just a little off the top: May 2009

Post #119 LOST Revelation Thursday

Episode title: Follow the Leader
Primary Focus Character: John Locke

The title of the episode has two implications: Locke is the new leader of the Others and Ben has pledged to Alex (as the smoke monster) that he will follow Locke. The other implication of the title is Daniel started on a path to change the future and now Jack is following his lead.

It does not sit well with me that in the previous episode, Eloise Hawking appears convinced that destiny will fulfill itself and that the future is predetermined. However, in this episode, her younger self appears eager to try to change the future. This presents a character conflict and will hopefully be resolved. I predict that the bomb will not be able to be detonated. This causes destiny to course correct and thus fulfill itself.

The big reveal of the episode is Locke’s plan. Locke has an obvious issue with the way that Jacob has been used as a way to manipulate the Others. He decides to take the whole group of Others to “see” Jacob. Then he reveals to Ben that he plans to kill Jacob. My thought is that he plans to reveal that Jacob is a myth and has been a tool for manipulation of the group. He plans to “kill” Jacob by revealing that he does not exist.

The other striking character issue I am concerned about is Kate. Seemingly out of nowhere, Kate becomes concerned about moral issues of right and wrong? I don’t think so. Kate is not concerned about morality so much as she is concerned about her survival. Here’s her concern: if they detonate the bomb and eliminate the electromagnetic force on the island, Oceanic 815 will not crash on the island, but instead will land safely in Los Angeles, where she will be taken into custody for the murder of her father and for her fleeing the country. She is only really concerned about the possibility that she will go to prison.

Questions from the episode:
- Why does Locke really want to kill Jacob?
- Why is Richard hesitant to bring Locke to Jacob? What does he want to tell him about Jacob?
- How did the island tell Locke exactly when to find himself at the Beechcraft?
- How did the Others move the bomb from the field in 1954 to the tunnels in 1977? They certainly didn’t swim it under the river. There must be another entrance.

Labels: L O S T, Sci-fi

Post #118 KCC

This was on Facebook, but since I used it as a posting there, I thought I should post it here as well. It has to do with my first college KCC

1. Do you remember your campus mail box number?
No. I can't even remember getting mail.

2. What was your favorite class?
I really like Christian Education the second time I took it.

3. What was your least favorite class?
Name one. I was not a big fan of Fiensy's classes

4. After leaving KCC/U, how long before you got your first letter asking for donations?
Not long.

5. Did you truly fall in love at KCC/U?
Yeah, but not till after I had left and she was a freshman.

6. Favorite professor?
Ford

7. What was your favorite meal at the Caf?
Ice Cream on a bagel.

8. Visit the Glass tombstone?
Nope. Never heard of it.

9. Did you ever sneak a guy / girl in the dorm?
Yeah, but just to watch movies on the boring weekends.

10. Which dorm were you in?
Waters Hall.

11. Did you ever get caught with a pet in the dorms?
No, not unless dust bunnies count.

12. Did you ever get in trouble for sneaking booze in the dorms?
No, but Todd Kirby found a hand carved "tobacco" pipe during a room inspection.

13. Is there a song that makes you remember a time at KCC/U?
Anything by Oasis or the Cranberries

14. What did you major/minor in?
Ministry

15. Did you have a nickname?
The only nickname I ever had, "Box"

16. What is one of your fondest memories?
Getting chased by townies in Tom Elliot's car and running it off the road. I think we came close to death that night.

17. What's one of the things you'd like to erase from your mind?
Oh, there are a few things. but Emma would be on that list.

18. Who was your roommate?
Name one.

19. Circle of friends, all around social butterfly, or loner?
I definitely stuck with a tight circle, but I had a few friends outside that group.

20. Favorite Opening Convocation memory?
I don't even remember going.

21. Did you ever have a crush that you never shared or pursued?
Not that I remember.

22. Did you play intramural sports?
Yup, hockey, soccer, basketball

23. Is there someone you've lost touch with and wish you could find?
I did lose touch, but FB brought us back together.

24. Is there someone you didn't know well then, but now have gotten to know better?
Not really.

25. How did KCC/U make you better?
After I left, I grew up a lot. I met Michelle there, that was the best thing for me.

26. Did you ever see a ghost on campus?
Does Dave Schwarm count? He didn't come out during the daytime. So I guess that would be a vampire.

27. Who was your best friend?
Dave Gray, Brian Gorman, Matt Philpot

28. Did you date anyone on campus?
Sure, but my wife was the only right one.

29. Did you ever take plates or silverware from the cafe?
No. I might have had a cup or two. And I took a tray to go sledding with once.

30. Would ya do it all over?
Not necessarily. It was a good experience. But it was very costly in more ways that just money.

Post #117 LOST Revelations

I didn't get anything posted about the most recent episode of LOST, so here we go:

Episode Title: The Variable
Primary Focus Character: Daniel Faraday

In this episode, we discover that Daniel has a plan to alter the timeline of the island. He remembers the bomb he had previously advised that Richard Alpert should bury. If the bomb was detonated, it would wipe out the island and the electromagnetic energy on the island, thus causing Oceanic Flight 815 to never crash on the island, and he would never be on the freighter sailing to the island. This is all catastrophic for the present islanders, so Daniel attempts to get the inhabitants to evacuate, but that fails.

We also realize that in his "I can change the future/past" thinking, Daniel is a believer in free-will and the ability to change what might seem predestined. However, his mother is a firm believer in destiny and the predetermined outcomes of life. She believes that we cannot change the future/past; so much so, that she encourages adult Daniel to go with the freighter to the island. (Even though she knows that her younger self will eventually kill him)

Questions from the episode:

- What is the nature of the falling-out between Eloise Hawking and Charles Widmore?
- How and when did Eloise leave the Island?

Labels: L O S T