LOST 6.4 The Substitute--SPOILERS

Flying/stomping/hovering through the jungle and New Otherton with Smokey! I love the contrast between very earthbound Locke trying to get into his own house by himself and Smokey’s freedom and speedy movement, its hovering image reflected in the windows of Sawyer’s house before a fluid transition into fLocke. Great camera work! And what an uplifting way to start a “Locke” episode.

This free-floating scene also foreshadows fLocke’s visit to Sawyer. Apparently Sawyer is a recruit (later revealed as yet another candidate). He finds Locke’s promise of an answer to Lost’s greatest mystery more promising than sitting around blasting music and drinking. The key question, not just for Season 6 but for the whole series: Why are you on the island? Let’s hope that Darlton answers this one, if no other, before the end of May. We get a big tease about that answer by the end of this episode.

Locke episodes are often my favorites out of an entire season, going back to the now-classic “Walkabout.” I guess I really can’t call it a “Locke” episode when John is dead, but I love the fact that fLocke is still running around the island and giving Terry O’Quinn new opportunities for an Emmy.

Is the devil you know always better than the one you only shared conspiracy theories about? When we didn’t know Smokey/fLocke, we could fear the “monster” because of its mysterious ways. Now we see how he tries to seduce new recruits with his words, well, if hanging them in a body bag in a tree doesn’t convince them. fLocke also tries the “I know what you’re going through” bit to keep Sawyer following along. Now that the monster is out in the open, he’s as frightening for what he says as what he does.

As with previous Season 6 episodes, there are plenty of resonances with previous seasons. Sawyer and fLocke re-enact the plot of Mice and Men, just as Ben and Sawyer did in Season 3. Locke’s catchphrase—“Don’t tell me what I can’t do!”—is still yelled out of frustration in his rebellion against authority. (Interesting question—Who is the child, one that Sawyer and fLocke can see but Richard can’t? He also apparently has some authority over fLocke. More about him later.) Locke saves Jack from falling down a cliff face in Season 1; fLocke saves Sawyer from falling down a cliff face with a much more scenic view.

Best line of the night: The camera closes in on a balanced scale, each side carefully balanced with a rock—one white, one black. fLocke tosses the white rock out to sea. “Inside joke,” he replies to a curious Sawyer.

Knowing characters’ pre-island backstories (see—there was a quiz!) helps in understanding the character cameos in California. Rose helps Locke get a job after Randy fires him. Hugo/Hurley owns the box company where Locke used to work and guides him to job counselor Rose. After all, Hugo knows what kind of boss Randy is—he used to work for him, too, at a different company. And Ben as the European history teacher!

But the best is saved for last: “Jacob has a thing for numbers.” And lists. fLocke shows Sawyer the numbers, each assigned to a “candidate” to be the next Jacob. Locke’s number is up, so his name is scratched off the ceiling. (He was 4, by the way.) And here I figured Jack would be 42, the meaning of life. That honor is reserved for Kwon, but whether Sun or Jin isn’t known. Jack's number matches his original seat assignment on Oceanic 815. Interestingly enough, Kate doesn’t have a number.

fLocke posed his question of the week. Here’s mine: Is Aaron the blond boy apparently with some type of control over fLocke? I always suspected he would play a more important role in the story. What do you think?