I decided to start this post because I think it has merit. Doc Arzt at TheTailSection (
thetailsection.com) has laid out a very concise theory for Locke being the LOST story's hero, but I have a rebuttal, of which I've posted there as well.
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, from all walks of life, and from quite unexpected places. Here is my idea, for what it's worth:
I, like many of you, have been absolutely glued to the television every Wednesday night that LOST has been on...I record the epis like many of you, go back and watch, post my own theories (most of which have turned out to be bunk), but I cannot let this one post go by without responding, or without presenting my own ideas about LOST.
I, like DocArzt, want very much to believe that Locke is our Hero, and in many ways he is. I do believe that the story arch is now cruxed on Locke's journey--and I've always considered Locke to be the pinnacle of the show... that is, until Desmond was introduced. And there went my own theory about Locke saving the world into kaputz-land. In fact, "Flashes Before Your Eyes" was the most paramount episode ever of LOST as far as I'm concerned.
While many fans didn't like it, didn't understand it, or were too busy to pay attention to the intricate details the storytellers were leading us to, it is what it is. "Flashes Before Your Eyes" was the singlemost episode to date that tells us where the LOST story is going. While its tentacles lead to various other survivors, it is about an attempt at normalcy, to do the "good" thing, only to be shot down. Yes, it is about redemption, but in a far more vicarious way than you or I could imagine. It poses questions many of us feel uncomfortable answering, or even thinking about, to be honest.
If you could see the future and see an abomination upon mankind, or even upon just one person, would you sacrifice yourself to change it? Would you, or could you be so selfless as to do so? If you could go back in time, would you change the instances that led up to the anhilation of the masses? I'd like to hope most of us would. But I bet I'd be disappointed. Anyone who would do so is not your "ordinary" hero. Most anyone who would, would be your next door neighbor, someone you'd never expect to sacrifice himself to save humanity.
Desmond's path led him to where he is now, on the Island. Make absolutely no mistake about it--Desmond is a hero to humanity--but he still doesn't fully realize it. His path led him to where he is now and he accepted it, much unlike any other flashback we've seen. Most others have landed upon the Island with no idea of who they were before they got there, let alone that they'd be "great people." At least Desmond thought he was trying to "save the world."
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, ...it is a far far better thing that I do than I have ever done before." are not lost on this LOST fan--not in the least. The implications of his flashback are so far-strewn, one shouldn't even know where to begin. The ability to alter the outcome of the future...and the burden that must carry must be insurmountable.
Desmond truly believed he was saving the world and in a way, I believe he was. I'm not going to get as technical as DocA, although I could, but Desmond is right up there with Locke in the Hero theory. David Desmond Hume is a HERO. He has shown that he's been through altered time, and altered it to save people he's come to know. The Producers actually hit a homerun imho when they showed Charlie playing the song, "Wonderwall" by Oasis, as Desmond approached Charlie in FBYE...the lyrics are these:
Today is gonna be the day
That they're gonna throw it back to you
By now you should've somehow
Realized what you gotta do
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do about you now
Backbeat the word was on the street
That the fire in your heart is out
I'm sure you've heard it all before
But you never really had a doubt
I don't believe that anybody feels
The way I do about you now
And all the roads we have to walk along are winding
And all the lights that lead us there are blinding
There are many things that I would
Like to say to you
I don't know how
Because maybe
You're gonna be the one who saves me ?
And after all
You're my wonderwall
Today was gonna be the day?
But they'll never throw it back to you
By now you should've somehow
Realized what you're not to do
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do
About you now
And all the roads that lead to you were winding
And all the lights that light the way are blinding
There are many things that I would like to say to you
I don't know how
I said maybe
You're gonna be the one who saves me ?
And after all
You're my wonderwall
I said maybe
You're gonna be the one who saves me ?
And after an
You're my wonderwall
Said maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
You're gonna be the one that saves me
You're gonna be the one that saves me Ultimately, it was Desmond who saves Charlie, and others for now. This song was paramount to understanding most every LOSTIE's stance to where they are now on the Island, as well. Desmond's life plan is greater than we know right now. DocA: Fantastic article about Locke....I loved it! But Desmond fits into the mix. One Hero can't save us all. We must believe we live in a society of many unsung heroes who will ultimately save us all. Just ordinary people doing extraordinary things on behalf of their fellow man.
At least, that's how I hope my fellow man feels.
cheers doll
*Des8