Kmical

I'll take "Television Writers Making S*it Up As They Go" for $800, Alex.

extreme2700

It's likely that they were just vague enough about it so that they didn't have to worry about being cemented in with something. The Heroes writers really should've taken a page out of these guys' book =)

Pointyskull

Whether they knew or not, it would seem having already given it those mechanical sounds and the Rousseau "security system" comment there's going to have to be some sort of callback to that. Smokey's too big of an island component, if you ask me, to be sloppily explained away.

I have faith in Lindelof/Cuse...

dsa_shea

Smokey could be a security system of sorts for the game. Maybe he has a certain role he can play as the smoke monster and is only able to act in situations that might compromise the game. My thinking is that each are granted some abilities and MIB has the ability to be a trickster or change his appearance but is relegated to the island while Jacob had the ability to travel outside the island and actually interact with people and even do things for them but he can't shapeshift.

dsa_shea

Does anyone remember when Richard visited Locke when he was a kid? John actually has a picture that he drew that could be interpreted as the smoke monster next to his dead body. Take a look at the episode again if you don't believe me. And Richard was taken aback when he saw the drawing and asked Locke if he drew it.

Michael Corvin

Interesting thought. Jacob can pick the players but can't interact with them on the island, Esau can't leave the island but can interact with the players as Smokey, Christian, Dave, Kate's horse, etc.

dsa_shea

Yep, because once they get to the island none of the players actually see Jacob or have any interaction with him other than hearing his name mentioned here and there. It is kind of like the devil and God. However, I don't think that were dealing with the same reference here. Demons can definitely be felt here on earth but feeling of God is based on faith and not what you can actually see or encounter.

cracksky

Those same mechanical sounds were heard when the MiB as Locke turned into Smokey and tore apart Bram and his team.

Jadzia

Finally watched the premiere last night. One of my favorite scenes, which I am surprised has not been discussed in the the thread, is when Jack was complaining about the airline losing his father and Locke pointed out that they just lost his body - and that no one would really know where his "father" is at. I thought this exchange was interesting and seemed to be a clue as to what is going on with the timelines. Perhaps the characters bodies went back to LAX but it is just a duplicate of their souls that remain on the island.

The two timelines also reminded me of the transporter accident on Star Trek:TNG that created two Rikers. So essentially one Riker was rescued and went on with his life, while the other Riker remained stranded alone on the planet. I wondered if the bomb blast might have caused a similar rift which would explain the two timelines.

Dan

What if NC Locke is really Jacob's nemesis??

dsa_shea

I posted earlier that when Richard visited Locke when John was a kid he had a drawing of himself and the black smoke next to his body. This picture took Richard aback when he asked if Locke had drawn it and replied that he did. This was during the third season I believe. When we first saw it we likely thought that it foreshadowed the plane crash but looking at it again I think it foreshadows a completely different event. I guess it is telling but surprising that Richard would even trust Locke if he had any inkling that the smoke might be involved.

cracksky

Couple things not yet mentioned here. The books. Desmond was reading Salman Rushdie's Haroun and the Sea of Stories.



We see this book right before we are taken on a journey out beneath the sea.

From Amazon:


The French book found at the Temple was called Crainte et Tremblement by
Sören Kierkegaard or Fear and Trembling. His philosophical work on faith and sacrifice with the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac.

redskull

If you're implying Shannon wasn't in this episode because she was busy filming "Taken," that movie came out two years ago. They probably filmed this episode sometime in the last 3 months.

redskull

Um... the muffled sound was supposed to simulate Kate's ears ringing after the explosion.

Jason

Maybe there's more than one smoke monster.

A-aron

When Artz was pestering Hurley on the flight, there were symbols on the back of his book that were very much like those under the Temple.

Palaver

Looks more like a book on bugs.

hardercore

redskull? meet sense of humour. Humour? redskull.

whotony

..but it wasn't funny.

hardercore

while you're at it, meet whotony too.

DarkestPhoenix

Quite right.

andy434343

that sounds good except that Jack saw his father in the lobby of his hospital at night when he was alone, which would mean the smoke monster can leave the island as well....

andy434343

Just because Bram died, does not mean that he wasn't on the side that is going to win.....

DthRdrX

Are you serious? What good does it matter who wins if you are dead?

DthRdrX

Someone posted this over on Lostpedia. Desmond might have a wedding ring on.