Requested Photo of Jack and His Burger

Here are a few.

Last Lost post

Sorry, non-Losties, one last post. OK, after ruminating a bit, I'm ready to give a reaction to the Lost finale. Interesting (and not surprisingly for die-hard Losties), I found myself viewing the show on two levels. Emotionally, I found it most enjoyable and satisfying. The on-island plot was tied up nicely. The FSW plot was syrupy sweet, with most everybody we care about getting together in the end and fading off into bliss together: I loved it! And most of the questions were answered. Intellectually, the on-island story wasn't far from what I had predicted. I just knew Jack would not be the ultimate protector (I can't lie though: I thought it would be Aaron.) Having it turn out to be Hurley was fitting. I wasn't thrilled with the way Kate, Frank (Told you he wasn't dead!), Miles, Richard (Cool that he's got a grey hair now), Sawyer, and Claire left, leaving Jack and Hurley to fend for themselves. As for the FSW plot ending, I sure didn't see that coming. I like the idea that THAT was a sort of purgatory, since many fans were convinced the ISLAND was going to turn out to be purgatory. I was troubled by the fact that the two story lines ended up having very little to do with each other. I was hoping for some interaction between them. And the explanation of who-was-allowed-to-be-at-the-church was not clear to me: mostly I think it was a matter of which characters were popular, and which actors they could get. That Ben declined to go was a juicy tidbit worthy of future discussion during the long cold days of No Lost ahead. And I actually find the idea that there is no "when" in purgatory fascinating, given recent ideas published about time.

If I were the King of Lost, here’s how I would have ended it. After Aaron is born, and our heroes become aware, Desmond, Widmore, and Daniel (and their counterparts on the Island) manage to merge the plotlines. But Aaron gets left behind. He is brought to the island by Eloise. He is protected and trained. Jack’s (or Hurley’s) reign is temporary, just till Aaron can take over. Aaron would seem the logical choice since both he and Jacob were conceived off the island, but born on it. I think the writers may have originally intended for something like that to happen: the whole “raised by another” issue, the psychic’s flip-flop, and the Others’ fascination with the inability of island women to bear children conceived on the Island. Enough for now.

Across the Sea and Genesis

I’ve been pondering last week’s episode almost non-stop since it aired. An excellent episode if only because it makes you think! Before Lost comes on again tonight, I have a few comments about last week’s episode. I have avoided reading Lostpedia or any other Lost related media, because I want my thoughts on that most unusual episode to be mine alone.

First, typical of Lost the episode answered some major questions (What were the origins of Jacob and MIB? Who were Adam and Eve? How did the donkey wheel get there?) while posing some more (Is Jacob’s brother really dead? If so, who is MIB/smokey? What is the origin of the goddess figure? [Did anybody else have trouble buying CJ in that role?] Why was the dark brother “special”? Were the other ship survivors the original Others?) Not typical of Lost, the episode had no flashback/forward/sideways parts at all, save a couple of very brief replays of events from the first season. Furthermore, it features NONE of the major characters, again excepting those brief replays. The episode focuses on three characters, two we’ve seen briefly in earlier episodes, and one we’ve never seen before, nor had any clue even existed. And she turns out to be perhaps the most important character of all!

Second, the episode was highly mystical, with clear references to Genesis of the Old Testament. I recommend a careful reread of Genesis, it can be quite enlightening. Jacob and his brother display aspects of Jacob and Esau, of Caine and Able, of Isaac and Ishmael, and even Aaron and Moses. The Island Woman seems quite Jehovah-like, and the light under the waterfall seems like heaven. I will focus on the similarities between the ancient Lost characters and the sons of Isaac, ie. Jacob and Esau. Like Jacob and his brother, the Old Testament men were fraternal twins; one was a stay-at-home mama’s boy while the other went off and did his own thing; one was favored by his mother. In Genesis, Jacob had 12 sons, one named Benjamin (the candidates?). One (Joseph) was sent to a distant land before carrying on the family traditions (Aaron?) Unlike the Lost characters, the OT Jacob was born second but claimed the birthright from Esau by trickery. Or perhaps that’s not a difference. Did Jacob claim the role of Island Protector by trickery?

Sidenote: Probably coincidental, but in Genesis 26:15 Jacob’s father’s (Isaac) wells were clogged up by the Philistines. Sound familiar?

I have lots more thoughts but now it’s time for this week’s episode, the penultimate. We’ll see if any of these thoughts have anything to do with the plot. And now, on with the story…….