Explaining LOST - The Incident

“The Incident Part I & II”

 

Okay everyone. It’s been two weeks since the LOST Season Five finale aired. I’ve waited two weeks to revisit and do this write-up, because honestly, I was worried if you could mentally handle it. When I say “you” I really mean “I.” This was an amazing finale and I decided for this write-up, I’m not going to hold back on my inner LOST geek. Yet me show my true colors. (As if this wasn’t stream of consciousness writing enough.)

 So first image we see are pots. It’s Jacob. BAM! How did I know that? For we saw like that in Jacob’s cabin back in Season Three. So truly a second into this episode, I’m freaking out. He’s working on some weird loom thing. He’s in some big place with fire and a bigger loom thing. You can tell I really did the research for this one. He’s making…something. His character score is fantastic by the way. Then Jacob goes fishing because he’s awesome like that. He catches a fish with ease. I don’t know if it’s a red herring, but I really hope it is. As he’s making a fine little meal he looks out and see a big ole ship. OH MY GOD IT’S THE BLACK ROCK. Then another dude shows up. Who’s this guy? He’s wearing a black shirt when Jacob’s wearing a white one. He says he’s here because of the boat. Then he says that Jacob brought them there. What?!? So Other Dude says you’re still trying to prove me wrong. What?!? Other dude says “The come, fight, destroy and corrupt. It all ends the same.” Then Jacob says “It only ends once. Everything else is progress.” WHAT?!? Then Other Dude says “You know how badly I want to kill you? One of these days I’ll find a loophole.” WHAT?!? Then he leaves and then the camera pans up to reveal the four toed statue in its entirety. HOLY CRAP!

So that was one of the best scenes ever on LOST. So much so that I am going to spend another paragraph on it. You better accept it, folks, this is going to take awhile. Okay so all the way back on the pilot episode, John Locke had his very first scene with Walt. He’s sitting on the beach wanting to play backgammon. So he’s explaining to Walt how to play by saying this: “Backgammon is the oldest game in the world….Two players. Two sides. One is light. One is dark.” That’s what’s going on here with Jacob and Other Dude. Does this mean Jacob is good and Other Dude is evil? I’m not sure. It seems more beyond that. As we’ll see more in this episode, Jacob is a believer in free will and Other Dude is a believer in destiny. And so the statue. ABC has confirmed what the statue is supposed to represent. It’s Taweret. So who’s that? According to Wikipedia, Taweret isn’t something you want to have in your house. It was a composite of all thing things Egyptians feared: Body of a hippo, arms/legs of a lion and back of a crocodile. Also if it’s paired with another deity she’s the original god of evil. Great.

So the next scene is in the Midwest. It’s young Kate and young Tom. Why do I know that? For young Tom is playing with a  small toy airplane. This is the airplane that Kate broke into a bank trying to get. It belonged to her childhood sweetheart, Tom, who ultimately died when he helped Kate escape the police. Anywho, so they’re at a gas station and young Kate puts a New Kids on the Block lunch box into her bag. Why? First off, why New Kids on the Block? Secondly your bag is the same size as that box. Just put your lunch in there. It’s a whole lot cooler than New Kids on the Block. I don’t care what decade you’re in. So of course they get busted because stealing is bad or something. So the store owner is about to call the cops when Jacob offers to pay for the lunch fox. WHOA! He leans down and tells her to be good and touches her nose. Hmmmm.

Back in the main plotline, the better CGI looking sub is leaving. Kate is trying to convince Sawyer and Juliet to leave the sub and help her stop Jack from blowing up the island. Sawyer says nope. Meanwhile Jack, Sayid, Richard, and Eloise are trying to figure out how to move Jughead. Sayid reads Faraday’s journal and says they can take out the core of the bomb and just move that. They only have two hours until the incident. Further meanwhile Radzinsky is yelling at Chang because Chang wants to stop the progress on the Swan station. By the way, Radzinsky is wearing all black and Chang is wearing all white. So the drill is started up again because Radzinsky yells louder than Chang.

Thirty years later, Locke, Sun, Richard, Ben, and the rest of the Others are traveling to see Jacob. While taking a break, Richard nervously asks Locke how he’s alive. Locke says Richard should have a better explanation since he doesn’t age and all. Richard says he is this way because of Jacob. Locke says me too and by the way we need to stop the Ajira people.

Oh yeah, there they are. The Ajira people sail to shore with a big ole box and Lapidus. The annoying Ajira dude, Bram, wonders if Lapidus would be a candidate. For what? They’re not telling. They will tell Lapidus what’s in their giant box. He looks in and mutters “Terrific.” What is it? I know, but I’m not telling yet.

Next flashback is at a funeral. It’s Sawyer’s parents’ funeral. For remember his dad killed his mom and then shot himself because he was massively conned by Locke’s real dad. So he takes on the fake name Sawyer and vowed to track down the real Sawyer. Then Jacob shows up! He gives Sawyer the pen in order to write the infamous note he will deliver to the real Sawyer. When he hands off the pen, they physically touch. Hmmmmm. Then Sawyer’s uncle tried to discourage him from seeking revenge in a scene that goes on too long.

Back on the sub, Sawyer decides to be stubborn and refuses to get off the sub. So of course Juliet beats up one of the sub dudes and breaks free. Juliet pulls a gun on the sub’s captain and tells him to resurface to drop them off and then they can skedaddle. Back in the underground tunnels, they remove the core of the bomb. Richard asks Jack as question. He doesn’t think that Locke really looks special from the times he’s visited him off island. Jack says “I wouldn’t give up on him.” That’s so interesting. Back in 2008, Locke playfully asks why Ben hasn’t told Richard that he is going to kill Jacob. Turns out Ben is basically afraid of Locke and will do whatever he says. So Locke says that Ben has to be the one to kill Jacob. This truly isn’t like any other show on TV.

In another flashback, Sayid is walking with Nadia. They are smiling and talking about their anniversary. They are starting to cross the street when Jacob asks Sayid for directions. WHOA! Yeah I’m still impressed about seeing him even during the third time. So many of us knew what was going to happen next. Nadia gets hit by a car and died. Yet Jacob prevented it from hitting Sayid too. Also this was the first post-Oceanic visit we’ve seen from Jacob. Also Jacob physically touched Sayid when he asked for directions. Hmmmmm. Oh and it’s an incredibly emotional scene.

Cut to Sayid packing up the core of the bomb proving that he now has nothing to lose. Richard leads the way and axes his way through a secret stone wall.  Then he knocks out Eloise in order to protect her from danger. Richard’s awesome. So Jack and Sayid don Dharma jumpsuits and try to hide in plain sight. Yet Ben’s dad appropriately identifies Sayid as a terrorist and shoots him in the gut. Whoa. So everyone starts shooting. How are they going to escape? Hurley pulls up with the (Ooo ooo) Dharma bus and rescues them. Just like Season Three…

 So the sub gives Kate, Juliet, and Sawyer a raft and they sail back to the island. Just like Season Two…So they arrive on shore and Vincent the dog runs to them. What? Ha. It’s Rose and Moses beard Bernard. They’re annoyed they’ve been found. It turns out Rose and Bernard wanted to remain hidden. They’re retired. I love the line that Rose has “We travel 30 years back in time and you’re still finding ways to shoot each other.” It really makes certain things seem trivial at times, but Kate and Sawyer weren’t discouraged. Juliet….maybe.

Back in 2008, Lapidus regrets looking into the box. Bram tells him “We’re the good guys.” Lapidus replies “People who go out of the way to tell you they’re the good guys are the bad guys.” That’s funny because that’s exactly what Ben said at the end of Season Two. That they were the good guys. So they arrive at Jacob’s cabin and Ilana is very nervous about the ring of ash being broken. Uh, sure, me too. Yet she gets a flashback as well where she’s so bandaged up she looks like the Invisible Woman except, of course, one eye is not covered. Then Jacob shows up! Still cool. She recognizes him as they speak in some language. He says he needs her help. She accepts. So then she goes into the cabin and it looks destroyed. Everything’s knocked over except for this weird paper that is stuck on the wall with a knife. This freaks out Ilana and she bails. She says someone else has been using the cabin. So they torch the place. What? The paper has a picture of Taweret. So off they go to the statue with their big ole box.

Another flashback then occurs. Jacob is sitting on a bench reading Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flannery O’Conner. Okay so it’s another book I have to one day read. Nothing wrong here. Then Locke falls out of the window behind him! This causes Jacob to mark his page and casually walk over to him. He grabs Locke’s shoulder and at that moment Locke started breathing again. Whoa.

Back in 2008, Locke and the Others arrives at their old camp on the beach. They decide to take a short break. Locke sits down next to Ben. Locke mentions how they are sitting next to wreckage from the hatch where their first met. This episode really is a call back to the whole series. He then asks what really happened the first time they were in Jacob’s cabin back in Season Three. Turns out Ben really did lie about talking to Jacob then. Yet he was very shocked when things started tossing around the room. He did it out of embarrassment. Then Locke brings up some valid points about how despite Ben’s loyal service, he has had cancer and his daughter die. So why wouldn’t he want to kill Jacob?

Then a fantastic scene occurred. Sun walked over and found Aaron’s crib. She puts it back up and finds the Drivshaft ring that Charlie left for Aaron right before he left to die. This leads to another flashback; this time it’s Sun and Jin’s wedding. I may be wrong, but this is the only scene they’ve had together all season. He has a great mini-speech about how being away from her would be terrible. Then of course who wishes them a happy marriage? Jacob, while touching their shoulders and speaking excellent Korean according to Jin. 

Back in the van, Sayid is losing a lot of blood. They are racing to get to the Swan but they are stopped by Sawer, Juliet and Kate who all have guns. And that’s the end of Part I. Oh yeah.

Part II starts up with the Others arriving at the four toed statue. It’s weird only seeing the foot when the last hour opened with the completed version. Still no idea how it got destroyed. Turns out that is where Jacob lives. Back at the van, Sawyer demands five minutes with Jack. He agrees. Another flashback but this time with Jack. That’s right I’m going with three different decades this paragraph. Jack is in surgery with his father. He accidently cut his patient dorsal sac and his father tells him to count to five. Yes, this was the story Jack told Kate back in the very first episode of the series. After Jack does that he tries to get an Apollo bar from the candy machine. It got stuck. Sadness. Jack scolds his father for embarrassing him and then Jacob appears with Jack’s candy bar. He physically touches Jack when he hands it off. Hmmm….

Back on the island, Sawyer tells Jack the story of how his parents died. The twist is that actually happened one year ago. He could have stopped his father from doing anything; what’s done is done. Jack says it doesn’t have to be this way. So what does Jack regret most of all? Kate. Goddamn Kate. He says it’s too late to get her back now so he’s gotta change the timeline. Sawyer realizes he can’t change Jack’s mind so he has to beat him to death. This was a vicious fight including Sawyer kicking Jack in the groin. Jack is truly seconds away from dying when Juliet walks in. Turns out she has changed her mind. Women. So Juliet gets a flashback now. Her parents are getting a divorce. Young Juliet is very upset about the concept of people not being together who are supposed to be. Then Jacob…doesn’t show up. Wait what does that mean?

So back in 1977, Sawyer wants answers. Juliet is emotionally devastated. Even though she loves Sawyer she knows she can’t be with him. She saw the way he looked at Kate and she knows they can’t have that life. So she wants the pain to be erased. Elizabeth Mitchell is such a good actress. Anywho, Radzinsky is continuing to be a jerk by drilling despite some stuff going off the charts. So Phil tells Radzinsky about Jack and the gang coming their way. So Phil is getting some guys and guns. Meanwhile, Kate is helping Jack with his cuts and bruises. Just like Season One… Kate finally revealed to Jack that she came back to save Claire. Jack says if they press reset then Claire won’t come to the island. He needs her to believe him. She actually does.

Another flashback time! This time it’s Hurley getting out of prison. So this flashback is actually from this season. He doesn’t want to leave but they force him. He gets in a cab that’s also occupied by Jacob and a giant guitar case! Whoa! Hurley asks why he’s there. Jacob says he was waiting for you. Hurley figures he’s dead, but Jacob says “I’m definitely not dead.” Jacob offers this great suggestion to Hurley: What if you’re not cursed but blessed. He gets the opportunity to talk to everyone who has left him. Then Jacob tells him about Ajira flight 316 and physically touches him and gives him the guitar. Hmmmm….

Back at the van, Jack puts on the pack with the bomb in it. Sayid is seriously on the brink of death so he just lies next to the van. Jack runs into Sawyer again (Awkward!) and tells him “I’ll see you in Los Angeles.”

Back in 2008, the Others are camped outside the statue. So Richard, Locke and Ben walk up to the statue. Richard doesn’t want Ben to be there, but Locke insists. Richard pushes on a secret door at the base of the statue and then leaves. Locke hands Ben a knife and Ben accepts it.

Meanwhile Sayid is still dying. Also Miles brings up the $1,000,000 question. What if Jack’s nuke is what causes the Incident they are trying to prevent. None of them have answers. Yet they do see Phil and the troops go towards the Swan. Sawyer asks Juliet if she’s game. She says “Live together die alone” which is said all the time on this show. So everyone’s freaking out at the Swan. Jack’s plan is walk and crouch. Genius. Phil sees past this perfect plane and starts shooting. Yeah shoot at the nuke. Radzinsky continues to be annoying. Then the (Ooo ooo) Dharma bus arrives! Everyone is shooting everyone. Jack is able to sneak closer to the drill. Sawyer holds Phil hostage which gets everyone to put down their guns. Chang tries to turn off the drill, but the energy is drawing the drill closer. Jack holds the nuke over the edge and chills go down the spine of everyone who’s watching. The music is really powerful and the cast members all look at each other and he drops it.

Yet…nothing happens. Well that’s not good. Then everything goes to hell. Steam rises up and every metal object is flying towards the hole. Like the entire freakin’ drill. Chang gets his left arm trapped and that solves the mystery of how he has a fake arm. People keep getting knocked out by flying objects. Radzinsky escapes unfortunately although his car gets flipped. Phil is about to shoot Sawyer but a giant pole goes through him. Nice. Juliet gets caught by a chain and gets pulled into the hole. Sawyer grabs her arm but the chain is still wrapped around her. In one of the most emotional moments of the entire series, Juliet falls.

Meanwhile there’s another powerful crisis going on. The Ajira people arrive at the statue. Ilana asks for a man named Ricardos. Richard steps forward and actually knows what lies in the statue. Of course he answers in Latin. (He says One who guards/saves us.). Richard is once again very confused and becomes even more confused when they open their box to reveal…Locke’s dead body. Holy crap! That’s not Locke with Ben.

Speaking of Not Locke and Ben walk into the room that opened this episode. Sure this version has a new sunroom, but that happens. Ben stops to admire some of the drawings and Jacob asks if he likes them. Jacob looks very sad and says “I see you’ve found your loophole.” Not Locke is totally Other Dude. Ben walks up to Ben and tries to explain to him that he always has a choice. Then Ben breaks down. He whines about the silence of his god, the abandonment he felt. So Ben asks what was so wrong with him? “What about me?” Then Jacob coldly replies “What about you?” Then Ben stabs Jacob. Jacob starts bleeding but before he dies he says, “They’re coming.” Then Not Locke kicks Jacob into the fire while looking especially evil.

Back in 1977, everything is still going to hell. Jack, Sawyer, and Kate escape from the site before all sorts of metal stuff falls down—let’s just face it: It’s the hatch. Just like Season One… Yet Juliet survived the fall. She doesn’t look too good, but she seems the bomb. It landed in mud. So she grabs a rock and starts beating on it. She cries and screaming and beats it with a rock until—It all flashes white and we see L O S T in a white background for the first time ever. Whoa. I still get chills from that.

L O S T

So what does this mean? Let’s start with Not Locke. This changes a lot of this season and actually, a lot of the entire series. Okay let’s start simple. The Locke we saw post “The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham” was not Locke. Locke truly died. We’ve had Other Dude reincarnated as Locke or vice versa. (Remember the van back in “The Little Prince” was an anagram for reincarnation, not resurrection. I always thought that was interesting.) Now we had the smoke monster/Alex tell Ben to do exactly what Not Locke says. Did you notice how Not Locke was always conveniently not in the same room as the smoke monster? I’m thinking Other Dude “died” earlier and became the smoke monster. So now this gives an interesting look to the smoke monster for this whole series, if that’s correct.

Now let’s deal with the nuke. The really big question is: Did they change the future? The more I think about it, I don’t think they did. For let’s look at some facts. We learned in Season Two that Chang had a fake arm in the video and Radzinsky ultimately kills himself while pushing the button in the hatch. In this episode, Chang critically hurt his left arm and Radzinsky lived to whine another day. Also we know sometime between right this second to 2004, nobodies having babies on the island. You know what may be a solution to that mystery? That there was a ton of radiation on the island, which causes miscarriages. We saw Richard being very worried about Eloise near the bomb. So what if this caused it? Then what does the white light mean? Jacob said they’re coming. He made a point to physically touch most of our key players. He says he needs Ilana to do something. I think he set up the pieces for whatever is coming in the final season. So who’s coming? I’m going to say Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Sayid, Hurley, Jin, and Miles. Sayid may travel through time just to die or maybe Jacob will save him. I’m thinking Juliet is toast, sadly. I really liked her character. Of course we will have none of these answers until January of 2010! So no more LOST updates from me for a long time. One of the things I’m going to do during this final LOST hiatus is to rewatch the series and read all of the books that have been mentioned on the show. ABC.com has a nice LOST Book Club that shows them all. I’ll provide reviews for those books on my blog. I probably won’t start until the fall though. Thank you everyone for reading this season. I hope the show makes more sense to you now.