The Incident, Part I

I have been watching LOST from the beginning. I could never get my husband to watch. But, I do watch it with my mom. Who is constantly lost. Thank goodness for the dvr so that we can pause it. And I can attempt to explain what is going on. Remind her (and myself) that we have seen a certain character before. Or tell her about some wild theory that I read on Lostpedia.

I hear so many people "complain" that the show is too confusing. That they shouldn't have to watch a show that requires them to do research about what they have seen. That you shouldn't have to be a rocket scientist to follow a tv show.

Well. For me. That is what I LOVE about this show. It's smart. It makes me think. It gets all my conspiracy juices flowing. And really, my benchmark for a good book is one that sends me to the computer to look stuff up. Why shouldn't a tv show challenge us as well?

Now, when Lula had the thought for this blog...I loved that I was included. But a little brain surgery took over my life. And it's rare that I come up with something interesting and original. I do have my moments though. And I am hoping that you'll bear with me while I re-cap the first 30 minutes of "The Incident" and intersperse it with a wild hair...and maybe a few bunny trails.

So when the episode opens...and we see the clay jars, the hemp sandals, the spinning wheel, and the loom. Did you just know it was Jacob we were seeing? I just knew it had to be him. And as I was watching. Especially as he works the thread up the loom. And then later in the show when he talks about creating the tapestry. It so reminded me of the Greek myth about the fates. That one is in charge of spinning the thread of life. Another in charge of measuring out the length. And the final in charge of cutting the thread. Is it relevant? Who knows.

Next we see Jacob getting a fish from his trap and cooking it on hot stones. And as he sits down to enjoy his meal, we see a clipper ship in the ocean - and what can only be the Black rock.(Hey...anyone notice that Juliet hits the bomb at the end with a black rock? Relevant? Who knows. Bunny trail number one.) Soon Jacob is joined by another man. And the symbolism screams from the tv screen. Jabob in his white shirt (but...he does have black pants on) and this guy...who I'll call Esau...in his black shirt. Jacob with his blond hair. Esau with his black hair. Light and dark. Plain as day. But. Really. Even by the end of the episode...I am not convinced of who are "the good guys."

Esau wants to know how the ship found the island...and then he realizes that Jacob has brought them here. And Esau is disgusted. "They come. They fight. They destroy. They corrupt." And that comment is the one that makes me doubt that Esau is bad. He wants peace and tranquility. Not the nonsense that people bring with them in their luggage and their psyche. And then Jacob says "it only ends once...anything before that is progress."

I have been pondering that quote for a while. I really didn't know what he meant. And I am still not sure. Does he mean that everything is progress towards the end? That "the end" is the goal?

Finally Esau tells Jacob that he really wants to kill him. And that he cannot wait to find the loophole. And then we get our second glance at the full statue. Which I think is the Egyptian goddess Tawaret - the goddess of fertility.

Our next scene is between Kate and her friend Tom - with Tom holding that toy airplane (I don't recall the significance of it. Do ya'll? I remember that it was in a safety deposit box in one episode. I think.). They are contemplating a life of crime. All I am sure due to the influence of the New Kids on the Block. "Katy" is caught by the store owner who says that he is going to call the cops and her parents. But who should appear to rescue Kate but Jacob, who offers to pay for the lunch box. While making Katy promise to never steal again...while at the same time, playfully touching her nose.

In another flashback, we are shown Sawyer at his parents' funeral. After the guests and coffins have departed for the cemetary, Sawyer is still there. Composing his letter to Mr. Sawyer. Jacob appears on the scene and offers him a pen. And touches his hand as he hands him the pen. Then Sawyer's uncle appears and asks James to move on. Not to finish the letter. Because "what's done is done." So...why do you think Jacob visits Kate and Sawyer in their youth...and everyone else when they are adults?

And the last flashback of the first half hour is Sayid's. Sayid and Nadia want to plan an anniversary...but Nadia really just wants to find her sunglasses. They are at a cross walk, and Jacob stops Sayid to ask for directions. Nadia finds her sunglassesand is struck by a car - and the driver speeds away. (Did you gasp outloud when she was hit??!) So. Here is my question for you. When Jacob stops Sayid...is he killing Nadia or saving Sayid?

Then we shift to the sub. Where Kate informs Sawyer that they have to get out of there. I just can't imagine having the cajones to think one could escape from a sub. Anyway...Kate explains about the bomb. Sawyer declines. Juliet proves she has cajones and knocks the sedative dude out so that she can swipe the key to unlock all of their handcuffs. They all proceed to the captainand ask politely if he'll surface so that they can go back to the island and save the world. Who else sees the foreshadowing of Juliet wearing a red shirt?

Did I mention that this is a choppy episode? I am trying to group like things together...

We are shown a scene of Radzinsky rushing to the Swan. And yelling at Pierre Chang for stopping the drill. Chang tries to explain that the heat was too much. That there is an insurrection going on. And that they are too close to the pocket of energy. So Radzinsky counters with some analogy about Edison and being in the dark...and then says "I came to this island to change the world..." So...how does electro magnetism change the world?

The is also the arc about the Others making their pilgrimage to meet Jacob. Richard Alpert wants to talk to Locke about how he is alive. Especially since Ben strangled Locke. Because "dead is dead." Right? But Locke counters that it's not so unusual in comparison of Richard never aging. Richard says that he is that way because of Jacob. And then he makes the leap that John Locke must be alive because of Jacob, too. And Locke says it must be so...and that he needs to thank Jacob. Locke also tells Richard that they must "deal" with the survivors from the Ajira flight.

The look that Richard gives Locke is priceless. And in this episode...Richard seems so much like a normal person (that doesn't age). He doesn't seem to have any clue as to what is going on on the island.

Then Locke approaches Ben. He knows that Ben told Richard about killing Locke. And Locke wants to know why Ben didn't tell Richard that Locke wants Jacob dead. Ben says that he will do whatever Locke says. Because his dead daughter told him to do whatever John says. Locke just beams at this good news. And then tells Ben that actually he is the one that must kill Jacob.

Okay...so far this half hour we have three character flash backs. How Kate, Sawyer, and Juliet get off the sub. The introduction of Jacob and Esau. The trek of the others to meet Jacob. Radzinsky at the Swan. And then we have a brief scene of Illana and the other "what lies in the shadow..." people. They need a cool nick name. We see them paddling their big silver crate and a knocked out Lapidus. And why did they bring Lapidus? Because "he might be a candidate." And as Frank says...ummm...a candidate for what?

And there is yet one more story being told in this first 30 minutes. Minus commercials. And that is of Jack and Sayid trying to prep the bomb - based on the specific instructions from Faraday's notebook. While Sayid is wearing his super gloves, Richard decides to have a little chat with Jack. And he wants to know if Jack knows John Locke. Richard went to meet John (just like John asked him too) - but he didn't find anything special about him. Jack tells Richard "don't give up on him."

Which now begs the question...which came first...the chicken or the egg? Look at the loop of the compass that Locke and Richard pass back and forth. Who had it first? Does Richard follow Jack's advice and that is how Locke gets to be leader?

After Sayid loads the bomb into the nuclear back pack, they all head through the tunnels to find the way out. Richard plows a hole in the wall of what is a Dharmaville basement. (Does this eventually become Ben's house...and the passage he uses to call Smokey?) And then he knocks Eloise on the head so that she doesn't place herself in danger.

As Jack and Sayid ease themselves through the house, they notice all the craziness going on outside. Including intercom messages of "if you come in contact with a hostiles, you are authorized to use deadly force..." So, they decide to escape by "hiding in plain sight." But...as they are walking away, Sayid is recognized by Ben's papa...(Hey...did Ben ever get returned to Dharmaville?) and promptly shoots him in the stomach. And the whole place errupts into gunfire. Did anyone else hear the Lone Ranger music as Hurley and company drive up in the blue VW to rescue them? I thought it might have just been me.

And that ends the first half hour. Oh my. That was A LOT of happenings. But...what I keep going back to is that opening sequence. I have watched that part over and over again. I have several theories that I am pondering. The main one being that Esau IS the smoke monster. But I think I'll leave that for another post. And for after the sussing of the entire episode. We have 10 gut wrenching months to ponder!