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Can I just say that this has got to be one of my all-time favorite episodes of LOST thus far? I can? Sweet.

And it is not only because this is a Locke-centric episode. We were privy to a slew of information that not only answered a few questions, but will keep us chomping at the bit until we get more next week. I have a feeling this is just the beginning for Darlton. And I’m certain this will be par for the course this season. The answers we receive in the upcoming episodes will be littered with gaps. Our questions will not be fully addressed and will not be answered clearly. It would not surprise me if this continues through the finale in May. And I, for one, love it. I love the cliffhangers, I love the suspense, I love the adventure and character development, I simply love LOST. And this episode just reinforced my addiction to what is being referred to as the “biggest phenomenon” on television. Couldn’t have said it better myself.

In episode 4, The Substitute, we again witness our Losties both on the island and in the flash sideways. As always, I have organized the following according to where it takes place, therefore, this is not the order in which the scenes aired. Hope you enjoy.

Off the Island:

When Locke arrives home from the airport, he runs into some trouble with the electric ramp in his van, which allows him to easily get in and out of the vehicle by himself. However, the ramp fails and he’s stuck. Trying to jump his wheelchair onto the ground, John falls out of his chair and onto the ground. Unfortunately for poor John Locke, the sprinklers kick on. As we begin to wonder how John’s going to get up and into the house, his old flame Helen (Katey Sagal) comes to his aid.

Yet another difference in our flash sideways. (For other differences, see my two previous recap posts here and here.) In previous flashbacks, we learned that Helen left John, seen in episode 2.17, Lockdown, and she eventually died, as seen in a flashforward in episode 5.07, The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham. John was sad and alone when he found himself on the island, having previously had an imagined relationship with a phone sex operator whom he called Helen.

And not only is Helen back in John’s life, they are getting hitched. Helen complains about caterers and fabric swatches and tries to convince John to marry her “shotgun style in Vegas.” John declines. Helen deserves better than that. Soon enough, Helen finds Jack Shepherd’s business card, noticing that he’s a spinal surgeon, she tells John that he should call him. John says he was just being polite in taking Jack’s card, but Helen insists that there’s more. She doesn’t think John’s accidental meeting was accidental at all. “Maybe it’s destiny.”

Now back from his walkabout, John Locke is back to work. He is soon approached by his boss, Randy, who calls John out on not attending the conferences in Sydney. John apologizes and tells him to just consider his trip to Australia his vacation time, which he was going to use in October for his wedding. But since the trip was on the company dime, and Randy’s a jerk, John Locke is fired.

After packing his things and heading to his van, John is halted by the familiar yellow Hummer parked a tad too close to his van, making it impossible to lower his ramp. Upset, John hits the back of the Hummer with his fist, which sets off the alarm. Hugo then strolls out and introduces himself to John. After hearing of John’s recent stint of bad employment luck, Hurley gives John the number to a temp agency he owns, instructing him to say that Hugo sent him.

Before heading to his new job, John contemplates calling Dr. Jack Sheperd, going as far as dialing the number, only to tell the receptionist that no, she can’t help him. Overhearing this, Helen inquires as to who John is calling. He admits he was calling Jack, but says that he’s not going to see him. Confused, Helen begins to protest, only to be told that John was fired. Their conversation is stopped short by the arrival of John’s lost luggage from an Oceanic courier. After signing for the luggage, Helen confronts John about his sudden unemployment. He tells her that he lied to Randy, that he didn’t go to the conference in Sydney. He then instructs her to open the luggage that just arrived, which is full of his knives. He comes clean about the walkabout and confesses to Helen that he knows he’s never going to get out of the wheelchair and he doesn’t want Helen to wait around, waiting for a miracle, because “there’s no such thing.” We are reminded of how the Island was John’s spiritual influence. The Island changed him into a man of faith. Or so it would appear.

Helen rips up Jack’s business card, illustrating that all that matters to her is having John in her life. A very touching moment, indeed.

Locke then heads to his new job through the temp agency, substitute teacher. We see him teaching P.E. and health class (human reproduction…poor Locke.) During lunch, he makes his way to the teacher’s lounge where he runs into none other than the infamous Benjamin Linus. European History. I have a feeling this is going to get VERY interesting. (Like it’s not already.)

On the Island:

At the statue, Ilana is mourning for the dead members of her team. Ben tells her that New Locke killed them, and Jacob. Ilana learns that Jacob’s body was ‘burned away’ in the fire. She promptly goes the fire pit and puts a handful of the white ash into a satchel. Ben asks her why New Locke took Richard. Ilana replies, “He’s recruiting.”

Ben and Ilana join Sun and Frank on the beach. Ilana recommends that they go to the temple, the safest place on the island. Before doing so, Sun believes they need to bury John Locke’s body. As they carry john Locke’s body to a proper burial ground, Ben asks Ilana why it was brought to the statue in the first place. Ilana explains that the people needed to know what they were up against. Ben argues that ‘what they’re up against’ can just change forms again. Ilana reveals that Smokey is now stuck with Locke’s body. He no longer has the ability to take a different form. Other than good ol’ Smokey that is.

Before they bury John Locke’s body, Ben says a few words over his grave.

Ben: John Locke was a…a believer. He was a man of faith. He was a much better man than I will ever be. And I’m very sorry I murdered him.

Meanwhile, New Locke is busy ‘recruiting’. We join him on a flight across the island, soaring across the land. We find ourselves outside of a Dharmaville house. Inside, the music blares. We see Smokey’s reflection in the window. But before Smokey sets his sights on Sawyer, he heads off through the jungle and transforms back into New Locke. Picking up a machete, he cuts down Richard, who was suspended in a makeshift bag high in a tree. He declares to Richard that it’s time to talk. He wants Richard to come with him, which is what he has always wanted. Richard asks why Smokey looks like John Locke, to which New Locke replies that John could get him access to Jacob, and “because John’s a candidate. Or at least he was a candidate.”

Richard has no idea what New Locke is talking about. Locke presses the issue, asking him if he seriously has been doing everything Jacob told him to do without knowing why. New Locke tells Richard that he would have “never kept you in the dark.” He promises to reveal everything to Richard, if he just comes with him. But Richard will go nowhere with New Locke. As Richard resists persuasion, New Locke sees a child standing in the jungle with blood all over his hands. He is obviously disturbed by this sight, and apparently Richard cannot see it. New Locke leaves Richard alone in the jungle and heads for Sawyer.

Sawyer is not at all disturbed by being confronted by a man he presumed dead. He’s persuaded into joining New Locke, even after realizing that he is not in the presence of the ‘real’ John Locke. Making their way through the jungle, the two men run into the boy New Locke saw earlier. Only this time, New Locke’s not the only one who can see him. Sawyer sees him too. The boys takes off and begins racing through the jungle, New Locke following close behind. After tripping and falling, the boy walks up to New Locke.

Boy: You know the rules. You can’t kill him.
New Locke: Don’t tell me what I can’t do.

With a look of disappointment, the child leaves.

Meanwhile, Richard finds Sawyer yelling for New Locke in the jungle. Richard tries to convince Sawyer to join him in going to the temple. Sawyer says he’ll take his chances with New Locke, regardless of it not really being Locke. Richard insists that all New Locke wants to do is kill everyone on the island. Before he can explain any further, he hears New Locke coming and flees into the trees.

Sawyer begins to have second thoughts about New Locke’s intentions. Sawyer wants answers and he’s not sure New Locke’s being sincere when he says he’ll provide those answers. He pulls out his weapon and threatens New Locke.

New Locke: What’s on your mind, James?
Sawyer: Wondering what would happen to you if I put a bullet in your head.
New Locke: Why don’t we find out?
Sawyer: What are you?
New Locke: What I am, is trapped. And I’ve been trapped for so long, that I don’t even remember what it feels like to be free. Maybe you can understand that. But before I was trapped, I was a man James. just like you.

New Locke tells Sawyer to shoot him, but that it would be a shame, because Sawyer is so close. Wanting answers, Sawyer continues to follow New Locke to the edge of a cliff. A series of ladders lead from the cliff down to a cave in the side of the cliff. They make it safely into the cave, but not before Sawyer nearly falls to his death, only to be saved by New Locke. Sawyer describes the cave as “a hole in a cliff with some rocks on a scale.” But New Locke leads Sawyer into a room deep inside the cave. We catch a glimpse of names written on the ceiling and walls. Some crossed off, others not. The surfaces include a few familiar names: 4 Locke, 8 Reyes, 15 Ford, 16 Jarrah, 23 Shepherd, 42 Kwon.

New Locke: That’s why you’re here.
Sawyer: Who wrote all this?
New Locke: His name was Jacob.

New Locke explains that ever since Sawyer met Jacob, his strings were being pulled. And choices that he thought he was making, weren’t really choices at all. He was being pushed to the Island to become a candidate.

Sawyer: Candidate for what?
New Locke: He thought he was the protector of this place. And you, James, have been nominated to take over that job.
Sawyer: What does that mean?
New Locke: It means you got three choices.

1. Do nothing and see how it all plays out. (And possibly have his name crossed off.)
2. Accept the job and become the New Jacob. (And protect the Island from nothing.)
3. Just go. Get off the Island and never look back.

New Locke: So what do you say James? You ready to go home?
Sawyer: Hell yes.

Thoughts on The Substitute:

Whew. That was a lot. I apologize. I always strive to have short posts, but it just never works out. For one, I’m really worried about leaving a significant part of the epsiode out of the recap. Can’t have that, now can we?

This week’s episode was brilliant. I loved every second of it.

Some thoughts…

Randy mentions that John wanted to use his vacation time for his wedding in October. But if we’re going on the ultrasound photo Claire held last week, it already is October. So….??? Is it September, or October, or what?

The ash created by Jacob’s body appears to be white. It’s clearly visible and this is the ash that Ilana puts into her bag. Does this mean that the ash used to keep Smokey away is the ash of MIB’s body? I’m thinking it’s very likely.

The Jungle Boy. Who is he? Is he a young Jacob? Is it Aaron? Is he a completely different character all together? Oh! The possibilities!!

In the enhanced version of season five’s finale, the transformed John Locke was referred to as New Locke (which is why I call him that.) In this week’s episode, New Locke mentions a New Jacob. Hmm…

The names. The numbers. What does it all mean? New Locke states that “Jacob had a thing for numbers.” But why just these six numbers? The highest number I noticed was either 337 or 387 (couldn’t really tell which number the second digit was…I think it was a 3) and I also noticed that next to the number 313 was the name Littleton (crossed out). Something else to ponder.

Favorite Quotes:

New Locke: Hello James.
Sawyer: I thought you were dead.
New Locke: I am.

Sawyer: You read?
New Locke: Excuse me?
Sawyer: Books. You read books?
New Locke: Sure. Who doesn’t?
Sawyer: My favorite’s Steinbeck. Of Mice and Men. You know that one?
New Locke: Nope. A little after my time.

Frank: This is the weirdest damn funeral I have ever been to.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s recap. Please feel free to leave a comment, I always try to answer any questions or engage in any debate.

Until next week, Namaste!

Related posts:

1. What Kate Does – LOST 6.03 Recap by Erin
2. The Beginning of the End – Recap of “LA X” by Erin
3. LOST 6.04 The Substitute Live Reaction/Recap Video

Tags: Episode 6.04, Erin, recaps&reviews, Season 6