John Locke Special???

[Novashannon]

I think John knows that the ends don't always justify the means.  If he had forced the others to come back, he would be just like Ban.  He does not want to be like Ben.  I did find it strange that none of O6 just hung out with him a bit.  Maybe broke bread together and talked, actually discussed going back.  Especially Hurley or Walt. Remember, Walt actually wanted to stay on the island.  You would think he and Locke would have at least gone out for a soda or something.  The O6 just blew him off way too easily.  Just becasue they did not want to go back does not explain why they didn't want to catch up.  "So, John, what has been going on on the island lately?  "  Kate:" how is Sawyer?" 

Especially Jack, who feels responsible for everyone.  He would definitely want to know what has been going on, even if he did not want to go back.  They apent what, half a year with these people!  No human curiosity about what is happening?

I think maybe Hurley is the one who is special.  He seems to be the "heart" of the Losties.  He sees through Ben's bull****.  He has a strange connection to the island, even when he is oof it.  He talks to dead people!

[Jugdish]

He can communicate with the island.  He was immaculately conceived.  He was healed.  He has been raised from the dead.  That's special enough for me.

Boy, when you put it that way....

But bottom line: When he tries to accomplish something, it doesn't generally pan out. He may be special, but I'm not sure he's really a leader. Good leaders get results.

I will give you the raised from the dead and healed, but not the immaculately conceived. His whacked out mother told him that. He had a father so he was not immaculately concieved. In the flashback we know his mom had a boyfriend.

I know he becomes special, but why him when he has not done anything special in his life and he lacks confidence and leadership qualities

[zeekloveslost]

He is special.  He is the perfect pawn.

[Novashannon]

Locke does have some amount of confidence and leadership.  He stood against Jack on the question of leaving the island, and Jack is a natural and confident leader.  He even convinced HUrley, who had always followed Jack, to go with him to the beach. He insisted on going walkabout in Australia even when told he couldn't. His giving up so easily did not really fit.

[DaveJohnson]

He can communicate with the island.  He was immaculately conceived.  He was healed.  He has been raised from the dead.  That's special enough for me.

This really bothered me with this episode as well... John off-island is well.. blah. I thought the Doubting Thomas role Jack took last episode would set up a framework for us to understand John and the other 'off-island' characters. It would be incredibly hacky/lazy for the writers to make a one to one comparison with Christ and his Apostles, but there were several references in "316" (jeez.. the title alone!) that should have set up how we look at the characters. I've mentioned elsewhere that Jack changing John's shoes reminded me of Christ having is feet washed. Obviously Jack as the Doubting Thomas, but that should have given us this episode as John's "Passion" - the events leading up to his death and resurrection. And what did we get? Blah...

After the buildup last week I felt let down by this episode...

[lostandfree]

I was a little let down by this episode too.  It felt like it didn't have enough meat in it.  I thought John's visits with the O6 would be longer, better, have more to them.  I thought he would be a little more convincing.  I don't think he's a leader.  He's too wishy washy and unsure of himself all the time.  He's only special because he was healed by the island, but so was Rose.  Is she special too?  John is getting on my nerves...he's too pathetic most of the time.

[CODON2]

He must be pretty special. Why else would someone erect a giant statue of him with his 4 toes showing?!!  Notice how whenever they showed Lockes casted leg they always lingered on the 4 toes sticking out?

[MangoBingo]

I mean come on dude! you have WIDMORES MONEY, knock them out, drug them up one by one if you have to, whatever it takes... MAKE them believe! even if you have to find a "room 23" off the island and brainwash these non believers, DO IT! WHATEVER IT TAKES...

The interesting thing about all this, is that Widmore had Widmore's money and could do all this himself. He didn't need Locke to rally the troops at all. Widmore knew of Ms. Hawking's location in L.A. (and thus the Lamp-post Station). He could have brainwashed or drugged them all to get onto Flight 316.

It felt like Locke was being sent on a wild goose chase, simply to keep him occupied.

I think that Widmore had Abaddon killed, not Ben. It's more than coincidental that Abaddon was assasinated right after he started to answer some of Locke's questions.

[arcane isle]

But bottom line: When he tries to accomplish something, it doesn't generally pan out. He may be special, but I'm not sure he's really a leader. Good leaders get results.

I've always thought this as well. Yes, John can take charge of dicey situations in a pinch, but eventually he runs into a brick wall and *poof*...his confidence just evaporates to the point where he is useless. Maybe he is special, I just don't see leadership playing a part in it. Perhaps his destiny will end up more like Richard's.  Richard has an important role on the island, but that role is not necessarily being the leader. 

As for John being 'special'...I think Ben & Widmore are not being entirely sincere when they call John that. I feel as though they are both using the 'special' angle just to gain his confidence.  However, I do believe that Richard was sincere when he called John special in The Brig, Season 3...

RICHARD: Cause when word got back here that there was a man with a broken spine on the plane who could suddenly walk again, well, people here began to get very excited because that, that could only happen to someone who was extremely special. But Ben doesn't want anyone to think you're special, John

 

[dragonflyk]

I mean come on dude! you have WIDMORES MONEY, knock them out, drug them up one by one if you have to, whatever it takes... MAKE them believe! even if you have to find a "room 23" off the island and brainwash these non believers, DO IT! WHATEVER IT TAKES...

The interesting thing about all this, is that Widmore had Widmore's money and could do all this himself. He didn't need Locke to rally the troops at all. Widmore knew of Ms. Hawking's location in L.A. (and thus the Lamp-post Station). He could have brainwashed or drugged them all to get onto Flight 316.

It felt like Locke was being sent on a wild goose chase, simply to keep him occupied.

I think that Widmore had Abaddon killed, not Ben. It's more than coincidental that Abaddon was assasinated right after he started to answer some of Locke's questions.

I thought that Ben admitted to killing Abaddon? Or am I totally off on this..?

[Shakey]

Yes, Ben confessed to it.  I can't think of any reason for him to confess to it if he didn't do it.  There was no surprise for Ben when John accused him of it.  So, to not be surprised, he'd have to at least know about it.  Why confess to something that his nemesis did?

[MangoBingo]

Yes, Ben confessed to it.  I can't think of any reason for him to confess to it if he didn't do it.  There was no surprise for Ben when John accused him of it.  So, to not be surprised, he'd have to at least know about it.  Why confess to something that his nemesis did?

To prove to John that he was so willing to protect him, that he'd kill for him.

[Novashannon]

Here are the questions the last  episodes raised for me:
Was Widmore ever the leader of the Others, as he said he was? 
Why is he going by a different name?
Do you have to kill your father, as Ben and Locke (by proxy) did?
Why would a benevolent group have you kill your own father as a requisite for leading them?
Why would an insular group look outside itself for leadership?
Would anyone want to be part of a group that had that requirement?
Did Widmore kill his father?
What relation does Jack, with his daddy issues, have to island leadership?
Who is the true leader?
Who is Richard, really?
Ditto Jacob.

[MangoBingo]

Do you have to kill your father, as Ben and Locke (by proxy) did?
Why would a benevolent group have you kill your own father as a requisite for leading them?

Precisely! They're not exactly the Amish!!! 

I do have a theory that Anthony Cooper being killed on the Island was at a point in time in the outside world (between him stealing one of Locke's kidneys and throwing Locke through the window) so the incident which paralysed Locke never occurred, allowing him to walk again.

Incidentally, I still don't believe that Anthony Cooper was Locke's biological father either.

[BenLakie]

John Locke is special for no other reason than that he believes.   

I felt that in this episode they let the concept of FAITH get totally whupped on.  First, John's leg is reinjured = in this world faith looks like the crippling position.  Then, he doesn't know who to listen to Ben or Widmore = faith's constant calibrating between truth and lies.  He tries to get the O6 to come along = faith's search for companions.  He finally surrenders to a martyr's death killed by the Father of Lies = faith's worst fear.

BUT the on-island story was where it was at.  He is "well-dressed" - didn't Alana refer to that specifically? = Faith will be rewarded.  He is thoroughly enjoying his new life eating "the best mango he has ever eaten."  And lo and behold he is UNAFRAID: "This is the man who killed me."  He knows that he got at least some of the O6 back - that's how he got there.  Faith is ultimately a joining force.  He is full of the truth.  I LOVED how he didn't weigh whether or not to tell his story to Alana.  He WAS dead, he IS alive, and He isn't alone.  Best of all, he is on his island - the source and goal of his faith.  I am looking for some awesome things from John Locke.