Since the new format has taken off really well, I'll be continuing with this format for the rest of the rewatch. Today for the rewatch, we'll be taking a look at the tenth episode of the series and the season, "Raised By Another," the first Claire centric episode. Though it's not as relevant to the show now as "Solitary" was, there's still plenty to discuss. So let's get started, shall we?
- The episode opens up with Claire's dream, which includes Locke with black and white eyes. It's quite an interesting visual, though some people have taken it to mean a little more than I think it does, indicating that it hints that Locke will be possessed by Jacob's nemesis, something I think isn't really true. What do you think?
- Claire's boyfriend in her flashbacks, Thomas, is played by Keir O'Donnell. I interviewed Keir last year, and you can read that interview here.
- Claire says that her mom would disown her for being pregnant. However, we know that at that point, Carole Littleton was catatonic in the hospital after suffering a severe car crash with Claire at the wheel. Whether or not this is a continuity error is debatable; it could always be argue that Claire's way of coping with grief is pretending that her mother is still conscious and part of her life.
- Thomas mentions his paintings, which are similar to the mural in the hatch. That's because they're both done by Jack Bender, a director on Lost.
- Then we've got Richard Malkin, the fortune teller who we'll later see as part of Eko's flashback in the episode "?." He was also slated to appear in "The Brig" as a character held captive with Anthony Cooper, but that idea was scrapped in the early writing process.
- Thomas tells Claire that she has "Daddy abandonment crap," a reference Christian Shephard's abandonment of her, as we saw in "Par Avion." However, Claire is no longer abandoned by her daddy, as we last saw her in Jacob's cabin with Christian himself (or someone who appeared to be Christian).
- Ethan tells Hurley his last name is Rom. How he came to get the surname Rom is completely unknown, as it most likely should be Goodspeed. Either Amy's last name is Rom, or he's using that as a surname just to screw with the survivors, because "Ethan Rom" is an anagram for "Other man."
- Why does Malkin want Claire to get on the plane? Is he paid off by Widmore, or by someone who knows she's going to the Island? Did Jacob tell him to do it, since Jacob seems so interested in getting people to the Island?
And that's it for episode 1x10, "Raised By Another." You can discuss the episode in this
forum thread, read others' posts about it at the
rewatch hub, and edit the
episode's article.
When Claire says that her mother would disown her, Thomas says "she basically has already" referring the fact that she's comatose =) just thought you should know.
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ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you've taken ppls comments in stride. I personally think the summary is lacking a bit on the last two post, but I am on who does not have the time to wtach the show again with you.
ReplyDeleteHave some thoughts though, happy to be one of the earlier posters for once too :).
I don't remember how Locke's eye's exactly looked in this shot. Was is one white one black? if that is the case I would assume it is more of a visual device to reinforce the question of wether Locke is good or bad. I don't remember exactly when I started to question locke's abilities but I know it was at some point in season 1. I no know Locke's integrity was suverly damaged when Boon died. I remember thinking "is this guy really on the ball about his knowledge or is he really crazy?!?!"
Nothing more on the fortune teller guy? I remember thinking when I saw him with Eko that I NEED to see the one with claire again. Of course I don't have time to track down thoses seens but my gut was telling me there is a connection there. I'm surprised you haven't gone more into that. Did Christian ever run into the fortune teller or am I jsut makeing that up?
I'm missing the point to the daddy issue bullet.
Speaking of Ethan and Goodspeed, If Horace Goodspped is Ethans father, who is the Goodspeed that Anna lucia killed? is there a connection there is missed or is there still more mystery behind that.
This last bullet is one that Ive been mulling over for a long time. As per a conversation with charlie, he comes to the conclusion that The FT(fortune Teller) know that the plane was going to crash. I don't remember exactly what was said but I know by the end of the converation I was totally convinced. Also there are a few scenes thoughout the show that go back on forth on weather or not the FT is a fake or not. I think the last it was left off was the FT saying that he was a complete fake (to claire's firend...I think?) I personally think that if we are going to believe all this supernatual crap going on, on the island, we can believe in a simple FT. Hell Hurly see's dead people when he's not on the island.
Thanks all I got for know
Ace
WTF do BS marketing post happen often happen around here? BAN THEM!!!! :P
ReplyDelete•Why does Malkin want Claire to get on the plane
ReplyDeleteMalkin Originally told Claire to raise the baby herself. He tells her later to take the baby to L.A. for adobtion.
We find out later, by the fortune tellers own admision, that he is a fake. He tells that to Eko when Eko is researching the miracle of Malkin's daughters ressurection.
So, does Malkin know the plane will crash, or was he just conning Claire into giving her baby to a family that would pay him?
I'm sure we will find out more on this during next season.
To AceWillco: Ana killed Goodwin, not Goodspeed.
The name Ethan Rom always reminded me of the Edith Wharton character's name Ethan Frome. But the novel is not mysterious or anything like Lost.
ReplyDeleteThis one seemed to be a catchup on Claire's life mostly and why/how she came to be on the plane.
Was her Mom still in a coma when she left Australia? I can't remember. Mommy was apparentely in great shape at Christian's memorial service. Did she suddenly revive when her daughter flew off on 815?
Surely some family or friend would have told her that Claire was pregnant when she left the country. Since she seems to have no clue about Aaron in season 5 I am wondering if somehow she was in the know all along.
Ethan was one of the Dhrama like Ben...wonder when Ben lured him away from his Mom and Dad? It must have been when he was young and well before the purge.
ReplyDeleteWas Ethan willing to let his parent's die just like Ben relished murdering Roger?
All these years we just thought Ethan was an original Other and at the very last we find out he is from the Dhrama like Ben.
The whole Malkin thing reminded me about Desmonds first encounter with Ms Hawking, when shes basically saying the same thing; "You HAVE to do this, so that a series of events will play through as planned.."
ReplyDeleteIs Malkin a part of these course-correcting guardians?
I LOVED the dream sequence in the beginning btw!
I think this episode is going to prove very significant to the last season of Lost.
ReplyDeleteBefore looking at key elements of the episode, let's consider a few things about Lost: the whole issue of Claire "disappearing" is one of the more odd and, as yet, unexplained events in the show. She doesn't die, she just disappears, and then reappears in an odd state with Christian in Jacob's cabin. Practically no character mentions here afterward or seems to be concerned about her. To me, this is actually a big hole in the writing: wouldn't the other characters discuss her, go searching after her, etc.?
Many have speculated - rightly, I believe - that Claire will return in Season 6. I believe that the whole issue of children will take on new significance. Think about all of the issues of parents and children, pregnancies, babies, etc. There is more time given to the dynamics of parenthood and childrearing than most shows, so it has to be significant. Also, the statue on the island, Tawaret, has to do with child-rearing, right?
Why would Claire, Sun, and Penny give birth to children if it was significant? Why would Walt be kidnapped, as well as the children from the tail section?
I think Aaron and Claire will be key to the final season. I don't know how, yet, but I think they will be.
Now, to this episode: Claire's dream of John is key. The black-and-white theme has already been explored in the beginning (the stones on Adam and Eve, backgammon, Jack's outfit - black suit and white shirt - Jack's white flesh getting sewed up by black thread, Charlie's black-and-white, checkerboard shoes...) and the appearance of John's black and white eyes, plus the black and white cards, is foreshadowing the ambiguity surrounding Locke: is he good or bad? I think the writers had some basic ideas about what would happen to his character and they were cluing us in to what would happen in the future.
Perhaps more important: the line that Locke says to Claire in the dream: "He was your responsibility but you gave him away, Claire. Everyone pays the price now."
That line didn't make much sense in Season 1, but with all of the events from Season 5, is it possible that a price could be paid by everyone because Claire abandoned Aaron? There's a connection between that line and Richard Malik's strong desire to see Claire raise her baby. I believe he is not a fake, that he knew the plane would crash, and that Claire and Aaron had to be on the island.
Time will tell just how significant this episode is, but as I rewatch Lost (seeing episodes for the third time), this episode caught my attention. Parents and children, pregnancies, special children... these issues will be big in the last season. Mark my words!
Your words are marked. I agree that children have always been a big issue on the show from the beginning.
ReplyDeleteChildren stolen by the Others and Kate technically stealing Aaron. She had no good reason to lie about him being hers. All she had to do was say his mother died and they took care of him. They had to lie about the Island to protect the ones left behind, but lying about Aaron was totally not needed.
Thanks Bdub. I think I mentioned I was bad with names. I do think the fortune teller is real though. I think his admission to Eko that he is a fake is a lie.
ReplyDeleteAdmins if you wanna keep the post clean you can get rid of my other one commententing on the random advert.
Ace
"She had no good reason to lie about him being hers. All she had to do was say his mother died and they took care of him."
ReplyDeleteI agree that they could have come up with a better story, but there were some good reasons to lie.
Well, there was the problem that Claire was still pregnant at the time of the plane crash, which means that in their story she would have to survive long enough to make it to the island and give birth.
Even if they did not claim the mother was Claire, it would be pretty easy to determine as there weren't that many women on the plane who were nine months pregnant.
They would also have to deal with the possibility that the relatives of the mother would then want to see the grave, and search for the island.
I think Richard Malkin was a fake but that he was so disturbed at first by Claire because he actually had a real vision when she came to him. I think he knew she had to get to that island but not why, so he fabricated the people in LA.
ReplyDeleteAnonomous two up has a good point about why it had to be kate's baby; if a mother dies, custody of their children doesn't go to crazy washed up survivors of plane crashes, let alone ones who are convicted felons.
ReplyDeleteI think Malkin is the same type of character that Matthew Abaddon is - a messenger for either black ..or white.
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