“Lift up your eyes and look to the North”
Ok, so I've come to a place where revealing answers to the mystery is secondary to the story. And it's such a great story, I'll be sticking around till the end to see it through. I'm winging it a little today, since I missed my WMMR recap, so please chime in if I missed anything obvious.
The Burial of Eko
The two short scenes with Locke and Sayid at the burial of Mr. Eko were well done. I was glad to see Sayid not blindly taking orders. However, he does defer to Locke regarding an explanation on what killed Eko. Locke believes he was killed for a reason, but he doesn't know yet what that reason is. The confident Locke who is the expert on all things "island" gives the rest of the survivors solid footing. Nobody questions his decision to bury Eko in the jungle since the rest of the survivors have "had to go to too many funerals lately". When Locke is pounding the "Jesus Stick" into the head of Eko's grave he looks down in the midst of thanking him for "Helping me find my way again..." then sees the message "Lift up your eyes and look to the north" which Locke does and obviously sees something that we will not see for 13 weeks. The phrase "Lift it up" you may recall from last season was said by Desmond to Jack when Jack was expressing doubts about the results of Sarah's surgery. Note to writers: More Desmond, please.
Kate's Backstory
I love every Kate backstory and at least now we know when and under what conditions she took a pregnancy test before (as she revealed to Sun last season). It was a little surreal seeing the Stepford Wife Kate-the scarf in the hair, the bouffant-y hairstyle, the pastel colors, the apron, grocery shopping, taco night--an all too perfect little world in which she was play acting. I'm sure everyone caught that the plane tickets Kevin presented her to Costa Rica were from Oceanic Airlines. She calls the marshall who's trailing her to let her go, but he knows that she can never settle down. When she has the near miss on the pregnancy (by the way, did anyone catch what the result was? It looked as if she was pregnant--then she tells Kevin that she "almost" had a baby--which is what compells her to leave him.) Great story, no answers, except I do truly believe that she loved Kevin but was afraid to hurt him because he is "good" and she is "bad". Which is why she pushed Jack away and fell instead for Sawyer. Sawyer she can love with abandon since he's just as rotten as she is.
Sawyer and Kate together at last
Just one word: HOT! Kate's desperation to keep Sawyer alive was real and heartbreaking at the same time. You get the idea that she will completely crumble if they kill Sawyer. I almost felt bad for Jack having to witness Kate's hysterical begging for what was essentially Sawyer's life. Sawyer's life has meaning to Jack only in that it has meaning to Kate. As bad as I felt for Jack, though, Kate belongs with Sawyer. They are so right together.
Jack is awesome
I know I've been promoting this "Jack is going to die" scenario--and I still think he might. However, may I just say that these first six episodes this season have me wanting his character to stick around until the end. I went through a "Jack is really getting on my nerves" phase last season when he and Locke were jockeying for power. But doesn't it seem this season that everyone is right where they are supposed to be? Locke taking on the mysteries of the island and Jack taking on the Others? Jack's cat and mouse game with Benry and Juliet is fascinating--every time I think he is falling for one of their mind games, he turns it around--which leaves you wondering that if they know as much about him as they claim to, are the obvious manipulations the Others are attempting with him designed to make him perform EXACTLY as he is performing right now? I also loved the fact that when Kate comes back and tells Sawyer that she saw Jack and they wanted him to do the operation, Sawyer knew they were using Kate to get to Jack and said "At least the Doc is smart enough not to do it for them." Which suggests to me that Sawyer and Jack are not as different as they may seem on the surface. I hope that Jack is keeping them off balance.
Benry's Tumor
After Jack opened Benry up, I kept expecting him to say there was no tumor there. Which brings me to something that has been bothering me. First of all, I'm not exactly sure why Benry even HAS a tumor--the island having cured Locke and Rose for sure (and possibly Jin, if indeed he is the father of Sun's baby). Shouldn't the island have cured Benry? Secondly, I'm not sure why they went through all the smoke and mirrors--the whole "Henry Gale" story-- to get Jack into their camp. Thirdly, if this operation is some way of manipulating Jack, I'm not sure I see how Benry retains the upper hand. These are all plot points that I hope they resolve and do not leave dangling, since this whole third season so far could be an entirely different series from the one we watched for the last two years. Jack is using the exact same leverage technique on them as they are using on him. My only question is how can he be so sure of where Juliet stands on this?
It's going to be a long 13 weeks. Maybe I'll give "Daybreak" a try, since I've pretty much seen about 80% of the pilot episode with the way ABC has been plugging it.
Until February 8, I guess we'll have to just get our own damn fish biscuits.
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
The Cost of Living SE3 EP5
“Don’t confuse coincidence with Fate”
Ok, so just because we didn't get all the answers last night doesn't mean that last night's episode wasn't great!
We had three basic story arcs last night and all were equally compelling:
Eko Back Story
Sadly, as soon as I realized it was an Eko back story, I knew he was a goner. Tailies in general have a pretty short life span on the show and then to do a back story on him as well--let's just say it's the equivalent of being a red shirt on an away mission in the original Star Trek. However, Eko being one of my favorite characters, his demise was particularly sad. The overall theme of the backstory was confession and repentance--and obviously Eko felt all his sins were justifiable as he says to the image of "Yemmi" at the end. However, if you remember in the very beginning when he got caught stealing food, Sister tells him to confess and he starts to give her his excuse for stealing to which she replies "I does not matter why you have done this. You have SINNED and you must CONFESS!" We got an answer as to why Eko built the church on the island--He owed it to Yemmi after he brutally murdered the militia men inside Yemmi's church. Right before he kills the leader, Eko says "You have no idea who I am." and the look on his face and in his eyes is frightening.
Survivors Look for Eko and trek to the Pearl
What an interesting change of regime with Locke in charge--no secrets and everyone can come along. Hurley even comments on it. Locke doesn't have the control freak streak that Jack does. It was postulated on WMMR that the "black smoke" and the images of Yemmi (not in Eko's back story) are one in the same. The Black Smoke can take the form of a person or thing and the survivor it appears before determines what shape it will take. Locke tells Eko he saw it too--a beautiful white light--but that's not what Eko saw--he saw Yemmi, the militia men he killed, the little altar boy and Black smoke. Once again--references to Black and White, possibly good and evil (Locke being one of the good ones). Could also be that the Black smoke took the form of Jack's father in the first season, Kate's horse last season and Hurley's imaginary friend Dave. This theory seems to fit. A little Biblical reference with the rolling back of the stone from Yemmi's plane and Yemmi's body is gone (like Jesus on the third day). If you remember, Jack's father's coffin was also empty last year. Eko tells the image of Yemmi that he is ready to make his confession. Then he says he has not sinned--he did what he had to do to survive. Though "Yemmi's" facial expression never really changes, you get the feeling that this confession somehow royally ticked him off. That feeling is later solidified when Eko is caught up by the Black smoke and literally pummelled to death. Not exactly a peaceful way to exit life. Eko's last words to Locke "You're next." are pretty chilling.
Not sure how I feel about them introducing two new characters this season, but at least they are pleasant to look at. I have a feeling these are more red shirts. The scene in the Pearl when they tune in to another station and see Mr. Eye Patch was great--and Mr. Eye Patch definitely saw them as well, because he turns off the monitor. Remember also in the episode "The other 48 days" when we learn the Tailies' story, Eko finds a glass eye in the Tailies' hatch--along with the Bible containing the missing part of the orientation film. Locke's cheerful "Well, at least he'll be expecting us!" was refreshing--Locke looks genuinely happy and sure of himself again after the crisis last year.
May I add here that I would like to see more about Desmond and soon!
They kind of glossed over the fact that Sayid, Sun and Jin were back and we didn't even see Sun and Jin--but I'm not really attaching much significance to it. By the way, did anyone else catch how easily Sayid took orders from Locke? It would seem logical that Sayid would be the most likely to take up the leadership reigns in Jack's absence, but he clearly had no problems deferring to Locke's judgement--no one did, and the only one who really questioned Locke was Hurley.
Jack and the Others
This was the hands down best part of the show. I love that they acknowledged the fact that Juliet bears a strong resemblance to Sarah, Jack's wife--and that they were going to totally exploit it. Jack's confrontation of Benry about his tumor was great and played expertly by Jack--curious but not engaged enough to care one way or another. Benry then tells Jack about how they had this elaborate plan to "break him"--to make him think it's all his idea (shades of Sawyer's con man credo) to operate on Benry. They would get him to trust them and make him care. After this seemingly obvious villain-monologing-to-our-hero-the-details-of-his-fiendish-plot-now-that-it's-foiled exchange, Juliet comes in with her "movie" and it looks like they may not be out of business after all. Juliet's sign says to "Ignore everything I'm saying". She then proceeds to tell Jack, in that singsong hypnotic, everythings-going-to-be-ok voice of hers that Benry deserves to live and Jack should operate on him. Meanwhile, her signs are saying the Benry is a liar and some of them "want a change" and it's all up to Jack--the surgery is complicated and no one would ever know. She is almost asking Jack to commit murder, but she never quite comes out and says it--or rather writes it. However, during this exchange, Juliet also tells Jack she should trust him--should he also ignore this???? That the xrays are Benry's seems pretty obvious, since Juliet and Benry have that exchange at the funeral barge (shades of King Arthur, by the way) of Colleen, when Benry asks Juliet why he showed Jack his xrays. Juliet's response is that she never told Jack they were Benry's--this exchange having taken place outside of Jack's earshot lends credence to Jack trusting Juliet, but, as usual, is a little too vague to draw a definite conclusion.
Ok, so next week is being billed as the "Mid Season Finale" so I guess it will be pretty big. I unfortunately have a meeting at Dana's school at 7:30, but I will tape it on the off chance I can't make it home in time.
Ok, so just because we didn't get all the answers last night doesn't mean that last night's episode wasn't great!
We had three basic story arcs last night and all were equally compelling:
Eko Back Story
Sadly, as soon as I realized it was an Eko back story, I knew he was a goner. Tailies in general have a pretty short life span on the show and then to do a back story on him as well--let's just say it's the equivalent of being a red shirt on an away mission in the original Star Trek. However, Eko being one of my favorite characters, his demise was particularly sad. The overall theme of the backstory was confession and repentance--and obviously Eko felt all his sins were justifiable as he says to the image of "Yemmi" at the end. However, if you remember in the very beginning when he got caught stealing food, Sister tells him to confess and he starts to give her his excuse for stealing to which she replies "I does not matter why you have done this. You have SINNED and you must CONFESS!" We got an answer as to why Eko built the church on the island--He owed it to Yemmi after he brutally murdered the militia men inside Yemmi's church. Right before he kills the leader, Eko says "You have no idea who I am." and the look on his face and in his eyes is frightening.
Survivors Look for Eko and trek to the Pearl
What an interesting change of regime with Locke in charge--no secrets and everyone can come along. Hurley even comments on it. Locke doesn't have the control freak streak that Jack does. It was postulated on WMMR that the "black smoke" and the images of Yemmi (not in Eko's back story) are one in the same. The Black Smoke can take the form of a person or thing and the survivor it appears before determines what shape it will take. Locke tells Eko he saw it too--a beautiful white light--but that's not what Eko saw--he saw Yemmi, the militia men he killed, the little altar boy and Black smoke. Once again--references to Black and White, possibly good and evil (Locke being one of the good ones). Could also be that the Black smoke took the form of Jack's father in the first season, Kate's horse last season and Hurley's imaginary friend Dave. This theory seems to fit. A little Biblical reference with the rolling back of the stone from Yemmi's plane and Yemmi's body is gone (like Jesus on the third day). If you remember, Jack's father's coffin was also empty last year. Eko tells the image of Yemmi that he is ready to make his confession. Then he says he has not sinned--he did what he had to do to survive. Though "Yemmi's" facial expression never really changes, you get the feeling that this confession somehow royally ticked him off. That feeling is later solidified when Eko is caught up by the Black smoke and literally pummelled to death. Not exactly a peaceful way to exit life. Eko's last words to Locke "You're next." are pretty chilling.
Not sure how I feel about them introducing two new characters this season, but at least they are pleasant to look at. I have a feeling these are more red shirts. The scene in the Pearl when they tune in to another station and see Mr. Eye Patch was great--and Mr. Eye Patch definitely saw them as well, because he turns off the monitor. Remember also in the episode "The other 48 days" when we learn the Tailies' story, Eko finds a glass eye in the Tailies' hatch--along with the Bible containing the missing part of the orientation film. Locke's cheerful "Well, at least he'll be expecting us!" was refreshing--Locke looks genuinely happy and sure of himself again after the crisis last year.
May I add here that I would like to see more about Desmond and soon!
They kind of glossed over the fact that Sayid, Sun and Jin were back and we didn't even see Sun and Jin--but I'm not really attaching much significance to it. By the way, did anyone else catch how easily Sayid took orders from Locke? It would seem logical that Sayid would be the most likely to take up the leadership reigns in Jack's absence, but he clearly had no problems deferring to Locke's judgement--no one did, and the only one who really questioned Locke was Hurley.
Jack and the Others
This was the hands down best part of the show. I love that they acknowledged the fact that Juliet bears a strong resemblance to Sarah, Jack's wife--and that they were going to totally exploit it. Jack's confrontation of Benry about his tumor was great and played expertly by Jack--curious but not engaged enough to care one way or another. Benry then tells Jack about how they had this elaborate plan to "break him"--to make him think it's all his idea (shades of Sawyer's con man credo) to operate on Benry. They would get him to trust them and make him care. After this seemingly obvious villain-monologing-to-our-hero-the-details-of-his-fiendish-plot-now-that-it's-foiled exchange, Juliet comes in with her "movie" and it looks like they may not be out of business after all. Juliet's sign says to "Ignore everything I'm saying". She then proceeds to tell Jack, in that singsong hypnotic, everythings-going-to-be-ok voice of hers that Benry deserves to live and Jack should operate on him. Meanwhile, her signs are saying the Benry is a liar and some of them "want a change" and it's all up to Jack--the surgery is complicated and no one would ever know. She is almost asking Jack to commit murder, but she never quite comes out and says it--or rather writes it. However, during this exchange, Juliet also tells Jack she should trust him--should he also ignore this???? That the xrays are Benry's seems pretty obvious, since Juliet and Benry have that exchange at the funeral barge (shades of King Arthur, by the way) of Colleen, when Benry asks Juliet why he showed Jack his xrays. Juliet's response is that she never told Jack they were Benry's--this exchange having taken place outside of Jack's earshot lends credence to Jack trusting Juliet, but, as usual, is a little too vague to draw a definite conclusion.
Ok, so next week is being billed as the "Mid Season Finale" so I guess it will be pretty big. I unfortunately have a meeting at Dana's school at 7:30, but I will tape it on the off chance I can't make it home in time.
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