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SPOILER ALERT: Mini-Recap & Discussion Post for “The Substitute”

February 16th, 2010 § 76

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING POST CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM LAST NIGHT’S LOST. IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THIS EPISODE YET, DO NOT CONTINUE READING.

Normally I’d wait to post this until tomorrow, but I have a feeling you guys are going to want to discuss that episode ASAP. :D

SERIOUSLY, MAJOR MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD. I DON’T WANT TO HEAR FROM ANYONE THAT I DIDN’T WARN YOU.

On this week’s Lost, the episode opened with a POV shot of Smokey careening through the jungle and then morphing into Mocke. He asked Richard to join him, and told him that he’d explain all the super secret special things about the island that Jacob never bothered to mention, but Richard was really scared and didn’t stick around. Mocke then went to visit a super drunk and half naked Sawyer, and this time he managed to convince Sawyer to join him on his trek for answers (despite the fact that Sawyer figured out immediately that Mocke was not Locke). On the way to their destination, a blond boy shows up out of nowhere and says “You can’t kill him” to Mocke, and we think he’s one of those crazy invisible people, but Sawyer can see him too! Then Richard shows up, TERRIFIED, and tries to get Sawyer to follow him back to the temple, but Sawyer says no. After climbing down a giant scary cliff, Mocke showed Sawyer a cave where Jacob had written many of the Losties’ names on the walls (the names were even paired with the famous Numbers) – according to Mocke, this is how and why each of them had ended up on the island, and it was all Jacob’s doing. Mocke explained that each of the people written on the wall were “candidates” to take over island protection duty from Jacob. But Mocke claimed the island doesn’t need no stinking protection, and that the best thing for them to do would be hightail it out of there. Sawyer concurs. On the other side of the island, Sun, Ilana, and Ben buried the real Locke, and Ben confessed that he had murdered him.

In the Alternate Universe, Locke was getting ready to marry Helen when he got fired from his job – luckily Hurley (who owned the company Locke worked for) met him in the parking lot and told him he’d get him a job with the temp agency he owns. Locke also met Rose (who also works for Hurley) and Ben (who is a teacher at the school where Locke got a job substitute teaching). Locke was falling into his whole pit-of-despair-pity-party self, and was going to call Jack for that consult about fixing his spine, but Alterna-Locke decided that people CAN tell him what he can’t do, as long as he can be happy doing the things he actually can do.

After the jump: Questions, theories, screencaps, and predictions!

SO much stuff coming out of this episode! In no particular order…

1. Who was the blond boy that warned Mocke that he couldn’t kill them? Could it have been Jacob? Or Aaron? And if it was, how did Sawyer see him?

UPDATE: A lot of people were wondering why Sawyer could see the boy while Richard could not. This might give you a clue:

2. Richard once said “I am this way because of Jacob,” this way meaning immortal/not aging/whatever. Now that Jacob’s dead, could Richard be mortal like the rest of us, and is THAT why he’s so freaked out by Mocke??

3. THE CAVE!!!!!!! WITH THE NAMES!!!!!!

For those that don’t know, the names each corresponded with a number:

4 – LOCKE
8 – HURLEY
15 – SAWYER
16 – SAYID
23 – JACK
42 – KWON

How come Kate’s not on this list? Could she be up there and we just didn’t see? Is Ben on the cave wall? How about Richard? WHAT THE HELL? Claire’s name was crossed out! Is Kwon Sun or Jin (or could it be their daughter, Ji-Yeon?)

Here are screencaps of the cave (thanks to DarkUFO) – CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE THE HI-RES VERSION!!!

4. Is is possible that Jacob wasn’t so much trying to protect the island as he was protecting the rest of the world from Smokey?? If not, why protect the island? What is he protecting it from? And what makes the “candidates” so special?

5. Mocke said he and Sawyer had 3 choices – do nothing, take over, or leave. While he crossed off Locke’s name on the wall, he said Locke had done nothing. But Locke MOVED THE ISLAND, doesn’t that count? If not, how come?

6. So Jacob was looking for his replacement, but apparently he has been alive FOREVER. So why look for a replacement when you don’t die? Did he know this was going to happen?

7. Does the war going on between Jacob and Mocke have anything to do with the battle between Ben and Widmore? It’s relatively easy to draw parallels between Jacob/Ben and Smokey/Widmore – Jacob and Ben seem to be working out of a “greater good” position, while Smokey and Widmore seem like it’s more about THEM. Both pairs are violent and manipulative, but I can definitely see one pair mirroring the other.

8. Who exactly knows about the cave? Does Richard know? Do any of the Others know? They’ve always had lists from “Jacob,” but now we know that a) whatever was in the cabin may not have been Jacob and b) Ben admitted that he never spoke to Jacob anyway! So “Jacob’s lists” were actually Ben’s lists. It seems like Ilana knows (remember when they were going to hurt Frank and she said to stop because he might be a candidate?)

9. Here’s something kind of fun – in the Alterna-World, Hurley claimed to be the luckiest guy in the world. Is that why Locke’s wheelchair lift wouldn’t open onto Hurley’s car?

10. Mocke talked about how he used to be a man – WHO is he and HOW did he get to be a giant pillar of angry black smoke? So crazy.

Added: The song playing on the record player in the beginning of the episode was “Search and Destroy” by Iggy and the Stooges (it’s an awesomely badass song). Here are the lyrics in case anyone cares:

I’m a street walking cheetah
with a heart full of napalm
I’m a runaway son of the nuclear A-bomb
I am a world’s forgotten boy
The one who searches and destroys
Honey gotta help me please
Somebody gotta save my soul
Baby detonates for me
Look out honey, ’cause I’m using technology!
Ain’t got time to make no apology
Soul radiation in the dead of night
Love in the middle of a fire fight
Honey gotta strike me blind
Somebody gotta save my soul
Baby penetrates my mind
And I’m the world’s forgotten boy
The one who’s searchin’, searchin’ to destroy
And honey I’m the world’s forgotten boy
The one who’s searchin’, searchin’ to destroy
Forgotten boy, forgotten boy
Forgotten boy said
hey forgotten boy

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§ 76 Responses to “SPOILER ALERT: Mini-Recap & Discussion Post for “The Substitute””

  • Mandazoid says:

    CTB: He definitely said “after my time”.

  • Derek says:

    Dude, this was definitelly the best eisode of the first 3 in season 6 so far. We saw so much that we never thought we’d see. I laughed my ass of because we always see new locations that we’re just like “oh my god, they never notices this the first few months they were on the island walking around?” (like the ladder, and the cave)

  • Joie says:

    Classic, classic, Lost. So good. So good, I couldn’t sleep!

    @dinadandelion: Great point about Rose.

    Too many good lines, most of them Saywer’s. In the cave, I was like, “Who’s Ford?” then remembered Sawyer’s not his real name.

    I thought maybe Mocke needed to kill Sawyer and take his body, because it’s the only way to change form again? But Sawyer was right: Mocke has had 100 chances to kill him already (including on that cliff) and hasn’t done so.

    I really wish this show wasn’t ending. I love the endless, questioning agony.

  • CTB says:

    Kiersten and Mandazoid: Thanks for confirming it’s after. I guess that shoots that part of my evidence down. Anybody still think Locke might be in there somewhere, though? What about the “DON’T TELL ME WHAT I CAN’T DO!” line?

    Another note on Ilana saying that Mocke/Flocke can’t change from Locke form: she apparently doesn’t know he can change into Smokey, and we already saw him change into Alex when he “judged” Ben. Thoughts?

  • Genevieve says:

    @CTB “What about the “DON’T TELL ME WHAT I CAN’T DO!” line?”
    Oh I know! What if Mocke is somehow turning into Locke? More afraid, unsure . . . or maybe he somehow identifies with Locke, that some great destiny had been taken away from him?

    “So “Jacob’s lists” were actually Ben’s lists.”
    Or it could be that Jacob (or whoever was in the cabin) was just leaving these lists for him, without any explanation. :/

    And I totally think that that one kid in the forest is either min-Jacob, MIB’s kid, or possibly even Aaron . . .

    Though we only see two forces (MIB/Smokey and Jacob) it seems that there’s actually four forces, and that we’re just missing one, or we keep mistaking one for one of the other three. There’s Smokey, who at some times seems separate of Mocke, other times Mocke seems to change into Smokey; then we have Jacob, who seems dead but not really;d then we also have Mocke himself; and then we have all the partially invisible *and* the completely visible dead people walking around!!! *headdesk*

  • MaggieMay says:

    when mocke threw the white stone into the water and then said “inside joke”, i jizzed. in. MY PANTS.

  • inside joke says:

    the second i noticed kates name wasnt there i flipped out, HOPING that it means that she has already died but we dont know it yet. but if she is still alive, then wouldnt it make more sense for her to be #4 instead of locke?

    i loved when sawyer said something about only caring about the alcohol he was drinking XD i love how he’s so upset over juliets death. *sigh* and i think that richard is mortal now, and that’s why he is so freaked out all the time.

    i also noticed that ben kinda seemed to freak out in the beginning of the episode.. idk why but it seems like he relied on richard to always b there for him. poor benry :_(

  • LithiumRox says:

    Every time I comment, I for get to write like 8 different things I wanted to say.

    1.) What do the other numbers mean? The ones attached to the other candidates? I mean, since the numbers are *THE NUMBERS* did Jacob know that the people he have those numbers would ultimately be the final candidates? If so, why even bother with the other names? Unless he was trying to throw off Smokey since he had access to the cave too?
    2.) I definitely don’t think the little boy is Jacob, I much prefer thinking he’s Taller Ghost Aaron (Don’t know why Richard can’t see him…did anyone see Alpert on that cave? What’s HIS number?), because the kid said something like “You can’t kill him, those are the rules” referring to Jacob, right? So why would he be referring to himself in the third person? He seems to be someone who’s above both Jacob AND Mocke in this situation. Also, the kid looks very Jesus-y when he was talking to Richard, but he just looks like a regular jungle-kid when he was talking to Sawyer.
    3.) Has Sawyer introduced himself to anyone in Alterna-world yet? Like, has he said his name? He might not even *BE* Sawyer in this world if Anthony Cooper isn’t a douche.
    4.) RICHARD ALPERT HAS BEEN *CLAIMED* BY BUNRY. When he was talking to Sawyer & heard Mocke coming back, he got this terrified deer-in-headlights look in his eyes and scampered away as fast as he could. He reminded me of a bunny rabbit or something. DON’T HURT RICHARD. HE’S FRAGILE.

    Ok…I think that’s all for now…don’t be surprised if I’m back later for more epic commenting.

  • Joie says:

    Yeah, sorry, I’m coming back for more, too. I forgot to say how much I LOVE TERRIFIED RICHARD ALPERT. It was my absolute favorite part of the show. We need an animated screencap of the part just after he tries to get Sawyer to come with him, and then scrambles back off into the brush all jittery, his lined eyes full of dread, darting to and fro. I need to see it again right now! WTF???!!!

  • Kay says:

    OMG, theory alert!? This just came to me and seemed like something big, but now that I’ve put it into words, maybe not. Listen: MIB needed to take over a body to make his larger plan work (kill Jacob, manipulate Ben/Richard, get off the island, whatever it is). We never really found out WHY Ben killed Locke, right? It was totally unexpected, after he first came into the room to SAVE him from kiling himself. Maybe Ben was given a sign that told him to do it, so that Locke’s body could come to the island and help out MIB? Anyone?

  • LOST says:

    i also just randomly came up with a theory but is it possible that smokey is like somehow jacob’s dad? idk but it seems like all the daddy issues on lost need to lead toward something amazing and huge. maybe it wont be between jacob and smokey but some other new important ppl we will meet.

    does anyone even remember back when jacob said “theyre coming?” when will we find out WHO?!?!

  • Kimmerz says:

    if anyone had asked Locke why he was fired they could have put themselves in australia together then maybe on the plane together. how often do people go to australia?

    why were you fired?
    i went to australia for a business trip then didn’t do what i was supposed to do
    oh really? i was just in australia too? when did you get back?
    9/22/ last week/ whatever
    ME TOO!!!!
    what were you in australia for?
    honey moon/opening chicken joint/was i on an island once? (Ben)

    it could have happened

  • liz156 says:

    I cant see the images from work, but I just had an idea. We assume #23 – was JACK, but didnt it say Sheppard? MAYBE 23 IS CHRISTIAN!!!!!!111111!1!!!1ONE!!

  • Henry Gale says:

    Ack, some thoughts —

    Re: the numbers.
    Isn’t Psalm 23 the one that begins, “The Lord is my shepherd”?

    Next, how do we know this was Jacob’s cave…or Jacob’s list? We assume it was, of course, but for all we know, the cave and the list could both be Smokey’s.

    Finally, did you notice that the numbers of names crossed out tended to be three-digit, while the 815ers’ names tended to be two- or one-digit? Narrowing down to a final zero point, perhaps?

    Did you notice the Medusa spider on Locke’s head that skittered away when Ilana threw the yellow tarpaulin over him?

    Could this mean that (somehow) Real Locke is not dead? Yeah, I know homie’s been in the can for awhile now, but this is _Lost_ and all…

    What about the fact that the name “Domingo” was crossed out? (Domingo= the word for Sunday / the holy day)

    Just thoughts.

  • latenac says:

    I keep seeing pictures of the blonde boy and thinking that somehow his outfit looks familiar. That vest isn’t something Locke wore at some point, is it?

  • Kim says:

    It almost looks like they’re two DIFFERENT boys from the still shots…………….

  • Kaye says:

    Yes, Psalm 23 is the “Lord is my (Jack/Christian) Shephard” psalm, good call.

    And I believe that was a crab skittering across poor dead Locke’s bald head. I screamed when that happened. Poor Lockie.

  • Kimmerz says:

    i’m glad i missed the crab/spider b/c they give me the heebies, lol poor terry b/c he was the one lying there being all dead

    and why was kate on ben’s list and not jacob’s??? following the whose lists are actually whose line of thought

  • Henry Gale says:

    I have a theory…

    I think that the Man in Black is playing a long con with Sawyer as the potential gull here. In order to leave the island and go “home,” MIB needs to find a “substitute” to fulfill his responsibilities or functions on the island, and when he has, he can assume the physical form and mortality of that substitute and then leave. Without it, he’s required to stay there. It’s like trying to find someone to cover your shift at work before you can take a day off.

    That said, I think MIB’s goal will be to convince Sawyer to do that job. He then will assume Sawyer’s mortal body.

    Just a guess — I could be completely full of it.

  • Shari L says:

    I completely LOVE the theory from HG about MIB neding to find someone to fill his responsibilities! Yes, yes, yes! But if he’s also smokey, what does the island need a protector from?

  • LithiumRox says:

    I like Henry Gale’s theory, but since Mocke said that the third choice was for them both to leave the Island together, I was thinking that the only way for him to get off would be fore Jacob (Or the new person who assumes Jacob’s role) to escort him off the Island or allow him to leave…so since Sawyer’s a Candidate, he’s one of the only people who can escort him off the Island.

    And Kaye’s right, I’m pretty sure that was a crab on Locke’s head.

  • KimonoFace says:

    Just a thought… It looked like the outfit the boy was wearing is the same outfit Richard was wearing in the woods when little Benry followed his dead mother past the pile on’s. Maybe the boy is Richard, or maybe the boy came from the same place Richard did, same origin (Black rock?)

    Also, if Richard lives forever, when did he start dressing all normal and current. When he met Ben he was wearing he old school rags, but when Ben was about 15 years older all the sudden Richard was stylin’.

    Yes, why are all the older crossed out numbers so high, I agree we are counting down… but I didn’t see a #1, maybe they haven’t arrived on the island yet? But if they are counting down, it seems that this was planned. Maybe all those that came before, that were “progress” were planned and destined to fail in order to continue things in motion towards the true fated #1.

  • Amy Ess says:

    I really thought I was on to something when I looked at the crossed out names, one was Mattingly–#10, I knew there is a great BASEBALL player named Mattingly, and guess what, his number is #23. So far I have ‘struck-out’ with other names, but I thought it was an interesting coincidence.

    Also, I don’t believe that Mocke and Smokey are the same entity. I really don’t. They have been too obvious about them not being seen together.

    As far as Kate not being seen on the wall, maybe her real name is not Austen? It’s all last names. Perhaps she has a different last name–brothers and sisters theme, you know.

  • VanG says:

    Does anyone else thinks the ladder was put in there for mystical connections to the term Jacob’s Ladder?
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob%27s_Ladder

  • jodeha2002 says:

    I’ve been fairly obsessed with the blond boy photos since they’ve been posted here. I see them as two distinct, separate boys-the boy appearing near Richard is younger, has a pageboy-styled haircut and, of course, has bloody hands while the boy appearing near Sawyer is older, has curly hair and is blood-free. Two boys seen (or not seen) by two different Losties because of their relative “realness” seems a totally Lost-worthy approach.

    When I brought this up on the imdb boards, everyone sees this as one blond boy-but I don’t. Am I blind? What are the opinions here, because, to tell the truth, I think that I will respect the voices here much more than in the imdb comment section.

    As a side note, Rachel thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU for the recaps! I’ve devoured rather voraciously all that you have written. I would love to see recaps for ALL the episodes, but unless you find a sponsor to pay your bills (a la AFLAC) I’ll simply appreciate the ones you’ve done so far and find something else in life to grumble about.

    I know that squeeing is typically a fangirl venture-what noise do fanboys make? I’d like to not make a faux pas by using the wrong verb.

    Thanks,
    Josh

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