“Lost” – Totally and the brilliance of John Locke


I was a late comer to start watching the television series Lost but once I started it has been a nonstop joy ride.  The show has a huge cast that is driven with multilayered characters and storylines.  It has been entertaining and fascinating watching the different aspects come into play and focus.

The pilot episode introduced us to the main group and in later episodes through flashbacks their stories and dramas unfold before us.  It seems every one of the survivors of the crash of Oceanic Flight 815 is indeed “Lost” in their lives.  Over the seasons we watch as each face their particular problem and the metamorphosis that transpires.

Terry O’Quinn is one of the main forces on Lost and over the years he has appeared in some of my favorite shows, NCIS, JAG, The West Wing, Alias, Star Trek TNG as well as many movies.  He is always a joy to watch as his characters have varied widely.  On NCIS in the episode called “Enigma” he played a Marine Colonel suffering from paranoid schizophrenia but during the episode you do not realize it until the closing minutes and the last scene, and masterfully done.

To watch what Terry O’Quinn is doing as John Locke on Lost is to witness an actor fully aware that he’s been given a gift and is un-wrapping it carefully, knowing that it’s unique and precious.

Throughout the series Locke is famous for being the “Man of Faith” in that he above all the other survivors believes that there is something special about the Island.  He senses that the Island has a will and is exerting that will over the survivors and the other inhabitants of the Island.  The character, Jack Shephard is the other half of opposites as the “Man of Science”.  Both play well together from the varying viewpoints.

Locke: "We were all brought here for a reason."
Jack: "Who brought us here John?"
Locke: "The Island."

In the pilot episode after the crash we are introduced to a little of John Locke’s initial quirkiness.  He’s helpful and other-focused on the beach, helping Jack Shepard extract someone from the wreckage.  (Some have commented elsewhere that this is the last time they willingly work together for quite some time).  Shortly after Locke warns a passenger to stay away from the still spinning jet turbine, the passenger is sucked in causing an explosion, one of the more shocking moments early in the pilot.

For John Locke, we see the first three days on the island spent quietly sitting alone and staring off into the distance with a solemn look on his face.  Everyone else is planning shelters, rooting for food & water, going through belongings or dealing with sickness, tragedy and methods of rescue.  In dealing with these obstacles, you can see this has taken a toll on everyone’s attire.  People are simply filthy, with sweaty collars and arm pits, dirty scuffs on hands and faces, tears and rips on their shirts and pants.  Yet, in their midst sits John Locke, clean and untouched as a spring daisy.  Except for the bloody scar running vertically through the left side of his face and his un-tucked shirt, his clothes are without blemish.  He is not contributing any effort to the cause of the “Losties” survival at this point.  He sits alone among the debris-filled beach while others work together to make fires, hunt for food, and build shelters.

The next time we see Locke is the odd but memorable moment captured in the picture below.  Kate (one of the strong female leads) has just been told by Jack that if she wants to come on the expedition to find the radio transceiver in the cockpit that she needs different shoes.  She reluctantly scavenges a pair of hiking boots off a dead body.  Looking around nervously Kate sees Locke watching.  They make eye contact and Locke flashes his now famous, if somewhat disconcerting orange peel smile.


When I first saw this scene, I just kinda figured Locke was one of those people who do weird things to try to make the best of stressful situations.  But, Kate seems more disturbed than reassured by the grin.  Maybe with good reason as I later remembered the fact that in the Godfather, Don Corleone has an orange in his mouth when he dies of a heart attack in the garden.  Oranges are subsequently used before moments of death in the rest of the Godfather movies.  And some have theorized that the Lost creators’ use the color orange in a similar way in this series as a nod to the Godfather.

Why did Locke flash the orange peel smile to Kate?  It is left to our imagination to fill in the blanks leaving us with many possible answers.

"A leader can't lead until he knows where he's going." – John Locke

Later in the season in episode 4 during the character development back story for Locke you start to realize that all is not as it seems during first glance.  On the beach and surrounded by debris


Locke looks at his feet, wiggles his toes, sits up and picks up his shoe which had come off but was lying nearby. 


Right from the beginning of the series John Locke was one of my favorite characters.  Maybe it’s because of this picture.  I used to have the exact same black socks with gold colored toes.  Or maybe it’s just because Locke was such an “enigma” right from the start. 

"Parents wonder why the streams are bitter, when they themselves have poisoned the fountain." – John Locke

On one hand smiling and helpful, finding Walt’s dog Vincent or making a baby cradle for Claire while sometimes appearing brooding and ominous.  Boar hunting and breaking Charlie’s drug habit . . . who is this guy anyway?  Right from the get-go Locke seemed to march to a different drum.   And perhaps in this episode we find out a clue to why. 

In one of the flashbacks we find out that John Locke has been living in a wheelchair for the last four years . . . the seed of his belief that the island is special is found right here in Episode 4 of Season 1 . . . Locke appears to have been miraculously healed upon arrival on the Island.  I mean think about it . . . if you had been stuck in a wheel chair without use of your legs for years (we find out later on that it is four years) wouldn’t you be completely beside yourself if you were able to miraculously walk upon arrival on the Island?  It’s no wonder that Locke’s disposition towards the Island is more one of wonder and excitement rather than despair.

Who knows what this final season of Lost will bring but I am sure it is going to be a great ride.  Thanks Terry for another great character to add to our memories.


In this final season promotional photo . . . the ‘Lost supper’ there has been much by the fans trying to figure out hidden meanings since this program has based itself in the Lost mythology so everyone is digging and scratching out any possible clue to be found.

"I have looked into the eye of this island, and what I saw was beautiful." – John Locke

I’ve got me “E” ticket and looking forward to the ride!

Ice 

* Pictures from ABC's Lost

Comments

jeanmac said…
and you, Ice, have been given the gift of writing - - -

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