Lost S06E01-02 - LA X

WARNING: SPOILERS FOR LOST. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.


My God. So much to think about given what was shown. I'm not gonna go into length,  I find writing those to be quite a chore and probably one for people to read as well, especially when I'm proven wrong. So I'll just list my thoughts off as they come.

Terry O'Quinn is a genius. 'nuff said. That look he gave Ben when he said "I want to go home." *shiver*

So I was wrong about MIB not being Smokey. I'm okay with that. The only issue they have now is to explain Smokey's obedience to Ben and how it seemed to have a programmed function of scanning and killing selected people (and the Pilot for no reason). Perhaps this is the same reason he couldn't kill Jacob himself.

I remember watching an interview of Michael Emerson ages back and the interviewer pointed out that the entirety of season 3 was based around Ben and Juliet, as the enigmatic Others where all the drama revolved. I suspect MIB/Flocke will play that role for season 6. Every ep will focus on him, and I suspect he will have personal interactions between most of the characters ... in a way that reveals their true character and at the same time reveals some part of his plot.

What is "home"? I think that's one of the most important questions. It could be the Temple, hence the TempleOthers' barricading it when they find out Jacob is dead. But it did seem he had free access to the Temple wall and was described as a security system. So maybe the Temple has a portal to somewhere else? I'd say maybe he wants to go to the outside world and the Island serves as a prison, BUT we have Christian (in white tennis shoes) who appears off-Island to Jack. That did seem like a Smokey automaton, but I also believe Christian is his own entity. There's Kate's vision of Claire off-Island as well ... So it would seem as if Smokey had some influence off-Island (though this could've been the Island's power).

One thought I had was maybe his home is the alternate reality we are seeing the flashsideways ... We was witnessing a world in which MIB was taken away. So without a need for the Island, it sunk and many of the lives of our Losties were changed because they didn't have any particular destinies.

Aha! Epiphany. Perhaps MIB was separated from Smokey at some point. Oh oh! Maybe MIB and Smokey were never really together. That's why no one was suspicious of Flocke at first because no one ever thought MIB had shape-shifting abilities... Nah but wait, that wouldn't work because the TempleOthers knew to put out the ash ... Well, perhaps MIB and Smokey were one and some point in history, MIB's "soul" was extracted from Smokey and imprisoned in the cabin. Ash was placed around the Cabin so Smokey could not reach in and become whole again. This way Smokey becomes a souless machine merely fulfilling it's job. Hence Smokey in seasons 1-3/4. Once the ash circle is broken, MIB is able to escape, reunite with his body and puts his plan into action.

I say this because it be reconciles MIB and Smokey. I think it's clear that Locke and Ben went to the Cabin and that apparition they saw was MIB pleading for help. The ash circle was complete and so was acting to keep him in. (Perhaps in the past it was used to keep MIB out and Jacob safe in the cabin ... but at some point this changed) Despite being imprisoned, Smokey was still floating about the Island doing it's thing.

Jumping trains of thought completely ... These flashsideways ... Eugh, I'm not sure what to make of them. Damon and Carlton have both said that they're both real and important and it's the relationship we should be focusing on. That is they're not simple what-ifs. The sunken Island was post-Dharma ... I don't believe it had to do with jughead's explosion, as they wouldn't sink an island. Something sunk it and I think we will find out what, but honestly I don't think there's any info that will illuminates us.

As for the alternate reality ... I don't think it was caused into existence by jughead - that's only what we're lead to believe. I think the blast always happened and caused the incident and its side-effect was to blast our peeps to 2007. In the other reality can't simply be "if the blast worked" because that would just be one giant grandfather paradox, hence why I think the Island sunk for another reason.

Alternatively, perhaps the very nature of the grandfather paradox is what caused an alternate reality to happen, so both realities could happen.

I do think the alternate reality has substantial relevance to the main plot, outside of simple character stories. But what I could not possibly imagine.

The mysteries of the TempleOthers is what will be explored this year, in addition to Flocke. They will have some importance to the overall arc, but I don't think any greater importance than any of the other arcs. I am interested in seeing their precautions ... are they aware that their enemy is Smokey? Or is this simple protocol, ie "If Jacob dies spread ash circles around the temple" without them really understanding it's significance? Because Richard and the Others all seem pretty complacent regarding MIB ... whilst Illana and Bram are the only two at all concerned.

MIB's comment to Richard about chains ... Perhaps a red herring? We're lead to believe Richard was a slave on the ship, OR that some situation occured where he could himself in chains on the ship (like a mutiny). I'd like to think that Richard is older and more important than that. I think Richard, MIB and Jacob were all "friends" at some point, ie they talked. And during these talks MIB would always mention to Richard that he was chained to Jacob. Hence why his comment to Richard would let him recognise who it was.

Sayid's revival? I'm not sure what to make of it. Perhaps there is another entity possessing him... Damon and Carlton both indicated that that particular story would unfold in the coming eps. Do I think it's Jacob? No. That would just be too much shapeshifting, I'd think. No, I think that Jacob's proxy will be through Hurley, talking to him from beyond the grave. So that leaves Sayid maybe also being MIB (unlikely) ... or maybe, just maybe Sayid was revived.

EDIT: I wouldn't have any strong objections if it turned out that Locke was revived into Sayid's body. Dunno how that'd work ... but would be interesting.

EDIT: As for Christian's body disappearing ... That certainly is interesting. Is Jack destined not to get the closer he needs with his father? Or perhaps everything else that is different is just a red herring, and Christian's body disappearing is a constant? That is, in the normal reality the coffin disappeared as well, which is why Christian's body is not on the Island? (Doesn't explain the coffin appearing though, but I thought it was interesting).

EDIT: There must be something about MIB's name, which is why they're hiding it from us. Perhaps they'll never reveal it. But it also should be noted that Bram, who seems to know full well what MIB is and what he is capable of, actually asks "Who are you?" in the foot. And when Richard recognises him, his first action is to hit Richard's throat, as if to mute him from saying his name. Could there be some sort of power over MIB if you used his real name?? I can't see the reveal being useful at all, unless it's a name we all know like Aaron.

EDIT: Finally, in the airport customs office with Sun and Jin. The security guard addresses Sun as Ms Paik, rather than Mrs Kwon. That's interesting ... could it be in this timeline they've not married yet???

And if he was truly revived then there is still hope for Locke coming back. Which is more than anyone could hope for.