"As they passed the rows of houses they saw through the open doors that men were sweeping and dusting and washing dishes, while the women sat around in groups, gossiping and laughing.
"What has happened?" the Scarecrow asked a sad-looking man with a bushy beard, who wore an apron and was wheeling a baby-carriage along the sidewalk.
"Why, we've had a revolution, your Majesty -- as you ought to know very well," replied the man; "and since you went away the women have been running things to suit themselves. I'm glad you have decided to come back and restore order, for doing housework and minding the children is wearing out the strength of every man in the Emerald City."
"Hm!" said the Scarecrow, thoughtfully. "If it is such hard work as you say, how did the women manage it so easily?"
"I really do not know," replied the man, with a deep sigh. "Perhaps the women are made of cast-iron.""
- L. Frank Baum, "The Land of Oz"
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The time for questions is ovah!
With only 3 1/2 hours left of the show, many people are nervous that their questions won't get answered. I personally feel that a lot of questions have been answered, if not completely, at least somewhat. But I realize I'm in a minority.
I also feel like I'm pretty tapped into what's going on on Lost, and feel like I have decent answers to pretty much any of the remaining questions (and that's without resorting to speculation threads, which I avoid like the plague).
So, I'm offering a service. Leave your unresolved questions in the comments thread, and I'll let you know what the answers are.
Trackbacks:
Trackback URL: http://thinklings.org/bloo.trackback.php/5975.
Comments on "Lost: Your Questions Answered":
2. Andrew
- 05/12/2010 7:03 pm CDT
- The island is some sort of electro-magnetic anomaly. Got it. But it is also supposedly some sort of moral safeguard keeping evil from overtaking the entire world. What gives it that property? How does it protect the world? Why?
- There are candidates. Why them?
- What, really, is the smoke monster? I don't really care who it is, but what is it's deal?
There are about a thousand other questions I could ask, but those seem to be the important ones, and the ones I will be most angry about if they go unanswered.
Oh, and ditto Jared's question.
3. Bill
- 05/12/2010 7:58 pm CDT
The numbers were simply Jacob's way of keeping track of candidates. Each had a number, and there were many candidates. By the time of Oceanic flight 815, he had basically whittled his current list down to six numbers. He had known who these candidates were for a long time, before they were even born.
Because Jacob exerts influence over most everything on the island, the numbers became the serial number of the hatch and the combination to keep the incident in check. He's kind of an artist that way.
4. Bill
- 05/12/2010 8:07 pm CDT
The "heart of the island" is light. It's the primordial light that was created by God before the beginning of time. This light is precious, intense, it generates a very strong magnetic field and also has healing powers. The cave of light shown on this show is what later became the pool of light in the temple, which was built over the site of the light.
The light has a deity/entity that protects it - that entity is the Smoke monster, which manifests itself also in the form of human "protectors" who have been drawn to the island. Jacob/MIBs fake mother was one of these. You become this entity by drinking the chalice of the Protector and entering into the light.
Unfortunately, MIB entered into the light without having drunk the chalice. Jacob was the Protector, and yet he *didn't* protect the light - he foolishly threw his brother into it. Thus his brother became the Smoke monster (when you become the Smoke monster, you essentially are melded into its personality/being). So the desire to leave the island, which is so strong in MIB, became the desire of Smokey as well. He spends his time in thrall, so to speak, to the Protector (Jacob), but never tamed, and with an overwhelming desire to depart the island.
That can only happen if the Protector dies without someone to take his place.
Jack is the last of the Candidates. I don't know why Jacob has chosen these people, but he sees something in each of them that makes them Candidate-worthy. Jack is the final one, but he has not yet drunk from the chalice.
You only become the Protector by drinking from the chalice while a specific incantation is uttered. That's why Richard, though a worthy helper to the Protector, was never named the Protector, even though he too drank from the chalice.
7. Sherry
- 05/12/2010 9:08 pm CDT
What was the deal with all the kids? Why did the original Ohhers kidnap the kids off the beach? Why did they kidnap Walt? What were they trying to figure out with giving Walt "tests"? Was Jacob behind all of that, or did the Others have their own weird agenda?
8. Sherry
- 05/12/2010 9:11 pm CDT
Also, why did the Dharma people have to be destroyed? WHy did Jacob order that little bit of genocide? Or did he?
9. Sherry
- 05/12/2010 9:13 pm CDT
Also, what is meaning of Jack's tattoo? (Only kidding!) I can't even remember what the tattoo was.
10. Bill
- 05/12/2010 9:50 pm CDT
This makes them magic? I don't understand.
They aren't magic. Jacob is. He "has a thing for numbers" and he has, obviously, had an influence both off and on the island in all of their lives. His power is extensive, even to setting lottery numbers.
11. Bill
- 05/12/2010 9:52 pm CDT
What is the sickness?
The sickness is being claimed by Smokey. Sayid had it.
12. Bill
- 05/12/2010 9:53 pm CDT
What was the deal with all the kids? Why did the original Ohhers kidnap the kids off the beach? Why did they kidnap Walt? What were they trying to figure out with giving Walt "tests"? Was Jacob behind all of that, or did the Others have their own weird agenda?
The kids were important to the Others because pregnant women always die in childbirth. They needed a next generation.
They kidnapped Walt because he had special powers (similar to the powers MIB had as a boy - ability to see the dead, to "just know" how to play backgammon, etc).
Jacob was behind everything the Others did. They are his people.
13. Andrew
- 05/12/2010 9:54 pm CDT
The "heart of the island" is light. It's the primordial light that was created by God before the beginning of time. This light is precious, intense, it generates a very strong magnetic field and also has healing powers.
A lot of conjecture going on there, but I'll grant all of that. It still leaves a lot unanswered. Why must it be hidden/protected? If it is eternal, how can a mortal man extinguish it? How are people chosen to protect it? Every time a pregnant lady stumbles onto the island, does she get whacked by the current protector? What role do humans play in this? If God created it, why does one, fallible person stand in between it and the end of the world?
The light has a deity/entity that protects it - that entity is the Smoke monster ...
Jacob was the Protector, and yet he *didn't* protect the light - he foolishly threw his brother into it. Thus his brother became the Smoke monster...
He spends his time in thrall, so to speak, to the Protector (Jacob), but never tamed, and with an overwhelming desire to depart the island.
That can only happen if the Protector dies without someone to take his place.
So the smoke monster is the protector, and Jacob is the protector, but Jacob is not the smoke monster?
Jack is the last of the Candidates. I don't know why Jacob has chosen these people, but he sees something in each of them that makes them Candidate-worthy. Jack is the final one, but he has not yet drunk from the chalice.
But Jack isn't the final candidate. Sawyer and Hurley are still alive, right? Both candidates? Or is that wrong?
14. Bill
- 05/12/2010 9:56 pm CDT
Also, why did the Dharma people have to be destroyed? WHy did Jacob order that little bit of genocide? Or did he?
The Dharma Initiative was getting too close to the Light. Jacob actually exhibited quite a bit of restraint on that - he tried to just protect the light through the use of his human forces, the Others, in more resistance than mass murder. But, finally, he realized that it was time to do away with Dharma lest they find the light, exploit it, and take all light from the earth.
Plus, in Ben, he believed he had a candidate. Or, at the least, one on the "inside" who had been touched by him as a child (due to the deadly wound 1977 Sayid had delivered to him).
15. Bill
- 05/12/2010 9:57 pm CDT
Also, what is meaning of Jack's tattoo? (Only kidding!) I can't even remember what the tattoo was.
The tattoo was a mark put on Jack that held the answer - he's destined for greatness. But Jack had to become a man of faith first.
16. Bill
- 05/12/2010 10:00 pm CDT
Andrew, regarding the Light. The island isn't the Genesis story, but it follows a similar theme - as has been said elsewhere, the Tree of Life needed a guardian too. Because sinful men would eat from it.
The Light and the Water (as MIB mentioned this week) - contains the power of immortality, of healing. We've already seen this, in the healing of little Ben. The light (in the temple pool) went "dark" (at least temporarily) when Jacob died.
The power of immortality has to be protected, just as in Genesis.
17. Bill
- 05/12/2010 10:03 pm CDT
So the smoke monster is the protector, and Jacob is the protector, but Jacob is not the smoke monster?
Originally, the protector (FakeMom) could manifest as the Smoke monster as well. That was the "fate worst than death" and that's why she thanked MIB for offing her.
Because Jacob is now the protector, but did not enter the light (because she, his mom, loved him and hoped he could just protect the light by being vigilant, and hoping no one else came to the island, which is why she killed every living person on the island except her two sons) he did not get the power of the Smoke beast.
MIB entered the light, became Smokey, and is somewhat wild in that role, but still in thrall, at the command, somewhat under control by Jacob. Hence he can't leave, he can be unleashed by Jacob or Jacob's agents in extreme circumstances (Ben did this when Alex got shot).
In other words, the Protector has been split into two personages, a sort of Yin and Yang protector. One part of which doesn't want to be the protector and just wants to get off the island.
18. Bill
- 05/12/2010 10:05 pm CDT
But Jack isn't the final candidate. Sawyer and Hurley are still alive, right? Both candidates? Or is that wrong?
There names haven't yet been scratched off (as Kate's, Sun's, Jin's, etc have) but at this point it's obvious that Jack is the successor. The only reason they aren't dead yet is because the Island still needs them to do something to make sure Jack survives to take his new role.
20. Bill
- 05/12/2010 10:25 pm CDT
One other item that hasn't been asked yet - regarding the "rules of the game".
This is one of the quirks of Jacob's personality that is particularly galling to MIB. Again, MIB is under the authority of Jacob, and under Jacob's rules. Even dead, Jacob has manifested himself on the island as a boy and given MIB commands.
LittleMIB made up the rules of backgammon (really, just replicated the existing backgammon rules due to the prescience that comes with his "specialness") - This always irritated Jacob and he tried to cheat to beat the rules. He didn't get where littleMIB got off making rules.
Well, as Protector, and the master/jailer of Smokey, Jacob has the prerogative to set the rules of Smokey's captivity, how Smokey interacts with Jacob's successors, etc. Even dead, the rules persist because Candidates are still alive.
This irritates MIB no end. He just wants to get off the island. That's all.
Unfortunately, because he is immortal (and, by the way, a Smoke Monster) - releasing him off the island would indeed be catastrophic. I don't believe that MIB really sees that, though.
21. Evan
- 05/12/2010 10:31 pm CDT
OK, I'll play.
1) What was the Hurley bird?
2) If a protector is needed to keep the smoke monster on the island, who was keeping it trapped when Jacob was off island visiting the candidates (i.e. Hurley in the taxi, etc.)?
3) Can Jacob and the smoke monster time travel? If so, have they?
4) What or who causes the dead people to show up and give instruction/advice? Put another way, who controls or whose purpose are the dead people supporting?
5) Why couldn't Jacob see his dead mother Claudia while the MIB could?
6) Why could Sawyer and Richard see the teenage Jacob kid running through the jungle, and why was Flocke surprised they could? Is teenage Jacob reincarnated or another dead person? If he's just another dead person, why doesn't he just use his adult Jacob image?
7) How does Eloise Hawking seem to know so much about Desmond, his purpose, and what is supposedly going on in the Sideways world?
And most importantly.....
8) Where have Ben, Richard, and Miles been lolligagging around while Flocke loaded everyone else on the sub and killed of Sun, Jin, & Sayid?
22. Bill
- 05/13/2010 6:43 am CDT
1) What was the Hurley bird?
Could you give me some context? I don't recall that one.
2) If a protector is needed to keep the smoke monster on the island, who was keeping it trapped when Jacob was off island visiting the candidates (i.e. Hurley in the taxi, etc.)?
The thing that keeps the Smoke monster trapped (i.e., the "cork") is the island itself. The Protector of the island is just a manifestation of the island in human form, who's job is not to protect the earth from Smokie, but rather to protect the Light that is the heart of the island.
There can be only one Protector. Jacob/MIBs mom messed up by raising the twins and, as has been explained earlier, creating this yin/yang kind of setup with the island's persona being split between two avatars, so to speak, who are opposed to each other.
It isn't until the Protector is killed that the yang portion of the island (Smokie) can escape.
3) Can Jacob and the smoke monster time travel? If so, have they?
No
4) What or who causes the dead people to show up and give instruction/advice? Put another way, who controls or whose purpose are the dead people supporting?
The heart of the island is "Life, death, rebirth". This is a powerful force. So people who die on the island sometimes remain, at the island's bidding, to continue furthering the island's purposes.
This is somewhat confused, though, because MIB counterfeits this and poses as dead people to further his own ends.
5) Why couldn't Jacob see his dead mother Claudia while the MIB could?
MIB is "special". Other people who are "special" are Miles, and Hurley - they have the ability to communicate with people who are dead. Miles' gift is not as strong as Hurley's, though - he can only hear from the dead what they were thinking as they died.
MIB and Hurley have the same gift.
6) Why could Sawyer and Richard see the teenage Jacob kid running through the jungle, and why was Flocke surprised they could? Is teenage Jacob reincarnated or another dead person? If he's just another dead person, why doesn't he just use his adult Jacob image?
Jacob is not just another dead person. I believe MIB is so disconcerted at his appearances because he thought killing Jacob would pretty much end Jacob, but instead Jacob is living on in some form and continues to exert his influence.
7) How does Eloise Hawking seem to know so much about Desmond, his purpose, and what is supposedly going on in the Sideways world?
There are certain people, Eloise, Desmond for instance, for whom all alternate timelines bleed together.
And most importantly.....
8) Where have Ben, Richard, and Miles been lolligagging around while Flocke loaded everyone else on the sub and killed of Sun, Jin, & Sayid?
They have been forming a subtle plan.
25. Evan
- 05/13/2010 8:18 am CDT
I'm afraid you're doing so well, it's likely to be better than the actually story we get in the last few hours.
BTW, here is the lostpedia article describing the two appearances of the Hurley bird.
http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/Hurley_bird
I'm guessing your explanation would be the same as #4. Or maybe the Lost writers were reading too much Harry Potter and it was Fawkes.
They have been forming a subtle plan.
:-)
26. Quaid
- 05/13/2010 8:28 am CDT
I'm not certain I buy that Jack is the candidate. While I don't think it's Sawyer, I'm not certain how/why we can rule him out for certain.
Also, I think Hurley is a great "candidate" candidate.
Lastly - is it possible that both Jacob AND MIB could be replaced? If so, is it possible that we could see Jack AND Hurley or Sawyer sharing island guarding powers in the yin/yang setup?
27. Manders
- 05/13/2010 8:39 am CDT
Where'd PsychoMom (or, I guess, the woman who Smokey 1.0 is masquerading as) come from? Who/what brought her to the island?
Why isn't Kate a candidate?
Which one of the Kwons was the candidate (or was it both of them)?
Why is Desmond special?
You know how Jacob said if MIB left, all hell would break loose? Is that a warning, or is it a threat?
What is your name? What is your quest? What is your favorite colour?
28. Evan
- 05/13/2010 10:00 am CDT
Lastly - is it possible that both Jacob AND MIB could be replaced? If so, is it possible that we could see Jack AND Hurley or Sawyer sharing island guarding powers in the yin/yang setup?
This is actually my current prediction as well. I think John Locke goes free, but he is replaced by........Charles Widmore. Who enters the cave of light to become the new smoke monster, while Jack drinks the chalice to take over for Jacob.
29. Bill
- 05/13/2010 11:20 am CDT
I'm not certain I buy that Jack is the candidate. While I don't think it's Sawyer, I'm not certain how/why we can rule him out for certain.
You found out for certain when I told you.
In all seriousness, though, it's been telegraphed very strongly all season.
is it possible that both Jacob AND MIB could be replaced? If so, is it possible that we could see Jack AND Hurley or Sawyer sharing island guarding powers in the yin/yang setup?
At least in their human avatars, Locke is MIB and Jack will be Jacob.
Where'd PsychoMom (or, I guess, the woman who Smokey 1.0 is masquerading as) come from? Who/what brought her to the island?
She had been there a very long time, was immortal/didn't age. She was brought there by an accident - and probably took over from a past protector.
She saw the lady in red as her possible replacement, then saw baby Jacob and, I believe, in that moment decided that the baby would replace her and that the woman must die. The reason she became so scared looking when MIB was born was because she now knew that she couldn't kill the babies (she's not a monster. Well, she is, but you know what I mean) but that she didn't know what having two replacements would do. As we've seen, it really bollixed things up.
Why isn't Kate a candidate?
She was, but the island decided she was just too irritating and crossed her name off.
Which one of the Kwons was the candidate (or was it both of them)?
Both of them.
Why is Desmond special?
Because he can withstand, psychologically, multiple time jumps and multiple realities. Much like Eloise, the realities bleed through for him and he can live in more than one at once.
You know how Jacob said if MIB left, all hell would break loose? Is that a warning, or is it a threat?
Actually, Richard's dead wife Isabella said that. It's a warning.
What is your name?
Bill
What is your quest?
To be able to watch the finale of Lost live, even though we have a college/young singles volleyball event scheduled at the same time.
What is your favorite colour?
Blue. . . no! Red! YEeeaaarrrrggghhhH!!!
30. Bill
- 05/13/2010 11:23 am CDT
An addendum to my last list of answers.
I believe all his life that Woman thought that MIB was her replacement. I think she knew this from the moment she saw him, but she couldn't/didn't want to kill Jacob so she just kind of kicked that can down the road. But she loved MIB more.
The show shed a lot of light on Jacob that I think explains a lot. The whole "game" motif of the show fits his personality. He was portrayed very purposefully in the episode as a large child. Full of rage at times. Not wanting to assume responsibility. He's setup his governance of Smokey and protection of the Light as a big game.
And he plays with people too.
If you're confused about Lost, it's Jacob's fault.
31. Manders
- 05/13/2010 1:31 pm CDT
So even though Jacob is "good", he's also kind of a [insert cuss word of choice here]?
Re: Desmond, I guess what I was looking for was an explanation for WHY his (and Eloise and Minkowski and so on's) timelines bleed. Electromagnetism or something else?
Possibly related: What is it about trauma/love that makes the Sideways Losties aware of the island?
34. Shrode
- 05/13/2010 2:55 pm CDT
Bill, I stand and salute you.
Wow.
I think you are totally right by the way. About all of it.
Much of what you said here was a real eye opener. Especially the part where the role of guardian was divided in two.
I dub thee: "LOSTguru"
35. Bill
- 05/13/2010 6:27 pm CDT
So even though Jacob is "good", he's also kind of a [insert cuss word of choice here]?
He's not good. He's just a mamma's boy.
Re: Desmond, I guess what I was looking for was an explanation for WHY his (and Eloise and Minkowski and so on's) timelines bleed. Electromagnetism or something else?
It's like being a savant. Rare, but it happens.
Possibly related: What is it about trauma/love that makes the Sideways Losties aware of the island?
The tribulations they experienced on the island, and the love-interests there, are their "constants". The constant is a pathway to the alternate reality.
36. Bill
- 05/13/2010 6:32 pm CDT
Why could Aaron only be raised by Claire?
It's not that he could only be raised by Claire. It's that he was necessary for the island, so he had to be brought there by Claire (called there by Jacob). Once he was there, it didn't really matter, and that's why Claire is now feral.
Why was each side always claiming to be the "good guys"?
That's just human nature.
But, remember - the players that are aligned with Jacob think of this as a war. That's why the Others, including Richard, stop at nothing. Richard is a good man. Just like in a real shooting war, good men can do awful things for a greater cause. The Others greater cause is supporting Jacob in his desire to keep the Island's light undefiled and to keep Smokie pent up there.
What's up with all the Egyptian stuff?
The last episode showed us Roman times, but there had been protectors before, from Egyptian times. Jacob/MIBs mom had been there quite awhile, and was Latin/Roman, but the protector before her was Egyptian.
There had been Egyptian Others on the island, building settlements and structured, and they too had been wiped out by a Protector, except for the "mother" of the "mother" of Jacob and MIB, who the previous Protector had chosen as the new Protector.
37. Bill
- 05/13/2010 6:38 pm CDT
Why exactly did Ben Linus kill the real John Locke, apparently just for mentioning he planned to go see Eloise Hawking?
Well, Eloise is in league with Widmore. Ben is agin' him.
38. Manders
- 05/13/2010 6:58 pm CDT
Just had an aha! moment, so this is a statement more than a question, and feel free to debunk me: MIB made the donkey wheel that Ben and Locke turned. It took them to Tunisia. What if Claudia lived in Tunisia, which was part of the Roman empire (and, incidentally, pretty close to Egypt) and that's why they land there after they turn the wheel?
39. Sherry
- 05/13/2010 10:19 pm CDT
OK, you would have to be clairvoyant to answer these, but go ahead, make my day :)
What is MIB's real name? Does/did he have a name? Or did CrazyMom and Jacob just call him "brother" all his life?
What will happen to Hurley? (He's my favorite, and I agree with the island about Kate.)
Is this the Island of Death? Does everybody on-island have to die so that Jack can become the new Protector of the Light?
What about the SIdeways world? Is it real? Can it just go away? Please?
41. Bill
- 05/13/2010 10:45 pm CDT
Manders - interesting.
What is MIB's real name? Does/did he have a name? Or did CrazyMom and Jacob just call him "brother" all his life?
He does not have a real name. It may seem strange that the call him "Brother" but with (they thought) no other people around, it worked.
On a side note - my mother in law had a relative who everyone just called "Sister" most of her life.
What will happen to Hurley? (He's my favorite, and I agree with the island about Kate.)
Hurley is going to live a long and happy life.
Is this the Island of Death? Does everybody on-island have to die so that Jack can become the new Protector of the Light?
No. But they are all in danger. Jacob had a list of candidates in the Lighthouse. MIB copied the list - it's on the cave ceiling and he lied about that being Jacob's cave. He's been scratching off people who get eliminated and his goal is to eliminate all the candidates. He's bound by the rules, though, so he can't just kill them himself.
What about the SIdeways world? Is it real? Can it just go away? Please?
Unfortunately, it is real. But with the paradoxes available in time travel, it can be made to go away.
42. Bill
- 05/13/2010 10:49 pm CDT
Are you just making this all up? It's like I want to see you do the answer, like I want to see how people acted writing scripture, no kidding.
Michele,
There's a backstory to this post: I've been hearing for six seasons how "They writers never give us any answers!!!". I realized while watching the last episode that that is not true.
The problem is, the writers are not giving us easy answers, for the most part. If people want exposition, they won't get it from Lost. But they HAVE been giving us clues to piece together, pretty much from the start.
I realized when watching this episode that every line of dialog is important. For instance, when FakeMom said how tired she was, it wasn't just "it's been a long day" tired. It's "I'm tired of being immortal and protecting this blasted island all these centuries".
Everything on a show like last night's (which was devoid of comedy relief) is a clue.
It's all about piecing them together.
In this post, I decided to do that. (And to write in a fairly bold and self-assured voice, which is not my usual :-)
43. Bill
- 05/13/2010 10:53 pm CDT
Addendum: I think last night's show was pivotal, because it was the final piece of back-story (or at least backstory that needs a complete episode) that we're going to get. The answers in this post are ones that would have been impossible to deduce a week ago.
But with only two episodes left, and lots of loose ends to tie up, I'm making the assumption that all the major clues have already been given. The next two shows will be about what happens on the island, now. Not what happened.
We will get more clues, of course, and maybe a little conversational exposition (heck, maybe a lot). But I don't expect major back-story reveals. There's just no time.
I also expect that there will be lots of ambiguity at the end, but we can be assured that the clues have been there all the time. It's all about piecing them together.
45. Manders
- 05/13/2010 11:47 pm CDT
Bill, you are a rock star. I am solidly impressed by your doing this.
One more note on Tunisia, and then I'm done as far as that goes: It is 1) the site of Carthage, which was kind of a big deal (and also has some ties to ancient Rome, if you believe the Aeneid), 2) a former French colony, 3) bordered by an Algerian city called Annaba, formerly Hippo, which was home to a certain bishop...all of this may be totally coincidental to LOST, but I thought it interesting.
47. Bill
- 05/14/2010 7:13 am CDT
Well, reality set in. 1) the actor was growing up faster than the timeline and 2) the actor probably didn't have the skills to become a main character of such import. So the whole thing devolved into WAALLLLLLLTTTT!!!!
BUT - there is a great deal of interest in children among the Others, since it's impossible to have them on the island if conception occurred there.
UNLESS
Unless you are a Candidate. Hence the Kwon's success.
48. Bill
- 05/14/2010 7:16 am CDT
And, Walt's character was "Special" (this is a word used over and over in this series).
"Special" people have insight into the spiritual world and/or the alternate realities/future/past generated by the island. The Island is a place where the spiritual (i.e., those who are dead) intersects with the physical, and it's a place that is not only on a different timeline, it can spawn new timelines.. It's a nexus of sorts - the heart of the island is "Life. Death. Rebirth", and a source of great energy..
(note: the theology is whacked. Just explaining the world of Lost here)
49. Bill
- 05/14/2010 7:17 am CDT
Bill, you are a rock star. I am solidly impressed by your doing this.
Thanks, Manders. Of course, with every answer I leave I may just be digging my self deeper . . .
Except, of course, that I'm right, so I'm not :-)
50. Ben
- 05/14/2010 8:48 am CDT
Bill, good work thus far.
Is Desmond responsible for bringing the two realities together? Maybe as a constant? What do you suspect his outcome will be?
Is there a possibility that the original John Locke comes back from death on the island? Maybe if Desmond ties the two worlds together? Could Locke potentially still serve as heroic along side Jack? (Have you seen the LOST season 6 photo with all the characters in The Last Supper setting? Locke is still the central/Christ figure in the photo. Any significance?)
51. Jared
- 05/14/2010 8:55 am CDT
Oh, sidenote: So, I was listening to a friend's testimony of deliverance from the drug culture of the 60s, and he said a turning point where God was grabbing a hold of him was in reading some book by a comrade of Timothy Leary about advancing one's LSD use to achieve the astral plane, blah blah blah. The book basically meshed acid culture with Eastern spirituality and other religious stuff. But my friend said the guy's big mistake was putting Scripture in there too, because he said every time he came across a Bible verse, it just seemed to stand out from the page.
Eventually a preacher led him to the Lord after a church service. But he says that book, contrary to the author's aims, planted the seed against LSD and for faith in Christ.
The book was authored by a guy named Richard Alpert.
52. Bethany
- 05/14/2010 9:01 am CDT
UNLESS
Unless you are a Candidate. Hence the Kwon's success.
Did they concieve on the island? I don't remember.
Also, what aobut all the time travel and bombs and everything Danny was trying to figure out - how does that fit into the island story?
Because I feel like there are three different shows. There was the show with everyone on the beach and the fight against the others. There was the show with time traveling and Danny and the bombs. And now there is the Jacob/MIB story. I still don't see how they all connect.
Also, what was the house that Ben took Locke to with Jacob in the chair? And why could Locke hear him?
Also, what is meaning of Jack's tattoo?
I read this while in class. It made me LOL.
53. Bill
- 05/14/2010 10:16 am CDT
Is Desmond responsible for bringing the two realities together? Maybe as a constant?
Yes
What do you suspect his outcome will be?
He's going to die, brothah. He has a sacrifice to make, and he will make it because he wants to save Penny and little Charlie.
Is there a possibility that the original John Locke comes back from death on the island? Maybe if Desmond ties the two worlds together? Could Locke potentially still serve as heroic along side Jack? (Have you seen the LOST season 6 photo with all the characters in The Last Supper setting? Locke is still the central/Christ figure in the photo. Any significance?)
It's a possibility.
54. Bill
- 05/14/2010 10:19 am CDT
Jared - that's very cool.
Bethany:
Did they concieve on the island? I don't remember.
Yes.
Also, what aobut all the time travel and bombs and everything Danny was trying to figure out - how does that fit into the island story?
Faraday's plan caused the incident which gave birth to the purpose of the Swan hatch which led to Des not pressing the button which led to Oceanic 815 crashing which led to Faraday's plan.
It's a loop.
It also allowed MIB to find his loop hole.
Also, what was the house that Ben took Locke to with Jacob in the chair? And why could Locke hear him?
That was Jacob's cabin. Locke could hear him because Locke is a candidate. Ben could not because he was not a candidate.
He's very jeal about that, by the way.
56. Michele
- 05/14/2010 12:54 pm CDT
Jared, that sort of freaked me out. Kind of creepy, all the philosophers that are names of characters on the show are messed up.
Bill, I feel a little embarrassed about the way I compared your thoughts to scripture writing. It was just sort of blowing me away how you all of a sudden started putting out all this intense, confident revelation. It was like you were an oracle or something.
Any thoughts on the "chicken" theme that seemed to pop up every now and again?
I'm also pretty confused about the Smoke--It was the soul of MIB--blended with a diety, right? Well, what happened to that soul once it became Locke? Is it now Locke's soul in there as well? If so, wouldn't it take on his personality as it did MIB? (Always wanting to leave the island, etc.) Also, the mom had her own, real human body, but was the Smoke, she hadn't "died" as the MIB had and become the Smoke--so how did she become the Smoke? She at least didn't do it the same way, going in the cave, or she'd be dead, right?
57. Audrey
- 05/14/2010 1:09 pm CDT
thanks for helping to clear the mud a little!!
what do you think will happen to Kate? will she choose Jack or Sawyer? what will happen to Sawyer? and Claire? and Richard?
is there a way to kill or stop unLocke? if he fails at killing the candidates will he just wait for more people to come to the island? i read an article, today, online that was an interview with Michael Emerson (Ben Linus) he said that Ben is going to make a new alliance with surprising outcomes. what do you think that means?
do you think there is anyway that Locke, Jin, Sun, Sayid will be able to "come back to life" assuming that Des is able to align the 2 realities?
i think it could end with Jack assuming the Jacob position and unLocke assuming the MIB position. Jack will always try to draw new candidates & unLocke will always try to kill them. what do you think? my husband thinks the original John Locke will come back & take over Jacob's spot.
how was Jacob able to leave the island to interact with the candidates in their past? if Jack becomes the new Jacob will he have the same powers that Jacob currently holds?
sorry for all the questions, but i'm still confused about a few things!!!
58. Steve
- 05/14/2010 2:27 pm CDT
great work - thanks ... very thought provoking
My questions:
1. Where did the donkey wheel contraption come from? Momma-smokey filled in the hole before it could be built... did Darhma guys find it and build it? If so, when?
2. Jacob talked about bringing people to the Island to test them - almost like he was looking for someone who would make the right choices (that is why Richard stuck around - so that he could help out wit that)... but mamma and smokey-brother both seem to be completely pessimistic about the human heart... how does that play in?
3. What's up with the rings of powder that kept smokey out of certain areas - like around the cabin? Why did it have to be there ... it wasn't like Jacob was threatened by smokey, right? Why did Jacob have to be in safe places (the cabin / the foot of the statue)?
4. African or European?
60. Bill
- 05/15/2010 7:56 am CDT
Bill, I feel a little embarrassed about the way I compared your thoughts to scripture writing. It was just sort of blowing me away how you all of a sudden started putting out all this intense, confident revelation. It was like you were an oracle or something.
No worries - I knew what you meant. :-)
61. Bill
- 05/15/2010 8:03 am CDT
I'm also pretty confused about the Smoke--It was the soul of MIB--blended with a diety, right? Well, what happened to that soul once it became Locke? Is it now Locke's soul in there as well?
No. The MIB/Locke still talks of Locke as if he's another. "Locke was a sucker", etc. The MIB/Smoke being is really MIB, with the added attribute of being able to become Smokie - that's why he complains that Jacob stole his humanity.
Now, Terry O'Quinn has acted MIB very well and has added some "Locke-ishness" to him - "Don't tell me what I can't do!!!" - but it's not Locke. It's MIB.
Also, the mom had her own, real human body, but was the Smoke, she hadn't "died" as the MIB had and become the Smoke--so how did she become the Smoke?
The Protector takes on Smokie's attributes. That's the "fate worse than death". She and MIB both are experiencing the same thing. Again, things got bollixed up because now there are two Protectors in a yin/yang configuration - Jacob protects the Light and also keeps Yang in check. Yang/MIB also protects the island, but unwillingly. He is the "Security system", in thrall to Jacob, but who is weary, weary, weary of being Smokie and just wants to leave.
She at least didn't do it the same way, going in the cave, or she'd be dead, right?
Going into the cave isn't death. It's a fate worse than death. She and MIB both went into the cave.
62. Bill
- 05/15/2010 8:07 am CDT
what do you think will happen to Kate? will she choose Jack or Sawyer? what will happen to Sawyer? and Claire? and Richard?
I don't know - my answers are only informed by what's happened or been revealed so far.
is there a way to kill or stop unLocke? if he fails at killing the candidates will he just wait for more people to come to the island?
I believe that Jack will kill MIB by submerging the island.
do you think there is anyway that Locke, Jin, Sun, Sayid will be able to "come back to life" assuming that Des is able to align the 2 realities?
Yes, although I can't speak to what has yet been revealed, only to what they've already told us.
i think it could end with Jack assuming the Jacob position and unLocke assuming the MIB position. Jack will always try to draw new candidates & unLocke will always try to kill them. what do you think? my husband thinks the original John Locke will come back & take over Jacob's spot.
I believe Jack will submerge the island, which will kill both himself and MIB. Jack will do this in conjunction with Desmond. They will both sacrifice themselves.
how was Jacob able to leave the island to interact with the candidates in their past? if Jack becomes the new Jacob will he have the same powers that Jacob currently holds?
Even though Jacob is essentially a man-boy, he is very powerful and is able to leave the island. MIB is not, of course (which is another reason MIB so wants to kill Jacob). Jack will not be Jacob long, before he sacrifices himself.
63. Bill
- 05/15/2010 8:13 am CDT
1. Where did the donkey wheel contraption come from? Momma-smokey filled in the hole before it could be built... did Darhma guys find it and build it? If so, when?
MIB, who isn't "dead" but has suffered a fate worse than death and is now Smoke-MIB went ahead and finished what he started vis-a-vis the donkey wheel. Unfortunately, he can't turn it - he can't leave the island. But he has gotten other people to do so both as a protection for the island and to serve his own ends.
2. Jacob talked about bringing people to the Island to test them - almost like he was looking for someone who would make the right choices (that is why Richard stuck around - so that he could help out wit that)... but mamma and smokey-brother both seem to be completely pessimistic about the human heart... how does that play in?
One reason MammaSmoke loved MIB more is because he was cynical and treacherous (able to lie, etc) just like her, rather than being simple and straightforward like Jacob. Jacob doesn't share their pessimism about human nature and part of the "game" is trying to prove to MIB that there is good in people. That they aren't all enemies deserving of death.
3. What's up with the rings of powder that kept smokey out of certain areas - like around the cabin? Why did it have to be there ... it wasn't like Jacob was threatened by smokey, right? Why did Jacob have to be in safe places (the cabin / the foot of the statue)?
The ashes form a barrier to Smokey, not to protect Jacob, but to protect Jacob's people, who Smokey is always trying to off.
4. African or European?
African. No, wait! Europea-AAAARRRHAGH!
64. Bill
- 05/15/2010 8:17 am CDT
Is there a reason that the mother was able to be killed by MIB with a knife, but MIB himself cannot be killed with a knife/gun/etc.?
The island protectors can be killed with a special sacred knife, and if they are taken at unawares (have not been allowed to speak). Regular bullets or normal knives won't do it.
Now, this begs the question of how Ben killed Jacob, and why MIBLocke did not warn Ben not to let Jacob speak (since Jacob did speak). And here I will drop my confidence for a second and state that I'm not sure how that worked - it may be a simple screw-up by the writers or (as I believe) that Jacob allowed it to happen - basically gave himself up, because he already had his Candidate (Jack) picked out, the pieces were already moving on the chessboard, etc.
66. Steve
- 05/15/2010 10:34 am CDT
On the ceremonial knife - why did it not work on MIBLocke when Sayid stabbed him ... If I remember right, he did it suddenly with no forewarning - but it had no effect on MIB.
Interesting theory about Jack sinking the Island. I hadn't thought of that. Obviously, that is a potential outcome that has been foreshadowed at the beginning of this season. I wondered if that would destroy the "light" properties of the island, but obviously not since in the sideways universe everything operates normally ... or does it? I still have figured that sideways thing out...
So - here is my question. What insight have you gleaned about the sideways dimension / universe / potential reality / whatever - all of our heroes are there, but they are together in a strange hodge podge that doesn't reflect "reality" before they boarded the plane (they have different jobs, living locations, etc.) Thoughts?
67. Bill
- 05/15/2010 10:49 am CDT
what do you mean by submerge the island?
In this season's first show, the island is shown as submerged under the ocean in the alternate timeline. The suggestion is that Juliet setting off Jughead caused that. However, that is a ruse. Juliet setting off Jughead created the "incident" which gave rise to everything else that happened seasons one through five.
The submerged island is something Jack will do (I theorize) as the new Jacob.
68. Bill
- 05/15/2010 10:53 am CDT
On the ceremonial knife - why did it not work on MIBLocke when Sayid stabbed him ... If I remember right, he did it suddenly with no forewarning - but it had no effect on MIB.
Sayid allowed LockeMIB to speak first. That is, evidently, something that renders the knife stab moot.
No, I don't know how long it takes to "reset" that :-)
So - here is my question. What insight have you gleaned about the sideways dimension / universe / potential reality / whatever - all of our heroes are there, but they are together in a strange hodge podge that doesn't reflect "reality" before they boarded the plane (they have different jobs, living locations, etc.) Thoughts?
A strong theme in this series is the whole "whatever happened, happened" meme. The universe is "self-correcting" - so even without the island, their lives still intersect, but differently due to the fact that in the Alternate timeline Jacob's influence is not there.
A similar, smaller example is the whole "yer gonna die brothah" thing between Des and Charlie. Des knew Charlie was going to die. And if he didn't die in the first premonition Des saw it didn't matter. The universe is self-correcting, and eventually the "yer gonna die brothah" caught up to Charlie.
69. Steve
- 05/15/2010 1:25 pm CDT
Hmm... good thoughts - but Charlie didn't die. Neither did Locke. I was starting to wonder if they couldn't die in that alternate reality. How would your explanation deal with the issue of the Islanders in the sideways universe (SU) seem to sense something is not right - something is in fact wrong... not just different, but wrong. The SU seems to be set up to keep them "doped up" on all thing things they really wanted in life so that they won't follow those strange feelings that something else should have happened.
Eloise said as much when she told Des to back off - that it wasn't "time" for him to start asking those questions... but I guess that implies there will come a time.
So, how do you think the SU will go away?
70. Bill
- 05/15/2010 3:55 pm CDT
Charlie and Locke haven't died yet in the SU. Remember, it's still 2004, just a week or two after the flight of O815 in the SU timeline.
I don't know how the SU will go away. But it may very well be the real reality once Jack submerges the island. I guess that once they all realize that (reality is starting to bleed through already) things will resolve and hopefully in a more satisfying way than the current SU is shaping up.
73. Bill
- 05/15/2010 8:21 pm CDT
I think Bill's knowledge is the light and in the end Kate chooses Bill.
[BILL SUBMERGES THE ISLAND, WITH HIMSELF ON IT!!!]
75. AJ
- 05/15/2010 10:24 pm CDT
3. What's up with the rings of powder that kept smokey out of certain areas - like around the cabin? Why did it have to be there ... it wasn't like Jacob was threatened by smokey, right? Why did Jacob have to be in safe places (the cabin / the foot of the statue)?
The ashes form a barrier to Smokey, not to protect Jacob, but to protect Jacob's people, who Smokey is always trying to off.
do you think these ashes are more than just any old ash from wood?
76. Bill
- 05/15/2010 10:28 pm CDT
do you think these ashes are more than just any old ash from wood?
Yes.
77. AJ
- 05/15/2010 10:35 pm CDT
3. What's up with the rings of powder that kept smokey out of certain areas - like around the cabin? Why did it have to be there ... it wasn't like Jacob was threatened by smokey, right? Why did Jacob have to be in safe places (the cabin / the foot of the statue)?
The ashes form a barrier to Smokey, not to protect Jacob, but to protect Jacob's people, who Smokey is always trying to off.
do you think these ashes are more than just any old ash from wood?
78. AJ
- 05/15/2010 10:45 pm CDT
3. What's up with the rings of powder that kept smokey out of certain areas - like around the cabin? Why did it have to be there ... it wasn't like Jacob was threatened by smokey, right? Why did Jacob have to be in safe places (the cabin / the foot of the statue)?
The ashes form a barrier to Smokey, not to protect Jacob, but to protect Jacob's people, who Smokey is always trying to off.
do you think these ashes are more than just any old ash from wood?
79. Kevo
- 05/16/2010 2:51 am CDT
Wow, Bill. I am simply in awe of your LOST prowess. As a fellow last week's episode non-hater, I've gotta say that I'm completely impressed with your ability to piece all this together, and it makes me enjoy this past week's episode all the more.
I was also thinking about the possibility of the whole "yin-yang" island protector bit with the role of "protector" being split in two with Jacob and MIB (although I don't think the island timeline itself will be irradicated in the end as you seem to think). I'm also pretty firm in thinking that Jack is the final candidate but I don't think he will die, nor will he somehow become a single "united" protector like the killer mom supposedly was. I think that Claire will become Jack's "yang", so to speak. Somehow Claire will inherit smokey's power and this whole loop will continue in yet another cycle.
84. Bill
- 05/16/2010 7:13 pm CDT
Well, the light is locked in water so it shall live on, under the sea
Leave a Comment:
I see how the numbers are connected to candidates and brought bad luck to Hurley and were used to input to avoid "incidents" in the hatch. But: What the heck *are* they?
What's the meaning of the numbers?