Ab Aeterno “A Very Long Time Ago, or the Beginning of Time"(Lost episode 6.09) Recap and Analysis

A long time coming, and as many fans have theorized Richard is indeed from the Black Rock, and we have more information on the Black Rock, probably all we will ever get also,with only 7 episodes left until the Lost finale.

 Tuesday’s episode answered Richards back story, and added to the aspects of game play within the show. Man in Black / Smokey, and Jacob were making their play for Richard and Jacob won giving MIB the white rock.

 No flash sideways, very little island time – mostly Richards flashback

 Ab Aeterno

Opens with Jacob visiting Illana in the hospital telling her she needs to protect six people that are candidates to replace Jacob. He mentions this is what she has been preparing for and it seems to be very upsetting to her. The scene picks up later after Illana is healing in mid conversation. Jacob then tells her she needs to ask Richard (Ricardos) what to do next after they are at the Temple.

When she asks him this on island as they are all sitting around the campfire, he goes a bit crazy laughing about how he doesn’t know what to do next, and tells them they are all dead, and this isn’t an island, that they are in hell. “This isn’t what you think it is, we are not on an island we never were” He believes Jacob is telling lies and it’s time to go listen to somewhere else, so he marches off into the jungle to find FLocke. Illana wants to go off after him because she believes he does know because I guess Jacob would never lie to her.

Suddenly Sun has all the answers? Sun fills Jack in that Richard is going off to talk to Locke, who is not exactly Locke as Ben points out.

  

Picture it Tenerife the Canary Islands, 1867

Richard riding on a horse back to his “house” to his wife Isabella who appears to have consumption / TB. He rides off to the wealthy ignorant doctors house who would not go help but would give him medicine for a price ( which Richard just didn’t have enough) Richard offers to help work off the debt, but this guy could care less (must be a republican) and in a heated moment and minor scrabble, Richard kills the guy by accident. Once he returns home his wife is already dead and he is taken to prison moments later.

The priest who visits him can not absolve him of this mistake, and says only penance will help which he cannot do since “he doesn’t have time to do anything” since they are about to hang him. Richard is reading the bible, Luke, 4 37 ( which is about Jesus asking a demon to come out of a man, and the demon does without harming the man, the reports of Jesus spread throughout the land) Richard though is teaching himself English and lets the guy know he and his wife wanted to travel to the new world. Mr. Whitfield comes as a representative of Magnos Hanso and purchases him from the priest.

Through a rainstorm much like the one Rousseau’s crew experienced when they crashed on the island, the black Rock was hurled onto the island breaking apart the statue and crashing about a mile into the jungle. The mystery of why the ship was in the middle of the jungle now solved. Before the crash one of the slaves below deck believed the statue was the devil seeing it all ominous off in the distance, and it was guarding the island. Interesting since we originally were told Smokie was the security system of the island, and has also been referred to as evil incarnate by Dogen.

The crew awakens to discover most including the Capitan are all dead. Then things get even better for Richard when those not dead were slain by Whitfield, because he fears its kill or be killed, “if I freed you it would only be a matter of time before you killed me” due to being shipwrecked with no supplies or fresh water. Smokey comes in and takes out the remaining crew and Whitfield before he gets to kill Richard, whom he must of found interesting, took some photos of him as usual and was gone. Maybe he took pity on because he was also trapped, or he figured he would be a candidate for the game him and Jacob are playing. Hard to say what are the intentions of a pillar of black smoke.

Richards Life Sucks the Big one, Should Make you Feel Better about Yours

 All of this must be weird enough for Richard whose life just went into the shitter before he wound up there, with the death of his wife, going to prison and about to be executed to be saved by being sold into slavery, now they crash which he survived, next he is about to be killed, but is spared four times now, I guess when your destined to live, your destined to live. He survives trying to get himself free from his chains, he can’t reach the water that is pouring in the ship, and if being around a bunch of dead bodies isn’t bad enough, here comes a boar to come eat some of his fellow traveling companions all while he is trying to loosen the nails from his chains.

He is first visited by his dead wife who believes they are in hell, saying she has seen the devil and when she looked into his eyes all she saw evil. While she is trying to free him, we hear Smokey coming, so thoughts on her being Smokey kind of evaporate. We hear here scream and Smokey leaves so Richard gets to lose her all over again.

I Fell into a Burning Ring of Fire..and now I am Just the Smoke from the Fire

 Sometime later the man in black(MIB) appears with some water and he has been here (in hell) and that he has been there a long time. He also says he doesn’t know where Richard’s wife went and believes “he has her now”. The Man in Black tries to strike a deal with Richard, he frees him and just asks for the small favor of killing the devil in return, since this is the only way to get out of hell. This will also allow him to be with his wife again. He warns him to not let the devil speak or it will already be too late, since he is very convincing. Very reminiscent to what Dogen told Sayid in Sundown about the man in black, with the same looking dagger.

 Richard is confused how a dagger could kill some black smoke, then MIB confesses he is the black smoke, and Isabella was not running from him, but from “him”. He couldn’t do anything to stop him, and he interrupts Richard to tell him he is not the only one who lost something. The devil betrayed him and took his body, his humanity. Of course it doesn’t dawn on Richard why this guy would want him to go kill the devil, why didn’t he do it after all, or why not go with him. What is he really concerned about his welfare?

“Still Think Your Dead!”

 Jacob though jumped Richard once he saw him and the poor guy was still very confused and believed he was dead and was in hell and he is just looking for his dead wife. Which Jacob tells him that it wasn’t his wife he saw. Jacob proved to him by trying to drown him in the ocean he was not dead.

 He also tells him about his own rules on visitors.No one comes inside the foot of the statue unless he invites them in. He says he is not the devil but is the one who brought the ship to the island. Sure he wants to prove the MIB wrong, but why?

 One of the most important moments of the show happens when Jacob explains to Richard a little bit about where they are. Explaining that evil is like the wine in the bottle swirling around and the island is like a cork that is holding hell, darkness unable to get out because it would spread. Cork is the only way to keep the darkness where it belongs.

 He goes on to explain that the man he met believes people are corruptible because it is in their very nature to sin. Jacob brings people to the island to prove him wrong. He says everyone there gets a fresh start, their past doesn’t matter. When he finds out everyone before him has died Richard asks "well, if you brought them here why didn’t you help them?" Jacob wants them to help themselves if he intervenes then they don’t learn anything, knowing the difference between right and wrong is meaningless if he has to step in. When Jacob asks Richard why he thinks he should step in, Richard points out if he doesn’t MIB will…and thus seals the deal on the job. Jacob gives a look like, “well I never thought about that.” Richard can be the intermediary to people he brings to the island, his representative.

  

Jacob Cannot Bring the Dead Back to Life on Request, he can not Absolve Anyone of their Sins, but Eternal life? Gotcha Covered!!

Jacob gives Richard a white rock to return to the Johnny cash,i mean Man in black(lol) I imagine as a token of his “win"; in the inside joke of a game they are playing.  MIB’s offer still stands if Richard ever changes his mind, and he gives him the necklace of his wife, that he must have dropped on the ship. Richard buries it and when we get back to our time he is digging it up. It took Richard 140 years to change his mind and admit he was wrong, he starts yelling to get MIB to come out, but only Hurly does. Because Richards wife sent him. She finally after all this time tells him it wasn’t his fault that she died and he has suffered enough. The main reason she found hurly was to tell Richard to not let the MIB leave the island. Otherwise they all go to hell.

Nah Nah I won Richard!!

The episode closed with a flashback of Jacob giving the MIB the bottle of wine for him to “pass the time”. They discuss that MIB wants to leave but Jacob can’t let him while he is alive, and MIB states he will kill anyone who keeps him from leaving. Jacob gloats that MIB got his present of the white rock, and is slightly gloating. Jacob leaves him with the wine and MIB smashes it. (Another way to get the liquid out).

Could be that this moment fueled MIB's plan, it is not fully clear still what these rules are, but it is very clear there is a game going on as we have all noticed with all of the games referenced throughout the show. Answers were given more or less, but the big one of WHY is still elusive.

Questions Answered

• Richard came to the island in 1867 on the Black Rock as a slave
• Jacob gave Richard eternal life in exchange for being his go between
• The island is a cork keeping out the darkness
• The Statue was destroyed by the Black Rock crashing into it 
• Everyone that has been there before then is dead

 New Questions 

•  Why did Isabella think they were in hell, was that even her?
• Who took her, MIB or Jacob?
• Why does Jacob have to prove MIB wrong? Is he playing this game to keep him entertained?

More answers than questions finally! No rabbits to report either for Rabbit Watch, but if I missed something please comment. Overall great episode, alot of game play, alot of repeating of things we have heard. and always I have said, Life is a circle and a circle has no point, thus is Lost.

The Light House (6.05) Recap & Analysis

The Light House (6.05) Recap & Analysis

“You would think we would have seen all these massive structures” my sister to me during this weeks episode.

This must be one big ass island with the way things just appear and disappear even without us really noticing. Or are all our characters so self-absorbed that they just don’t notice planes flying over head dropping off supplies, and big lighthouses sitting down beach? All and all, great episode that featured Jack in the flash sideways (which BTW is in the same order as season one so far). And of course created new questions, while it answered little.

As Fake Locke told Sawyer last week, Jacob sure did have a thing for numbers, this time degrees on the dial, and a magic mirror that shows us the coordinating persons house. Thanks Jack for being a selfish jerk and breaking the mirror, Hurley didn’t get to see his house.


Meet the new crazy woman missing her baby, same as the old crazy woman missing her baby

As we found out at the end of last week’s episode Claire is still on the island, can’t really say if she is alive or not. I am leaning towards her being one of the undead, maybe this IS zombie season? In her tent she had the usual Rousseau items, guns, dynamite, and cradle with fake baby. The cradle was not the same one Locke had made her, but it did hold a handmade item, Wilson from Castaway but as a baby. And besides the “baby “she is not alone, her dad and “friend” apparently are over for tea and cookies all the time. I have to say she good at being creepy, I was waiting for her to just knock that others head clean off. So when she put the ax in him, I wasn’t as surprised as Jin was. Same goes for when Fake Locke just dropped by.

Jack has a memory problem?

This week’s flash-sideways are of Jack, who so far seems to be the only one with memory loss. He may have remembered he had a son, but didn’t remember him playing the piano or his appendix being taken out at a young age. Or did he just wonder if he had a dream about being on a deserted island were two good looking chicks took it out? His memory loss even appears to have erased any possible issues he may have with his son and their relationship. His son seemed concerned about Jack’s approval of his piano playing and distant to him. But Jack seems genuinely surprised by this fact and in no way wants their relationship to be like his was with his father.

Hurley and Jacks little adventure

It was nice having Hurley and Jack going through the jungle, the jungle itself just seems so much brighter than it was before. They run into Kate ( who was not invited even though Jacob touched her in the past) as she is refilling her bottle of water, which by the way was what she was doing at the barracks when we last saw her. She was going off to find Claire, by herself in the jungle. She wished Jack well in an uncharacteristic way and off she went, not fearing Smokie I guess. Jack and Hurley’s next stop was by the caves where we revisit with Adam and Eve from early season one. Hurley runs some theory about them being Adam and Eve. Back when the island was skipping through time and it stopped in 1954 and they were all being attacked on the beach by the others, I had wondered then if it was possible that those two skeletons where from this incident. Jack reminds us he was following his dad who “wasn’t really there” back in season one (White Rabbit). And now I wonder, was he following his dad, or was he following Fake Locke, before he was in Locke? Is there more than one smoke monster? Are they all smoke monsters maybe, or have the ability to be them (the undead)? For his dad or Smokey whoever it was, did also lead him to where there was necessary water and shelter. So, whoever it was, did want to keep them alive.

Black and White

There has been a motif of black and white in this show since the very first episode when Locke explains the rules of backgammon to Walt. “One side light, one side dark”. But there were a few more this episode with the piano, the cookies David was eating (Milano’s…love them) the finding of Adam and Eve to remind us of those black and white stones again. Which I do believe Jack had put in his pocket at the time, wonder what he did with them?

Answers are given….sort of

Overall it was a good, low impact episode. I laugh every week when they tell us that answers are being given, and the time for questions is over. So what was answered? There is a magic lighthouse that Jacob could see into the lives of those on the magic wheel, Claire is crazy and has been living out in the jungle but not alone, and we learned more about Jack in the other storyline but that created new questions. Did he really forget about surgery he had as a child? Is David’s mother Jack's former wife? Does Dogen have any memory of Jack? Why is Jack special? How did the light house work, was he looking into their past, present, or future, or a parallel time? I guess as usual, we will have to wait until next week to find out more.

What Kate Does (episode 6.03)

What Kate Does (episode 6.03)

What does Kate do during this episode? She runs a lot, she runs from the cops in X, and runs after Sawyer and away from the Temple. She also takes care of Claire, which is also something she has done in past. Kate is a complex character, she is someone who has been incredibly selfish with her actions, following people when told not to, not thinking about how that might adversely affect them, trying to get on the boat by persuading Sun to poison Jin. But she has also been very unselfish in her “bad choices” also. The whole reason she is on the run is because she was “taking care of her mom”. She got caught in Australia when she could have gotten away by making sure the farmer wasn’t in his truck after it had crashed and was to explode, despite him turning her in for the reward. And in X, she went back for Claire after she realized the woman she hijacked things belonged to a soon to be mom. And if she was really a horrible person, I don’t think she would of thought twice about the items in that bag, or Claries picture or Aarons whale. Which by the way, I wondered if she recognized since it was the same whale Aaron had when she was his mommy. I still can see Aaron standing there holding his whale when Jack in a drunken rage yelled at Kate and said she wasn’t even related to him, Thanks Jack, yet another moment where I am reminded of what a huge dick you are.



Though this episode to me wasn’t as interesting or action packed as other episodes, it was still necessary since they spent a great deal of time showing the connection between Kate and Claire. It was interesting to see how Claire just trusts Kate no matter what, even when Claire doesn’t know Kate, and Kate hijacks her cab and has just held a gun to her head. If Kate was insecure about whether Claire would want her to raise Aaron, she shouldn’t be, I don’t think Claire would have it any other way.


Infection


We also learned that Sayid was dead, and is now allegedly infected. Probably the same way Roussous crew was infected, and how Claire is now according to Dogan. I got a huge kick out of Jack swallowing that pill, it was a nice piece of Drama that the others didn’t see coming. But we still don’t know too much about this infection except that once it reaches their heart (how clichéd) they will no longer be the person anyone knew. A darkness growing in them, is this related to the dark territory on the island? Who did this happen to in Dharma, is this why they wore the hazmat suits and took inoculations of a vaccine for an illness they never explained?



30 years later

Sawyer leaves the temple to go back to his former home with Juliet to dig up a box he had buried in the floor boards. In it was a ring he was going to give to her to propose marriage, Sawyer of all things was really happy about settling down, but sadly believes maybe he is suppose to be alone, and tosses the ring into the lagoon. That was all very heart retching and all but what I really noticed was the fact that the box was actually there, now the rest of dharma-town makes a bit more sense.

Introducing Ethan Goodspeed


Ethan is still a doctor, an OBGYM, but no longer has the last name of Rom, but rather that of his parents, Horace and Amy. A lot less creepy too, but I have to say when he turned around, still kind of creepy. Interesting that in X he was still taking care of Claire. Wonder if he will get all infatuated with her, who knows maybe he will be the new Charlie in X…or maybe Charlie will be her Charlie?

Communication

One of the continuing themes in this show is the poor communication skills of our characters. Many times I have noticed if they just asked this or that, maybe there wouldn’t be a need to blow up so many things, run away, or shoot so many people. Finally Jack is demanding answers, but acknowledging they are not going to give them up.


Mind games and Free will


It seems there is this unwritten or possibly written rule about requiring the losties to make choices on their own, except it almost is never on their own. They are normally being manipulated for the outcome to be what the others want it to be; giving them a false idea they have a choice. Maybe that is what Free will really is, a false illusion that we do make choices when really there is a destiny involved that is pulling our strings. I don’t believe this with everything, I think this is what lazy people believe or those that do not want to take responsibility for themselves and their choices.

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John Jacob Jingle heimer Schmidt, his name is my name too!

John Jacob Jingle heimer Schmidt, his name is my name too! (S4/S5)


The ever-elusive Jacob. Who is this invisible to most man, that hates technology, is both brilliant and unforgiving and for whatever reason lives in a tiny un-kept cabin surrounded by a magical circle of ash. He is a many of few words, and would not appreciate the drop in, and would probably be the type that would have the No Solicitors sign posted by the front door. He seems to have been around for a while since John mentioned his name in 1954 and Richard didn’t respond with “whose Jacob?”



Seriously, why is he invisible to most? Is he trapped in another dimension? I don’t know why, but for the longest time whenever I thought about Jacob, I kept thinking of this Spongebob episode where they are selling chocolate door to door, and they go to house where there is a mother and daughter. The mother is a mostly shriveled up worm, and for whatever reason, this is the image I get when I think of Jacob. I surely hope he is not a worm.



I originally took Jacob as being the spokesperson for the Island, the embodiment if you will. Everyone has a boss and Jacob is a collective conscious that keeps the people in order. Now Christian is speaking for him? No offense to Christian, but didn’t he die a drunk? A weak one according to him at that, and this is his spokesperson? Perhaps he is not, he maybe a spokesperson but maybe it is for something that is the opposite of Jacob. If he is speaking for Jacob, I think Echo would make a better one; he seemed to be the person he should have been when on the island. I personally could not hold any of his past against him, he didn’t have too many options. And some of the choices he had to make, well weren’t really choices at all. (Him shooting that man instead of his little brother) And besides, if anyone was to give Echo any lip, he could always beat them with his Jesus stick.



Now that this can of time traveling worms has been opened, it seems to touch everything. Is Jacob a result from Dharma? Maybe he was in an experiment, and they sent him to far back in the past, he couldn’t get back all the way and some how he became a god to the others. I suppose some invisible person telling them things from the future would give him god like qualities. And yet, they still have this problem with Dharma later, which I feel busts that theory, unless of course, Jacob was a disgruntle Dharma official, and then maybe it can still work.



The choice of Horace’s Cabin as his place of residence is part of why I associate him with Dharma (besides the TT) but it’s the ash that intrigues me most. Circles of Ash are often associated with protection, to keep bad things out. Who would want to hurt Jacob?



There have been numerous theories on who Jacob is, he has been nearly every person on the show (including Rose), a computer and even a few regular posters on ABC’s theory board. But my favorite is that Jacob is Frank lapidus and Frank is Jacob, since they have so many things in common. Frank is a drunk and Jacob has one speaking for him now, Frank flies planes and Jacob lives in a crappy airplane cabin, Frank wears Hawaiian shirts, and Jacob lives on an island that looks like Hawaii. See the connections. So maybe we are all Jacob and Jacob is all of us.



So for now I will go with if Jacob is not the embodiment of the island, or a creepy old talking worm, than I would bet he is a guy named Jacob.