'Lost': The curious case of Charlotte Staples Lewis
Before starting in, a quick reminder: I'll be hosting a live Lost chat with Patrick Day of the Los Angeles Times tomorrow, February 16th, at 3:00 p.m EST. We'll be talking all things Season 5, and taking your questions. So bookmark the locale! Over on the podcast, my wife and I look at the Temple, and how it ties into one of Season 2's most peculiar mysteries. But right here, right now, I want to look at a few of readers' major questions about "This Place is Death." I'm going to look at Daniel's relationship to both Charlotte and fate today, and Cabin Christian's real role on Tuesday.
I love Lost, but yet again a character dies before her time. Ryan, do you think Rebecca Mader's gone for good, or can Daniel save her in the past somehow??
Jesse
I'd never rule out another appearance on Rebecca Mader's part. Heck, Ethan Rom has appeared on the show more AFTER his death than prior to it. And the nice thing is even if we catch whispers of her returning to the set over the interwebs, we'll have no idea in what context she'll re-appear.
But Charlotte, the character, will definitely reappear this season. Why? Because she told us so. Here's the conversation that's got people all confused and excited.
DANIEL: Charlotte, I don't understand.
CHARLOTTE: Daniel -- I think that man was you.
Translation: at some point after Locke resets the donkey wheel, those skipping on the record of time (like a record baby, round round round round) land in the hey -day of the Dharma Initiative. We already saw a glimpse of this in "Because You Left," with Faraday poking around the bowels of the Orchid. But this conversation adds more context to his encounter, and potentially insight into the Incident.
Daniel's activities during the Dharma era will test the boundaries of his own mathematically-based notions of time travel. He recognizes there are limits to what people not named Desmond Hume can do, but in this episode, he also starts to come to grips with the fact that science can't solve everything. He tells Charlotte, before she really starts slipping, "It... it does make empirical sense that if this started at the Orchid then that's where it's gotta stop. But as far as bringing back the people who left in order to stop these temporal shifts? That's where we leave science behind."
Couple that with the fact that Desmond answered HIS knocking, and not Sawyer's, and I think you'll see a Faraday increasingly emboldened to break his own rules in order to save Charlotte. After all, Daniel tries to tell a young Charlotte never to return AFTER seeing her die, knowing that telling her this is futile. So what's the next step? Turning to the source that set these wheels in motion: the dark exotic matter at the heart of the Island. Thus, the trip into the Orchid. Thus, him staring at the five holes in the rock wall. Thus, him potentially making a sixth, and devastating, hole in that wall.
Exposure to that is what later kills her: remember, he theorizes that time of "exposure" increases the effects of time flashing. Perhaps what he's doing in the Orchid is trying to do what Des did at the end of Season 2: unleash the dam of energy. Now, Scientist Faraday wouldn't do this, knowing the rules. But Romanticist Faraday, spurned on by the two women he either couldn't or wouldn't save, makes the call to try and save Charlotte's life. Thus, Lost takes a heady, sci-fi concept (The Incident) and grounds it in understandable, relatable human emotion. That's my theory, and I'm sticking to it.
Ryan also posts every 108 minutes over at Boob Tube Dude, then peruses Zap2It's Guide to Lost Facebook group. He also encourages you to subscribe to the Zap2It's Guide to Lost Twitter feed.
Ryan....My questions are these....why would Ben try to blackmail Kate into going back to the island....why not just try to reason with her. It seems by making her angry wasn't the best idea he ever had. Do you think that once Locke is off the island that he will be back in a wheelchair or hobbling around with just the wound he has now? Sorry to see Charlotte go so soon especially given that her character was interesting along with the other Freighter Three. When do you think we will see the return of Mr. Abaddon? Because if Ben isn't behind any of the attacks on Sayid and the others, which I don't think he is....something makes me believe Abaddon plays a major role in it.
I'm totally on board with your theory Ryan, so we're definitely going to see a conversation between Faraday and little Charlotte. Also I think you're right when you say that when Faraday watches the rescue of flight 815 on tv, it is his future, and I also think there are two Faraday while that is happening (one watching that and another one in parts unknown).
WAAAAAAAAAAAALT
I hope you understand my question: The first time we see Charlotte, she is in the desert searching for DI memorabilia. Do you think that is her past or an alternative future brought on by the same incident in the Orchid you hinted at (wich breaks The Rules)? Wouldn't that make Faraday a hero, since he would sacrifice his own memory for Charlotte?
I'm pretty sure that Charlotte's desert adventures were in the not-too-distant past. However, I was kinda bummed she never got to display her bad*** anthropological skills (but she bled real good).
Damn, that' some right fine prose there Ryan! "Romantacist" Faraday? I like it!
I think we can blame the WGA for the short shrift given Charlotte - Darlton has said that her storyline was one of the ones that had to be cut due to the strike. It's a shame, since I think that there was a lot they could hav done with her!
Charlotte had a lot of potential as a character. But more than anything, I still can't believe they killed off another female character. I wouldn't be surprised if Juliet winds up dead by season's end either. At least Sun and Kate aren't likely to go anywhere.
Great blog by the way. I just stumbled upon it today.
Locke will pop out in the desert and need to use a wheelchair. However, will it be because of paralysis or broken leg?
Ryan, will Ben go to TI or after Penny?
Very intriguing stuff, Ry.
I think ultimately what Faraday is going to realize is that "the rules" don't apply in the one place that breaks all the rules (the Island). Like they've hammered into us since Season 1, science alone cannot explain or fix the ills of the universe, and Faraday is going to have to embrace the unexplainable before the season ends.
And just as Jack came around to Locke's way of thinking, Locke is going to have to stop blindly following his faith and think logically before all is said and done to save the Island.
I don't think the writers intended to kill Charlotte off. She is in the middle of filming a movie with George Clooney. She can't be in two places at once. Thus, the hasty kill and release of information all at once from Charlotte.
I've mentioned this before, but even with the upcoming "chocolate before dinner" scene getting most of the attention, I'll be on the lookout for any scenes between young Charlotte and young (or teenage) Ben, who was growing up on the island at the same time!
WAAAAAALT
Hmmm...me wonders if the fact that Desmond is Faraday's constant has something to do with the fact that Faraday knocked on the door of the Swan.