Lost: Ab Aeterno

Tonight’s episode of Lost, Ab Aeterno, was unique for this season in a couple of ways: first, it was told in the familiar “flashback” style (being almost completely comprised of one, long flashback) and it featured Richard Alpert, who hasn’t been featured previously.

A little Latin lesson to begin: Ab Aeterno is “from the eternal” or, literally, “from the everlasting” or “from eternity”.

What I saw:

  • Guyliner
  • In 1867? Seriously, Lost?

  • Hell?
  • I don’t buy that the island is Hell, just as Purgatory has been debunked. Jacob dunked Richard in the water repeatedly to prove he was still alive and, save for Locke & Sayid, no one is dead (or undead).

  • Magnus Hanso
  • Why did the prisoners need to speak English?
    Were they really headed to the New World?
    Was the shipwreck the event that spurred the creation of the Dharma Initiative or were the seeds of that organization planted before The Black Rock sailed?
    Who else feels vindicated in seeing Richard on The Black Rock?

What I think:

  • The Island as Garden of Eden
  • That’s not exactly right, but Jacob as some mixture of Old & New Testament God and The Man in Black as (obviously) The Devil makes a ton of sense.

    The title of the episode also speaks to a place that is out of time or that has existed since before time.

    There’s death on The Island, so we have Original Sin and a state of being after the Fall, but it’s apt enough.

    Maybe the better analogy is a bottle universe or a bottle city (Supergirl fans, unite!)

  • End Game/Oz
  • I’m more convinced than ever that our characters eventually end up in the Flash Sideways. I think that the “reset” button worked in one sense but the consequences of that action – getting out of the Yin/Yang “game” between Jacob & The Man in Black has its consequences.

    I think that, eventually, folks will have one last shot at choosing their fate (free will) before the realities synch up anyway (destiny).

    Clear as mud? Good!

I had some other thoughts, but I’ve forgotten them (and my notes suck).

Curious to hear what you think in the comments.

Until next Tuesday!

4 thoughts on “Lost: Ab Aeterno

  1. My mind is aching to know the story of Magnus Hanso to Alvar Hanso to the Dharma Initiative. And how the log fo the first mate got off the island for Widmore to purchase at that auction.

  2. Russell, I thought the extended flashback was a great way to tell that story – to give us more information – without having Alpert sit at the fire and tell the whole group.

    It also means that no one, save Hurley, really knows some of these older secrets that are the linchpin of the mysteries of The Island.

    It’s going to get very fun/busy as we approach the Series Finale.

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