The title of this post alludes to Star Trek: Enterprise, which had as a major theme the idea that there is a “temporal cold war” going on. If one side goes back in time, it can prevent the other civilization from ever existing. Doctor Who has also explored this theme. But no show has taken it down to the day by day level and introduced it to us inductively, so that we slowly realize what is going on. Likewise no other show dealt with the fact that, if an action determines a particular future, it is known to those who are not bound by time and can be dealt with. That’s why this is a war with rules.
John Locke is the focus of this episode, and its flashbacks. Richard Alpert, always looking the same, is there throughout John’s story, visiting the hospital when he is born, then doing a test when he is a child to see if he knows which items in Richard’s bag already belong to him. In other words, John Locke is unstuck in time! The young Locke drew a man being killed by the smoke monster. He also was already fond of backgammon. Locke identifies two items correctly (a vial of dust or sand and a compass), but chooses a knife and Richard departs, disappointed. Among the other items was a book with the title Book of Laws.
Later, Mittelos (an anagram for “lost time”) labs tries to recruit John when he’s in school. Finally, Matthew Abbadon visits John when he is in the hospital and unable to walk, and recommends that he go on an Australian walkabout as a spiritual journey. Abbadon’s last words to John are that later they will meet again and John, having followed his advice, will owe him one.
Locke has a dream in which he sees Horace building a cabin. That will be the cabin in which Jacob is to be found. Jacob has been waiting for Locke for a long time. When Locke reaches the cabin he finds someone who says he isn’t Jacob but can speak for him – Christian! Christian Shepherd says he knows why Locke is there, but wonders if Locke himself knows. When Locke says it is because he has been chosen, Christian is pleased and says that is exactly right. Locke then discovers that Claire is there too. Locke is then prompted to ask the one question that matters: “How do I save the island?” The answer: move the island!
Meanwhile, Keamy is aborting the initial plan to torch the island, since Ben Linus knows that’s their plan and will have gone somewhere safe. Keamy thus opens a safe with a secondary protocol, a file with a Dharma Initiative logo on the front, telling where Ben Linus will go.
These are the complexities of a time war that other shows have never explored in such detail. It is incredible, enthralling television at its best.
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