Awaiting "Further Instructions"

Desmond's Story

How can we forget how last season ended? That we still haven't come back to?! With Desmond's lost and basically forbidden love Penelope Whidmore awaking to the phone call that some snowbound research station had picked up the large magnetic disturbance....  I mean, lets get back to that!  Will there be an expedition on Penny's part to search him out?  The note inside the book, Daddy Whidmore's involvement, Libby's convenient intercession with the "gift" of the sailboat...

...and probably more importanly, Desmond's "final" act of bravery as he went down into the basement to throw the failsafe switch.  What exactly happened there?  What kind of condition is the Swan in?  Is Desmond a changed man now that he's stepped up to the plate?  Yeah sure the thing blew his clothes off and mysteriously sent him to a different place on the island (from the episode preview) but how has that changed him?

Locke and the Anti-Locke

So a big part of last season was the "conflict" between Locke and his anti-persona, Eko.  Maybe conflict isn't the right word, but an obvious "duality" of psyche and philosophy. 

On one hand we have Locke the logic-and-earth bound, obsessed with completing the task that the computer had given them, until he discovered the Pearl hatch, and believed it all to be false, shattering his entire raison d'etre on the island and leading him to sabotage the entire works.  Culminating in the crazy wild explosion or discharge or whatever of the electromagnetic energy inside.

On the other hand we've got the drug-dealer-turned-preist Eko, seemingly "in tune" with the more supernatural aspects of the island and its inhabitants and events.  He was a strong counterpoint to Locke's logical thinking-man, acting on divine guidance and beliefs.

Until they both discovered the Pearl, when they seemingly switched roles, neither suited for the other's.  Eko became convinced for whatever reason (still unclear to me) that their purpose was to enter the numbers every 108 minutes, regardless.  And Locke suddenly became driven by an irrational belief.

(Also of note, if I remember was Eko's cutting off of his little braid at some point.  This may be relevant in the future, if the Constellation Theory crowd has any say in things... see "Ariadne's or Berenice's Hair"... one of the remaining stars groups.)

More Musings on Locke and Eko

It's kind of funny when you think about it.  Only (and if I'm wrong please say so) Locke and Eko have faced the "monster" point blank and lived to tell about it.  What's that mean? I dunno, just an observation, really, but I'm sure it must have some bearing.

And why didn't the Others want John?  If, as Henry/Ben said, he's "one of the good ones" then why didn't they want him?  What do they think of Eko?  Having killed two of their kind, and having turned into another "subject" of the Swan?

Apparently the flashback of the episode will relate to Locke, so maybe we'll get some more of his troubles worked out.  Even better, maybe he'll get some of his troubles and beliefs worked out.  That's probably much more important in the long run.

I might add some stuff between now and tomorrow night as it comes to me... it's still early and it's been a busy past few days!

[Edit!] Already thought of something! I wonder if the apparent destruction of the Swan will bring some kind of intervention from Dharma? Maybe we'll finally see "the bad guys?"

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