Get LOST: The Man From Tallahassee
Posted by Ben Piper on 03.28.2007
A mystery from season one is finally revealed. The rescue party is captured. John Locke verbally matches wits with "Henry Gale" once again. And something important goes "BOOM"! Catch up with LOST by clicking the link!
Aloha, my friends, and welcome once again to the only 411 column solely dedicated to what I feel is truly the best show on TV today, LOST! As always I am your resident smoke monster victim, Ben Piper.
First off, big ups yet again to all the well-wishers who either emailed me or posted nice things on the forums about the column. Nice to know one's work is appreciated. But there is one thing that's been bugging me. Where is my old school peeps? Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for everyone who reads this, but since Get LOST has become it's own stand-alone column, I've yet to hear word one from the people who used to email me back when I was merely a contributor to Steve Vicious' Weekly News Wrap. Where's the bong smoking guy from Finland? Where's the dude from Israel? Where's Arin Tran? (Sorry. Yeah, I know I misspelled it again.) What gives? Did these people just drop off the planet or have they just completely tuned out now that I've got my own thing going?
Alright, enough with the obligatory pre-recap ramblings, it's time to get to the business of LOST, season 3, episode 13; "The Man From Tallahassee."
What We Knew: In his previous life, John Locke had major daddy issues. Abandoned as a child, he finally met his biological father in middle age. Turns out dads needed a kidney, and John was more than happy to donate his to save the old man's life. Turns out though that the old man was a con man and cut John out of his life immediately thereafter. Well, not exactly as he would show up later on to also screw up the relationship with the love of John's life as well as other assorted nastiness.
But in the present day on the island, John Locke is a changed man. He has the respect of his peers, mad boar hunting skills and a communion with the island itself that is unmatched. But he's been acting weird lately as he, Kate, Sayid and Rousseau trek to rescue Jack from the Others, making selfish choices such as blowing up the flame station and killing Patchy along the way.
What We Learned: We open with a flashback. A social services employee is interviewing Locke. She asks his name and marital status. She asks if his parents are living and he tells her that he was raised in foster care. When asked if he's ever considered seeking out his biological parents he bristles and wonders how that is relevant to the matter at hand. She says that she needs to ascertain whether or not his situation has improved before she can allow him to continue to collect disability. When asked about his therapy sessions, he says that he has stopped going because they are a waste of time. This seals the deal as the lady stamps his forms "suspended". She tells him that it's temporary, and that when he goes back to therapy the checks will resume. Turns out he's been on disability due to depression, and the Social Services lady bluntly states that since he's seen fit to stop going to his therapy sessions then he must be getting better. He agrees, but disgustedly, which tells us he isn't.
In the jungle, Locke kneels with a pistol in his hand as the rescue party continues to watch Jack play catch with Tom from the safety of the nearby foliage. It would appear that after spotting Jack appearing carefree, Rousseau decides that he isn't worth the trouble of rescuing him so she bails without saying a word. They spot Juliet, who approaches Jack, and Kate informs her counterparts that it was she that helped her and Sawyer escape from Alcatraz. It's at this point that Sayid notices that Rousseau has gone missing. When told of this information, Locke pays it no attention as he zeros in on Juliet & Jack, following them by traveling further along the tree line. This draws a confused look from Kate, but she and Sayid follow. As Jack and Juliet approach a small house, Locke takes some binoculars from his backpack and focuses in. He spots Juliet pushing Ben in a wheelchair out onto the porch of the house. After speaking briefly, Ben offers his hand to Jack, which he quickly shakes. As Kate and Sayid look on and ponder what this is all about, Locke makes a very obvious statement.
Locke: This is going to be more complicated than we thought.
As Kate loads her rifle, she and Sayid begin to bicker over what should be done.
Sayid: So what exactly are you saying, we simply start shooting people and hope for the best?
Kate: We came here to rescue Jack and that's what we're going to do.
Sayid: But obviously the circumstances have changed. He may not want to be rescued.
Kate: That is not him! That's not Jack.
As they argue, John quietly watches.
Kate: They must have done something to him. When they captured us, they drugged us.
Sayid: He didn't appear to be drugged, Kate.
Kate: They kidnapped him. Held him prisoner. He wouldn't just forget that.
Sayid: I agree. But until we know why, we're putting our lives at risk.
Kate: I'm not leaving him Sayid.
Sayid: We made not have a choice.
Locke: It's JACK!
John's sudden vocalization causes the other two to clam up and listen. As he speaks he loads bullets into the clip for his pistol.
Locke: The first time I saw him, he was risking his life, pulling people out of burning airplane wreckage. If he's shaking hands with the Others, I'm sure he has a good reason. We just have to go down there and find out what it is.
This sounds reasonable to Sayid.
Sayid: What do you suggest?
Locke: We wait until dark, we approach Jack when he's alone. And if he wants out, we'll get him out.
He slams the clip into the stock of the gun and pulls back on the slide as if to punctuate what he's saying.
Flashback: John is sitting alone in his little apartment in front of the TV, eating what looks like a microwaveable TV dinner. There's a knock at the door. When he answers it, a young man asks if his name is John Locke. Locke tells the kid, sorry no solicitors, and points out the sign on the door stating as much. The kid says he's not trying to sell anything. His name is Peter Talbot, and he just wants a moment of his time to talk. He says that he thinks that his mother may be in trouble. When Locke says, sorry, wrong guy, and beings to shut the door in his face Peter asks him how many kidneys he has. This causes the door to open back up pretty quickly.
As Locke prepares two cups of instant coffee, Peter tells the story of how his mother had met a guy a couple of months back and had fallen instantly in love. He begins to list the particulars of the guy, his characteristics, his name, his profession, so on and so forth. After only knowing the guy for two months Peter's mother agrees to get married, which told Peter that something wasn't quite right. He feared that the guy might be after something, so he started checking into his background. Locke expresses his confusion, asking what it has to do with him. Peter informs him that he had donated one of his kidneys to the man, but when he did, the man was then known as Anthony Cooper. Peter shows a picture of the man with his mother, and sure enough, it's Locke's P.O.S. con man father. Peter explains that all he could find on the guy is his medical records, which is how he knew Locke donated a kidney, and is why he is now here playing twenty questions with him. Peter reasons that since Locke gave him a kidney, then he must be able to vouch for the guy's sincerity and trustworthiness. John lies through his teeth, telling the kid that he never met the man and that it was an anonymous organ donation. John apologizes for not being able to help the kid with what he wants to know.
It's now nighttime at the Other's barracks, and Locke gets the lay of the land through his binocs as Kate and Sayid huddle next to him. They spot Juliet and Jack walking together up to another house. They appear to say goodnight to one another, and Jack heads inside. Locke calls the shots, telling Sayid to cover the front of the house, and that he'll cover the back while Kate enters through the side door. All three quickly move and rush towards the house, each one taking their assigned positions. Kate finds the side door unlocked and quickly enters. As she does, she hears music being played on a piano. She slowly, silently makes her way towards the source. As she comes to the end of a hallway, she peers around a corner to see Jack sitting at a piano and playing. For several moments she just stands there, watching, her face wearing a kind of looks that expresses "I didn't know he knew how to play the piano" with a kind of mild wonderment. Jack finishes playing the song, and as he does, spots movement out of the corner of his eye, and turns his head to see Kate standing there. She smiles and says hi, to which he asks what the hell is she doing here. She sets her rifle against the wall and says she came to rescue him. But he venomously tells her to bail, get going, now. She looks hurt, and begins to say something when Jack gets to his feet and yells that he's being watched. Sure enough, there's a closed circuit camera mounted in the far corner of the room. He tells her again to go, but she refuses, saying that she won't leave him. Just then the front door is kicked open, as several armed Others storm into the room. Kate is forced down to the ground upon her stomach as Jack yells for her not to be hurt. A moment later Sayid is shoved through the front door and forced down as well. The head guy of the security team asks who else is with them. Kate looks up at first at Jack, who tells her to answer the question, and then over towards Sayid, who nods as if to say that she had better come clean. She lies, saying that it's just the two of them and this registers on Sayid's face as if he instantly knows that it'll wind up biting them in the ass.
Meanwhile, Ben is in bed in his own house. He awakens, as if he knows that something is amiss. His hand goes to the control of his bed, which elevates his head. He asks if it's Alex that he senses, only to receive no answer. He switches on his bedside lamp, and out of the shadows emerges Locke, pointing his pistol at him.
Ben: John!
Locke: Shh. Keep your voice down.
Ben: Alright. It's alright, John. You don't have to point the gun at me. I can tell you where Jack is.
Locke: I'm not looking for Jack. I'm looking for the submarine.
Back from commercial, and we're at the exact point we left off…
Locke: The submarine. Where is it?
Ben: I'm not sure what you mean, John. What submarine?
Locke: The one you use to travel to and from the island. The one your man Mikhail told me about. Right before I killed him.
Alex (offscreen): Dad? Who are you talking to?
Locke turns towards the sound of the voice.
Ben: Alex, don't come in here!
Locke rushes towards the door, opens it and finds Alex standing on the other side of the threshold. Just then, there is knocking at the front door, which looks to alarm everyone involved. Locke grabs Alex around her neck, still pointing the gun at Ben. He manually pickers her up from behind and hides in the closet. As Locke watches from the closet door, Tom enters and informs him that Kate and Sayid have been captured trying to rescue Jack. Ben tells Tom to separate them, and find out how they found that barracks. Tom insinuates about an event involving Jack and Juliet taking place tomorrow, but Ben says to let him worry about that. As Tom departs, Ben instructs someone named Richard to wait for a moment. Tom takes off, and we can only see the back of Richard's head from Locke's current POV.
Ben: I want you to bring me the man from Tallahassee.
Richard: What do you need him for?
Ben: Just do it.
Richard departs, so Locke & Alex slowly emerges from the closet.
Locke: The man from Tallahassee? What is that? Some kind of code?
Ben: No, John. Unfortunately we don't have a code for there's a man in my closet with a gun to my daughter's head, although we obviously should.
Locke: Sayid? He had a pack with him. I want her to retrieve it.
Ben: Okay. But you should know John, my daughter currently hates me. So I'm not sure holding me hostage is your best option…
Alex shots him a look that says "why must you always do that?"
Alex: Dad… ( to Locke) I'll get your bag.
John nods to her and lets her go.
Flashback: John enters into a flower shop. He pretends to look around, but the real reason why he's here is because the woman appraising table centerpieces on the other side of the shop is the same woman he saw in the photograph that Peter Talbot showed him earlier. She asks her "better half" what he thinks, and he responds affirmatively as he steps into view. It's Locke's father, Anthony Cooper. As he does, he spots John glowering at him, and he makes a quick excuse to go over to where he is standing. Dad greets son with a smile, and son greets dad mockingly, poking fun at his upcoming nuptials and how it would be awkward if he were to be invited. When Cooper asks how John even knew about it, Locke informs him that the son is on to him. That Peter came to John trying to snoop out the truth. He tells Cooper that while the woman's son has suspicions he has no proof, which is why he sought out Locke, hoping to find someone that would voice for his future stepfather-in-law. Locke accuses his dad of running a con on the poor woman, of marrying her for her money. When Cooper asks him what he wants, John tells him to end it, call off the wedding. Cooper asks why John's doing this and he explains that he will not allow another family to be manipulated into feeling that they are loved, only to have their lives left in ruins as a result. John issues a final ultimatum. Break off the engagement and leave town, or he will tell the fiancée everything. Cooper seems dissatisfied with this prospect, but when pushed he agrees that is exactly what he'll do.
Back in Ben's bedroom, Locke sits across from Ben's bed, and is still holding the pistol on him…
Ben: Would you mind helping me get into my chair? No tricks, I promise. I just want some dignity. You of all people should understand what it means to want some dignity.
Locke stands.
Ben: Thank you.
As Locke walks over to retrieve the wheelchair from a corner of the room, Ben tries to strike up some conversation.
Ben: So tell me, John. How do you expect to pilot our submarine? I mean, it's a complicated piece of machinery. You don't just press "submerge".
Locke: I'll figure something out. For all you know, I was a commander in the navy.
Ben looks surprised at this. Given the Other's penchant for knowing pretty much everything, he is either surprised by this lie or this admission.
Locke: Put your arm around my neck. I'll lift under your knees.
Ben: What's in the pack, John?
Now it's Locke's turn to look surprised.
Ben: If you met Mikhail that means you were in the communications station. Which means you found the explosives. So you're not planning to pilot the submarine anywhere, are you? You're planning to destroy it. I know you, John Locke.
Locke: You don't know me at all.
Ben: I know you were born in California. I know you were raised in foster care. I know you wasted a big part of your life in Tustin, pushing papers at a company that manufactured industrial boxes. I know you spent the four years prior to your arrival on this island in a wheelchair. And I know how you ended up in it. Tell me, John. Did it hurt?
Wow, I had almost started to forget how good Ben was at playing mindgames. And judging by his response so had Locke.
Locke: I felt my back break. What do you think?
As Ben is trying to dig his hooks in and perform yet another mindf*ck on Locke, Kate is handcuffed in what looks like the Other's rec room, seeing as it has a pool table and pinball machines. She climbs upon the table and tucks her arms beneath her legs, trying to get the cuffs in front of her. As she's in the process of doing this, Tom walks in and busts her.
Tom: I didn't think I'd see you again so soon, Kate.
They silently lock eyes for a moment, before Tom turns to someone we do not yet see and adds a precaution.
Tom: Be careful in here.
Tom makes a motion towards his ear which can be read as people are listening.
Jack: Thanks.
Jack enters the room as the door is shut behind him. He grabs a nearby chair and sits in it backwards before Kate.
Jack: They hurt you?
Kate: No. They hurt you?
Jack: No.
Kate: What is all this?
Jack: This is where they live.
Kate: And the people they took? The kids?
Jack: They're all safe.
Kate: Safe?
Jack nods, as if to say, it is what it is.
Kate: So you're with them, now?
Jack: I'm not with anyone, Kate.
She approaches.
Kate: What did they do to you?
Jack: Nothing.
Kate: Then why are you acting like this?
Jack: There's no way… There's no way that I could…
Kate: I came here to help you, so why don't….
Jack: I told you NOT to come back here for me!
Kate: I didn't think you meant it.
Jack lowers his eyes, raises them, and lowers them again. He is clearly conflicted. Kate approaches even further, and places a hand upon one of his. She kneels down before him, and takes his other hand into her own tenderly.
Kate: What did they do to you, Jack?
Jack: I made a deal with them. They're gonna let me go.
Kate: Where?
Jack: Home.
Kate's eyes moisten, but on a certain level, she understands.
Kate: When?
Jack: First thing in the morning. I can bring back help, it's our best chance.
Kate: You trust these people? They are LIARS, why would…
Jack: I TRUST them because you told me to, Kate. When you asked me to save Sawyer's life.
Kate: Jack. What did they tell you?
Oh damn, that little caged animal sex scenario just reared its ugly head.
The door opens behind them, and it's Juliet, who informs Jack that they will be leaving soon. He says he'll be right there, and Juliet departs, leaving the two of them alone again. Kate turns away, fighting back tears as she wipes her face.
Jack: I asked you not to come back here for me, and I wish… I wish that you hadn't.
He stands, but then leans in close to her ear.
Jack: But I will come back here for you.
Flashback: John pulls into his apartment complex in his old Volkswagen bug. He gets out carrying a bag of groceries when he is approached by a couple of police detectives, a man and a woman. They introduces themselves and the woman asks if he's ever heard of someone called Peter Talbot. His mannerisms give him away, but Locke says no and the male cop tries to jog his memory by giving a physical description. Still not ringing any bells. When told that he was in his apartment two days ago, John then suddenly remembers, but says that he was nothing more than a solicitor that he had sent away. The female cop informs John that the Talbot's are worth around two hundred million, so she's curious what Peter was trying sell him door to door. John continues to try to bluff, but the she-cop asks why his name and address was in Peter's pocket. When Locke asks why they would be going through his pockets, they inform him it's because he's dead.
Still in Ben's bedroom, Locke anxiously looks out through the drapes.
Ben: It wasn't easy you know. Being in that hatch with you all that time. Knowing you had no business walking around. Knowing I couldn't even ask you about it without telling you who I really was.
Locke: So ask me now. Now that I know who you really are.
Ben wheels himself closer, his fascination and excitement obvious.
Ben: Was it immediate? It started the moment you got here?
Locke: Yeah.
Ben: And you were just walking? The feeling returned right after the crash? That day?
Locke: That's what immediate means, Ben.
Ben ponders the wonderment of this notion.
Locke: You're wondering why it hasn't happened for you. You're not recovering as fast as you'd like. How long has it been since Jack fixed you? A week? Now that I think about it, how did you get sick in the first place?
Not wanting to dwell upon himself, Ben quickly attempts to turn the focus back on John.
Ben: Are you afraid it'll go away, John? Is that why you want to destroy the submarine because you know if you'll ever leave this island you'll be back in the chair?
At first John doesn't answer. But then, he proves that he has learned from past experience how to deal with Ben's tactics, unlike before.
Locke: You got anything to eat?
Sayid meanwhile, is handcuffed to a children's swing set. Alex approaches, and they lock eyes for a moment until the guy who's guarding Sayid calls to her, telling her that she isn't supposed to be out here. Alex says that her father sent her to get Sayid's pack. The guy (named Ryan) momentarily questions this before giving the pack to her. She slings it around her shoulder and begins to walk back when…
Sayid: You're Alex, aren't you?
Ryan: Hey, can it.
Alex: How do you know my name?
Sayid: Because you look like your mother.
Alex: My mother is dead.
Sayid: I am sure that is what they have told you.
The conversation ends abruptly when Ryan strikes Sayid in his ribs with the butt of his rifle before telling Alex to vamoose.
Locke pushes Ben into his living room, where the head other switches on a lamp. There appears to be a painting of Juliet on the wall directly behind it.
Locke: How do you get electricity?
Ben: We've got two giant hamsters running in a massive wheel in our secret underground lair.
Locke: Yeah, that's funny.
Ben: there's leftovers in the refrigerator, help yourself.
John does, he opens the fridge and finds a plate of chicken covered with tinfoil. As he does this Ben wheels himself a little bit away and looks at the trio of pictures of Alex from her childhood.
Ben: I ate most of the dark meat, sorry.
Locke: Mmmm. I never really appreciated chicken until right now.
Ben: I know you think you need to do this, John, but if you blow up my submarine, I have a big problem with my people.
Locke: Is that supposed to be an incentive not to blow it up?
Ben: I was born on this island. Not many of my people can say that. Most of them were recruited, and brought here. And as much as they love this place, as much as they would do anything to defend it, they need to know that they can leave if they want to. The sub maintains that illusion.
Locke: So you're lying to them.
Ben: No. They're here because they want to be here. Some of them are just are not ready to make a full commitment, yet.
Locke gets a glass out of the cupboard and gets himself a drink of water from the kitchen sink, but he's still listening intently.
Ben: But you, John… You've already made that commitment. And now you have a choice. Because if you stop and if you think, I can show you things. Things I know you want to see very badly. Let me put it so you'll understand. Picture a box. You know something about boxes, don't you, John? What if I told you that somewhere on this island, there's a very large box. And whatever you imaged, whatever you wanted to be in it, when you opened that box, there it would be. What would you say about that, John?
Locke: I'd say I hope that box is big enough to imagine yourself up a new submarine.
Even though John doesn't know it, Ben's facial expression shows that he's pushing Locke in the direction that he wants him to go.
Ben: Why are you so angry, John?
Locke: Because you're cheating. You and your people. Communicate with the outside world whenever you want to, you come and go as you please. You use electricity and running water and guns. You're a hypocrite. A pharisee. You don't deserve to be on this island. If you had any idea what this place really was? You wouldn't be putting chicken in your refrigerator.
Ben: You've been here eighty days John. I've been here my entire life. So how is it that you think you know this island better than I do?
Locke: Because you're in the wheelchair, and I'm not.
Through the curtains, Locke spots Alex returning with Sayid's pack. She enters the house, and Ben asks if she had any problems, which she relies to with a silent shake of her head. John grabs the pack and removes the C4. He tells them that Alex is going to take him to the sub and once he's there that he'll let her go. Ben requests that he be taken instead but John tells him that he'll only slow him down. He tells Alex it's time to go, but Ben has one last thing to say to him before he leaves.
Ben: John, before you go you should know… Jack and I made a deal. In less than an hour he's leaving this island on that submarine and it's a one way ticket. The anomaly wiped out our communications. We have no way of contacting the outside world. Which means, when that sub leaves it can never come back. So whether you destroy the submarine or whether you let it go the end result is the same. No one will find this island.
Locke ponders this a moment before he begins to push Alex towards the door. She continually looks back over her shoulder at her father, as if she's trying to figure out what kind of game he's trying to play.
Alex: You know he's manipulating you, right? That's what my father does, he manipulates people. He makes you think it's your idea, but it's his.
Locke: I'll have to keep that in mind.
The walk through the jungle until they come upon an Oceanside clearing where there's a pier and yes, a sub. Locke apologizes to Alex for involving her in this matter, before he heads down. Alex lingers a moment, and watches Locke go. And as she watches, someone is watching her from a safe distance. It's Rousseau, who has tears spilling down her face as she sees her daughter in the flesh for the first time in sixteen years.
Locke climbs inside the sub. He turns on the lights and heads deeper inside.
Back at his house, Ben is placing the plate of chicken back in his fridge when Jack and Juliet walk in unannounced.
Jack: Look, I know you don't owe me anything. But I need to ask you for one last favor.
Ben: You don't knock?
Jack: I need you to let my friends go. After I'm gone.
Ben: And if I said no would that stop you from leaving?
Jack: Of course it would.
Ben: Your friends are only here to rescue you. But you seem to be doing a good job of rescuing yourself, so… I suppose there's no reason to keep them here.
Jack: Do I have your word on that?
Ben: You have my word. I'll let them go, just as soon as you've left the island.
Ben offers Jack his hand, which Jack shakes. Jack turns to leave, but Juliet stands her ground as she and Ben appraise one another.
Ben: Well, I guess that this is it.
Juliet: Thank you, Ben. For keeping your promise.
He nods and smiles, and doesn't say a freaking word about the whole Locke blowing up the sub scenario. Slimy sneaky manipulative bastard.
Locke is walking back up the pier, his clothes soaking wet. Jack and Juliet and an accompanying group of Others emerge from the jungle at just the same time. The Others spot John and pull their weapons and yell at him to put his hands up and to get down. He complies.
Jack: What are you doing here, John?
Locke: I'm sorry, Jack.
Jack: Sorry for what?
BOOM! There goes the sub, right on cue. Everybody is shocked and ducks for cover. Jack gives John a complete go-to-hell-you-unmitigated-piece-of-crap-lowlife-scumbucket kind of look.
Flashback. There's pounding at an apartment door. Cooper opens it to find his angry son outside.
Locke: What did you do?
Cooper: John?
Locke: Tell me. Tell me you didn't do it.
Cooper: What are you talking about?
Locke: tell me that you didn't kill that kid?
Cooper: What? You think I had something to do with Peter's death?
Locke: I tell you to end things with his mother and the next thing you know he's dead.
Cooper: John, now calm down, please. Think about what you're saying. Why would I kill Peter?
Locke: He was on to you!
Cooper: John, I've been doing this for a long time, I'm not sweating some rich kid.
Locke: Then why are you still here?
Cooper: What do you mean?
Locke: I tell you to leave. You tell me you're gonna leave town, WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?!
Cooper: Now listen, John. I'll be honest with you. I didn't end it. I was looking for an angle. I wanted to make some money before I skipped out.
Cooper picks up a bottle of whiskey and pours some into two glasses.
Cooper: But then all this happened. Peter died and everything just went straight into the tank. She's devastated. She's called off the wedding. There's no profit in it, John. I'm a con man, not a murderer.
He offers one of the glasses to Locke, but he refuses to buy into his game.
Locke: She called off the wedding?
Cooper: She said she couldn't deal with it. She needs to be alone.
Locke: So if I were to call her, right now, that's what she would tell me?
Cooper: Phone's right over there, John.
Locke eyes his father for a moment, before walking over and picking up the phone. The instant he does, however, his father charges him and cross checks him completely through the window. John plummets several floors to the ground below.
I'm sorry, but it has to be said… RAWK!!!
Flashback: John's face is very bruised up, and his head is bandaged in gauze. As he lies in a hospital bed, the two detectives who he had met earlier relate the fact that his father has indeed skipped town and could be anywhere in the world by this point. The door opens, and the physical therapist enters, telling the cops to scram because Locke has important work to do today. As the detectives depart, the P.T. lets down the side guard to Locke's bed and tells him it's time to get out of bed. Locke refuses, but the P.T. informs him that it isn't a request. He then steps out of the room momentarily, but quickly returns, carrying a wheelchair, which he sets down and sets up.
P.T. Now, most people struggle with this at first, but don't worry. You'll get used to it.
Locke: No, no, no, no, please. I can't do this.
P.T.: John, you fell eight stories and survived. I don't want to hear about what you can't do.
NICE season one shout out. Despite his protestations, the P.T. lifts John out of his bed and places him in the wheelchair. He tells him he'll be right back and leaves. All alone, and sitting in his own little physical prison, John Locke begins to sob uncontrollably.
Back in the present, Locke has his hands cuffed above his head around a steel plumbing pipe in a dark room. The door loudly opens and Ben wheels into view, accompanied by someone else whose facial features we can't quite make out.
Ben: Well, John. You've really gone and done it now.
Locke: You don't have to pretend to be disappointed anymore. We both know you wanted it to happen. That's why you left the C4 in Sayid's bad, because you wanted me to make it happen.
Ben: Uncuff him please, Richard.
Richard steps out of the shadows and reveals himself to be the guy who had recruited Juliet in her flashback eppy. He unshackles Locke as instructed.
Richard: You gonna do anything stupid?
Locke: No, sir.
Ben: You remember earlier John, when you called me a cheater? When you said I didn't deserve to live on this island? Well, get this… There I was, shaking hands with Jack, and thinking that I'd give almost anything to come up with a way to stop him from leaving, because to let him go? It'd be a sign of weakness, of failure, of defeat. People would see that, they would know it. And that, John, would be the end of me. But to kill him, that would be cheating. Because my people also heard me make a promise, and to break my word? That would be the end of me, too. And then you came striding out of the jungle, John. To make my dream come true.
Locke: You're not gonna start talking about the magic box again, are you?
Ben: No, John. I'm gonna show you what came out of it.
Richard lifts John to his feet, and Locke follows as Richard pushes Ben down a narrow corridor.
Ben: When I asked you earlier if it hurt when you suffered your injury, I think you misunderstood me. Seems fairly obvious that when a person's back smashes into a hard surface after being thrown from a building it does kind of sting a little. But I wasn't really asking you about the physical pain.
Locke: What? You want to know if it hurt my feelings?
Ben: No, John. I wanted to know what it was like when your own father tried to kill you. He's the reason you destroyed the submarine, isn't he? You're afraid. You're afraid of him, and this is the one place he can never find you. This is the one place that he can never get to.
Locke: What do you want from me?
Ben: I don't know how it happened. But you seem to have some communion with this island, John. And that makes you very, very important. You have no idea what you're talking about, of course. But in time you'll have a better understanding of things. So what do I want? I want to help you, John.
Locke: Why?
Ben: Because I'm in a wheelchair, and you're not. Are you ready to see?
Richard unlocks a door and opens it. Locke peers into the threshold and is completely stunned and horrified by what and whom he sees. Sitting before him, strapped to a chair with duct tape over his mouth, is Anthony Cooper. His eyes are wide with fright.
Locke: Dad?
Easter eggs: On Ben's nightstand is a rare hardcover copy of Stephen King's The Gunslinger. On his coffee table in the living room is a copy of Stephen Hawking's A Brief History Of Time which was an Easter egg a few weeks back. In the painting of Juliet she holds in her hands a hamster. ( Remember the two giant hamsters running in a wheel remark?) Cooper's whiskey brand of choice is MacCutcheon, which just so happens to be the favorite alcoholic beverage of the father of Desmond's true love Penny. When Ben looked at the pictures of Alex the time that showed on the clock just beneath them was approximately 3:25 AM. The next time we were given a good look at that clock, just a few shots later, the clock was several hours ahead, which lends credence to the notion that time is somewhat screwy on the island. And while it was never mentioned during the episode, the name of the submarine is the "Galaga".
Analysis: Well first off, they answered a lingering mystery with regards to one of the central characters, namely how Locke got paralyzed in the first place. Nice reveal. Then there was the sweet verbal chess match that Locke and Ben engaged in. Locke did better than he did in the past, but it still seems like Ben is more familiar with the board that they're playing on , and thusly, he still holds the advantage. And yeah, Locke basically screwed all his friends over in a BIG way. Now they are all captured and Jack is not going anywhere. Ben has positioned himself into not letting any of them go, due to the fact of how he carefully negotiated things.
I know that there are people fed up with Locke, and how he has boneheadedly gone about things as of late. But the way I see it? He's now in the position to finally get the answers that both he, and us as viewers seek.
Let's be patient, and see how things play out, eh?
Thanks for reading. Next week, I shall recap LOST, season three, episode fourteen; "Expose'". It shall be "Take a Shit guy and his Girlfriend"-centric.
Yeah, I'm also hoping that it'll be better than it sounds. The producers are promising that it'll make both of those characters vital to the mythology of the show. We'll wait and see.
