Substitute World

SPOILERS AHEAD

Last week, I didn't blog about Lost because the episode "What Kate Does" was a predominantly emotional journey. I'm not looking for 16 episodes of just answers because frankly, I need the downtime. Lost connects with its audience, including me, through emotion. As the plot-lines grow stranger, the show's humanity keeps the viewer engaged and grounded. People were disappointed with the episode, but I appreciate many of the sentimentality episodes, including this Kate-centric episode. Besides, Sayid getting tortured is must see TV.

Before I move onto this week's episode, there are a few things I'd like to discuss from last week... things I found interesting, relevant or notable. Let's start with the theme of the episode as stated by Jin, "who do you care about?" Jin's question reminded me of what Charlie Kaufman kindof told himself in Adaptation, "you are what you love, not what loves you." While Jin was posing the question to Kate, he was stating a fundamental question both on the show. He might as well have been asking the viewer that question.

But, he was blatantly asking Kate who has been torn between Jack and Sawyer (and to a lesser extent, Aaron,) who she chooses. So far, it seems that she cares about whichever one of them she is not with. Sawyer and Kate's complicated relationship is bound to get more complicated with Sawyer becoming newly single and more ornery than ever (and Kate really liking that quality in a man.)

Sure, some of these questions (about who cares about who) were obvious like Jin cares about Sun and Sawyer cares about Juliet, but what about Sayid? Sayid stressed he does not care about who saved him, but rather cares about whom he trusts. And after three years following Jack around, with Jack's countless flubs and missteps, he trusts Jack. And while Jack loves Kate, Sayid knows that Jack cares about everyone too much (or at least he cares about his role in their lives and his responsibility to them.) So, Sayid cares about Jack. And once someone believed in him again, Jack was rose to the occasion. As one of my favorite characters, it's great to see him heroic again for the first time since Season 3.

The other thing that I thought was fascinating in last week's episode was how the Japanese leader, Dogen, was using a typewriter and (I believe) in another scene he was dipping a quill pen in ink (and he used a mortar and pestle.) While they are in the middle of a jungle on an island in the middle of nowhere and in an ancient temple, it's still noteworthy that Dogen made such an effort to demonstrate the antiquity of the temple. I am not sure what to make of the antiques, except that there is something about nostalgia (see also America's pasttime, baseball,) but there also may be some importance about the theme about the juxtaposition of civilization versus the wild.

In "The Subsitute" there was a lot more of the dichotomy of civilization versus the wild. Lots of other recurring themes were discussed, like free will versus fate, and of course, "should I stay or should I go?" And is Sawyer more popular without a shirt or without pants? But, my favorite line in the episode was uttered by Locke to Sawyer in Sawyer's request for answers to his questions. Sawyer is considering shooting Fake Locke, who has long been the show's symbol of the supernatural elements of the show ever since "Walkabout" in Season 1. Fake Locke responds to Sawyer and to all the viewers who are losing patience with the show's complexity and with its supernatural qualities simultaneously: "but you are so close. It would be such a shame to turn back now." Listen folks, after 5 seasons, the ride is almost over, just hang on a little longer and get answers.

What answers did Sawyer get? Not much. He was brought to a cave with some etchings on the wall with the names of the survivors. And that was pretty much all the evidence Fake Locke presented and he weaved a tale about the etchings. That's not much. But, for the viewers, it was much more because we have seen Jacob loom destiny in this lair and we know how Jacob loves making lists (and we get the inside joke about one side is light and one side is dark and tossing the white stone in the water.) We also know that the numbers are important: 4 (Locke), 8 (Hurley), 15 (Sawyer), 16 (Sayid), 23 (Jack), 42 (Kwons). (Why not Kate? That seems kind of sexist.)

Fake Locke's story seems to make sense because we know that Jacob's guards like Bram and Ilana were talking about candidates. So, Fake Locke's story about Jacob's search for candidates to protect of the island holds water. The theory that Jacob wants to keep people on the island makes sense too because well, that's been the point of the Hostiles (the Others) for years. They are trying to protect and preserve the island by maintaining the Island's traffic in a state of inertia, keeping people away, but when they do get on, keeping them on the Island. The one thing that's kind of distressing is that The Man in Black may just be the original Jack, who is trying to lead everyone from his group off the island. (The Man in Black explains that he was human once and complains that he also knows feelings.)

There are a few other notable matters: Fake Locke re-repeated the phrase "Don't tell me what I can't do." (So Fake Locke has more in common with Locke than just Locke's memories and how the real Locke sometimes falls down.) Meanwhile real Locke is happily engaged, but with otherwise similar problems that he had prior to his Australian adventure, like a crappy boss on the verge of being fired, struggling with his limitations and dealing with a crisis of faith (although he has some mysterious relationship with his father.) In that world, Jack (and Helen) represents the magic of miracles, while Rose who was the woman of faith on the island, off the island, brings John back down to earth. (As an aside, Hurley is even more awesome off the Island where he has his stuff together.)

But, what's going on with Alpert? He's lost his cool entirely. Sure, he's been serving a deity who just died and he found out that deity was keeping things from him, another powerful force whom he considers to be evil incarnate has just beaten the crap out of him and he's running terrified, but still... throw some manscara on or some guyliner and put yourself together.

So, Alpert does not seem to know about candidates, but does he know about the rules? In Season 4: "He broke the rules." Ben said that about Widmore when Keamy the mercenary killed Alex (Ben's adopted daughter.) Who made that rule? But, now, a young guy who looks like Jacob has a new rule, "you can't kill him." Who is him? Jacob? Sawyer? Alpert? Who? And who made this rule?

Notably, in the alternate world, the survivors are connected to each other and to the Island. Locke plays the same role he played before his Island adventure, as the fearful doubter even when he pretends to know what he's doing. They are all connecting, but also Locke was teaching reproduction, which is a major problem on the island. Ben was teaching European history, which could help him explain the Black Rock. Though, this would have been an opportune time to bring in science teacher Arzt.

Back to the people I care about: what about Ben? Is Ben a different guy now that he killed Jacob? Ben admitted killing Locke as he eugogolized Locke and apparently regrets killing John... for a moment, I thought Ben was going to cry and realize that John was the closest thing to a friend he's had since Annie, when he was a little kid. So Ben's honest now? Nope, he lied about killing Jacob. It's nice to know that Ben is not changing and he's the still the weaselly liar we all know and love.

It's also notable that Locke episodes tend to be the ones with the best acting. So, Ben and Locke dominated the screen (and Sawyer has gotten a lot better as an actor since the first season too, which is good.)

One final issue from the episode: the title "The Substitute" is probably not a reference to the Tom Berenger action movie, but how cool would that be. More likely, there is the obvious reference to Locke as a substitute teacher and probably as the Man in Black as a substitute power to the power that Jacob wielded. There is also a play on how one of these worlds is a substitute for another. An alternate reality is a substitute reality (and season 5 was about changing history, which is another way of saying, substituting history.)

This was not as thorough as many of my prior analyses, but nonetheless I have deemed it sufficient to post. And so far, unlike some other viewers, I am very pleased with the final season and I'm eagerly anticipating next week's episode and answers to questions. But am I ready to leave the Island with Fake Locke? Heck no. What do you think America?