The Substitute (6.04) Recap and Analysis

The Substitute (6.04) Recap and Analysis

“The time for questions is over, answers given” Lost commercials tell us

“Well that’s not true; we just spent 45 minutes arguing about things we agree on.” My sister said to me during this week’s episodes. And it is true, as masterful as always, LOST has answered some questions, but with more and more new questions. Sure we are seeing what happened to Locke in the X universe, but because we are seeing it, there are new questions on how it worked out between him and Helen and is he in the wheel chair for a different reason? It also brought up some new questions about the strange kid that was spooking FLocke, and when did those names appear in the cave? After they were on the island or before? And why was Kate’s name not on there?

It was nice to see that in the X universe, Locke is with Helen. We know the reason they broke up before was because of his inability to let go of what his Dad did to him (steal his kidney and push him out an eight story window leading to his paralysis, you know not the kind of stuff easy to get over, but certainly worth getting over) I wonder then what caused his “irreversible” condition now?

Hurley and Locke’s paths intersect when Hurley’s HUGE car is parked too close to Locke’s car. Preventing Locke from getting his ramp down so he can get in his car. We knew in the other universe Hurley owned Locke’s company this time we get to see them interact, and Hurley does seem much more confident and happy here, just how you would expect him to be since he is such a genuine guy. At least here things make sense a bit. Hurley gives John the phone number of his temp agency he owns after John lets him know he just got fired by that douche bag Randy Nations. Don’t you just wish you could tell Locke, that in an alternate universe Randy is working at a Chicken Shack that gets blown up but a meteor?

Rose intersects with Locke also; she is the office supervisor of the Temp Company that Hurley sent Locke to. She gently tells Locke to focus on the things he can do, which I guess is the positive to being told what you can’t do. She gets him set up as a substitute teacher (nice easter egg on studying the human reproductive system…as chapter 4)

We also got to see some Ben Linus (European history) in the X universe, one where he is a teacher, and still kind of pompous but that was really all we know. That he drinks coffee but likes Tea, and does not like having to clean up after other people.

“Who are you, because sure is hell aren’t John Locke.”

Didn’t take Sawyer but 5 minutes to realize FLocke is not the real Locke, unlike Ben, Richard and Sun who just spent the past few days with him. Sawyer immediately picked up on the lack of fear that was running through Locke, even when he was “pretending he wasn’t”. The John Locke we have known and loved was a believer, a man of faith, and a much better man than Ben will ever be (and he is very sorry he murdered him) They still keep showing us John’s body, and not sure if that means anything besides a reminder, at least now he is buried, thanks to Sun. Weirdest funeral ever. Locke in the X world seems to not be much of “believer” Helen seems to believe in miracles and signs (she was even wearing a shirt that had the word Karma written on it). She was excited about the fact that Locke ran into Jack. But Locke here does not seem too convinced.

Don’t tell Locke what he can’t do…either of them

Sawyer could see the spooky kid, that to me resembles Jacob, and it also seems this kid, spooks FLocke. He only says one thing to FLocke, which was to remind him he can’t kill “him”. Which we assume he is referring to Sawyer. While Locke is off chasing the “invisible boy” Richard comes out to warn Sawyer, because he believes FLocke wants him and everyone Sawyer cares about to be dead. Sawyer is suspicious of him and all FLocke can manage to tell him is he is trapped and he use to be a man…so what is he now?? He is a who? We know he can normally change his face, but now he is stuck this way.

Down “Jacobs” Ladder

FLocke and Sawyer climb down a shaky old ladder off a big cliff that goes to some hidden caves, which had ,multiple broken ladders all hanging there. In the Cave we see the familiar black and white stones on the scales completely balanced. Locke takes the white one and tosses it in the ocean and tell us it’s an inside joke. I think Jacob represented the white stone, and now FLocke has shifted the balance.

Inside the cave there are many names written down, most are crossed off. FLocke tells us this is why they are all here. Jacob is looking for a candidate to replace him as the protector of the island. Sawyer can choose to do nothing and see how things play out, he can accept his nomination, or he can run away to go home with Flock. Which he wants to do, but I we don’t know exactly what that involves; since he didn’t bother to explain his stake in all this, why bother showing Sawyer anything. He is not just being friendly

On the wall we saw some of the names of our castaways with very familiar numbers. But since they were last names, it is not completely clear who they go to.

4- Locke
8- Reyes
15- Ford (sawyer)
16- Jarah
23- Shephard
42- Kwon

Didn’t see any of Kate’s names, we know Jacob touched her also, as he touched all of them if we are referring to the Shephard being Jack. It should be interesting to see what happens from here. Did Kate go back to the temple? Where will Sawyer and FLocke head to next? Next week’s episode shows Hurley taking Jack somewhere for Jacob and is titled The Light House.