Lost: Move It or Lose It

I love John Locke. I love Buddy Holly. And yesterday was my birthday, so it was nice that they both showed up in "Cabin Fever," last night's episode of Lost. Alas, "Everyday" wasn't released until 1957, which is a year after Locke's birthday (May 30, 1956). Maybe more time travel? Kidding, just kidding. Anyway, what a pleasure to get more of the story behind Locke's rendezvous with destiny. Recapitude and spoileration after the jump.

Apparently, you could hide a lot of things under those 1950s circle skirts, because teenage Emily's got a bun in the oven and it hardly even shows. That bun turns out to be wee John Locke, born prematurely after Emily gets hit by a car. Little John is a "miracle baby," according to a nurse, because he's the youngest preemie to survive at their hospital. Shortly thereafter, who shows up peeking through the hospital window but the long lost Richard Alpert! It turns out he's got his eye on Locke, dropping by when the youngster is of school age to see if he qualifies for the home Alpert runs for kids who are "extremely special." Locke's special all right — he's already drawing the smoke monster attacking stick figures. Alpert sets a group of objects in front of him (baseball mitt, Book of Laws, Mystery Tales comic book — "What Was The Secret of The Mysterious 'HIDDEN LAND!'"—compass, vial of what looks like sand, and knife) — and asks John to pick the ones that belong to him. But when John picks the knife (in addition to the vial and the compass), Alpert angrily yanks it out of his hands and hits the road. Is little John messing with him—or just not ready to take the Book of Laws over the lawless knife?

When next we see Flashback Locke, he's being rescued from his high school locker by a sympathetic teacher/counselor. Turns out Alpert's been by the school — he wants Locke to go to Mittelos Laboratories' science camp. But Locke doesn't want to face his destiny just yet (even though his science fair project is a model of an island). He's not a science nerd; he likes cars and sports, dammit! When the teacher — okay, maybe he's not so sympathetic — tells John he'll never be a super hero, Locke for the first time utters, "Don't tell me what I can't do." He still isn't ready for destiny years later when, in physical therapy after his father tosses him out the window, his orderly — none other than Mr. Abbadon, apparently not a harbinger of death all the time — tells him to go on a walkabout.

Of course, Locke finally does go on that walkabout (it'll be interesting to see what happens when his path again crosses that of Abbadon — and you know it will), and now he's on Craphole Island looking for Jacob's cabin with Ben and Hurley — because they're the craziest, in Hugo's opinion. And when they do find the cabin — thanks to a dream visit from Horace, murdered Dharma Initiative math guy — Locke comes face to face with Christian Shephard, and ... Claire. Which is definitely one in the pocket for those in the "Claire is dead" camp — or is it? And how do you move an island anyway? In time or physically or some other way? My guess is the first.

Back on the freighter, Keamy's returned and he is ticked off. He tries to kill Michael/Kevin for giving him up to Ben, but Michael's unkillable. Keamy's prepping to return and "torch" the island, armed with a secondary protocol and lots of materiel. When Lapidus balks at flying them back to the island on this mission, Keamy slits the doctor's throat (thus fulfilling what the Islanders already know). He kills the captain too, for good measure, after Keamy reveals he's got something (a detonator, perhaps?) strapped to his lovely, well-muscled arm. (Note to Lost writers/producers: more naked Kevin Durand, please!) By now, Desmond has to be regretting his decision to stay onboard the Kahana, after Sayid escapes in the motor launch.

Lapidus, flying the helicopter against his will, jettisons a working satellite phone over the beach, where it's found by Jack and crew, who assume it's a message for them to follow the whirlybird. Don't know if that's a good idea, kids.

1:45 PM on Fri May 9 2008
By Lynn Peril
3,592 views
27 comments

Comments

diverguy at 01:48 PM on 05/09/08
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Didn't that guy play like 5 different characters on XFiles??? Everytime he turned up I thought "gee.. didn't you die last week??" but then it was just the same actor playing a different role.
HRHKingFriday at 01:49 PM on 05/09/08
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"gifted" children and nosebleeds... its like they're channelling my inner x-file fan-ness!
Dead Air ummm Dead Air at 01:52 PM on 05/09/08
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I've watched enough Twin Peaks to know that Jacob's Cabin is just a second rate Red Room.
GiltProto at 02:04 PM on 05/09/08
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Dammit, I'm still sitting here wondering about the big ass foot with four toes.
extracrispy at 02:05 PM on 05/09/08
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So John Locke is the Dalai Lama? I didn't see that coming.
Garrison Dean, King... at 02:13 PM on 05/09/08
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Connectedness Index: 140

@extracrispy: I did, I've been saying for a while that the "immortals" are gods. When they had that selection scene I got super excited because it backed my theory.
extracrispy at 02:18 PM on 05/09/08
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@Garrison Dean, King Awesome: Your American Gods theory certainly seems plausible.
lillian27 at 02:26 PM on 05/09/08
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(Note to Lost writers/producers: more naked Kevin Durand, please!)

THIS.
Garrison Dean, King... at 02:27 PM on 05/09/08
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Connectedness Index: 140

@extracrispy: Yeah it hinges heavily on Gaiman's mythology, but hey, borrow from the best. I wonder if they "unlocked" Claire much like Thor in AG.
Garrison Dean, King... at 02:29 PM on 05/09/08
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Connectedness Index: 140

@extracrispy: Now I'm going back and trying to think of what mythology has Father (Jacks Dad) Step siblings (Jack Claire) and then Savior baby.

Is Jack Hercules?
extracrispy at 02:34 PM on 05/09/08
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@Garrison Dean, King Awesome: All of them?
Garrison Dean, King... at 02:43 PM on 05/09/08
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Connectedness Index: 140

Oh yeah. I forgot they're all the same.
GenXCub at 02:51 PM on 05/09/08
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@Garrison Dean, King Awesome:

Pretty much any Greek myth considering how incestuous the pantheon was.
Michai at 02:54 PM on 05/09/08
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I cant wait untill the "Smoking Man" from Xfiles appears as Jacob!
girraffesack at 04:27 PM on 05/09/08
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Lots of 'holy sh1t' moments last night.
Really good ep. I am a Locke fan too.
brentbent at 04:33 PM on 05/09/08
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I'm not sure if Locke was supposed to pick the Book of Laws as I think the vial of sand was probably sand from the Island but that's one of those things that might never be revealed. After all, Ben told Locke the Island belonged to him now later on in the episode.
darundal at 04:58 PM on 05/09/08
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When? All I heard Ben say was that his time was over, and it was Locke's time now. I don't think that means the Island *belongs* to Locke, I think it just means that he has to safeguard it.
92BuickLeSabre at 05:33 PM on 05/09/08
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Connectedness Index: 558

Aww Lynn...I love your retro-futurism stuff, so I know you're better than this!

How can you do a recap and leave out all the awesome Ben-Locke, Ben-Hugo, Hugo-Locke interactions? For character development (in "current island time") and for humor, those made the episode!
Tim Faulkner at 09:21 PM on 05/09/08
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Seems to me Abaddon is still operating on behalf of Widmore/Dharma (his flashback was a contrast to the Other flashbacks which had no prodding or quid pro quo) -- empowering Locke so that they can easily take the island out of his confused or grateful hands. So, yes, Jacob/The Island have "entrusted him," given him a chance to prove himself, but it's also a move that falls into the "bad guys'" hands. Abaddon wasn't being nice -- self-serving is more like it.

(Ben may no longer be "The One"-est, but he still is fighting for it in the future. Locke chose the knife, he refused Others Camp, Locke seems to constantly lose his direction -- he owes Abaddon.)

Rather than Ben being completely on the outs, I thing it's typical Ben sitting on the sidelines waiting for Locke to do just what he wants and/or to fuck up.

Also, I think Jack and posse are supposed to follow the signal. Keamy's "bomb" seems powerful, they kept saying "burn the island," "torch the island" -- whatever they intend, I don't think it's something they can run and hide from, but if they catch up and spy on them, they could ambush them and thwart their "plan." I'm imagining a meetup at Orchid of the three groups.

Just thoughts, guesses.
tiemposbuenos at 01:08 AM on 05/10/08
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This is the first ep I've really enjoyed in a long time. I loved the reveal of Claire sitting in Jacob's cabin - count me in the "Claire is dead" camp now. I also loved the brief moment of the Losties watching the helicopter arrive, and seeing them interpret things so wrongly.

That freight ship is a homoerotic paradise! Desmond and Sayid sweaty together in the same room, naked Kevin Durand getting "strapped up" by an officer, the hot captain who was just killed... I need to take a cold shower.
parvax at 09:48 AM on 05/10/08
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I was under the impression that Emily's mother called out Alpert as being Locke's father. Another interesting link to the island.
mik3cap at 12:26 PM on 05/10/08
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I guessed that the island was moveable way back when they revealed that Mr. Eko's plane with all the drugs came from Africa... no way it flew all the way to the South Pacific.
Sharpless at 05:10 PM on 05/10/08
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DAMMIT. DAMMIT. They are so setting Desmond up to be killed. He's alone on that freaking boat. If Keamy comes back, it'll be curtains for Des, and Keamy will officially be the series' most hated character. DAMMIT.

Now, I'm just going to throw this theory out there. I haven't really thought it through. But is it possible that Widmore and Richard, and possibly others (though not necessarily "The" Others), were originally crewmembers of the Black Rock? That, somehow, their crashing on the island granted them immortality and, possibly, other powers? Some of them left the island, and now Widmore is one of the ones who want it back. Just a thought. Perhaps Christian is one of them.

Well, it can't be nuttier than most other theories. :)
jp182 at 07:54 PM on 05/10/08
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@Sharpless: at this point, I'll give that a fair shot even though I don't think that Christian is one of them.
ajadoniz at 04:14 PM on 05/11/08
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i want kate, jack, and michael to die. that's all.
Daveed at 05:15 PM on 05/11/08
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@Sharpless: I think Desmond will live. Just so we have the Ben trying to kill Penny and Desmond thrown in the middle.

Besides, he wasn't an oceanic survivor, so he wouldn't be famous. He could be back in the "real world".
Rev-E at 06:26 AM
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@Sharpless: My girlfriend and I are currently working on the Charles Widmore=Magnus Hanzo theory. We'll probably change that next week.