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Twitter'Lost': Making two characters special again in Season 6
Earlier in the week, I asked you to list your burning "Lost" mysteries. I didn't care for the obvious ones; rather, I wanted to know the vital if not A-level conundrums that were splinters in your brain. And while reading through your suggestions, two figures kept popping out to me: Walt and Desmond. They are two people that have never actually crossed paths, but share one important characteristic: they have both been termed "special." And folks? That's one heckuva trait to share.Let's let Shirley Manson of Garbage sum up a prevailing thought when it comes to these two characters, courtesy of a song from their "Version 2.0" record:
Do you have an opinion
A mind of your own
I thought you were special
I thought you should know
But I've run out of patience
I couldn't care less
And that pains me, people. Going into Season 5, Desmond was my single favorite character on the show. And Walt? I figured the clever flash forward techniques meant "Lost" could pay off his story in a believable way without hiding the fact that Malcolm David Kelley is now taller than Lebron James. But the treatment both characters received in Season 5 left me more than cold: it left me a bit angry.
Regarding Desmond: I think it was a mistake to unite him with Penny at the end of Season 4 while insisting he stay in the story. Theirs was a love story so epic it threatened to overshadow those of the nominally "major" players in the "Lost" universe, yet devolved into something almost pedestrian. Yes, naming their child "Charlie" was a beautiful touch, but is THIS how you foresaw their life after the emotional sweep of their story? Couple that with the first episode of Season 5 declaring him to be "uniquely special" only to have the show almost abandon him thereafter just reeked of poor planning.
As for Walt: he stood alone in the "Lost" universe during his time on the show, a child that not only existed on a unique island but was unique unto himself. "Raised by Another" introduced the notion that odd things were happening off-Island as well as on-Island, but "Special" took that a step further and suggested that Walt himself was potentially positioned as an important part of the show's endgame. Flash ahead to Season 5, and he's merely given a short scene with his former Island friend during which lies are exchanged, important information withheld, and Walt apparently leaves the story once and for all. (This article, sent to me by regular reader Shaggysteve, doesn't exactly give one hope Walt will ever return, either to the Island or the show.)
So, um, yea, not too special then, huh?
Now, yes, I took a bit of a Debbie Downer approach in those last two paragraphs, but I did it to prove a point: I, like millions of others, LOVE these two characters and were tantalized to learn exactly what made them so special. Faraday had this to say about Desmond in "Because You Left": "You're the only person who can help us because, Desmond... the rules... the rules don't apply to you. You're special. You're uniquely and miraculously special." In the mobisode "Room 23," Ben tells Juliet regarding Walt, "Jacob wanted him here. He's important. He's special." They are apparently SO special that...they are either lying in a hospital bed or doing algebra homework. Neither are on the Island. Neither appear particularly special right now.
Season 6 should pay off their special natures. Make their status off-Island vital in the war between Jacob and The Man in Black. How?
1) Desmond: Make his unique nature the loophole by which Widmore returns to the Island. We all know he's been trying to get back for decades: amassing funds, sending balloonists, organizing races around the world, and all it's landed him are a series of ever-growing nightmares. If Desmond is indeed special, than perhaps he can bypass whatever rule that keeps Widmore away and land Ben's arch-enemy back on familiar shores. Funny how Ben can unite enemies, eh? And hey, maybe Penny can see this crazy Island for herself. Bring the kids along. All of 'em: Charlie, Aaron, Ji Yeon, heck even Clementine for good measure. It'll be fun!
2) Walt: He doesn't have to return to the Island to have his presence felt on the Island. Either he can continue to use Vincent as a type of psychic proxy, or perhaps just come into his innate abilities with greater confidence and power as he ages. He could be the "Lost" version of Neo: singularly unique among his peers and meant to serve as the tipping point in a war with no possible winners. If Jacob truly did want Walt taken, then he's got a part yet to play in the events to come.
Desmond and Walt are not the only people with major roles to play in Season 6. Everyone's got something to do that will inform the show's endgame, for good and bad. But "Lost" has gone out of its way to demonstrate that while many characters are ordinary people in extraordinary conditions, Desmond and Walt are extraordinary in and of themselves. I just hope Season 6 shows them as such.
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 and Zap2it's main feed for all the latest TV, movie and celebrity news.
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Your column made me think that maybe they're special because if time is indeed reset by The Incident, they won't show up! After all, many people have theorized that Locke was never supposed to be taken off his path by going into the hatch. So if history is changed and he doesn't blow the hatch, he (and we) might never meet Desmond! And neither Walt nor Desmond may be special at all. Just because someone said something certainly doesn't mean it's true (look at Locke!)...
I certainly like your take on Walt coming back and using his powers, but this possible storyline has not only been hurt by Malcolm's growth spurt but Perrineau's accusations of racism against the producers. While Harold has said he would now be happy to come back, I don't know if Darlton will make the effort.
Part of me completely agrees with everything you say, Ryan (and all of me shares your anger!).
But another part of me thinks that relying on "special" people is cheating somehow -- then again, I never cared for the "Flashes Before Your Eyes" episode that much (though "The Constant" is one of my favorites) and parts of "The Variable" make you pray that this isn't the episode your friends chose to finally see if they wanted to watch the show and go rent the DVDs.
In general I think that I prefer that only Jacob and TMIB have special powers, and that everyone else has the normal rich tapestry of human attributes and failings.
I would be "concerned" that relying too much on characters who have what might be called "superhero" powers could cause the show to risk losing some of its profound dramatic qualities. (As you can probably tell, I've never seen any of the Batman or Spiderman type movies -- last superhero movie I saw had Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder in it -- so I apparently don't represent the Comicon "Fanboy" type demographic, of which I guess the show probably does have a lot of.)
Well, I hope we'll have a lot of answers about Walt and Des. It's so sad to see them outside the main story... I've a recurring feeling that Lost will end in the same way it began: a lot of people on a beach after a plane crash. They'll not be our losties but Aaron, Charlie, Ji Yeon...
Sad as it is, I've kind of made my peace with the Walt situation, thinking that there is some kind of off-story reasons for him being so abruptly dropped. I'm not claiming any insode information, that's just how it feels to me.
As far as Desmond is concerned, the problem is that if you focus too much on extraordinary people and/or powers, it becomes ordinary, and I would rather see Des (and Penny) slowly coming to grips with the necessity of his returning to the Island, rather than him coming in a flash at the last minute for some kind of "special" deux ex machina moment.
The Walt bummer notwithstanding, that was a great interview with Damon - I've got to check out the lyrics to "Visions of Johanna" now (too bad any music-related sites are blocked at work!)
I too share your anger with the development of these two characters, but I'm not so sure at least Walt will have a part to play come season 6. Telling his past story would imply that at least shannon, michael and bea klugh had to return, and I just don't see that happening.
By the way, what happened to shaggysteve? I haven't seen him comment here on the blog at all since the end of season 5.
I agree that turning Des or Walt into a Sylar-like figure (just ridiculously overpowered) gives the show a convenient out if used improperly. On the other hand, playing up Des' special nature so prominently and then forgetting it either means 1) Faraday was really wrong, or 2) the writers saw a white light and forgot.
Maybe they got flashed with a memory eraser by Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith (MiB! Get it? Hah, I kill me...)
Sorry, I've been away for quite awhile and haven't kept up with the blogs too much, but just wanted to add my 2 cents. I agree that I want to see these two characters play out their special role rather than quietly fade away, but perhaps even more so, I will feel cheated if they don't make it clear to me WHY they are special!
I really think making both characters a large presence on the island again is possible for this season and is necessary. Given the fact that each have special qualities and are sorely missed by most viewers, they should be back. I am not concerned that Lost will turn into Heroes or Spiderman meets the Smoke Monster....their unique qualities aren't in that category. Why can't Walt try to return to the islan to look for his dad...why can't Desmond come back because of another vision.....I mean we are talking about writers for a show....they can think of something...they made most of us believe,(not me personally) that Saywer and Juliet and the rest lived in Dharmaville for 3 years until everybody came back...so why not bring back Walt and Desmond?
well, apparently despond will have a role to play in season 6 and according to Damon we will get an answer to why Walt was special.
The above poster's issue with "The Variable" I find to be mystifying. I believe that episode was the keystone to season 5 and will be significant to event;s that take place in season 6. Plus it is a Faraday flashback, which for me personally was worth waiting for.