"I want to talk to you. I want some answers."
Oh, we do. We do indeed. Did we get them in last night's episode of Lost?
Before we delve into this week's episode, which took a decidedly dark turn, let's linger, if you'll humor me, back at the "Lighthouse," a comparatively happy place where the only smashing that's done is to antique mirrors and rare nautical equipment and not to anyone's head.
We'll get to the bloodshed in a moment, but I'd like to share my favorite overheard Lost theory about the Lighthouse. We saw Jack throw a fit over Jacob's voyeurism and destroy the dials that apparently were windows on the Oceanic survivors' lives. I wish I could claim the following speculation for my own, it's brilliant and if it's not true, I think it should be: the Lighthouse does not belong to Jacob as Hurley and Jack assumed.
You'd think that after five years of this television show, they would have learned not to make assumptions about the island. You'd think we would have learned that as well. Anyway, the theory, you say to me, impatiently — the Lighthouse is not Jacob's. Jacob is not spying on the "candidates." He doesn't have to. He can apparently and quite magically leave the island whenever he wants to and go where and to what time period he wants to. No. The Lighthouse belongs to SchLocke - the Man in Black - trapped on the island.
Jacob gives the errand to Hurley without telling him exactly what he wants him to do (that's so like him!); after all, what would he say? "I want you to go to my Lighthouse and smash up everything inside?" No, Jacob trusts in Jack's heavy-handed ways and knows that Jack's temper will do the job "for free."
Jacob doesn't show up at the Lighthouse until after Jack has accomplished the mission — destroying Smokey's instruments. Like Man in Black not being able to enter the Temple — "if I could do it myself, I wouldn't be asking you, Claire" — Jacob cannot enter the Lighthouse and directs Hurley and Jack to do his dirty work for him. Like I said, I wish I had thought of this. Can't take credit. Just wanted to pass on the possibility.
And speaking of dirty work, let me quote you a terrific old '70s song that might just be rattling around in Jack's head and someday Sayid's as well:
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Article comments
1 - Victor Lana
Kate, this episode threw me at first. When I watched it again, I thought the same thing when Locke promised Sayid "anything." That's a BIG promise from the Smoke Man.
What I am thinking now is that maybe we are going about this all wrong. Perhaps, this is not a battle between good and evil at all, but between two evil forces. I think that it could be that the island is a little bit of hell on Earth, and Jacob and Shlocke are competing for the title of top dog.
Remember Milton's Satan said, "Better to rule in hell than serve in heaven." Indeed!!!
2 - Kate Shea Kennon
Hi Victor: Thanks for reading and commenting! It was interesting that we don't see Locke promise anything: he just asks "what if." We actually haven't seen Locke fulfill any of his promises (have we?) while we have seen Jacob fulfill his, as demanding as they were. It's all very Miltonian, as you say!
I'm not sure that Jacob is evil per se, but he can be a harsh partner in a deal - very Old Testament. I've been playing with the idea that he and Smokey are ego and id which would make them the same person, of course. This leaves superego, but there is someone (or plural as Jacob indicated) still coming to the island. So perhaps we have been looking at this all wrong - not a duality but a trinity. Too bad there's nothing to write about in that motif. Thanks again!