a couple years ago, looking for possible Lost explanations, I referenced Homeward Bounders by Diana Winny Jones. God-like creatures treat reality like a game board and sometimes game pieces (the people) get in the way and are turned into "random factors" and forced to randomly transfer among other worlds. Now this isn't exactly where Lost has gone, but Desmond is sounding a bit like a random factor:
But I was going to tell you about the rules that They didn't tell me. I mentioned some of the trouble I had in the mining world. I had more in other worlds. And none of these things killed me. Call it Rule One. A random factor like me, walking the Bounds, has to go on. Nothing is allowed to stop him. The only way he can stop is to come Home.
People can't interfere with a Homeward Bounder either. That may be part of Rule One, but I prefer to call it Rule Two....The only one I didn't feel bad about was a rotten Judge who was going to put me in prison for not being able to bribe him. The roof of the courthouse fell in on him.
Rule Three isn't too good either. Time doesn't act the same in any world. It sort of jerks about as you go from one to another. But time hardly acts at all on a Homeward Bounder.
Well, shit, I enjoyed the double-Springsteen reference (Spanish Johnny, Rosalita), but until the Desmond/side-space thing gets explained to me I'm going to feel a bit outside the narrative. Who are the good guys, again?
Bill, a couple of years ago I similarly referenced an old X-Men storyline, during what was known as the "Fall of the Mutants" arc, in which a godlike figure representing order battled one representing chaos, and in which the X-Men were used as pawns of sorts. The "good" god ("Roma," I think) won by bringing in a random factor -- Colossus, who had sort of retired from the superhero game, IIRC -- and the implication was that he turned the tide because the "bad" god hadn't factored him in. I've been thinking a lot about Des playing the role of Colossus here. (One day maybe I'll dig back and try to find that comment. I know it's there somewhere in the Haloscanverse.) More info on Fall of the Mutants here, though the article doesn't focus on the aspect of the story I'm referencing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_the_mutants
So Charley can see between worlds because he has a thing for Claire, Desmond because of Penny, Faraday because of Charlotte and Hurley because of Libby. (Well, to be accurate, for Charlie and Desmond it is nearly dying that opens the window, but the women are what drive them to keep looking.) Anyone doubt that its going to be Juliet that makes Sawyer see? By process of elimination, that leaves Kate for Jack and hopefully the process eliminates the need to further explore that love triangle. I only wonder if the flawed Sayid will cross worlds when he runs into Shannon, his own resolute blonde, or if that would ruin everything we know about Sayid and Nadia.
I don't know what to do about that one, but neither alt-Sun nor alt-Jin have gained insight into their island lives. I assume this theory means that Sun's gunshot wounds will be the impetus for Jin to cross between worlds. As for Sun, we haven't seen any women in the LA storyline gain insight into their island lives.
My head hurts again, but I'm just happy to spend time with Hurley and Libby, and especially with Hurley in a very good mood in one timeline and in charge in the other. (And depressed Hurley wolfing down chicken and talking to Desmond was all kinds of awesome.)
I love Hurley as a guy who both takes charge and is aware of the consequences of his actions. And I absolutely loved Jack's admission that he ruined everything he did, and maybe that's a sign that he shouldn't be the leader. Maybe!
I had the same Sawyer/Juliet and Kate/Jack thought, but then I dared to hope that for Kate (and Claire) it would be Aaron ... because I am tired of the love quadrangle. We haven't seen the women gain the insight yet, but I think we have to see that for Kate at some point, so my vote is for Aaron, followed by Jack, and definitely not Sawyer. I am looking forward to the reappearance of the Sawyer and Juliet love.
I have to admit, I had a laugh-attack when Ilana exploded. It was the exact same response I had to the John Deere ep of Mad Men.
Also, I love the fact that Desmond hit Locke with his car- because now, he's set up to get treated by Jack in the hospital, and who knows what kind of shenanigans will come of that.
Last week I picked the song Nature Boy for Desmond. After last night, I wouldn't be surprised if the final episode fades out to some Captain and Tennille:
Love, love will keep us together Think of me babe whenever Some sweet talking girl comes along singing her song Don't mess around, You gotta be strong Just Stop, 'cause I really love You Stop , I'll be thinking of you Look in my heart and let love keep us together
I thought it was a good episode in general, but I got pissed when Ben, Jack, etc got to choose sides, and Sun/Lapidus were just, like a package deal with Jack and didn't get a say. More pissed about Sun not saying anything. Seriously? They have given this character the hugest shaft this season.
I agree that Sun has gotten the shaft (last season, too), but I don't think she cares about the sides (she said that two weeks ago), as she and Jin only care about finding each other.
I saw the Ilana explosion coming when she showed the dynamite in her bag. Then when she started slamming the water bottles in the same bag, I thought: for someone who spent her entire life training to protect the candidates, she obviously flunked explosives.
What good did it do Desmond to run over real Locke in the bizarro world, when it's fake Locke that's causing him grief? Unless it's fake Locke that went back when the bomb went off. But if it was, he's off the island already, at least partially. The clearer some areas become, the foggier other areas remain. I guess that's why I like the show? Maybe?
So what's making Desmond such a happy nihilist? He's becoming the new Jacob. Between running over Locke and playing cupid for Hurley, the guy who had no friends has suddenly found his inner life coach. One by one, he's trying to guide everybody back to the island—or at least back to memories of the island—just like Jacob. Jack, last week you thought he was going to assemble everyone in a stadium and tell them all to wise up. But now we know Des is more of a piecemeal guy. So how do you think he'll alert everyone else about their alternate lives? An all-night bender with Jack, culminating in Desmond pulling Jack away from the bar, with Jack screaming, "WE HAVE TO GO BACK, DES. WE HAVE TO GO BACK!"? Forcing Sawyer to say, "Sonofabitch" to nobody in particular? Telling Charlie to get Claire that peanut butter she always wanted?
The idea I've seen floated is that Des was hoping to force Sideways Locke into the same sort of near-death experience that Charlie forced upon Des, in an effort to make SideLocke "see" suppressed(?) memories of the Island-timeline reality. Now, whether that would lead SideLocke to see through FakeLocke (Flocke) eyes, or to see through ghost-Locke (Ghlocke?) eyes, I'm not certain.
I maintain that Desmond his Locke with his car because then he'll need a spinal surgeon, and conveniently, Jack is the spinal surgeon du jour at the hospital. PLUS he's already met Locke and promised to fix him.
(Also, I just had a scene play out in my head.... somehow Locke in sideways will have the ability to re-enter his body on the Island. But Locke has to be un MiB'd, so somehow Jacob will show up...
Jacob: I will draw you, Man in Black, as poison is drawn from a wound. MiB: If I go, John Locke dies. Jacob: You did not kill me, you can't kill him anymore than he's already dead. MiB: The Island is MINE! Jacob: Be gone!
And MiB collapses. End scene) (is it sad that i did that mostly from memory?
Arzt -- being rudely, and permanently, interrupted before revealing some vital information
ReplyDeletea couple years ago, looking for possible Lost explanations, I referenced Homeward Bounders by Diana Winny Jones. God-like creatures treat reality like a game board and sometimes game pieces (the people) get in the way and are turned into "random factors" and forced to randomly transfer among other worlds. Now this isn't exactly where Lost has gone, but Desmond is sounding a bit like a random factor:
ReplyDeleteBut I was going to tell you about the rules that They didn't tell me. I mentioned some of the trouble I had in the mining world. I had more in other worlds. And none of these things killed me. Call it Rule One. A random factor like me, walking the Bounds, has to go on. Nothing is allowed to stop him. The only way he can stop is to come Home.
People can't interfere with a Homeward Bounder either. That may be part of Rule One, but I prefer to call it Rule Two....The only one I didn't feel bad about was a rotten Judge who was going to put me in prison for not being able to bribe him. The roof of the courthouse fell in on him.
Rule Three isn't too good either. Time doesn't act the same in any world. It sort of jerks about as you go from one to another. But time hardly acts at all on a Homeward Bounder.
Well, shit, I enjoyed the double-Springsteen reference (Spanish Johnny, Rosalita), but until the Desmond/side-space thing gets explained to me I'm going to feel a bit outside the narrative. Who are the good guys, again?
ReplyDeleteLibby! Also, Incident on 57th Street, when played as just piano and vocals, is one of my all-time favorite songs.
ReplyDeleteBill, a couple of years ago I similarly referenced an old X-Men storyline, during what was known as the "Fall of the Mutants" arc, in which a godlike figure representing order battled one representing chaos, and in which the X-Men were used as pawns of sorts. The "good" god ("Roma," I think) won by bringing in a random factor -- Colossus, who had sort of retired from the superhero game, IIRC -- and the implication was that he turned the tide because the "bad" god hadn't factored him in. I've been thinking a lot about Des playing the role of Colossus here. (One day maybe I'll dig back and try to find that comment. I know it's there somewhere in the Haloscanverse.) More info on Fall of the Mutants here, though the article doesn't focus on the aspect of the story I'm referencing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_the_mutants
ReplyDeleteSo Charley can see between worlds because he has a thing for Claire, Desmond because of Penny, Faraday because of Charlotte and Hurley because of Libby. (Well, to be accurate, for Charlie and Desmond it is nearly dying that opens the window, but the women are what drive them to keep looking.) Anyone doubt that its going to be Juliet that makes Sawyer see? By process of elimination, that leaves Kate for Jack and hopefully the process eliminates the need to further explore that love triangle. I only wonder if the flawed Sayid will cross worlds when he runs into Shannon, his own resolute blonde, or if that would ruin everything we know about Sayid and Nadia.
ReplyDeleteExcellent point. But what about Sun and Jin?
ReplyDeleteI don't know what to do about that one, but neither alt-Sun nor alt-Jin have gained insight into their island lives. I assume this theory means that Sun's gunshot wounds will be the impetus for Jin to cross between worlds. As for Sun, we haven't seen any women in the LA storyline gain insight into their island lives.
ReplyDeleteMy head hurts again, but I'm just happy to spend time with Hurley and Libby, and especially with Hurley in a very good mood in one timeline and in charge in the other. (And depressed Hurley wolfing down chicken and talking to Desmond was all kinds of awesome.)
ReplyDeleteI love Hurley as a guy who both takes charge and is aware of the consequences of his actions. And I absolutely loved Jack's admission that he ruined everything he did, and maybe that's a sign that he shouldn't be the leader. Maybe!
ReplyDeleteI had the same Sawyer/Juliet and Kate/Jack thought, but then I dared to hope that for Kate (and Claire) it would be Aaron ... because I am tired of the love quadrangle. We haven't seen the women gain the insight yet, but I think we have to see that for Kate at some point, so my vote is for Aaron, followed by Jack, and definitely not Sawyer. I am looking forward to the reappearance of the Sawyer and Juliet love.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Lost surprised me again - or at least, caught me off guard. I did not expect whats-her-name to explode.
ReplyDeleteCould be the same thing for Jin and Sun. The birth of their daughter makes them remember?
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, I had a laugh-attack when Ilana exploded. It was the exact same response I had to the John Deere ep of Mad Men.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I love the fact that Desmond hit Locke with his car- because now, he's set up to get treated by Jack in the hospital, and who knows what kind of shenanigans will come of that.
Last week I picked the song Nature Boy for Desmond. After last night, I wouldn't be surprised if the final episode fades out to some Captain and Tennille:
ReplyDeleteLove, love will keep us together
Think of me babe whenever
Some sweet talking girl comes along singing her song
Don't mess around,
You gotta be strong
Just Stop, 'cause I really love You
Stop , I'll be thinking of you
Look in my heart and let love keep us together
I thought it was a good episode in general, but I got pissed when Ben, Jack, etc got to choose sides, and Sun/Lapidus were just, like a package deal with Jack and didn't get a say. More pissed about Sun not saying anything. Seriously? They have given this character the hugest shaft this season.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Sun has gotten the shaft (last season, too), but I don't think she cares about the sides (she said that two weeks ago), as she and Jin only care about finding each other.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I had a similar reaction. She seems to have turned out to be pretty pointless.
ReplyDeleteI saw the Ilana explosion coming when she showed the dynamite in her bag. Then when she started slamming the water bottles in the same bag, I thought: for someone who spent her entire life training to protect the candidates, she obviously flunked explosives.
ReplyDeleteWhat good did it do Desmond to run over real Locke in the bizarro world, when it's fake Locke that's causing him grief? Unless it's fake Locke that went back when the bomb went off. But if it was, he's off the island already, at least partially. The clearer some areas become, the foggier other areas remain. I guess that's why I like the show? Maybe?
ReplyDeleteWhat good did it do? Well, that's one Horcrux out of the way.
ReplyDeleteVia Slate:
ReplyDeleteSo what's making Desmond such a happy nihilist? He's becoming the new Jacob. Between running over Locke and playing cupid for Hurley, the guy who had no friends has suddenly found his inner life coach. One by one, he's trying to guide everybody back to the island—or at least back to memories of the island—just like Jacob. Jack, last week you thought he was going to assemble everyone in a stadium and tell them all to wise up. But now we know Des is more of a piecemeal guy. So how do you think he'll alert everyone else about their alternate lives? An all-night bender with Jack, culminating in Desmond pulling Jack away from the bar, with Jack screaming, "WE HAVE TO GO BACK, DES. WE HAVE TO GO BACK!"? Forcing Sawyer to say, "Sonofabitch" to nobody in particular? Telling Charlie to get Claire that peanut butter she always wanted?
The idea I've seen floated is that Des was hoping to force Sideways Locke into the same sort of near-death experience that Charlie forced upon Des, in an effort to make SideLocke "see" suppressed(?) memories of the Island-timeline reality. Now, whether that would lead SideLocke to see through FakeLocke (Flocke) eyes, or to see through ghost-Locke (Ghlocke?) eyes, I'm not certain.
ReplyDeleteI maintain that Desmond his Locke with his car because then he'll need a spinal surgeon, and conveniently, Jack is the spinal surgeon du jour at the hospital. PLUS he's already met Locke and promised to fix him.
ReplyDelete(Also, I just had a scene play out in my head.... somehow Locke in sideways will have the ability to re-enter his body on the Island. But Locke has to be un MiB'd, so somehow Jacob will show up...
Jacob: I will draw you, Man in Black, as poison is drawn from a wound.
MiB: If I go, John Locke dies.
Jacob: You did not kill me, you can't kill him anymore than he's already dead.
MiB: The Island is MINE!
Jacob: Be gone!
And MiB collapses. End scene) (is it sad that i did that mostly from memory?