Seriously, listening to Sayid talk to him the last couple of episodes has been like listening to myself talk to my 18-month-old.

"John? What are you doing? No, John! Don't touch that! Put it down! That's a bad John! John?"

2) Jack has been brainwashed

3) That's not Jack

4) The Others "broke it down" for Jack and he decided to join them freely

5) He's just passing the time with the pigskin until Ben recovers and the Others allow him to leave the island.

6) Time-warp-clone-blackhole-spac e-alien-madness

I could see Locke, who is crafty yet somewhat simple in his approach to complex problems, coming to the conclusion that, witht he Others out of the way, the Losties might not be trying quite so desperately to find a way off the island.

It would be just like Locke (the one we've always known) to formulate a complex and indirect plan to acheive this relatively simple end. And I'd be fine with that.

1. Someone attacking another talkbacker as illogical and pathetically stupid would try to be clever by changing his target's name to make it sound like poop. Good one, dude. You really got him there.

2. Jaka's ranting about a the quality of a show, while still watching it and PnwedByStallone's reply are remarkably similar to posts by PwnedByStallone and many people on the Heroes talkbacks. Slightly hypocritical, don't ya think?

Just because Locke blew up the building on purpose, doesn't mean it was teh smart thing to do.

That said, even if tonight's episode blows goats, there's no way in heaven, hell or the man-made purgatory that is The Island that I'm going to miss Take A Shit Guy's flashback. He is my hero.

He must be all kinds of man, though, for Exposition girl to wait patiently for him and explain everything to his stinky ass when he gets back from the crapper.

Again - My hero.

The "Anthony Cooper is the Real Sawyer" thing - I like this idea, and if you remember waaaay back in S1 there was an odd scene where Locke asks Sawyer, "So James... Why did you pick the name Sawyer?", to which he doesn't really reply and Locke gets that silly/sly grin of his on. Always made me think he knew Papa Coop used the alias Sawyer before.

I saw those promo pics of Nikki/Paulo/Claire etc, and I have to admit that it would be a weird route to go, replacing R&B. But, who's to say what repercussions there were after Des got clocked with a baseball bat instead of the bartender. And he was ranting like a loon at Charlie, talking about the Island. If we believe that Des did indeed travel back in time and alter his path slightly, then anyone he made contact with would be subject to an altered destiny as well. I.e., Charlie who now must die for some reason. I'm not sure I really like that they decided to throw time travel in the mix, but I feel like part of it is the fact that they have to stretch things out if they wanna make a 5 season show run for 7 seasons. 50 extra episodes is a bitch to stretch out. Fucking ABC cashwhores.

Ahem. Anyway... The thing about Locke's momentary paralysis back in S1... That was while he was trying to open the hatch, right? Which is NOT where he was supposed to be going. He was SUPPOSED to stumble across the plane and find the Pearl. Boone changed that when he pussed out and decided to go back, which resulted in finding the hatch door. So, the Island sends him the vision of the plane, and says "THAT'S where you gotta go. GO THERE, or I'mma take yo' legs, boy!" (not sure why the Island is an cranky old black man in my head, but bear with me) So he finds the plane and his legs give out, RIGHT at the door to the Pearl. But he's not focusing on the Pearl, he wants to get into the Swan so badly he can taste it. Thus, the Island showed him the blast door map and used Eko to nudge him in the right direction. Which leads us to the next question, which would be "Why did the Island want Locke to find the Pearl?" Obviously there's more to it than just some TV's. Or even more to see. I wish they hadn't left just because Eko died. Alas.

Oh yea, and so people don't think I'm a 'plant' or some such garbage.... Lost fucked up! THEY TOTALLY FORGOTZ0RZ ABOUT THE PART ABOUT THEM BEING STUCK ON AN ISLAND SO THAT PROVES THAT THEY WRITREEZZ ARE TEH SUCK AN DONT KNO NOTHIN BOUT WHATS UP OR NOTHIN!!

AND! I! LIKE! TO! SCREAM! ALOT! Oh, one last thing... could we collectively stop posting the episode synopsis' in the talkback? Come on. Can't you just link to it with a super clever title like "EPISODE SYNOPSIS HERE: link". Thanks. Unless you posted the synopsis because you 'hatez teh l0st whik haz gumpd teh shurk!!!!11' and think you're being funny, which I assure you, you're not. Nor will you ever be.

Ok, now that that's off my chest, bring on the inevitable flames! Haha, kudos to Pwned for chiding everyone who is going to freak out regardless of what happens tonight. Nip it in the bud man, I'm with ya. I guarantee it won't be specifically what I had in my head (psychosomatic trauma from his inability to save someone from harm - perhaps Helen? thus resulting in a total loss of confidence manifested in his legs becoming "paralyzed") but I'm sure it'll be entertaining.

And yea, I'm psyched about TASG and Hotness's flashback. Any flashback that takes place on the island is bound to be fucking asburdly cool. The Tailie flashback, the Desmond flashback... Hopefully the next Juliet flashback will be on Island too. I always hoped as the series went on they would phase out the "character backstory" elements for the characters we know all about and start showing us shit we've seen on Island from a different perspective. Sooo looking forward to the Charlie episode where he remembers what happened before he got strung up.

Ok, I think that's enough for now.

That, or the people who don't have an X-Ray machine cloned a full grown human being in three days. o_O;; It's not just me, that does sound asinine, right?

BATMANUEL!!!

Oh, and one last thing... JacobisBernardisPaulowhotookas hitonDesmondinthefuture.

Death Note rules. ^_^ I fuckin' love Wednesdays.

oh hell

http://tinyurl.com/2gj4n4

That would be from Season 1, Episode 22 "Born to Run". First episode I checked actually. Want some more?

Blurry as shit, but I believe that red splotch would be the "clone tattoo". Season 1, Episode 5 "White Rabbit". Wanna bet there'll be more?

http://tinyurl.com/29n39m

They do a pretty damn good job of not making it extremely visible in most shots. I had to search a whole 5 minutes to find that first shot. Probably so they can sucker people into a red herring by blatantly displaying it at a later point.

But yea. It's always been there.

Dave - 1

Cloners - Big fat ZERO.

Charlie to Locke in "Further Instructions" - "As amusing as the 'mute game' invariably is, you are aware, John, that I *detest* you, aren't you? You do remember repeatedly punching me in the face and accusing me of using heroin when I was *not*?"

Charlie and Locke have had some of the best interactions on this whole show, consistently.

WOW, that had me on the FLOOR. What. the. bananas. They're just two WILD AND CRAAAZZZY GUYS!

Come on, own up boys. Playtime is over. Shoulda done some research before you start pulling shit out of your asses.

Although, to be fair, even Lostpedia has a new thing under the "Jack's Tattoo" thread about "What is the new red tattoo on Jack's arm?". Unless one of you punks started it, obviously there are others who were just as easily fooled.

Geez, guys. I'm a stoner, I'm SUPPOSED to have a lousy memory. Yet still do I pwn thee. Take it and weep for your beloved clonefuckjacktwinwhatever bullshit.

Way to backtrack, shitheap. I know you have a rusty cheese grater for a brain, but remember how this started? I said "There are no clones!" because I am a well-informed Lost fanatic, and you said "WELL THANKS FUCKER AREN'T YOU SO SMART I GUESS IT'S OBVIOUS" and were all snarky about it. You did what I like to refer to as "poking the bear".

Don't go whining like a little bitch about "but but but but it's just a taaaalkbaaaaack *sniffle*" when the bear gets up and WHAPS YOU IN THE FACE. It's kinda the punishment for poking him in the first place.

See, the proper way to respond when you get thoroughly PWNED is to bow your head in shame and admit defeat. You've decided to continue being snarky.

The bear does not appreciate this.

Not that I, like, care and stuff. 'cuz like, it's just a talkback. It's not like, you know, a conversation with other human beings. I mean, we're ALL clones, aren't we? Or are we twins with matching tattoos? Ahh, who cares anymore. I pwned you and I'm satisfied and my mommy loves me just the way I am.

She says I'm SPECIAL, so FUCK OFF, NERFHERDER! =D

Although, re: the rain thing, I've read that in a jungle like that you can usually hear the rain coming from about a half-mile away or so, from the noise it makes on the canopy if I remember correctly.

Yea, Locke is a devious fucker. You watch, Rolande. We'll see if Locke turns out to be more of an Evil Motherfucker in the end than Obi-wan was.

You seem to be too interested in what I have to say to realize that this is the kind of shit I *live* for. Sure, call me shallow and narcissistic. I love pwning snotty little bitches that think they know it all without putting in the time and effort to validate what the fuck they're saying. Just plain lazy, from where I'm sitting.

Hah, this reminds me of the end of Stand by Me.

"What are you gonna do, kid, pwn us all?"

"Just you, Dooku. Just you."

And, might I add, there certainly was a classier route than what was essentially a "your mom" retort. Be a little more creative next time, or this is going to get boring.

Locke's a great character, I love him one episode, detest him the next. Like him, I'm still looking for answers, and I am dissappointed more often than not while watching this show, but this one did ok.

I'll go clean up now and fix us some dinner. I know, I know you're sorry.

Don't hit me!

No, actually I think it's just that watching Death Note gives me this incredible urge to have a witty duel.

Sadly, I have to settle for you. Like I said, unless you start getting creative, this is going to get boring. And it just did. Enjoy the show, though.

Use it. It's yours.

YOWZA!

Lends serious credibility to the idea that Cooper is the O.G. Sawyer. WOW. Can't wait until they meet. Unless Sawyer dies next week?

...Naaaaah.

question- anyone think Locke's name is significant?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J ohn_locke

YEA.

the whole thing was staged to get Locke to the island.

Maybe just maybe Locke was on Jacob's list and just needed something to motive John from gatherer to Hunter

Remember the episode with the cop kid that for some reason reminded me of Giovinni Ribisi but wasnt' with Locke and the magic jesus stick

remember what it took to get Juilet to the island...to get someone to the island you have to strip them of everything they had, to keep them you have to give them a reason to keep them there...an illusion

and actually I thought that Ben (btw did John ever call him Ben? He wouldn't have known his name unless Kate told him...but I digress) anyways I thought Ben's rational was perfectly logical and couteractive to Locke's logic. Look at what Alex said "he maniuplates people so he can get what he wants" You knew from the beginning that Ben didn't want Jack and Juliet to leave, he just needed someone to do it...a scapegoat if you will...Locke goes at things stright forward Ben maniuplates and gets others to do things for him

BTW what kind of realtionship does he [Ben] have with Richard that he would say all that in front of him, Ben must trust Richard explicitly...perhaps another that was born and lived his entier life on the island? Ok now I'm just throwing stuff out here

perhaps this is a little too much of going Anakin with Locke but the Others know a lot about Locke and our beloved Lostiesbut seemingly more about Locke, I think he was meant to be on the Island, now about Coooper, obviously at one point he was in Talahasse and either a)attempted to screw over Ben or b)attempted to screw over another other and well you dont' do that thus retubution

now what will that mean for Penalope? She has discovered the Island the Others (or at least Ben) and Locke don't want to be known...at one point will John kill her? hmmmm

man, I'm getitng as bad as David on these things

I don't think they simply found Locke's dad and brought him to the island. That doesn't have anything to do with a "magic box".

I'm kidding of course

Hardest ownage of these gay ass haters that come week after week and flame this show. Fuck them, Lost just gave them the massive finger

Now, this was hands down the best episode this season. I can't believe what I just saw. Michael Emmerson as Ben is as brilliant as ever, the scenes with him and Locke were golden. The seeds of doubt have been sown for Alex, it's gonna be crazy when she learns out the truth about her mother. I loved everything about this episode. Anthony Cooper is one evil bastard.

So if Ben would have prevented Juliet and Jack from leaving, it would have sent a BIG message to the rest of the Others. It would have told them that they are not as free to leave as they thought and chaos would have ensued. Ben couldn't just kill them or blackmail them either or it would have had the same effect. So I can now see exactly why he needed Locke to blow up that submarine. He didn't plan it though, not until Locke showed up. He was lucky.

I avoided the talkback all night so that I wouldn't be spoiled and I have to say I wasn't disappointed. Locke's fall was startling and simple, but pretty perfect, and the final reveal (though I sort of guessed it moments before we saw it) was a great "holy shit" moment and did indeed seem to be an Alias season 1 finale shout out. To be honest I thought people would bitch about how his falling was anti-climactic but I'm glad to see that this episode was so well recieved.

What I liked about Locke's character (for most of the show's run so far) is that the flashbacks depicted a different man than we knew on the island. In many ways, a weaker more ineffectual man (and not just because he was in a wheelchair for some of those flashbacks).

Locke is really the only character I've gotten a sense of rebirth from on the island (except maybe Sayid, but his rebirth/redemption as a character hasn't been as drastic, magical or intriguing). But now we know that however clever/crafty Locke thinks he's being, he's always going to be one step (or more) behind the guys trying to take advantage of him.

As well written as the episode was, I don't see Locke's character recovering from the damage the writers have done to him. It will take a whole lot to get me to respect him again.

Sawyer should've had a rebirth by now, but I honestly don't see his character changing now if it hasn't already. It would feel very contrived at this point.

Charlie is like George Carlin or Chevy Chase. He may be clean and sober now, but he's far less interesting.

Hurley's bad luck is gone because he fixed a van? That episode still angers me. And with or without bad luck, Hurley's the same guy he always was.

Locke's always been the most interesting horse in this race (except for that time in season two when Ecko's character became so compelling and seemed destined for dramatic change until they unceremoniously killed him off). Now the writers have hobbled Locke. And you know what they do with lame horses, right?

As of now, Desmond is the one keeping me interested in the Island mythos and Paulo (still, I think, one of the most cleverly conceived characters in the history of TV) is providing the side of entertainment.

Ever since season 1, Charlie's thing has been that he hasn't been able to take care of anyone, flashbacks AND on the island, and he's always out to prove it and he usually fails (though he did save aaron in S1). Off topic, but it just occurred to me.

Oh and just for those who keep arguing about the questions if the writer's have it planned or not... Of course they don't have it all planned. They may know some things like the Jack/Claire and possible Sawyer/Cooper connections. But not every detail is planned out. Look at how they don't go back to certain holes like Walt's apparition in the forest and Rousseau stealing Claire's baby. Maybe this season is starting to change that, they are answering past issues (like next week with Charlie's kidnapping of Sun). Hopefully, this trend will continue.

It took me a while to figure it out, but it's all playing out very much like that eh.

What did he do? drive the sub away and just blow up the water?...don't be so silly.

Also, I think the Incident accidentally made a wish/created a fate for the world. And since then, the universe has been course correcting itself to bring about that fate. And what we are seeing on the show are the final months before this fate is realized.

The plane crashed on the island, and everything else that has happened, needed to happen in order for the universe to realize this fate as part of a cause and effect chain. The characters on the show NEED to be on that island and they NEED to have their personalities so they make certain decisions. That's why the flashbacks are so necessary. They have been shaped by the experiences of their past so that they will eventually do certain things on the island that will bring about whatever wish was made about the fate of the world.

And this is tricky to explain: that's why there are so many seemingly inconsequential relationships among the characters in their pasts. Because these coincidences are the very beginnings of the course correction. From our perspective they don't seem to be necessary to cause anything to happen, but the universe is working in ways more advanced than we can observe.

As the "So Juliet's sister is really a man?" debate is to "Not In Portland."...

As the "So Tom is gay?" debate is to "A Tale of Two Cities"

Just like if you put a car on cruise control, there's no guarantee it will go straight forever if you take your hands off the wheel. Outside forces affect vehicles.

As for finding their way back to the mainland, Ben explained that if you followed a certain compass heading, you'd get out of the anomoly last season.

Ok... Sooo... First things first: Locke fell backwards, dude in the building in "Numbers" was face down.

#2 - Why does Kate's horse HAVE to be Smokey? We know there are horses on the Island. Is one black horse really that different from another? I'm not saying it isn't, but it's not as definitive as Yemi, who in my mind is the only DEFINITE form Smokey has taken, and also the only Body that was DEFINITELY moved from where it was left (Jack's dad doesn't count as A) It could have been a hallucination and B) We don't know the body was in the casket in the first place).

I've always always ALWAYS believed there were more than one entity, based on the tennis match they watch in the first episode. SMASH, look far left, SMASH, look far right, SMASH, look far left... seems like two big smashy things to me.

More on Hurley - Hurley has NEVER had bad luck. In fact, he has the BEST luck. Nothing bad EVER happens to him. However, everyone AROUND him gets a shit storm. In 'Numbers', he walks across the bridge and is fine. Charlie, who is probably less than HALF his weight tries it and it snaps like a twig (yet ANOTHER near death for Charlie).

If the Mittelos Bioscience website is canon, then the food drops come from a THIRD Island which is a bit further than Hydra Island, but close enough to be contained within whatever 'cloak' or 'force' there is that is keeping the Island hidden. What was it Ben said in the Swan... "Not even God can see this Island."?

LOVE the djinn idea, my only problem has always been that "djinni" don't fall under any kind of "pseudo-science" I've ever heard of. But I would be totally stoked if they did it anyway, heh.

What else was there.. Oh. Yea. Cooper is not Smokey. What the hell purpose would that serve? "We have a giant amorphous cloud that can shape shift and fly and smash people and become anything you can dream of. So we had it transform into your dad and tied it to a chair." Seriously, if the Others had complete control over Smokey like that, then NOTHING they've done would make ANY sense.

I'm gonna borrow a page from Mr.X here.. You have a swirling black cloud that will do anything and everything you tell it to. Do you A) Have it play around in the jungle all day until you need it to turn into some dude's kidney stealing conman father, B) Use it to get the spinal surgeon you need to save your life C) Trek across the Island and get shot with an arrow and tortured and then have your friends blackmail a dude into killing some people to get you out?

They. don't. control. it.

And Locke blew up the sub because it was offending the Island. Just like all the hatches. Maybe. o_O; But I'm pretty sure he actually blew it up. I really don't think you can pilot a submarine single handedly. They do tend to need crews on those things.

One final (for this post, heh) point: No, Locke was not a Submarine Commander unless he was playing Battleship. Randy looked him up waaaaay back in 'Walkabout' and there was no record of him ever being in any branch of the armed forces. Actually, they made a specific point of mentioning that, I think so that we would understand that he's a badass because he learned to be a badass on his own, not from any type of training.

Or, his next flashback will be after Helen left him and before the accident, when he was Jack Bauer's partner in black ops.

You never know. Jesus, this took a lot out of me. I'm gonna make some dinner, dayum.

Don't worry, I'm sure I'll find cause to nitpick more shit later. It's what I do.

Tom was shouting Ben's name as he was knocking on the door (when John had Alex captive). That could be how John learnt his name, if he didn't know it before.

I would never presume to say that Cooper couldn't be inherently connected to Smokey, since as you say we have no idea of what it truly is or represents. I'm just saying that it would be silly to have this great powerful smoke monster be 'playing dead' so to speak in order to get to Locke - which it could have easily done at any time while they were trekking across the Island. Judging from your response, I'd say we're in complete agreement. =D

Weird, eh? What's that all aboot?

Unless he meant Ontario, California. But I like the Canadia angle better.

1) it's a something

and 2) that something exists in physical space.

Of course, there is more that can be speculatively pulled from things Lindelof and Cuse have said (that Yemi speaking to Eko was more or less "the monster" speaking to him) which would suggest some sort of shapeshifting.

Could it have all been in his head? Sure, but I like it better to believe what they show is what's truly happening, that if we were there standing on the sidelines, we'd see just what they're seeing.

But to each his own. One of the reasons why this show is so great: people can interpret many different things from it, new thoughts and ideas that wouldn't have occured otherwise... Right, wrong, whatever... it's all really fascinating to me, and add in a great cast, good writers, and lush Island beauty, especially in HD... mmmmm tropical Island show... Just that is enough to make me want to drool all over the TV everytime it comes on.

And the SCORE!! The music is the best part of the show. Fuck all the mysteries. Give me shots of Hawaii in HD with Michael Giacchino music over top and I'll watch it. It might not be as mind bending, but hey.

Sorry, this turned into a weird stoner rant about how great Lost is. Continue on with your lives.

o_O;

I never believed it myself (still don't), but I believe Gregg Nations over on the Fuselage confirmed that the "?" was indeed the Pearl station. Would be much cooler if it wasn't, but supposedly it was. Oh well.

My thoughts on Cooper: They're obviously making a connection between Cooper and Widmore through the whiskey. I think Cooper tried to con Widmore (a very, VERY rich man), but finally got caught in the act. So, Widmore gets rid of him by dumping him on the Island.

I think Widmore, Sun's father, and Alvar Hanso are all interconnected with eachother and the Island. I wouldn't be surprised if Charles Widmore himself doesn't pop up sooner or later. Mr. Paik, too. Get all these bastard fathers together for a heaping dose of cosmic karmic retribution.

It's been said before, but I'll say it again: these talkbacks are really, REALLY poorly designed. Get someone who knows CSS to revamp this shit!

I'm still pretty sure he blew it up. It's really dark, but I can just see the outline of the sub next to the dock as Locke's walking away from it. Besides that, there's the whole logistical problem of how he could pilot a sub singlehandedly, but stranger things have happened(?)

Yea, I know. But look it up. Microtechnology.

Ben wanted Jack. He needed Kate as leverage to keep Jack in line. He needed Sawyer as leverage to keep Kate in line. Then, he puts Sawyer and Kate together to give Jack a reason to stay with them. He even let Jack out of his cage JUST so he could see it happen.

"I want you to want to help me."

And Hurley was the messenger to go back and inform Locke that he shouldn't go and rescue them, which is exactly what Ben knew he would do.

"Don't tell me what I can't do!"

Everything is part of Ben's plan. He's a friggin' evil genius mastermind.

http://tinyurl.com/2p7ah7

that he does indeed still have arms. We'll have to wait and see about hands being attached to those arms, but... ;P