Lost: Across the Sea

Posted by: David A. Robertson  •  May 13, 2010 @ 9:00am

Filed under: Recaps & Reviews

I'm well aware that following Tuesday's episode, fans of Lost are split on whether they loved or hated it (or if they were indifferent). Let's consider first that, in reality, there was no origin for the island that was going to satisfy. It's like a movie that creates an atmosphere of fear because they don't show the ghost/monster for a long time. When they do, it's not as frightening as our imagination. It can't be. I don't think this episode made Lost any less awesome, but by revealing many secrets or answering some questions we have always had, it was bound to never satisfy us. The mystique of Lost kind of took a hit because now, in some ways, we KNOW (some stuff). And the wondering, the mystery, was one of the things that made Lost so awesome.

So where am I on the fence? I personally was completely engaged with this episode. I was satisfied with it and delighted when a scene in Season One was referenced that showed the creators knew what they were doing all along. They didn't make stuff up as they went along. And that, to me, was gratifying; I haven't watched this show for 6 years for nothing. What I hate most in TV shows is when they plug stuff in and make it up because they're trying to do something cool or trying to advance a story. Desperate Housewives is bad for that, off the top of my head. So what happened? I'm positive I'll need to watch it again to fully capture it all but I'm going to summarize things a bit here.

A woman is washed up to the shores of the island from a shipwreck and stumbles through the forest until she encounters Allison Janney (who I don't think has a name either). Janney brings the woman to safety (not sure what language they spoke at first, by the way, but they quickly turn to English) and the woman, Claudia, goes into labour. The woman gives birth to two babies, twins, both boys. The first baby is named Jacob, the second was unexpected and Claudia says that she never had another name picked out. Indeed, we actually never hear the Man in Black (MIB)'s name spoken the entire episode. Jacob is, of course, swaddled in a white cloth while the MIB is swaddled in black. Janney then kills Claudia.

The boys grow up. They play a game with rocks, white and black, and the rules are created. There is an argument here about rules and the MIB tells Jacob that when he creates a game he can make up his own rules too, and I wondered at how this could relate to the present day and the rules Jacob has created. At any rate, they encounter MAN while chasing wild bores, and they run to their mother terrified. Mother, Janney, tells them that the men are dangerous, greedy, selfish, etc. That the men would kill them. She also talks about death and the MIB asks Janney what death is. Janney tells him that death is something he'll never have to worry about. So I'm wondering whether or not they are immortal because they were born on the island? If so, is Aaron immortal too? Just a thought.

Janney brings them at this time to see what she is protecting and what Jacob will be made to protect as well. The big reveal: they are protecting a light. This light is life and death, rebirth...t he light of Mankind. We also know that this is the light that must not go out, because if it does the light everywhere goes out. So, until now we were imagining what it would be, what Jacob was protecting. Turns out, it's the life force of man, I suppose. Mankind. That's what I gather anyway. And MAN wants to GET IT. Soon enough, the MIB sees the ghost of Claudia. Jacob can't see the ghost, but the MIB chases after her and follows her to the place where the men are. She tells MIB that she is their mother and Janney is a liar, that Janney killed her. MIB decides to leave and go live with the men. Jacob decides to stay with his mother, even though he is sure that MIB was her favourite.

Years later, they are now adults. Jacob frequently visits his brother. MIB confirms that, yes, man is selfish, greedy, etc... but MIB yearns to go off the island, across the sea. Now, this is where seeing it again would help. But let me kind of summarize what happens up to the climax. Essentially, the MIB has been looking all over the island for the light because they were blindfolded when taken to it by their mother. He has found that he can get to it by digging. This explains all the digging that's been going on, I suppose, throughout Lost (by Dharma). We also find out that the MIB created the wheel that Ben turned to leave the island. It somehow harnesses the light. When the wheel got stuck, well, I guess the light also controls time. That makes sense, too, since it is essentially our 'existence'.

Before MIB can leave the island using the wheel, however, Janney knocks him out cold. We find out later that she has filled in the hole and killed all the other men on the island. Janney brings Jacob back to the light and tells him that it's his job to protect the light now. He is reluctant but accepts, and drinks out of the bottle. Janney says after this that they are the same and he was always the one.

As though she expected it, even welcomed it, Janney is then killed by MIB while Jacob is out gathering wood. Janney even thanks him for doing it. Did she know? Of course she did. When Jacob returns, he beats up MIB (for the second time) and drags him to the light. While Jacob can't kill MIB, he knocks him out and sends him into the light via the water's current. Going into the light, apparently, is worse than death. So, MIB doesn't die... just his body does... and he bursts out of that cave as the smoke monster. Jacob finds MIB's body tangled in a fallen tree and takes him back to where their mother was killed. Jacob puts a white stone and a black stone into a pouch (their game pieces) and puts the pouch into MIB's hand. He lays them down together, right where, seasons ago, Jack found the two skeletons. Jack, if you recall, also found the stones. This was a very cool moment. Finally, it's shown where Locke says they have found their "Adam and Eve".

And that was pretty much that. I loved this episode. It was never going to live up to whatever expectations we held for it, but it was what it was. As Janney said, answers would just lead to more questions. I don't want to learn everything about the island when it's all said and done, but I feel like I've learned enough. And I also don't agree that they're rushing things in this last season. They had this end in mind for a looong time and, in reality, the island reality has lasted, what?, a few days since the beginning of the season? Is that rushing? Here's what I think: we say they're rushing because we don't want it to end! Well, that's what I think anyway. At the very least, Lost has avoided what others shows have not: a satisfying conclusion. At least, that's how it seems to be so far. Maybe they'll botch the end but I believe that with the planning they've been doing, they won't.

As with the best movies, I want some things to be left to my imagination and I think that'll happen; it will leave us with just enough information and answers to leave us wondering, but satisfied. What we have come out with here is an idea of what they're protecting and the motivations behind Jacob and MIB... and MIB was quite dynamic in this episode, and rather sympathetic. Jacob, on the other hand, came across as a tortured soul, a reluctant God, but good nonetheless. "He can't lie," Janney said. And it's true. And perhaps Jacob's lack of choice as to whether or not he was going to be the protector has led him to this new "game", where the candidates have choice, the choice he never had.

So let's see how it ends.

Tags: Lost, Jacob, MIB, island, mythology, protector, Adam & Eve, skeletons, twins, Allison Janney

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David A. Robertson is an award-winning Indigenous author and public speaker from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Robertson is a member of the Norway House Cree Nation. He has published over 25 books across a variety of genres.

Original Comments Posted (3)

Slackass says...

Good episode I thought. It gave some good back story. I had forgotten all about the Adam and Eve skeletons,lol. I disagree with you on the wheel. I don't think it got placed, Smokey(mib) must get someone else to place it at a later date and I think at a different location.

Can't wait for the finally, and to see who else the writers have the balls to kill off.

May 14, 2010 10:07am

Ramya says...

I didn't really like the episode. The cave of light just seemed lame. As for that scene from "House of the Rising Sun" - yes it was neat but I can't give them huge props for them. In that season 1 episode, Jack said the clothes on the skeletons looked like they were 40-50 years old. As usual, Jack was wrong. If the writers knew exactly how the story was going to go and who "Adam and Eve" were, why was that comment so contradictory to what was revealed in this episode.

Jacob just seems like a momma's boy and MIB's just wants to leave the island. Nothing epic on either end.

May 14, 2010 4:15pm

metal2000 says...

I really like your summary of the events of Across the Sea. Probably the best I've read so far, actually. Very levelheaded.

I liked the episode a lot, thought it was a necessary hour to spend, have faith that the producers put it in this position in the season for a reason, and can't wait to watch the last 3.5 hours (minus commercials) of the show next week!

"Jacob just seems like a momma's boy and MIB's just wants to leave the island. Nothing epic on either end."

I think that's part of the point -- they're not these crazy supernatural beings deciding right and wrong. The island/world/universe has its own morality judgment, which is when fate has intervened in the series. These 2 guys were just born in a weird place, raised by a strange woman in isolation, and then forced into some terrible things (Jacob having to guard the island and the light; MIB meeting a fate worse than death, and just wanting to either leave the island or, more likely, somehow die).

The point of Lost all along wasn't the "big questions", even though they're fun and cool to see unfold and all that. The point really is the human relationships. It's about Penny and Desmond, Jin and Sun, mothers and daughters, fathers and sons. As awesome as all the mystery and battles and kidnapping and time travel and atomic bombs and sniper shooting and polar bears has all been, it's all irrelevant at the end. That's what I think, anyway. :

May 14, 2010 6:24pm

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