Lost - The Final Season (Spoilers)

[Pariah]

There would definitely be an opportunity for Walt to return this season, but it would be tough in the alternate storyline because his age would be so clearly different than from the priginal flight.

I somehow don't think an age difference would be too difficult to explain in a show where half a season took place in 1977 with the same characters that are interacting in 2007.

Time travel may present all sorts of other problems for the viewer, but a character aging isn't one of them.

 

[Gaddabout]

Wanna know something weird? Saw an old episode of Talk Radio. Nestor Carbonell hasn't aged in 15 years. Now that's weird.

 

[Pariah]

Wanna know something weird? Saw an old episode of Talk Radio. Nestor Carbonell hasn't aged in 15 years. Now that's weird.

I can't think of him as anyone else except Batmanuel from "The Tick."

 

[chickenhead]

I somehow don't think an age difference would be too difficult to explain in a show where half a season took place in 1977 with the same characters that are interacting in 2007.

Time travel may present all sorts of other problems for the viewer, but a character aging isn't one of them.

True, but I think this particular alternate storyline is a bit more restrictive, though. They all just landed--it's literally supposed to be taking place the day the show began in the first place. Of course, we haven't seen Michael OR Walt, so who knows how their lives were changed (or unchanged).

 

[Cheesebeef]

He hasn't been part of the narrative. For all intents and purposes, his story has been resolved since we saw he was safe and living with his grandmother. Michael's dead. I think maybe the biggest reason is Harold Perrineau played the race card, so the story line was probably adjusted to just write it out. Also, the kid who plays Walt has aged a LOT that it would be very challenging to explain in this time line.

So I don't blame them. It doesn't leave a loophole. It just leaves a big question about what the heck Walt was. Then again, Miles has special abilities and so does Hurley, so Walt isn't as unique as we were led to believe in Season 1. Walt is just extra-special.

that's called writing backwards... which is one of the reasons I don't think this show is really the end all be all that a lot do. It's very good and captivating but the whole throwing as much as you can against a wall without having any idea what you're throwing up there is a little cheap to me.

 

[TBaslim]

Wow - no comments on last night's episode yet? I thought it was one of the best this season...the guy who plays Ben is one heck of an actor. That final scene/monologue, esp given the type of character he has been (lying, scheming, manipulative, etc)? Wow.

 

[nashman]

great episode. also interesting at the end that the rich guy whose name escapes me right now was there in the sub.

 

[Gaddabout]

Wow - no comments on last night's episode yet? I thought it was one of the best this season...the guy who plays Ben is one heck of an actor. That final scene/monologue, esp given the type of character he has been (lying, scheming, manipulative, etc)? Wow.

The redemption of Ben Linus. Awesome story telling. Good acting. Only part that made me cringe was the father giving the backstory line. That just screamed "we can't think of any other way to reveal how they got there." Very amateur. Otherwise a perfect episode.

The scene at the end ... didn't expect that. Loved it. Loved that they redeemed Ben Linus. What a wonderful episode.

 

[Gaddabout]

Also, Hurley had about three killing lines in that one.

"OK, if you change your mind I'm going to be ... about a mile away."

"Are you a cyborg?"

"He's crazy ... and trust me, I know crazy."

The character transition in Jack was unexpected as well. I love Jack's character development this season. He's not a whiny pill popper or an awful unwilling hero anymore. He's got the 'S' back on his shirt again. He needed that.

The scene with Richard, that was right out of the Bible. Very much Peter-before-the-rooster-crows kind of scene. But Jack played the role of Jesus in Richard's restoration. Strangely.

Just loved this episode. So much. One of my favorite of all time.

 

[earthsci]

Loved that they redeemed Ben Linus. What a wonderful episode.

I agree. Once again, everything is not as it seems. It would appear that Ben, in his core, is a "good" person. In the alternate he has an opportunity to take down the principle but doesn't for Alex's sake. He is smart enough to get some conditions changed though.

 

[Pariah]

Great episode. I'd be curious to see how Alex got off the island, though. ...and if Ben knew she was there.

 

[green machine]

One week after Sayid lets us down in his chance for redemption Ben comes through with his. Outstanding, always liked his character and last night confirmed to me why.

One interesting thing, it seems like only "candidates" can kill the special island people? Sayid killed Dogen, Richard was going to have Jack kill him...does that mean Ben was/is a candidate since he was needed to kill Jacob?

 

[TBaslim]

Great episode. I'd be curious to see how Alex got off the island, though. ...and if Ben knew she was there.

Good question - I wondered if she was ever on the island in the Sideways world. They actually may not answer that one, given the way they are setting things up. Unless they need to tell more of Ben's story in Sideways, and need a motivator for him, it looks like they are done with Alex in terms of story. Not sure Russoe gets a Sideways cameo...we'll see.

 

[Chaplin]

I think when he decided to stay with Team Jacob, it was a pivotal moment in the character arc of Ben Linus. Just awesome.

A lot of great things in this episode, especially in the flash-sideways. It was great that he still came across as ambitious and manipulative, but he did one thing different--and that of course is "saving" Alex. Was there a bit of recognition there? I think there was a father/daughter dynamic going on. And in the end, he STILL was able to manipulate the principal while helping Alex.

This was the most "season 1-like" episode of the entire season (and probably including all of season 5 as well). I LOVED it.

 

[Chaplin]

Good question - I wondered if she was ever on the island in the Sideways world. They actually may not answer that one, given the way they are setting things up. Unless they need to tell more of Ben's story in Sideways, and need a motivator for him, it looks like they are done with Alex in terms of story. Not sure Russoe gets a Sideways cameo...we'll see.

She's too busy, Alex did say Rousseau is working two jobs...

 

[DWKB]

One week after Sayid lets us down in his chance for redemption Ben comes through with his. Outstanding, always liked his character and last night confirmed to me why.

One interesting thing, it seems like only "candidates" can kill the special island people? Sayid killed Dogen, Richard was going to have Jack kill him...does that mean Ben was/is a candidate since he was needed to kill Jacob?

Linus was on the list of candidates, but was crossed off.

Good question - I wondered if she was ever on the island in the Sideways world. They actually may not answer that one, given the way they are setting things up. Unless they need to tell more of Ben's story in Sideways, and need a motivator for him, it looks like they are done with Alex in terms of story. Not sure Russoe gets a Sideways cameo...we'll see.

If we take the point of 1977 bombing, then Daniel was not on the island yet. She arrived 16 years before 2004 which is 1988. Therefore I doubt Alex was on the island. Of course, Ben was on the island and had been saved by the "others" and we don't know how he got reunited with his father to get off the island. I doubt we will actually.

 

[Chaplin]

One week after Sayid lets us down in his chance for redemption Ben comes through with his. Outstanding, always liked his character and last night confirmed to me why.

One interesting thing, it seems like only "candidates" can kill the special island people? Sayid killed Dogen, Richard was going to have Jack kill him...does that mean Ben was/is a candidate since he was needed to kill Jacob?

Linus definitely isn't a candidate because his name was crossed off on the Lighthouse wheel.

 

[Chaplin]

If we take the point of 1977 bombing, then Daniel was not on the island yet. She arrived 16 years before 2004 which is 1988. Therefore I doubt Alex was on the island. Of course, Ben was on the island and had been saved by the "others" and we don't know how he got reunited with his father to get off the island. I doubt we will actually.

Ben being saved by the others was pre-bombing, but Ben joining the Others (and the purge, including killing his father, would have happened AFTER the bomb).

 

[green machine]

Linus was on the list of candidates, but was crossed off.

Linus definitely isn't a candidate because his name was crossed off on the Lighthouse wheel.

I need to pay better attention, yeesh.

 

[Gaddabout]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Linus was on the island and was shot by Sayid shortly before they blew up the energy thingy. Miles' father started an evacuation or something. I can't remember. It's all so hazy ...

 

[DWKB]

Ben being saved by the others was pre-bombing, but Ben joining the Others (and the purge, including killing his father, would have happened AFTER the bomb).

Different time lines I think Chap. The purge occurred in the time line before the time travel of the O6. The saving of Ben occurred after that, when Sayid shot him.

The Ben who was involved with the purge AFAIK did not get shot by Sayid and have to go to the temple.

 

[Cheesebeef]

that really was an incredible episode. the Whitmore reveal was a little hokey, but 99% of that episode was pure gold. LOVE that they have Sayid breaking bad and Ben redeemed... for now anyway.

really, the last two episodes have been knocked out of the park. even the flash-whatever-they-ares were great in the last two. Maybe it's because Ben and Sayid are more interesting characters to play with, but whatever it is, I hope it keeps coming at this level.

 

[Gaddabout]

that really was an incredible episode. the Whitmore reveal was a little hokey,

Yep, but I sometimes wonder if those end-of-show reveals are supposed to be a wink-and-nod homage to old TV serials. They feel like it.

 

[Pariah]

the Whitmore reveal was a little hokey,

The thing I thought was hokey about it was that they were "spying" on them with a periscope. Felt like a scooby doo episode.

 

[chickenhead]

The things that still sort of does bother me is that all the characters in the flash-sideways are in LA, even the ones who were never on the Oceanic flight to LA or were connected to LA at the time of the bombing. I have nothing against LA (except for the Lakers), but Dogen was from Osaka, Rousseau was French, I believe Bejamin Linus was from Oregon, etc. It wouldn't be impossible for them to all end up there--it is a megalopolis, after all--but I hope something in the main storyline explains it.

This week's episode was a good one. I especially liked Jack laughing after the fuse blew out. It took it to mean he was laughing because it was a sign, but it could also still be nothing, since it's not like the dynamite blew up but they survived.

I like the redemption of Ben, especially since it's not the full redemption it appears to be: it just reveals his complexity. He will remain being shrewd, calculating, and insecure. It's the question of Dogen's "test": how "evil" is he?

I also love the fact that Miles has the diamonds, if only because it ties Nikki and Paulo back in. That episode was such a one-off: it would be interesting for it to play a part, however passively.