Saturday, April 10, 2010

Sorry, another LOST post

I was just corresponding with Pops about how the "sides" are lining up as we draw nigh to what appears to be a developing large-scale war on LOST, and how Desmond as a time-traveling wild card may fit into it, and how coming events may draw closer together or even the fuse the two time lines. Then I was thinking about the differences for the characters in the two time lines, how many appear to have attained happiness they lacked in the original time line. But then I realized nearly just as many are still miserable in the flash sideways. Then I thought, perhaps that is indicative as to which side they are positioned in on the island. Let's examine this idea as I think through it via public writing:

(Note: The "team" on which I've placed them does not necessarily indicate their allegiance, simply their most current physical location under the command of one or the other.)



















CharacterOn IslandFlash Sideways
JackTeam JacobHas son; overcame daddy issues; happy
SawyerTeam MIBAlone; parents still dead; unhappy
HurleyTeam JacobStill rich; lucky/successful; happy
SayidTeam MIBStill a killer; still not with Nadia; unhappy
BenTeam JacobA teacher; caring; didn't kill dad; happy
KateTeam MIBStill on the run; still alone; unhappy
ClaireTeam MIBStill preggers w/o dad; still stood up by adoptees; unhappy
SunTeam JacobStill with Jin; not leaving him; happy?
JinTeam MIBStill working for Mr. Paik; locked in freezer; unhappy?


Of course, omitted from this table are Locke, Charlie, Daniel and everyone else who is dead on-island (it's difficult to determine their state of happiness); as well as the Wildcard, Desmond.

On island, he was for nearly his entire episode under the control of Team Jacob, via Widmore; but at the end, he apparently was kidnapped by Sayid, so his status is a little unclear. Further, off-island, for most of the episode, he would have fallen under the category of "happy," but appears to be the first of the remaining players to realize that such sideways happiness may not be true.

But even if this apparent parallel indicated something about the relationship between on- and off-island (alternate) happiness, what is it? Those under MIB's control seem to be unhappy off-island. Those under Team Jacob appear to be happy, but that happiness appears to be truly empty. I guess nobody wins in the flash sideways.

Thoughts as to how this might shape an exodus from the flash sideways back to the island? Some other related or unrelated theory? Please share in the comments section.

2 comments:

kilgore said...

I apologize for the weird giant gap before the table. I am not an HTML whiz and don't know why that's there.

PopsArmstrong said...

Your table makes a definite pattern clear to all us critical thinkers, that I, at least, hadn't noticed before! Good work! I'm writing this after having seen "The Candidate" so am thinking through how it fits with where we are now. May post later. Thanks for the call this evening! Always fun to chat.