Now in the fourth Lost installment, in the present the castaways face great challenges in their quest to escape the Island and in the future the ones who did leave find adjusting to normal life difficult. Here we go again.
10. Ben and Hurley's love for candy
I just love this scene. It's silent, uncomfortable, and really funny. Near the end of the season, Locke, Ben, and Hurley trek through jungle to find Jacob's Cabin since they are the only ones to have been there. Kind of funny trio. You've got John Locke, the confident and curious Island adventurer; Ben Linus, the conniving and calculating evil genius; and then Hurley Reyes, the cursed lottery winner who used to work at Mr. Cluck's Chicken. Hmm. It does kind of make sense I guess, they are all tragic men and they all are or once were on The List. They eventually do find it, and Locke goes in alone to get information on what he needs to do to save the Island and everyone on it. While waiting, Ben and Hurley hunker down in the brush and sit in silence. Hurley pops out an Apollo Bar and starts unwrapping it. He sees Ben eyeing the candy as well. Hurley, being the nice guy that he is, snaps off half of the candy and gives it to Ben. They both savor it's chocolatey goodness. This seems like something you'd see in an '80s comedy. It is also kind of heartwarming, and very subtle. In a situation of such peril and danger, where everything is about to change, one of the most dangerous and menacing characters has a buddy moment with the most lovable character. This scene also builds on my theory that nobody can hate Hurley. So whether it's the guy we love or the guy we love to hate, they both respect one another and both enjoy a crisp Apollo Bar.
9. The Jacket subplot
"Ben's going to win, Jack. And when he does you don't want to be anywhere near me." - Juliet
Near the beginning of the season, Juliet is contacted by one of The Others on Ben's orders, who tells Juliet to stop two of the freighter people, Daniel and Charlotte. Juliet is just about convinced they are the bad guys and almost kills them before taking that leap of faith and trusting them. It turns out Ben was manipulating her as he always does. Distraught, she tells Jack that they can't beat Ben. She also tells him how Ben thinks "she is his" and that he knows how she feels about Jack. Then Jack does something I liked. He kisses her and tells her comfortingly "he knows where to find me." This was nice, it gave me hope for the Jacket relationship I had grown fond of. Yeah you know the fan pet names for the couples: Sawyer and Kate fans are Skaters, Jake and Kate fans are Jaters. I know there are people out there who are more invested in the love triangle between Jack, Kate, and Sawyer more than anything and I can understand that. But at this point I will be talking about the other couple that had rised, the one between Jack and Juliet or Jacket. Now while I always kind of figured that Jack was making time with Juliet because of Kate's relationship with Sawyer (and Juliet's slight resemblance to his ex-wife), I still thought it could have worked. In season 3, they both had a connection that felt right: they both longed to escape Ben and the Island and worked well together during the battle against The Others. At the time the Sawyer and Kate relationship seemed plausible and right, and in response so did the Jack and Juliet relationship. It's kind of a shame it ended in my opinion.
8. Ben vs. Widmore
"That Island's mine, Benjamin. It always was. It will be again" - Charles Widmore
In Ben's flashforward, he arrives in London and sneaks into his nemesis, Charles Widmore's penthouse. Widmore is not particularly phased to find Ben there. Ben apparently can't kill Widmore because of "The Rules." Rules Widmore was kind enough to break when he had Ben's daughter killed by Martin Keamy. Widmore tells him Alex's death was his fault and goes on insulting him. He mentions that "everything you had you took from me." Ben tells him he is going to kill Widmore's daughter, Penny, as vengeance. They leave, each assuring the other that they will never find what they are looking for: Ben (Penny) and Widmore (The Island). In response to all of this Widmore only says that the hunt is on. This was just another great warfare scene. It is a taste of things to come. I was very surprised when Widmore turned out to be the villain of season 4, where before he seemed to be the standard rich douchebag dad who disapproved of peasant Desmond making time with his daughter. But Widmore was very surprising. I love how the conflict on The Island spans across the world it seems (Australia, America, Iraq, England). It got me even more excited to see where everything was heading.
7. Sayid vs. Keamy
"ROUND 1! FIGHT!!!" - Mortal Kombat Announcer...had to!
Although these two guys met in a friendly sort of way, I think I knew that they would go head to head sooner or later. Martin Keamy, the vicious mercenary and primary villain this season, is played by Kevin Durand, and I don't think I've ever seen this guy play a good guy (check out his roles as total villains in these movies: Walking Tall, Smokin' Aces, 3:10 to Yuma). I spotted Keamy as a bad guy a mile away. Well, when he and his team of mercenaries prepared to leave with Ben in the helicopter they were ambushed by The Others. With all of his comrades dead, Keamy gave chase to Ben. Then he got tackled by our favorite Iraqi badass Sayid. What ensued was one of the best fights on Lost and there have been some good ones. Though he fights well, this ex-Saddam grunt was no match for the trained merc with mad skills. Sayid was eventually overpowered and nearly killed before Richard Alpert showed up and unloaded a pistol into Keamy. Sure he wasn't dead but still. Ben's reward for Sayid and his buddy Kate was a chance to escape the Island. It can't be denied that this fight between two of the biggest badasses of darkness and light on the Island isn't awesome.
6. Jack and Locke discuss destiny part 2
"What was it you said on the way out to The Hatch? That crashing here was our destiny?" - Jack
Science and faith quarrel once again as the Island is in it's last stand against the forces of Widmore. Any discussion of fate vs. free will between Jack and Locke is gold in my book. Above the Orchid Station, Jack and Locke meet the first time after Jack revealed his intent to kill Locke and the castaways split apart. Locke says that he "would like" for Jack to stay on the Island. Jack remains frustrated with Locke's belief in destiny and angered when he states he isn't supposed to leave or that the Island is special. Locke soon realizes that Jack won't listen to reason and then puts the idea that the ones who leave will have to lie to protect the Island and its inhabitants from Widmore. When Jack says it is just an island and does not need to be protected, Locke states with that bittersweet hint of joy in his voice that "it's not an island...It's a place where miracles happen." Jack, once revered as a miracle worker in Los Angeles, says he doesn't believe in miracles. Ben shows up, tells Jack to get moving if he is leaving and then he and Locke descend down into the Orchid via an elevator. Jack and Locke, the rivals and leaders of the survivors, have one last look at each other on The Island. I always thought the bad blood between Jack and Locke was sad. They always seemed like they'd make a great team if they'd only agree with each other. I think that's why Locke wants Jack to stay and believe; he believes Jack is special and would like to think of him as a friend and partner. Jack can't buy into that because of Locke's past failures with Boone and the Hatch, not to mention his murder of Naomi and revolt. He thinks Locke's crazy. It's only cruel irony that Jack finally saw Locke's way of thinking after he died.
5. The suite life of John Locke
"Name him John! Please! His name is John!" - Emily Locke
We'd seen the more devestating parts of John Locke's backstory before. But in the episode Cabin Fever, it was dedicated to the crucial moments of his timeline when his destiny was calling out to him but he was only too young, too confused, or too angry to realize it. On a stormy night, a teenage girl is hit by a car while on her way to meet her much older lover (the vile Anthony Cooper). She is pregnant and the baby is born prematurely. According to the nurse, John survived just about everything that could kill babies just after birth. She says he is a fighter. John's Mom is not at all prepared to take the baby and the grandmother wants it out of the way quickly. John Locke was indeed born unloved. But one man was there and anxious to see the boy: Richard Alpert, the ageless Other.
Five years later, Richard showed up at John's foster home. He claimed to run a school for special (the good kind) children and John might be one of them. John seems to be a quiet and reserved little boy, not exactly loved by his foster family. Richard took notice of a drawing John made, featuring a man being attacked by black smoke = symbolism? Richard then produced a couple of seemingly random items: a compass, a vial of ash, a baseball glove, a "book of laws", a comic book featuring a mysterious "hidden land", and finally a knife. He was asked to choose the items that already belong to him. He picks the vial of ash and the compass almost immediately, but when about to pick the Book of Laws (which Richard seemed glad about) John instead grabs the knife. Richard is disappointed and leaves, claiming John isn't ready for the school yet. John is scolded by his foster mom, and he looks ashamed of himself.
In his teen years, John is bullied and an outcast. He is apparantly very good at science, and is told by a teacher that he is optioned to go to Mittelos Laboratories, where Richard works. John, an angry and repressed person, would rather do the things every one else is more interested in. The teacher claims that while he may want to do those things, John should just resign himself to be what everyone sees him as. This is where John gets the motto he lives by in life: "Don't tell me what I can't do!"
Finally we meet him after the greatest tragedy in his life where the paralyzed Locke is undergoing exercise in a hospital. This is the point where he is totally angry and cynical. An orderly tells him not to give up hope. This is Matthew Abbadon, Widmore's associate who brought together the diverse team that arrived on the Island at the beginning of the season. Abbadon talks to Locke about going on a walkabout. How going on one might change him and his perspective on life. Locke is skeptical of this, but we know what choices he makes in the future.
What can I say? these extraordinary touches to one of the most compelling backstories on the show was just awesome. It only solidified even more that John Locke was meant for great, important things.
4. First look at Jeremy Bentham
"We're gonna have to bring him too." - Ben
At the end of season 3, Jack in 2007 was a complete wreck and that is made even worse when he reads a troubling obituary. At season 4's flashforward finale, we learn the man who had visited all of the Oceanic Six was called Jeremy Bentham. At the very end of the season, an extremely drunk and extremely bearded Jack broke into the funeral home to get a last look at Bentham I suppose. Ben showed up, and was eager to know all of what Bentham told him. Apparently he told Jack that after the Six left the Island bad things happened and that it was his fault. Ben says the only way to make things right was for everyone who left to return. Jack seemed okay with this, despite his certainty that none of the others would agree. Jack started to leave before Ben claimed everyone meant Bentham too. The season ends with an overhead shot showing the man inside the coffin. Now, there were alternate endings to this showing either Sawyer or Desmond in the coffin. But no, dammit all, no! (Sigh!) though I kinda saw it coming, the dead man known as Jeremy Bentham was none other than my favorite character John Locke! It was mind blowing. After this build up of Locke being a great force on the Island, not to mention leader of the Others at the end, he's dead. Of course there were still ways to have him on the show. I'm still holding out for the resurrection...I mean, the real resurrection! Locke will rise again, if Jack's dad could do it so could he.
3. Ben loses Alex
"Say goodbye to your daddy." - Keamy
After the sudden death of Danielle Rousseau (who we knew from season 1) and Karl, I knew Keamy and his commandos were serious. After killing several castways and blowing the hell out of the Barracks I was even more convinced. Finally we have one of Ben's most pivotal moments as Martin Keamy and he communicate through walkies. Keamy asks Ben to step outside and surrender and no one else will be hurt. Ben claims he will kill everyone else once they have him and proceeds to reveal how much he knows about Keamy, namely how violent he is. Keamy drags out Alex, Ben's adopted daughter. She is scared out of her mind. Keamy says she is dead if Ben doesn't give up. Ben tries to convince Alex he has the situation under control and that she will be fine. He doesn't give up, choking up as he states that Alex is a pawn means nothing to him. He keeps this up right up to the moment Keamy shoots his daughter in the back of the head. I was just as shocked as Ben was. Blowing a sixteen year old girl's brains out was a road I didn't think would be crossed. It was terrible. Ben was clearly convinced that what happened wouldn't happen. He was wrong. Even if we were all still sore over how much of a monster Ben was in season 3, this was still just harsh. But it was also a bit of poetic justice, like when Ben threatened Jack with the deaths of his friends in the season 3 finale, Keamy did the same to Ben here. Only Keamy followed through.
2. Desmond and his constant
"You answered, Penny!" - Desmond
Desmond might be one of my favorite characters. And that was made a fact more than ever than in the episode called The Constant. This episode was great science fiction while at the same time great romance. Sayid and Desmond managed to hitch a ride on the helicopter back to the freighter. Midway, after a bit of turbulence in a small storm, Desmond blacks out and when he wakes up he doesn't remember anything. It turns out his mind is jumping back and forth from the present to 1996 when he is in boot camp. After getting into contact with freighter physicist, Daniel Faraday, both in the present and past, Desmond learns to stop the rapid time jumps from hemorraging his brain he will have to find a constant: something important to him in the past and present and that can tie both together. When he is back in the past he goes to the one person he can think of. Penny Widmore, the love of his life. Unfortunately they had just broken up and are not exactly on good terms. After some desperate convincing he manages to get her to give him her phone number so he can call her in the future. In the future, Sayid manages to get up a signal so he can call her, though it won't last. After three years of pressing a button on a deserted island and thinking of nothing but her she answers. The long distance reunion is devastatingly touching. I damn near cried. As the signal dies down, they tell each other they will do whatever it takes to find each other, no matter what, finishing each other's sentences. They both end off saying quickly in unison "I promise. I love you!" The line goes dead and Desmond is in tears. He thanks Sayid, saying the time he had was enough. This moment I didn't care much about the Jack, Kate and Sawyer love triangle. My favorite Lost couple was Desmond and Penny...Dennie if you will.
1. The group separation
"If you wanna live, you need to come with me." - Locke
At the season's beginning, all of the castaways meet up and tensions rise. Jack immediately tries and fails to kill Locke for murdering Naomi, who was unarmed and, as far as I could tell, innocent. Locke states that he did what he did out of his concern for everyone else...and the Island. Jack calls him crazy again. Locke says he is going to the Barracks where there is security and shelter and everyone will be safe there. Everyone is pretty much on board with Jack, until Hurley of all people stands up to him. He reminds everyone that Charlie, his best friend, died while dead set on getting them rescued, but then used his last breath to tell everyone that the supposed rescuers were not on the level. Hurley joins Locke, as does the grieving Claire, Ben, Sawyer, and a couple of other castaways. So begins the turmoil of season 4, alongside the ruthless mercenaries. There were just so many things I loved about this. Hurley's big emotional moment and how he totally brings down Jack's defense; Jack totally bent on killing Locke; Sawyer's parting words on survival to Kate; Ben's eagerness to escape death with Locke; and then the last scene of the group splitting apart as rain sets in. It set up a lot of issues in the first episode of the new season. It was very enjoyable and filled me with much anticipation.
So there you have it, I will have the second to last installment of my top moments of Lost soon as the end of the show draws near. I will also be supplying new Lost posts that will come in the form of analysis' of characters and themes of the show. Thank you for reading.
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