
Mystery Solved?
The Wheelchair, The Submarine and the Locke Box
Well, Lost has solved one of its most long-running mysteries with last night’s episode: “How did Locke end up in his wheelchair?” We, finally, learned that Locke lost the use of his legs when his own father tackled him out of an eight story apartment and sent him barreling to the ground. This was one of those mysteries which had always lingered; in every Locke back story, you waited to see if there were any clues, any hints, any revelations as to what happened to our favourite bald mastermind. There was little question that the episode where it was revealed would have to deliver, and in the end: it did.
This episode, more than anything else, was a masterful example of the ability of this show to develop a good character drama. The conversations between Ben and Locke were, perhaps the best the show has had since…well, since Locke and Ben sat chatting in the Hatch. There is something about Michael Emerson’s performance, and Terry O’Quinn’s characterization of Locke, that mesh together so well in terms of discussing and delving into their respective pasts. We’ve missed this side of Ben ever since he went under the knife, and it was fantastic to get manipulative and cunning Ben back to the show.
Because, in the end, this entire episode related back to Locke’s ability to be manipulated, to be used, to be taken advantage of. In a way, the island is perhaps the greatest manipulator, giving him the use of his legs and then asking for things in return which have led to Boone’s death and perhaps even Eko’s, if you want to go that far. The show is often at its best with these types of mind games, and they were in full force in this episode.
You might be realizing that I’m not really talking about Locke’s big mystery, and there’s a reason for this: it doesn’t matter anymore. What Lost has done here is take one of their biggest back story mysteries and actually make it worth a damn in the present. If you remember, when we learned that Kate had blown up her stepfather, we quite literally stopped caring. There was no impact; it didn’t change our perception of the character, it didn’t change the situation on the island, and it was pretty much useless all around.
However, even though the actual event of Locke breaking his back wasn’t over-the-top amazing (Nice quick cut to black, though), it matters in the big picture much more than any other back story we’ve seen. Not only did Locke’s injury provide some great wheelchair banter with Ben (A great parallel to his story, and to this episode), but it all went back to his ability to be manipulated and the memory of his father. It made Locke’s decision to blow up the submarine make sense, which was somewhat integral, and even more importantly it introduced us to the Locke Box.
We don’t know what it is, this box which gives you exactly what you want. However, somehow, it appears to have delivered to Ben “the man from Tallahassee.” When Locke’s father was behind that door, as I had somewhat assumed, it made this entire episode actually matter. I don’t give a crap if it solved a mystery by adding more, because that’s what the show needs to do to stay interesting. Unlike Kate, who now lacks a mystery to sustain her character in back stories, Locke is now even more confused, more complex and is a character open to more development outside of his Season 1 origins.
Fantastic dramatic tension, really good directing (The Hatch shot in the submarine mirroring the shot from the original hatch made me happy), great acting, and a heightening of mystery while providing one of the answers we were always looking for. How anyone could argue against this hour of television boggles my mind, if only for Ben’s one-liners alone.
If you missed it, or want to rekindle fond memories, continue on to check out the full recap.
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