Wow. That was a rather intense episode. A mother sends her only son to be killed by herself in the past to save the world? And we thought Locke was the "Messiah" figure. Last night's 100th episode of the series, titled "The Variable," played out like a classic Greek tragedy. Eloise Hawking raised her son (Daniel Faraday) his whole life to be killed by her eventually. But is Faraday dead?
As it happens with just about any character that is killed on the show, there is debate on whether or not that person is really dead. A good 98% of the time, the character ends up being dead. The one bit of evidence in the "Faraday's alive" camp that is making the Internet rounds is that Faraday seemed to be behind the camera during last year's Comic-Con video with Pierre Chang. In last night's episode, Chang would have none of Faraday's theories on time travel. So this would mean that Faraday is alive right?
There is a lot of debate amongst Lost fans right now as to whether or not that was Faraday speaking in the video or if the video should even be considered canon. If you don't know about the video here it is now. It's from San Diego Comic Con 2008 and was shown during the Lost panel with Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse, and Matthew Fox. Give it a few moments for the character to get in the Dharma booth. Listen for the person behind the camera. Is that Faraday? Does that prove he is still alive?
So is Faraday dead or alive? "The Variable" was really rich in foreshadowing. I have watched it twice and there was so much more information that I saw during the second viewing. If you watch it again, listen closely to Faraday's conversations with the other Losties, especially Miles. While some of the answers (such as Widmore planting the fake 815 plane and Widmore being Faraday's father) weren't too shocking, I believe the writers gave us an awful lot of clues about what is to come in this episode. You can only really see them with multiple viewings, so if you have the time watch it again and see what new things you discover.
"The Variable" was a great example of tragic irony. The weight that must have been on Hawking's shoulders to know that she would train/raise her son to be shot by her must have been huge. As an episode it was a great one. I understand some of the complaints that the answers weren't that shocking, but that wasn't the point of the storyline. The point was to set up the events to come. The writers let Faraday slyly hint at what was to come so well that some of his hints are only caught on repeat viewings. So if you're on the fence about this episode, watch it again. You won't be disappointed.
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I don't know why, but I think the reason Ellie left the island has something to do with Widmore. Perhaps she was caught going off island to visit him and got banned as well. (this would add an extra layer of meaning to the "don't talk to me about sacrifice" line she said to him at the hospital.)
And it's paid off that the show has been focusing more on the "minor" characters of late. Shows that even they and their actions have caused major ripples and reprecussions for the Oceanic Flight 813 Crew.
As usual one thing really bugged. "I didn't consider the variables". Really? Faraday spent his entire adult life studying these equations and failed to notice the variables? Even for a show with magic islands, time travel and teleportation, this seems a little absurd. It's like a particle physicist studying the atom for years and suddenly realized he forgot about neutrons.
I love lutton's idea about miles talking to a dead faraday, but I think hugo would have a much funnier conversation with him (and they could play chess!)
I think it is farady in the comic-con video, so my guess is that he survives the gun shot. After all, Jack is surgeon and is standing 20 feet away. This would sort of explain what happens during the time between the swan accident and the Dharma purge.
I'm guessing that Eliie gets Dan's notebook in the 70's and therefore would know what is going to happen right up until the time Dan goes back to island, hence the "For the first time in a long time I don't know what will happen next".
its hard to pick something out of lost and call it "absurd"... i mean, a smoke filled "monster" kills people, an entire island disappears, ppl are sent back and forth in time, and hurley hasn't lost a pound in 5 years after being stuck on an island... thats freakin absurd!
Did Hurley eat Rose and Bernard???
after all we only saw the first page...who's to say she hasn't writing down a few things as guideposts for her son.
Also, this episode really proved a popular theory about the show. There are multiple time lines, and turning the wheel each time puts us on a new timeline. Faraday's mother proved this when she said to pennie that she doesn't know what will happen from now on, after she sent her son back to be shot by a younger her. i'll let these guys explain a little more www.timelooptheory.com.
PS: scenes from the next look pretty awesome. looks like there will be a group of people who believe what faraday said, and a group that doesn't and they will go to war to save or destroy the island. those who think that by destroying it they will prevent the plane from crashing and those who either a: don't think that or b: dont want to destroy the island because they dont want to go back to their lives. i look forward to seeing what side kate is on, being that she was a criminal before this happened.
And Faraday, in his disjointed, genius ramblings, has helped us wrap our heads around all the time-travel plot lines.
Will have to watch this episode again - it is tying up, but I am missing the comraderie that the crash survivors had in earlier seasons. This season gives answers, but I miss the (Claire/baby/Charlie-everyone goofing off times when things were simpler parts of the show), and the connectedness of each one with the other. Now there are 4 groups (Widmore cronies, Univ. of Michigan Dharma Initiative, Others, and survivors) that are weaving in together, plus the "time" travel, and I get dizzy.
Thank you too for giving me hope for Daniel. If his life ended now I would be so sad because he never really had one, did he? I enjoyed the passion and authenticity Jeremy brought to the role. For ever how long he is gone he will be missed very much. Can't believe I just found your Lost blog. I'm so glad.
Oh and I do believe that's Faraday. Definitely. Can't wait to find out how he finally convinces "Candle."
2. This whole new twist sets up the conflict of the final season: those who want to change the past to save their future/present versus those who don't want to alter the past. Along with the revelation of who that team of people was that crashed on the second plane and the answer to the question "What lies in the shadow of the statue", this will be one of the major plots for the final season.