Notes from the Underground

Posted in ARTS to Lost In C-U by Adam Fein on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 5:00 pm

WHAT HAPPENED

"Everybody Loves Hugo" (The title is a flip on Hurley's season 2 episode "Everybody Hates Hugo") featured Hurley very tentatively taking (or not taking) leadership on the island. In 2004, sideways Hurley reunites with Libby and Desmond hits Locke with his car. Want to smooth out this chaotic episode? How about a little existentialism review and a visit with Dostoyevsky?

FACTS CONFIRMED

1. Big one here. Regarding the whispers and subsequent appearance of dead folks... Michael told Hurley that he and others are trapped on the island for their wrongdoings. Big ups to those who thought at any time that the island purgatory theory was right on — kind of...
2. Looks like the theories concerning Desmond opening up the ‘channel' between the two timelines is beginning to take shape. He convinces Hurley to meet with Libby again and hits Locke with his car. Not sure about Locke yet (see theories below), but like Daniel and Charlie knew the other/alt world existed the moment they saw Charlotte and Claire respectively, and Desmond saw a timeline merge when he touched Penny's hand, Hurley sees the other side when he kisses with Libby.
3. It seems there are wells marking the pockets of electromagnetic energy that Jin had mapped out with Dharma. We know that one of the wells led to the frozen wheel that both Locke and Ben used to influence ‘time' for the island.
4. Desmond being thrown into the well corresponds to the biblical Joseph, son of Jacob, being imprisoned in the well by his half-brothers.
5. The actress playing Hurley's mom is really good.
6. Richard's character seems a little frantic/weak these last few episodes.
7. I didn't think they'd have Ilana explode, I thought she was too vital... I was wrong. Some are people disappointed because she seemed "smarter" than that, but maybe this was the sacrifice necessary? Either way... Later Ilana.
8. I thought the Richard/Ben/Miles group split off was an intriguing mix, lets see where this goes.
9. The novel Hurley finds is Dostoyevsky's Notes From The Underground.

BURNING QUESTIONS

1. Is Man In Black dead and trapped on the island like Michael et al. for earlier wrong doings?
2. Do we think the boy in the jungle is young Jacob? Could it be Desmond's son Charlie? Whoever it is, it's frustrating MIB. "You can't kill him" (which the boy uttered two episode's ago) may very well refer to Desmond I think.
3. Is the sack Hurley found the same sack found on Adam and Eve in season one containing black and white stones? It is the Sack of white stones with the names of the candidates? The sack of diamonds? Sack of Jacob's ashes?
4. Hurley asks Libby's grave why she hadn't visited him like some of his other acquaintances had (Charlie, Eko, etc)... Might it be because she had been allowed to move on (i.e. She didn't meet the criteria to be an Island-bound whisper)?
5. Are the island whisper ''ghosts'' really ''ghosts'' or are they illusions conjured by some Island agency, i.e. Jacob or the Man In Black? If they aren't illusions, are they still managed or controlled by some Island agency, i.e. Jacob or the Man In Black? Finally, whether these ghosts are puppets or not, what are their true intentions? Do they want what's best for the castaways, or what's best for themselves, or what's best for their masters? (Doc Jensen)
6. Larger scope LOST questions from the Doc Jensen to continue chewing on: If we have souls, then how do we view our bodies? Do they even matter? Are we merely spirits trapped in substance, waiting to be realized and released? Or does soul and body represent an intrinsic, inseparable whole? What is our responsibility to the world? Should we remain attached or detached from it? Is reality really ''real'' or an illusion? I think LOST is pushing these pretty hard right now... well...what do you think, my friends? I agree with the Doc on this statement (see Willy Wonka song reference below to exemplify) "For all of you debating the nature of LOST's duel worlds — is one real or are both real; is there one that is ''good'' and one that is ''evil''; can both co-exist or must one win out — my guess is that you are asking exactly the questions LOST wants you to be debating."

THEORIES TO DISCUSS

1. Michael tells Hurley not to get himself killed in response to Hurley asking if there's anything he can do for him. It seems like a formality for him to say that, but maybe there was something more to it: maybe he really DOES need Hurley and the gang to stay alive and if they can, they might help those ghosts trapped on the island to finally move on. Discuss. (Nikki Stafford)
2. Michael was inhabited by MIB or Jacob and is using Hurley to get all the candidates together. Discuss.
3. In 2007: When Man In Black/Locke asked Desmond if he knew who he was, and Desmond replied ''John Locke,'' MIB/Locke threw Desmond into the well because Desmond had stumbled on his big secret — that this Fake Locke thing who's been claiming not to be John Locke all season long really is John Locke. Discuss.
4. In 2004: Man In Black has been inside Sideways Locke all along, and Desmond tried to kill him to force Man In Black/Locke back into the Island world.

FAVORITE SCENES

1.  Preview for next week using the psychedelic boat ride song from Willy Wonka. It's really a prefect song for what's going on in LOST right now. "There's no earthly way of knowing...which direction we are going..." "not a speck of light is showing, so the danger must be growing..." Love this.
2. Hurley's philanthropy introduction by Pierre Chang (Marvin Candle). Ah for a new show in 2011 with Chang simply monologuing orienation vids...

Post away friends!