6x12 Everyone Loves Hugo: Ginger Ale Talk

That final scene
SUSAN: Shall we now discuss Lost?
RACHEL: Yes! Let’s discuss!
SUSAN: Can we start with what I think is most important?  Was Desmond trying to kill Locke?
RACHEL: That was my gut reaction.  That Sideways Desmond had knowledge of what just happened to Island Desmond, which was then his motivation to run him over.  Or that he knows somehow that Locke’s death is part of the bigger picture.  But then I thought about it some more and I started to consider that maybe Desmond might’ve been trying to wake up Locke via a near death experience. 
SUSAN: Yeah it could easily be either.  As a third possibility since Desmond has the manifest and may know Jack is a spinal surgeon, maybe he wants Locke to meet Jack and regain use of his legs? Or not meet, but, require services from since they already met. 
RACHEL: That’s another good possibility. 
SUSAN: I thought it significant that we were left with an image of Locke, on his back, staring up.  And if I am remembering correctly, there was a bruise where his telltale gash will be or blood I should say. 
RACHEL: Yes! Actually the cut on his face, wasn’t that the same cut he had from the original timeline when they first crashed?  And when he was lying there, I got the impression that he was seeing memories from his past life. 
SUSAN: Yes maybe.  His eyes were darting all around.  But if he is “connecting” to his island life, he has the least motivation of anyone to try to get that life back.  Compared to his island life, his sideways life rocks. 
RACHEL: Very true.  So you think he’d connect with his “real” self, not the FLocke version?
SUSAN: Well, Charlie seemed to know his pre-death island self so I’m assuming Locke will know his pre-death island self as well.  And I think we’ve gotten hints this will also connect to FLocke because remember when MIB first sees little boy blue? And he keeps yelling “Don’t tell me what I can’t do”?
RACHEL: Yes! I kind of felt like that line between Locke and MIB has been starting to blur a bit.  Like when MIB was visibly unnerved by Desmond and even just him sitting around the camp. 
SUSAN: There must still be some element of Locke in FLocke. 

Little Boy Blue (or rather, Blond & Brown)
RACHEL: Speaking of little boy blue, last night’s boy was definitely a different one right?  I was reading that maybe the little blonde boy is young Jacob (hence MIB’s freakout), whereas last night’s boy might’ve been young MIB (which might be why he just brushed him off).
SUSAN: Yes, I agree.  This guy had brown hair and brown eyes.  Definitely an MIB.
RACHEL: Agreed.  Do you think they’re .. ghosts?
SUSAN: They must be different from the usual ghosts Hurley sees.  Adult Jacob is a ghost so.. that means child Jacob didn’t die as a child.  So this is something else?  But it’s not only in his head.  Unless, when MIB has things drift into his head, they manifest as people? Because we know he could form people before.
RACHEL: Oh! I like that!
SUSAN: And also,  if we’re sticking with this, why is it young Jacob who has blood on his hands?
RACHEL: He seems to know and appear as everyone else’s fears.  Maybe the same can be applied to him and they manifest into these ghost-like visions.  And, maybe because Jacob was the one stabbed? Or something happened when they were kids.
SUSAN: Ohhh yes.  What if they island “protectors” are bringing about the manifestations unknowingly?
RACHEL: Protectors being the candidates?
SUSAN: Although I guess Desmond isn’t a candidate, he’s just special.

Who’s on who’s side
RACHEL: Do you think Desmond knew what FLocke really was?
SUSAN: I’m not sure.  He’s doing a good job of playing dumb.
RACHEL: Definitely.  I was also wondering if he was buying FLocke’s explanation at all, about Widmore.
SUSAN: I felt like that was for us because we’ve been going along, trying to figure out whose side Widmore is on.  So I felt like that was an argument against him, in the court of our minds. 
RACHEL: What do you think?  Jacob’s side or his own side?
SUSAN: Well I keep thinking Eloise is on Jacob’s side but, remember Bram said Widmore wasn’t on Jacob’s side? And he was obviously part of Jacob’s team.  But Eloise and Widmore work together so… I’m running in circles.
RACHEL: It’s like for every reason we find that Widmore is on Jacob’s side, we find another that suggests he isn’t.
SUSAN: He’s definitely organized.  I mean, it’s not just him.  He’s part of a group but I cannot decide the purpose of that group.  I find it hard to believe he’s being completely selfish, because of how distraught he and Eloise were about sending Faraday back to die.
RACHEL: Right.  He seems to echo Richard’s thoughts about how letting the MIB free will destroy everything
SUSAN: I got nothing. He’s obviously interested in the energy pockets so MIB is right about that.  And he even brought a geophysicist with him so I think there is some level of truth.
RACHEL: Maybe he wants to help the island/Jacob AND help himself at the same time.
SUSAN: Maybe.  I’m starting to think, and maybe this was hinted in last nights episode, not everyone’s version of the “right” thing is going to match up.  So maybe Widmore and that whole crew believe they are doing the best thing to keep MIB corked while Jacob’s team (Ilana) also believe they are doing the best thing.  And because they are human, their concepts of the best things will be flawed.
RACHEL: That kind of goes along with what Jacob has been saying too, right?

Hurley taking charge
RACHEL: What did you think of Hurley’s decision to go to FLocke’s camp?
SUSAN: I thought it was very “Hurley” of him.  I liked it a lot.  Because that’s who he is, yknow?  He doesn’t want to go on all these adventures, getting people killed.  He wants to talk it out.  And finally, he got someone to listen to him and got people to (maybe) talk it out.
RACHEL: That’s a good point.  I mean in general, I like Hurley taking charge for a change and it was good just to see them up and moving instead of sitting around the beach.  But at the same time, Hurley basically gave FLocke what he wanted, no? All the candidates (except for Jin) in one place.
SUSAN: Hmm, I didn’t think about that.  I’ve been so set on Hurley being the best one, I never considered he’d be screwing up.  I still back him cause, you know, the other thing - I think part of what we were supposed to take away last night, was that Hurley is capable.  He’s not some dumb oaf who won the lottery and had to be told what to do with it.  Because in sideways world, he earned his money by owning Mr. Cluck’s, no?  He was running his own business, and doing well at it. 
RACHEL: I didn’t think of that.  I thought he still won the lottery but wasn’t cursed by it.  I agree though, I think Hurley is capable.  But I think part of his problem is that he doesn’t trust himself enough?  Unless a ghost pushes (or yells at) him to act.
SUSAN: Yes!  But I thought that’s kindof what happened last night, he did trust himself and in doing so he got Jack to as well. 
RACHEL: I really liked Jack in this past episode - for backing up Hurley and for admitting his issues and letting go.  It made me think that’s part of Jacob’s bigger plan for Jack.  Like he had to figure out his issues on his own but once he did, he’d be ready for whatever Jacob has planned for him.
SUSAN: I think both characters really reached their enlightened point.
RACHEL: Agreed, I kind of see them as being the next Richard and Jacob.
SUSAN: Oooo, I didn’t consider that.
RACHEL: Because I was thinking, Richard wants to die now and maybe when the island is done with him, he’ll finally get that and someone else will need to step into his role.
SUSAN: Do you think that’s Hurley’s future role?
RACHEL: I think ultimately I see Hurley in that role.  As special as Hurley is, Jack has always been that character associated with leadership? So I think that’s why I keep thinking he’ll be the next protector.  Also with the way FLocke looked at him at the end, it’s like he knew Jack is important somehow.  Or maybe he just knows his history with real Locke.
SUSAN: Yeah, personally, I took that as Locke coming out for a minute.
RACHEL: I can see that as being the case too.

Minor details
SUSAN: Can I just voice as a complaint - the Whispers scene annoyed me.  It struck me as a scene from Lassie - “What do you mean boy?  The whispers are ghosts?  People who can’t leave?  I’m so glad you blatantly told me!”
RACHEL: LOL.  I’m all for getting answers.  But I just hope it won’t always be as awkwardly put as that one was.  You know what else somewhat bugged me? When Richard told Hurley that Jacob told him what the island was.
SUSAN: YES.
RACHEL: I was like, why aren’t these people demanding to know the answer to this?
SUSAN: And he’s been keeping it under wraps for what, hundreds of years? But hey, lets pull out that card now.
RACHEL: I know! And they all stand there in silence.
SUSAN: Yeah, that was definitely weird.  I loved Hurley’s renegade moment of blowing up the black rock.
RACHEL: That was great!
SUSAN: And how much of a bastard was Miles to not believe Hurley? His buddy!
RACHEL: I know!
SUSAN: I was so sad. 
RACHEL: Do you think blowing up the plane will help?
SUSAN: No, I question if what FLocke wants is really the plane or if that was just something to tell people until he could get all the candidates together. 
RACHEL: That’s a good point.  Did you notice what he said to Kate though? It reminded me of what Eloise said to them.  Like how they all came together on the plane, so they all need to leave together.
SUSAN: Hmm, true.