A big box o' 'Lost'
It's been a few days since Season 4 started, and I wanted to spend my time collecting some thoughts for the blog this week. I mean, no episode of Lost can go by without some major questions being raised. Whether or not you like this depends on your perspective of J.J. Abram's "mystery box." (Hat tip to reader "MRI" for the link.) Me? I love a good mystery box, and so as long as the questions raised are intriguing, original, and exciting, I'm all for it.
A second disclaimer: I've absolutely no problem with anything I theorize being proven wrong. I'd like to think that my theories have merit, but I'm obviously not privy to the big picture. Each and every week creates, alters, and smashes to tiny teeny bits each of the theories I hold so near and dear to my heart. But that's OK. It's not like my theories are on the academic level of, "The Island is made of pudding! Pudding, I say!" So, long as I stay on the side of plausible, I'm find with them ultimately being rendered untenable.
Here are a few theories/mysteries I'll explore this week that will be debunked at a time TBA in the future.
Shack Attack
So in this week's episode we learned that Jacob's cabin isn't stationary. It's a mobile cabin, y'all. Jacob's totally trailer trash. Or, Island trash. But God loves him nonetheless, so we shouldn't be too hard on him.
And while Jacob and his Eye of Import scared the heck out of Hurley (and the audience), did you notice someone looking a lot like Christian Shepard in Jacob's beloved rocking chair? And that he rocked one white tennis shoe?
I'll discuss the meaning of this scene, it's relationship to the last mobisode in the Missing Pieces saga, and why Jacob's Traveling Cabin chose to isolate Hurley from the group.
A Tale of Two Drawings
This could be my fevered brain going crazy (read: it more than likely is), but two drawings in this episode really jumped out at me. The first is the drawing on a chalkboard in the mental ward while Hurley's talking to Abaddon. To me, it looks a LOT like the mural done inside the Swan.
This suggests to me one of two things: that Hurley drew that chalkboard outline as an homage (unwitting or not) to the mural from the Swan, or, quite possibly, the person who made the mural in the Swan was plucked from the very same ward. Remember: the Hanso Foundation has an entire wing of its research based in mental health, after all.
More intriguing, and yet more tenuous, is the other visual connection via a watercoloring done by Hurley. In it, an eskimo in an orange coat is standing outside an igloo, holding two fish. Doesn't seem that terribly important, except that nothing on Lost is unimportant. And then it hit me: I'd seen this guy before.
At the end of Season 2. Which leads me to my final talking point for the week.
Crash Into Me
OK, we know the Oceanic 6 are keeping a secret. And we know that certain entities, to date represented solely by Abaddon, want to know, "Are they still alive?" That's all we know. Or is it?
What I will propose before the season's second episode might be too complex to sum up succinctly here, but I'll try. Remember how Desmond's final prophecy entailed Claire and Aaron being helicoptered to safety? Seems a bit false at this point, given the potentially evil nature of those on the freighter. But I'd suggest Desmond's prophecy is still in play; it's just not going to work out in the way he originally thought.
Here's my theory: when the sky went purple, two factions looking for the Island were alerted to its presence. One is fronted by Charles Widmore and Dharma2. The other? Fronted by none other than Penny Widmore, aided by the two men in the listening station and, perhaps, the forces represented by Lost's version of the Time Lords (such as Ms. Hawking).
I think the story of Season 4 will be the story of protecting the Island from the Freighters. While some land on the Island, landing is only step one. Docking the freighter is step two. Until that's done, the Freighters do not have full control over the Island. Using Penny and her resources, the Oceanic 6 will have to make a fateful decision that requires absolutely secrecy about the Island, lest the forces represented by Abaddon acquire information about the Island.
I'm still working through it all, so I invite help as I flesh these out for general consumption. Thoughts, comments, and suggestions are welcome below!
Ryan also posts every 108 minutes over at Boob Tube Dude.
I've been catching up on all your theories and conjectures about Lost since Season 4 premiered. And I have to say, I think that, while not all your theories are true, you're definently on the right track.
The appearance of Christian Shepard in Jacob's cabin made me think more about your theory of Jacob & Smokey being two halves of the same entity; one good, one evil, one protecting the island, one out to destroy it.
However, while I'm not sure that Smokey is anything more than a machine or mindless security system, I do still believe that two entities exist to represent the Island; one is Jacob, the other is Christian Shepard/Semi/Kate's horse, etc.
And here's the other thing; I don't believe one side is good and one is evil, and I think both sides are trying to protect the Island. The difference between these two sides is they both want to achieve the same goal, only in different ways.
Jacob wants to save the Island through spiritual/existential means, and that is why he chose Locke as his champion. Christian Shepard wants to take a more direct approach, and believes in what is real, and the power of science, which is why he chose Jack as his champion, and takes on the guise of Jack's dad.
This is why, I think, both of these entities were sitting in Jacob's cabin, with Christian calmy rocking away in Jacob's favorite chair. They were having a meeting of the minds, probably in regards to the coming Freighters.
Of course, I also think I might be totally misinterpreting the scene, and maybe Christian forced his way into Jacob's cabin, and really is hostile, and really does want to destroy/control the Island; him being in Jacob's chair could be a form of "gloating" about his side winning, symbolized by the coming of Darma 2.
Desmond is the one who painted the Swan mural (http://lostpedia.com/wiki/Mural). While his outward behavior at times might qualify him for a stay in a mental ward, I'm not sure he would be bunked in one in the LA area. :-)
btw, are you still going to put out your list of top Lost episodes?
Thx, Xannie: I missed that they confirmed it was Desmond who did it. Looks like an homage then. Or an Easter egg made to confound people like me who pause every shot in hi-def looking for clues.
As for the Top Ten: yea, the great lost project. As opposed to the great 'Lost' project.
I might have to come up with a bulleted list rather than an extended, detailed one.
ryan- thanx for the hat-tip! given that our good friend JJ likes to leaves things to our VERY vivid imaginations, what questions do you think he never intends to answer and leave up to us to theorize about until our brains come out our ears or fan-fic-folks to expound upon ad infinitum?
That was definitely Jack's Dad inside Jacob's cabin. Perhaps Jacob and/or Smokey take the appearance of whatever you want it to be (i.e. Yemi for Mr. Eko, or a horse for Kate). However, as far as we know Hurley has never met Christian (Unless, of course he shows up in yet another flashback, this time relating to Hurley). Or it could just be Jacob either occupying or using Christian's body due to his death.
There were quite a bit of easter eggs / hints shown during Hurley's flash-forward. Not sure if you read my last entry on our recap, but the word/phrase Ho showed up 3 times during Hurley's flash-forward. Numerically it translates to 815 (H=8 O=15). It also could be the element Holium, which has the highest magnetic moment of any naturally-occuring element. The third possibility is because it was seen or heard 3 times (Ho-Ho-Ho), it could relate to Christmas (It would be about Christmas-time on the Island).
I really like your theory on Penny and her self-funded search for the Island. The more and more I think about it, it doesn't seem like the Freighters will be rescueing the Losties. I'm sure we'll learn more about them in the next few episode, but they are more than likely there to restart the Dharma projects.
I'd also like to know the significance of Naomi's last words: 'Tell my Sister I love her'. Seems to me, sooner or later, we'll find out who her sister is. Maybe someone we've already met, or someone we haven't yet?
Now, with news that the strike may be over by weeks end, we could possibly get the 2nd set of 8 episodes sooner rather than later. I know it takes several weeks to produce an episode, but with the episodes at least partly written, I might not be that long of a wait. Let's hope so.
I've been thinking about this...I think this "they" that Charlie and Abbadon were talking about was all of the other people left behind on the island. I think that when Jack, Kate, Hurley, and the other "Sixers" came back--because of the rift between Jack and Locke--they told the world that they were the only survivors of the plane crash. That's why they were treated like celebrities. That's why Hurley told Ana-Lucia's partner that he had never met Ana-Lucia. That's what Jack didn't want Hurley to slip up about. But it seems that eventually, one way or the other, all of the Sixers are going to believe that they need to go back to the island.
I want to know who the others of the Oceanic 6 are though! Obviously, it won't be Locke. I was initially thinking it wouldn't be Claire/Aaron because that would mean there was only one spot left (unless they are considered one unit), but then Hurley left Locke after that really long speech about not making Charlie die for nothing. I'm also thinking it can't be Sun and Jin. Even though Sun would want to get off of the island because of her pregnancy, that would mean Jin would come with her and that would mean there would only be 1 spot left to fill again. It would also make people wonder because they couldn't have children off the island. But if Jin didn't come, Sun would throw a fit once she got home and there would be no way they could keep it a secret. As for the other Losties...I don't know. Ben, Juliet, and Desmond are out of the question because they aren't really 815 p***engers--someone would pick up on that eventually. Sawyer seemed convinced to stay, but he could have also been the "he" Kate was talking about in S3 finale. Sayid seemed adamant as well, but I could see him leaving with enough motivation--Nadia-related motivation possibly? And then there's Rose and Bernard, they're a 2-person unit like Claire/Aaron and Sun/Jin, but Rose was strongly against going with Locke even after Bernard offered to stay. I don't even know what to think about Michael and Walt.
look like Hugo's flash-forward happened before Jack's flash-forward in Season 3 finale.
Also, we already know half of 6 people. Jack, Kate, and Hugo. I believe the dead one is 4th. Priest mentioned that this person has no family or friend. This location seems more like in South. Only I think of are Sawyer and John since they have lived in the South in their lives. Although, Kate said she needed to get back to someone. I believe she may get back to that policeman in Miami Beach she married to.
Dragonfoxmem-
Jack was in Los Angeles when he went to the funeral (that's what you were referring to when you thought it was in the South, correct?).
My personal prediction for who "him" is: her baby son (Sawyer is the father).
Also, I'm so glad to read so many comments that reflect my own theories!