S6 Rewatch: 6x15 "Across the Sea"

[Hopelessly Lost]

This thread is for discussing the rewatch of the epi "Across the Sea".

[Hopelessly Lost]

Such a sad story. First, I hate that MiB has no name! Come on, couldn't Mother just give him one or is that breaking the rules? That has to be frustrating as a kid to not have a name. Any other kid would be constantly bugging her about it.

Mother definitely manipulated them. Jacob just followed her, but he had no other reason not to. It would be difficult for a kid to leave all they have known w/o any proof. MiB had proof in that he was special & Claudia came to tell him.

I don't get how turning a donkey wheel w/the water & light would cause people to leave. I will admit that's past my brain capacity. I can't imagine that those people would figure that out, but I guess the "I'm special" reason is supposed to cover that.

So, the way I see it, MiB can't die thanks to Mother. So, when Jacob threw MiB into the light, his spirit left his body & became the smoke monster. All he wanted to do was leave the island, Mother made sure he couldn't. It's hard to take MiB/Locke as evil incarnate after this story. You wish he could finally get off the island, but they all say everyone will then die.
BTW, my 5 yr old DS, who hasn't watched the show, was completely engrossed in this epi.

[Hopelessly Lost]

Okay, so I just finished listening to the commentary by Damon & Carlton for this epi. They say they didn't make it clear if Mother was a smoke monster or not b/c they wanted us viewers to have discussions about it. Then, though, when that scene happens Damon pretty much hints that she is a smoke monster. He points out how she is a woman & is able to take down the whole village during the day w/armed men by herself. Then they both mention how there is smoke there ("when there's smoke, there's fire") is what they said. So by those comments, it sounds like Mother was a smoke monster too. This commentary is interesting to hear & helps clarify things, at least for me.

[in_love_with_lost]

I really love this episode. When I first saw it, things really came into perspective. It tells a heartbreaking story and really shows the fine line between good and evil. This episode really shows that neither MIB nor Jacob are good/evil, I think that they are both victims manipulated in different ways and I can see why MIB wanted to leave so desperately. I think that it was more then his curiosity of where "we" came from or wanting to belong. It's as if he felt that the island was going to imprison him one day. Wether you're the "Smoke Monster" or the "Protector (Jacob's job)", this island has a way of making you it's prisoner and you really do not have a choice in the matter once the "role" is passed on to you.
I really feel for the MIB in this episode and he comes across much more human and fragile than Jacob to me. This episode really left me sitting in the middle and questioning who's good and who's bad? Obviously "Mother" is certainly bad and evil and twisted...but she could've had a similar story to Jacob and that of his brother. I think that the "Smoke Monster" is just like the bad/dark side in all of us taking over the good. I also think that he (SM) takes on a bit of each body's former inhabitants personality, so as much as he is evil (now, in John Locke's body) I still feel for him sometimes. I think that Lost brilliantly blurs the line between good and evil and really shows that we all have both sides and either side can rule at times. Being "trapped" on an island for all eternity can certainly take it's toll and simply extinguish the good side all together. Maybe that's how "The Smoke Monster" was first created? By someone completely giving in to "the bad/dark"...their evil, insecure, angry, negative side. That's maybe how the entity that is "The Smoke Monster" was born. Or maybe from all of the pain, anger, jealousy, greed, hatred and all other negative emotions endured by all of the different island inhabitants over the years...this smoke/cloud of evil energy we call "The Smoke Monster" was manifested.
They say that hate can be a very powerful thing and I am sure that there's been plenty there over the many years in the islands existence. As beautiful as I find the island and as much as I wish that I might end up crashing on it one day :-)...it might be a blessing to some..it's definitely also a curse to others.
The show is pure genius for opening our minds, enabling these wonderful discussions and making the sky the limit as far as these theories go. A BIG thank you to LOSTPEDIA for giving us "an island" online. Love to all xoxo

[Hopelessly Lost]

Very nicely put! I completely agree w/you!
Well done for your 1st post!

[Su34]

I love this episode, not only because it provides some answers but because it also gives us some in-depth-sight of the characters. Up to that episode, I was quite convinced that MIB was evil. After the episode, I felt different about him. In fact, I pitied him. All he wanted to do was go out there and see the world. He's more open-minded than Jacob and Mother, and he's desperate to get off the island - which I can relate to because, honestly, who would want to live on an island forever after, knowing that there's so much more to see and explore? Also, I think Jacob came across quite weird - I mean, come on, a 40 year old man still living with his mother and weaving? How sorry is that? With Jacob, I always had the feeling that he essentially was a good guy but quite boring - he did what he was told to do, never questioning anything at all. With MIB, things are different. He questions the rules, he wants to see more of the world, yet he is imprisoned. I really felt sorry for the guy, and whatever sympathy I had for Jacob went down the drain when he pushed his nameless brother towards the Source of Light and turned him into the Smoke Monster.

[GrinningTurtle]

So Smokie died in the plane crash!?

[Hopelessly Lost]

What are you talking about?

[adil javed 253]

for discussing the rewatch of the epi "Across the Sea".
__________________
"If we can't live together... we're going to die alone."

"Oh awesome. The ship sent us another Sawyer."

[Camelnila01]

I am actually not sure what you talking about?

It is the original file without any changes. After that didn't work I tried the changes which are supposed from the administrator of this board here.

Not more, but not less.

So, what ist your guess now?

Thank you