Photos
Video
RSS
Twitter'Light vs. Dark' on 'Lost': Charlie Pace, Rock God
Another week here on the "Lost" blog, another installment in the "Light vs. Dark" series. This week, we'll be looking at another Season 1 moment to see either Jacob or The Man in Black potentially pulling the strings. On tap today: Charlie causing a minor cave-in with a certain choice phrase.
The Episode: "The Moth"
The Scene: Charlie, already on edge due to heroin withdrawal symptoms, takes issue with Jack's order to move his stuff in the newly found caves. He rushes over to the would-be leader, feeling he's being treated like a child. At the top of his lungs, Charlie yells, "You don't know me! I'm a bloody rock god!" At this point, a small cave-in occurs, locking Jack inside.
The Case for Jacob: A prime testing ground for Charlie's inner hero, Jacob could have used Charlie's words literally in order to further bolster Charlie's newly sober self. What better way to get the rock star past the shakes and sweats than to provide him an opportunity to save the day?
The Case for The Man in Black: Drugs are but one of many tools employed by The Man in Black to bring out what he feels is man's essential, pathetic self. With Locke starting to wean Charlie off of them, The Man in Black needed to destroy Charlie's confidence quickly and efficiently. And hey, snuffing out the would-be leader of Jacob's newest batch of recruits isn't a bad side benefit.
The Zap2it Opinion: Tough call, and I think you can make an equally good case for either. I'm going with The Man in Black, however. Given Charlie's overall importance in keeping Claire/Aaron safe, I'd like to think that TMIB would want him out of the way as quickly as possible. Having recently received his thought-lost guitar courtesy of one John Locke, Charlie already showed signs of potentially overcoming his drug-addled, hoodie-wearing self. The Man in Black tried to instigate a swift return to his previous state, but didn't count on Charlie's inner heroism. Unfortunately for Charlie, The Man in Black rarely makes the same mistake twice, and uses this knowledge against Mr. Pace later on. But that's for another edition of "Light and Dark."
But that's just this blogger's opinion. What's yours?
Ryan invites you to join the hundreds already in Zap2It's Guide to Lost Facebook group. He also encourages you to subscribe to the Zap2It's Guide to Lost Twitter feed.
Follow Zap2it on Twitter for all the latest TV, movie and celebrity news.
Post a comment
Zap2it Twitter Talk 
I thought the cave in was a MIB attempt to eliminate Jack and make John Locke's position of power more prominent. I think it was a win for Jacob, not that either "god" was setting anything up for Charlie at that time. Charlie overcame the negative human qualities and stepped up to save Jack.
In addition to the effect the cave-in had on Jack and Charlie, it could have been a test of the other 815 survivors as well. Once it became clear the two would be trapped, some of the folks like Michael started to pitch in and use their skills, working together for the first time since the day of the crash. It could be that the Man in Black or Jacob was testing the potential of the newest groups of players to join their eternal game.
Also, how guilty would Locke have felt if he not only killed the young man he just started having a positive effect on, but Jack too?
Err I should rephrase that. Locke didn't have anything to do with the cave-in, but he probably still would've felt terrible if Jack and Charlie died just after he started having an effect on them.
I kinda like the idea that the cave-in was just a really strange coincidence, and if anything, brought on by the supernatural forces of the Island and not of Jacob or the MiB.
What's your stand on this, Ryan? Is everything potentially explainable as either eminating from Jacob or the MiB's will, or does the Island itself have any bearing on things as well?
My own take on the nature of Jacob/MiB is that they're decidedly human in their causality of events. I think of them like Gandalf and Sauron.
Gandalf is an extremely potent and powerful being, but is still limited by his human form. His real power lies in his role as a mover and shaper of events and swayer of hearts and minds. Similarly, Sauron, while extremely powerful himself, can only motivate others through fear and can only corrupt existing things, not create new ones.
So, when Jacob is present for these key events in the survivors' lives, he actually has to leave the Island and travel to these places to be physically present, and not just pop in an out of existence or cause things to happen at will.
I think the Island, on the other hand, does have the power to cause things to happen. It makes the rain, it draws people to itself, it manifests the dead and "speaks" to people.
Or, I'm wrong. Yet again. ;)
I agree with JeffC that niether island (for lack of better word) "diety" actually caused the cave-in.
The only manifestation that actually causes events to occur is the smoke monster - and whatever that thing may be, it did not cause the cave-in. Charlie did.
Charlie screaming "I'M A BLOODY ROCK GOD!" was the result of corruption on his part (bruised ego, drug craving) and Jack's part (ignoring Charlie, using his authority as leader to minimize Charlie's importance).
So - Charlie directly caused the cave-in, thanks to the path of corruption and destruction both he and Jack were on. The MIB might have either been influencing this in the background, or just gloating from the sideline.
Ultimately, however, Jacob's theory of progress won out. Maybe he took the form of the moth to help influence the situation, but more than likely a moth is just a moth.