I’ll stuff the casting stuff way down at the bottom, so if you’ve hit the top of the page, and gotten this far, your still safe, several paragraphs down though, it’s no longer my responsibility. The idea here isn’t to spoil, but to gain interest, and mystery. Some people might be at this point of the season, and are feeling “I’ve ran this far, I may as well finish the race, but this isn’t what I signed up for.” Others might be waiting expectantly to turn to the page in the book where they left off and are antsy to rip open the book and read the next chapter, without wanting to hear any prelude, cliff notes, or critique of the past chapters.
And then, there’s me. Someone so mixed up that I like to confuse myself BEFORE the next episode, there in keeping myself in a constant state of confusion that every episode is mind blowing. So that’s why I write, and now you’ve been sufficiently warned, I’m gonna dive in.
Last chance to click a link and leave.
There is a monster at the end of this post.
I kinda wished they’d called this episode Beyond the Sea, to go along with song lyrics better, but Le Mer was the song that Shannon sang, not the Johnny Darrin drek that was based on the french lyrics, so Across the Sea is just as well. The amazing thing is, no cast regulars will be seen in this episode. No one, not even Richard. Pelligrino (Jacob) and Welliver (MiB) will have some appearances, but mostly no one we’ve ever seen before (well save for that fresh faced boy cub acting like lil’ Spock (spark?) on the Genesis Planet in Star Trek: Search for Spock. Kahn! (there, I said it, moving on)
The excitement that Damon and Carlton effused for the main guest star Allison Janney, is intriguing. She had a long run on West Wing, but since I didn’t watch that paint drying show, I haven’t but had a passing acquaintence with Ms. Janney. Her head pops up in a sneak peak though, and based on her line, I’m gonna go out on a pretty stiff (looking) limb and say she’s playing an earlier version of our favorite Eff-Locke/MiB. Which should prove to be interesting.
The other two faces popping up in a sneak peak are the blone boy and another ragamuffin in traditional ‘other’ garb, chasing after a pig.
yeah, I have no idea. Who do I based centricity on? What back story? I’m clueless. But it’s gonna be awesome.
Last week, and on ‘the twitter’ I’ve seen some scuffling back and forth that people are still on the fence between who’s good and who’s bad. Some are climbing the tree of moral relativity and saying, well Jacob is just as bad as the Eff-Locke because all these people have come to the island because he’s brought them here, and now they’re all dead, so Jacob is the REAL bad guy. To whit, I say.. Eff… Locke killed them. Duh.
I’m sure this debate will rage on and on. With dish rag arguments, like, we’ll he never tried to help the people he brought to the island, he just brought them and left them to suffer their fate, and Smokies wrath. I’m not persuaded.
Eff-Locke has had deep and intricate relationships with many people on the island. He’s been deceiving everyone this season, as revealed last week, his purpose isn’t to get everyone off the island, his purpose is to kill everyone, including Jacob, so he can leave the island (as he stated in Ab Aeterno). There may be choruses of ‘Why??! he must have a good reason!!!! Jacob made him this way, it’s Jacob’s fault.’
Excuse me while I still whisper … poppycock.
This season has been the reflection season, and I see the two sides portrayed by Jacob and MiB have been sufficiently reflected to pose a theory. MiB holds up a mirror, and sees himself, and then looks at other people and projects his character on to them, namely: they come, the fight, they corrupt, they destroy. Or shorter, evil. Jacob holds up the mirror and looks and himself and then looks around at other people and projects something different, namely: Everything else is just progress. I make mistakes, but I learn from them and go on.
Jacob is a creative force, MiB is a destructive force. Jacob is for recreation and redemption. MiB is for killing and damning. It’s plain to me.
So what does that mean for our intrepid band of plane survivors, who is proven right, and who is proven wrong. It might be in the eyes of the beholder, since many have died and it could be rightfully claimed that they’ve gained nothing, no progress.
Allow me to submit my theories of redemption for those that have gone before us… Reverse Chronologically.
Sin and Jun – Apart for much of the 3 plus years of the show, their separation has proven their love has grown stronger. The two came to the island barely married, two people living two separate lives, the strand of love thin and nearly broken. They pass on into the otherside bound together, as if One.
Frank – Okay, I got nothing, but he missed the flight, perhaps because he was druck (admittedly conjecture on my part) Went the mad mad way of conspiracy and worked for Mr. Widmore, but was a willing force for getting people of the island, and then a willing protector of the people trying to get off the island. Frank’s role this season was mostly red herring (they’re gonna need a pilot if they’re going to fly off on that plane) but I think there is a strand of redemption to hang onto.
Sayid – Anakin. I rest my case. Okay, more closing argument for those that can’t handle a simple StarWars reference, like say, James Ford. Sayid has struggled since he came to the island with his past as a torturer, then a stint as a hitman increased the karmic injustice upon his soul. Though he went over to the dark side, his last minute sacrifice to give the other submariners a chance at escape from Davy Jones locker earns him Darth Vader status in my eyes.
Illana – Mostly served the same role as Frank, as red-herring – The candidates need a protector. Is there redemption there, in that she was faithful to what Jacob called her to do? Did Jacob call her to kill anyone, deceive anyone? Or did he call her to protect the people he’s chosen as the golden ticket recipents, potential next in line to run the chocolate factory.
Juliet – How many times does this lady have to die?!? Nothing can be fair for her, this is Jacob’s most extreme injustice. Of course Jacob had nothing to do with Eff-Locke’s Machiavellian loophole plan, but people like to blame Jake anyways. Besides at about the time Jules fell down the well, Jake was falling into the flames, so you can take your poetic justice if your still a Jake hater. Let’s think about Jules for a moment. She never had a man that would stick by her, not her husband, not Goodwin, not Ben, not Jack. But finally. Finally James Ford was her knight. Her constant. And she died lying is his arms. Everyone dies, but not everyone gets to die in a hug with the person they love.
I could tick them on down, but I think there is sufficient evidence (beyond the red-shirt deaths) that everyone has a little redemption on the island, that everyone makes a little progress. So while we get in our outriggers and head off into the ocean to peak what going on across the sea, hold on for a little Jacob love, m’kay.
Namaste
