Finding Lost - Season Five

Nikki Stafford

Description

Nikki Stafford's series - the only complete episode-by-episode guide to Lost - continues its exploration of the deeper meanings behind every episode of this critical and commercial success. The season five instalment will included analyses on how John Locke could become Jeremy Bentham (and what it means to the show's overriding themes) and chapters on literary references like Stephen King's The Stand and James Joyce's Ulysses. Includes exclusive behind-the-scenes photos of the filming of the new season on location in Hawaii.

Sujets

• Television

Informations

• Publié par: Ecw Press
• Date de parution: 20 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781554908912
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 6 Mo

Extrait

S E A S O N F I V E

N IKKI STAFF OR D Author ofBite Me!: The Unofficial Guide to Buffy the Vampire SlayerandUncovering Alias: An Unofficial Guide

S EAS O N 5

N I K K I STAF F O R D

E CW Press

For Sydney and Liam

Copyright © Nikki Stafford,2009

Published byecw press 2120Queen Street East, Suite200, Toronto, Ontario, Canadam4e 1e2 416-694-3348 /[e-mail]

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any process — electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise— without the prior written permission of the copyrightowners andecw press.

library and archives canada cataloguing in publication

Stafford, Nikki,1973– Finding Lost, season5: the unofficial guide / Nikki Stafford.

isbn 978-1-55022-891-5

1. Lost (Television program). I. Title. II. Title: Finding Lost, season five.

pn1992.77.l67s735 2009 791.45'72 c2009-902550-7

Developing editor: Crissy Boylan Cover concept: Barry Johnson Cover and text design: Tania Craan Typesetting: Gail Nina Front cover photo: (island) © Scott Mead Photography Printing: Transcontinental1 2 3 4 5

The publication ofFinding Lost, Season5has been generously supported by the Ontario Arts Council, by the Government of Ontario through Ontario Book Publishing Tax Credit, by the OMDC Book Fund, an initiative of the Ontario Media Development Corporation, and by the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (bpidp).

printed and bound in canada

Table of Contents

A Few Words From the Readersv How Not to Get Lostxi “We Have to Go Back!”xv

SEASON 5 January–May 2009

Because You Left (Everyone) 1

The Lie (Hurley) 16 The Foucault Pendulum26

Jughead (Desmond) 27 Operation Castle36

The Little Prince (Kate, Aaron) 37 The Little Prince48

This Place Is Death (Rousseau, Everyone) 56 Bloop!66

316 (Jack) 68 Ulysses79

The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham (Locke) 99 The Body and Blood of Locke114 Y: The Last Man116

LaFleur (Sawyer) 120 Dharma Wants You . . . Sort Of128

Namaste (Everyone) 130 “Turn it up! I love Geronimo Jackson”140

He’s Our You (Sayid) 141 A Separate Reality149

Whatever Happened, Happened (Kate) 160 Miles and Hurley: The Great Time-Travel Debate169

Dead Is Dead (Ben) 173 Smokey: Island Security System or Pillar of Judgment?183

Some Like It Hoth (Miles) 187 May the Island Be With You:Star WarsandLost

The Variable (Daniel) 197 WiredMagazine: “The Super Power Issue!”209

Follow the Leader (Everyone) 212 Sawyer’s Nicknames222 Dharma Logos224

The Incident, Parts 1&2 (Jacob) 225 36 Hours Before 316242 Oh, Those Crazy Egyptian Gods257 Everything That Rises Must Converge Questions for Season 6272

Sources 274 Acknowledgments 277

262

195

A Few Words From the Readers

Like manyLostfans, I share an unhealthy obsession with any and all Oceanic 815–related lore. Also, like many of the fans below, I enjoy the fan movement just as much as the show itself. Through herFinding Lostguides, Nikki Stafford has become a hub for that movement and a voice for fans. For her fifth season guide ofFinding Lost, I suggested to Nikki that the fans be given the chance to praiseherfor her work. She accepted with grudging modesty, and thus this page was born. Being the first, I want to say how awesome it is sharing and theorizing together on Nikki’s blog, Nik at Nite (nikkistafford.blogspot.com). I often feel like Hurley doing a cannonball, just thinking about sharing my half-cooked musings about every detail of the show. Finding Lost, being the big-book translation of that blog, gives fans an excellent on-hand reference to every hot theory, cast bio, and book on Sawyer’s shelf. Intelligent analysis? Check. Thorough research? Check. Sassy and stylish writing? Whoa,bigcheck.Finding Losthas it all. Nikki works hard to feed our flame, so on behalf of all theLostfans reading this: a real thank-you to Nikki. Please continue to be our compass for findingLost. — Matthew Dykstra

Marlene Dietrich once said of Orson Welles, “When I have talked with him, I feel like a plant that has been watered.” And those, like me, who read her work, books, or blog know the same can be said of Ms. Stafford. Her passion and knowledge come across in such a wonderfully casual way that can only come from someone who loves what she does. And we certainly love what she does! More water, please. — Michael L. Holland

If you want to know your Benjamin Linuses from your Henry Gales or your John Lockes from your Jeremy Benthams, let Nikki Stafford be your constant. Her writing reflects the insightfulness, passion, and humor of both the show and its fans. — Steve “The Shout” Dandy

v

vi

Nikki plunges headlong into the dense, sometimes byzantine, jungles ofLost, leading her readers with a torch of keen insight in one hand and a machete of cutting analysis in the other. We emerge on the other side, wiser and more entertained. — Austin “Teebore” Gorton

In the universe ofLost, there are scores of fans, bloggers, and commentators offering their take on the myth and meaning of the pop phenomenon spawned by the show. None offer such accessible and comprehensive analysis on the series’ multi-layered and innovative storytelling as Nikki Stafford. The arrival of the latest installment in Stafford’sFinding Lostseries is met with a resounding cheer by her ginormous (and growing) fan base. Her in-depth analysis of the relationships, storytelling, and mythology of the show proves the popular theory thatLostis best enjoyed and under- stood by sifting through the minutiae of the show and its ever-expanding universe in the company of like-minded obsessives. Nikki lays it all out in comprehensive detail: story arcs, literary references, inside jokes, and mind-blowing narrative. The truth may be Out There, but we are all inhere, turning the pages and delighting in Nikki’s meticulous research and engaging writing style. Now, if only I could find a Frozen Donkey Wheel, I could go back and read her books again, for the first time. — humanebean

Nikki’s blog is, quite simply, addictive. Her love of all thingsLostis surpassed only by her talent for writing about the show intelligently, in a way that speaks both to us uber-fans as well as the casual viewer. Her blog attracts thousands of readers, many of whom contribute comments, which, along with Nikki’s responses, make for the most illuminating, stimulating, and, quite frankly, funLostdiscussions on the web. — Batcabbage

The insights Nikki offers in her books and in her blog are incredibly thought- provokingandtheintelligent,open,andoftenhilariousdiscussionsalwayshaveme coming back for more. TheLostexperience is definitely richer and more enjoyable for me thanks to her. — Rebecca “SonshineMusic” Thompson

Nikki always helps find a deeper understanding for the show’s twist and turns, and really knows her stuff. Her commentaries are insightful, thought-provoking, and often laugh-out-loud hilarious. If you loveLost, you’ll love what she has to say. — Jeff Heimbuch

Enlightening, engrossing, and just plain entertaining, Nikki’s is the definitive guide; it’s like watchingLostwith a friend who misses nothing and who shares her insights with passion, humor, and an irresistibly down-to-earth perspective. No one should getLostwithout her; the perfect guide to a near-perfect show! — Lisa Mallette

Nikki Stafford’sFinding Lostbooks give both the casual viewer andLostdevotees better reasons for findingLost.— Bob “Hutch” Hutchinson

Nikki Stafford’s writing has allowed true fans ofLost(those of us who faithfully gather with like-minded souls the morning after an episode to dissect every minute detail of the show) access to a light-hearted yet in-depth analysis of the show. Her words allow us flashes of insight into not only the characters and events that leave us breathless, but also the overarching ideas and recurring themes presented by the writers. TheFinding Lostseries is a perfect partner forLost— both easily captivate their audiences and both demand a second . . . or third . . . or fourth examination just to make sure we found everything we were looking for. — Sharon Johnson

My first stop after watching an episode ofLostis Nikki’s blog. I love the way she helps tie together the new episodes with things from the past. Nikki’s insight into the books mentioned onLostalone is just tremendous and saves me so much time. Not only does she take the time to recap the book itself, but then goes the extra mile to explain how the book ties into the series. I’d be “lost” without Nikki! — sirputtsalot

Nikki’sFinding Lostseries and blog make watchingLosteven more amazing than the show on its own. Her articulate and analytical books outline each episode in detail: Hurley’s numbers, character wounds, Easter eggs, production errors, music, philos- ophy, and everything else that makesLostthe best show on television. She discusses Egyptian gods and goddesses, the psychology of romance, nosebleeds, Jack’s beard, and my favorite — summaries of novels on the show and how they relate to the story- line. Her writing is a definite treat for Losties. — Tammy Najarian

vii

viii

Of all the onlineLostcommunities, Nikki Stafford’s blog has consistently been the most welcoming, as well as one of the most enlightening. Her writing onLosthelps tie loose pieces of the show together that could have been otherwise overlooked by viewers, and then the tightly knit community she fosters helps elucidate even the most complicated of plots. Her work brings the hardcore fan and the casual fan together where both feel equally welcome as well as a constructive part of the discussion. — B.J. Keeton

Thanks to Nikki Stafford I’ve got more time to watchLost, as I don’t have to read the more than a thousand pages ofUlyssesmyself. — mgkoeln (Cologne, Germany)

Finding Lostis the must-have companion to eachLostseason.

— Jim Drews

Nikki’sFinding Lostseries is informative, witty, entertaining, and loaded with so much interesting information it’ll make your head spin. A definite must-read for casualLostfans, hardcore815followers, and every Other in between. — Andrew “The Question Mark” Fantasia

Nik at Nite is the first blog that I check after a new episode ofLost. Nikki Stafford just has this great way of being able to bring out new information from the show that you might have missed without telling you in a condescending way, just like you’re talking to your super smart friend. — Ashlie Hawkins

WatchingLostwithout Nikki’s books is like mashing potatoes with a toothpick. Nikki’s books add a little knob of butter and a giant masher to smooth out the com- plexLoststory — well done, Nikki! — Matt Ede

As a Whedon Studies scholar, I initially read Nikki’s blog after meeting her at a con- ference, where I had heard and thoroughly enjoyed her keynote address. I admired her rhetorical style and wit so much that I returned repeatedly to her blog and found myself reading far beyond the Whedonverses therein. Though I had quit watching Losta few years earlier, her enthusiasm for the series and her ability to convince me of its value as quality television led me to watch and relish season5. Thank you, Nikki. — Cynthea Masson

From the first reading of Nikki Stafford’s blog through all of herLostbooks thus far, I have become and remained a huge fan. There is so much going on in the series that I need someone to help organize my own thoughts and present new ideas that I haven’t even thought of. Nikki is that someone. HerFinding Lostbooks are an invalu- able guide for both obsessed fans like me and casual observers. Along with that, they are also just plain fun to read. Nikki’s style of writing is never overbearing. It is as if she is talking to you and actually reminds me of one of my favorite teachers — never preachy, just fun to hear. — Michele in Newfoundland

WithLostit is easy for fans to get pulled into a world of smoke monsters, time travel, and mysterious hatches, but even the most devoted fan, such as myself, can use some help unraveling the mysteries of the island and its castaways. With the help of Nikki Stafford’s books and blogs, fans are treated to her unique insight, witty humor, and a perspective that shines a light onLost’s darkest mysteries. — Chris Temple

I’ve long enjoyed episode guides to the likes ofStar Trek, Buffy, andThe X-Files. What makes Nikki’sFinding Lostvolumes stand out among such efforts is that they’re not just about ferreting out nitpicks and Easter eggs. Her analysis helps the show’s cre- ative team make this intricate fiction more than what you see on the screen, and I wouldn’t rewatchLostwithout it. — Brian Saner Lamken, blamken.blogspot.com

Finding Lostis the perfect companion for casual viewers and die-hard fans alike. Nikki thoroughly explains what newbies need to know to follow along, while exploring the minute details of the series’ dense mythology for hardcore enthusiasts. A must-read! — fb

It is no wonder that Nikki is an editor in her other life — she has the editor’s keen eye for detail and a mind that makes tracking disparate plot points across multiple storylines seem effortless. All of which combine to make her a pretty much perfect Losttour guide, never thinking for you but masterful in nudging you toward fasci- nating new paths through the jungle. — Joshua Winstead

ix