Episode 4: "The Substitute"

Introduction

There were at least five points in each season of Lost that I began asking a set of questions like this: Why in the heck did everyone get to the island to begin with? Why are they compelled to stay there? And why, even once some of them left, were they “forced” to return? I like how this episode began to answer some of these “ultimate” questions, especially since in answering them, they begin to get at the ultimate conflict in the show. (I also like the absence of the Temple-People.)

Un-Locke’s Explanation

Let me begin by saying that I don’t trust Un-Locke’s words all that much; however, he does offer us a particular view of the ultimate question mentioned above. Even if it is false, it is the first one we have. Let me try to paraphrase it in a few sentences; I will use parenthesis to add personal thoughts to what I remember Un-Locke telling us:

Jacob was the one who gathered everyone to the Island. His “touching” of them, in one sense, compelled them to end up at the Island. He was looking for Candidates. What’s the open position? The next “Jacob” of the Island. (I assume they would “run” or “protect” the Island, as Jacob has been doing for years. Also, why was Jacob looking for a replacement? Because he knew he was going to die?) Un-Locke makes Jacob’s supposed plan look bad to Sawyer by pointing out that they haven’t really been free in their choices. No one likes being compelled to do something; plus, we like thinking of our lives as somehow shaped by our choices. So Jacob is presented as a manipulator.

Response to Un-Locke’s Explanation

My biggest suspicion with this story is the fact that Un-Locke has been presented to us as the nemesis, as some sort of embodiment of evil. (Will the writers of Lost throw us for a HUGE loop, switch who is good and bad, and make Jacob bad? Or will neither be bad or good? I don’t like the idea of the latter option, since it undermines any meaning in the conflict. Who cares who wins or loses, if no one is good and no one bad? Especially if we don’t have feelings for either side… See the poll.) Second, were Sawyer and Un-Locke really in Jacob’s home? I thought his home was in the statue? Third, how do we know it wasn’t the nemesis who wrote everyone’s name and number on the walls?

Misc. Questions

What is Un-Locke’s Goal? What does Un-Locke want? What does he want from Sawyer? More specifically, where does he want to go? It seems from the final conversation that he wants to leave the Island, as if the Island has been his prison. (Alpert says he wants to kill everyone on the Island. So why hasn’t he?)

Who is Un-Locke? Assuming Un-Locke, the nemesis, and the smoke monster are all the same people, we still don’t know WHO they are. Un-Locke tells Sawyer he was a human once, and lives now “trapped.” Do we believe this? Also, what is Jacob? He always appears the same age, but he also “died.” I find this set of questions very intriguing.

Who is Richard Alpert? Other than appearing to be on Jacob’s side, we don’t much about him. He is afraid of Un-Locke, though.

Oh, and who is the boy who talks with Un-Locke? Is it Aaron? He seemed to be different ages the two times we saw him. He seems intent on making Un-Locke follow the “rules.”

Locke In 2004

This timeline throughout the season so far has been relatively easy to follow. People keep coincidentally running into each other; but other than that, there haven’t been too many “revelations.” In this flashsideways, Locke worked for the same company (I think) and also did not do the walkabout. He is getting ready to get married, though. Oh, and although he was the face of Faith in the first world, he now doesn’t believe in miracles. Also, I’ve been right so far about thinking that each episode will track the same person in the alternate worlds.

That’s it for now, folks! Post your responses. Let me know if I missed anything important!

PS: In last week's poll, 75% of us thought the Temple-People were neither good nor bad; and 25% thought good. Vote on this week's poll. It's an important one!