6.07 "Dr. Linus"

Television, Movies Games and Books Lost
#1

Ah, I finally got something right, about Richard arriving on the Black Rock. But does Jacob’s touch confer immortality? ‘Cause the thought of Kate living forever does not make me happy. Maybe it only works if the person stays on the Island. I gotta’ say this batshit-crazy version of Jack is a lot more fun. Where’s he been for five seasons? And I absolutely adored the flash-sideways version of Ben, with his carefully labeled sushi tray and chopsticks. Heh.

Widmore’s a submarine captain? Dude really is a Bond villain. So the sideways 'verse story seems to parallel Ben’s life on the Island. Perhaps Widmore was the preferred candidate at one point but Ben found out about Penny and Penny’s mom, and used the info to get him banished and steal his power. I’m glad to see that things aren’t over yet between the two of them.

Okay, walk with me on this…The flash-sideways are showing us what the Losties could have been if they’d learned how to deal with their issues and accept their circumstances. Jack let go of his daddy issues and was there for his son. Locke gave up hoping for a miracle and just wanted a life with Helen. Ben chose Alex over his need for power and helped her go to college, presumably. Kate stopped running for a while to help Claire. Claire decided to have Aaron and keep him. Hurley is okay with the numbers now and not suffering from bad luck. I guess Sayid missed out on his chance for redemption; he was always destined to be a killer. Which candidates have we not seen flash-sideways for yet? Jin and Sun? Sawyer?

Loved the return of the tinkly piano reunion music. And Miles got the diamonds from Nikki and Paulo! I’m on his team; sorry, Sayid.

Wherefore art thou, Rose and Bernard and Desmond?

#2

“Wanna light another stick?”

I love crazy Jack.
Great episode. There hasn’t been a better dove-tail of the flashback/sideways since season one,
and the Giacchino slow-mo montage was the cherry on the cake.

Widmore’s back! making Ben’s choice all the more significant.

#3

I totally agree about “crazy Jack”! He’s a big improvement over Eeyore Jack from last season.

I liked the musical reunion scene at the end too. I’m starting to see why Damon and Carlton said that season six was going to have a feel similar to season one and I do love all the callbacks to earlier seasons. My only compliant is that using the “Oceanic Six theme” from season four felt a wee bit out of place in this particular context on island.

So one thing that doesn’t make sense to me now that I’ve had time to digest. If Jacob’s touch means that the touchee becomes immortal and ageless like Richard and all the six candidates have been touched, why is Ilana so concerned about protecting them? Or perhaps someone else can still kill a candidate but then that allows MIB to take them over (i.e. Locke after Ben killed him, Sayid after he was shot, and possibly even Claire since Littleton was a name on the list).

#4

It isn’t that the candidates can’t be killed, it’s that they can’t kill themselves. That’s why Richard wanted Jack to kill him. Jack could kill Richard but Jack couldn’t kill himself, hence the dynamite didn’t go off.

I really liked Ben’s arc in this one. In the original timeline he sacrificed Alex to keep power. In the new timeline he gave up power to save Alex.

Wonder what Ben meant when he said something to Alex about the sacrifice her mother had made?

#5

I was thinking almost an Austen Powers villain. It was probably the directing (I’m looking at you Mr. Van Peebles, …or more likely the second unit) but Chuckle’s reintroduction played a little over the top to me.

Really loved Ben’s performance throughout, except that to me anyways, his “I’m sorry” speech didn’t seem moving enough to actually have stopped him from getting shot. But that’s a writing thing.

So, Ben kills Jacob, and now we see Ben ignore Flocke’s offer. Is Ben the only one we’ve seen to have successfully ignored the wills of these two island “Gods”? Don’t those who turn against them usually end up dead?

#6

I wondered about that also. I may be reading too much into this but trusting the actor and writers, at the time I thot Ben was scheming something. I thot he was setting up Illana. It appeared he began to once again squirm his way out of the situation but then he realized, “What am I doing? I’m doing it again.” He stopped himself and that’s why he looked and acted that way.

He began to form a…dun dun dun…conscience. He saw the end. He was filled with regret about Alex and all he’s done for the Island. He had reached bottom.

You know what really baked my noodle? In ‘The Lighthouse’, Jacob tells Hurley someone is coming to the Island. What if it’s Widmore?

And possibly why Michael couldn’t kill himself?

#7

yayyyyyyy, ben’s a good guy… sort of. I like batshit Jack, he’s a hoot. I was mildly attracted to Ilana before, but she got gorgeous last night. Can Desmond be far behind if Widmore has shown up? I really hope Sawyer and Kate aren’t going dark side, but if one of them does I want it to be Kate because she’s a wishy washy run at the first sign of strife beeotch. Sawyers a dick, but I think he’d sacrafice himself for someone he cares about.

#8

Would anyone care to speculate with me what the title of the final episode will be???

I’m going with “Balance” or some other name indicating two (or more) sides to an issue or moral point of view.

#9

I’m going to get pummeled for this, but given it was a Ben (one of my favorite characters) episode, I was actually a little disappointed. Mostly because I felt the whole ‘parallel’ thing (though I did love the bit at the beginning where you see Ben ‘gassing’ his father in this reality too) was way too heavy handed. Like having Arzt go “hey, you’re a killer! wink wink”, or having altBen sacrifice something and ‘save’ altAlex, when no such sacrifice was necessary to begin with (if Ben just blackmailed the principal after all the Alex college stuff). I get that it’s the whole “Ben is redeeming himself” kind of thing, but I mostly thought it was stupidity, which is just weird for a character as calculating as Ben. (Even AltBen).

And to be honest, I never really blamed Ben for killing Jacob in the heat of the moment, given what he endured from that guy. Ben was so devoted to Jacob for pretty much his whole life and he never gave him the time of day. And his last thoughts “I was right about you” (paraphrase) is kind of the annoying thing daddy figures who Ben could never live up to would say. So, while it’s nice to see Ben repenting for his sins, I hate that Jacob doesn’t have to redeem himself (for now). Blech. In a way, I hope Team Lockey whoops Team Jacob’s ass. Hm. I guess I’m not a good person now.

Also, I wonder why Sun didn’t just ignore Ilana (it’s not like she’d kill Sun, given she already said she’s a protector) and go look for Jin instead of fixing up the camp, given the lengths she already went to find Jin.

Well, it IS Ben we’re talking about. A man who is so good at never speaking the truth. It seems genuine, but Ben always seems genuine. :smiley: Hmm.

I agree CrazyJack is way better than EmoJack, but I still hate his condescending attitude towards Hurley. But, yes, so much more fun. :smiley:
The music end bit was a nice touch, and I love that Miles got the diamonds! Go Miles!
And that was my first thought too. If Jacob’s physical touch (or if that’s even what Richard meant) makes people immortal, then the candidates would be too, because Jacob touched them all (and Kate, who I’m still not sure if we’re supposed to think she IS one or she isn’t). Though I suppose it’s only ON the island, because Locke did die in the real world.

I didn’t see the credit names (I hide them now so I don’t get spoiled), so I was really, really excited to see Widmore. ACTION! I’m guessing part of the reason why he’s there is to kill Ben? (from his conversation with Sun a while back).

For now:
Sideways we’ve gotten that ends well (or ends in an optimistic and hopeful tone) -
Jack (Team Jacob)
Ben (Team Jacob/ Redemption)
Locke (Was Team Jacob, now dead because of Ben/Lockey)

Sideways that ended bad -
Sayid (team Lockey) - especially in that Sayid did get his wish to Locke to get Nadia back, only to have her married to his brother. Oh, and he’s STILL a killer, even if it’s not by choice.

But yes, so far, it seems to imply that if you follow Jacob, you get a good sideways, if you follow Locke, you get a bad one. Sounds familiar? I’m really hoping this whole religiousy thing isn’t the case at all, but the vibes get stronger and stronger with each episode. It’s bordering on preachy. Grrrr…(Unless we’re in for a big mindfrak, which I’m really hoping it to be. Otherwise… I can’t say I’m that excited for the ‘epic battle’ between “God” and "the Devil)

But anyway, that are all the sideways we’ve gotten. So candidate-wise, we still need Sawyer, Hurley, Jin and Sun sideways.

As for Kate, we still don’t know if she’s a candidate, yet she already had a sideways? Blech. I want DESMOND!

#10

“Landed”/“Landings”

or maybe it’ll be a different style:
“Locke & Loll”
“Jack and Kate Went Up A Hill To Fetch A Pail Of Dharma”
and of course
“Smokey and his bandits”

#11

My guess is that it’ll be called “Genesis” to contrast with the S1 finale title.

#12

My vote: Found

#13

Haha, I like that one.

#14

Maybe Revelations.

#15

My full recap/analysis over at my blog.

A few of my observations:

The point of departure for the timeline is the detonation of the warhead at the site of the Swan station. Roger and Ben were both on the Island at that point so obviously neither of them died in the blast. It also seems that the Island didn’t sink immediately as a result of the explosion since Roger’s question seems to imply that he and Ben left voluntarily. At a guess I would say that after having his son shot and a nuclear device explode on the other side of the Island that Roger had enough and left DHARMA and the Island.

So what did happen? Without Ben the Hostiles never kill off the entire DHARMA Initiative and Ben never has a confrontation with Widmore that results in his being exiled from the Island. So Widmore (and Eloise Hawking?) remain on the Island until… what?

With no magnetic anomaly to study did DHARMA just eventually pack up and go home? Did they sink the Island as they left or did something else cause it to sink. Were Widmore, Hawking and the remaining Hostiles still on the Island? What happened to them? For that matter, what happened to Richard? I can’t help but think that the history of the Island in the post-Jughead timeline is going to be important somehow.

First, it appears that Richard did arrive on the Island with the Black Rock as many have speculated. It also appears (from his examination of the chains and “Locke”'s earlier comment about him not being in chains) that he was probably a prisoner on board, at least for some time.

Also, Richard implies that his immortality is a result of being touched by Jacob. Does this mean that everyone Jacob touched is immortal? Obviously not against violence since Ben was able to kill Locke but does being touched make Jacob’s “chosen” not age normally? What does this mean for the other Losties on Jacob’s list?

Finally, Richard’s implication here is that he wants to die because without Jacob his life has no meaning anymore. Why then does he tell Hurley that anything Jacob says is a lie? Does he think the “Jacob” Hurley is seeing is really “Locke”? Or, has something else happened to break his faith in Jacob?

Presumably the six remaining candidates are Hurley, Sawyer, Sayid, Jack, either Sun or Jin, and Kate. Locke was on the original list but Ilana obviously knows he is dead. We did not see Kate’s name on the ceiling of the cave but her name was on the wheel in the Lighthouse so presumably she is a candidate also.

Interesting thought: Since “Locke” seems to know about the cave but not the Lighthouse he may not realize that Kate is a Candidate.

It would be interesting to see Kate as the replacement for Jacob. Whoever is chosen will probably have to remain on the Island, probably for some time. Kate is the one who has always been on the run; how would she deal with that? Would she be unhappy with it, or would she be glad to finally be able to stop running?

It is not surprising that Widmore would show up. We know he knows how to find the Island since his freighter got close to it once before. This time he is in a submarine, also not surprising since that is how the DHARMA Initiative brought people to the Island and it seems to be the only reliable means of getting people on and off.

So, is Widmore and his team the people that Jacob was expecting? If so, who’s side is Widmore on? He used to be the leader of the Others before Ben forced him out. In yet another connection between the timelines, Ben forced him out after revealing an affair Widmore was having off-Island, just like the affair principal Reynolds was having. Of course, Ben wound up not forcing Reynolds out which matches his new change of heart in this timeline.

Who is with Widmore? Which side will he take when he gets to the Island? Will he try to take over Jacob’s position himself? As the leader of the Others he presumably supported Jacob. Or, will he take the position Ben was just offered from “Locke”.

If Widmore is here, will Desmond and Penny show up soon? And here’s an interesting question; which timeline is Widmore from?

Finally, what is the plan that Widmore is proceeding with? Does he even know what the current situation on the Island is? Unless he has someone on the Island he can’t know that Jacob is dead and that “Locke” is free. What is that going to do to his plans and how will it fit in with the plans of Jacob and “Locke”.

#16

After a whole week hearing about “The Demise of Ben,” I went into it hoping that we’d see something major, but all it did was make me realize how much Ben’s been beaten down the last season and a half that he hasn’t had power for a long time anyway. He’s the most complex, interesting character on the show (and one of the few that hasn’t managed to thoroughly annoy me), but they seem to have put him to the wayside.

Crazy Jack is definitely the most fun Jack, but even Crazy Jack only ever cares about Jack, and will completely screw everything up if he thinks something concerns Jack in the slightest. “Oh hey, there’s this lightouse with all this crazy mystical stuff going on, how interesti – wait, was that my house? That’s my name? RAAAAH! Smash and destroy it all!!!” From what I can tell, the quality by which these characters are most commonly placed on the “good-bad” spectrum is their selfishness. Unlocke does things for himself (“I want to leave”), but Jacob does things for others (“protect the island” and “was hoping I was around about Ben”). So Jack is not just annoyingly self-centered, but also maybe evil? That just seems to be how it’s playing out: I’m pretty sure the Kwons, Hurley, and even Sawyer (by the grace of Juliet) are good, but everybody else? They’re bumbling around distrusting and self-concered so much, I can’t bring myself to think of them as ‘good people.’

#17

About people who are touched by Jacob can’t kill themselves, I thot back to Michael after he left the Island. He was on the list and should we presume that Jacob touched everyone on the list? Or was it the Island and not Jacob that prevented suicide? The car crash and the gun didn’t work for Michael. But at the end after Christian appeared he was blown to pieces. The “letting off the hock” on the Freighter reminded me of Flocke telling Bram and his gang that they’re “free” and Jacob doesn’t need them. So was it MIB on the Freighter in Christians form, who appeared in Michael’s last seconds?

Don’t know where the “batshit-crazy version of Jack” came from, but I actually had to laugh about his “lightening another stick” comment.

Your flash-sideways theory sounds very possible to me.

Who would have expected another N/P reference LOL. And that their last thots were with the diamonds.

Where’s the Season 5 soundtrack already, gorrammit?!

But on which side is Widmore on???

Or even the Jack who pulled the trigger on Locke.
I assume also that teh other candidates can be corrupted by MIB, so Illana tries to get them together. Could be also a hole other Spiel.

That was great writing how Ben decided against the power in the Flash-sideways.

Are you talking about teh Island-timeline when you’ve mentioned Rousseau’s mother? And BTW, where was she in this Flash-sideways?

Seems like he is the only one. Or is he double playing Illana, like he always does? LOL

Conscience, Ben. Never thot having that 2 words in 1 sentence. LOL

Looks like he was referring to Widmore, though I still hope that Des will come as well. Or the other Losties from the Flash-sideways universe. Also compare what Jacob told MIB in his dying moments: “They’re coming!”

Micheal, I concur!! See my thots about him at the beginning of this never ending post. Sorry!!

Kate, I still believe will bite MIB’s sorryBarb big time.

“Exodus” - “Genesis” yeah…sounds alright.

That was also my thot a few months back. “The Island” could also fit. Or “Resolved Daddy Issues”

nah, been there, done that!

What I also found interesting, was that Illana mentioned that there were NOW 6 candidates. Can we assume the 6 people with the NUMBERS. But it sounded that not long ago there were 7 or even more Candidates. So who left the roster? Locke and for him we got the combo Jin/Sun instead of only one of the Kwons?

#18

LMAO! Forget Genesis or Found, that’s gotta be it! :smiley:

“Redemption” might be another possibility if my theory about the flash-sideways timeline being an epilogue for the show is correct.

#19

The numbers/names in the cave:

4 - Locke
8 - Reyes (Hurley)
15 - Ford (Sawyer)
16 - Jarrah (Sayid)
23 - Shepherd (Jack)
42 - Kwon (Sun or Jin (or Ji-Yeon))

Locke is dead and Ilana knows it so she can’t be counting him. I’ll point out that there was another name on the wheel in the Lighthouse

51 - Austen (Kate)

Now, here’s the question of the moment. Does “Locke” know that Kate is a Candidate? He may not. He didn’t mention her when he was showing Sawyer the names in the cave. I suspect she is the sixth remaining Candidate and her presence in “Locke”'s camp may surprise someone.

#20

Good call. I was thinking it would be Desmond, but they wouldn’t telegraph his return to the fray like that.

Good question. He’s driven by a need for revenge and to regain control of the island. He’s obviously got it in for Ben and possibly Jacob, but we don’t have any reason to believe he’s allied himself with the MIB. Do we? I don’t think he knows what he’s walking into.