Spoilers below the image!
This week, not as good as last week. But no big deal — because this was still really good.
We open up the show with Caesar — the same guy who gave Jack his condolences over Locke’s death before getting on the plane with him, and apparently a new character. He’s going through paperwork in what looks like a Dharma station. Ilana — the same woman who was escorting a handcuffed Sayid on the plane — interrupts him to say that a new man in a suit has shown up, and he wasn’t on the plane.
Obviously, it’s Locke. Back from the dead, as we knew he would be.
So the Ajira plane passengers are alive. We also learn from Locke’s exchanges with Caesar and Ilana that the pilot (Frank) and another woman (must be Sun) took one of the boats that were left on the beach. Why would they take the boats? Well, because the Ajira people crashed/landed (using the runway Kate and Sawyer were helping to build?) on the wrong island. They’re on the creepy little Dharma work island where Jack, Kate and Sawyer were held captive. The real island can be seen in the near distance.
We go back in time to see Locke getting spit out in the desert after turning the wheel. This is apparently the same place that the island always spits you out — and apparently, when you get spit out, you also always puke. After laying in the desert for some time, unable to walk because of his horribly broken leg, some guys pick him up, throw him in the back of the truck and take him to some makeshift hospital where a doctor resets his leg, and John passes out from the pain. Before he falls into unconsciousness, we see the same thin, tall, creepy dude who went to visit Hurley in the hospital, and who told John Locke many years earlier to go on his walkabout, standing over in the corner.
Locke wakes up to see Charles Widmore at his bedside. Widmore? Run! But strangely enough, Widmore seems really nice and genuinely concerned about Locke’s well being. He also seems genuinely concerned about getting all of the Oceanic 6 back to the island — and with getting revenge on Ben. We learn that Widmore has remembered his encounter with Locke on the island, from back when he was 17, all these years. Widmore claims that he used to be the leader of the Others, until Ben exiled him and tricked him into moving the island. Three years have passed since the Oceanic 6 got back, Widmore explains, so Locke’s task of getting them to go back will be difficult. Oh, and Widmore wants Locke back on the island because there’s a war coming. Oh snap!
The next morning, Widmore gives Locke a fake passport with the name Jeremy Bentham, a cell phone on which to call him, and a driver — the tall, thin, creepy dude who we’ve been wondering about for so long — Matthew Abaddon. Locke wants to know how he can trust Widmore over Ben, and Widmore says that it’s because he’s never tried to kill him. Which, well, is only sort of true. But Locke accepts it nevertheless.
Locke then goes on to visit Sayid, Walt, Hurley, Kate and Jack. We learn what Sayid did after he quit working for Ben (though not yet what happened to make him stop working for Ben), and it’s working for a Habitat for Humanity type thing in the Dominican Republic. Trying to make up some good karma for torturing and killing so many people, I suppose. Obviously, he turns Locke down. Locke doesn’t ask Walt to go, and Hurley and Kate also say no. Then, when visiting his ex-girlfriend Helen’s gravestone (aw!), Locke is sitting in the car and watches Matthew Abaddon get shot dead. He takes the car and drives away, only to end up in a major car accident, and then in Jack’s hospital.
Jack is just mean to Locke. All that stuff about how Locke isn’t important and instead just a lonely old man who just crashed on an island? That’s cold, Jack. I mean, I know that you’re a drug addict/alcoholic who keeps getting visits from his dead dad and is therefore losing his mind, and that you hate Locke and once put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger . . . but damn!
Anyway, of course Jack doesn’t listen either because Jack never listens. So Locke decides to kill himself, writes his suicide note to Jack, rigs up a noose with an extension cord and is about to step off the table when Ben breaks down the hotel room door and tells Locke that no, he can’t do this: he’s important. Locke can’t trust Widmore, he has to trust Ben! And anyway, Jack booked a plane ticket to Sydney, so obviously he believes Locke. So step down from the table, John? Locke complies, tells Ben what’s going on — namely that he can’t go see Sun, and that he’s supposed to find Eloise Hawking — and then Ben freaks out, strangles Locke with the extension cord he was going to hang himself with, and then frames it to look like a suicide. Nice.
Terry O’Quinn does some really fine acting in this episode. You really felt for him the whole time, watching the failures one after one and seeing him get more downtrodden. It was good work.
So, questions: Where is Sayid? Everyone but him, including Ben, is accounted for. I’m betting that Ilana has him held captive somewhere, but I don’t know! Are the Ajira people in the present (2007), or in the past (1970s)? The fact that the Dharma station is abandoned indicates that Jack, Kate and Hurley all time-traveled out of the plane, but that the other folks (Locke, Ben, Sun, Frank, and maybe Sayid) are in the modern day. It gets my vote, anyway. And if I’m right, how will the two groups eventually hook up?
And why did Ben kill Locke? You saw something turn in him as soon as Locke said that Jin was still alive. Why? And at the beginning of the episode, I was still on the side of Widmore playing Locke, and Ben being the less evil of the two totally evil guys. But now? Who to trust? Who is telling the truth? Both men are ruthless killers. Who has the best interests of the people on the island, and the island itself, at heart? And what was with Walt’s dreams that Locke was on the island, in a suit, surrounded by people who are going to hurt him? What are the Ajira passengers going to do?
And most importantly of all, now that there’s finally another female character on the show, are they going to kill her?
I don’t know, but leave your theories in the comments!
Something I don’t understand . . . last season, Kate and Jack had that parking-lot confrontation, and Jack went on and on about how he takes random flights on weekends hoping to crash on the island again. So why did he reject Locke so fiercely? Is it because he hates Locke so much that even though he wants to go back to the island, he won’t go if Locke is involved?
Alternatively, seeing Locke could have inspired Jack to start taking the flights. BUT – the Kate/Jack conversation happens the night of Locke’s funeral (or thereabouts – whenever the announcement appeared in the newspaper). And in that conversation, Jack made it sound like his flight-hopping had been going on for some time now, and it looks like Ben killed Locke within 24-48 hours of Locke’s encounter with Jack.
So it really seems to me like Jack has been trying to get back to the island, but for some reason doesn’t want to go with Locke. But somehow seeing Locke again/hearing of Locke’s death really messes him up, compelling him to meet with Kate.
I have to say that I think this week’s episode was so much better than last week’s. Locke and Ben have long been two of the most interesting characters on the show and this week had them both in fine form. The scene between the two of them was so well-acted by both Terry O’Quinn and Michael Emerson and really raised some huge questions about, well, what exactly is going on and how evil Ben truly is.
I think Ben is evil and going to burn in LOST hell. Throughout the episode, I wasn’t buying Widmore’s nice act. I thought we were meant to like and trust him now, but I just didn’t.
But then when Locke was talking to Ben and he got upset about the fact that Locke knew about Eloise, it really confirmed for me what I’ve been saying about Ben — that he’s power-hungry and just tries to do everything in his power to get in the way of others. It’s why he’s been trying to do everything “assigned” to Locke this whole time. It is the one thing that makes me believe Widmore might actually be telling the truth.
I don’t know who the real leader should be though. I still don’t think it’s Locke, but everyone seems to gravitate towards him, so I don’t know anymore.
And can I just say the scene in D.R. annoyed me. At first I was like HEY! SHOUT OUT TO MY COUNTRY! But the people looked Mexican and their accents were not at all Dominican and I was really confused. Just a little sidenote there.
Also, how flipping adorable was it to see Walt again! I turned to my guy and said awwww! he’s like a man now!
Earlgreyroobios, I don’t know! I think that at least a week passed between when Locke met with Jack in the hospital, and when Jack found the announcement in the newspaper, judging solely on how long Jack’s beard was. I know that sounds like a weird way to measure time, but the producers usually pay attention to this stuff! And when Jack saw Locke in the hospital, he had a full beard, but it was short.
Also, remember that we’re not sure how long Locke was stuck in the hospital for.
But yeah, I don’t know whether he meant that he’d just been taking plane trips for a week, or many weeks, months, etc. It did seem like he’d been doing it for a little while (what with all of the maps in his house), so I don’t know!
frau sally benz, I think Locke is supposed to be the leader. Both Ben and Widmore were using him to get back to the island (whatever their motives). And Locke is the only one who can communicate with Jacob. (as far as I can recall)
I agree with Cara about following Jack’s beard for a time differential. The show’s producers are picky about details.
Ben’s murder of Locke confused me about Eloise Hawking’s role. She told Jack that Locke committed suicide. For some reason, I was under the impression that she was more “aware” of the happenings in Lostworld.
But yeah, I don’t know whether he meant that he’d just been taking plane trips for a week, or many weeks, months, etc. It did seem like he’d been doing it for a little while (what with all of the maps in his house), so I don’t know!
I wish I had a copy of the episode, because I think he said he did it on Friday nights, but I can’t remember exactly. Like, he does it as if he was just going out to a bar on Friday night in his neighborhood, because he mentions flying out, having a drink, and then flying back. So that makes me think it has been going on for at least a month. Unless I’m remembering this wrong.
But then when Locke was talking to Ben and he got upset about the fact that Locke knew about Eloise, it really confirmed for me what I’ve been saying about Ben — that he’s power-hungry and just tries to do everything in his power to get in the way of others. It’s why he’s been trying to do everything “assigned” to Locke this whole time. It is the one thing that makes me believe Widmore might actually be telling the truth.
FSB – that’s a really good point. I was really confused as to why Ben was doing what Locke is supposed to do. I will be really stunned if it turns out we actually can trust Widmore, though.
Related to Ben’s power-trippiness, do we think Locke actually “needed” to die, as he was told on the island? I’m really undecided about it for some reason.
Ben’s murder of Locke confused me about Eloise Hawking’s role. She told Jack that Locke committed suicide. For some reason, I was under the impression that she was more “aware” of the happenings in Lostworld.
Maybe she lied to Jack for one reason or another? Wouldn’t be surprising.
I think that Locke did need to die.
And I also think that Ben is going to use that as his excuse for killing him. Locke needed to die, but he couldn’t kill himself.
Why? Well, I’m going back to Ben’s Jesus analogy. When talking to Jack, Ben seemed to be comparing Locke to Jesus, and the Oceanic 6 to his apostles (and specifically, Jack to Doubting Thomas). But the thing about Jesus is that in order for him to have sacrificed himself for the good of everyone else and in order for him to resurrect, he had to be persecuted. That’s the funny thing that has always stuck with me about the Jesus story. Everyone likes to hate on the people who killed Jesus (especially anti-Semites), but without the people who killed Jesus, there would be no Jesus! He needed someone to kill him in the name of what he was trying to save in order to obtain his greatness.
Yes? Or am I screwing up the little Christian theology I know from my 2 years at a Catholic school?
Ben’s murder of Locke confused me about Eloise Hawking’s role. She told Jack that Locke committed suicide. For some reason, I was under the impression that she was more “aware” of the happenings in Lostworld.
Yeah, I think Ben and Eloise are both big-time liars and manipulators. The only other reasoning would be that Eloise just went on whatever police report said Locke killed himself, but I don’t know if she would’ve taken that at face value.
I think that Locke did need to die.
And I also think that Ben is going to use that as his excuse for killing him. Locke needed to die, but he couldn’t kill himself.
I agree that this is what’s going to happen. My guess is that Locke is going to believe whatever Ben says (he does have a tendency of believing everyone, no?), but my hope is that he’ll at least remember Ben’s change in tone/demeanor right before killing him. If he does, I have a feeling that’s what’s going to drive the plot forward in terms of connecting the dots between the Eloise Hawking, Desmond, Ben, Farraday square dance we’ve got going here.
Speaking of which, it bothered me that in last week’s episode nobody seemed to question Desmond and Eloise having met each other before. They didn’t question that Desmond had a message from her son. Nothing. I think it makes everyone in that room a lost cause in terms of looking into that any further, which is why I hope Locke is the one who does it.
I think that the show is getting better and better. Ben is positively evil and as much as I don’t like Windemear Ben is ten times worse if you ask me. As Locke stood there looking at Bens body, I don’t know how or why he didn’t immediately a least smack him. The man murdered him. I am ese also confused about something…are these new ppl the ones that were on the plane with the original group. Are they now too on the Island? This whole time thing has me lost. I cannot follow what happened when or where and I am starting to think I am going to need coles notes for this show.
You lost me. You mean Ceasar and Ilana’s people? They were the ones on Ajira flight 316 with the Oceanic 6 minus Aaron.
My question is actually with regard to Locke’s “new” name. Jeremy Bentham, anyone?
As in, Jeremy Bentham the radical social reformist, theorist, and philosopher. The person responsible for envisioning the panopticon, a prison in which the “guards” could always be watching the prisoners, but prisoners would never be able to know if or when they were being watched. As a result, the guard actually becomes obsolete, and the prisoners effectively govern themselves, under the guise of being governed by another.
Foucault talks about the Panopticon in Discipline and Punish as a metaphor for modern society, and how discipline, regulation, and punishment function.
I honestly am a little behind in my lost-watching, and have been trying to catch up myself and my partner, so I haven’t seen the last few episodes or most of the last season. So, I’m definitely behind on things, but if the panopticon isn’t a parallel to the Island, I’m much more behind than I thought.
I’m curious though that Locke is being re-named Jeremy Bentham, of all characters. Anyone have any thoughts on that take?
Speaking of which, it bothered me that in last week’s episode nobody seemed to question Desmond and Eloise having met each other before. They didn’t question that Desmond had a message from her son. Nothing.
That was rather odd. But then again, but Jack and Sun are very focused on going back. Sun is desperate to see Jin again. And Ben might have known Desmond’s story already. There aren’t many things that faze Ben.
Renee, I use the Lostpedia to keep up with details about the show. I love Lost, but I have a day job and can’t keep up with everything that goes on.
Also, for what it’s worth, Bentham was a very vocal feminist.
My husband looked up Jeremy Bentham on Wikipedia, and told me that he had something to do with time travel? I think? Haven’t checked it out myself . . .
Jeremy Bentham as a big utilitarian. And, is sometimes regarded as one of the most important utilitarian philosophers. I haven’t come across his time travel stuff, although when I google “Jeremy Bentham time travel” a lot of Lost sites come up. So.. there’s that.
There’s also the Auto-Icon. In his will, Bentham stipulated that his remains be preserved and displayed, at the University College of London. So, his body (with a wax head) is on display in the South Cloisters at UCL. (I only remember that that’s where it is because I got REALLY lost trying to find it, because I had NO idea what “cloisters” would look like, and wandered around campus for a ridiculously long time trying to find this dead guy’s body.)
I don’t really know if there’s any significance to that and LOST, although the shot of Locke in the coffin sort of reminds me of the auto-icon. But, really, a shot of anybody in a suit in a coffin would be reminiscent as well.
For what it’s worth, if anyone’s in London, it’s a vaguely interesting item to add to your to-do list, and costs significantly less than the London Eye (read: FREE). UCL South Cloisters. In the “Main” building which is the big, dome-topped white building with a large front entrance yard/garden thing. He’s sitting in a box, with his hand on a notebook and I think there’s a cane involved. Kinda weird, kinda cool, definitely unique.
When John was spat out in Tunisia Peter said “so, the Island is John Malkovich’s head?”
FSB said something that made the whole Ben-killing-John thing click: Ben has been trying to do all the things assigned to John. John was supposed to kill himself (which is why Eloise Hawking told Jack that he had), but because Ben is trying to supplant him, he decided to murder John after getting the name of Hawking out of him.
I also need to know what the significance of the extension cord is. I mean… rope is just as cheap. There has to be some reason John got an extension cord with which to hang himself.
Also on the real life Bentham – not only did he stipulate that his body stay on display, he also required that it be brought out for meetings and votes. He was always to vote ‘present,’ I think? Very, very strange man. Someone once stole his head, too…
Heh. I just assumed that it was sturdy, and, you know . . . there.
I don’t think Lapidus went off with Sun. Remember, the O6 were sort of flashy-teleported off the plane before it crashed. It would have to be someone else on the plane. But who?
Also, I hope Ilana gets a meaty role. Zuleikha Robinson was AMAZING on Rome.
earlgreyrooibos & Cara
Going back to the time lapse from Locke visiting Jack to the night of his funeral… We already have this answer.
The season 4 finale ended at the funeral home when Ben showed up and he & Jack take Locke’s body. Ben specifically asked Jack when Locke came to see him & Jack said “About a month ago.”
So, when Jack first saw Locke in the hospital he had a couple days worth of a beard and obviously didn’t shave again. Right before Ben killed Locke he said Jack had booked a flight. This was obviously the beginning of his flying around the world – he & Kate had broken up and even though he acted like he didn’t believe Locke, he definitely did. The night at the airport with Kate he said that he believed everything Bentham told him.
As to why it took a month to have Locke’s funeral (he couldn’t have been in the hospital very long because his wounds were still fresh)…my best guess is because they could find no next of kin they kept in the morgue for a month to see if someone was looking for him. Maybe waiting to see if a missing person’s report was filed. I don’t know if this is a standard practice, but it seems like it could make sense. We all know that Damon & Carlton know what they are doing & wouldn’t make a mistake with the length’s of Jack’s beard.
The season 4 finale ended at the funeral home when Ben showed up and he & Jack take Locke’s body. Ben specifically asked Jack when Locke came to see him & Jack said “About a month ago.”
Okay, I totally forgot about that. This is why they can’t wait 10 months (or however ridiculously long it was) between seasons! Yeah, I know the writer’s strike threw everything off, it wasn’t really their fault, but it really has interfered with my ability to comprehend everything.
As to why it took a month to have Locke’s funeral (he couldn’t have been in the hospital very long because his wounds were still fresh)…my best guess is because they could find no next of kin they kept in the morgue for a month to see if someone was looking for him. Maybe waiting to see if a missing person’s report was filed. I don’t know if this is a standard practice, but it seems like it could make sense.
Or, since Ben was the one to kill Locke, I’d be willing to bet he was somehow involvd in the delay. Not sure how, exactly, but I sure wouldn’t put it past him.
Ok, I can buy the time it took to do the funeral, but . . . logistical question. In order for his body to have stayed in such high condition, they would have had to embalm him, right? Wouldn’t that, like, interfere with his resurrection?
I know. I’m trying to work out the science of resurrection. Incredibly silly. I’m just saying.
In order for his body to have stayed in such high condition, they would have had to embalm him, right? Wouldn’t that, like, interfere with his resurrection?
Refrigeration?
Alternatively, my husband is still convinced that Locke was never actually dead.
Maybe it was like the sleeping potion that Juliet took in Romeo and - (yeah, not that Juliet), and it just made Locke appear dead? No. He would have been hanging from that rafter for at least 12 hours (longer depending on whether the hotel he was staying at had maid service of any type — I’m guessing no), so he was definitely dead.
But hey, so was Christian.
Maybe it was like the sleeping potion that Juliet took in Romeo and – (yeah, not that Juliet), and it just made Locke appear dead?
That’s what I originally thought was going on, but last night did throw me for a loop a bit. Perhaps somebody (Eloise?? Widmore?) found Locke shortly after Ben hung him. This is just coming to me now but maybe this is what happened — somebody gave Locke a sleeping potion without him knowing and maybe convinced him that he should end his life? Or just assumed he would try. Then tipped Ben off that Locke was probably going to try to kill himself (or Ben just knew? I thought it was a bit weird that Ben walked in at the exact moment he did…). So Ben thinks he kills Locke but it’s really just the potion and then this mystery person shows up and un-hangs Locke?
I realize this is completely far-fetched but stranger things have happened on this show and I really want to hold on to my theory that Locke was never actually dead.
Maybe it was like the sleeping potion that Juliet took in Romeo and – (yeah, not that Juliet), and it just made Locke appear dead? No. He would have been hanging from that rafter for at least 12 hours (longer depending on whether the hotel he was staying at had maid service of any type — I’m guessing no), so he was definitely dead.
Well, it IS medically possible to induce a coma and then (at least theoretically) bring someone out of it. It’s sometimes used to treat aneurysms, strokes, etc. And it’s very risky and not guaranteed to work. But I don’t think it’s completely impossible that Ben just choked Locke long enough to knock him unconscious, then induce a coma and bring him out of it.
Not that I’m saying I actually think that’s true. I personally believe Locke was genuinely dead. I’m just saying that there is a possibility (weak though it may be) that Locke was never really dead.
Spider poison! Nicki and Paolo.
I’m trying to work out the science of resurrection.
Simple explanation: They’re all cylons.
I’m now going to write a LOST/BSG crossover just for the hell of it.
I was thinking that maybe to “recreate” the circumstances of Oceanic flight 815, Locke would have to die in the same kind of manner of Christian? Christian supposedly died of a heart attack outside a bar in Sydney but his death was never seen onscreen. Maybe Christian was killed by someone but it was covered up, just like Ben killed Locke but covered it up. Although I really do like the theory that Ben is doing what Locke is supposed to do out of a mad power grab…
I’m confused on why some of the people who had been on the island before (e.g., Hurley, Jack) got “flashed” off the plane but others apparently did not (e.g., Ben, Lapidus, presumably Sun). Maybe Lapidus really did run off with some other woman and all of the Oceanic 6 (well, 5) did flash off the plane. No clue who the other woman would be, though, or if Frank went willingly.
Why was Desmond in handcuffs on the airplane?
What was Ben’s mission before boarding the airplane and why was he all beat up and bloodied?
Did Kate give Aaron to his grandmother?
@Rachel S – When I saw him write the suicide note then take out a paper bag, I expected some rope, but then I thought, how suspicious is it to go to a hardware store and just buy a small length of rope? He probably thought the same thing, so to normalize what he was doing (in an effort to keep it together and do what he was destined to do) he bought an extension cord.
@Spicy_Carrot… My assumption is that those people who were supposed to be back on the island got flashed, and those who weren’t didn’t. I’m not convinced that it was Sun who took off w/ Lapidus (though that does seem the most obvious choice. I think she probably did get flashed and simply hadn’t yet been found by Jack, Kate and Hurley when last we saw them) Ben didn’t get flashed because he was trying to piggy-back his way back there having already been banished (whoever moves the island can’t go back…same thing as Widmore.) My theory as to why Locke didn’t get flashed is two fold 1. He did get flashed, but he was dead, you have to be alive to get flashed back, I think the flashing is what brought him back to life though. 2. He “moved” the island (when he put the wheel back on its access) so he’s not “supposed to” go back either.
I’m sticking with the theory (I think it was discussed here last week) that Locke isn’t actually the leader…that he is only thought to be the supposed leader because he told Alpert to go meet him as a kid thus setting that as his own destiny.