Lost: "He's Our You"

Daniel Faraday's closed-loop theory of time-travel might have just been blown to smithereens. Or not. Who the frak knows -- this is Lost, after all.

The final moments of "He's Our You" offered the literal bang of Sayid shooting and apparently killing Child!Ben as a matter of fulfilling his "purpose" in returning to the Island. The way I see it, there are a couple of possible storyline paths from here on out:

Sayid did, in fact, kill Child!Ben and all future events are now up for grabs. Faraday's time-travel theories and explanations have felt pretty solid thus far -- for as much sense as can be made out of time-travel. When not in the present, no one is supposed to do anything to significantly alter what is to become the future. Therefore, if Child!Ben is indeed dead, then what does that do to the Island in the future? Will Ben's unconscious body -- laying where Sun left him -- simply disappear? Will the feud with Charles Widmore cease to exist? Furthermore, will Charles Widmore appear on the Island shortly and take over? It was Richard who recruited Juliet, but it was Ben who kept her there, so will she now disappear too (having simply left the island and gone home when she wanted)? I could go on and on, but you get the point. Ben's death as a young boy changes the very fabric of the Island and the life that the Lostaways have built.

Sayid only thought he killed Child!Ben and instead, inadvertently created the villain that Ben was to become. Faraday says that the characters aren't supposed to change anything in the past, but he also heavily implies that the characters are unable to do anything to alter what is to become the future. If no one actually has the power to change the world to come, then the Island is, ironically, static. Although, it may not be the characters with the power (or without), it may simply be the Island. It appears that the Island can not only heal (Locke, Rose), but it can also raise the dead (Locke, Christian). Child!Ben may be legitimately deceased for a moment or two, but then the Island can resurrect him and send him on his way, now horribly pissed and confused over the assassination attempt made by the man he was only trying to help. Ben had dealt with abuse by his father his entire life, yet somehow he still seemed unscathed. This actually may have been the defining turning point in Ben's life.

I think Sayid's intention was born out of both loyalty and revenge. Loyalty in wanting to save his friends from the impending Dharma Initiative massacre and sparing them the future machinations of a seemingly omnipresent and omnipotent Ben. And revenge against Ben over the clear and cavernous rift between them (I'm guessing there's more to that story given that Sayid's newfound hatred runs so, so deep).

Sayid is a killer, like Ben says, but one who operates out of necessity not enjoyment. Sayid detests killing people (even those that seemingly deserve it) and he detests being able to kill people. But he understands that sometimes people have to do what needs to be done. So with great burden, he accepts his fate as a "killer". And it has brought him to this point.

It was interesting to see Oldham -- Dharma's version of Sayid -- directly juxtaposed with Sayid. They are both considered "the torturer", but where Sayid operates with precision, Oldham plays more of a crapshoot. ("Maybe I should use half a dropper. Ooops.") Oldham is older, unkempt, somewhat frail, and most importantly, he takes pleasure in the work that he does. He has a sinister quality of which Sayid could never dream.

So, circling back to the possibilities, my choice of storyline is the first scenario. It would serve to blow the canvas wide open and new storylines could potentially be limitless. Scenario #2, however, is more interesting on a philosophical level. So I guess the question is: are the producers aiming for a mythology and an endgame that is tangible or intangible?

Randoms...

• When Sawyer told Juliet, "I got this under control", I believed him. Whole-heartedly. And that just made me so proud of Sawyer once again. This was just furthered by seeing Jack trusting Sawyer too. My, how far we've come...
  
• Speaking of Sawyer, I like how the trust of the Initiative and the life that he's built seems to mean a great deal to him. I like seeing Sawyer settled, in charge, in control, and operating with a sense of peace. He's earned that.
• Sawyer tased Sayid in the junk. That was cold. And harsh. Damn.
  
• Juliet and Kate's exchange regarding Sawyer was well done. Awkward, tense, slightly leery, yet gentle and not spiteful. These are two strong, confident women who deeply care about this wonderful man, and as the dynamic has changed, they're just trying to find their footing. Perfect.
• I'm impressed by the Initiative's adherence to a democratic-run society. The members of the elite felt like the BSG Quorum, only in jumpsuits. Although, we know how the Quorum fared in the end. I fear that the Initiative will suffer the same fate -- gunned down in genocide.

Thoughts?

Follow the yellow brick road...

Lost: "Namaste"

I missed my opportunity to write about last week's episode, "LaFleur", but if I had, I would have spoken about how much I love this incarnation of Sawyer. He's strong. He's capable. He's in control. He's settled. And it's amazing!

This week in "Namaste", Sawyer is still that man, only times ten. I wasn't sure what would become of "James LaFleur" when suddenly face-to-face with Jack, but not only did Sawyer stand his ground, he furthered his growth process.

"It's how I like to run things, I think. I'm sure that doesn't mean that much to you, because back when you were calling the shots, you pretty much just reacted. See, you didn't think, Jack, and as I recall, a lot of people ended up dead." -- Sawyer

Damned if he's not right on the money. Jack is a leader of reaction while Sawyer is a leader of pro-action, and it's pretty evident which method works better. In three years time, Sawyer has inspired a lot of loyalty and support, and no one seems to question him when he speaks. Jack, on the other had, was always being questioned -- by his friends and by himself. I think that Jack feels comfortable in the role of leader, but only because he's accustomed to it. He is a surgeon, after all. Somewhere in the back of Jack's mind, though, is a bit of relief at relinquishing the reins. Not that he'll ever admit it.

Sawyer's speech could have easily come off as a defensive diatribe, but instead, it sounded more like a man who is confident in his position and in his abilities. And why shouldn't he be? He's come a long way. He can still crack wise at the drop of a hat, but he does so now with precision versus as a defense mechanism. He's no longer the sidekick or the reluctant hero, but the man with the plan. Juliet has tempered him and offered him unconditional love and support -- something he's never known yet secretly searched for, I think. My hope is that they prevail, but my fear is more prevalent. The little nods and sideways glances scream "quadrangle", but I worry that the show will lose something if they delve too deeply into the romantic entanglements. Lost thrives on the broad spectrum and the big picture of the mythology, and romance is too external of a story. It has the potential to separate the characters from the over-all arc, and that would be disappointing. But let's not get ahead of ourselves...

Randoms...

• I've always felt that Kate/Sawyer is far more interesting than Kate/Jack, and I often rooted for Kate & Sawyer to find each other... until Juliet. Juliet is so good for Sawyer and she makes him strive to be his best possible person. He needs her, and I hope that he doesn't lose sight of that. When Sawyer greeted Kate as "Kate" and not as "Freckles", my hope thrived a little. Maybe, like he told Horace, three years is enough time to let someone go...
  
• Jack and Kate were brought down a peg, and the sneaky ways that Sawyer and Juliet made that happen were a hoot to watch -- Jack's "aptitude test" resulting in his qualifications as a janitor and Kate squirming and scrambling a little when her name wasn't on the original list. Sawyer and Juliet have no reason to truly punish Jack and Kate, but they do have that inherent human desire to not only survive, but to come out on top. They have all the power right now, and their little personal allowances showed us that they're not all goodness and propriety. Hee.
• In reference to the above, I was thoroughly disappointed in myself for doubting Juliet, even for a moment. When Kate's name wasn't on the list, I was ready to crucify Juliet instead of believing in her and giving her the opportunity to indulge in a little bit of necessary pettiness. Seeing as I adore Juliet -- far more than I do Kate -- my readiness to distrust her speaks to the tenuousness of the situation. Nicely done.
  
• Juliet cooing over the baby was sweet until... Amy revealed that he is (or more accurately, will grow up to be) creepy Ethan. Juliet couldn't get rid of that child fast enough. Eeek.
• So Ben grew up with the Dharma Initiative? How, then, will he and Ethan come to be members of the Others/Hostiles? Will they stage a crafty defection years down the line, or will it simply be a matter of self-preservation?
  
• It was a nice turn of events seeing Ben as the captor and Sayid as the captive.
• Why, oh why, is Sun stuck in present-day? I get that Sun & Jin can't race into each others' arms just yet, but godsdamnit, I'm selfish. And impatient. And thirty years is long time to travel! Is her separation from the rest of the group a result of the entire Oceanic Six not being present? Someone go get Aaron. NOW!
• Clearly, the island not only heals, but it brings people back from the dead. Christian was in a casket on Oceanic 815 and John was in one on Ajira 316, and now they're both walking around. Impressive. And creepy.
• Where is Dan Faraday? Has he cracked beyond repair? Or has he left the island with Baby!Charlotte and her family? What was Sawyer's "not anymore" comment all about?

Stand-out lines...

"I lied." -- Sun Kwon -- This incarnation of Sun is badass! And pretty fearless. Awesome!

"Dude, your English is awesome!" -- Hurley -- Heh. Leave it to Hurley to say what everyone is thinking. And I bet Daniel Dae Kim agrees. I'm sure he's thrilled to be able to speak somewhat normally now. It's about time.

Thoughts?

Follow the yellow brick road...