'Lost': Gonna miss you, Eko

November 01, 11:00 PM

I'm of two very separate minds about Lost this week. On the one hand, best episode of the season to date, with an illuminating flashback, some heavy island juju and a nice mix of the campers and the Others.

On the other, though, Eko is dead. And because of that dramatic choice, the show has lost one of its most compelling characters and best actors, which just flat-out sucks. Sucks hard, and loud, and long.

Feel free to mourn in the comments section. But I'd like to believe Eko would want us to focus on just how good the episode surrounding his death was, so let's do that, starting with the man himself.

After the opening shot of Eko and Yemi as boys, Eko's flashback picks up almost right where the one in "The 23rd Psalm" left off (has the show ever done that before? I can't think of any other incidents). We see the uneasy mix between Eko's sense of duty to his brother and his darker nature, as well as the reason for his seemingly quixotic construction project on the island ("You owe him one church"). In the present day his final "confession" was instead a defiant statement about a life lived to the best of his ability. Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje sold both Eko's delirium and his conviction tremendously; I'm really going to miss his consistently strong performance.

That said, I have to wonder: Are we to take his beating at the hand (literally) of Smoky as the island's punishment for his lack of penitence? Or was Eko, knowing his time was short, choosing his own manner of dying?

Onto the living now: Once again, we have a lot to chew on, thanks chiefly to Ben and Juliet. I have to say I share the opinion of some of my fellow Lostafarians in wondering why, if all Ben really wanted was to have Jack remove his tumor, he didn't just ask. Although, if we choose to believe Juliet's Bob Dylan homage, there's probably more to it than that.

And that's a thorny problem in its own right. In enlisting Jack, via silent video message, to take Ben out, is she merely playing the good doctor as a pawn in her own power grab? Her kind eyes aside, I wouldn't trust the woman as far as I could throw her.

(By the way, here's the full message: "Ignore everything I'm saying. Ben is a liar. And he's very dangerous. Some of us want a change. But it has to look like an accident. It has to look like we tried to save him. And that's up to you, Jack. It's a complicated surgery, no one would ever know. And I would protect you. Now tell me to turn off the movie.")

Earlier, Ben had told Jack that "I want you to want to save my life." To me, Juliet's engaging in the same kind of manipulation: Surely Ben's X-rays weren't there by accident in the last episode, and she needs Jack's help to put whatever her plan is into motion.

A few random thoughts before I turn it over to you:

Who's the dude with the eye patch, and what hatch was he in?
What is it with the area around the Pearl? Boone died there. Charlie got back on the horse thanks to the heroin stash in the plane. Locke lost his faith after seeing the Pearl video. And now Eko. Is that spot the island's proverbial ancient burial ground?
Still not sure what the purpose of Kiele Sanchez's and Rodrigo Santoro's characters are, although I did like that she thought to ask the obvious question of, "Hey, what are all these other TVs for?" I guess, though, that I'm willing to wait until after the hiatus to really delve into their lives.

OK, folks, your turn: How are you grieving over Eko? Why was the monster stalking him? And are you steeling yourselves for three months without Lost after next week's episode?

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Comments (50)

Comments

Patchy is most likely in the Flame, which we've been promised by the show's creative minds we'll be seeing this season. It's also the only one of the hatches left on the map we haven't yet seen (personally, I think its entrance is within the bear cave, but we'll see).

Frank Rook | Nov 2, 2006 12:52:05 AM | #

yes best episode of the season is faint praise and now there is only one tailie left ....best moment of the season still remains when Sun blasted one of the others...and no I won't watch the action Groundhog Day filler until Lost returns!

wholetruthy | Nov 2, 2006 1:33:25 AM | #

It was one of the best episodes of the season and it is really sad Eko was the one to go. I wonder why they can't kill Claire or Bernard and just keep killing the best characters but it's not my show. To me Juliet is more dangerous than Ben because if she wants him out now maybe is because she wants his power but let's just see how the story keeps playing out.

Mariela | Nov 2, 2006 4:54:12 AM | #

It was one of the best episodes this season. However, I am not sure what the point of the two new characters are either. They seem out of place and awkward. If that is the point of the show creaters then we are feeling that, but why? They dont seem to blend in with the other characters. Anyway, I cant believe next week is the final episode 'til February!

Becky | Nov 2, 2006 5:33:24 AM | #

Eko's and Locke's characters were overlapping. Jack is the man of science, Locke is the man of faith, period.

Anson | Nov 2, 2006 5:37:49 AM | #

Remember when the tallies found a hatch of their own? They found a glass eye inside . . . hmmm, wonder who that belongs to . . .

Edward | Nov 2, 2006 6:25:06 AM | #

Wasn't this episode really about Eko's final judgment? When Eko and Locke removed the boulder from the door to the plane, the "tomb" was empty. Sound familiar? And although one confesses his sins to a priest, he really is confessing them to Jesus. Now remember the island Yemi's comment to Eko about Eko speaking as if he's confessing to his *brother*. Hmmm...

Xannie | Nov 2, 2006 6:28:15 AM | #

I totally agree that the two new characters add nothing but pointless comic relief to the show. I figure using other characters, such as Sun or Charlie or any of the original main characters in the same scene would work just as well. The writers should really focus on these core characters, rather than just letting them "cameo" on each episode.

Choon | Nov 2, 2006 6:31:08 AM | #

Was it just me or wasn't patchy the Asian guy from the training videos?

Also, Is Juliet any else's almost favorite character now (I'll always have my allegiance to Sun and Hurley)? She just seems so badass.

Also, the new characters are there I think to try to keep bringing new life into the show. Don't be surprised if both are dead by early on next season, just like the show did with the tailies...

Nate | Nov 2, 2006 6:40:06 AM | #

Xannie, I thought the same thing about Yemi being possibly God or Jesus and not Eko's brother when he said "You speak to me as If I am your brother"
Nate, that's interesting about Patchy maybe being the Asian guy from the video. Now I have to go back and watch again. Hooray for my DVR. The Fall finale should be really good.
Who believes that Juliet is really a good person and that Ben was really telling Jack the truth? I think they're both evil.

Chris | Nov 2, 2006 6:45:01 AM | #

I think the key to understanding Yemi's comment about not really being Eko's brother lies in the smoke cloud. I believe that the cloud is shape shifter and has shifted into the black horse, Yemi, Boone, Walt (from Shannon's vision). Whenever we saw Yemi we first saw or heard the black cloud.

Andrew | Nov 2, 2006 7:34:55 AM | #

I'm sure it's complete coincidence, but what's with killing off all of the black characters. Rose better not get a parking ticket in Hawaii or she may as well pack her bags!

BTW, What Eko really said to Locke was, "Don't drink and drive!"

| Nov 2, 2006 8:01:36 AM | #

"Killing off all of the black characters"? Eko was the first black character to be killed off!

Xannie | Nov 2, 2006 8:08:23 AM | #

Very sad to see Eko go, because he was definitely one of the most compelling, and complex, characters on the show.

The two new people? I'm guessing they're an inside Joke for the writers and are supposed to represent the viewer. Maybe they're saying the things that many of us might say if we were there. "Hey, I'm tired of being left out of things! How come we never get to go along? And, duh, what are all the other televisions for?" "Hey, the toilet works! Cool! Are we done here now?"

SLR | Nov 2, 2006 8:24:19 AM | #

Did anyone notice that Locke said he saw a bright white light and that it was very beautiful? I think they are implying that Locke has a clean soul and Eko's was dark.

Amanda | Nov 2, 2006 8:25:53 AM | #

I am really missing Eko. It was confusingly inconsistent with his past that he became unrepentant in the end. Or at least seemingly unerepentant in the end. A clues blog I read is at LostExposed.com and they are sayint it was almost like a suicide or assassination by him. Previously Eko was lovable in his erpentance, after all he was building a church. But in the end he stubbornly sticks with the view that he was doing what it took to survive.

Karley | Nov 2, 2006 8:37:55 AM | #

The best way for Ben to make Jack want to save his life is to reveal that he's the only one who knows how to get off the Island.

If there are Others that are fed up, why not leave? Because they can't. And Ben won't tell them how.

Juliet's cards are either another Other mindgame, or Ben already knows her plan. Somehow, Ben will make Jack want to save him. Jack doesn't strike me as one to violate his hippocratic oath.

g-man | Nov 2, 2006 8:42:22 AM | #

The semi-famous "Lost: You Uncurious Motherf*ckers."

By the reliably brilliant John Rogers. It asks the questions no one else on the island seems to bother with; that also seems to be the function of the two new beach castaways.

Chris | Nov 2, 2006 9:01:11 AM | #

Oh, and Jack has violated his Hippocratic oath before, when screwing with Sawyer, allowing Sayid to torture, etc. Doesn't seem like much of a stretch that he'd do the same to Benry in order to save his friends and/or get off the island.

Chris | Nov 2, 2006 9:02:57 AM | #

Is there anyone else who thinks that the patch man is going to be revealed as the man who created the smoke monster as another Dharma experiment?

Each of the hatches have their seperate projects inside, so maybe this new hatch is where the smoke monster was made. And the Others are big on judging people as good or bad, and it's clear the monster judges people as well, sparing Locke while taking Eko. Plus, Eko's last words were that "We're next"- and Locke theorized that the man in the hatch would be "waiting for us" moments earlier. I have a feeling this new hatch has something to do with the monster itself and how it was created, and where it fits in with the Dharma Initiative as a whole.

robert | Nov 2, 2006 9:18:02 AM | #

I will miss Mr. Eko. He was the deepest character of the bunch. He could say more with his eyes than most can with their words. Anyway, I'm sure we'll see him again. The two newcomers - do seem out of place. The girls acting is a little, I don't know, bad at this point. Finally, I think three months is a long time between "mini seasons." Already, Criminal Minds has surpassed Lost in the ratings. Will people lose interest? They sould have had more episodes in the "fall season" and evened out the two halves a little. It's all about the "sweeps" dates.

Sue | Nov 2, 2006 9:25:51 AM | #

I think that they should have held lost off until Dec or Jan and ran the whole series straight through, because I think people will lose interest. New viewers cant just start watching Lost without having watched the previous seasons.

Ryan | Nov 2, 2006 9:45:11 AM | #

The two new chracters are the equivalent of no name red shirt security personnel in Star Trek. They won't be around for long.

scott | Nov 2, 2006 10:38:42 AM | #

When did the Tailies find a glass eye? That's a cool clue to pick up on. Eko's lack of repentance did seem a little out of character, but maybe we just didn't know him as well as we thought? "I did not ask for the life that I was given but it was given none the less. And with it, I did my best." Awesome!

Billy | Nov 2, 2006 10:40:50 AM | #

It seemed to me to go back to the purgatory/heaven/hell theory.
Eko was to confess and repent. he knew his time was over but he chose as usual to defy and stand up for his action which were survival. He didnt kill for fun or sport. Thus, he was judged and killed by the "black smoke".
I will miss him. He was one of the best characters/actors/stoary arc.
Farewell Mr. Eko. May you rest in peace.

mia | Nov 2, 2006 11:01:46 AM | #