Your Voice: A Case of “Cabin Fever”
Submitted by Ian Robinson
To break down "Cabin Fever" is something that would be next to impossible to do. However, the show gave us a lot of new tidbits about many things island related, most of which are connected to the character of John Locke.
When the episode opened, we are lead to believe that we are seeing John’s mother getting ready for a date with "Anthony Cooper." However, I think that something else is going on here. The reason I don’t believe that Anthony Cooper is John’s dad is mainly because they neglected to mention his name throughout the entire episode, and he also never shows up at the hospital. The other fact is that if this episode begins in the ’50s, and the date she is going on is twice her age (say she’s 19, that makes him 38), that would make Anthony Cooper 88 years old when we last saw him. That’s definitely not how old he is, in my opinion.
The biggest question I had in this episode was how Richard Alpert got to the hospital so early to see John, as well as his constant re-emerging. This again leads me to believe that John’s father is somebody more important. What school Richard wants him to join is somewhat of a question, and also, had John as a younger boy gone with him, I think it is only fair to assume that John would have been in the same class as Annie and Ben. Speaking of Ben, it is curious that he "used to have dreams," and that the Island wanted to heal John, but ruin Ben.
It is quite obvious that Richard Alpert wanted Locke from the moment he was born. It is also my opinion that whoever hit John’s mother wanted to stop John Locke from being born. Maybe someone who was against the Island knew that doing that would stop many things from happening.
Anyway, those are some of my thoughts!
A few questions I came away from the episode asking were:
- Why do the people on the boat have a DHARMA folder?
- Is Claire dead? Is Christian alive? Can one of them be alive and one be dead?
- How long have the "Oceanic Six" been gone for? If it hasn’t been as long as it’s felt on the island (Island/Future theory), then people wouldn’t realize that the wreckage is fake.
- Which item was Richard hoping John would take?
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"Your Voice" is a new TTS series in which Tail Section fans submit their articles, theories or reviews to be published on The Tail Section for all their fellow fans to read. Have you spent far too much time pondering the origins of the DHARMA Initiative? Have you alienated your co-workers by rambling about Daniel Faraday’s wacky time anomaly experiment? If so, we want to hear from you. Send your own Lost theories, reviews, or general thoughts to Editor(at)TheTailSection.com. Please keep all submissions between 300 and 1,000 words. We will read through all submissions and contact you if we publish your entry. You will also receive byline credit on our site.
I watched the movie “Vantage Point” the other night I must say that I am disappointed in Jack. LOL
Comment by G-money — May 9, 2008 @ 9:50 am
Which item was correct? I’d say the soil, which is probably from the island. Either that or the compass, which looks of a piece with the cabin, lantern, etc.
Did anyone else notice that the satchel Richard used to carry these items is the same one in which he carried Sawyer’s file so he could give it to Locke in Season 3?
Comment by Ed Holden — May 9, 2008 @ 10:22 am
I think it’s more fair to assume she was supposed to be about 15 or 16, making Cooper 30 or 32. Add to that the fact that her mother was probably exaggerating, and he could have been in his late 20’s. Depending when in the 50’s this flashback was, that means he could be as young as mid-70’s when Sawyer killed him. It’s a stretch, but it’s believable.
Plus I don’t think he’s the kind of guy that would show up at the hospital.
“…as well as his constant re-emerging”
…what are you talking about?
“It is also my opinion that whoever hit John’s mother wanted to stop John Locke from being born.”
That’s too much of a stretch, and I’d be disappointed to hear that was the case. You can’t orchestrate that kind of thing without the victim knowing about it. The timing and her not paying attention and all, it just wouldn’t work.
“How long have the “Oceanic Six” been gone for? If it hasn’t been as long as it’s felt on the island (Island/Future theory), then people wouldn’t realize that the wreckage is fake.”
I’m sure it’s the right amount of time. After all, Michael was on-island for two months, and his mom later said that he’d been gone for two months. We know that.
“Which item was Richard hoping John would take?”
It wasn’t just one item. What Richard was doing is the same test they use to find the next reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. If the child being tested chooses all of his possessions from his previous life, and only his own possessions, then he has passed the test and has proven to be the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. I think this means that Locke is supposed to be a reincarnation, or something similar. Possibly of Jacob?
P.S. Tail Section — PLEASE fix your comments. I always get error messages when I try to submit, and have to try again 3-4 times.
Comment by Devin — May 9, 2008 @ 10:33 am
Totally agree with you G-Money.
I’ve never thought that Cooper was really Locke’s dad. I think Devin is right about the ages and exaggeration, but I still think Cooper was just scamming Locke.
As for ‘Island Time’ it seems to be wavering around. When Farady sent the rocket, it was delayed in showing up to the island (am I remember that correctly?). But then the doctor showed up on shore before he was even killed. It’s almost like the island is on a wave of time, always fluctuating in comparison to ‘real time’.
Comment by AnotherOther — May 9, 2008 @ 11:13 am
Ok, so . . . is Richard the one who is Locke’s dad? Granted Mama Locke says she doesn’t know him but her look says otherwise!
Also, wasn’t Ben’s mom named Emily also? Could they be . . . brothers? Like Jacob and Esau? OR JACOBS sons like in the Bible (Benjamin and Joseph!) Just saying!
Comment by jenksym — May 9, 2008 @ 12:44 pm
i agree with Devin about the ages and Anthony Cooper. Logisitcally i think it still works. As far as Cooper NOT being Locke’s father, i still kinda thing he was Locke’s biological father. Regardless of his prior conartistry he still tracked down Locke to get a kidney. I guess you can get a kidney from anyone, so why con locke? maybe so the kidney he was having put in his body was a closer genetic match. I think it would be just one too many Anthony Cooper twists if it turned out he wasnt Lockes real father.
Also, this is just speculation, but I’ve always thought that locke/ben were part of an old island propechy that involved, among other things, killing their own father. Ben killed his dad and then brought locke in front of all the Others to kill his own father. When he couldnt ben remarked “he isnt who we thought he was.” What did killing his own father have to do with who they thought he was? If it were part of a prophecy that a man who killed his father would lead them, that would explain how ben became leader and later their interest in locke killing cooper.
Comment by lihab — May 9, 2008 @ 12:54 pm
Hey guys
I have analyzed the first meeting between john locke (as a young boy) and Richard Alpert when he came to show Locke the items, and I personally believe that he was supposed to take the Book of Laws! FIrst of all the item he took was the knife—- I think he was just looking at the granules, and the compass and chose to take the knife instead, which was freakin awesome! Anyway if you look at Alperts face after it shows Locke deciding on the book of laws, he starts to get WIDE EYED as if almost freaking out— AND then the camera slides over to the knife and thus Locke picked the knife…
But I re watched it and everyone “if they have dvr” needs to go watch Alperts facial reactions to each choice and tell me what they think.
As far as breaking this episode down, it is impossible because we dont know enough stuff that has happened and will happen. This will be one of those episodes we go back to and just realize how awesome the writers really are!
Comment by Brian Beeeeeattty — May 9, 2008 @ 2:28 pm
I think that the writers might be carefully misdirecting the audience with Richard. We all assume he is “ageless,” and tonight’s episode at first glance just solidified this idea. But it makes much more sense that Richard was time-traveling from the island to see John at birth and at younger ages. Do you think that Richard observed John’s birth, went back to the island, and just sat around there waiting for 5 or 6 years before going to see him again, when he had the island’s properties of time-travel at his disposal?
It seems clear to me that, at least in the case of Cabin Fever, Richard was likely time-traveling from the future to see Locke, rather than being “forever-young” and really fitting in the timeline the way it seems on the surface.
The implication of this could be that Richard only knows Locke is a “chosen one” because of his future contact with him… Someone pointed out that Richard’s bag for the Dalai Lama item scene is the same one he used to give Locke the file on Sawyer on the island.
Perhaps all of what we saw in Cabin Fever is time-traveling that Richard has done since disappearing off to the Temple at the end of last season. Now that he has met Locke and knows he might be a “chosen one,” he probably wants to fully investigate before believing it fully.
Comment by Dave — May 9, 2008 @ 2:38 pm
o here is my Lost theory. I was just thinking about the stuff we talked about last night…
I’m standing firm that Jack, Locke, and Claire are all related. I bet they will eventually reveal that Christian is Locke’s real father. Locke is the man of faith while Jack is the man of science or at least Locke wants to be a man of faith despite everyone trying to force him the other way.
Christian told Jack he isn’t supposed to raise Aaron most likely because Locke is supposed to raise him. Jack starts going nuts and we can assume that Christian keeps on appearing to him just like Charlie appears to Hurley. This is why at the end of season 3 he told Kate they have to go back to the island. He has to bring Aaron back to Locke and set everything straight.
Comment by Matthew Tootalian — May 9, 2008 @ 3:18 pm
Maybe John’s dad is Jacob! We never get to know who’s John’s real dad is. Anyway, I share the same birthday with Locke - 30th May, which is in two weeks time, right after the Season 4 finale! Hooray!
Comment by Madally Wurlpiz — May 9, 2008 @ 4:54 pm
I think Claire is alive, if her dad tricked her into dying I am sure she’d be pissed enough not to hang out with his ghost, ya know? Plus Locke isn’t dead (unless that is some other crazy reveal) and he interacted with both of them. Maybe it doesn’t even have to do with life or death but some other time plane.
Comment by BJ DeHut — May 10, 2008 @ 1:18 am
This is kind of far out, but do you suppose that Claire actually died when her house was blown up by the freighter guys? Who could have lived through that inferno/blast? If she is dead, then I think that Christian told her to let John have Aaron, so that John could raise him. It could be that the psychic told Claire not to let anyone else raise her baby, just so she wouldn’t put the child up for adoption. I guess she planned to do that when she reached LA, but she changed her mind after becoming stranded.
Did anyone notice how happy Christian and Claire were acting in the cabin–kind of smug and satisfied that everything was going their way. It was kind of spooky.
Comment by Rhonda — May 10, 2008 @ 11:57 am
I totally believe that he is Lock’s father. I believe all the people on the island are connected to the original people from the island that were rescued from the island years ago (i.e. the person who got off the island with the Black Rock journal) The island wants them back because they weren’t ever meant to leave. Anyone who was affected by their life after leaving the island (descendants)course correction. Hurley saying they are dead and then later Jack saying they need to go back. I believe Lock’s dad was there before and hasn’t aged like Albert. Everyone that has been to the island and left wants to get back or never leaves for very long. I also believe Claire is dead. I have a bunch more, like Hurley wasn’t meant to win the lottery because he got the numbers from a guy who heard a message sent out over the airwaves. That’s why he had bad luck after he won and it went away after he got to the island.
Comment by Good — May 10, 2008 @ 6:07 pm
I believe that Jack’s dad is not dead. 1)We never saw how him die. 2)Jack was brought in to view the body but did not examine it. 3) If Christian Shepherd is connected in any way with the island or the Dharma Initiative or Widmore, any of them could have the power and/or money and/or technology to fake his death or arrange for Jack to be fooled. Remember: the casket was empty when Jack found it in season 1.
Comment by Brian — May 10, 2008 @ 11:23 pm
I don’t think Claire died during the blast. I mean sure, people have seen dead people on the island, but dead people have yet to carry babies for long periods of time. The baby doesn’t just transport itself. I think she is dying, and may have passed on when Christian took her with him.
Comment by Ian — May 11, 2008 @ 9:11 am
I think Alpert actually wanted John to take the knife; his being shocked only meant something like “i can’t believe he’s The One” (the “neo-on-the-first-matrix-movie effect”) because maybe he thought the chosen one was supposed to be Ben. Supporting the theory that Alpert is a time traveler, I guess the next thing he did was going back to Locke at the end of season 3 to give him another chanche at killing his dad, being now convinced he really was the one. After all, the thing that ultimately brought John to the Island was the walkabout, where you can only bring “a knife and your skills” or something like that; and don’t forget that in season one Locke had a really handy set of knives with him.
As for the Book of Law, I think it was somewhat of an Easter Egg, a nod to the real world John Locke, the british philosopher. Sane for the comic (walt-like easter egg). I don’t have theories about the other items.
In the end, Locke is a Chosen One by means that go beyond the idea the Others have about how the chosen one must be. He’s the real final boss, and probably also a Cylon. I’d love that
Comment by stèfano — May 11, 2008 @ 3:59 pm
Cylon - LOL
Comment by Dav — May 12, 2008 @ 8:57 am
Anthony Cooper not being Locke’s dad makes no sense at all. Why bother going through the trouble of finding someone to be con a kidney out of and risk it not being a good enough match? Besides, why would his mother continue to propigate the lie once the con was over?
One thing that has me pensive though, is Richard’s envolvement in John’s life. I think it’s likely he’s travelling back in time to monitor Locke to see when Locke would be “ready” to go to the island. But notice that he doesn’t show up at the hospital when Locke goes through rehab? Did someone orchestrate it so that Richard was led away from Locke as a child, so that they could use Locke against the island? By not bringing Locke to the island earlier, was Ben mistaken as the “chosen one” by Richard. Let’s not forget that Richard was very surprised by Ben’s visions of his mother.
Comment by Ryon — May 13, 2008 @ 2:22 pm
Lost is a show of Cause-Effect
Meaning that events have taken place in Locke’s life to lead him to the island. The biggest piece in Locke’s past is Cooper, is he the real father? Lock is a troubled kid at 16 not believing in science. He sells weed then meets Cooper. In meeting Cooper and remember Emily did it for the money, Cooper meets Locke and gets his kidney. Cooper bails which sets Locke on this journey to finds out why he did this? Which leads to the moment in which Locke is crippled. In the hospital we know Abaddon convinces Locke to go on the walkabout. We will see Abaddon again because of his words and Locke will owe him one. Alpert and Abaddon are in Locke’s past present and future guiding him….
Same as Desmond, Ms. Hawking and the people that were put in his life…Penny/Mr. Widmore. Mr. Widmore forced Desmond away from Penny leading to him going on a trip around the world which led him to the island. Along the way he meets Jack and Charlie and Penny.
Outsiders have been brought in for a reason, I don’t know why but as we can see time travel plays an important part to be able to go back and watch Locke’s birth.
Is Alpert a real island native or an outsiders brought in from the beginning. Alpert was in Ben’s flashback as a kid.
Could Christian be a image of Smokey, here is why I say so. When Smokey first appears he comes off as the smoke monster scary and all, when he appears again to someone “privately” and not around a group, he is an image to someone’s past. Examples are…..
Jack: Smokey chased him Kate and somebody in the Pilot episode…shortly after we see Christian, and his body is not in the casket.
Hurley: Was chased in the season 1 finale: Season 2 he sees Dave
Eko: Encounters the monster one on one: Next time Smokey appears as Yemi
Locke: Sees Smokey several times in Season 1: Could Christian be an image of Smokey as well as Jacob.
While Smokey flashes light at people to scan them maybe it is possible that smokey doesn’t like bright light as well. In season 1 finale when the dynamite was thrown, it flashbanged and let Locke go. I know that dynamite cant hurt smoke so it had to be the flash from the bang. Ben told Locke that Jacob doesn’t like bright lights and why the only two times they found the cabin was in the dark….
I remember at the end of season 2 the writers said we saw smokey more times than we thought. Danielle said the monster is a security system/ Ben can let it off its leash, it can morph and pluck trees off the ground. Maybe Jacob is Smokey and he is a part of the island. bash me lol i don’t care
Comment by G.K. — May 13, 2008 @ 11:08 pm
I haven’t seen this on any of the blogs I read. Twice in Locke’s flashbacks an interesting phrase is used. When Alpert visits for the test by the foster mom says it and when the physical therapist turns Locke over to the “orderly” he says it: “He’s all yours.” I believe that is significant. Essentially John is being given to the island’s representatives which implies to me that the island itself “owns” John Locke. What do you think?
Comment by James — May 14, 2008 @ 11:31 am