons together, despite the annoying lateness of seasons three's arrival. What's in store for the fourth season? I don't know. I assume we're going to meet at least some of the people on that boat, and I don't think they're up to anything good. I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of Penny in real-time. And I suppose there will be plenty of flash forwards now, though I'm predicting it won't only be flash forwards. Maybe they'll try to make it ambiguous so it'll be hard for us to figure out if it's in the past or the future. That could be kinda fun... But I'm not really so crazy about the flash forward thing. I hated Jack's; soooo depressing. And even if they aren't depressing, they're going to feel anti-climactic, or rather make the events on the island feel anti-climactic. We'll see. Beth says she isn't sure she trusts Damon, Carlton and the gang, and I know what she means, but I like to think they know what they're doing. Or maybe I just hope...
Mostly I've been really impressed with LOST, but the fact that it is such a morally and spiritually stimulating show makes certain actions seem all the more troubling, because there's a sense that the writers are condoning it. That Eko's refusal to repent is laudable rather than regrettable. That Sun shouldn't have thought twice about killing Colleen or felt a little remorse afterward. That Desmond and Sayid were fools for letting Mikhail live when they had the chance to kill him and that Sawyer was completely justified in killing Tom even though he was unarmed and had surrendered. Every time I think of instances like this I hear Gandalf and Dumbledore:
"Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many."
"Pettigrew owes his life to you. You have sent Voldemort a deputy who is in your debt...When one wizard saves another wizard's life, it creates a certain bond between them... and I'm much mistaken if Voldemort wants his servant in the debt of Harry Potter... This is magic at its deepest, its most impenetrable, Harry. But trust me... the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew's life."
Smeagol and Peter. So despicable and so important. Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you. When I started watching LOST, I hoped they were going to debunk the idea that the whole Lord of the Flies scenario is inevitable. Sawyer's a jerk; Sayid was a torturer; Kate is a fugitive. Just about all the castaways are damaged goods. And on the path to redemption. Damon and Carlton say the show is all about redemption, so I really don't think they're going to let 90 percent of the characters kill each other before the whole shebang is over. And I don't really think they're saying blowing "bad guys" away indescriminately is the way to go, given the psychological toll such experiences have taken on the likes of Desmond, who killed someone by accident, and Hurley, who feels guilty about deaths that happen around him even though he's not responsible, to say nothing of Sayid, Eko, Sawyer and others who have so much conscious action to repent of. I just hate it when they seem to backtrack.
I have a feeling that Ben is LOST's Darth Vader, or perhaps Snape. That is to say, there's a lot more going on with him than we know, and a lot may hinge on where his loyalties lie in the eleventh hour. I have a feeling that he'll be around until the end, and that he will come off as at least an anti-hero, perhaps spurred into action on behalf of the greater good by Alex or by Annie, who I'm sure we're going to find out more about. If she isn't dead, she could potentially play a really crucial role. Even if she is, her memory could. And maybe he's had altruistic motives all along, though he sure has a twisted way of going about his business. I think Ben is dangerous and probably psychotic; I don't think he's irredeemably evil, and I suspect he was telling Jack the truth in that last episode.
It's been a while since I've blogged about LOST. I should get back in the groove, even without new episodes to write about. Bottom line: I'm extremely excited about the fourth season. I just hope it's not a relentless bloodbath.
By the time we get to season four, Libbie, Dan and I will have re-watched the first three seasons together, despite the annoying lateness of seasons three's arrival. What's in store for the fourth season? I don't know. I assume we're going to meet at least some of the people on that boat, and I don't think they're up to anything good. I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of Penny in real-time. And I suppose there will be plenty of flash forwards now, though I'm predicting it won't only be flash forwards. Maybe they'll try to make it ambiguous so it'll be hard for us to figure out if it's in the past or the future. That could be kinda fun... But I'm not really so crazy about the flash forward thing. I hated Jack's; soooo depressing. And even if they aren't depressing, they're going to feel anti-climactic, or rather make the events on the island feel anti-climactic. We'll see. Beth says she isn't sure she trusts Damon, Carlton and the gang, and I know what she means, but I like to think they know what they're doing. Or maybe I just hope...
Mostly I've been really impressed with LOST, but the fact that it is such a morally and spiritually stimulating show makes certain actions seem all the more troubling, because there's a sense that the writers are condoning it. That Eko's refusal to repent is laudable rather than regrettable. That Sun shouldn't have thought twice about killing Colleen or felt a little remorse afterward. That Desmond and Sayid were fools for letting Mikhail live when they had the chance to kill him and that Sawyer was completely justified in killing Tom even though he was unarmed and had surrendered. Every time I think of instances like this I hear Gandalf and Dumbledore:
"Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many."
"Pettigrew owes his life to you. You have sent Voldemort a deputy who is in your debt...When one wizard saves another wizard's life, it creates a certain bond between them... and I'm much mistaken if Voldemort wants his servant in the debt of Harry Potter... This is magic at its deepest, its most impenetrable, Harry. But trust me... the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew's life."
Smeagol and Peter. So despicable and so important. Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you. When I started watching LOST, I hoped they were going to debunk the idea that the whole Lord of the Flies scenario is inevitable. Sawyer's a jerk; Sayid was a torturer; Kate is a fugitive. Just about all the castaways are damaged goods. And on the path to redemption. Damon and Carlton say the show is all about redemption, so I really don't think they're going to let 90 percent of the characters kill each other before the whole shebang is over. And I don't really think they're saying blowing "bad guys" away indescriminately is the way to go, given the psychological toll such experiences have taken on the likes of Desmond, who killed someone by accident, and Hurley, who feels guilty about deaths that happen around him even though he's not responsible, to say nothing of Sayid, Eko, Sawyer and others who have so much conscious action to repent of. I just hate it when they seem to backtrack.
I have a feeling that Ben is LOST's Darth Vader, or perhaps Snape. That is to say, there's a lot more going on with him than we know, and a lot may hinge on where his loyalties lie in the eleventh hour. I have a feeling that he'll be around until the end, and that he will come off as at least an anti-hero, perhaps spurred into action on behalf of the greater good by Alex or by Annie, who I'm sure we're going to find out more about. If she isn't dead, she could potentially play a really crucial role. Even if she is, her memory could. And maybe he's had altruistic motives all along, though he sure has a twisted way of going about his business. I think Ben is dangerous and probably psychotic; I don't think he's irredeemably evil, and I suspect he was telling Jack the truth in that last episode.
It's been a while since I've blogged about LOST. I should get back in the groove, even without new episodes to write about. Bottom line: I'm extremely excited about the fourth season. I just hope it's not a relentless bloodbath.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
The LOST Cast Expands
What I really should be doing is ignoring all of the LOST-related articles that come down the pike, but I probably won't. This hiatus is terribly tedious; I need to liven it up with some news... So there are five new actors who have been cast as recurring players, and I've never heard of any of them, and Damon and Carlton are so unwilling to divulge concrete details that I really don't feel as though I've gotten much of a spoiler at all, and that's good. Just means, I guess, that I will find the newbies vaguely familiar when they pop up. If I remember their faces in five months, which is a big if.
She Wore the Ring He Left Her (She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Traditional)
For my 50th LOST-related poem, yet another one about Charlie, this time to the tune of She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. Maybe this will get it out of my system...
She Wore The Ring He Left Her
'Round her neck, she wore the ring he left her,
An heirloom decorated with a "DS" on its face.
And if you asked her why the heck she wore it,
She'd tell you that she wore it to recall Charlie Pace.
Charlie Pace, Charlie Pace.
She wore it to remember Charlie Pace.
'Round her neck, she wore the ring he left her.
She'd tell you that she wore it to recall Charlie Pace.
Lavishly, she gobbled peanut butter.
She kept a dozen jars inside the cupboard just in case.
And if you asked her why the heck she ate it,
She'd tell you that she ate it to recall Charlie Pace.
Charlie Pace, Charlie Pace.
She ate it to remember Charlie Pace.
Lavishly, she gobbled peanut butter.
She'd tell you that she ate it to recall Charlie Pace.
Liam, Claire and Aaron got together.
He realized his brother hadn't left without a trace.
And if you asked him why the heck he met them,
He'd tell you that he met them to recall Charlie Pace.
Charlie Pace, Charlie Pace.
He met them to remember Charlie Pace.
Liam, Claire and Aaron got together.
He'd tell you that he met them to recall Charlie Pace.
Driveshaft soon released a stunning single
Once written by the partner Liam never could replace.
And if you asked him why the heck he made it,
He'd tell you that he made it to recall Charlie Pace.
Charlie Pace, Charlie Pace.
He made it to remember Charlie Pace.
Driveshaft soon released a stunning single.
He'd tell you that he made it to recall Charlie Pace.
Growing Aaron plucked upon guitar strings.
The instrument was awkward but he fingered it with grace.
And if you asked him why the heck he played it,
He'd tell you that he played it to recall Charlie Pace.
Charlie Pace, Charlie Pace.
He played it to remember Charlie Pace.
Growing Aaron plucked upon guitar strings.
He'd tell you that he played it to recall Charlie Pace.
She Wore The Ring He Left Her
'Round her neck, she wore the ring he left her,
An heirloom decorated with a "DS" on its face.
And if you asked her why the heck she wore it,
She'd tell you that she wore it to recall Charlie Pace.
Charlie Pace, Charlie Pace.
She wore it to remember Charlie Pace.
'Round her neck, she wore the ring he left her.
She'd tell you that she wore it to recall Charlie Pace.
Lavishly, she gobbled peanut butter.
She kept a dozen jars inside the cupboard just in case.
And if you asked her why the heck she ate it,
She'd tell you that she ate it to recall Charlie Pace.
Charlie Pace, Charlie Pace.
She ate it to remember Charlie Pace.
Lavishly, she gobbled peanut butter.
She'd tell you that she ate it to recall Charlie Pace.
Liam, Claire and Aaron got together.
He realized his brother hadn't left without a trace.
And if you asked him why the heck he met them,
He'd tell you that he met them to recall Charlie Pace.
Charlie Pace, Charlie Pace.
He met them to remember Charlie Pace.
Liam, Claire and Aaron got together.
He'd tell you that he met them to recall Charlie Pace.
Driveshaft soon released a stunning single
Once written by the partner Liam never could replace.
And if you asked him why the heck he made it,
He'd tell you that he made it to recall Charlie Pace.
Charlie Pace, Charlie Pace.
He made it to remember Charlie Pace.
Driveshaft soon released a stunning single.
He'd tell you that he made it to recall Charlie Pace.
Growing Aaron plucked upon guitar strings.
The instrument was awkward but he fingered it with grace.
And if you asked him why the heck he played it,
He'd tell you that he played it to recall Charlie Pace.
Charlie Pace, Charlie Pace.
He played it to remember Charlie Pace.
Growing Aaron plucked upon guitar strings.
He'd tell you that he played it to recall Charlie Pace.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
What a Disappointment...
I was browsing around imdb yesterday, and I decided to pop over to Dom's profile and see if he had any new projects coming down the pike that I hadn't gotten wind of yet. He hadn't; it was still just I Sell the Dead, but at least that was something to look forward to, and I was encouraged by the 2007 date on it. But a peek at one of the message boards unearthed two unsettling facts.
1) The movie probably won't be coming out until mid-2008. (And that's probably in England; who knows when it will get here?) 2) There was an implication that this was a horror movie.
"A horror movie?" I said aloud, puzzled. Nathan reprimanded me for my naivete. "It's called I Sell the Dead!" he said. "What did you think it was going to be about?!" I informed him that it was about a grave robber reflecting on his life of crime, and I saw no reason why horror had to come into it at all. "He's a grave robber," Nathan pressed on. "Shouldn't that tell you something?" No, I decided, it should not. "It's about people who are already dead!" I argued. "And not moving around!"
And then, in desperation to prove that someone on the message boards just didn't know what he was talking about, I browsed through the keywords. The word "supernatural" gave me pause. "Uh-oh," I said. "This could be problematic." Then I clicked for the extended list, and a moment later I let loose a wail of dismay. "What?" asked Nathan. But I couldn't answer, so struck with a sudden fit of hysterical, tear-inducing laughter I was rendered mute until I finally managed to gasp out "zombie violence".
Oh, Dom. Following in Billy's footsteps, are we? Chucky? Zombies? Really, you're not being too kind to us squeamish fans. Nonetheless, a screenful of zombies may be an appropriate price to pay for an hour and a half or so of Dom...
1) The movie probably won't be coming out until mid-2008. (And that's probably in England; who knows when it will get here?) 2) There was an implication that this was a horror movie.
"A horror movie?" I said aloud, puzzled. Nathan reprimanded me for my naivete. "It's called I Sell the Dead!" he said. "What did you think it was going to be about?!" I informed him that it was about a grave robber reflecting on his life of crime, and I saw no reason why horror had to come into it at all. "He's a grave robber," Nathan pressed on. "Shouldn't that tell you something?" No, I decided, it should not. "It's about people who are already dead!" I argued. "And not moving around!"
And then, in desperation to prove that someone on the message boards just didn't know what he was talking about, I browsed through the keywords. The word "supernatural" gave me pause. "Uh-oh," I said. "This could be problematic." Then I clicked for the extended list, and a moment later I let loose a wail of dismay. "What?" asked Nathan. But I couldn't answer, so struck with a sudden fit of hysterical, tear-inducing laughter I was rendered mute until I finally managed to gasp out "zombie violence".
Oh, Dom. Following in Billy's footsteps, are we? Chucky? Zombies? Really, you're not being too kind to us squeamish fans. Nonetheless, a screenful of zombies may be an appropriate price to pay for an hour and a half or so of Dom...
Leaving This Island (The Greening of Belfast, Michael Card)
Anyone who has read several of my LOST-related posts from the past three months will probably have the idea I'm a bit hung up on Charlie's death. It's been mentioned in half a dozen poems before this one, and I keep telling myself that's it, but then I wind up deciding there's still more to say...
This reflection, to the tune of Michael Card's The Greening of Belfast, finds Charlie alone, lost in thought as he strums his guitar a short time before he leaves with Desmond in Greatest Hits.
Leaving This Island
With the soft, soft sand
Shifting under my feet,
I retreat to the solace of song.
I must strive to shield
Little Aaron and Claire
From the terror that's loomed for so long.
Claire will be leaving this island.
I think I'm prepared now although it's unfair.
My love is leaving this island,
But when rescue comes, I wish I could be there.
When rescue comes, I wish I could be there.
It gives me chills
Looking on her face,
Aware that my life's almost done,
For my will to live
Tortures me as I stare
At those eyes that shine bright as the sun.
But I'll dry my tears
And I'll say my prayers
As I leave her behind on the shore,
And I'll rest in peace
Knowing I have released
The one I love most from this war.
Claire will be leaving this island.
I think I'm prepared now although it's unfair.
My love is leaving this island,
But when rescue comes, I wish I could be there.
When rescue comes, I wish I could be there,
But Claire will be leaving this island.
Greening of Belfast
This reflection, to the tune of Michael Card's The Greening of Belfast, finds Charlie alone, lost in thought as he strums his guitar a short time before he leaves with Desmond in Greatest Hits.
Leaving This Island
With the soft, soft sand
Shifting under my feet,
I retreat to the solace of song.
I must strive to shield
Little Aaron and Claire
From the terror that's loomed for so long.
Claire will be leaving this island.
I think I'm prepared now although it's unfair.
My love is leaving this island,
But when rescue comes, I wish I could be there.
When rescue comes, I wish I could be there.
It gives me chills
Looking on her face,
Aware that my life's almost done,
For my will to live
Tortures me as I stare
At those eyes that shine bright as the sun.
But I'll dry my tears
And I'll say my prayers
As I leave her behind on the shore,
And I'll rest in peace
Knowing I have released
The one I love most from this war.
Claire will be leaving this island.
I think I'm prepared now although it's unfair.
My love is leaving this island,
But when rescue comes, I wish I could be there.
When rescue comes, I wish I could be there,
But Claire will be leaving this island.
Greening of Belfast
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Why Did You Shoot Me? (Why Don't You Write Me?, Paul Simon)
I'd say John has a pretty good reason to be ticked off with Ben. Here's a little rant to the tune of Why Don't You Write Me?
Why Did You Shoot Me?
Why did you shoot me
Way deep in the jungle
Because I could hear him?
Why did you think that your power would shrink
With me near him?
Ben Linus,
Why did you shoot?
Ben, what went wrong?
Once I thought I was your buddy.
You double-crossed me, and now I am lost
And all bloody.
Tell me why! (Why, why?)
Tell me why! (Why, why?)
Why did you shoot me?
You tried to recruit me,
And I would have joined you.
Now there's no way
Since you're spurning fair play.
I'm annoyed by you,
Ben Linus...
Do you feel remorse for what you've done?
Sending your guys to kidnap Kate and Sun.
Making Michael kill those girls.
Taking Cooper for a ride
So I'd be a party to patricide.
Ben, you ought to be
Investing in some major psychotherapy.
Why did you shoot me?
Why did you shoot me?
Why did you shoot me?
Why did you shoot me?
Why did you shoot me?
Why did you shoot me?
Why did you shoot me?
Why Did You Shoot Me?
Why did you shoot me
Way deep in the jungle
Because I could hear him?
Why did you think that your power would shrink
With me near him?
Ben Linus,
Why did you shoot?
Ben, what went wrong?
Once I thought I was your buddy.
You double-crossed me, and now I am lost
And all bloody.
Tell me why! (Why, why?)
Tell me why! (Why, why?)
Why did you shoot me?
You tried to recruit me,
And I would have joined you.
Now there's no way
Since you're spurning fair play.
I'm annoyed by you,
Ben Linus...
Do you feel remorse for what you've done?
Sending your guys to kidnap Kate and Sun.
Making Michael kill those girls.
Taking Cooper for a ride
So I'd be a party to patricide.
Ben, you ought to be
Investing in some major psychotherapy.
Why did you shoot me?
Why did you shoot me?
Why did you shoot me?
Why did you shoot me?
Why did you shoot me?
Why did you shoot me?
Why did you shoot me?
Monday, August 13, 2007
Bear! (Hair, Galt MacDermot / James Rado / Gerome Ragni)
How many times have we seen a polar bear on LOST now? And how many polar bears has it actually been? Two? Three? One bear possessing eerie Mikhail-like indestructibility? That's the theory I have Sawyer posit in this silly parody of the Cowsills' Hair.
Bear!
Sawyer: You asked me why.
Why? I don't wanna die.
That bear was in my sighty-sight sight.
He gave me a fright.
That bear has died, you know.
The tough task was mine;
I made him go!
He won't come back. He's dead.
Guess we'll be well fed!
Darlin'...
Look! I just shot a bear.
Big, burly white bear.
Growlin', scowlin',
Furry, in a hurry.
Would have said, "Beware!" (Bear!)
If he'd been there longer. (Bear!)
Still, I have stopped trauma;
Why treat me like a baddie?
(Bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear!)
Shoot 'im, boot 'im,
'Long as I can mute 'im,
That bear.
Walt: I made a dash for the trees.
I am begging you, please
Be speedy in seizing that bear.
I'd get on my knees
And pray, but I'd better freeze
And skimp on words
And hope the birds
Make a clatter
That will shatter
The attention of that...
(Bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear!)
Stab 'im, jab 'im,
Just keep him from grabbin'!
That bear...
Sawyer: I want him long gone, not returning,
Musty, dusty, beaten, eaten.
Hope that he's forever severed.
Now his cage is sparking rages.
Think I'd better risk it,
Fishin' for his biscuit
Though he's bigger than a yeti
And his jaws and claws are like machetes.
Eko: Oh, say can you see his eyes?
If you can, then your life is short.
Sawyer: He's still here.
Don't know where.
Darn that bear! Darn that bear! I stopped him myself!
How can his paws keep runnin' when I stopped him myself?
Oh, why is a polar bear,
Non-tropical bear,
Even grievin' us? He should be leavin'.
How does a regular fella dare (Bear!)
Face a beast that's stronger? (Bear!)
That may be more drama
Than I would deal with gladly.
(Bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear!)
Shoot 'im, boot 'im,
'Long as I can mute 'im,
That... (bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear!)
Shoot 'im, boot 'im,
'Long as I can mute 'im,
That... (bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear!)
Bear!
Sawyer: You asked me why.
Why? I don't wanna die.
That bear was in my sighty-sight sight.
He gave me a fright.
That bear has died, you know.
The tough task was mine;
I made him go!
He won't come back. He's dead.
Guess we'll be well fed!
Darlin'...
Look! I just shot a bear.
Big, burly white bear.
Growlin', scowlin',
Furry, in a hurry.
Would have said, "Beware!" (Bear!)
If he'd been there longer. (Bear!)
Still, I have stopped trauma;
Why treat me like a baddie?
(Bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear!)
Shoot 'im, boot 'im,
'Long as I can mute 'im,
That bear.
Walt: I made a dash for the trees.
I am begging you, please
Be speedy in seizing that bear.
I'd get on my knees
And pray, but I'd better freeze
And skimp on words
And hope the birds
Make a clatter
That will shatter
The attention of that...
(Bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear!)
Stab 'im, jab 'im,
Just keep him from grabbin'!
That bear...
Sawyer: I want him long gone, not returning,
Musty, dusty, beaten, eaten.
Hope that he's forever severed.
Now his cage is sparking rages.
Think I'd better risk it,
Fishin' for his biscuit
Though he's bigger than a yeti
And his jaws and claws are like machetes.
Eko: Oh, say can you see his eyes?
If you can, then your life is short.
Sawyer: He's still here.
Don't know where.
Darn that bear! Darn that bear! I stopped him myself!
How can his paws keep runnin' when I stopped him myself?
Oh, why is a polar bear,
Non-tropical bear,
Even grievin' us? He should be leavin'.
How does a regular fella dare (Bear!)
Face a beast that's stronger? (Bear!)
That may be more drama
Than I would deal with gladly.
(Bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear!)
Shoot 'im, boot 'im,
'Long as I can mute 'im,
That... (bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear!)
Shoot 'im, boot 'im,
'Long as I can mute 'im,
That... (bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear, bear!)
Saturday, August 11, 2007
I'm Lost Without...
This past Christmas, I received a shirt that reads "I'M LOST WITHOUT CHARLIE". Turns out it was prophetic, since Charlie's run on the show actually ended with the conclusion of the third season. He's one of my four absolutely favorite characters. Luckily, the other three remain, but meanwhile other folks have been getting whacked left and right. It troubles me. Hence, this little rant...
I'm Lost Without...
I'm lost without Charlie, musician and hero.
I'm lost without Shannon and Boone.
I'm lost without Eko, whose death by Old Smokey
Seemed random and happened too soon.
I'm lost without gun-toting Ana Lucia.
I'm lost without Nikki the ditz.
I'm lost without Paolo, Joanna and Leslie,
Who got himself blown into bits.
I'm lost without Libby, collateral damage
And Hurley's best shot at romance.
I'm lost without dangerous Bonnie and Greta,
Who never had much of a chance.
I'm lost without Ryan, Colleen and Naomi.
I'm lost without Donald and Scott.
I'm lost without Roger and Kelvin, the putzes
Whose passing propelled the whole plot.
I'm lost without Danny, irascible hothead.
I'm lost without friendly foe Tom.
I'm lost without Goodwin, that overgrown boy scout.
I'm lost without vile Ethan Rom.
I'm lost without Edward, the dude with the shrapnel.
I'm lost without Cooper and Klugh.
I'm lost without Pilot-Whose-Name-Wasn't-Mentioned
And maybe without Mikhail too.
O Damon and Carlton, desist with the slaughter!
Have mercy! Consider the cost
Of killing each character I've come to love, lest
At last I am lost without LOST!
I'm Lost Without...
I'm lost without Charlie, musician and hero.
I'm lost without Shannon and Boone.
I'm lost without Eko, whose death by Old Smokey
Seemed random and happened too soon.
I'm lost without gun-toting Ana Lucia.
I'm lost without Nikki the ditz.
I'm lost without Paolo, Joanna and Leslie,
Who got himself blown into bits.
I'm lost without Libby, collateral damage
And Hurley's best shot at romance.
I'm lost without dangerous Bonnie and Greta,
Who never had much of a chance.
I'm lost without Ryan, Colleen and Naomi.
I'm lost without Donald and Scott.
I'm lost without Roger and Kelvin, the putzes
Whose passing propelled the whole plot.
I'm lost without Danny, irascible hothead.
I'm lost without friendly foe Tom.
I'm lost without Goodwin, that overgrown boy scout.
I'm lost without vile Ethan Rom.
I'm lost without Edward, the dude with the shrapnel.
I'm lost without Cooper and Klugh.
I'm lost without Pilot-Whose-Name-Wasn't-Mentioned
And maybe without Mikhail too.
O Damon and Carlton, desist with the slaughter!
Have mercy! Consider the cost
Of killing each character I've come to love, lest
At last I am lost without LOST!
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
I Never (El Condor Pasa, Traditional / Paul Simon)
Here's a silly little ditty about Sawyer and Kate's season-two game of "I Never" to the tune of Simon and Garfunkel's El Condor Pasa.
I Never
Sawyer: I've never gotten near a bridal veil.
No, not me.
You, maybe,
But never me.
Kate: I never was obsessed with ancient mail.
No, not me.
Sawyer, you may be,
But never me.
I'd play "I Never" here all day
And debunk this cocky hunk.
Sawyer: I'm in no hurry to be found
As long as Freckles is around.
Glad she's around.
Kate: I never blamed my problems on a boar.
No, not me.
You, maybe,
But never me.
Sawyer: I never ever fell in love before.
No, not me.
Until now, you see;
You've smitten me.
I Never
Sawyer: I've never gotten near a bridal veil.
No, not me.
You, maybe,
But never me.
Kate: I never was obsessed with ancient mail.
No, not me.
Sawyer, you may be,
But never me.
I'd play "I Never" here all day
And debunk this cocky hunk.
Sawyer: I'm in no hurry to be found
As long as Freckles is around.
Glad she's around.
Kate: I never blamed my problems on a boar.
No, not me.
You, maybe,
But never me.
Sawyer: I never ever fell in love before.
No, not me.
Until now, you see;
You've smitten me.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
My Younger Brother's Cross (Lover's Cross, Jim Croce)
One of my favorite episodes of LOST is The 23rd Psalm, which so tragically explores Eko's past. Here's a little reflection by him set in that episode to the tune of Jim Croce's Lover's Cross.
My Younger Brother's Cross
How I wish this had not happened!
Poor Yemi, killed for my crime.
In the plane that I envisioned,
I have found what I had feared to find,
For if it seemed that he might be a martyr,
I would never acknowledge the clue,
But, Charlie, since I see my younger brother's cross, I do.
I am sure this is confusing to you.
You stare; your eyes are wide.
Yemi risked his life on my behalf,
And it is my fault that he died.
I guess that he had the nerve of a martyr,
Possessing courage that I never knew.
Now, Charlie, since I see my younger brother's cross, I do.
Perhaps he will hear my yearning
And know I have pledged to change.
In pain, I continue learning
That this business of life is a dangerous game.
Charlie, you have helped me find my brother.
You have shown me to this spot,
So stand beside me as I cry,
Exposing my grief to God.
I suspected he might be a martyr before,
But I had to have proof it was true,
So, Charlie, since I see my younger brother's cross, I do.
(repeat bridge and chorus)
My Younger Brother's Cross
How I wish this had not happened!
Poor Yemi, killed for my crime.
In the plane that I envisioned,
I have found what I had feared to find,
For if it seemed that he might be a martyr,
I would never acknowledge the clue,
But, Charlie, since I see my younger brother's cross, I do.
I am sure this is confusing to you.
You stare; your eyes are wide.
Yemi risked his life on my behalf,
And it is my fault that he died.
I guess that he had the nerve of a martyr,
Possessing courage that I never knew.
Now, Charlie, since I see my younger brother's cross, I do.
Perhaps he will hear my yearning
And know I have pledged to change.
In pain, I continue learning
That this business of life is a dangerous game.
Charlie, you have helped me find my brother.
You have shown me to this spot,
So stand beside me as I cry,
Exposing my grief to God.
I suspected he might be a martyr before,
But I had to have proof it was true,
So, Charlie, since I see my younger brother's cross, I do.
(repeat bridge and chorus)
I Will Not Avenge Boone (Lasso the Moon, Billy Simon / Lowell Alexander)
Here's a refusal from Sayid to Shannon to kill John Locke, to the tune of the lullaby Lasso the Moon. Sayid comes across as pretty rough sometimes, but this is one of those instances that demonstrates the strength of his principles...
I Will Not Avenge Boone
If he were my step-brother,
Despair might turn my love
Into a blinding rage. However,
Think before the actions meant
To banish emptiness
Instead impair your soul forever.
Though Boone died,
That seems accidental to me.
His death was unfair, and yet
Killing John is too.
I will not avenge Boone for you.
Shannon, if John Locke were here,
He'd show you his remorse.
You would not doubt how much he's mourning.
Trust me when I say he's been
Agonizing most
Sincerely. I believe his story.
Though Boone died,
That seems accidental to me.
His death was unfair, and yet
Killing John is too.
I will not avenge Boone for you.
Lasso the Moon
I Will Not Avenge Boone
If he were my step-brother,
Despair might turn my love
Into a blinding rage. However,
Think before the actions meant
To banish emptiness
Instead impair your soul forever.
Though Boone died,
That seems accidental to me.
His death was unfair, and yet
Killing John is too.
I will not avenge Boone for you.
Shannon, if John Locke were here,
He'd show you his remorse.
You would not doubt how much he's mourning.
Trust me when I say he's been
Agonizing most
Sincerely. I believe his story.
Though Boone died,
That seems accidental to me.
His death was unfair, and yet
Killing John is too.
I will not avenge Boone for you.
Lasso the Moon
Walkie Man (Rocket Man, Elton John / Bernie Taupin)
Here's a mid-season two rumination by that trusty Other, Tom, to the tune of Rocket Man. I don't think he ever was too keen on hurting anybody, but he sure was a loyal sidekick...
Walkie Man
Some say I'm not too bright. All right,
I'm no genius next to Ben,
But I'm glad I'm the guy he can trust again.
There's back-and-forth so much; there's so much strife.
So many in this place
Are quick to fuss and fight.
And I think it's gonna be a long, long time
Before I start to figure out the rhyme
And reason that's behind the things Ben does.
That's fine because
I'm the walkie man.
Walkie man,
Giving Ben the news in undertones. (repeat)
When I disguised my face and snatched that kid,
I played the part so well,
They don't know I care. They hate me. What I did
Is something even I don't understand;
I only listen when Ben speaks.
The walkie man, the walkie man.
And I think it's gonna be a long, long time
Before I start to figure out the rhyme
And reason that's behind the things Ben does.
That's fine because
I'm the walkie man.
Walkie man,
Giving Ben the news in undertones... (repeat)
And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time... (fade out)
Walkie Man
Some say I'm not too bright. All right,
I'm no genius next to Ben,
But I'm glad I'm the guy he can trust again.
There's back-and-forth so much; there's so much strife.
So many in this place
Are quick to fuss and fight.
And I think it's gonna be a long, long time
Before I start to figure out the rhyme
And reason that's behind the things Ben does.
That's fine because
I'm the walkie man.
Walkie man,
Giving Ben the news in undertones. (repeat)
When I disguised my face and snatched that kid,
I played the part so well,
They don't know I care. They hate me. What I did
Is something even I don't understand;
I only listen when Ben speaks.
The walkie man, the walkie man.
And I think it's gonna be a long, long time
Before I start to figure out the rhyme
And reason that's behind the things Ben does.
That's fine because
I'm the walkie man.
Walkie man,
Giving Ben the news in undertones... (repeat)
And I think it's gonna be a long, long, time... (fade out)
Monday, August 6, 2007
Finding Vincent
One of the nice things about LOST is that just because a character dies, that's no guarantee we won't see them again. In fact, it's often a pretty good bet that we will. Shannon's been gone for almost two seasons now, but we've seen her since, and I wouldn't be too surprised if she pops up again before too long. Anyway, here's a little protest she launches against Sayid when he tries to stop her from going after Vincent early in the second season.
Finding Vincent
Nobody understands me
Except for that kid, Walt.
His dog is in my hands, see?
He's gone, and it's my fault.
I haven't been too useful
Since we first landed here.
I'm whiny and excuseful;
My purpose isn't clear.
Sayid, Boone died a hero.
I can't just sit around.
I'll feel like such a zero
If Vincent isn't found.
So please spare me your pity
And condescending speech.
I'm more than just a pretty
Girl tanning on a beach.
Come with me; I won't protest.
But you can't make me stay.
I'll certainly get no rest
While Vincent is away.
My mind's a mess of worry.
Why did he have to roam?
For Walt, I have to hurry.
It's time to bring him home.
Finding Vincent
Nobody understands me
Except for that kid, Walt.
His dog is in my hands, see?
He's gone, and it's my fault.
I haven't been too useful
Since we first landed here.
I'm whiny and excuseful;
My purpose isn't clear.
Sayid, Boone died a hero.
I can't just sit around.
I'll feel like such a zero
If Vincent isn't found.
So please spare me your pity
And condescending speech.
I'm more than just a pretty
Girl tanning on a beach.
Come with me; I won't protest.
But you can't make me stay.
I'll certainly get no rest
While Vincent is away.
My mind's a mess of worry.
Why did he have to roam?
For Walt, I have to hurry.
It's time to bring him home.
Not Penny's Boat
This has been a bad summer for me when it comes to beloved fictional characters. Before J. K. Rowling ripped my heart out again and again with Deathly Hallows, I was assaulted by the carnage in the LOST finale, which included the demise of Charlie as Desmond watched helplessly. Here's a reflection by Desmond shortly after the tragic event...
Not Penny's Boat
NOT PENNY'S BOAT, he wrote
In black ink on his palm,
His face so strangely calm
As water filled that room.
I'd shown him to his doom
While someone pulled my strings;
His thoughts on noble things,
He'd played his final note.
I watched him gently bend
Like barley in the breeze
And crumpled to my knees,
Aghast at what I'd done.
Her name shone like the sun
Upon my eager eyes
But brought not smiles but sighs
As I grieved for my friend.
Oh, Des, you were a fool,
I mutter savagely
As in my mind I see
His steady gaze reach mine.
In destiny's design,
I was the perfect pawn.
Now Charlie Pace is gone;
I know that life is cruel.
It seems I've killed them all.
I only sought to save
And possibly to pave
The path that led to Pen.
We'll never meet again
Unless I break this curse
That haunts me like a hearse.
The chance of that is small.
The words catch in my throat
As I repeat them now,
In torment over how
To break the news to Claire.
My love awaits somewhere,
But no reunion rears.
I shudder as fate sneers,
It isn't Penny's boat.
Not Penny's Boat
NOT PENNY'S BOAT, he wrote
In black ink on his palm,
His face so strangely calm
As water filled that room.
I'd shown him to his doom
While someone pulled my strings;
His thoughts on noble things,
He'd played his final note.
I watched him gently bend
Like barley in the breeze
And crumpled to my knees,
Aghast at what I'd done.
Her name shone like the sun
Upon my eager eyes
But brought not smiles but sighs
As I grieved for my friend.
Oh, Des, you were a fool,
I mutter savagely
As in my mind I see
His steady gaze reach mine.
In destiny's design,
I was the perfect pawn.
Now Charlie Pace is gone;
I know that life is cruel.
It seems I've killed them all.
I only sought to save
And possibly to pave
The path that led to Pen.
We'll never meet again
Unless I break this curse
That haunts me like a hearse.
The chance of that is small.
The words catch in my throat
As I repeat them now,
In torment over how
To break the news to Claire.
My love awaits somewhere,
But no reunion rears.
I shudder as fate sneers,
It isn't Penny's boat.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Not-So-Clever Fox
A note about last year's pre-Possibly-Best-Episode-Ever Entertainment Weekly. By which I mean Live Together, Die Alone, which I really need to blog about at length because it's so fantastic. I'm glad I didn't read it before getting caught up, though, because they spilled Desmond's reappearance before it happened, and it was much more satisfying, I think, to be shocked.
But anyway, I had to laugh at the end of the main article:
[Says Lindelof,] "... If [people] can't get answers to mysteries in real life, they most definitely want answers on their TV sets on Wednesday nights. And they deserve them."
What those answers will be remains to be seen. Fox, at least, is willing to say what one of them won't be. "Nobody is going to wake up on this show and mysteriously end up somewhere else." Promise? "That's a promise."
Told of Fox's pledge, Lindelof betrays a mischievous smirk. "Well, then," he says, "I guess we're going to have to do that."
Ha! Shows what you know, Fox! Ah, Flashes Before Your Eyes, how I love you...
But anyway, I had to laugh at the end of the main article:
[Says Lindelof,] "... If [people] can't get answers to mysteries in real life, they most definitely want answers on their TV sets on Wednesday nights. And they deserve them."
What those answers will be remains to be seen. Fox, at least, is willing to say what one of them won't be. "Nobody is going to wake up on this show and mysteriously end up somewhere else." Promise? "That's a promise."
Told of Fox's pledge, Lindelof betrays a mischievous smirk. "Well, then," he says, "I guess we're going to have to do that."
Ha! Shows what you know, Fox! Ah, Flashes Before Your Eyes, how I love you...
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