An Offer He Can Refuse

Quick Hits

• Another example of the religious imagery peppered throughout “Ab Aeterno,” Jacob’s dunking of Ricardo in the ocean struck me very much as a sort of baptism for the man. A sort of cleansing of Ricardo’s soul before Jacob could accept him as a follower/prophet.

  

  Despite that, Jacob indicates he can’t offer Ricardo absolution for the doctor’s murder, nor can he bring his wife back. What he can do, however, is grant Richard eternal life. I dunno, but it seems like “eternal life” would be right next to “resurrect your loved ones” and “forgiveness” on the God-Mart store shelves.

• Esau gives a dagger to Ricardo to kill Jacob, the same dagger Dogen gave to Sayid to kill Esau several weeks back. The advice is identical as well: “do not let him say a word;” “if he speaks, it’s already too late.”

  

  I could be wrong, but Ben just used a regular old knife to kill Jacob last season, correct? So does this dagger have any special significance or not?

• Lots of significant touching (that’s gonna be the name of my first album) this episode. Esau touches Ricardo in the Black Rock’s hold, signaling to me he has powers similar to Jacob, whether restorative or infecting.

  

  Jacob later touches Ricardo to grant him eternal life (or perhaps it was just a friendly grab of the shoulder).

  

  This may be nothing more than a lack of attention paid on my part, but it appears as if Jacob was able to heal Ilana rapidly after she agrees to help him protect the six remaining candidates. She goes from a bruised-up, heavily-bandaged face to one without a scratch.

  

• And we shouldn’t forget the fact he said there were six remaining candidates; this would then place the scene after Locke’s (the real Locke) death, as there’d be seven candidates if he were still viable (Jack, Hurley, Sawyer, Kate, Sayid, and “Kwon” being the other six).
• The “inside joke” Esau/Locke alluded to when he brought Sawyer to Jacob’s cave some weeks back is referenced tonight when Ricardo gives the Man in Black the white stone we saw resting on one side of the scales in the cave.

  

  I suppose the stone could be a representation of another soldier for Jacob’s side. To Esau’s chagrin, I’m sure.

• During the fireside chat, Sun seems to indicate Ilana told her she was a candidate (meaning the “KWON” scrawled on the cave wall and lighthouse dial refers to her). My memory’s fuzzy on previous weeks, so I’m not sure if this is misunderstanding on Sun’s part or if this is actual confirmation she is the Kwon candidate. Either way, she remains annoying.
• I’m disappointed we didn’t get to meet Captain Magnus Hanso, having to settle instead for his slave-buyer Whitfield, who later meets his end courtesy of Smokey.

  

  We learn the statue of Tawaret was wrecked when the Black Rock crashed into it atop a giant wave on its way inland. Jacob confirmed he brought the Black Rock there; was it also his intention to destroy the majority of the statue?

  

  Recall Tawaret’s significance:

  In Egyptian mythology, Taweret is the Egyptian Goddess of childbirth and fertility. The name “Taweret” means, “she who is great” or simply, “great one.” When paired with another deity, she became the demon-wife of Apep, the original god of evil. However, the Egyptians essentially treated Taweret as a benevolent figure. [Wikipedia]

  This is a bit of a reach, but could the destruction of Tawaret be somehow linked with the difficulties giving birth on the Island in later years?

• Two eye shots to report; one each for Ricardo and Ilana. Much like the many mirror shots backing this season’s flash-sideways theme, the eye shots have long been a device to signal some sort of transition or awareness on the part of our characters. Ilana’s eye shot precedes a visit by Jacob.

  

  Ricardo’s takes place after Smokey pays him a visit and scans his memories.

  

  

• Hurley appears to have fully accepted his ability to commune with the dead, serving as a medium for Isabella to reunite with her long-lost love.

  

  I assume Hurley is still a candidate to replace Jacob, but his actions thus far this season lend themselves more toward a follower/helper than becoming the big cheese. (I’m not sure any of us really expect to see Hurley take on the mantle at season’s end, do we?)

• We see Smokey take on the role of Isabella as his first step in attempting to convert Ricardo to his cause.

  

  While the Island isn’t quite hell, I’m sure it’s comparable for Esau, who’d like nothing more than to escape it.

  I’m wondering if perhaps we saw another avatar-like form for Jacob, in the form of a blue butterfly. I’m not sure it’s the type of thing a writer or director is going to request the computer effects department create unless it has some greater significance.

  

  

  I suppose we could attribute this to Smokey as well, but a butterfly “watching over” Ricardo seems a tad too benevolent for the Man in Black. And speaking of men in black, anyone else immediately think of Smokey when that shady priest entered Ricardo’s cell?

  

  Moreover, where did the Man in Black get Isabella’s cross necklace from?

• Esau refers to himself as “a friend,” as Claire did earlier this season. And his line, “it’s good to see you out of those chains” is the same line Locke/Esau told Richard present day to ensure Richard knew exactly who he really was.
• Another landmark to note: Esau’s Clearing (as I’m dubbing it). Featuring some nifty pillars and a bench, it’s sure to become a vacation destination for travelers everywhere.

  

• Anyone catch the new Sharp Quattro commercial featuring George Takei?

  

  “Oh my!” indeed.

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