Lost

[NSpan]

Has anyone here seen HIghlander: The Search for Vengeance?

I'm starting to think the feud between Jacob and whatshisface might be a vaguely similar story...

[Geezer]

Have not, but can I just say that I am ever so glad I was involved in this mind fuck

[NSpan]

To describe it differently, I think it's turning into The Stand.

[Geezer]

Care to elaborate, for those not so up on their literature? This is all so fresh in my head still. I've literally had no less than 3 dreams/nightmares inspired by this show.

[NSpan]

Well, The Stand is about a group of (seemingly) insignificant/ordinary people who find themselves caught up in an epic feud that exists on a scale so large that it dwarfs the conflicts and problems of their previous everyday lives. Some of the people in the group turn out to be key players, while others are nothing more than pawns--either way, they're all essentially chess pieces in an on-going cosmic war. The feud itself transcends time and is perpetually repeated and played out over and over again throughout history.

If I'm on-track in my reading of Lost, the difference will be that Lost is science-fiction oriented while The Stand was deeply rooted in religion.

If anyone has the unabridged version of the book sitting around, read the epilogue. It's only two-and-a-half pages long--but, in my opinion, it serves as a basis for the entire show.

[undeadmonkey]

Interesting, i haven't seen the movie or read the book, It's been a while since i've seen them all so it was a little hard at first catching up, but i like where the show is heading. Can't wait till next week

[Geezer]

That sounds pretty spot on with what is going on with Lost, but the argument could certainly be made that Lost itself is heavily religion based. If you read some of the theories out there, they are mostly religion based. Either way, its incredibly captivating to watch. There is definitely a strong correlation between what you just described, and Lost. The writers have said the show is heavily literature influenced, and they have mentioned Stephen King specifically, so drawing those comparisons would not be far off.

[transformers2]

Didn't watch it last night. I might have thrown in the towel on Lost.

[undeadmonkey]

I loved that the smoke monster had a human form, it was crazy!

[Geezer]

I saw that one coming from the season finale of season 5. The monster took the form of Alex before, and it just kinda made sense.

[becs]

Aww I stopped paying attention last season, this makes me wish I had kept up.

[numbersix]

Well, last night I watched the feature-length opening episode of the final season. I think NSpan's comparison is an interesting one - the battle between Jacob and the other guy (let's call him Smokey) that continues throughout time, with each claiming new physical bodies to, as Leonard Nimoy hilariously stated, play out this cosmic ballet, with the crash victims playing their parts. So Locke is the body/shape for Smokey, and now Jacob has taken the form of Sayid. But to what purpose? Is it some representation of the Manichaen idea of good and evil being two equal forces battling each other forever? If so I'm not sure if it adds up. Sure there have been references to Jacob seeking "good" people, but wasn't the smoke monster also an entity that ignored the "good" or "innocent" and punished the "bad" or "guilty"? Let's see how this plays out.

So what did you all make of the parallel story of the plane not crashing? It seems as if the bomb sunk the island, and I can only assume we have two parallel timelines: one where the bomb destroyed the island and the plane never crashed, and one where it merely transported everyone back to present day on the island.

Finally, I hated how Juliet got another, emotional send-off. I think that was delt with in last season's closer. It was her one brave moment, and I was so sick of her, I kind of felt that what she did worked well. But then we had her moment with Sawyer and it didn't really fit a narrative purpose that hadn't already been done in the previous episode. And poor Sayid doesn't even get the "sad" music.

Finally, I would like to mark each episode with some nagging issues that was never explained until now. So...
LOST S6 EP 1-2
What happened to the Tailie air hostess and the children? EXPLAINED
What is the smoke monster? EXPLAINED

[redraider]

I don't think we can say for sure that Jacob is inhabiting Sayid's body. Keep in mind that "Smokey" didn't inhabit Locke's body, he took his form. If Jacob and "Smokey" are the same thing (whatever that is, gods maybe), wouldn't Jacob had taken Sayid's form instead of his body.

[numbersix]

True, RedR, I'm just guessing what with the whole idea of Sayid dying and being so important to Jacob. So we'll see next week. I'm willing to bet that Sayid won't be who he seems though.

[Geezer]

The producers have actually said that "something" has taken over Sayid's body. It is most likely Jacob, and he could operate differently than the "Man in Black" AKA Smokey.

About the Parallel story lines: I actually think they are going to crash into each other at some point. They aren't exactly parallel, as one takes place in 04 and one in 07. I think, and its just a theory (one in which I can't exactly take credit for) that the 04 timeline where the plane doesn't crash is all a flashback. They are eventually going to all end up on the second plane, the Ajira flight that crashed, and somehow the Island will have been lifted from the sea and they all end up back there with their memories erased, except for Juliet's who somehow knows "It worked" which is why they brought her back again. This is what we are experiencing with the current 07 timeline. She couldn't have come back just to have another sentimental moment. That had to be an important element. Of course, this is just a theory, and I can't wait to see how it plays out. Hell, they may just run the entire season as two parallel universes, but I don't think its that simple.

Here's how the guy I got it from put it:

There are NOT two realities. There is the changed past of Sept 22, 2004 and the present (or 3-4 years later). The changing of the past does not mean a completely different future. The Island wants these people there and will find a way to make it happen. Just like Desmond saving Charlie again and again until he finally died. (in fact he says to Jack, "I was supposed to die")

We've seen the myriad connections these characters had before the crash (Sawyer and Jack's father. Locke's Father and Sawyer. Kate's Dad and Sayid. Claire and Jack.) and we've seen new connections made (Kate and Claire, Locke and Jack, Sawyer and Kate, Sawyer and Hugo) and over the rest of the season we'll see how these connections bring the characters together until eventually they end up on the Ajira flight that crash lands on the island 3 years later. (The stewardess with bad hair mentions that they were all on the FIRST flight)

I agree that we can't really establish a fight between good and evil between Smokey and Jacob, because really, I could never see them as either being inherently good or inherently evil. They have both shown elements of both.

I really can't wait to find out more about Richard (aka eye liner boy) and exactly what he is and why he doesn't age. If this isn't explained I'm going to be more than a little pissed.