Revival
As part of my post-graduation overhaul I’m bringing ThePowerNine out of cold storage. I was unaware that the old theme I was using had, at some point, broken. That tends to happen when you forget that you have a domain… So, I’m getting this place back up and running.
LA X – Lost 6.01 and 6.02
So, I’m sure you non-Lost fans are aware that the one of the best shows ever created has returned. For the fans, how about that opening?
Confession time. I have watched the premier three times already so I can look for anything at all that will make the alternate reality make sense. Of course I paid close attention to every line that had a hint of meaning; the two obvious ones being Smokey-Locke’s* “I want to go home” and alt-Jack’s** “Nothing is irreversible.” But in watching the opening plane recreation scene over and over I picked up on something else. Something that slipped by. After the turbulence stops (and the plane doesn’t crash) Rose says to Jack, in a very specific tone, “You can let go now.” Maybe it’s just me, but this seems like an important line that doesn’t necessarily apply to his kung-fu grip on the arm rests.
Jack carries the weight of his failed marriage, the failed engagement to Kate, the loss of Juliet to Sawyer then to his insistence on setting off Jughead, not to mention his actions on and off the island. Jack doesn’t let go of things; he broods. In my opinion alt-Jack is original Jack. Somehow he escaped from the normal timeline and has made it into the alternate reality. If this is the case, Jack can “let go” of those burdens because none of them happened (except the failed marriage and daddy issues, but when have daddy issues not been a key player?).
Next, I paid close attention to any and every continuity issue between the two plane scenes (What I have and will refer to as the “Not a very strong reaction” scene). In the original scene it is very clear that Jack is in row 23 along with Rose. However, alt-Jack was in row 24. Hurley, originally, was in in row 20*** (seats G and H). However, alt-Hurley was in row 33. I noticed that the camera made it a point to give us just enough time to notice the numbers being wrong. But I don’t think they are wrong, but backwards. Alt-Jack is in row 24 (42 reversed) and alt-Hurley is sitting behind row 32 (23 reversed). Maybe this is a little overkill, but it is something to consider.
So, did the bomb work? To be honest, I don’t think it matters if it did or not. I know that the purgatory theory has been repeatedly debunked but it still holds water to this day. The idea of being released from this place of punishment into the ultimate fate still works. The alt-reality may be the destination for the losties who have fulfilled their punishment or rolls in the regular timeline. Juliet telling Miles (post death) that “it worked” is her telling him from the new timeline. Thus, Miles doesn’t talk to the dead, but those released from “purgatory.”
Coming back to some things that have been set aside through time; life on the island, or, how life comes to be on the island. We are all pretty aware of the fact that conception and full term pregnancies are not exactly successful. However, external conceptions obviously lead to successful on-island births and on-island conceptions lead to successful off-island births. Those that live on the island have the potential to either live forever or a really long time unless killed. Meaning, if their is no outside influence on their lives they could live forever. Thus, the island doesn’t need births but does need people to come there and be willing to stay. I’m still working out some of the finer details of this idea, so come back in a week or so.
Things I have no theories for (yet):
The island being underwater. Best guess? Without it’s keepers (Smokey, Jacob, Alpert, and the others) the island serves no purpose and is either relinquished to the sea or seismic activity sinks it much like Atlantis.
Why some character futures seem to be different from others. Boone’s trip to get Shannon didn’t result in her coming back. Locke went on the walkabout (supposedly). Hurley is lucky. While others trips were as they happened such as Kate being caught.
Inevitably we will get most of the answers throughout the progression of the season, but I know minor things will get left behind.
Come back next week after I have, undoubtedly, watched the next episode 3 times.
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*I will refer to the three Lockes as either Locke (dead body), Smokey-Locke, or alt-Locke** in order to make things make sense.
**In my discussions of the two time lines I will identify the differentiated characters like this. Normal Jack will be “Jack” and alternate reality Jack will be “alt-Jack.” The same will apply to other characters as is applicable.
*** I am basing my argument off of the non-canonical seating chart for Oceanic Flight 815 that was, at one time, available at oceanic-air.com and is now available here.
The Clean Out
As I am packing up my stuff for the move I am going through plastic bins and boxes left dormant and forgotten in the attic and closet and finding all kinds of things. Things I had forgotten about, things I had hidden away, and things that are reminders of me. I glance over many of these sort of fascinating of my past: 6 inch thick folders of old high school work, poorly made darkroom prints, notes, letters, cards, and the like. It’s like uncovering someone else; a person long dead and forgotten, without a name or face and these are the things left behind after a disaster. Being a person weighed heavily by memories, just touching these objects takes me back; good or bad. But I have begun to contemplate the arbitrary value of these things.
In and of themselves the papers, drawings, and pictures are meaningless. Out of context the picture of the boy sitting behind the girl in the drama classroom has no more significance than a prop photo on TV. Piles of of these “memories” accumulated on my desk and I sat there starring at the towering mass. Then, as simply as I had stored those things, I threw them all away. Holding on to them for the sake of remembering every few years is pointless, and maintaining an attachment to things not worth remembering is probably not healthy in the long run. I figure letting those objects go of my own free will makes parting with them easier than if they were snatched away like many things have been.
You learn a lot about yourself in this process. Most of all you learn that there are things you can keep, and things that you must let go. Letting go of your own accord preserves the integrity of the memories and objects.
The Bookshelf
Until recently I was not an avid reader. There was the rare occasion that I would find a book that captured me, but it was one book a year at most. While I am sad for all of the good books I didn’t read sooner, I am glad that I encountered so many in the past 3 months. But as I have purchased more and more books, both physical and audible audio books, I have seriously considered getting an Amazon Kindle II to save space and make instant book purchases easier. But in the weeks I have spent mulling the decision over in my mind, and reading in the process, I have realized that switching will not be like moving from CD to MP3 downloads. I was very hesitant to make that switch not because of quality or experience issues, but because I had instant back-ups for my music collection via the disk. I’ll admit to missing cracking open a new CD and thumbing through the book while listening to the tracks in order, but it’s not a big loss. However, loosing the physicality of the book would ruin part of the reading experience, not to mention the trip to the bookstore, and placing the finished book proudly on a shelf.
I adore the sharply trimmed edges of a brand new paperback, the smell of the paper, and the tightly bound spine. Plus, to hold something in my hand that I can physically mark my progress in is such a rarity in today’s world that loosing it would almost be like surrendering fully to computers. Then there is the ultimate loss of going digital; the bookshelf. Sure, I can display my collection with the handy little Goodreads gadget at the side, but something is lost. My bookshelf, however limited it may currently be, is a reflection of me. There is a shelf for books not yet read and books I have completed. My books tell my story. The methodic layout of the books on the shelf reflect where I have been and where I am. In a way, they are everything a photograph cannot be; a true representation of me.
Something else will be lost in the switch to Kindle, the bookstore. No, I don’t particularly care for the drive in to the bookstores (I live 30 minutes from civilization), or the hassle of finding parking at either of my preferred Books a Millions or Barnes & Nobles, and I really don’t much care for the Twilight and anime fan’s setting up camp in the isles, but being surrounded by like people and all the possibilities of good stories, makes the experience fulfilling. With the Kindle you buy from the device. Sure, it saves gas, time, and effort but it would lack the experience.
At some point we each need to draw the line as to how far into the digital age we want to wander. I have abandoned film for digital, CDs for MP3s, and paper for drawing, but I do not see myself ever fully committing to eBook. That’s not to say I will not get a Kindle anyways, but some changes just should not be fully embraced.
