LA X, A Varable and an altered Reality by Theynameditright

LA X (episode 6.01, 6.02) Los Angeles the Variable and Alternate Reality

After a long eight-month wait, LOST was back to its mind bending flair this past Tuesday night. We were last left off with our groups in two different times. In 2008 we have a “fake Locke”, Ben, Sun, Frank, Richard and the Others, and our Shadow people gathering by the statue to find out what the heck is going on with Fake Locke; who was just busy getting Ben to kill Jacob. Over by the Swan and in 1977 are heroes Jack, Sawyer, Hurley, Kate, Sayid, Miles, Jin and the very injured and brave Juliet were trying to change the course of time with one Hydrogen bomb. This episode begun with where we left off at the end of season five, and after a big flash and a slightly different sounding whoosh we are aboard Oceanic 815 once again. In brilliant fashion LOST has managed to get us lost again with the new Flash Sideways story telling. With the desire of following both paths, the producers decided to delight and confuse us this season by exploring both situations, the continuing s! tory on the island and alternative to what would happen after the detonation of the bomb. The title of the episode LA X was stated by Darlton as being done intentionally and was not just a typo. In most comics, the letter X represents an altered reality. And knowing what big comic fans they are, I would assume this is the meaning behind the X.

This two part episode was loaded with irony and numerous life and death themes. Juliet is believed to be dead, is alive, and then dies. And not even being a Juliet or Suliet fan, I still found it painfully sad, she was a damn hero! Who knew? Poor Sawyer, that guy needs a big hug. Sayid is near death and is brought to the dirty waters of the temple to save his life, then dies, and then is alive. John Locke is discovered by Ben to be truly dead; the fake Locke retells Locke’s last thoughts before he died as being sadly he “didn’t understand.” Fake Locke also lets us know he is the smoke monster, right after he kills about four people. We discover Jacob is indeed dead, by appearing to Hurley and giving him some instructions to save Sayid. Jacob has seemed to have gone out of his way to bring Sayid back to the island, for reasons not known at this point. And aboard 815 X Charlie stops breathing (again) and Jack revives him (again) and then Charlie tells Jack he was sup! posed to die, well some people don’t know how to say thank you.

There was a lot of irony on the plane to LAX, Boone telling John he was “pulling his leg”, right before he tells John that if the plane went down he would follow him, which in our original timeline led to his death; Jack needing comfort from Rose when he previously gave her comfort; and the fact Jack tells Locke “nothing is irreversible” about his paralysis, and this whole X reality exists because of Jack’s new belief in this idea. All of which beautifully tangles itself, continuing the circle of life.

I have entertained a crazy scenario that what we have been watching was an altered past, following a story line of what happened as a result of someone messing with the cosmic flow of the “islands universe”. I wonder now, could the reason Eloise keeps saying god help us all, and they keep saying they have to “save the island” is because of the sinking of the island in some other universe?

But perhaps I am over-thinking it. Some facts I do know are the following based on what the producers have stated.

1- The Flash Sideways is to show what would happen from Juliet successfully detonating the bomb
2- Fake Locke is the Smoke monster, but the Man in Black is NOT fake Locke, and thus not the smoke monster.
3- Jack, Sawyer and crew are now in the same time as Sun and Frank and group which should be early 2008

So since they said the Man In Black is NOT Fake Locke, then I am wondering if Jacob was always talking to the smoke monster. Since the MIB and him were discussing loopholes, and when Jacob sees him he says “guess you found your loophole”. So did the smoke monster eat the man in black and then impersonate him to Jacob??? Some other things I wonder are, Who lies in the shadow of the statue? I know its “ who will save us all”, but right now it looks like it could be Locke, well I suppose if a shadow could even be cast there since the statue remaining is just a foot, with 4 toes.

Widmore had stated there was a war coming and that he wanted to make sure Locke stayed alive because he needed him on the island. Braum had said to Miles the same type of thing about a war coming and they told him Widmore was the wrong side, and they were on the side that was going to win. They work for Jacob, they say they are the “good Guys” but we have been reminded a few times that usually the people who say they are the good guys, aren’t. Jacob seems like a nice enough guy, but I was never really a big believer that the Others were good guys. But one thing we should have learned by now, is that what is good and what is bad is not so clear cut. Good and bad exist because of each other and together often in people, the fact these people are having a war though may not be so much about what is right or what is wrong, so what the heck is it about? What is war good for, absolutely nothing…say it again.

Since we can’t be sure of the things we aren’t sure of, let’s pick apart the things we can see with our own eyes. 815 X had the following differences, along with it not crashing.

1- Jack only received one bottle of vodka
2- Jack seemed not so confident about flying, and Rose comforted him
3- Desmond is on the plane
4- No Michael, Walt, Shannon, and no knowledge about the tallies or if Claire is pregnant
5- Hurley said he is lucky ( maybe he is was being sarcastic though, Locke also told Boone he went on a walkabout)
6- Jack seemed confused by a small cut on his neck
7- Sun and Jin may not be married since the customs official when talking to Sun referred to her as Ms. Paik, her maiden name

Some Similarities
1- Jack saved Charlie, along with help from Sayid
2- Boone would follow Locke
3- Kate is still a fugitive and has a thing for running
4- Locke is still in a wheel chair
5- Hurley won the lottery
6- Jacks Dad is still dead and he was in Australia for the same reason
7- His body is still missing also
8- Sayid is looking for Nadia, has the same picture


One of the things that will likely become clearer over the weeks is why some of them were on the plane; did Abandon still go to meet Locke to tell him about the walkabout, what would be the point of that since there is no longer an island for Locke to land on? Did Walt’s Mom not die? Is sawyer a con-man? Where Rose and Bernard in Australia because of her cancer, or does she not have it? What is interesting is their lives are still going to be intertwined in some way, maybe not in the same ways as before. Also, we will get an idea to see which version is better.

I firmly believe though, the island adventure has given them all the ability to grow as people, and even if the events were horrible they endured, they somehow seemed better for it. Those that left did not necessarily find their salvation, in the end Locke tried to kill himself, and Ben helped him fulfill his destiny. Jack developed an addiction problem and trust issues with Kate, Sun was left to raise her baby alone but did stand up to her dad, but was ready to commit murder to avenge her husband’s death. Sayid did reunite with Nadia only to lose her again, and well Kate seemed to grow up, learn to be less selfish but was living a lie and in the end wanted to put things right.

The circle of life continues, the final chapter.