Locke's Legs, Esau, and Deus Ex Machina.

[glarbl_blarbl]

I just rewatched Deus Ex Machina, and I was struck by the fact that Locke seems to have lost feeling in his legs. But he's still walking, mostly.

I think that Jacob's Nemesis re-animated John's legs for him. This also allowed anti-Jacob access to Locke's dreams. Subsequently Esau chose to leave Locke to crawl, prompting Boone's sacrifice.

And how tragic is it that the antagonist would use the ultimate patsy in order to pull off the biggest con running? By this I mean: setting Ben up to believe in Locke's resurrection strongly enough to commit regicide on "his" order.

And wrapped up in it all, the metaphor of Locke's favorite game: Mousetrap. When exactly did Esau spring his trap, ultimately resulting in Jacob's murder? And what is Jacob's next move? Obviously the game isn't over, since there's one more season to go.

[jmorv]

True, John loved to play games (e.g. Mousetrap, Backgammon) and games, in general seem to show up often throughout the seasons (e.g. connect four, table tennis) or perhaps it's just the subject of competition between everyone as if there is such a negative effect going on with everyone on the island. With Ben mentioning to Charles about changing the rules, again a nod to games or competition and then at the end of season 5, we see jacob and his buddy talking to each other, as if to be playing a game as well. I have had a long standing theory that everything that is/has been happening is one big game to only two people, whomever they may be.

Back to John though, at what point do you think that John was "taken over" by Mr. Blackshirt? I say it was the day he woke up in the pit of dead bodies which was the first day he "died".

Talk amongst yourselves, I have to go return some videotapes.

[glarbl_blarbl]

I think TMIB took over half of Locke's body the day he woke up on the beach following the crash of 815. Esau wasn't in complete control at this point, but certainly had a huge influence on Locke's actions from that point onward. My theory is that Smokey/TMIB is only able to "take over" dead flesh, since Locke's legs were "dead" it was able to infiltrate them.

I totally agree with you that everything happening on the island is a part of a game played between Jacob and his nemesis. The rules seem to dictate, however, that they may not directly harm each other (like Kings on a chessboard) -- so they have fight via proxies, seemingly whoever leads the two groups on the island. The confusing part to me is the fact that Locke seems to have switched sides on a number of occasions. And it's never clear who Jacob's proxy is (maybe this has something to do with the conspicuous touching he did of the main characters?).

[AndrewC]

Um... Esau didn't take over Locke's dead flesh. He assumed his appearance. This was the whole point of the revelation that Locke's body was in the cargo box. I think it is enormously evident that he can only assume the shape of dead people, but he doesn't actually use their physical bodies. It's likely that he was also Christian, Yemi and Alex. The only weird thing is the absence of Christian's body.

[m8o]

Originally Posted by AndrewC

The only weird thing is the absence of Christian's body.

Polar bear food.

[Strokedown]

Originally Posted by m8o

Polar bear food.

Nemesis must get hungry, too.

Cannibalism, possibly?

[WhateverHappened]

Originally Posted by AndrewC

Um... Esau didn't take over Locke's dead flesh. He assumed his appearance. This was the whole point of the revelation that Locke's body was in the cargo box. I think it is enormously evident that he can only assume the shape of dead people, but he doesn't actually use their physical bodies. It's likely that he was also Christian, Yemi and Alex. The only weird thing is the absence of Christian's body.

What about Walt warning Shannon? Walt isn't dead, yet an apparition of him showed up in the episode where Shannon and Sayid were getting freaky. I think he can reanimate dead bodies period, and can assume the shape of anything he wants. Christian isn't Mr. X, I think Christian is alive, reanimated, whatever you want to call it and acts as an advisor to X. It still hasnt explained why the dead flesh of John Locke all of a sudden started working when he arrived on the island. I agree with the OP that the dead flesh was renanimated by X.

[MilesSmiles]

Originally Posted by WhateverHappened

What about Walt warning Shannon? Walt isn't dead, yet an apparition of him showed up in the episode where Shannon and Sayid were getting freaky. I think he can reanimate dead bodies period, and can assume the shape of anything he wants. Christian isn't Mr. X, I think Christian is alive, reanimated, whatever you want to call it and acts as an advisor to X. It still hasnt explained why the dead flesh of John Locke all of a sudden started working when he arrived on the island. I agree with the OP that the dead flesh was renanimated by X.

I'm pretty sure Damon and Carlton have classified Christian as 'undead'. He can seemingly transport himself at will (down into the well, around the jungle while jack chases him, to the mainland for 5 seconds). I don't think that's anything a normal live person could do (Harper, theoretically could have snuck away in the dark, making it seem like she appeared/disappeared).

And I think someone already said this, but Locke's 'dead flesh' fell outta the box and is laying on the sand. There has been no reanimation there. There's been some kind of strange duplication however.

[Clarence_Oddbody]

Originally Posted by jmorv

Talk amongst yourselves, I have to go return some videotapes.

Why is that Mr. Bateman, do you just want to fit in? Has Timothy Bryce been taking Evelyn to Dorcia?