Lost 4×11 “Cabin Fever”

You know the drill. If you didn’t watch, don’t read.

 That episode was awesome! I knew it looked good from the preview and it did not disappoint. I made the huge mistake though of watching from bed (I was just too tired) and had all the lights out and of course it was creeptastic episode. Oh well, made it more fun I guess. Before I read anything online about “Cabin Fever” here are my thoughts about what transpired:

• Jorge Garcia (Hurley) makes every scene he’s in better. Doesn’t matter what other actors he’s with. He makes Jack more interesting, Sawyer more sympathetic, and completely changes the dynamics between Ben and Locke. Love him!
• The scene where Locke meets up with Horace Goodspeed chopping down trees was about a million times more creepy than the previews indicated, proving that it does not have to be dark to be truly scary.
• But dark does help of course. The end scene in Jacob’s cabin spooked me for one reason: Claire. I kinda figured she’d be there - haven’t come up with a reason yet - but that knowing smile on her face creeped me out.
• The return of Richard Alpert! - This actor brings so much tension to his scenes. I’ve missed eyeliner man. And damn did he look as good as ever. In fact, he looked EXACTLY the same when Locke was born as he does on the island in 2004.

Okay, enough with my reactions, let’s get into the nutmeat of this Locke-centric episode:

• So Richard has had his eye on Locke since he was a baby. That is really interesting. He tests young Locke and finds that Locke isn’t quite as in tune with his destiny as Richard needs him to be. So my question is why does Richard have a thing for young boys? Peter Pan syndrome anyone? :)  That’s not really my question but I’ll leave it there for now.
• Locke has spent his entire life not being wanted. I guess we already knew that might it does explain why he’s so desperate to be accepted by the island’s mystical powers.
• One of Ben’s many awesome lines last night was something about how Locke isn’t him. But the more we learn about both of these characters, the more similar they appear.
• So Horace was building the cabin to house Jacob? Or was he just building a cabin and died in the process so that’s where Jacob likes to hang out? Did Horace know about Jacob before the Purge? That would lead me to believe that Dharma knew/knows about Jacob leading me to believe that Jacob really is an ultimate power. Hmm.
• Horace had a blueprint in his pocket that Locke used to find the moving cabin. I don’t understand that.
• Wow, Captain Gault sure didn’t last long. I thought he was supposed to be this big mean character. I guess Keamy took over that role which is kind of a shame cause I liked Gault. Keamy could go away but that’s because he scares me a little too much.
• Way to chicken out Desmond.
• Way to chicken out Frank Lapidus too, though it does look like he was trying to help the Losties.
• “Torch the island” - that can lead to no good
• I think this will be a sore spot for some people. If Richard met child Locke then wouldn’t island Locke have recognized Richard in the episodes in late Season 3? I remember there was a scene in Season 3 where Richard introduces himself to Locke and tries to get him to kill his father. I personally think this is reasonable. Would you remember a person you met at age 5 for two minutes 40 years later? No, you wouldn’t. You would if you thought you’d need to remember him but clearly young John Locke wanted nothing to do with all that.
• Holy crap, I knew that was Matthew Abbadon pushing Locke in the wheelchair! Does this mean that Widmore wanted Locke to go to the island? To be a nemesis to Ben? I think that means that Widmore set up Desmond and Locke to be on that island.
• How do you move an island? Did that mean physically move it or move it in time?

I have more thoughts on Ben and Hurley from this episode but I’m going to hold off and write a different post for that.