‘Lost’ recap of ‘Cabin Fever’: Ben and Locke are brothers?

Ben’s right: Destiny is a fickle b*&ch. However, she favored “Lost” last night.

Flashbacks to Locke’s “X-Men” childhood; The Three Stooges look for Jacob's cabin; mutiny on the boat; Jack and crew on the beach; the chopper, the raft, the backpack, the knife that did or did not belong to Little Locke...

So much happened during “Cabin Fever,” my brain can’t keep up with the connections. Thursday at 10 p.m. is just too late for that much activity and I’ve never been one of those “Lost” fans with an encyclopedic memory for minutiae.

Turns out Jack’s dead dad, Christian, is hiding out with Claire, his daughter, in Jacob’s cabin, speaking on Jacob’s behalf. Locke and Ben may share a mother, Emily, who has no luck with childbirth. The boat captain appears to have been out of the loop in terms of the whole “torch the island” plan. Sayid commandeered a boat and took off for the island, but at the same time crazy Martin and his mutiny forced Frank to “fire up the chopper” and take them to the island too. Some old not-quite friends — never-aging Richard Alpert, creepy Matthew Abaddon and deceased Dharma employee Horace Goodspeed — return for what’s practically a reunion show. And Locke is told if he wants to save the island, he’ll have to move it.

Even my main man, Desmond, got to make an appearance (although, sadly, he wasn’t the focus.)

How does one go about moving an island?

Before I attempt my own play-by-play recap, I’d like to post an interesting analysis of the Locke/Ben relationship. John Locke has been my favorite character since he first serenely squinted into the island sun but I can’t pretend to follow his history.

However, a poster named “cashelmara” from — of all places —Yahoo Answers India has come up with something I can get behind. So I’m posting a lot of it. Read the whole shebang at http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080507180742AAA5LNH.

“As far as we know, Locke seems to be the only main character who did not commit something ‘bad’ before the crash. All his life, Locke seems to only have bad luck and is always polite and nice to others. Now, after being healed, retrieving and losing again his faith, Locke is only thinking about himself. The other main characters of the Losties are acting at the opposite, being nicer to others as they live on the island. While the island seems to be Hell for most of the Losties, it looks like Paradise to Locke. Locke is, indeed, special as Ben mentioned. He is the only survivor of the crash who clearly wants to stay.

Everytime Locke is healed someone else is hurt or dies. Plane crash: many people die, Locke suddenly can walk again. Beechcraft: Locke is suddenly weak again, Boone enters the plane and dies, Locke can walk again. Station: Locke is hurt by the safety-door, Ana Lucia and others die, Locke is fit again. Mass-grave: Locke is shot in the stomach, can’t walk, Charlie drowns, he can walk again, wounds Naomi, she dies, he is fit as ever before.

While he might think that the island tries to save him, in reality Jacob enslaved him. He only may walk as long as he follows the path that brings death to the other survivors. Locke is the tragic character because he has never done anything wrong; in fact, we feel for him, but he is the one that brings death to everybody indirectly. That is what makes him “special.” Ben fears that Locke has become a powerful tool of Jacob and is afraid that Jacob couldn’t need him anymore and will kill him through Locke somehow. To test his theory, he wounds Locke with his pistol. He is not very astonished when Locke returns.

Locke and Ben are half brothers. They had the same mother, Emily. Locke is older. In the Swan, Locke gave Ben the book “The Brothers Karamozov”. Ben wanted Locke to kill his father Anthony Cooper because Ben killed his father Roger to somehow bring them closer together. The Emily Locke that led Locke to his father (so he could steal a kidney) was an imposter hired by Anthony Cooper.

Locke was born out of marriage; a love-child from a con-gone-wrong with Anthony Cooper. Emily Locke is one of Coopers associates. They are somehow related to Jacob, which is why only Ben and Locke can see/hear him (they’re his ancestors). When Ben realized this, he tried to kill Locke to avoid losing leadership of the Others, but Jacob “chose” Locke, hence why “Walt” appeared and saved him.

This could explain why Jacob acted so aggressively when Ben tried to stop Jacob (throwing Ben into the wall). Jacob has finally found ‘the good son.’

This theory could also explain why Locke’s paralysis was cured. Jacob cured him, so that he would be able to fight Ben.

Hurley has seen Jacob too. It seems unlikely that only his ancestors can see him.

Hurley saw Christian Shephard in Jacob’s cabin, not Jacob, unless Christian Shephard is Jacob.

If the Island indeed has some sort of connection with Locke, then it is possible the Others respect this and try to avoid him.

Locke’s ultimate aim is to learn more about the island, being the place that has healed his back. He is simply using the Others as his means of gaining this information.”

(Not quite a perfect transcript, but I think it covers the basics.)

A 1950s bobbysoxer is listening to Buddy Holly. Her name is Emily. She’s getting ready to go out and her mom is not happy about her seeing “him.” Emily runs out in rain and is hit by a car.

Turns out she’s six months pregnant. She’s at the hospital, has the baby and it’s a boy.

“His name is John.”

**This is clearly Locke and since Emily is also the name of Ben’s mother...**

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On the island.

Locke, Ben and Hurley are walking through the forest to find Jacob’s cabin.

They’re following Hurley, which is news to Hurley since he doesn’t know where to go. “I wasn’t even in front!”

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On the boat

Sayid wakes Desmond. Helicopter is here.

Big bad Martin comes out with body from island.

What did this to him? Black pillar of smoke.

Martin to Sayid: “I need you to tell me exactly how many people are on that island and where every single one of them is.”

Martin pulls a gun on the boat captain, thinking he told the islanders they were coming.

Captain: "I’m not the one who gave you up."

Martin: "Then who did?"

Now we’re with Michael (who gave them up). Martin tries to shoot him but the gun jams. The island won’t let Michael die.

Captain: "We need him to fix the engines. He’s the one who broke them."

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Back on the island

Locke wakes up. Sees someone chopping down a tree. It’s Dharma Initiative employee Horace, who is “building a place — a little getaway for me and the Mrs.”

**Note: Horace and Olivia Goodspeed were the couple who helped Roger and the pregnant Emily Linus after Emily went into early labor with Ben. After Emily’s death, Horace and Olivia offered Roger a job at the Dharma Initiative. ***

Horace to Locke: "I’m not making any sense am I? That’s probably because I’ve been dead for 12 years.” (He also has a nose bleed). "You gotta find me, John. And when you do you’ll find him.”

Locke: "Who?"

Horace: "Jacob. He’s been waiting for you a real long time. God speed John."

John wakes up again. To Ben watching him. (Worst way to wake up.)

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Flashback to hospital

Youngest preemie ever to survive in this hospital. He is a fighter here, little John.

Emily runs away. Her mother asks the nurse, “so who do I talk to about adoption?”

Outside the door, the nurse sees the never-aging Richard Alpert, who helped Ben kill off the Dharma Initiative way back when.

Nurse: "Is that the father?"

Emily’s mother: "I don’t know who that is."

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Back on the island

Hurley: "Why am I here, man?"

Locke: "Because you can see the cabin and that makes you special."

Hurley: "I have a theory as to why we can see it. Because we’re the craziest." (Good theory)

They visit the pit with all the skeletons of the Dharma Initiative employees.

Hurley: "What happened to them?"

Locke: "He did." (Ben)

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Flashback:

Like Professor X, Richard Alpert visits young (preschool age?) John, telling him he runs a school for people who are very special.

Alpert puts some items on the table in front of little Locke: Knife, Mystery Tales comic book, sand in a jar, Book of Laws, compass, baseball mitt.

Alpert: “I want you to look at these things and think about them. Which of these things belong to you already?”

Locke plays with items, taking the sand, the compass ... then he takes the knife.

Alpert, looking disappointed: “You sure that belongs to you?”

Locke nods.

Alpert: “Well, it doesn’t.” (Gets up in an irritable rush.) "I’m afraid John isn’t quite ready for our school. Sorry I wasted your time.”

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Back on island

It wasn’t my decision, Ben says, to kill the Dharma Initiative.

Hurley: "I thought The Others wiped them out. I thought you were the leader."

Ben: "Not always."

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On the boat

Mayhew just died.

Martin: "Gas up the chopper, Frank, we’re going back."

Captain: "Martin, while you were gone there’s been some sort of sickness..."

Martin doesn’t care. Makes captain give him a key, goes into safe and gets a folder. Secondary protocol.

Martin talks about the plan to torch the island.

Captain: Torch the island? "That wasn’t the agreement. I brought you here for an extraction mission."

Captain wants Desmond and Sayid to hide but Sayid says that won’t do any good.

Sayid: "The only way to survive is to ferry people off that island."

Captain tries to help, tells them he’ll get a boat for them to get to the island.

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Back on island

Locke offers to let Hurley go back, says they don't need him anymore to find the cabin. Hurley decides to stay since going back on his own would be just as dangerous.

Ben: "Actually making it look like staying was his idea. Not bad, John."

Locke: I’m not Hugo.

Ben: You’re certainly not.

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Flashback to Locke’s teen years

John stuck in locker. Girls laughing. He’s bleeding. Locke was cute!

Locke’s science teacher tells him he should go to some science camp. Middleos laboratories? “Dr. Albert is interested in finding new bright minds.” Was impressed with Locke’s display of Costa Mesa from the science fair.

Locke doesn’t want to be a nerd. He likes sports and stuff.

Teacher: “You can’t be the prom king, you can’t be the quarterback, you can’t be the superhero.”

Locke: “Don’t tell me what I can’t do!”

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On the boat

Frank to Michael: “Why didn’t you tell me you were a survivor?”

Desmond to Sayid: “I can’t go with you. I’ve been on that island for three years. I’m never setting foot on it again.” Penny’s coming for me.

So Sayid goes it alone on the motorized raft thing.

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Back on the island

Ben: “You’ll understand soon enough there are consequences to being chosen. Because destiny, John, is a fickle bitch.”

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Flashback

Grown Locke is in rehab, trying to walk. Seems discouraged.

Someone is pushing him in a wheelchair.

Wheelchair man: "Don’t give up, Mr. Locke."

Turns out it’s Matthew Abaddon, the creepy guy who recruited Naomi and her boat crew and visited Hurley under false pretenses in the mental hospital in the future.

Locke: "My spine was crushed. There’s a 98 percent chance I’ll never get any feeling back."

Abbadon: "Do you believe in miracles? You should. I had one happen to me.

You know what you need, Mr. Locke. You need to go on a Walkabout.

When you’re ready you’ll listen. And when we run into each other again you’ll owe me one."

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On the boat

Martin wants Frank to fire up the chopper. Frank refuses. Martin kills the doc. Captain comes out with a gun. Martin shoots the captain. Frank fires up the chopper.

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On the beach

Juliet tells Jack he has to get some rest. Don’t tear the stitches.

They hear a noise. Like a hum. Everyone runs out. It’s the chopper coming toward them.

It drops something, which lands on a tent. It’s a bag. Jack opens it. Transmitter and papers.

Jack: “I think they want us to follow them.”

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On the island

Trio found the cabin!

Ben to Locke: “I’m not going in there with you. The island wanted me to get sick. It wanted you to get well. My time is over.”

Hurley: “I’m cool with you going in alone too.”

Ben: "Good luck, John."

**Note: the island is also making Jack sick, made Rose well, let Sun get pregnant, gave Desmond clairvoyance**

Locke walks into cabin, sees figure sitting in shadows.

Locke: “Are you Jacob?”

Man: “No, but I can speak on his behalf.”

Brings light toward him.

Locke: “Who are you?”

Man: “I’m Christian.” (Yep, it’s Jack’s and Claire’s dead dad, Christian Shephard)

Locke: “You know why I’m here?

Christian: “Yeah, sure, do you?”

Locke: “I’m here because I was chosen to be.”

Christian: “That’s absolutely right.”

Someone else in cabin. It’s Claire.

Claire: “Hi John.”

Locke: “What are you doing here?”

Claire: “Don’t worry, I’m fine. I’m with him.”

Locke: “Where’s the baby?”

Christian: “Baby’s where he’s supposed to be, and that’s not here. Probably best that you don’t tell anyone that you saw her. People from the boat are already on the way back. Why don’t you ask the one question that does matter?”

Locke: “How do I save the island?”

We don’t hear the answer. We watch Ben and Hurley outside the tent as Hurley silently offers Ben some candy.

Locke walks out.

Ben: “Did he tell you what we’re supposed to do?”

Locke: “He did. He wants us to move the island.”

“There’s No Place Like Home”: Part one of three. The showdown between the survivors and the freighter people begins.

Looks like we’ll see the making of the Oceanic 6.