Quick Hits
- So why did Ben seemingly change his mind and decide to kill Locke? It was prompted by Locke telling him he knew a woman who could help them, and she was in Los Angeles. We all know Eloise Hawking, but how did John find out about her? I don’t recall Richard ever mentioning her, nor any of the Oceanic 6 before they met her last week. Widmore perhaps?
Whatever the case, once Ben finds out about this, Locke had outlived his usefulness. Either Ben just needed to find out where she was, or he didn’t want anyone else knowing about her. I’d at least like to think it’s that simple. Maybe simply knowing Hawking would help them get back to the Island meant Ben knew how it would have to be done: by duplicating the circumstances of Oceanic 815 as closely as possible. That means you need a dead guy in a coffin. Maybe Ben was just being practical! - We confirm Ajira 316 did indeed crash on the Island, though it looks like Frank Lapidus went to the “Sully” Sullenberger Flight Academy, having guided the airliner to a smooth, sliding stop in the jungle with minimal damage and no fatalities.
Despite the weird lack of a paint job, we can surmise it was indeed the Ajira flight based on Locke’s blanket bearing the airline’s logo.
So, certainly different circumstances than Oceanic 815’s crash as a result of the EM pulse emitted by the Swan Station when Desmond let the counter go down to zero.
- The Purge occurred on December 19, 1992 (thank you, Lostpedia), and I’m guessing Ben usurped leadership of the Others from Widmore shortly after that. So, based on Widmore’s comment that he’d been protecting the Island for about three decades, that puts the beginning of his tenure at around 1962. So, when Locke first met Widmore at age 17, Widmore had not yet taken the mantle of Uber-Other. He showed himself to be a violent hothead then, a hothead Richard didn’t seem too pleased with. Was Richard their leader at that point? Doesn’t seem to be his role. Was there someone else leading them?
- Locke’s reverting to a man without purpose is perfectly aided by his return to the wheelchair. A nice touch.
- We’ve seen Hurley painting a wintry landscape of igloos and polar bears in the past, tonight he was doing a watercolor of the Sphinx in Egypt. Why? Don’t know; I’ll leave that to other inquiring minds to figure out.
- Abaddon asked Locke early on if there were any loved ones he wanted to contact. Not taking anything the guy says at face value, I assumed that was to gain leverage on Locke should he ever decide to stop cooperating with Widmore. Alas, Locke’s former fiancee met her end via brain aneurysm in 2006.
Not sure if I want to take that at face value either. Did Ben get to her first? Or am I reaching?
i wonder how kate was allowed to leave l/a. wasn’t part of her court thing that she couldn’t leave l/a…maybe it has something to do with also leaving aaron somewhere.
nice writeup as usual.
I found it interesting that John was left on the ground for Tunisia for so long. Especially since there were cameras and widmore is a rich guy who you’d assume want faster response time. I wonder if there is a reason it took so long to get him help.
Also John was told about hawking by Christian Sheppard before he left the island. That’s how John knew the name.
Yes, you’re right; that slipped my mind.
I forgot to mention the code Widmore gave John to get in touch with him (23) is one of our beloved Numbers.
ai yi yai!!! I am getting more LOST all the time!
I gotta believe that the area between the Euphrates River and so forth, “Mesopotamia” (Babylonia), has to have some biblical references, based upon the writers propensity for such things…the “big foot” seen on the island has to be of Mediterranean origin as well. This whole Tunisia thing must be that connection as well.