LOST DISCOVERIES
LOST:
SPECIAL
Created by: J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof
Story by: David Fury
Air date: Wednesday, Jan 19 th ,
2005
On a Clear Day
By Patti
A Soulful Spike Society Review
Are You Looking?
Locke: "See the knothole Walt? I want you to aim for it. Right here. Focus on it, all right? Picture it in your mind's eye. You know what that is, right? The mind's eye?"
We were promised, in a 'special' promo that aired last week that this episode would begin to reveal things. That we would finally begin to SEE what's happening on the island. And thank you David Fury, you didn't lie! Oh, there are plenty of questions and lots of mystery left, but it begins to make sense, if we look.
Because that is what this episode is all about. Over and over we are told to 'See it." 'Visualize it." "Look around." 'You're not looking!"
Knowing his backstory gives us the perspective we need to see who Michael really is. He is a man who was betrayed by the woman he loved. Though she told him marriage was 'too prosaic', she had no problem marrying a wealthier, more educated, more powerful man. He is a man who signed his son over to be adopted because he was made to believe he himself had nothing worthwhile to give. He is a man who lied to his son to protect him from the cruel truth that his adopted father didn't love him, and he is a man who found a way to soften the truth that Walt's mom never gave any of his dad's letters to him. Michael is one hell of a man who loves his son deeply.
'Seeing' who Michael really is changes our perspective on his behavior toward Locke also. Michael has JUST gotten his son back. For nine years another man has taken his place in his son's love. Is it any wonder that Walt's hero-worship of Locke pushes all Michael's buttons?
Claire was told by the fortune teller that her child was going to be special, and needed her presence and guidance if he/she were not to become something frightening. Here we have the mirror image of her story - and yet with the same ending.
Walt WAS "raised by another" and he IS frightening. Walt is 'SPECIAL'. He can 'make things happen' when he's around. We've theorized that Walt made the first polar bear appear when he read the comic book. Well, we find out that's true, but it's not 'the island' making that happen. Not entirely anyway. Walter already had some scary paranormal powers. In the scene with his mom Susan Lloyd and his adopted father Brian Porter, we see Walter being ignored while he is reading a book about birds. He becomes annoyed and yells 'You're NOT LOOKING!' Immediately a bird smashes into the window, and falls, dead. Later, Michael throws Walt's comic book in the fire. We see the illustration of the polar bear begin to burn and we see how angry Walt becomes. Was anyone surprised to see the polar bear take life and chase Walt? Not me. Walt is a cute little boy who's had a lot of sadness, and pain, but his mind can kill things, and he can make bears! We all know this is not good! Locke tells Michael that Walt has potential, and that potential should be fulfilled. My question is - potential to do what? Potential to be what?
Locke. Last week I hated him. This week, he was terrrific. Understanding, heroic, forgiving and kind. No wonder this guy was shown with one eye black and one eye white. He is constantly changing his appearance to us, the viewers. Is he evil? Is he good? Who's to say?
When Charlie takes this information to Sayid, we see that Sayid has put together the maps he took from Danielle and when properly aligned, they show a large triangle - perhaps the black rock, perhaps the transmission station. I wonder if the black rock is under that secret metal hatch. We are getting warmer...
A Final Thought You're not Looking! Are the creators of the show telling us that we have all the clues now? If we put them together correctly, as Sayid put together the 3 maps into one, will we understand? Does the island transform the people or are the people transforming the island? I don't know! I do know I'm going to keep looking. What Worked?
What Didnt?
Jack Matthew Fox Kate Evangeline Lilly Sawyer Josh Holloway You may fight like a ponce, but you're still pretty. Sayid Naveen Andrews Locke Terry OQuinn Ok Mr. Locke. You still confuse me but you are the most fascinating person on the island. That's saying a lot. Charley Dominic Monaghan Charlie, she likes you... she really really likes you! Claire Littleton Emilie de Ravin Hurley Jorge Garcia You let me down dude! You were all wrong and everything! Boone Carlyle Ian Somerhalder and Shannon Rutherford Maggie Grace Boone, should we start calling you 'Robin'? And Shannon, I do NOT understand you. One minute you are making little inside jokes with Sayid, and the next you are trying to get Boone to help build you a raft. Have you NO sense? Let me introduce you to Sayid. Shannon, Hottie. Hottie, Shannon. Michael Harold Perineau and Walt Malcom David Kelley You and Walt are going to be ok. If you keep him calm. Stay cool, Walt. Don't get excited ok? I don't wanna be seeing any cornfields on this island. Sun Yunjin Kim and Jin Daniel Dae Kim Still walking hand in hand? Sun, are you off teaching Jin to speak English? Start with 'I love you.' Vincent The Dog Here boy! *Clap, clap* Here Vincent! Come on boy! !
Walt: "Like a picture in your head?"
Locke: "That's right. Now do it again. But see it. See it before you do it. Visualize the path. See it. See it."
Walt hits the knothole dead on.
Walt: "It was weird. I actually saw it! In my mind or something. Like it was real."
Locke: "Who's to say it wasn't?"
************************************
Depends on Your Perspective
At the beginning of the episode, Hurley witnesses one of Michael's furious rants at finding his son missing. He says 'He hates being a father.' Hurley is usually our 'sees the truth' guy. We're used to having him define the situation in one "dude-strewn" sentence. So when he repeated - 'oh yeah, he hates it.' I was nodding in agreement. But Hurley and I both had the wrong perspective on the situation.
Michael tries to bond with Walt a little by telling him that he used to enjoy comic books too. He talks about learning perspective by tracing the pictures. But Walt doesn't pay any attention. From his perspective, he has no reason to love Michael. From the viewers' perspective, we had little reason to care much for Michael either. He seemed such a lousy parent. He seemed so crazily jealous of Michael's affection for Locke. He didn't know anything about his son. What kind of father WAS he? The Mind's Eye
Almost every week Lost begins with a close-up of the eye of the person we are going to see revealed. This week we saw Michael's eye. But we also saw into Walt's mind. If having perspective on Michael gives us some clarity on his story, knowing Walter better shines a light on the story of our island mystery. Look Around
Charlie notes that Claire's diary is missing and of course the first person he and Kate look to is Sawyer. When he retrieves it (after a slight fistfight reminiscent of Xander and Harmony), he fights his own urge to read it. Despite zipping the diary into Claire's bag, covering it with another bag, and walking away, we later see him looking into it. He learns two important things. Claire does like him, and Claire's nightmare featured the big black rock previously mentioned by Danielle to Sayid.
Questions
The Missing: Update
You didn't have much to do this week. Maybe you were playing golf for that deodorant stick.
Kate, get your hand off Charlie's leg! His girlfriend's back and you're gonna get in trouble!
Sayid, nice work with the maps. You didn't by any chance know a group called the Fang Gang? Just wondered.
She's......baaack...And we know what she packed for the flight. A camera, water, a hat, some jerky, cds and a player. All very well Claire, but where's the book? You can't fly without a book!
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