The Variable

Dear God,

Honestly, THANK YOU for LOST. That was such an amazing episode. Amazing. But, Faraday DEAD? Seriously, I am really sad at that. He was one of the best characters. Absolutely nobody saw that coming. ::deep breadth::

• This episode totally encompassed the whole Destiny vs. Free will theme of the series. Destiny was represented by Hawking, and to a lesser degree Widmore and free will represented by Faraday. The episode basically revealed the whole philosophy of Hawking which is basically, there is a certain path, and it MUST be followed, even if that means sending her own child to die. All the pieces start to fit now as to why she insisted on Desmond going to the Island and not buying the ring for Penny. If he doesn't go to the Island, that means eventually neither does her son...who according to her, must die. All this time, we were lead to believe that Faraday was on the Kahana because they needed him for scientific reasons. The truth is, he simply needed to be there so he can be killed.
  The other side of this is represented by Faraday who said things CAN change because even though there are certain constants, Human beings ultimately have free will and can alter things. This is ofcourse can cause great headaches since clearly Faraday was in the past since Charlotte told it to Faraday before she died. If he is able to change the past, then clearly Faraday and Charlotte would never have gone to the Island on the Kahana, which caused her death, which prompted Faraday to WANT to change the past in the first place. (i.e. to save Charlotte). Understand? If not for Charlotte dying, he would not be so hurt and want to save her by using the bomb. But if you prevent her death, then how can you go to the past to prevent that death???? See, I told you. You get a headache.
  
• So now we basically know why Hawking needed the Oceanic 6 to go back to the Island (thouth why some of them wanted to go back is still a mystery) , its because its through them that Faraday returns to the Island. Remember, her whole shtick is that there is a specific path, and that that path MUST be taken, or else. I wonder what can possibly happen if they didn't.
• I was wrong in my last post regarding the timing of Faraday coming back to the Island in relation to the season 5 opener when he bumps in to Dr. Chang. I thought the season opener came before and Faraday left the Island to learn more about the Island. Apparently, its the opposite.
• How does Faraday know EXACTLY when the accident in the Swan will happen? Is this just something that he knew when Widmore first hired him to go to the Island?
• What is up with Faraday's memory? Ok, so he used his experiment on himself, and I guess it did something to his brain that causes him to forget. But why does the Oceanic 815 wreckage make him cry...as if his mind remembers it. And how does this relate to Desmond Hume being his constant which he wrote in his journal? I mean, he clearly wrote that earlier, so why is his brain still a mess? Maybe it has nothing to do with a Constant. Perhaps he only wrote the Constant message incase in the future, he would go to the Island. But still, why does the wreckage make him cry?
  
• Faraday wants somehow to use Jughead (which we now know is NOT under the swan) to destroy that energy. Yet if he does, what happens to all the Losties? Do they just, cease to exist since it prevents the plane from crashing? If so, really, it doesn't make a difference if the Oceanic 6 are back in 1977 or back in 2007, since even THERE it would imply something happening to them. Afterall, they are only the Oceanic 6 BECAUSE of the swan accident which set everything in motion.
• Hawking tells Penny that for the first time, she has no idea what is going to happen next. I think we can understand this because up until now, her main goal was making sure a particular path is set in motion (i.e. Desmond going to the Island, Oceanic 6 returning and ultimatly Faraday dying). Now, she is basically free. As is written here, if this is the case, then how would she know the Island is still not done with Desmond?
• If Charlotte remembers Faraday, then that means he was in the past. Sooooooo, while we were still watching episodes of them in 2007, what happened to those Losties (and Faraday that were in the past. In reality, there should be two versions somewhere on earth....if the Losties were alive. Maybe at some point, everyone dies.
  
• Seeing previews from next week, I have a feeling that Jughead is inside the Temple.
• The previews also made it look like the Losties are going to use Faraday's journal. If this is true, there is probably only person that can understand anything in there. My hunch is that it will be Dr. Chang.
• Don't forget, somehow, Faraday's notes and map ends up in Ben's room in the Hydra. I am sure we will get back to this eventually. Perhaps this means that Hawking and Widmore end up with it and later Ben takes it from Widmore.
  

Some Like It Hoth

Did you miss me? Whatever, lets get to it. Not much in the episode, but that doesn't mean its bad. It just means the writers have to set things up for us. So here we go my eager reader.

• The guy that is killed at the location where the Swan is being built was clearly caused by the electromagnetic energy that caused his tooth filling to shoot out of his skull. As we know, while building the Swan, they dug a little too deep and caused the "incident" which required the procedure of the punching in the numbers. I read somewhere that the season finale might involve "the incident" and from the look of things, it might be true. How much do you want to make a bet that Hurly is the one that gives them the idea to use the 'numbers' for the micro processor computer.
• What did Dr. Chang need with the dead body? So at first I was thinking there is no way that they could conduct time experiments on the body since a) Orchid is still being built b) as we saw in beginning of the season Faraday was there when they JUST tapped into the 'exotic matter' c) Faraday being gone, that episode of Faraday being down there has not happened yet and eventually he will arrive to help its construction d) with the return of Faraday now, I figured at last the season premiere part of him working on the Orchid, will occur soon. THIS IS WRONG. The part of Faraday working on the Orchid, and Dr. Chang discovering there is a 'wheel' behind the wall has already happened within the 3 years our Losties have been living there. You know this because then, Faraday was simply a worker being pushed around. Now, Faraday is a scientist, and there is no way you put a scientist to do the crap work. No, apparently, Faraday at some point within the 3 years as working like a chump, left the Island, and now, has returned to them.
• Faraday off the Island is probably the scientist that created the mathematical equation in the 'Lamppost station' that Hawking was talking about.
• Hey, remember that minor character named Jack Shepard?? Ya, well, the writers were generous to give him a cameo. In it, he is erasing a chalkboard with some neato stuff. Pic from here
  

You can see all the Egyptian writings on the board. I guess this means that Dharma has some knowledge to the history of the Island and perhaps where these Others came from

• Bram (the same guy with Ilana that crashed on Ajira) tells Miles NOT to get on boat and that Widmore is a bad guy. OK, so now we know that Ilana and her homies are NOT working with Widmore as was previously thought. Ok, so are they with Ben? Were they Ben's inside people back on the Mainland that he told Locke about in season 4? Not sure about that either because if Ilana was with Ben, then Ben would not have asked them what's in the Box last episode. Is this a new Dharma? Are they with Hanso? They mentioned the same war that Widmore told Locke about. Ok, so if they are not on Widmore's side, what other side is there?
• SEASON FINALE HINT? Ok, so the men in charge of Lost have confirmed the code name for the season finale is called "The Fork in the Outlet." Take a close look at the picture above. Under the words "Writings of the words of God" there is a peculiar hieroglyphic that looks like some sort of odd looking fork and and outlet. Could be something there.
  

Dead is Dead

What a great episode. Oh man! I still have this tingly feeling all over my body. And its not even a tingly feeling of having to go to the restroom this time. Anyways, the episode was great because it was all about the mythology of the Island again. The show has two components two it that when one is featured, you forget for a moment the other and vice versa. This episode was all about the mythology aspect of the show. The science aspect of it (time travel, Faraday, equations) was nowhere in our minds. Ok so lets get down to business my children

• Ben says he has come to be judged. Of course, you know it makes no sense to be judged for returning to the Island since he could simply avoid being judged by not returning, and thats all. So what WAS all that, that Ben told Locke in Season 4 that whoever moves the Island cannot come back?
• Flashback to Ben and little Ethan going off to kill Rousseau. But he doesn't, since he sees her with a child (Alex). Instead, he takes the child and shows mercy to Rousseau. Now we now that Alex was born in 88(89?) which means this is pre-Purge which occured in 1992. This also means that Ethan at some point, defected way before the Purge. The whole scene of Ben showing mercy toward Rousseau and baby Alex is later mirrored when he meets Penny is about to kill her and then sees her son. Does this soft spot Ben have for children an indication of his infatuation of helping pregnant women give birth on the Island?
• Ben returns and shows Widmore the baby which Widmore wants killed. Ben does not understand this and even questions whether this is something he, or Jacob want? Angrily, Widmore responds that everything that he has done, he has done it for the Island. This should sound familiar as this is something Ben has said in the past himself. Does this mean that just like Ben on some occasions did things on his own whims, without asking Jacob, "to protect the Island" even if it mean't doing bad things, the same things Widmore was doing? When Ben offered Alex to Widmore, so he can kill her, but he wouldn't (or couldn't)
• Ben was clearly suprised about knowing Locke coming back to life. Question is, then why did he demand that the Jack take the body with them? Most likely, he didn't want to take him back, but Elloise Hawking cracked the whip and told Ben he must bring the body.
• Locke pretty much figures out that Ben wants to be judged for the killing of Alex by the manly Keemy and not for breaking the rules and coming back to the Island. Ok, so still, why does he so want to be judged? Is that basically the only way for someone to return to the Island...is to be judged?
  
• They meet up with Sun at the Barracks, and while inside, you get a glimpse of the risk boardgame. This is important because now it basically sets to rest the theories that the Barracks were in some alternative reality. That board game has been there since Sawyer and Hurly were playing it back in season 4 before the Barracks were attacked.
  
• I am still confused as to how Ben does not remember the Losties from the 70's. As you recall, a younger Widmore tells Ben that he will soon join his father which mean Ben returns to Dharma. I am guessing that something happens and the Losties leave Dharma before Ben is able to return and live with Dharma for the next 15 years till the Purge happens.
  
• We see finally how Ben summoned the Smoke Monster....by unclogging the toilet. Not sure what it really was, but it seems to be some sort of opening that goes directly to the Temple perhaps.
  
• Locke seems to know a whole lot more. In fact, as much as he tells Sun that he is exactly the same, Locke is clearly different. I have a feeling, that Locke has been reawakened via the Smoke Monster, just like Christian. He is un-dead, as the Producers say. He is one with the Island now.
  
• Skipping forward just a bit, Lapidus gets back to the Hydra Island where Ilana has taken charge. She asks him "What lies in the Shadow the statue?" This is clearly a question made to identify team members, just like when Desmond asked Locke "What did one snowman say to the other" in season 2. This was to assertatain if indeed Locke was his replacement. Ultimatly Lapidus fails the questions and gets whoped. Ok, so what does this mean? Who is Ilana working for? I doubt it is Ben because in the beginning of the episode, Ben asked one of the crash survivors what they have in the box. More than likely, these "survivors" are working with Widmore, but we will have to see. So what is in the box? They way they are putting those staves in the box almost resembles the Ark of the Covenant. If you recall, in season 3, Ben asked Locke if he could imagine a box and whatever he would imagine, it would be found inside that box. Ok, so scratch that idea, because the Producers have already said the "Box" is just a metaphor for the Island itself :). I guess we will have to wait and see what is in that box.
• Ok, so now, we go back, to a Flashback of where we see Widmore being banished. Now, I am still scratching my head with this because, I know it was an important piece of dialogue, but for the life of me, I can't see how it fits in with what happens later. So we learn that Widmore has broken the rules and fathered a daughter (Penny) with an outsider. Who is this outsider? Could it be Ellie? We have not seen her in these flashbacks, perhaps she was banished long before. If they were together before, it would make sense for him to want to leave the island to see her. So is this banishment the punishment for breaking these "rules?" And what are these rules? The rest of the conversation goes something like this:
  

Widmore: And what makes you think you deserve to take what's mine

Ben:"I won't be selfish, that I will do anything for this Island

Widmore: You won't sacrifice Alex.

Ben: If I remember, it was you that wanted Alex dead, not the Island

Widmore: I hope you are right, but if you aren't, and if the Island wants her dead, then she will be dead.

...and one day you will be standing where I am now and will realize you can't fight the inevitable

OK, so what is going on here? The conversation is important and a lot to chew on. Clearly, Ben sacrificed Alex for the Island, so Ben was serious that he would not be selfish and do anything for the Island. Seems also, that Widmore is basically telling us, that it is the Island that wanted Alex dead, and not him. How else do you understand the writers adding in "if the island wants her dead, she will be dead." So really, the questions are, why did Ben say that Charles "broke the rules?" Why did he even insist that it was Widmore that broke the rules when Ben entered Widmore's room and that after Ben would kill Penny, Widmore would wish he never changed the rules? Is it really Ben that is responsible for her death? Is it Widmore, or is it simply the Island? And if the Island wanted her dead, why should Ben be judged for it? The truth is, my head is hurting trying to piece ALL of this together so here goes. In reality, the Island DID want Alex dead. Widmore is no fool, and wouldn't simply say that. The fact that Ben was able to sacrifice Alex for the Island does not mean he SHOULD have. (This is actually going to connect to Mr. Eko soon). The whole Fate vs Free will played a huge part here because even later, Ben admitted to Locke in the Temple that it IS his fault. He CHOSE not to. Whether the Island takes her life or not, it does not obsolve Ben for the choice that he has made. I WAS thinking that the "rules" that Ben keeps harping at Widmore were simply Ben passing the buck over to Widmore. But that does not seem to be the case. Seems there ARE rules in play here but I just don't understand them yet.

Regarding Widmore's final comment about Ben eventually knowing that he can't fight the inevitable, I must admit I am lost to what that means now. Perhaps it is something for much later, maybe even the last season where Ben is perminetly banished.

• Skipping to where Ben enters the temple- interestingly enough, the same exact place where Rousseau's men were taken-we see a hyroglypic of the God Anubis, and the Smoke Monster. Anubis was the god of the dead. Is the Smoke Monster used by Anubis to judge people on the Island or is it simply that ancient man made, after experiencing what the Smoke Monster can do, created these hyroglypics in an attempt to tag unto one of their own gods? As Ben approaches, the Smoke Monster appears and envelopes him and starts showing Ben memories of Alex (ie, the topic of judgement). Ben cries, and its over. The Monster disappears and the ghost of Alex appears. Ben takes responsiblity for his action in which case Alex says "I know" then grabs Ben and basically tells him he has to follow Locke from now on. Ben is now really happy that he gets to live. I am assuming he really thought he would die. So now, if anybody has been paying attention, you should remember that this entire scene is reminisent of when Mr. Eko was killed by the Monster in season 3's The Cost of Living. If you recall in an earlier episode in season 3, Mr. Eko was put face to face with Monster in which case we saw the same exact thing that happend to Ben. Images started to flicker in the Smoke Monster to Mr. Eko, and then it disappeared. In the episode, The Cost of Living Mr. Eko sees his brother Yemi (i.e, in our episode, it was Alex). Yemi askes Eko if he is ready (i.e. to be judged). Apperantly, the Monster (Yemi) does not like Eko's response, and he ends up killing him. Both Eko and Ben were judged in the same exact pattern, yet Ben lives, and Eko dies. Why? (In fact, in a flashback of Eko's, one of the women tells him he will be judged for what he did). The answer is that Ben admitted guilt, Eko did not. Eko said that he was not sorry, because he had to do what he had in order to survive. That he was not asked for the life he had, but was given it. Well Ben did not ask for the prediciments in his life, but yet he made certain choices. Choices that involved Alex being killed. Eko made choices and others were killed as well. Seems the Monster, or the Island perfectly understands that life throws you curve balls, but it expects you to take responsibility for it, and most of all, feel a sense of regret. Ben did. Eko did not and that is why he was judged to die.
  

I Can't Post Tonight

I know all three of you are upset, but tonight is Passover, so I won't be able to post till Saturday night when I actually see the episode. Enjoy the episode, while my soul secretly cries for the TV set during the Passover Seder meal. See you Saturday night.

What Ever Happened, Happened

Loved the episode. Finally the episode was not really Dharma centric but Lostie centric. This episode sets out to close the gaps in Kates life. I like how each of the Oceanic 6's story sets out from the pier where they all meet and Sun has Ben at gun point.

• I love the whole conversation between Hurly and Miles. That scene was basically laid out for us, the viewers. I guess it is now perfectly clear that what ever happened, happened. That this rule laid out by Faraday is in fact right. Miles gives Hurly the gun, just to explain to them that they CAN die, because its their present, but everyone else, cannot die, because they are still alive in the future. I wonder if the 'gun' was somehow connected to the episode where Michael tried to kill himself, after leaving the island (Meet Kevin Johnson). Was the future already written that Michael was infact alive, hence he cannot kill himself?
  
• Jack is slowly becoming Locke. He feels he is supposed to be there, but yet we still do not know why. I hope they get to that soon.
  
• I love how Jack figures the great irony in once again he is being asked to save Ben. I will get back to this important aspect soon.
• It was pretty weird that everyone is so psyched about saving Ben, knowing what he will become later.
• Juliet has the idea of taking Ben to the Others, that maybe they can save them. Kate takes him alone and Sawyer arives soon enough.
• Richard recognizes Ben and takes him. He warns them that Ben will never be the same again, that he won't remember any of this, and that he will lose his "innocence." Kate and Sawyer agree but an Other warns that they should first ask Ellie and Charles. Nice eh? So this gives a bit more evidence that Ellie and Widmore are a union, perhaps even husband and wife. Richard tells the Other that he does not answer to them. Oooooooh. Did Charles and Ellie take control of the Others away from Richard at some point? Seems to be some animosity there and perhaps it was Richard that helped "exile" Widmore from the Island. Most likely this is going to figure very important soon.
  
• Richard takes Ben to the....................TEMPLE. Now, we should remember that this is very similar to when Rousseau's crew was taken down in the temple and became "sick," by the Smoke Monster. My guess, is that Smokey is going to be responsible for bringing him back. And, just like Rousseau's boyfriend turned violent, the same eventually happens to Ben. I mean, we have noticed that Ben never cares for other people dying (when Keemy died, and Locke said that he just killed everyone on the Freighter, Ben responds "So!" The same basic response is heard when Jack asks Ben what will happen to the other passengers of Ajira once it crashes. Indeed, Ben loses his innocence).
• Now, the question is, why did Richard do this to Ben. Richard told Ben he has to wait and be patience to join the Others. Clearly, he was talking to a more "innocent" Ben, and potentially, Richard saw a future "leader' in him (maybe). Yet now, Richard is basically transforming Ben into something else than what Ben was supposed to be. So does Richard actually WANT Ben to be transformed or did he simply see no other choice. He needs Ben, and this is the only way to save him.
  
• So going back to the significance of Jack not helping Ben; had Jack saved Ben, Ben would NEVER have become the monster he does later on. In fact, the whole glorious, mind bending beauty of all of this is that our LOSTIES are the ones that actually CREATED Ben. Ben would NEVER have become who he does later if it were not for Sayid shooting him, for Jin insisting on bringing Ben to Juliet to try to save him, for Jack denying help, which caused Kate and Sawyer to go to Richard. This is the ULTIMATE way of expressing the concept of "what ever happened, happened." Sayid thinks he is actually saving the future by killing Ben, but no, he is the one that set everything in motion. OH BABY. Was Faraday right, or was he RIGHT!!!!!
• But wait a minute, even though Ben forgets everything that has happened to him (ie, him getting shot by Sayid), he still clearly comes back to Dharma and sees the Losties....so how does he STILL not remember them? Oyyyyyyy, my head.
• Sean B's new video is up and he brings up the question of whether Ben was basically sending Sayid back to the 70's so that he will shoot young Ben, thus fulfilling what Sayid is "supposed" to do. Not just Sayid, but he needs Jack to DENY the help, which causes Kate and Sawyer to seek out for Richard. Thus, in the end, everyone does what they are "supposed" to do. Or, perhaps, Ben is actually hoping for something different to happen. Maybe he is hoping that Jack WILL save him. Maybe Ben wants to correct things that should never have happened (i.e. him losing his innocence). But then that seems to contradict Faraday's rule. Oyyyyyyyyyyy, my head.