Birthday and Bentham
Happy Birthday Lenina20. I hope you have a lovely day, one that perhaps involves you, Nikki, Betty and Kate heading off on an all girl’s road trip.
This episode reminded of why Locke used to be my favourite character. In his early flashbacks we see him so desperate to find himself that he stops thinking and just follows what he feels. Without rationalization, he never was able to let go of his father and lost Helen in the process, and eventually lost the ability to walk. By the time he lands on the island his vulnerability morphs into cool confidence. At first this was refreshing, but eventually his blind faith in the island, and worse in Ben, turned me off him. Locke, as the island’s favourite son, grew into someone who became insufferable and selfish to me.
This is just a long prelude to say I really appreciated last night’s new humble John who in many ways had lost the mania that Kate and Jack accused him of having, and was doing his hardest to accomplish what he believed in, rather than what Widmore or Ben wanted. This John was tired and didn’t push or pontificate. Here he actually tried to talk to people rather than talk at them. Although he considered his rejections a failure, I think Locke’s behaviour off island was his best attempt at leadership since his first days on the island when he was providing for the group and nurturing Charlie and helping Claire. I think it is admirable that he let Walt be and followed through on his promise to Jin. It was no longer all about him.
By the time he decided to take his life, I believe that was not an attempt to fulfil Richard’s prophecy but the first time he had truly given up. Being in an environment that no longer made him feel special, was a reminder to how far he had come, but more importantly how far he still had to go, spiritually and geographically. Having him wake-up on the beach once again healed, his crisis of faith replaced with serenity was a lovely scene. He was home. I don’t like all the destiny rhetoric, but in John’s particular path it seems fitting for him to constantly need to be reminded that life can be beautiful and he is needed.
And about everything else…
Colour me completely surprised that the plane had landed on the island and not just the island’s prodigal sons and daughters. I was hoping the plane continued onto Guam so more people were not sucked into this miserable journey and that we would not have to deal with all the new red shirts. Well, done Frank for landing the plane with what appears to be minor casualties. I guess the big question is, when did they land? Are they in the Dharma era too? God, I hope so as I don’t know how many more splintered timelines I can take. Is the woman who took of in the outrigger with Frank, Sun or maybe someone we should be more surprised at seeing?
Gee, do they want us to hate the O6 anymore than we already do? So John Locke appears and you express no happiness that someone you left behind is safe and off the island. Instead your guilt and shame over your lies have you treat him like dirt, like how dare he survive and interfere on your mopping, your mourning, and your masquerading. Apparently everyone still harbours a lot of anger over John’s past behaviour, and probably rightly so, but none of the O6, particularly Jack, Kate and Sayid have a right to be uppity about their own moral high ground.
And what did Kate mean about being in love? Was that just an awkward transition into discussing Helen or did she means she loved Jack and therefore would not risk going back because she had found something good or was it some veiled reference to getting over Sawyer?
Speaking of Helen, does anyone think she is not really dead and that Widmore had that tombstone planted so as not to give John any reason to stay? I think the fact that Abbadon asked about looking people up for John was just a fishing trip of sorts.
The scene with Walt was great. Part of me wishes he was brought back into the fold because he is such an interesting character. On the other hand I respect John letting him be. Walt, why didn’t you ask about your dog!
So far I’m not loving the two new characters. They seem extraneous at this point and it is exhausting to have to deal with new scepticism or more layered agendas. They better have some broader purpose because seriously, we don’t need any more characters to clog up the regular’s screen time.
Ben. Ben. Ben. Of course he will say he was merely cleaning up John’s failures and he’ll have some bull about murder being a better guarantee to return to the island because Jacob frowns on suicide. I think it is clear that neither Widmore or Ben is the good guy. Is there even a good guy at this point?
What is this war that Widmore refers to? Is he backtracking to the days of the purge or something new?
This episode reminded of why Locke used to be my favourite character. In his early flashbacks we see him so desperate to find himself that he stops thinking and just follows what he feels. Without rationalization, he never was able to let go of his father and lost Helen in the process, and eventually lost the ability to walk. By the time he lands on the island his vulnerability morphs into cool confidence. At first this was refreshing, but eventually his blind faith in the island, and worse in Ben, turned me off him. Locke, as the island’s favourite son, grew into someone who became insufferable and selfish to me.
This is just a long prelude to say I really appreciated last night’s new humble John who in many ways had lost the mania that Kate and Jack accused him of having, and was doing his hardest to accomplish what he believed in, rather than what Widmore or Ben wanted. This John was tired and didn’t push or pontificate. Here he actually tried to talk to people rather than talk at them. Although he considered his rejections a failure, I think Locke’s behaviour off island was his best attempt at leadership since his first days on the island when he was providing for the group and nurturing Charlie and helping Claire. I think it is admirable that he let Walt be and followed through on his promise to Jin. It was no longer all about him.
By the time he decided to take his life, I believe that was not an attempt to fulfil Richard’s prophecy but the first time he had truly given up. Being in an environment that no longer made him feel special, was a reminder to how far he had come, but more importantly how far he still had to go, spiritually and geographically. Having him wake-up on the beach once again healed, his crisis of faith replaced with serenity was a lovely scene. He was home. I don’t like all the destiny rhetoric, but in John’s particular path it seems fitting for him to constantly need to be reminded that life can be beautiful and he is needed.
And about everything else…
Colour me completely surprised that the plane had landed on the island and not just the island’s prodigal sons and daughters. I was hoping the plane continued onto Guam so more people were not sucked into this miserable journey and that we would not have to deal with all the new red shirts. Well, done Frank for landing the plane with what appears to be minor casualties. I guess the big question is, when did they land? Are they in the Dharma era too? God, I hope so as I don’t know how many more splintered timelines I can take. Is the woman who took of in the outrigger with Frank, Sun or maybe someone we should be more surprised at seeing?
Gee, do they want us to hate the O6 anymore than we already do? So John Locke appears and you express no happiness that someone you left behind is safe and off the island. Instead your guilt and shame over your lies have you treat him like dirt, like how dare he survive and interfere on your mopping, your mourning, and your masquerading. Apparently everyone still harbours a lot of anger over John’s past behaviour, and probably rightly so, but none of the O6, particularly Jack, Kate and Sayid have a right to be uppity about their own moral high ground.
And what did Kate mean about being in love? Was that just an awkward transition into discussing Helen or did she means she loved Jack and therefore would not risk going back because she had found something good or was it some veiled reference to getting over Sawyer?
Speaking of Helen, does anyone think she is not really dead and that Widmore had that tombstone planted so as not to give John any reason to stay? I think the fact that Abbadon asked about looking people up for John was just a fishing trip of sorts.
The scene with Walt was great. Part of me wishes he was brought back into the fold because he is such an interesting character. On the other hand I respect John letting him be. Walt, why didn’t you ask about your dog!
So far I’m not loving the two new characters. They seem extraneous at this point and it is exhausting to have to deal with new scepticism or more layered agendas. They better have some broader purpose because seriously, we don’t need any more characters to clog up the regular’s screen time.
Ben. Ben. Ben. Of course he will say he was merely cleaning up John’s failures and he’ll have some bull about murder being a better guarantee to return to the island because Jacob frowns on suicide. I think it is clear that neither Widmore or Ben is the good guy. Is there even a good guy at this point?
What is this war that Widmore refers to? Is he backtracking to the days of the purge or something new?