Recently, I have started a new venture in the LOST world, along with my very good friend, Anna in Indiana , one half of the dynamic duo of the Jacob’s Cabin podcast with Anna & Denise. Last year, we had gotten together to do a couple special Listener Edition podcast episodes for the Popspotting podcast that is hosted by LOST podcasters Ryan and Jen Ozawa of The Transmission podcast. After the second episode that we recorded was over, we were making chit chat and the subject of LOST came up (surprise, surprise). Anna asked me if I had heard of the Chronologically LOST website, where someone had put all the LOST episodes in chronological order. I said that I had but hadn’t watched any yet. After a few minutes of talking about it, it became clear that this would be the right vehicle for us to podcast together about LOST again. That’s when the LOST in Order podcast was ‘born”. 🙂
We exchanged emails about it for a while, then in the spring of 2014, Michael Maloney, who compiled and edited all the LOST episodes and made Chronologically LOST was kind enough to grant us an interview and share what that experience was like. This interview is included in our Introductory episode ( Episode 000 ) that was posted this summer. We plan on recording & releasing episodes weekly until we finish all 110 episodes ( four episodes up, so far) .
It has been over two years since several of us LOST podcaster got together just to talk about the show and what we have been up to since. And it had also been as long in seeing some ‘familiar faces’ in the chat that Tuesday night we recorded ( into the wee hours of the morning, as usual 😉 ). It was wonderfully overwhelming. The episode runs for 5 hours of fun reminiscing about LOST , talking about just some of the things that happened during the years that Heath and I recorded The LOST Revisited Now podcast and a LOST/LOST Revisited Now Trivia Game that I invented has to be heard to be believed…including my mess ups as a game show host…lol.
Some of those who stopped by…in order of appearance…
Hello, fellow LOST fans. Just an update about a couple LOST related happenings that have come about. First, Pearson Moore is at it again, writing another in depth work about LOST, rounding up some of the most prolific writers and theorists from the LOST fandom and beyond ( including Ryan Ozawa of The Transmission podcast and founder/creator of the LOST Podcasting Network, someone that I and other fellow LOST podcasters are happily indebted to. 😉 See below for more info on LOST Thought.
Speaking of LOST podcasting, I will be guest hosting on the LOST Mirror Moments podcast this weekend on March 17th at 9 pm EST on Talkshoe. As Ms.Wright and Michelle are winding down their re-watch of the series, we will be discussing Season Six, Episodes 7 and 8 ( Dr. Linus and Recon). If you want to listen to past episodes or submit LOST mirror moments of your own,go to http://lostmirrormoments.wordpress.com/
Announcing LOST Thought
The greatest collection of LOST expertise ever presented in a single volume.
What if all your favorite LOST authors and bloggers were gathered in one place, accessible anytime you wished, day or night? What if you could bring together in the same place the world’s leading authorities on LOST? What would you talk about with them? What fascinating ideas would they bring for your consideration?
What if you could talk with people who never left the Island, who never will leave the Island—whose job it is, in fact, to live, breathe, experience and explain LOST 24 hours a day, seven days a week?
There are such people, and there is such a magical place, in a book: LOST Thought.

About LOST Thought
LOST Thought is a lively collaboration between 22 leading experts in the online LOST world and the academic community. Every contributor brings unrestrained passion to these 25 wide-ranging and vital discussions of the personal, cultural, social, and literary implications of the most fascinating, multi-faceted creation ever presented on television. LOST is approached as living, breathing text whose mythology, themes, and theses challenge our culture and our society at every level.
Scholars specializing in literary theory, English literature, film theory, art history, LOST studies, theology, pop culture, music theory, art, religious studies, and theater have come together to produce the most extensive analysis of LOST ever presented in a single volume. These 22 experts discuss LOST from 25 different perspectives, taking on issues ranging from the cultural impact of the series as a whole to the social implications of specific characters such as Sayid Jarrah, looking at LOST through the lens of the Neo-Baroque, Postmodernism, Post-postmodern Realism, and Poststructuralism. This volume will be widely quoted in literary and scholarly circles and treasured by fans worldwide.
The Authors

The leading voices of the LOST online community are all present in this volume. Nikki Stafford, author of the outstanding Finding LOST series, presents the first essay in the anthology and sets the tone for the entire volume. Jo Garfein, Erika Olson, Sarah Clarke Stuart, Pearson Moore, Sam McPherson, Ryan Ozawa, and Andy Page contribute their unique perspectives, giving a sense of the profound personal and social sentiment attached to the pop cultural revolution that is LOST.
Several of the most distinguished figures in academe, in disciplines ranging from art history and film theory to theology and theater studies, apply the full weight of their expertise to uncover and explore the most fascinating aspects of this rich television drama. Dr. Amy Bauer and Dr. Michelle Lang consider LOST from artistic perspectives, while Dr. Cynthia Burkhead, Dr. Julia Guernsey-Pitchford, and Jamie Smith look at LOST from the context of literary tradition. Dr. Paul Wright, Jeffrey Frame, and Kevin McGinnis apply their religious and theological training to distill new meaning from the text, and Dr. Antonio Savorelli brings the unique appreciation of semiotics to his discussion of the sixth season and the series finale. The depth of these scholarly discussions is unparalleled in published works on LOST.
Some of the most talented, up-and-coming scholars train their sharp, young minds on the series, delivering fresh and fascinating perspective to the cinematic text. C. David Milles looks at LOST as story, Erin Carlyle considers LOST’s motherhood theme from a visual perspective, and Gozde Kilic explores the psychoanalytic implications of the “Daddy Issues” in the series. Dr. Delano Freeberg presents an unabashed discussion of LOST as postmodernism, providing a tour-de-force defense that is sure to become a controversial talking point for scholarly rebuttals. Finally, Jennifer Galicinski weighs in with the longest essay in the anthology, a challenging assertion of LOST as cultural exemplar to modern religious practice and understanding.
The Publisher

Inukshuk Press has long been committed to the popular appreciation of intellectual and literary zeal, and is no stranger to the LOST community. One of this publisher’s most successful offerings, Lost Identity, was written by Pearson Moore, editor and contributor to LOST Thought.
Pearson Moore is back with his second book, following the smash success of his first title “LOST Humanity”.
I have purchased “LOST Humanity” as an ebook and plan on getting another copy in soft cover ( Hey, what can I say. I’m still a little “old school, in that respect). But I was so pleased to see an email from Pearson saying that his new book has already gone to press and is ready to read ( Thanks, Pearson. 🙂 ) After delving into the first book, all I can say to this news is “Sign me up!” *)
IF you’d like to know more about “LOST Identity,here are some of the details on Mr. Moore’s next volume.
Announcing Lost Identity by Pearson Moore
With 19 character illustrations by renowned LOST portrait artist, ArtGUS!
The characters of LOST come alive as never before in LOST Identity, the second in a series of companion books by always-insightful Pearson Moore. You will see your favorite characters in a new light as Moore illuminates the fascinating connections and conflicts between the most important and beloved survivors of Oceanic Flight 815. What was Vincent’s secret role on the Island? Who was steadier in faith than John Locke? What was really behind the apparitions of Jack’s father, Christian Shephard? Which of the characters altered the course of the past and paved the way for Jack to become the Protector of the Island? These questions and hundreds of lively topics are addressed in the 320 engrossing pages (80,000 words) of LOST Identity.
Never-Before-Seen Artwork

The book contains 18 ArtGUS original drawings, including 19 character portraits, five of which were commissioned especially for LOST Identity. The five new original works include beautiful interpretations of Rose Nadler, Danielle Rousseau, Jin Kwon, Sun Kwon, and Kate Austen. These new creations have never been seen before, and are not available for sale anywhere. They may be viewed only in the pages of LOST Identity.
LOST Identity is really two books for the price of one. You receive 19 full-length essays by the most sought-after expert on the characters and mythology of LOST, as well as 19 character portraits by the most celebrated LOST portrait artist in the world.
Moore has been a fan of ArtGUS for many years. “ArtGUS is the best portrait artist I have ever known,” Moore said. “His work is not only visually stunning, but his mastery of the craft brings out in each drawing the essence of the character. I am honoured and humbled that ArtGUS has agreed to collaborate with me in this venture.”
Controversy and Confrontation

Moore has never shied away from controversy, but he backs up his challenging ideas with solid research. He is probably best known for his unorthodox theories on the significance of Christian Shephard, and he devotes an entire chapter once again to this most fascinating character. This time around, Moore pulls no punches, laying out in clear language exactly what was responsible for the on-island apparitions of Jack’s father.
But the meticulously-researched chapter on Christian is just the beginning. Moore exposes Jacob’s “secret weapon”, and explains why Jacob’s deception was necessary to the final outcome on the lava cliffs. He looks closely at the complicated time loops and time travel chronologies and offers his ideas on how the past was changed, and time loops destroyed, so that Jack could finally rid the island of the Smoke Monster.
Nineteen Characters
Above all else, this is a book to be cherished for its reverent approach to the nineteen characters brought to life in its pages. Choosing both major and minor characters for this set of essays, Moore sheds new light on well-known characters, making them fresh and exciting once again, using the thoughtful prose style that has made Moore’s essays must-read material for every serious fan of LOST.
LOST Identity is available in ebook format at Amazon.com. The cost is just $4.99.
LOST Identity will be available in paperback format on July 14, 2011 for the low price of $9.95. It will be available at Amazon and directly through the publisher, CreateSpace.
To learn more, visit http://pearsonmoore-gets-lost.com/LostIdentity.aspx
LOST Humanity, Moore’s book on the mythology and themes of LOST, is available at Amazon.com through the Independence Day weekend for just $2.99!
This weekend, many fans are celebrating ( and/or mourning ) the 1st Anniversary of the completion of the tv series, LOST. Wanting to do something special for the fans during this time, Pearson Moore let me know that he has decided to release his first book, LOST Humanity, on paperback. ( Thanks, Pearson!) 8)
There are so many wonderful writers/bloggers out there talking about LOST. But if the name Pearson Moore is attached to an article, I know that I will find myself happily immersed in it. To my pleasant surprise, Pearson has decided to put their vast LOST knowledge and interpretation into a series of ebooks ( which can be downloaded onto an eReader or a your computer through Amazon. ) The first is entitled ” LOST Humanity” . I have read the opening chapter (which can be found here at DarkUFO) and it is excellent. This is very in depth material that delves into the heart of the show. Highly recommend. 🙂
( And congratulations to Pearson for reaching the #1 spot on Amazon, for Television Guides and Reviews, in the book’s first week!) 8)
I will also be on with Ms. Wright on LOST Mirror Moments on March 19th, 2011 at 9:15 EST on Talkshoe. We will be discussing the episodes ” Lockdown” and “Dave” from Season 2. Thanks again to the delightful Ms. Wright for having me co host with her.
Last night, Heath and I recorded The Bunny Awards for the Season Six Finale, ” The End” ( Episode 119 on the LOST Revisited Now feed on Talkshoe). As usual, had a fantastic time talking with fellow podcasters/fans/friends of the show. Our guests were…
UPDATE: The LOST Revisited Now Series Bunny Awards will be on March 8th 8:30 pm EST ( on Talkshoe)
Next up, sometime in late February/ early March, Heath and I will be holding the LOST Series Bunny Awards where we will be giving or answers to what we have chosen as our picks for each of the categories ( plus some extra ones) . The date/time will be announced here in the near future.
But this is where YOU come in. We would like to know your choices for the Bunny Awards from the six seasons of LOST. The categories are…
Biggest Burn ( insult/double-cross/snappy one liner)
Biggest Laugh
Biggest Mystery ( what you wanted solved/was solved that keep you the most intrigued)
Most Creepy Moment
Most Macho Moment (toughness/gutsy move)
Most Misty Moment ( touching/emotional scene)
Best Nickname ( can be about a person/place/thing/idea by Sawyer or anyone else)
Best Reveal
Best Line
Best Scene
And of course, the dreaded Potpourri Section ( or thing(s) that you liked ‘just because’, Could be silly, serious, etc. …your choice).
Please send them in to me at bunnieshatch@aol.com by February 15th, 2011. Heath and I will be reading them on the upcoming podcast.
UPDATE:We will be having the Season Six Finale ( The End ) Bunny Awards on Tuesday, January 25th, 2011, starting at 8:30pm EST on LOST Revisited Now podcast on Talkshoe . Heath and I will be joined by several other fellow LOST podcasters to hand out some Bunnies for the much talked about ending to this epic television series. And, of course, we will be doing much talking about it too. 🙂 Among the awards will be ” Best Line” , ” Most Creepy Moment” , ” Biggest Mystery” ( even now), and the one that either leads to fisticuffs or group hugs…. ” Potpourri” ! 😉
We will announce on the show that we will be doing a LOST Series Bunny Awards in the near future. Heath and I will be doing the show “solo” , but we want to hear from YOU! We will be listing the “award” categories for LOST, overall, and we would like people to send them in to us to read on the podcast. I will also be posting the categories on the blog, as well.
Hope can join us. 8)
Wow! It has been over six months since “The End”..ended and we are fast approaching a whole year since the finale season of LOST’s premiere.
I have obviously been away for a while, voluntarily and involuntarily, since LOST closed up shop. Since then, I have made a few appearances on various podcasts.
Tonight, I am making a return visit to Ms. Wright’s LOST Mirror Moments podcast at 9:15 EST/8:15 CST on Talkshoe for an Exodus/Christmas Special podcast. Ms. Wright is having all of her and Michelle’s past co hosts stop in to the show to give there thoughts on the Season One Finale and other related LOST chatter. Should be a lot of fun. (Thanks again, Ms. Wright for the invite! ) 🙂
I also part of the ‘cast’ in the After LOST Christmas Special. Can’t wait to hear it all put together. Thanks to Andy, Rich and THE Nancy Drew for asking me to be a part of it. 8)
And I have been having a guest role in the USWhoCast Mythcast , hosted by Matt Murdick, formally host of the brilliant “Keys to LOST”. (You rock, sir! ) If you are a fan of Dr. Who…or are curious about the show and want to start watching, please check out the podcast.
Finally, Heath and I are looking at sometime in January, 2011 to wrap up the LOST Revisited Now podcast with the Series Bunny Awards. It might be a combo of Season Six finale/ Series Awards… still figuring things out. Because this is such a big undertaking, we may even add a few bonus categories for the series Bunnies. But however the format work, we will be doing a podcast, in the near future.
I would love to hear your Season Six finale and/or LOST Series Bunny Awards. And if it’s ok, I would like to post them here on the blog. Send them to bunnieshatch@aol.com.
UPDATE (7/24/10) : The Bunny Awards will be recorded on Tuesday, July 27th at 9pm EST on Talkshoe ( The LOST Revisited Now) . Guests joining Heath and I (so far) are…
It’s The Bunny Awards season again. Since it was only 5 days (or less) between the penultimate episode, the NYTimes Talk ,the finale and traveling for various finale parties, we had to postpone the BA’s for a later time. Well, that time is now ( or more like the near future ) . The LOST Revisited Now will be hosting The Bunny Awards for Act 3 of Season Six on The LOST Revisited Now page on Talkshoe. Act 3 will consist of the episodes The Last Recruit, The Candidate, Across the Sea and What They Died For. I will be updating the “when” and “who” very shortly.
We will be discussing our choices for categories like ” Best Scene” , ” Biggest Laugh” , ” Most Macho Moment” and, of course, the controversial yet entertaining “Potpourri” section. 😉
If you have any LOST thoughts, theories, questions and/or comments, you can contact us at : (Heath) thelostrevisited@gmail.com
and/or (Me) bunnieshatch@aol.com
Also, you can find us on Twitter Heath is @heathactor. If you want to find me, mine is @bunnieslrnow.
And you can visit Heath’s blog at heathsworld.wordpress.com for other LOST and/or LRNow podcasting info.
I know…I know. I’m behind in writing about the final two episodes (What They Died For and The End) I apologize. It has been a little more difficult to write about my thoughts and feelings about what transpired then what I expected. But I will be, nonetheless. 🙂 In the meantime, if you would like to listen some of the thoughts I and some fellow podcasters had about the episodes, you can check out The Lost Revisited Now podcast’s Episodes #108, #112, #113 and #114 and an initial reaction The End podcast with Anna in Indiana on the Jacob’s Cabin podcast ( 5/24/10 The End…but on the beginning of our ramblings)
Looking and listening to some of the discussion, analysis and arguments about the last moments of LOST remind me of the Season 3 opener ” A Tale of Two Cities“. In it, we were introduced to a then unknown Juliet. She put on a CD and listened to the song ” Downtown“. She cried. She baked muffins. She burned muffins…and herself. And this was all in the midst of getting ready for her turn as the host of a Book Club in an undisclosed location.
We were then placed in the middle of a heated discussion, post charred baked goods and pleasantries, about what is and isn’t “literature”. The book, we found out later that the Book Club was reading was Stephen King’s ” Carrie ”
Adam: “It’s not even literature. It’s popcorn”
Emilia: “And why isn’t it literature, Adam? I’m dying to know.”
Adam: “There’s no metaphor. It’s “By-the-Numbers” religious hocum pocum!
Emilia: No metaphor?!
Adam: It’s science fiction! Now I know why Ben isn’t here.”
Juliet: “Excuse me?”
Adam: “I know the host picks the book, but seriously Julie, he wouldn’t read this in the damn bathroom.”
Juliet: “Well, Adam, I am the host and I do pick the book and this is my favorite book. So I am absolutely thrilled that you can’t stand it. Silly of me for sinking so low as to pick a book that Ben wouldn’t like. Here I am thinking that free will still actually exists on th–”
And then this is where we see “Henry Gale/Ben” , Oceanic 815 rip apart, orders to Goodwin and Ethan being given…and the slighted fearless leader of the Others, glancing at the choice of novel and in a deflated tone say ” So I guess this means I’m out of the Book Club”.
Later on, we find out that Ben ends up reading “Carrie” anyway, thought it quite depressing, but didn’t seem to lament the time he spent perusing its pages.
And so it seems that art, and LOST, is imitating life yet again. Best Thing Ever? Victim of a Long Con? Had it faults but still glad to have “made the trip”? Depends on what day you’re asking? Yeah, me too. 😉
Tear-inducing fan made video with music from the very Disney inspired animated feature ” Meet the Robinsons”. MTR had a “time travel/family & friends are important” theme. Now, where have I seen that before? 😉
(Made by starreyeyesxx1 for youtube, Song: Little Wonders by Rob Thomas)
This is a video of the text messages sent into ABC that were selected to be featured during the commercial breaks for the 2 hour LOST retrospective. These text, that I thought might be a distraction, turned out to be a heartwarming tribute … and ultimately, wished they had more of these during “The End” ‘s breaks too. 🙂
First of all, I want to say “Congratulations!” to the mega talented Scott Lincoln, the artist who did the LOST Revisited Now logo and does the LOST caricatures for the “It’s About Bunnies” blog. His comic strip, ” Ralf the Destroyer” is featured/reviewed in the July, 2010 issue ( #1667) of Comics Buyer’s Guide magazine ( print and online version) . If you would like to read the review, check out the strip, etc. etc., you can go to www.ralfthedestroyer.com.
May has been a very busy month for the Lost Revisited Now podcast. Heath and I ( separately and together) have been recording several episodes about these last few hours of LOST. Here’s what we’ve been up to… ( All episodes can be found HERE. )
Episode 108 What They Died For/NY Times Talk I talk with Anna ( Jacob’s Cabin) and Donald ( Donald is LOST) about the episode and what we all saw, in various movie theaters, of the simulcast talk with Damon and Carlton. Matt from The Smoke Hatch podcast and Ms Wright shared their thoughts about the NY Times Talk . We also had a wonderful surprise visit with Alex (Congested) of Audibly LOST /creator of the LOST podcasters documentary, who was on his way to LA for the Jay and Jack finale party. Alex had just been at the NY Times Talk and he shared his experience there ( he got to ask Damon and Carlton the very last question before the finale aired. Quite an honor… congrats, Alex. 😉 ) . Later, we were joined by Hurricane Len for more LOST talk. Thanks to everyone who stopped by that night/early morning and contributed to the podcast. 8)
Episode 109 Heath’s Initial Reaction of What They Died For with Axel Foley ( LOST Mythos TheoryCast)
Episode 110 Heath’s Initial Reaction of The End after the Jay and Jack Finale party on the West Coast
Jacob’s Cabin podcast Episode entitled ” The End…But Only the Beginning of Our Ramblings” ( 5/24/2010) where Anna and I talk about our Initial Reaction about our LOST finale experience… after watching it together at the GSPN party.
Episode 111 is a birthday gift for Heath that Axel and I put together, along with several other fellow LOST fans/friends. (Again, thank you THE Axel Foley and everyone who sent in their voice-mails, emails, etc… amazing!)
Episode 112 is the first of Heath and my thoughts about The End. It is about each of our experiences at the LOST finale parties that we attended.
Episode 113 is the second part of our reaction to The End. This is where we break down the episode a little more. Here, we focus on the Flash Sideways aspect of the episode.
Episode 114 is the third part of our thoughts about The End. In this portion, we discuss the happenings on the Island. And of course, both 113 and 114 contain a few trademark ” LOST Alums” . 🙂
UPDATE: Here is the link to the epic conclusion of the Donald is LOST Mytharc Series entitled ” Why They Podcasted to the End” ( That group photo is now my screen-saver 😉 ).
In the next few days, Donald from the Donald is LOST podcast will be putting up his Mytharc finale episode. I will be adding a link to it when it is released. ( Again, thank you, Donald, for creating the Mytharc and asking me to join in the fun. It is brilliant… as are you, sir! 🙂 ) .
Heath and I recorded a message for the witty and wonderful Jed and Cara of LOSTies w/ Jed and Cara. They are winding things down and will be putting together their final vidcast very soon. If you have enjoyed they show and would like to let them know before they “retire”, you can send them an email, voicemail, vidmail, baby furniture, etc., go to their site ( www.lostieswithjedcara.blogspot.com/) . They’d love to hear from ya! 🙂
UPDATE: Here are the links to the first and second part of Matt and Leslie’s stupendous Keys To LOST Rockin’ Moments 2. You two rock too!!! ( R M 2 Part 1 {Heath’s moment is on this part} and R M 2 Part 2 { my moment is featured here) .
Another little something that I recorded was my second “Rockin’ LOST Moment” for the most excellent “Keys To LOST w/ Matt and Leslie” , that will out sometime mid June. I will post a link when that is out, as well. KTL put the first one out in December of last year and they did a fantastic job with it. It is the merging of scene(s) from LOST and a favorite and/or relevant song that matched, that several LOST fans sent to them.
As far as June and beyond, Heath and I will be taking a break for at least a couple of weeks. But we will be coming back with The Film List podcast and the first of several The Bunny Awards for the LRNow, starting with the Act 3 episode. We will be doing at least one Season Finale and the Series Bunny Awards, with the last of those with just Heath and my choices for the Series Awards on a separate podcast episode. We are working on the schedule and will update, as we get closer to the who’s/when’s . 🙂
If you have any LOST thoughts, theories, questions and/or comments, you can contact us at : (Heath) thelostrevisited@gmail.com
and/or (Me) bunnieshatch@aol.com
Also, Heath has been asking on Twitter for their favorite scene of each episode. You can find him on Twitter @heathactor. If you want to find me, mine is @bunnieslrnow.
And you can visit Heath’s blog at heathsworld.wordpress.com for other LOST and/or LRNow podcasting info.
Well, a week ago today, I was watching the LOST finale, projected on a large screen with theater sound, at a party near Cincinnati in a lovely hotel restaurant. Now I’m back home, still gathering my thoughts to blog about the last few hours of LOST. In the meantime, enjoy this hilarious send-up of the latest round of Old Spice commercials.
Alex aka Congested of Audibly LOST has a documentary about LOST podcasters in the works . The trailer for it has just arrived and I had to post it here immediately. The trailer features ( from who I can tell, since a lot of us tend to go “incognito” ) 😉
and some dude in a Dharma jumpsuit. What’s up with that ?! 😉 ( Mr. Heath Solo!!!)
and many, many MORE! ( again, if you’re missing from this list , it’s only because I’m not sure…lol.)
* Denise from Jacob’s Cabin shoulder got a cameo in the trailer. But we get to see her beautiful, smiling face in the actual film ( Yay, Denise! 😉 )
I LOVE this trailer! Can’t wait to see “the big picture”. Great job, Alex! 8)
Wow…this was quite an episode. Might go down as the most talked about in the series history. So, I might as well talk about it here too. 🙂
( If you want to hear more thoughts, stop by the Lost Revisited Now podcast Episode 107 for the Initial Reaction show for ” Across the Sea”. )
Two Babies, Two Sides: Mother seemed to want to hold the BIB. Claudia only asked for “him” , first born Jacob , not “them”. “Are you ‘him’?” = Desmond’s question to who he thought was to be his “replacement”, John Locke. Mother looking for a “replacement”. It turned out to be Jacob. Jacob is looking for his “replacement” in the candidate. Or (as Wray suggested in “comments” last week) could the candidate be for something else entirely?
What’s in a Name?: In some traditions, like Judaism, there is a spiritual connotation to naming a child- that it would be telling of who they are , “their essence”, and would grow to be by the significance of the names chosen for them. In Hopi legend, it is several years and many names given to a child until what seems to best suit who he/she is , personality-wise, that a final name is selected. In Rome, where Claudia was most likely from, the father, not the mother, would decide the name, about eight days later after birth…and that’s if he decided the child would live or not! Where in ancient Egypt, of where we have seen a lot of reference to that culture on the show, the parents would waste not time in naming the baby after their birth, often siting a physical characteristic of the infant. But here…we have no name still for Man in Black. Is he the powerful but not forgiving Henry Gale’s boss “Him”, much like the pure evil figure from The PowerPuff Girls? Will a name be insufficient, at this point? At this point, I don’t mind it remaining a mystery.
Bad Twin! Baaaad! : There are so many stories of twin sagas gone wrong: Jacob and Esau of the Old Testament, Osiris and Set from Egyptian lore, Apollo and Artemis from Greek mythology, Romulus and Remus from Roman mythology ( who’s mother was a princess and father the god of war, Mars, who were raised by a she wolf and only one of them could be king, ending in Romulus killing Remus) .So, what’s one more! 😉
One set of twin from where we get the Gemini constellation, are Castor and Pollux, of Greek/Roman mythology. According to Wiki…
“In the myth the twins shared the same mother but had different fathers which meant that Pollux was immortal and Castor was mortal. When Castor died, Pollux asked Zeus to let him share his own immortality with his twin to keep them together and they were transformed into the Gemini constellation. The pair were regarded as the patrons of sailors, to whom they appeared as St. Elmo’s fire.”
(Well, there have been a few vessels that tend to drop by…or on, the Island.)
Is this what happens with Mother/Jacob, Jacob/Richard MIB/Locke and Sayid, exchanges…even possibly what happens, to some extent, when you become an Other, like Ben- the sharing of immortality? But the “rules” may somehow make immortality…flexible?
Oh, Grow Up!: It’s curious that MIB “saw” his birth mother ( or was it the image “Mother” wanted him to see?) when he was 13 years old. According to Jewish tradition, this is the age of Bar Mitzvah, when a boy becomes a man and becomes responsible for his own understanding of the law, tradition, as well as becoming accountable to morals and ethics. Among the Aborigines of Australia… they send them on … a Walkabout. In some Native American tradition, the rite of passage called Smudge that involves… a sweat lodge. No wonder John Locke was a “custom fit” for the MIB.
Bring Out Your Dead!: So, MIB could see “Claudia”? Hurley can see the deceased too. And apparently Sawyer…and Desmond, at least as far as mini Jacob is concerned. Is this tied into being “Special”? Mother said that Jacob couldn’t lie and that MIB could because he was “special”… or at least, inferred as such. Hurley is a horrible liar. Sawyer excels at it and is one of the reasons MIB wanted him on his side. So, just because Mother said Jacob couldn’t “see” Claudia” because she was dead…doesn’t mean it was true. Jacob just happened not to be there.
I Wanna Big Wheel, Mom!: We get to at least see the starting of the Donkey Wheel’s presence on the Island. Even if MIB actually got it to work, would he have been able to have left? Would it have shifted time, like it did before? And maybe this is why the Egyptian statue and hieroglyphics show up “later” in the show? MIB taking it for a test run?
Wake Up , Sleepyhead!: Mother disturbs Jacob’s slumber to tell him ” It’s time.” This is where she takes him to the cave, has him drink the wine as the initiation of becoming ” Protector” of the whatever is emanating from it. “You and I are the same now”. Will we see something very similar between Desmond and Ms. Hawking/Mrs.Widmore or even Charles, when he finally “ready” ?
Now You See Me… Now You Don’t: MIB has been looking for that cavern of light for 30 years. Mother can show her “sons” at a moment’s notice. Is it like Jack finally seeing the Lighthouse? It might be that you need to have a certain level of “faith”? And interestingly, in the same way, how was Hurley the only one to find Jacob’s Cabin, despite it moving locations… and he wasn’t looking for it at all?
Tunnel Vision: Looking at that glowing cave, I had to figure there were some kind of references to caves in literary and other “sources”. There are many. I found a fantastic compilation of them here at the studyworld.com site It was quite an interesting and enlightening read …and, for me, made the reveal more “accessible”.
See-ms Like Old Times: The way that MIB was left at the end of the river was very reminiscent of Boone’s vision of Shannon’s death by Smokey in the Season One Episode “Hearts and Minds” . In this episode, there is also a talk between Locke and Jack that is similar to Jacob and MIB in Season Five finale ” The Incident”. MIB ‘s body was entangled in the tree, like how we saw the pilot in The Pilot, after the Smoke Monster actually killed him. Also, his body was tossed aside by the black smoke but we’ve seen Brother since then, just like John Locke is now. In “Hearts and Minds” Locke said to Boone ” What did it make you see?”. Is it the Island? The Smokey Monster? The wacky paste John put on Boone’s head? We still don’t know! Is seeing here like the concept of seeing/showing that Charlie and now Desmond have been utilizing? And is seeing going to be what bridges the gap between what’s real, what’s an illusion and both of Lost’s “worlds?
” You Haven’t Aged a Bit!” : Now, I figure that we are just supposed to chalk up Jack thinking Adam and Eve were only there 40 to 50 years, instead of a couple millennium, because he’s not exactly an expert ( as I know that I talk about stuff I don’t know about all the time…so I can empathize..lol) . But what came to mind was the story of Moses and the Israelites wandering the desert for 40 years and God preserving their clothes so they never fell apart.
Hey, Locke said the Island was a place where miracles happened…so it could work?! 🙂
And lastly, I think I may have solved a major mystery. The cave that contains life, death, rebirth… Mother called ” The Heart of the Island” . The MIB , as far as we know, is a man without a name. In the southernmost part of the United States in Boerne TX, there is a National Park that features The Cave Without a Name. So, does this mean ” The stars at night are big and bright *clap clap clap clap* DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS!
Sorry… I couldn’t resist. 🙂
Now, time to set sail across the sea… to land on Episode 16.
Just thought I’d share some things that I have heard from fellow LOST fanatics. I really appreciate how the LOST community expresses their love for the show in so many different and creative ways.
1.) Paul, LOST fan and listener to The LOST Revisited Now podcast, has been able to take a few trips to Hawaii. He spent a bit of time at some LOST locations and also went to the LOST Premiere on the beach. Paul and has journaled and snapped some gorgeous photos of his travels. You can check it out HERE. There are links there for his “Everyone Love Hugo” and the pre finale episode. If you don’t want to be spoiled, you might want to avoid the later.
2. Luke let me know about a very creative LOST t-shirt ( and hoodie too ) that was designed by Nathan Pyle called “108 Objects from Flight 815”. You can get a look at it HERE on the Threadless.com site. ( Thank you, Luke for the info. 🙂 ) .
3.) Kat from PopSugarTV site sent a very nice email about the blog and a link to their Top Ten Love Scenes on LOST. You can view it below. ( Thanks, Kat! 🙂 )
4.) And lastly, I got an email from the dynamic and witty Donald to let me know that the latest Donald is LOST Mytharc ‘s penultimate episode ” Across the Internet” ( Episode #110) along with the bonus of hearing the finale “podcast” from the creators of the DIL series, Donald and Damon. You can find it here. ( Thanks again, Donald! 8) ) .
Here’s a few extra thoughts about ” The Candidate”. If you would like to hear more about this episode, check out The LOST Revisited Now podcast, Episode #106. 🙂
Interestingly, the word “candidate” comes from the word “candida” in Latin ( “The language of the enlightened”) is the word for “white”. Jacob’s light side, signified by the white stone … these are ( or were) his “chosen”. Another little footnote, “Candida” was the song by Three Dog Night ,that Jerry and Rosie danced to in the Season 5 episode ” LaFleur”.
Sun had Charlie’s ring and she is gone now. Desmond went into the water with the ” Greatest Hits” note. Are Charlie’s sentiments and legacy supposed to be “buried” with him, underwater? Water seems to be associated with Jacob. Is this why Charlie, Sun and Jin died drowning? If MIB is associated with fire, is this why Sayid blew up? But then, what about Ilana? Oh, I don’t know…lol. But I’m curious to see why/how these elements play further into the story.
On the subject of water, with MIB being thrown into it by Jack, how does it affect him? I read/heard someone mention that maybe it just keeps him from changing into the Smoke Monster. I just had a thought. With all the mechanical sounds that it makes, even all the way back in ” Ab Aeterno” times, does water throw off its internal “works”, so to speak?
With Locke and Jack ( one in FS, one in OTL) have flying experience, will this become a factor in them getting off the Island… or tricking MIB?
We see the Apollo bar again when Jack buys it and offers it to his half sister ( in both time-lines), Claire. She refuses ( And like Leslie on Keys To LOST podcast pointed out, is it because she’s on the “dark side” now?) Apollo, in Greek and Roman mythology, was the god of light and the sun, truth and prophesy. He also had a twin sister, Artemis, a hunteress ( twin and hunter…hmm). Apollo was known for being a healer, often with the help of his son, Asclepius. The rod that Asclepius carried has entwined snakes and is used as the symbol caduceus, like on the medical hatch ( I wonder if this is why Jack’s son, David has emerged in the FS time-line. Will he play a role in the “healing”, either physically or with the time-lines?) . But Apollo could bring sickness with him, as well. Apollo was a leader over his people and was a defender and keeper of herds and flocks ( like a shepherd/Shephard?) . He also was connected with music (the Shephard’s proclivity for piano?) I wonder if Grandpa Ray was part of Apollo candy and/or the buying of the company by the Dharma Initiative, in someway, back in the sixties? The family business may not just be in medicine.
If Sayid, in his last moments, came back from the dark side , like Hurley suspected that he could, will we see that happen for Claire? Will she leave on that helicopter with Aaron? Did Charles Widmore have the last of the Oceanic Six behind another double-locked door, next to the sub’s Pylons R’ Us Warehouse? 🙂
With Sun and Jin gone, Claire staying with MIB and Kate shot, Jack not leaving the Island, Desmond being a “sacrifice” of some sort, etc. is this making more and more room for the children of the Losties to play a more forefront role in the end game? It seems like many of our Losties were “orphaned” in a way, – in actuality like James, through neglect, abandonment, separation, etc. It looks like the children are following a similar path. Or is this where “It only ends once…” . I believe it is most likely the latter but I hope that we get to still find out why, especially Walt and Aaron, are “special”.
And finally, R.I.P. to Frank, Jin, Sayid and Sun.
I’ve got a bad feeling it’s not going to get any easier from here. But still going to dive into the next episode #15.
This episode gave us a nice multicentric mix in the flash-sideways. Just going to hit on some points for each of the main players. If you would like to hear more about the The Last Recruit, head on over to The LOST Revisited Now site and listen to podcast episode # 104 .
Jack: ” You look just like him” … very reminiscent of Harper to Juliet ” You look just like her”. At first, I thought it was maybe because of time travel and that Juliet is herself from the Seventies that Ben may have “loved” because she was his doctor when Sayid shot him. But now, I wonder if Harper, who showed up with the Whispers, was talking about the vision of Ben’s mother, Emily. She didn’t die on the Island, so was Ben scanned at another time…or even Roger Linus was, and that’s how Smocke was able to
Smocke: He said that he was “trapped” by Jacob. He said that they were all “trapped” by him, at one point, including himself. But he claims that Dr. Shephard and the rest are no longer because of Jacob’s death. Does “trapped” mean “commitment” to MIB? If it is, he’s talking to the wrong guy. And Smocke should have known that, considering he said he was Jack’s dad, Christian, after the crash. And if that is the case, then MIB would know that “Commitment…is what makes you tick,Jack”.
Claire: If she was under the impression in Jacob’s cabin that she was with Christian, then was this who was “trapped” with the ash, aka MIB? I wonder how he got out then, to hold Aaron, then leave him there and lured her back to the cabin? Hurley saw Christian in the cabin before this…but he saw someone else too. And we still don’t know who. Will we ever ?
Ben: In the FS, he didn’t know that Locke’s name was John. On the Island, does he know what MIB’s name is but is assumed he doesn’t because he has yet to speak it out loud? Does anyone else that is still alive? Will it be John, just like Locke and was why it was so important to name him that? John in Hebrew means “God’s grace”. Jacob in Hebrew means ” One who supplants” ie uses trickery or underhandedness to usurp someone’s place of standing. Are the naming of these two steeped in irony or are they revealing what is already there?
Sun: She “recognizes” John Locke in FS, in a very terrified way. Will we see that they have had a previous run in in the FS still or is this bleed-through, from the other time-line? She spoke to Jin as if he would know who he is, either way.
Ilana: Verdansky is her name in the FS . I wonder if it is the same as in the OTL? Most peoples’ names are the same, with the Widmore family’s being the most “flexible”. With her connection with Jacob. Knowing her surname, I wonder if Mikhail was her counterbalance in the part of the world that she was from? That he was MIB’s man in the field? Going back to the cabin, I always thought that the eye that popped out right after we see “Christian Shephard” was Mikhail. He was almost indestructible, the Island’s own Rasputin. But in the FS… mmm not so much.
Desmond: Is he more like Jacob or a Matthew Abbadon type figure? Either way, reading Claire’s name from the sign in sheet then following her to the elevator: strong contender for “Most Creepy Moment, Act 3″ 😉 See what happens when you get the fast-track, Cliff Notes version of ” Course Correction” , curiosity of Charles Widmore… you totally bypass the etiquette portion.
It's About Bunnies! 