LOST: Damn you, show, damn you to hell!
Mar. 9th, 2010 10:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shipperx:
It's not nice to tease an audience with Jack-death and not follow through!
Heh. >:)
Snarking aside, awesome episode. Seriously, the best of the year so far. And Michael Emerson is wonderful.
Love:
* That the ship in the history book foreshadowed the return to the Black Rock.
* That Artz presence in the Sideways-verse reminds us of the the dynamite on Black Rock... just before it becomes a pivotal tease in the episode.
* Hurley declaring "If you look for me, I'll be a mile from here!" Hee! So say we all.
* Miles 'hearing' Nikki and Paulo and finding the cache of diamonds? HEE!!!
* Widmore on a submarine!
* The Jack daring the dynamite to go BOOM scene! ...Only for it to fizzle! Evil, evil show! (hee!)
* Alex as Ben's prize student. Wonderful surprise. And perfect small scale redemption in sideways-verse with Ben giving up power in order to save Alex's future. Very nice. Loved it!
* Aaaaaand...Richard saying not to trust anything Jacob! Sing it, Richard!
Every episode thus far this season has only confirmed (at least for me) the suspicion that Jacob should not be trusted with anyone's personal well being. However, that doesn't mean that old Smokey should trusted either. They're immortal god-beings in their own war. Human morality isn't in their radar and neither are mortal lives.
When we were introduced to Jacob and to Smokey in the guise of the Man In Black, we were encouraged to think of them in the binary concept of good versus evil. But, you know, ancient gods (and old Egyptian gods) were never quite that simple... and neither are Jacob and MIB.
Rather than good vs evil, perhaps we should think of Jacob and MIB as embodiments of themes that have played in LOST all along, those being fate vs. free will. And, the truth is, either can frak you.
Smokey always makes someone choose. He cannot act on his own, but he can offer others the choice. Sayid chooses to go back to the temple of slaughter. Sawyer chooses to go into the cave (which do we know that cave is Jacob's? I suspect it is Smokey's. After all isn't it more convenient for a smoke moster to live over the edge of a cliff? It makes more sense that Jacob's home ground is a light house to observe and to lure). Anyway, Ben chose to stab Jacob. Smokey can lead a horse to water, but he can't force anyone to drink.
But then, the same can be said of Jacob, though his lure is more subtle and demands blind obedience. Smokey is a manipulator...and so is Jacob. The only difference being that with Smokey, the person knows they are making a choice with Jacob it feels like fate.
Jacob just never, ever explains. Like Cylons, he may have a plan, but he's not going to explain what it is. And, even if he did, I bet it still wouldn't make any rational sense.
Jacob nudges. Jacob wills. He encourages. He sets things into motion. He places all the dominoes in a row so that it appears to be inevitable. And, I don't know, maybe Jacob even believes he's a good, benevolent force... but he isn't.
One thing the sideways-verse has consistently implied to me is that Jacob's touch, Jacob's manipulations are not to anyone's benefit but Jacob's! (So wipe that grin of "Oooh! I'm SPECIAL!!!" off your face, Jack. Jacob has manipulated that character flaw of yours from the beginning, and you're STILL falling for it! It's not validation. Listen to Admiral Ackbar -- it's a trap!)
What we've seen in the sideways-verse is that without the influence of Jacob, the characters are capable of redemption on their own, without Jacob's 'benevolent' influence bringing them to the island-of-frakking-free-will-and-fate. Sideways-Ben overcame his lust for power for the good of someone else. In fact, for the same someone he betrayed on the island out of a desperate need for 'fate' (i.e. Jacob) to tell him that he was special. Sideways-Locke was able to move beyond his anger at the world and find the life in it, while on Jacob's island, Locke became such an apostle of fate and being 'special' according to fate, that he followed it all the way to his own death. Sideways-Jack even managed to not be consumed by Daddy issues and to make efforts towards breaking the bad Daddy cycle with his sideways-verse son (What did I say about that grin of being chosen? Listen to Richard, it's not a gift!).
Jacob/Fate demands blind obedience and submission. If it's your 'fate' you don't have to think about it very much and ZOMG! You're special! ...and blind obedience and willing submission are very rarely good. And for what? To become the 'new' Jacob?
Napoleon might be an emperor on Elba... but it's a hollow, meaningless title.
But what about sideways-Sayid? It's the sideway-verse story that didn't end so well. Except, it didn't actually end, did it?
Lost-verse-prime!Sayid imploded spectacularly but the sideways-verse tale is incomplete. We saw Sayid find Jin and we didn't see any more. There is more story to tell. The same goes for sideways!Kate. There is still a chance that sideways!Sayid finds redemption. Lost!Verse Prime Sayid, however, is on a dark path with Smokey now.
You know, just because Jacob is not necessarily good, doesn't mean that Smokey, by right of being Jacob's nemesis, is the 'good' side either. It's more akin to having to choose between two forces of physics. Which would you choose? Gravity or atomic bonds? Both have a purpose even if astrophysics and sub-atomic physics seem to operate by entirely different principles.
Smokey functions differently than Jacob. Jacob wants order, acolytes, and submissive believers. Smokey preys on a different state of mind.
Sayid's current mindset is to rebel against fate. Frak the fate that cost him the woman he loves, that traps him in a cycle of violence, that leaves him hopeless and shit-out-of-luck.
Sawyer is of a similar state of mind. And, besides, he's always assumed the role of cynic, of non-believer, of disorder, and the id. Count perennial runaway Kate in that camp as well.
It's little wonder that these three have found themselves in Smokey's entourage. Smokey encourages the id. Do what you want, frak everyone else. To borrow from the Buffyverse -- want. take. have.
Instead of Jacob's blind obedience, Smokey uses a candidate's self-interest. It preys upon it and leads the person to choose their own worst angels... themselves. But being selfish or being a rebel without a cause, is every bit as self-defeating as blind obedience and unquestioning faith. It's every bit as egocentric as a pernicious need to be validated as being 'special.'
Ben is screwed more than most because he's fallen prey to both Smokey and Jacob. He's chosen his own worst angels on the island... out of a desire to be special, to be powerful, to be chosen by Jacob (i.e. fate) This is what led Ben to sacrifice Alex only to realize too late that it was not a sacrifice worth making. This caused a need to avenge himself against fate, to rebel... leaving him prey to Smokey who led Ben to murder his god.
And for what? Smokey wants off the island, to rebel against it's own fate. Well, let's remember that Napoleon wanted off of Elba. He even managed to escape and gain freedom... only for it to lead to Waterloo.
If blind obedience, unshaken belief in fate, and 'choseness' is a bad thing... so is the feckless, the selfish, and being a rebel without a clue.
Live together or die alone.
Or, if you're not careful, both Jacob and Smokey will screw you.
Oh and hee! Richard says that being touched by Jacob means they can't die. So, does that mean they are stuck as pawns in this game? Locke becoming UnLocke. Sayid as... whatever Sayid may be? Obviously they can die, but they aren't allowed to be really, most sincerely dead. It just means they've transitioned into being even more screwed than they were to begin with!
It's not nice to tease an audience with Jack-death and not follow through!
Heh. >:)
Snarking aside, awesome episode. Seriously, the best of the year so far. And Michael Emerson is wonderful.
Love:
* That the ship in the history book foreshadowed the return to the Black Rock.
* That Artz presence in the Sideways-verse reminds us of the the dynamite on Black Rock... just before it becomes a pivotal tease in the episode.
* Hurley declaring "If you look for me, I'll be a mile from here!" Hee! So say we all.
* Miles 'hearing' Nikki and Paulo and finding the cache of diamonds? HEE!!!
* Widmore on a submarine!
* The Jack daring the dynamite to go BOOM scene! ...Only for it to fizzle! Evil, evil show! (hee!)
* Alex as Ben's prize student. Wonderful surprise. And perfect small scale redemption in sideways-verse with Ben giving up power in order to save Alex's future. Very nice. Loved it!
* Aaaaaand...Richard saying not to trust anything Jacob! Sing it, Richard!
Every episode thus far this season has only confirmed (at least for me) the suspicion that Jacob should not be trusted with anyone's personal well being. However, that doesn't mean that old Smokey should trusted either. They're immortal god-beings in their own war. Human morality isn't in their radar and neither are mortal lives.
When we were introduced to Jacob and to Smokey in the guise of the Man In Black, we were encouraged to think of them in the binary concept of good versus evil. But, you know, ancient gods (and old Egyptian gods) were never quite that simple... and neither are Jacob and MIB.
Rather than good vs evil, perhaps we should think of Jacob and MIB as embodiments of themes that have played in LOST all along, those being fate vs. free will. And, the truth is, either can frak you.
Smokey always makes someone choose. He cannot act on his own, but he can offer others the choice. Sayid chooses to go back to the temple of slaughter. Sawyer chooses to go into the cave (which do we know that cave is Jacob's? I suspect it is Smokey's. After all isn't it more convenient for a smoke moster to live over the edge of a cliff? It makes more sense that Jacob's home ground is a light house to observe and to lure). Anyway, Ben chose to stab Jacob. Smokey can lead a horse to water, but he can't force anyone to drink.
But then, the same can be said of Jacob, though his lure is more subtle and demands blind obedience. Smokey is a manipulator...and so is Jacob. The only difference being that with Smokey, the person knows they are making a choice with Jacob it feels like fate.
Jacob just never, ever explains. Like Cylons, he may have a plan, but he's not going to explain what it is. And, even if he did, I bet it still wouldn't make any rational sense.
Jacob nudges. Jacob wills. He encourages. He sets things into motion. He places all the dominoes in a row so that it appears to be inevitable. And, I don't know, maybe Jacob even believes he's a good, benevolent force... but he isn't.
One thing the sideways-verse has consistently implied to me is that Jacob's touch, Jacob's manipulations are not to anyone's benefit but Jacob's! (So wipe that grin of "Oooh! I'm SPECIAL!!!" off your face, Jack. Jacob has manipulated that character flaw of yours from the beginning, and you're STILL falling for it! It's not validation. Listen to Admiral Ackbar -- it's a trap!)
What we've seen in the sideways-verse is that without the influence of Jacob, the characters are capable of redemption on their own, without Jacob's 'benevolent' influence bringing them to the island-of-frakking-free-will-and-fate. Sideways-Ben overcame his lust for power for the good of someone else. In fact, for the same someone he betrayed on the island out of a desperate need for 'fate' (i.e. Jacob) to tell him that he was special. Sideways-Locke was able to move beyond his anger at the world and find the life in it, while on Jacob's island, Locke became such an apostle of fate and being 'special' according to fate, that he followed it all the way to his own death. Sideways-Jack even managed to not be consumed by Daddy issues and to make efforts towards breaking the bad Daddy cycle with his sideways-verse son (What did I say about that grin of being chosen? Listen to Richard, it's not a gift!).
Jacob/Fate demands blind obedience and submission. If it's your 'fate' you don't have to think about it very much and ZOMG! You're special! ...and blind obedience and willing submission are very rarely good. And for what? To become the 'new' Jacob?
Napoleon might be an emperor on Elba... but it's a hollow, meaningless title.
But what about sideways-Sayid? It's the sideway-verse story that didn't end so well. Except, it didn't actually end, did it?
Lost-verse-prime!Sayid imploded spectacularly but the sideways-verse tale is incomplete. We saw Sayid find Jin and we didn't see any more. There is more story to tell. The same goes for sideways!Kate. There is still a chance that sideways!Sayid finds redemption. Lost!Verse Prime Sayid, however, is on a dark path with Smokey now.
You know, just because Jacob is not necessarily good, doesn't mean that Smokey, by right of being Jacob's nemesis, is the 'good' side either. It's more akin to having to choose between two forces of physics. Which would you choose? Gravity or atomic bonds? Both have a purpose even if astrophysics and sub-atomic physics seem to operate by entirely different principles.
Smokey functions differently than Jacob. Jacob wants order, acolytes, and submissive believers. Smokey preys on a different state of mind.
Sayid's current mindset is to rebel against fate. Frak the fate that cost him the woman he loves, that traps him in a cycle of violence, that leaves him hopeless and shit-out-of-luck.
Sawyer is of a similar state of mind. And, besides, he's always assumed the role of cynic, of non-believer, of disorder, and the id. Count perennial runaway Kate in that camp as well.
It's little wonder that these three have found themselves in Smokey's entourage. Smokey encourages the id. Do what you want, frak everyone else. To borrow from the Buffyverse -- want. take. have.
Instead of Jacob's blind obedience, Smokey uses a candidate's self-interest. It preys upon it and leads the person to choose their own worst angels... themselves. But being selfish or being a rebel without a cause, is every bit as self-defeating as blind obedience and unquestioning faith. It's every bit as egocentric as a pernicious need to be validated as being 'special.'
Ben is screwed more than most because he's fallen prey to both Smokey and Jacob. He's chosen his own worst angels on the island... out of a desire to be special, to be powerful, to be chosen by Jacob (i.e. fate) This is what led Ben to sacrifice Alex only to realize too late that it was not a sacrifice worth making. This caused a need to avenge himself against fate, to rebel... leaving him prey to Smokey who led Ben to murder his god.
And for what? Smokey wants off the island, to rebel against it's own fate. Well, let's remember that Napoleon wanted off of Elba. He even managed to escape and gain freedom... only for it to lead to Waterloo.
If blind obedience, unshaken belief in fate, and 'choseness' is a bad thing... so is the feckless, the selfish, and being a rebel without a clue.
Live together or die alone.
Or, if you're not careful, both Jacob and Smokey will screw you.
Oh and hee! Richard says that being touched by Jacob means they can't die. So, does that mean they are stuck as pawns in this game? Locke becoming UnLocke. Sayid as... whatever Sayid may be? Obviously they can die, but they aren't allowed to be really, most sincerely dead. It just means they've transitioned into being even more screwed than they were to begin with!
