From someone who is very smart

[Jack]

Hey guys,

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Thanks for a terrific podcast, I love listening to you guys.

Now that I've done the obligatory buttering up let me get right into it and say that Jack is absolutely right about John Locke. The man is not a leader, he is a want-to-be who can't seem to do anything right and can be counted on to make the wrong decision everytime. Just look back through the seasons

Season 1 - his trebuchet doesn't work, he hurts his leg and Boone dies. What does Locke do? Cry and yell at the sky

Season 2 - Is convinced that he has to push the button and save the world until Ben convinces him otherwise in about 2 seconds and John's "faith" is crushed and he stops pushing the button

Season 3 - Is tricked again by Ben, lead into the woods, shot and left for dead. What does John do here? That's right, he starts to cry again but this time takes it a step further and decided to kill himself until ghost Walt shows up

Season 4 - walks around New Otherton like the rooster of the walk and acts like he is cool and in command until, once again, our old friend Ben talks to him for roughly 2 minutes and causes John to breakdown again, lose his cool and throw dishes everywhere. Then later, everything with moving the island and the frozen donkey wheel is probably another set up by Ben that John fell for hook line and sinker.

Season 5 - see the Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham. Once again John feels it is his mission/destiny to get the Oceanic 6 back to the island and once again John fails miserably, has a hard time of it and decides to kill himself (AGAIN). He is so broken by the fact that he can't do anything right he is about to leap of the table when Ben shows up at his door rather than face the fact that he's a failure.

These are just the most glaring examples showing that John Locke is indeed a complete boob without even getting into his flashbacks/father issues. I think one of the last things we will learn in the series is that John has been manipulated the entire time (just like Desmond said about them being pieces on a chessboard) by Ben or Widmore or both. His fragile mind will snap over it and John will sacrifice himself and kill Ben at the same time thus fulfilling his destiny.

John Locke is special all right, as special as the virgin the natives pick to throw into the volcano to appease their gods.

Disclaimer - I also agree with Jack about Terry O'Quinn, he is a brilliant actor and does an amazing job with the character. And I do love the character of John Locke, basically Walkabout was the episode that cemented in my mind that this show was going to be like nothing else and that I was going to love it.

Thanks for the podcast and the hard work you guys put into it and keep it up.

Peace

Irish Mike in Boston

[jrsightes]

Locke is the classic hero of American fiction---a very flawed person who learns from his mistakes and tries to redeem himself. This show would be really boring if none of the characters ever doubted themselves or had dark moments. Take Locke out of the series, and I don't think I would have continued watching past Season 1. If Locke is unfit to lead, then every other survivor is even less fit to lead, since Locke has the strongest will, faith, and determination of any of them.

[markedman]

I have a different take on Locke's character, stemming from my belief that he has never wanted to be the leader, but rather felt forced to occupy that role. In his pre-island life he strove to be part of a family, part of a group but never to lead. And in the pre hatch days he saw himself as useful to the group (hunter, tracker, advisor) but made no attempt to lead. In fact, those early island days seem to have been the most fulfilling of his life. Then comes the hatch and the beginning of his thrust upon responsibility. First, his certainty about the needs and importance of the island threw him into conflict with the leaders. Then various people tried to convince him that he had to lead. And yes, he is no good at it. He's tried everything he can think of, but in the end he didn't have it in him (at least not during his ore-ressurection life). I think back to the look on his face when ben is talking him down from hanging himself and telling John that he is special. There is no relief on John's face, only pain and misery.

[jrsightes]

Mar 25, 2009 0:50:56 GMT -5 markedman said:

I have a different take on Locke's character, stemming from my belief that he has never wanted to be the leader, but rather felt forced to occupy that role. In his pre-island life he strove to be part of a family, part of a group but never to lead. And in the pre hatch days he saw himself as useful to the group (hunter, tracker, advisor) but made no attempt to lead. In fact, those early island days seem to have been the most fulfilling of his life. Then comes the hatch and the beginning of his thrust upon responsibility. First, his certainty about the needs and importance of the island threw him into conflict with the leaders. Then various people tried to convince him that he had to lead. And yes, he is no good at it. He's tried everything he can think of, but in the end he didn't have it in him (at least not during his ore-ressurection life). I think back to the look on his face when ben is talking him down from hanging himself and telling John that he is special. There is no relief on John's face, only pain and misery.

I think the best leaders in history are the ones who have been called on to lead, and grudgingly accepted that role. It's the ones who seek out power that you have to watch out for.

[monsterjester]

"Great men do not seek power. They have it thrust upon them."
-Kahless

[jrsightes]

Mar 25, 2009 2:43:32 GMT -5 monsterjester said:

"Great men do not seek power. They have it thrust upon them."
-Kahless

Well put. That was the quote I was looking for, but I couldn't remember it.

[aquaboy1976]

This original post is pretty funny, but I still think Locke is destined for greatness.