'Lost' The 'hmmm' edition

I'M LOST!

The test that Richard gave little Locke is very similar to one that Tibetan Buddhists administer in attempting to identify the reincarnation of a lama who has died. See the Wikipedia entry for "Tulku" for more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulku

Does this prove, once and for all, that Claire is dead? (Yes, I say. Because why else would she seem so content to leave Aaron behind?)

-That is just part of the reason. Miles Straume "the necromancer" was starring at Claire for a while, this lead me to believe that she never survived the explosion in the camp in the first place. He is obsessed with her existence (Sawyer confrontation) almost as though he knows she is dead.

Is Richard, the creepy possibly-Dharma-ite played by Nestor Carbonell, completely ageless, or is he time traveling? (Given what I know about the island, I think I vote the latter.)

-Richard is definitely ageless. Most likely Richard arrived on the island with the crew of the BlackRock. Evidence of agelessness is directly connected to the Hanso Foundation:

"The Life Extension Project can be described as the grand summation of all of the Foundation's work from prevention and wellness to the development of new gene therapies and the development of young minds is nothing less than the extension of life itself. If it is, indeed, an instinctive human drive -- as basic as the need to eat, to sleep, to love -- to see mortality itself arrested, the Life Extension Project humbly accepts the mantle of responsibility to see this done -- to push the boundaries of science and technology to see the human race go farther than ever before."

-In addition we know he predates the Darhma Initiative because Ben refers to him as one of the island’s original inhabitants.

Is Ben really dependent on Locke now, of is he totally faking it? (B, of course.)

-I think it's a little bit of both.

What was the meaning of the game Richard played with poor, sad Little Boy Locke? (My guess is that it had something to do with him recognizing his true nature, as opposed to what he wanted himself to be.)

-I think a more important and missing question here is why are the captain and Keamy following orders from files that are under lock and key with the Darhma Initiative logo on them? Is the Darhma Initiative still active? Who’s giving the orders here? Is this part of the “rules” or game Ben and Whitmore seem to be a part of?

1. Whether Claire is dead or not isn't the issue - as "LOST" has shown over the course of its run to date, just because a character "dies" doesn't mean they won't have a place in the storyline. (In my own opinion, she's not "dead" - the "bump on the noggin" that she received as a result of the explosion wouldn't have been enough to kill her.)

2. Richard Alpert is the "Highlander" in this storyline - he is "time-traveling", but also immortal at the same time. The bigger question with Richard is to the importance of Portland, and especially his involvement with Mittelos...

3. We know from "The Shape of Things To Come" that the "endgame scenario" pits Ben against Charles Widmore...having said that, Ben is more than capable enough to handle John Locke, and to manipulate him for his own needs and gain.

4. The "game" that Alpert played with Locke was very intriguing - my guess is that had Locke NOT chosen the knife, he would have been "recruited". The larger question that poses is just how far back the Dharma Initiative actually exists...my understanding is that the Dharma camp was set up in the early 1970's by the DeGroots - Locke was born in the late 1950's, so my guess is that the second attempt to "recruit" Locke was more suited to that end.

5. A separate point outside of your questions, Joanna: how did Locke keep his birth name of Locke, even after being adopted? Wasn't it a common practice for any adopted child to receive the surname of the adoptive family at that point in time, or am I wrong?

The final three hours of season 4 will be very interesting, and will raise just as many questions as it answers, to be sure...according to both Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof, season 5 will feature the Dharma storyline to a far greater extent.

Can't wait 'til next Thursday night!

Joanna, I think even more important evidence to prove that Claire is dead is Christian's insistence that Locke would probably be better off if he didn't tell everyone that he had seen her in the cabin. I think the most important question from this episode is what is Matthew Abbadon's position in this series? We have never seen Jacob and his telling Locke that when they meet again that Locke will owe him one leads me (and other Lost fans I know) to believe that he, in fact, is Jacob. I think we all know that many of the freighter crew came with conflicting missions- Ben's crew (Michael), Widmore's crew hellbent on either destroying the island or at least Ben, and a possible other crew whose mission it is to stop the brutal destruction of the island.

I knew you guys would help!

On the adoption/surname question: I assumed, while watching, that Locke was a foster child. The "mother" didn't seem that committed to him. Alas. Poor Little Boy Locke.

Regarding Claire, my guess is she's not dead. I liken her apparent happiness with that of Cindy, the stewardess, who apparently adapted to life with the Others without any problems. Somehow the Others/Jacob were able to get these women to join up with them very easily.

In the game Richard played with young Locke, it seemed to me Richard wanted to him to pick the "Book of Laws", based on his facial expressions as young Locke looked at each item. Richard said "One of these things belongs to you", which made it seem that Locke is a reincarnation (like Derek mentioned in his comment) of someone who is very important to the island (i.e., the person who wrote that book).

Also, I don't think Richard is time travelling, but I base that on a conversation Ben and Richard had near the end of season 3, where Ben said "You remember birthdays, don't you Richard?" My interpretation of that is that Richard is completely ageless.
(I have to say I was so glad to see Richard - earlier this season I was rooting for "Cane" to get cancelled so Nestor Carbonell could go back to "Lost", where he rightfully belongs)

The company that Richard Alpert was the head of and tried to get Locke to join in high school was called Mittelos
Mix up the letters a bit and it reads "time lost" or "lost time."
weird huh?

I was thinking that Richard wanted young Locke to pick the sand in the bottle as it may have been sand from the Island. It has always been pretty obvious that John and the island have a very special connection.

You can literally and figuratively get "Lost" here:

http://www.lostpedia.com/wiki/Cabin_Fever

There goes your afternoon...

I'm betting that John is the reincarnated Captain of the BlackRock.

The Mittelos anagram has been around since Juliet was recruited by Mittelos last season. It's no coincidence that the science camp is in Portland (same place they brought her).

I love your pretzel analogy, couldn't agree more, I keep on saying half joking that my brain is about to explode every time I watch Lost, trying to understand what the f*ck is going on!!!

Regarding young Locke and the test given by Richard, I think that all of the items Locke chose -- except for the knife -- were correct. They were definitely island-tinged items. Perhaps it's the warrior aspect of the adult knife-wielding Locke that Richard didn't like. Remember the elaborate suitcase of knives Locke brought with him on the plane?

Remember, Lost was told to go on a "walkabout", on which he would only bring a knife and learn his "true identity."

My wife pointed out something very interesting last night. Sayid's hair is graying on the sides. Is he aging at an advanced rate?

Wow something interesting to share. The "Secondary Protocol" folder Keamy is referencing to on the ship has the Darhma logo of the orchid on it. This is the same Darhma initiative logo that we see on Ben's jacket in the desert. This is also the same station that we see with the two numbered rabbits teleporting or showing up in the same time in the Darhma video.

Remember Keamy mentions that he knows were Ben is going to be. This is implying that Keamy might use the powers of the Orchid station to travel to a certain point in space and time where he previously encountered Ben, and he will destroy him. This is just a theory, but it makes sense.

Did any of you see Kundun? It was a 1997 movie by Martin Scorsese about the life of the Dalai Lama. The movie begins with a child being identified as the possible reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, a Buddha. in a small village. The Tibetan monks present the child with an array of items. Some are made to attract a young boy and others actually belonged to the last Dalai Lama. The boy is asked to take the items that belong to him. When he does so successfully he is taken from his home and his life of luxury and enlightenment begins.... Locke failed, again in the eyes of the Dharma Initiative this time. What I am not clear about though is why Dharma kept giving him second chances, ie the Science Camp and why was he manipulated to go on the walkabout. Why has the Island now chosen him?


More confirming that John Locke is the Chosen One, next leader of the island and the parallels to his predecessor, Ben.
After running into the middle of the road and getting hit by a car, Emily Locke (initials: EL) gives birth to John three months premature.
During a hike near a roadside in Portland, Emily Linus (initials: EL) gives birth to Ben two months premature.
Emily Locke's nurse says "He's ok for now. He's just real early."
Roger Linus scolds young Ben for 'coming early'
As newborn preemie John is removed from the hospital room, Emily Locke calls out "His name is John! Call him John!"
As Emily Linus dies from a hemorrhage, her last words are "Call him Benjamin."
John meets Horace Goodspeed in a dream, who directs John how to find the cabin.
Roger Linus flags down a car driven by Horace Goodspeed, who later brings Roger and Ben to the Island.
Ben came to the island, got sick and ended up in a wheelchair.
John came to the island in a wheelchair and ended up healed.
Richard Alpert manipulated Ben into killing Roger, his biological father.
Ben manipulated John into killing Cooper, his (supposed) biological father. When John hesitated, Richard Alpert gave John information that would help him manipulate Sawyer into doing it for him.

Emily LInus (nee Locke) is the mother of both John Locke and Benjamin Linus.

regarding the game that Alpert played with young Locke. Alpert asked which items "belong" to him. This same interaction is part of the process when Buddhists are trying to find the reincarnation for a deceased Lama. My guess is that the game has to do with reincarnation. Or the fact that time loops and Alpert can move within the loop

wouldn't it now make sense that Jack is Jacob in some sort of time travel thing-a-ma-jig since the rest of his family was in that cabin. It fits with the jack saying we need to go back to the island in his first flash forward, and now maybe he is guiding locke on how to save the island. Jack - Jacob, its possible, but the fact that his two relatives were in the cabin give the theory some chance.

Explain this one....

Several episodes ago, Daniel Faraday did his experient with his rocket "messenger" - it took longer to get to the island than expected.....it also arrived on the island AFTER they shot the thing off.

Last night we learned that the freighter dock really did die...but he arrived before he was killed....? So is the frieghter in the future or past in relation to the island ?

This season is set up to end with the exact same scene from last season's finale. We'll find out how the Oceanic Six make it back, find out who is in the casket. Jack will call Kate, they'll meet by the airport and it will end with him telling her "We have to get back to the island!"

Think you're brain's fried now? Riddle me this.

How did the island go from being BEHIND in time to being AHEAD in time?

BEHIND - A few episodes back, the ship fired a rocket that took far longer than it should have to reach the island, which seemed to indicate that the island was earlier in time than the ship was.

AHEAD - The ship's doctor washed up on shore before he was killed on the ship, which would seem to indicate the island was later in time than the ship was.

Maybe that's how the island "moves:" not in space, but in time. Or both.

How does one move the island?

I see two possibilities how John is going to do this:

1) Somehow change the magnetic properties of the island - seems DARMA was able to do this (every 108 minutes). That would likley change the heading they need to fly or navigate to get from the island to the freighter and no one ever gets to the island again.... if 6 get off island before they adjust the island, they can never go back and no one will find them. Could give writters a way to only have 6 get rescued and not kill off the rest.

2) Change where the island is in time. Seems the writters already did this a couple times (see comment # 24). Same result as above - no one finds the island again.

BTW - Claire is definitely dead. Good luck to the writters expaining the ghosts on island.... but it does give Jack a chance to make peace with his Dad.

Wow, you folks really remember your details! I think the person who stated Locke and Ben have the same mother may be on to something. I was thinking about how Jack and Claire are sibs during the show, so there is definitely a theme there. And yes, I do think Claire is dead. She would never have left Aaron otherwise. Also it fiits in with the theme last week- are they in heaven,etc. as Hurley thinks. I sincerely hope this all gets explained; each week I feel more confused!!!

I thought about the same thing as Joanna (#25) ... when Claire & Jack's dad told Locke they had to move the island, he meant in time, not in space ... but maybe he did mean both.

Two theories - one, they use the machine on the island to bend space-time, and thus move the island in time. (Grasping at straws, yes.) Two, they use the machine to change magnetic fields around the island,which would effect compasses. AT least twice, it has been mentioned on what bearing you should head to get to/from the island. However, the bearing was DIFFERENT each time (305 last night, and 325 previously). Change where the island *appears* to be in this way??

Thank you, Joanna, for a thought-provoking blog. It was super (and gave me a fix for my obsession with this show).

So do we now have the answer about the Oceanic Six protecting their island chums? So the "other other Others" - regular folks - will never seek out the island, therefore another way of preventing Widmore from finding it?

Boy-Locke's drawing of the smoke-monster - fascinating.

I'm not a Lost theorist and don't frequent lost web sites or message boards, so this theory is just an individual opinion...But- nobody is in the casket. The "funeral" was for one of the passengers that "died" and is not really dead. Hence, the casket is empty. Maybe Sawyer's? That's why Kate did not go- she knows Sawyer is still alive on the island...

My theory is Locke moving the island is going to do more harm than good. That's what's preventing Jack, Ben, and others from getting back. Something happens that messes with the island's unique position in time/space.

Read an interesting theory that Abaddon is an adult version of Waaaaaaaalt. The author didn't back it up with much proof, but it seems like a cool idea. Have also read that Abaddon might be Jacob. Both could make sense in the whole context of Abaddon telling Locke that Locke will "owe him one" someday...