Circling Back Around

Hi Losties!
Let's talk about LOST... AGAIN!

To read original episode notes without being spoiled, click on:
PILOT Part 1 and Part 2
TABULA RASA
WALKABOUT


On September 22, 2004 Dr. Jack Shephard was a passenger on board Oceanic flight 815 en route from Sydney Australia to Los Angeles; he was transporting the body of his father, Christian Shephard back home to be buried.  Jack wakes up in a bamboo forest on a mysterious "Island" where his plane "crashed".
We witness a specific group of people who become a close circle of friends via the adventurous journey that brought them together.

Your orientation:
For LOST fans that are new to the detailed episodes at Karen's LOST Notebook,  I'd like for you to see how to utilize the original notes; I bold type and/or underline words and phrases, as they MAY BE potential clues, items of importance, or they are indeed an established continuing clue line.  You will also note dates on the bottom of those notes/posts to see when they were originally posted.

For the re-watch I will always link you back to those original notes for each episode, as I stand by those detailed recap observations, so click on those links.  I feel they contain valuable information and must be read first.
I'll incorporate the Missing Pieces Mobisodes and ARG information as well.   The posts I make with the yellow post it note at the top (like the one above) will be additional information for each episode (which may spoil you).  So you have a choice on which way to use my notes for your re-watch.

It will become obvious that I always spotlight the metaphor of LOST, as it is the essence of the story.
This post is really a short overview through these three episodes. 

A tip before you begin Season 1:  Season one mirrors season six, and remember Jack was not on "Jacob's List".    It is very important to really look and see, listen and hear and keep an open mind to what you are shown.  Our lesson is..."Careful observation is the only key to true and complete awareness".
Now let's have some fun!

And so it begins...
To start down the rabbit hole of this epic tale we must start at the earliest moments of its narration. The "Missing Piece" titled So It Begins depicts the moments before we're introduced to Dr. Jack Shephard. It is important to watch this clip and to read my brief notes on it. {Click the link for notes}


Pilot: Part one and Part two
Jack wakes up in the bamboo forest.  He has an injury that required a couple of stitches with standard black thread, from Nurse Kate Austen. Jack's tiny travel bottles of liquor that were in his pocket from the plane were not broken upon his supposed "impact".
We learned through the six seasons that stubborn Jack was indeed an alcoholic and drug addict with emotional issues and pain, yet even with addiction we never saw him boozing it up or hitting the heroin and drugs on the "Island".
While watching those opening moments I cannot and will not take back the feeling I had the very first time I saw Jack open his eye and make his way to the chaos and the screams for help from survivors on the beach. To me it still was as if he was "placed" in that spot, as were the other castaways.  As we go through the story we learn that Jack indeed had to "start over" in the same starting position more than once.
Jack assumes the role of the "Island" hero.   He literally breathes new life into Rose.
Jack clues us into how he copes with fear with is "counting to five" method, and that he also is familiar with flying a plane as he took flying lessons.
We are introduced to the mysterious monster that sounds more mechanical in nature than organic. But whatever it is, is appears to be huge.
Jack, Kate and Charlie head out to retrieve the transceiver from the cockpit. Along the way we learn that Charlie is the bass player for the one hit wonder band "Drive Shaft".     Poor Altar boy Charlie is a heroin addict.

It's important to note that Jack runs past the white tennis shoe in the jungle yet we see Christian wearing both shoes in So it Begins.
Vincent the wonder dog plays a role in this story...by the way...he's a "lab".

Shannon sunbathes while the other castaways sort through wreckage and belongings because she feels "You're wasting your time. They're coming."   Mind you Jacob whispers "They're coming" after Ben stabs him, utilizing the "loophole" in The Incident.  There are a lot of connections between Pilot and The Incident including Jack's "count to five" fear trick.

Tabula Rasa: 
Here on the "Island" everyone gets a new start, a do-over.  But is the concept based on the idea that they don't know each other and their past histories, or is it based on the "starting the adventure run through" again? 

In this episode Kate's name is Annie and she's from Canada.  We learn she is indeed a fugitive on the run from Marshal Edward Mars.  She seeks refuge in one-armed Ray Mullens pen on his farm in Australia.

Michael attempts a new beginning with his son.  Sun and Jin also take advantage of this "do over".
Jack searches the fuselage for medicine while Sawyer is there taking whatever he can get his hands on for future trade leverage in the wild.

When I first saw this episode six years ago I realized that Locke shared a connection to the "monster".

I'm adding the "Missing Piece- Jack, Meet Ethan?" here because there really isn't a more distinct episode to place it in.


Walkabout:
This awesome episode sheds light on the fact that the great white hunter, Mr. John Locke is misrepresenting himself.   Locke is also keen on playing games, especially military strategy games.
Here again we hear "monster sounds" linked to Locke when he uses his adding machine.

Kate shares with Jack that she's a vegetarian when she offers to go boar hunting with Locke and Michael; She claims to have experience with this particular type of hunting.   But I call fucking shenanigans on Kate claiming to be a vegetarian as she ate bacon and eggs with Ray Mullens in Tabula Rasa.

The moral of the story thus far...You have to learn how to walk before you can run.

The following are just a few of the topics,themes and layers that we'll explore over the course of our re-watch.

Probability:
What is the likelihood that these people "crash" on an "Island" and survive, sustaining superficial physical wounds?
There is a "loop" concept to the entirety of the story, so with that said...If Jack and the castaways have to run through these adventures over and over until they "get it right", it makes sense that "rescue" won't be coming because they have to "heal/fix" themselves first.

Secrets:
Locke asks Walt "Do you wanna know a secret?"    What exactly is this secret?  Walt only shares with Michael in Tabula Rasa that Locke feels a "miracle" happened to him.
Every one of them has secrets and skeletons in their closets. 
Apparently the major question of "Guys, where are we?" wasn't going to technically revealed.

Game:
There is no doubt the game element is given to us right from the start and encompasses not only the "Island" game and John Locke's role in it, but the metaphor and literal struggle within Jack and the castaways.
It is important to understand the concept of the first game we're introduced to as many clue words connect to it. We explore other games along the journey.
Backgammon:  Two Players, two sides, one light, one dark: playing pieces are moved according to the roll of dice. Players win by removing all of their pieces from the board. Luck and strategy play a part.   Players roll the dice and choose from numerous options for moving their pieces and anticipate possible counter-moves by their opponent.  You can raise the stakes during the game.
Each side of the board has a track of 12 long triangles, called points. The points are considered to be connected across one edge of the board, forming a continuous track in the shape of a horseshoe, and are numbered from 1 to 24. Players begin with two checkers/pieces on their 24-point, three checkers/pieces on their 8-point, and five checkers/pieces each on their 13-point and their 6-point. The two players move their checkers/pieces in opposing directions, from the 24-point towards the 1-point.  Points 1 through 6 are called the home board (inner board), and points 7 through 12 are called the outer board. The 7-point is referred to as the bar point, and the 13-point as the mid point.
The tree of positions expands rapidly because of the number of possible dice rolls and the moves available on each turn. There are cheating methods used.

Word Games and puzzles:
Continuing in the line of "games" it is important to note when "word play" is present.  This happens all the time.   Words will prove to have another/multiple meanings other than was originally assumed and anagrams are given.   We also witness characters doing crossword puzzles on the "Island".

Science - Faith:
The first person Jack seeks the assistance of right after he "arrives" on the beach is John Locke.   Jack is a man of science and Locke is a man of faith.  It seems to me that the "faith" part of the story was addressed in the finale but the science part really wasn't.  Regardless, one goal seems to be finding balance between the two.

Opposition:
John Locke is Jack's opposition throughout the entire story.   There are many times throughout the story they seem to be two halves of a whole in need of balance.  There is a constant pulling at both sides.

The Metaphor:
When you watch the show in this manor, even with its veiled cryptic symbolism, you can still see that we're told the story of "lost" people who have been cast away from their lives and need to find themselves.   They are on a "Walkabout", a journey of self discovery, the path to enlightenment.   Zen Buddhism plays a large role.  I mean after all, we're introduced to the "Dharma Initiative"!

The Mythology:
When you watch the show to learn about the Delphian puzzling bits about the "Island",  I found that most of the time it ended up being smoke and mirrors, a distraction from the truth.   But the mythology will be explored nonetheless as there is pertinent ties.  (And I have hope that they will come back around.)

The Magic:
Yes, the magic!  Illusions and make believe.   You must tap into your imagination along this adventure.   After all we can't explore "Wonderland" and all its fantastical imagery without understanding the power of a magic box.

Repetition: 
People, names, jobs, roles, items, clothes, images, places, scenarios, and dialogue are repeated over and over throughout the experiences of Jack and the castaways.
One tiny example is Kate admits to Jack she sewed the drapes in her apartment and in Raised by Another, Claire connects drapes to feeling grown up.   You'll see many more examples with clear connections.

Mental and Emotional Issues:
Behavior, addiction, depression, distress, shut down, suffering, misery,  problems, insane,  paranoia, catatonic, delusional and Santa Rosa all have a place in the "Island's" bloody snow globe.
Jack and the Lostie's carry a lot of baggage and for some it literally cripples them.   The lesson on this journey is to let go of the things that hurt, fix themselves and find their way home. A lot of their pain seems to stem from childhood trauma.


The Heart:
What is in the heart?  Who has murder in their heart?    Can a  broken heart be healed?

The Mind: 
Head. Consciousness, subconscious, sleep, dreams, lucidity, nightmares, hallucinations, hypnosis, visions, dizzy, headache, head injury, vision, memory, remember, forget, pass out, knocked out, and drugged out and brain washing.

Are choices made with the heart or the mind?

Numbers, colors and symbols:   
The colors can connect to the colors associated on the Bagua.   Colors are emphasized in every episode either by the common clothes colors that are worn by the "Island" residents or literally by color washing over the entire scene.  It's fascinating.  Be warned to watch out for changing eye colors throughout the characters; this happens all the time.
We get "symbols" and images referencing important hints all the time.  Be on the lookout for those Dharma-Zen-Buddhist symbols, i.e. wheel, temple, fish, spiral, Dogen, etc. 
 
The "Island":
All roads lead to the "Island" and events and experiences always blur together.   Does the "Island" fit into "science" or "faith" of the story?


At times the show can feel like a game, or a puzzle or even a riddle.  It can make you feel like you talk yourself in circles when trying to explain to your friends what the show is about.  But the  experience with this story cannot be solved by reason alone, but instead forces us to solve it through flashes of insight. 
We will get into many more themes and layers as we journey along with the rest of the castaways, some of you for the very first time and for others like me...all over again.


Love to all who are "LOST"™

The Substitute

Let's talk about LOST! The Substitute.

(Click the pics!)

Locke drives down the street of his little happy neighborhood. Paralyzed Locke loads himself in the wheelchair onto the chair lift, lowering himself to exit the van but it gets stuck.



He uses the red joystick trying to jar the mechanism but to no avail. Locke then pushes the chair off the lift in hopes of a smooth landing but he is thrown from his chair. Then the lawn sprinklers turn on. John is not angry about the comedy of errors, as a matter of fact he seems a bit amused. Helen comes out and turns off the water. She takes soaking wet John inside.

John is in the bath looking at two color swatches for the backs of chairs for their wedding. We hear Helen is on the phone asking someone “How long will that take?” as the wedding is in October. Helen tells John she’s sick of caterers and bands and picking out fabrics for chair backs, “What do you say we just get my parents and your dad and do it shotgun style in Vegas?”
John-“No, you deserve better than that, Helen. We can do this. I know we can.“
John shows Helen the choice he made in fabric color {green} then Helen remarks, “That one?”


John- changes his mind, “I meant this one.” {Blue}
Helen feels he’s a very sweet man; which John already knows.
Helen inquires about the conference.

John takes a sip of his coffee and tells her it was boring. {mug} Helen looks at a business card she found in John’s pocket and asks who Dr. Jack Shephard is.
John-“Oh, I met him at lost luggage when I went to fill out the forms. He... he lost something too.”
Jack offered a free consult too. Helen gets excited that he’s a spinal surgeon and suggests John call him but John feels the doctor was just being polite.
Helen-“So what? I mean... what are the odds of you just running into a spinal surgeon? I mean, who knows? Maybe it's destiny.”
John smiles-“Maybe it is.“
John seems to think.

{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}

The smoke monster operates quickly, clicking, ticking, cranking, moaning, flashing and rushing high and low on its way across the “Island”.   Its sequences are glitched and seem to jump from one terrain to another until it arrives at broken down Dharmaville where it navigates its way through the tiny village and stops at its desired destination, Sawyers house. Sounds of breaking glass and loud music are heard.   Smokey hovers outside the window for a few seconds and then flashes, cranks and hurries high and low through the jungle until it comes upon the knife it was looking for and Locke acquires it.

Locke uses the knife to cut down a hanging canvas cradle that contains frightened Richard.
Locke-“Alright Richard, time to talk.”


Locke sits in the wheelchair waiting in an elevator to arrive at his level/floor. {Note No Smoking} The elevator dings and Locke exits, wheeling himself to his cubicle. At his desk he looks troubled and sad.


Randy enters, welcomes the Colonel back and compliments the nice tan John got while at the conference in Australia.



Randy asks if he “missed us”.
John-“Sure I did, Randy.” Randy asks about the conference.
John-“It was okay. I didn't really learn anything."
Randy-“No?"
John-“But um... I made some good contacts, though."
Randy-“Really? That's interesting. See uh... Ken Fisher called and said you had to cancel your lunch with him."
John-“Right, right... I was a little under the weather that day. Probably jet lag. {He grabs a green binder on his desk.}
Randy-“Really? Cause then the seminar people called and said you hadn't picked up your credentials. I did some checking... and it seems you didn't attend a single event. Since we sent you to Sydney on the company's dime... where the hell were you?"
John-“Look, Randy... I'm really sorry. Why don't we just call it my vacation week?"
Randy-“I thought you wanted that vacation week in October. You know, for your wedding."
John-“Please, Randy... look, I know I shouldn't have lied. But where I was... it's personal. And I... and I really don't want to talk about it."
Randy-“Okay, John. Hey... you're fired.” He salutes John and walks away.

{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}

Locke gives Richard some water and apologizes for hitting him in the throat and dragging him off the beach but he had to do something.   Richard just wants to know what he wants.
Locke-“What I've always wanted. For you to come with me.”
Richard-“Why do you look like John Locke?”
Locke-“I knew he'd get me access to Jacob. Because John's a candidate. Or at least he was a candidate... “
Richard struggles to stand up; he doesn’t understand what a candidate means.
Locke-“Didn't Jacob tell you any of this?”
Richard-“Any of what?"
Locke-“Oh, Richard... I'm sorry. You mean, you've been doing everything he told you all this time and he never said why? I would never have done that to you. I would never have kept you in the dark.“
Richard-“And what would you have done?”
Locke-“I would have treated you with respect. Come with me and I promise I will tell you everything.”
Richard won’t go with him.
Locke-“Are you sure about that, Richard? Because people seldom get a second chance...”
Richard-“I'm not going anywhere with you.”


Locke sees a young blond boy a few feet away. He is dressed in Other’s garb, no shoes and blood on his arms.
Richard doesn’t seem to see the boy.
Locke is now nervous, “I’ll be seeing you Richard. Sooner than you think.” And he walks away.

Ben enters the statue {fire pit is illuminated and white} notes the covered dead men and Ilana who is alone and crying. Ilana wants to know what happened.
Ben, who feels there’s a chance she won’t believe him but still shares with her that John Locke killed them, turned into a pillar of black smoke and killed them and Jacob right before his eyes. Ilana asks where Jacob’s body is.


Ben-“Locke kicked him into the fire and he burned away.”


Ilana walks over to the ashes, takes a small sack {Similar in color to one of Helen's swatches} and gathers ash to put in it. Ben asks if she knows why Locke carried Richard out into the jungle and Ilana replies, “He's recruiting.”





Locke walks through Dharmaville {Not smokies his way through} and walks into Sawyer’s destroyed house.
A record is playing Search and Destroy. Locke enters Sawyer’s bedroom where he finds him dispirited and drinking. Sawyer thought Locke was dead to which Locke replies, “I am.”
Sawyer pours two sloppy drinks and shoves one at Locke {who only licks the spilled drop from his finger but doesn’t drink} Sawyer toasts to being dead. Locke feels Sawyer’s taking it extremely well. {What, that he/they’re dead?}
Locke-“That I’m here.”
Broken and drunk Sawyer replies, “I don't give a damn if you're dead. Or time travellin' or... the ghost of Christmas past. All I care about is this whiskey. So bottoms up! Get the hell out of my house.”

Locke informs him it isn’t James’ house; he just lived there for a while but it was never his house.
James-“Who are you? Cause you sure as hell aint John Locke.”
Locke wonders what makes him say that.
James-“Cause Locke was scared… even when he was pretending he wasn’t. But you…you aint scared.”
Locke seems intrigued by James’ observation and doesn’t admit or imply he’s anything other than “Locke” or not, he only says, “What if I told you I was the person who could answer the most important question in the world?”
This amuses James and he wonders what question would that be.
Locke-“Why are you on this Island?”
James-“I'm on this Island… because my plane crashed. Because my raft blew up. …cause the helicopter I was on was ridin' one too heavy.”
Locke tells him that’s not why he’s there and if he goes with him he can prove it. Curious James is interested so he’ll go put some pants on. {Fine, but leave the shirt off! Can I get an Amen, ladies?!}
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
Locke wheels himself with his box of office effects to his car in the parking lot. Locke does not park in a handicap space and gets upset when the yellow Hummer is parked too close to his car making it impossible for him to get to mechanical side door and chair lift for entry. In frustration Locke throws the remote control key fob on the ground. He bangs on the Hummer causing the alarm to trigger. Hugo comes along with his remote control key fob, cancels the alarm and asks Locke what he’s doing. Locke is a bit fired up.
Locke-“What am I doin'? What the hell are you doin'? Did you ever park a car in your life? You're practically in my spot!”
Hugo apologizes and shows him there’s a handicap spot over there.
John-“Yeah? Yeah, okay... but I don't have to park there! I can park anywhere I want! You need to stay inside the lines!”


Hugo-“I'm really sorry. They were supposed to reserve a spot for me, so... you know, I just... parked here.”
John-“I haven't seen you before. Do you work here?"
Hugo-“Actually, I own the company.”
They laugh, introduce themselves to each other and shake hands. Hugo asks John what he does there.
John-“Actually... nothing. My boss just fired me."
Hugo-“Oh? Who's your boss?"
John-“His name is Randy. But uh…”
Hugo-“Randy Nations? Yeah... that guy is a huge douche. Want me to talk to him for you?” John declines the offer.
Hugo-“Tell you what, John. I own a temp agency too... {takes a pen and paper from the box and jots something down} Call this number and tell them that Hugo said to hook you up with a new job, pronto. And chin up. Things are gonna work out.”
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
The body of dead Locke lays on the beach. A spider {Bug} is on his head and crawls away.

Armed Frank remarks that Locke’s getting pretty ripe. {For picking or what?! lol.} Sun informs Ilana that everybody went to the temple.

Ilana feels that’s the safest place on the island and they should go there too. Sun shows concern for Ilana but doesn’t want her to assume she’s going with her. Ilana knows Sun wants to find Jin.
Sun-“What do you know about my husband?"
Ilana-“I know that if he's on the island... and if he's alive... then he'll be at the temple. Let's get moving!”
Sun-“What about John? We need to bury him.”
Ilana sighs.

On their trek through the jungle Locke asks James what he was doing alone in that house. James admits he was drinking.

Locke wonders where are the rest of his friends are and James tells him they’re at some temple somewhere. Locke asks why he isn’t with them. Sawyer stops the questioning and suggests they don’t talk anymore. They both hear something and see the blond boy standing in the jungle.
James-“Who the hell's that?"
Locke-“You can see him?"
Sawyer-“The kid? Hell yeah I can see him.”
The kid runs off and Locke chases him. Locke trips on a roots/vines and falls. The kid stands over him and tells him, “You know the rules. You can't kill him.” {Who?!}
Locke-“Don't tell me what I can't do...{the kid shakes his head no and walks away} Don't tell me what I can't do!”

Purple shirted James calls out for, “Locke! Locke! Look, whoever you are, you got about twenty seconds and then I'm outta here!“
Petrified Richard pokes out of the jungle with both hands up and asks James “Where is he?”
Sawyer wonders what the hell he’s doing there.
Richard-“Where is he?”
James-“Locke? He ran off into the jungle after some kid.”
Richard-“We need to go! Now!”
James-“Go where?“
Richard-“To the temple! Let's go! Let's go!”
Sawyer-“You know what? I've been to the temple and I think I'm stickin' with Locke.”
Scared Richard tells him that man is not John Locke! Sawyer already knows that.
Richard-“Then why are you with him?”
Sawyer-“Because he's got answers. He says he knows why I'm on this island. Unless you wanna tell me why I'm here, Richard..."
Richard-“Don't be naive! He's not gonna tell you anything, he's gonna kill you!”
Sawyer-“If he wanted to kill me he could have done it a dozen times already...”
Richard-“You don't understand what you're dealing with! He doesn't just want you dead, he wants everyone dead! Everyone you care about! All of 'em! And he won't stop…”

Richard hears footsteps in the jungle and runs away. Locke shows up asking James who he was talking to.
James-“Nobody. You ever catch up to the kid?”
Locke-“What kid?”
James-“Right... let's get on with it, shall we?”
Locke agrees.
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
A bizarre purple shirted woman sits behind a desk and asks Locke “What kind of animal would you describe yourself as?”

{Note the posters use the word "DREAM"}

John-“Excuse me?”
The Woman-“What kind of animal would you describe yourself as?”
Confused John doesn’t know what that has to do with this. The woman tells him to just say whatever comes to mind but John doesn’t answer.
The Woman-“ Would you describe yourself as a people person?”
John is confused and uncomfortable and asks to speak to her supervisor. The woman leaves to get her and Rose walks right in. {This woman walks out of the room kind of droid-like. lol}
Rose-“I'm Rose Nadler, the office supervisor. What can I do for you?”
John-“Uh... what you can do, Mrs. Nadler, is spare me the questions about what kind of animal I am and hopefully place me in a job."
Rose-“Absolutely. What kind of placement are you looking for?”
John-“Well, I see here that you have a listing for a site coordinator...“
Rose-“Construction site coordinator. Uh... I'm not sure that's a good match.”
John-“Well, if experience is the issue, I have…”
Rose-“Experience isn't the issue.”
John-“Look... Mr. Reyes told me if I came down here I would be taken care of.
Rose-“And Mr. Reyes is my boss, so if he said that, I can make it happen for you. If you want to work construction, you got it. “ John thanks her.
Rose-“I'm not finished. I will send you down there tomorrow and then, the day after, you will be back in my office. Look, Mr. Locke... let's try to be a little more realistic. “
John-“And what do you know about realistic?”
Rose-“I have cancer. Terminal cancer.”
John-“I'm sorry... “
Rose-“When the doctors first told me, I had a hard time accepting it. But eventually... I got past the denial part and I got back to living whatever life I've got left. So, how about we find you a job you can do?”
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
On their trek through the jungle James asks Locke if he reads book.  Sawyer and Locke walk through the jungle. Locke does read.
James-“My favorite's Steinbeck. Of Mice and Men. You know that one?”
Locke-“Nope. A little after my time...” {Published 1937}
James-“It's about these two guys, George and Lenny. Lenny's kinda slow... causin' George problems... so George walks him into the woods and tells him to look out yonder and picture the pretty little house they're gonna live in one day. Then he shoots Lenny in the back of the head.“
Locke feels that’s not a happy ending and James agrees. James points a gun at Locke.
Locke-“What's on your mind, James?
James-“I'm wonderin' what would happen to you if I put a bullet in your head.“
Locke doesn’t even falter,” Why don't we find out?”
James-“What are you?”
Locke-“What I am is trapped. And I've been trapped for so long that I don't even remember what it feels like to be free. Maybe you can understand that. But before I was trapped, I was a man, James. Just like you.”
James is having a hard time believing that.
Locke-“You can believe whatever you want, that's the truth. I know what it's like to feel joy... to feel pain, anger, fear... to experience betrayal. I know what it's like to lose someone you love. So if you wanna shoot me, shoot me. But you're so close, James. It would be such a shame to turn back now.”
Locke walks into the jungle. Sawyer concedes and follows Locke.

Ben and Ilana carry Locke’s body in a fabric cradle to the Lostie’s beach camp cemetery.  Ben asks her why she had to bring him to the statue in the first place. Ilana felt the people there need to see the face of what they're up against.
Ben-“And what’s to stop what they're up against from changing his face?”
Ilana-“He can't, not anymore. He’s stuck this way.”
They arrive at the overgrown Castaway cemetery and Ben and Frank dig the hole while Sun and Ilana tend to Locke’s body.
Once they put Locke in the ground Ilana asks if anyone wants to say anything, “Didn't any of you know him?”
Ben steps forward, “Alright, I know him. John Locke was a… A believer, he was a man of faith, he was… a much better man than I will ever be. And I'm very sorry I murdered him.”
Sun looks a bit surprised at his last remark. This is the weirdest damn funeral Frank has ever been to. They toss dirt into the grave.
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
Locke is laying on the bed; the alarm is going off. It’s 6:15.  John quietly goes through the motions of his daily routine as a paralyzed man.







He sits in front of his small circle mirror looking a bit lost in thought and dials up Dr. Shephard’s office.




The woman-"Hello, Dr. Shephard's office? Hello? Can I help you?"
Locke has second thoughts about making the call, "No, no you can't." And hangs up.
John tries to fluff off who he was on the phone with to Helen but then reveals he was calling Dr. Shephard. {Which one?} This pleases Helen and she asks when John will see him. John is not going to see him and blurts out that he got fired. The doorbell rings. {The home is filled with images and representations of flowers; orchids, roses, etc.}
It's the Oceanic courier to bring the lost luggage.
"Sign here to accept your delivery."

As Helen wheels over the silver case she wants to know how John got fired. {Helen's shirt is pink/rose with sentiments of Dharma: Peace, Karma, Joy, Tranquility, lotus flower and Asian characters.
Locke-"I lied to Randy, I didn't go to the conference in Sydney."
He has Helen open the case, she sees the knives and wonders what they are for.
Locke-"My walkabout."
He goes on.
Locke-"My walkabout. An adventure in the outback. Man against nature. But they wouldn't let me go. And I sat there yelling at them, shouting at them that they couldn't tell me what I can't do. But they were right. I'm sick of imagining of what my life could be out of this chair, Helen. What it would be like to walk down the aisle with you because it's not gonna happen. So if you need me to see more doctors, have more consults, if you need me to get out of this chair, I don't blame you. But I don't want you to spend your life waiting for a miracle because there is no such thing."
Helen-"There are miracles, John. And the only thing I was ever waiting for was you. " She tears up Dr. Shephard's card and kisses John.
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
James and Locke arrive at a high cliff that literally overlooks the ocean. James compliments the view.
Locke-"Now we go down."
Sawyer wonders, "Down where?"
Locke-"Down there."
Sawyer-"No offense, but you already died. So this is great that this isn't a big deal for you. But if you think I'm climbing down there first, you're off your damn mind."

It's no problem, confident Locke with his backpack on will go first. And so he does. Locke quickly and swiftly climbs down the narrow ladder handmade from bamboo, tree limbs and rope. Very cautious James starts down the ladder.

Locke switches over to a different ladder to the right. {Tell me that doesn't feel like a video game/Donkey King move.}
James' ladder breaks and it falls but he holds on, ending up hanging right next to Locke on his other ladder. Locke saves James.

They arrive at their destination; a hole in the side of the cliff. {Cave}
James-"What is this place?"

Locke walks over to a work table that has a scale that is (somewhat) in balance (actually a little heavier on the black rock side) with the use of one light/white rock a one dark/black rock.




Locke throws the white rock out of the cave and claims the action to be an inside joke.
James-"So this is what you wanted me to see? A hole in the cliff with some rocks on a scale, that's why I'm here?"
Locke-"No. {Locke smiles, lights a torch and leads James into another cave.} That's why you're here. That, James, is why you're all here."
Locke illuminates the ceiling and walls revealing many names and numbers, many of which are crossed out.





{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}





Switch scene to show Locke sitting in his wheelchair and coaching girls running sprints to speed it up and advising them not to cheat. 

Then switch to Locke is sitting behind a desk in a classroom full of students.  He instructs them to "Open your textbooks to chapter four. Today, we are going to talk about the Human reproductive system."
The Bell rings.

Locke is wheeling himself {brown paper bag on his lap} through the exterior school corridor and asks a student for directions to the teacher's lounge. In the lounge we hear the familiar voice of Ben.
Ben-"Alright, I know I sound like a broken record, but how many times do we have to go over this? If you have the last cup of coffee, you remove the filter and throw it away. Fear not. I will make a fresh pot."
Locke-"Actually, I was just hoping for some Earl Grey."
Ben-"Tea? Now there's a gentleman drink. I don't believe we met. Ben Linus, European History."
Locke-" John Locke, substitute."
Ben-"Well, Welcome."
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
Locke watches James check out the writings.
James asks, "Who wrote all this?"
Locke shares "His name was Jacob." and explains the "was" means he Jacob died yesterday. James noted Locke doesn't seem too upset about and that's because he's not. James asks why all the names are crossed out. Locke indicates they're not all crossed out and shows him a name on the wall. 23-Shephard.
James- "Shephard. That'd be Jack Shephard?" {scene of Jacob touching Jack at the vending machine.}


Locke-"He's not the only one."
James-"Reyes. That's Hugo, right? What's the eight about?" {Jacob touches Hugo in the taxi}
Locke-"Jacob had a thing for numbers. 16 Jarrah. 42 Kwon. I don't know if its Sun or if its Jin. And here, 4 Locke. I think we both know him. Last but not least, number 15 Ford. That would be you."

James wonders why  Jacob would write his name on this wall as he's never even met the guy.


Locke assures him he did meet Jacob, {scene of Jacob touching James at the funeral} "At some point in your life, James, probably when you were young, when you were miserable and vulnerable. He came to you, he manipulated you, pulled your strings like you were a puppet. And as a result, choices that you thought you made were never really choices at all. He was pushing you, James. Pushing you... to the island."
Jacob did this because James was a candidate.
James-"Candidate for what?"
Locke-"He thought he was the protector of this place. And you, James, have been nominated to take that job."
James-"And what does that mean?"
Locke-"It means you have three choices. First, you can do nothing and... see how all this plays out. And possibly, your name {crosses out Locke's name} will get crossed out. Second option: You can accept the job, become the new Jacob, and protect the island."

Sawyer-"Protect it from what?"
Locke-"From nothing, James. That's the joke, there is nothing to protect it from, its just a damn island. And it will be perfectly fine without Jacob or you, or any of the other people, whose lives he wasted."
James-"You said there were three choices?"
Locke-"The third choice, James, is that we just go. We just get the hell off this island. We never look back."
James-"How do we do that?"
Locke-"Together. So what do you say, James? Are you ready to go home?"
James thinks-"Hell yes."













The Substitute is a GREAT episode!!
In  "2004" John Locke is alive and “somewhat” well, and we're seeing a version of things "as if" Oceanic didn't crash or in other words a "substitute" version, but in 2007 he is "dead" on the "Island". {Actually isn't it Jeremy Bentham that died?!} What are we really seeing and what is the purpose of seeing it laid out this way? Is it three completely different time lines from three completely different spaces in the universe or is it a glimpse into three go-around's on the "Island" for John Locke, Jack and the rest?

I think all of the "Oceanic" events are also included in the other experiences that I consider happening in “confines” of the “Island”.     I mean come on we're still seeing a Locke “Flash” that connects/blurs with "Island" events, so it has to be there for a damn reason!!
If Locke is dead there would be no reason for us to see a "Flash" of him in a "what if" scenario. The "Oceanic" Locke admits to not learning anything and seems pissed at Hugo for practically being in his spot, literally. Is Hugo in a position that Locke was vying for?

Locke and "Smoky/Locke" share memories, feelings, emotions, language, {Smokey/Locke} even trips and falls chasing the blond boy, so isn’t it possible it still is Locke just on a whole other level or at least Locke is still in there somewhere.   Maybe the "smoke" feature isn't completely understood by all of us yet.
Speaking about levels, it could seem that Locke didn't see himself paralyzed on some level as he does things like not parking in a handicap spot or jumping the wheelchair off the lift and going on a walkabout.  The current on "Island" version of Locke is no longer afraid. That is a very important thing to note.

I do still think people and things are not what you think.



(The Bagua is posted so you can see if the colors pertain to the story)









Things to note…Questions to ask…
* Could the “X” in LA  X mean experience or that names are "crossed out"?
* Reyes is the boss-Rose is Manager.
* Games. Gambling/Vegas. Odds. Rules. Cheat.
* Bug.
* Drills. Colonel. Military.
* Machine. Mechanical sounds. Ring. Buzzer. Alarm. Clock/timer.
* Purple. Green. Blue. Rose.
* The color blue swatch and the little blue bag Ilana uses to pick up ask look very similar. {according to my TV}
* Locke lies.
* Will the dead and buried Locke stay buried?
* Jacob burned up in the fire. Locke gets fired.
* "You need to stay inside the lines!"
* Death. Rebirth. Karma. Letting go. Destiny.
* Dreams. Imagining.
* Terminal.
* Joystick. Remote control.
* Recruits. Candidates. Lists. Credentials.
* Cards-Business card. {John/Jack} Credit card {Claire/Kate}
* Company.
* Sawyer sees the blond kid but Richard doesn’t seem to see the blond kid. Who is the blond kid in the jungle? Is John chasing himself or someone else in child form? Is the kid just there to remind Locke of the boundaries of the game?
* Rose is married, living in L.A.
* Learn. School. Lessons. Student. Teacher.
* Mind. Head.
* Body. Human reproduction.
* Hugo=ATE=8
* 4 = Four/for Locke
* Jacob touched Jack when he was older but Jack still had choice issues and situations in earlier years that shaped his life as did Sayid, Locke, Jin, Sun and Sawyer.
* Drinking. Drunk. Jack and Christian.
* Christian was on the "Island" in Missing Pieces...what's that about? It must mean something.
* Locke tells James he has three choices and Rousseau told the Castaways' in Exodus part 1 they have three choices: run, hide, or die.
* Richard won’t go with Locke so Locke approached broken Sawyer.
* Have the people on the island been following Jacob blindly?
* Ben controlled the "smoke monster". It did get out and wander the "island". So was he held prisoner in the cabin?
* It's a joke. The island doesn't need protecting.
* How is Ben really playing into the other part of the game duo?
* Hugo and his important role in the entirety of the adventure!
* Are candidates on the "white"/light side?
* The numbers: We see they're associated with certain Castaways, but what does that mean? Okay, they equal 108.
Does this mean there is no Valenzetti equation?
The numbers were broad casted at least for the 16 years prior. {Prior to what? I don't friggin' know!}
Lenny repeated the numbers.
Hurley always seemed directly connected to the numbers.

In the cave:
4 – Locke
8 – Reyes
15 – Ford
16 – Jarrah
23 – Shephard
42 – Kwon {Jin or Sun? Both?}
313 – Littleton {Claire? Aaron?}
Although all of the above could correlate to only the males.
Gone:
195 – Pace

Vocabulary and Research…
* Substitute: Proxy-
alternate, agent, alternate, assistant, auxiliary, backup, changeling, delegate, deputy, double, dummy, equivalent, expediency, fill-in, ghost writer, locum, makeshift, pinch-hitter, procurator, recourse, refuse, relay, relief, replacement, representative, reserve, stand in, standby,sub,successor, supply, surrogate, symbol, temp, temporary, understudy, vicar.
Acting, additional, another, artificial, counterfeit, experimental, false, imitation, mock, near, other, provisional, pseudo, second, sham, simulated,tentative, vicarious.
* Scale (weighing scale)
- symbol of justice. metaphor of matters being "held in the balance.
- Libra is represented by the balanced scales- September 23- October 22.
* Buddha(from the ancient Indian languages of Pali and Sanskrit) means "one who has awakened".
* Dharma's two meanings-
1). the teachings of the Buddha which lead to enlightenment (The Universal law of nature)   
2). the constituent factors of the experienced world (The characteristic of elements)
* Chakras: There are 7 primary Chakras
- Muladhara-Base or Root Chakra (ovaries/prostate)
- Swadhisthana- Sacral Chakra (last bone in spinal cord *coccyx*)
- Manipura- Solar Plexus Chakra (navel area-gut)
- Anahata -Heart Chakra (heart area)
- Vishuddha- Throat Chakra (throat and neck area)
- Ajna-  Brow or Third Eye Chakra (pineal gland or third eye)
- Sahasrara- Crown Chakra (Top of the head; 'Soft spot' of a newborn)
* "Candidate" is a derivative of the Latin "candida" meaning White.
* Conference (sports), a grouping of geographically-related teams.
*  Boss an employee's supervisor, a leadership or executive position in an organization or group.
- In video gaming, is an enemy-based challenge, a particularly powerful enemy or opponent in a video game.
- Boss: a character in the Transformer universe.
- Yahoo! Search BOSS (Build your Own Search Service)
* A credential is an attestation of qualification, competence, or authority issued to an individual by a third party with a relevant de jure or de facto authority or assumed competence to do so.
* “Search and Destroy” by The Stooges
* “Search and Destroy” also known as 'Seek and Destroy', is a military strategy.

* Reminder- John Locke (29 August 1632 – 28 October 1704), widely known as the Father of Liberalism was an English philosopher and physician regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers. Locke's theory of mind is often cited as the origin of modern conceptions of identity and the self. Locke was the first to define the self through a continuity of consciousness. He postulated that the mind was a blank slate or Tabula Rasa. He maintained that we are born without innate ideas, and that knowledge is instead determined only by experience derived from sense perception. The Lockean self is a self-aware and self-reflective consciousness that is fixed in a body.







Something I feel is important to touch on is we learn that Jacob took away their free will and we're led to believe that "Locke" gives people choices.
This season we learned "Smoky" took Locke's form so he could gain access to Jacob. But couldn't it be that Locke "believes" he assumed that role. That's important!

I feel we may have seen this "not scared" John Locke before, possibly going back to season one but more specifically the example I'll use here is from season 3...
In episodes like The Man behind the Curtain Locke wants to be brought to Jacob. Locke even calls out Ben {who by the way poured two glasses of whiskey for him and John} about not having access to him and threatened to get Richard to take him to Jacob.

With The Substitute I want to believe Locke when he is talking to James about joining him but I am very cautious because I remember back in the episode  The Brig,  Locke used Sawyer as a loophole/cheat to kill Anthony Cooper and get what he wanted...access to Jacob.

Two sides, one light, one dark, both on a quest to win the game and find balance.  This war game is going to get ugly and I still have to wonder who is coming to get in the middle of all of this.

Did the con man James just get conned by the con man Locke?  Is it possible that Locke is truly trying to align himself with a team that can help him regain his freedom?
Locke may just be "changing the combination" again. It is obvious Locke wants to be done with all of this and go home.  Hell at this point he could be a friggin' ET or a Prawn or maybe a hybrid of some kind and wants to go home.

This episode showed yet again the principles of enlightenment and Dharma. It was all over the place. I'm still puzzled by how that layer of the story is almost never addressed by the fans.
Learning to let go of the old you and discovering a way to live life as the new you...Finding peace and tranquility between your mind, thoughts, challenges, heart and body...You seeking balance on all levels...isn't that all we ever really want?

Love to all who are “LOST”™

Disclaimer: I never claim to know everything about the show and my thoughts by no means make me right! The things I share here are my views and/or opinions. I don't claim to catch every single detail either! You all know I hate spoilers! And I stand clear of reading certain sites as to not take me off my own course of research. The one thing I don't need to do here is rehash all of the obvious clues from an episode, we all know what they are. Understood? Good! Let the fun begin! I'll only note things that I know come up as clues later, but need to be noted when they first show up and things I find that will be of importance! It will get very exciting as we progress into the story.

WALKABOUT.

Let's talk about LOST. Walkabout.

EYE. Locke's eye {color} opens.
He is waking up after the "crash"; his right foot is shoe-less. Charlie appears to be dazed/sleepwalking right in front of an engine. Shannon, dressed all in pink is screaming.   Jin is desperately yelling.
Locke wiggles his shoe-less toes. {Black socks, yellow trim. Bumble bee colors. LOL} He picks up his shoe and hears a dog barking.{He seems to be listening.} ....Barking continues...
...Barking... Night:
Locke just stares. Michael tells Walt to keep the dogs barking quiet. Walt doesn't know what's wrong with him. The dog tries to run off but he's on a leash that Walt is holding on to. This disruption wakes Shannon, Boone, Sun and Jin.
There are noises of things falling and crashing down from in the fuselage. Then they hear growls. Everyone wakes up. Charlie is sitting in a plane seat near the fuselage. The group, not panicking, wonders who is in there.
Sayid-"Everyone in there's dead."
Jack assumes it's Sawyer, but Sawyer is "Right behind ya, Jackass."
Jack takes his trusty tiny flashlight and heads over for a closer look. Sawyer's behind him with a big flashlight, and of course there's Kate and Charlie too. Sawyer impatiently sheds some light on this thing... He shines the lights...Growls!... Jack tells them all to "Run!"  
Three boars come running out of the fuselage. Charlie falls and Jack picks him up {Again}.
Sawyer protects Kate.
Sayid protects Claire.
Jin protects Sun.
The three boars run into the jungle.
Locke smiles, happy to see boar.

Jack tends to the cut Charlie sustained in the boar run down. Jack feels the boar were there to feed. Charlie suggests burying them/bodies, "There's a whole bunch in there."
Sayid-"More than 20. Digging would be difficult without shovels."
Jack suggests burning them.
Kate is a bit taken aback by this, feels, "They're people!"
Sayid is upset, "Burning the remains, they deserve better than that."
Jack notes, any bodies they bury are not going to stay buried for very long; this is not about what the "bodies" deserve.    Jack tries to be logical about the bodies, "They're gone, and, we're not."
Sayid feels what Jack says may be true, "But for us to decide how these people are laid to rest, that's not right.No regard for their wishes, their religions."
Jack remarks they don't have time to sort out everybody's God.
Charlie-"Really. Last I heard we were positively made of time."
Jack's not happy about it either, but he reiterates the whole "crashed 1000 miles off course, looking for us in the wrong place" story. "It's been four days, no one's come." He tells them they'll get everyone to gather wood, Etc., and turn the fuselage into a furnace. They'll wait until the sun goes down tomorrow night before setting the fire.
Charlie questions about Jacks' waiting until sundown.
Kate-"He's hoping someone will see it."

Day:
Kate {orange shirt} is wringing out her white shirt and then heads over to sit with Sayid. He's working on something electronic. Apparently she's not the only one who didn't sleep last night. Sayid remarks he has better things to do with his time than collect fire wood. Kate asks what he's making. Sayid says it's too soon to talk about; he's not sure if it will even work.
Kate -"You're trying to pick up the transmission, aren't you? The one we heard on the transceiver."
He feels if the French woman's loop has truly been playing for 16 years, then there must be a significant power source on the island. Hypothetically he can find it. He's making an antenna of sorts. If he can place a few of them mounted at different points on the island, he may be able to use the transceiver to triangulate the signal, find out where it's coming from.
Kate asks what she can do to help.
Sayid-"It appears you're as anxious to get off this island as I am."
Michael gathers wood and sees Locke with a silver case. Walt is playing ball with Vincent. Locke opens a large silver suitcase. Walt, with Vincent on the red leash, wants to take a walk over to Mr. Locke to see what he's doing.   Michael obviously tries to distract Walt from that by suggesting he "help your dad with the wood. I'm sure Mr. Locke doesn't want a kid hanging around him all day, anyway."
Walt is annoyed-"At least he talks to me."
Walt walks away with Vincent.

Hurley is trying to get a backpack away from Sawyer.   He wants to know what Sawyer's problem is. We hear Hurley say "You're not happy unless you're screwing over..."
Boone tries to get them to stop.
Sawyer tells "Metro" to stay outta this.
Jack breaks it up. Apparently Sawyer is holding the last of the peanuts.
Sawyer claims, "My own stash, I found it in there." {Fuselage} There is no "rest of the food."
They ate it all; this concerns everyone.
Sayid assures the group "We can find food." They can find "sustenance."
Sawyer wants to know how they're going to find sustenance. All of a sudden a huge knife is thrown right into the plane seat next to Sawyer.
Locke threw the knife and recommends, "We hunt."
Kate wonders how he got that knife on the plane. Evidently he checked it.
Jack says to Locke, "You either have very good aim, or very bad aim."
Jack hands him back the knife. Jack doesn't know his name.
Michael, who seems a bit annoyed tells Jack, "Locke. His name is Locke."
Jack-"Okay, Mr. Locke. What is it that we're hunting?"
Locke tells them the wild boar are Razor back. The ones from last night were piglets, 100-150lbs each, which means there's a mother nearby; A 250lb rat.  Boars like to charge from behind, he figures it will take at least three of them to distract her long enough for him to flank one of the piglets, pin it and slit its throat.
Sawyer questions Jack given Locke back his knife. Jack asks if he has a better idea.
Sawyer-"A better idea than three of you wandering into the magic forest to bag a hunk of ham with nothing but a little bitty hunting knife. Hell no. It's the best idea I ever heard."
Locke smiles and uses his right foot to lift the top of the silver case and reveal its filled with various large knives. They're all a bit shocked.
Hurley wonders, "Who is this guy?"

The phone rings and Locke answers it. Locke is sitting at his desk in an office cubical.
The voice on the other end- "Colonel. Locke, is this line secure?"
Locke looks around to be sure, "Line secure GL12, go ahead."
GL12-"Target areas acquired. Maneuvers are a go for 13 hundred hours. Repeat. We are a go."
Locke-"Roger that. We'll convene at the usual rendezvous point at 13 hundred hours. {Military time for 1 pm} Locke's name is called out by his manager Randy who needs those "TPS reports done by noon today. Not 12:30, not 12:15, Noon." {He says the time backwards.}    Locke heard him the first time.
Randy- "And no personal call during office hours, Colonel." {How would Randy know him by Colonel?} Locke enters numbers in his adding machine...{Listen to the sounds very carefully!}

Kate holds a hunting knife.  Jack, wearing fabric around his neck, comments Kate is hunting boar now.
Kate-"Who says this is my first time boar hunting?"
Jack wants to know why whenever there's a hike into the heart of darkness, she signs up, "You know what's in there." {I've been asking the same fucking question for 4 years!}
Kate –"Actually I don't. And neither do you."
Kate's feeling on their new friend {Locke} "seems to know what he's doing."
Jack-"Call me paranoid, but anybody who packs a suitcase full of knives..."
Kate thinks Jack is worried about her and Jack thinks she has a problem staying in one place for very long and that seems to hit a nerve with her.   Kate tells him the "real" reason she's going on this hike is to help Sayid triangulate the distress signal they heard, find the source.
Jack-"This isn't about boars."
Kate reveals, "I'm a vegetarian."{Bullshit! She ate bacon and eggs with Ray Mullens.}

Walt is with Vincent on the red leash; he wants to go with Michael on the boar hunt.  Michael said he can't.

Sun is sniffing some plants she pulled out of the ground Roots and all.}
Of all the people around Michael who speak English, Michael asks Sun for help.
In English and body gestures/language, he asks her, "Ummmm. Ummmmm. I, am… going off...away...to hunt...and ummm...I.I.I...was wondering...if you...ummm...if you, could, uh, keep an eye, on my boy...Walt. And, And I'm Michael.   Anyway, uh could you watch him for me...Until I...come back."
She replies in Korean to him, apparently saying yes to his question.
Michael tells her he doesn't understand but asks "You're cool with this?"
Gives her the universal 'Okay" hand gesture.
Walt tells them "I don't need a baby sitter."
Michael tells Walt Vincent needs him "here" This will give him a chance to get to know Walt's friend Mr. Locke better.
Sun says something to Walt in Korean
Walt-"Yeah, whatever." {Did he understand her?}

Jack piles firewood for the burning of the fuselage.
Claire asks the "Doctor", {He wants to be called Jack.}
Jack-"Claire, right? How's the..."
Claire says he's doing fine.   Claire thought Jack should see the wedding plans/planner for Steve and Kristen.   They were sitting a couple of rows behind her.    Jack hands it back to her as he doesn't understand what he's supposed to do with it.   Claire remembers them because they looked so happy, "Some of us were wondering if we should do some kind of memorial service or something."
Jack could lead it; say just a few words, read off names from passports and drivers licenses. {How about lists while you're at it?}
Jack- "It's not my thing."
Claire will do it.

Boone notices Rose sitting alone looking out to the water.  Shannon is doing a crossword puzzle. When Boone comments about that woman's still sitting there, her husband was on the plane, Shannon asks him for a four letter word for "I don't care."
She nominates Boone, Captain America, to go talk to her. Boone talks about Shannon "starving". {He usually takes care of her.}
Shannon feels she won't starve because the ocean's full of fish.
Boone hates to break it to her, "The ocean's not gonna take your gold card."
Shannon-"You really don't think I can catch a fish?"

Locke finds that the "Ground here has been rooted up." {HEY! Sun just ripped a bunch of plants out of the ground, roots and all!}
He tells Kate and Michael that's how boars get the majority of their food, they dig; then they wallow in the dirt, rub up against the trees, scoring it with their tusks. He feels they're close.  {Kate the "boar hunter" would know that info.}

Charlie is in need of a fix.  Shannon comes upon him and he puts the drugs in his back pocket, "Shannon, right?" {He just went on a long hike with her and the transceiver group, and he's still not positive about her name?! WTF?}
She flirts and invites him on a walk; she wants to ask him something.
Charlie-"I wondered when this was gonna come up. Yes, I am the bass guitarist in Drive..." She cuts him off and asks if he knows anything about fishing. He tells her his grand dad used to take him out, taught me everything he knows, everything he knew, he's dead now, "God rest his soul."
Charlie admits to being a fishing fiend. I mean England's an island, so, I just throw it in and...fish."
Good.

One of the survivors uses the blue wheelchair as a wheelbarrow to cart wood for the fire. Boone mentions to Doc/Jack {Who is dealing with the fuselage} about the woman who is sitting by herself, "Maybe she's having trouble dealing with her husband".
Boone doesn't think she's had anything to eat or drink and maybe Jack should go talk to her.
Jack wonders, "Why me? I'm, I'm not a psychiatrist. I mean, maybe you should..."
Boone thought Jack would want to do since he's the one who saved her life.

Rose sits alone {rocking} holding her wedding ring on a chain. Jack sits with her; brings her water and a blue blanket.
Jack asks her, "You remember me? Seat 23A, I was the guy who told you not to worry about the turbulence."
He goes on to say everybody is getting worried about her. It's fine to be alone, but she has to take care of herself, "You should really drink."
She doesn't respond.
Jack says they don't have to talk, they can just sit for a while.

On the boar hunt Kate asks Michael how his son is handling all this.   Michael feels Walt's handling it a hell of a lot better than Michael is.
Kate, with her walking stick says, "You must be proud. He's a brave kid."
Michael can't take credit for that as he wasn't part of his life until his mother passed away two weeks ago. Locke is listening to their conversation.
Michael continues, "They were living in Sydney the past couple of years. I flew out last week to you know, go get him."
Locke hears groans.
Michael asks Kate what she was doing in Australia. Of course, no answer.
Locke-"Shhhh."
Locke hears something. To stay silent he points out the tusk scoring on the trees and signals to move forward. Quietly they approach and ready themselves. Locke gives them hand signals; pointing to his eyes and to watch/pay attention.
Michael-"Hey, quit giving us the steal signal."
With that, a boar charges at them! They all fall over. Michael has been gorged.
Locke is in a daze, looks at his foot. Kate tends to badly hurt Michael...
..."Move."

..."Move. Got to move, Colonel. Your troops are across enemy lines." A military game board with soldiers is set up in the break room.
Locke-"Patience, the quality which you lack, GL12, is the hallmark of a leader. {GL12 is drinking an Orange drink. Note under the ocean picture.}
Randy heads over to the snack/vending machine and mocks "Hallmark."
Randy wants Locke to tell him more about being a leader, "While you're at it, tell me about this Colonel thing."
Randy perused his file in Human Resources, you've never been in any of the armed forces." {Randy eats a granola bar.}
Locke tells him he's just playing a game it's his lunch hour, he can play a game. Randy continues the mocking, asks him "What's a walkabout?" {Magazine Randy holds says something about- explore the land down under.} "Experience the dream journeys of the fabled Australian outback."
Randy took it off Locke's desk.
Randy-"So you wander around, hunting and gathering food, right? On foot?"
Locke tries to explain to non-understanding Randy that a "walkabout it a journey of spiritual renewal, where one derives strength from the earth and becomes inseparable from it."
Locke has vacation days so he's going; he already made a reservation. GL12 asks he told Helen yet. Randy is amused that Locke has a woman in his life.
Locke- "That's none of your business."
Randy asks why Locke tortures himself, "Imagining you're some sort of hunter, and walkabouts? Wake up. You can't do any of that."
Locke tells Randy the story of Norman Croucher, the double amputee, no legs, who climbed to the top of Mt Everest because it was his destiny.
Randy- "That's what you think you got, Old man? Destiny?"
Locke is annoyed, "Just, don't tell me what I can't do."

Kate- "John. He's hurt. John, can you hear me? Locke! John, you OK?"
Locke still in a daze; he starts to stir, "I'm fine, I'm fine, Helen. I just got the wind knocked out of me is all."
Kate- "Helen?" {He called her Helen. Apparently his mind was somewhere else.} Locke is confused. He asks which way the boar went.   Kate wants to call off boar hunting because Michael's hurt; She ties up his right leg.
Locke instructs Kate to take Michael back to camp while he's gonna get that boar. They're surprised.
Kate- "What are you talking about?" {WTF, Kate? The people need boar!}
Locke, still appearing dazed/zoned, "I'm fine. I can do this."
Kate-"John you can't."
Focused Locke -"Don't tell me what I can't do."

Hurley is in the ocean with a pieced together spear.   He and Charlie are trying to catch a fish. Charlie thought Hurley could fish.
Hurley-"Yeah! Off the Santa Monica Pier, with my old man and a fishing pole and bait." He never had to poke on with a sharp stick. He tries to get one, but misses. He frustrated! He hands the stick to Charlie who wants to give it a go, "Knock yourself out."
Hurley sees a fish tells Charlie to "Put your weight into it. Wait for it..."
He misses too.{He was supposed to pin it or corner it, whatever, it didn't work. LOL}

Claire is going through luggage and finds an envelope with Sayid's name on it. She returns it to him.
Sayid, who's fiddling with wires, thought he lost it. He's very happy to sit back and look at the pictures of a woman who apparently makes him smile.

Jack is still sitting with Rose. Rose blurts out "His fingers swell." {When they fly.} She explains to Jack the reason she wears Bernard's wedding ring on the chain. He started having her hold on to it whenever they took a plane trip, is because his hands swell from the altitude.
Rose-"I always wore it around my neck for safe keeping. Just until we landed."
Rose tells the Doctor he doesn't have to keep his promise about keeping her company until her husband gets back from the restroom, "I'm letting you off the hook."
But she's not gonna get rid of him that easily. Jack feels she shouldn't be out there alone, "You're suffering from Post Traumatic Shock."
Aren't they all?
Rose takes the Oceanic water bottle, "You have a nice way about you. Good soul. Patient. Caring. I suppose that's why you became a doctor."
Jack thanks her,"I was kind a born into it. Family business."

In the jungle, Locke's on the hunt...

..."I have never felt so alive. Getting to finally tell Randy off, was... life changing. I mean it. Now, I'm free to do all those things I ever wanted to do.   Things that I know I was destined to do, like we talked about, Helen." {some sort of electronic machine on the bed table. American Flag, Red X. The messy room has American flag, plate on stand, open peanut butter jar, coffee pot}
Locke is in his bed talking on the phone to "Helen".
She tells him she's happy for him. He adjusts a knob on the machine. Locke goes on to tell her the best part, he's flying to Australia at the end of the week and he bought two tickets for the Authentic Aboriginal Walkabout. He invites her to go along. Helen reminds him she's not allowed to meet customers. He thought he was more than a customer to her. She tells him "This isn't really normal, this isn't what I do."
She suggests he maybe find a therapist or something. John admits to having a therapist, but he feels she knows him better than anyone. If he wants to chat longer, she'll have to charge him for another hour, $89.95. He doesn't care about the money. He's been talking to her for eight  months.
Helen ends the call. John is frustrated.

Kate helps Michael through the jungle. They stop to rest and so she can climb a tree and put up Sayid's antenna to boost the transceiver signal.
Michael-"I thought the guy with the gimpy leg should be deciding when we should rest."
She's apparently climbed a lot of trees.
Locke is still walking through the jungle.
Once Kate is just about to mount the antenna, trees crack, loud metallic noises. {Almost like Huge Metal doors or gates opening}
Kate drops the antenna as she watches the trees getting knocked down in a path, and says "Locke." {Go watch that!!}

In the jungle Locke hears boar sounds.Those squeals blend into metal and monster sounds. The trees move but he doesn't run. Then we see Locke respond to something appearing before him. Something of either growing size or rising above him. {We hear clicking sounds.} Locke doesn't run, he only looks up at it with awe, then concern. {Almost like he's going to cry.}

Sawyer gives Claire the wallets he took from the fuselage for her memorial service.   Walt plays with a tennis ball while he and Vincent sit with Sun.  He asks her, in English, "What is that?"
She understands him, replies and demonstrates her aloe plant toothpaste. She teaches Walt a Korean word.

Kate returns Michael to the beach. Walt seems impressed with Michael's injury. Sawyer sees Kate, "The mighty huntress returns."
What's for dinner?
Walt asks for Mr. Locke.

Boone shares with Shannon he doesn't think the hunt went very well, "That bald guy never came back." {NEVER! How long can it be that he's unaccounted for?}
Shannon seems more concerned with the lack of food, not lack of people.
Charlie appears with his catch of the day. He explains this one gave him a bit of a tussle "You have to get inside the mind of the fish."
Boone apologizes to poor Charlie, who has been used by Shannon to get food.
Boone- "Somewhere in your twisted little brain, you think this proves that you can take care of yourself."
Shannon told him she could catch a fish.
Boone-"That's low Shan, even for you."
She tells him to go rescue a baby bird or something.
Charlie's left just standing there.

Jack tells Rose that after the sun goes down, they're going to burn the fuselage and have a memorial service to say goodbye. Rose would like to be there for that. Jack asks if she'd like to say a few words about her husband; say goodbye to Bernard.
Rose-"Doctor, my husband is not dead."
Jack reminds her the tail section broke off in mid flight. Everyone from that section is gone.
Rose feels,"They're probably thinking the same thing about us."
Rose walks off.
Jack sees a man in a suit standing up by a tree.
Rose calls "Doctor."
Jack looks back, the man is gone.

Kate returns the broken antenna to Sayid, who is working on electronics. She jokes that she should have gotten a warranty. He is frustrated but will try again.
Sayid "has no welding iron, no rivets, scorched wiring and it seems I must continue to lie to anyone who asks me what I'm actually doing."
Kate tells him they'll try it again; he agrees.
Kate and Sayid seem like they share something.
Jack is relieved to see Kate {again}; he checks out the scratches on her face. She starts to tell him about Locke being gone, "That thing, it was moving in his direction. There wasn't time."
Kate asks what going on by the fuselage.  He tells her it's ready to go.
Jack tells her there's going to be some words said; names read.  The man in the suit catches Jack's eye again.
Kate- "I just don't think they're ready to hear about some of the things that we've..."
Jack runs after the man and Kate follows him.
Jack is focused following the man. He looks around and hears something. Locke walks out of the jungle covered in blood, dragging a boar. {Watch Kate}
Locke's NOT gone.

Night at the fuselage:
Claire reads names...Judith Martha Wexler from Dentin Texas.  She wore corrective lens and she was an organ donor.  Steve and Kristen, don't know their last name.  In love, and at least, where ever they are now, they're not alone. She reads someone's video store receipt lists overdue charges for Willie Wonka and The Little Princess.  They must have had children and they lived in L.A.. He hadn't traveled much according to his passport.

Hooded Charlie needs a fix.  He heads over to Kate.  She asks if he's seen Jack. Nope he hasn't.
Claire reads a name of someone sitting in seat 23C {Jack -23A. Where was this other person during the flight?}
Jack sits alone, away from the fuselage.

Michael felt the need to say something to Locke about killing the boar, "Nice work."
Michael- "So, that thing, the monster whatever...She said it was headed right towards you.  Did you see anything? Get any kind of a look at it?"
John says no.

A man/agent sits behind a desk in the Melbourne tour office explaining to Locke why he can't go on the walkabout.  The walkabouts they arrange aren't a stroll in the park.    It's trekking across vast stretches of desert, rafting bloody treacherous waters.  It's a trying ordeal for someone in peak physical condition.
Locke tells the man he has no idea who he's talking to.   He's well aware of what's involved and probably knows more on the subject than this man.  Locke booked the tour over a month ago and he demands a place on that bus.
In any case, the man says Locke misrepresented himself.
Locke never lied; he omitted info about his condition. Locke tells him is condition is not an issue as he's lived with it for the past four years, "It's never kept me from doing anything."
Unfortunately it's an issue for their insurance company; he won't keep the bus waiting any longer, it isn't fair to the other people.
Locke is frustrated, "Don't talk to me about fair!"
The man offers him a plane back to Sydney on their dime.   Upset Locke doesn't want to go back to Sydney, "Look, I've been preparing for this for years.   Just put me on the bus right now, I can do this."
The man knows No he can't and walks out to the little bus of travelers.   It is revealed that Locke is in a wheelchair.
Locke is very emotional, "Hey. Hey. Don't you walk away from me. You don't know who you're dealing with! Don't ever tell me what I can't do! Ever! This is destiny. This is destiny. This is my destiny. This is...I'm supposed to do this, Damn it! DON'T TELL ME WHAT I CAN'T DO! DON'T TELL ME WHAT I CAN'T..."

{Note green chicken on the bus and the ships wheel on the wall.} The bus leaves.

Flash to "crash" day.
Locke, no right shoe, wiggles toes.  Puts shoe on and looks up.   Stands up and gives Jack a hand with a rescue.

Locke stands at the memorial service, fire light on him. Claire continues reading names. {D'Agostino, from Teaneck New Jersey}
Locke sees the wheelchair off to the side, near the flames; Grins happily.


Thing to note…Questions to ask...
♟ Was Vincent near the "crash" site, barking near Locke?
♟ Locke's eye. Locke's foot.
♟ Gather/chop wood...carry/bring water...very Zen Buddhist.
♟ Constantly moving. Constant movement.
♟ Psychiatrist, Therapy, Therapist. Paranoid. Inside the head/brain/mind. Patient.
♟ Kate and Sayid were upset by the thought of burning the remains.
♟ Bodies not staying buried for very long. Interesting, indeed.
♟ Perfect time for boar to show up as they just ran out of friggin airline food!
♟ Why do we need to know all these weights? Wait... Kate's weight 120lbs. Piglets 100- 150lbs. A 250lb rat.
♟ Michael seems to have concerns with Locke and a connection with Sun.
♟ Military. War. Strategy game. {similar to RISK}
♟ Does Kate know what's in the jungle or what the monster is?
♟ A hunting we will go! But this is NOT about hunting boar!
♟ Kate calls Locke, John.
♟ Understanding other languages.
♟ Michael and Charlie get run down by a boar.
♟ Charlie's been used.
♟ Did Locke end up in enemy lines/territory on the hunt?
♟ What is destiny about anyway?
♟ Blurred lines with "Flashes" and "Island" events. Things out of time order.
♟ Locke's delusional relationship with Helen. And imagining he's a hunter.
♟ What/who is under...water...or...underground?
♟ Gone NOT dead.
♟ Monster/Island sounds associated with Locke -Again!

Vocabulary and Research...
♦ Triangulation- is the process of finding coordinates and distance to a point by calculating the length of one side of a triangle, given measurements of angles and sides of the triangle formed by that point and two other known reference points, using the law of sines.
· Used in REAL TIME LOCATING. {also-Tracking. Bearing. Navigation. Monitoring}
· Term used in Chess. A tactical maneuver in which the king moves in a triangle to force an enemy pawn to move.
· Triangulation (computer vision) refers to the computation of a 3D point given its projection onto two, or more, images.
* Triangulation (social science), the use of multiple cross-checked sources and methodology.
· Triangulation(family dynamics), a phenomenon described in some dysfunctional families.
♦ Patient- is derived from the Latin word meaning "one who endures" or "one who suffers".
* A patient is any person who receives medical attention, care, or treatment.
♦ An idea is an image existing or formed in the mind.
♦ Rats can serve as zoonotic vectors for certain disease. Rats are frequently blamed for damaging food supplies and other goods, or spreading disease. Rats are used in many forms of testing, in place of humans for health studies, medical, pharmaceutical, behavioral.
* The Rat was welcomed in ancient times as a protector and bringer of material prosperity. It is an animal associated with aggression, wealth, charm, and order, yet also associated with death, war, the occult, pestilence, and atrocities. In the Chinese Zodiac the Year of the Rat is associated with the earthly branch symbol.
* Rat Park was a study into drug addiction conducted in the 1970s by Canadian psychologist Bruce K. Alexander.
* Rat- Slang for an informant or the act of "snitching".
♦ GL12- Gloucester postcode area. Wotton-Under-Edge.
♦ Captain America was the alter ego of Steve Rogers, a sickly young man who was enhanced to the peak of human perfection by an experimental serum in order to aid the United States war effort. Wear the costume and bear the shield.
♦ RE1-silencing transcription factor, also known as REST, is a human gene. It is also commonly referred to as the Neuron-Restrictive Silencer Factor (NRSF).
* Rest (absolute rest) in physics and in the technical sense of geometric measure, denotes a particular relation between a pair of observers.
* Restricted Environmental Stimulation Technique- An isolation tank is a lightless, soundproof tank in which subjects float in salty water at skin temperature. They were first used in 1954 in order to test the effects of sensory deprivation.
♦ A hallmark is a mark struck on items made of precious metals — platinum, gold silver and in some nations, palladium.
♦ Norman Croucher is a mountain climber who, despite being a double amputee with 2 prosthetic legs below the knee, set out to climb Cho Oyu, not Mt. Everest.

Walkabout is AMAZING! We're seeing a man of possible importance.   Not only because he can now walk, but by evidence of the dialogue... His DESTINY.   We don't know who he is or who we're dealing with. He has a connection not only with the Island and the earth, but also the "Monster".     Locke now knows what he'd been preparing for was right here.   Locke lies to Michael about the monster.
As far as Jack, how does he really feel about being a doctor?   So it wasn't his choice to be a doctor? "Born into it."   Is it just because it was the family business.  What exactly is this family business.

I love this episode very much!   Just to wonder who Locke really is (because he's trying to tell us something important here.)  Let's be careful because here we've  been enlightened to John Locke MISREPRESENTING HIMSELF!    John may have been "lost" for a long time, but now he's found what he believes is his DESTINY.

Love to all who are "LOST"™

Posted on MySpace June 25, 2007

Disclaimer: I never claim to know everything about the show and my thoughts by no means make me right! Things I share here are my views and/or opinions. I don't claim to catch every single detail either. I hate spoilers! I stand clear of reading certain sites, as to not take me off my own research. The one thing I don't need to do here is rehash all of the obvious clues from an episode, we all know what they are. Good! I'll only note things that I know come up as clues in bold.