Lost: Episode 609

We finally get the back story on our good friend Richard.  And it was pretty much what I predicted all along.

Richard’s History
Richard’s story starts on the Canary Islands.  He accidentally kills a doctor while trying to get medicine for his wife, Isabella.  She dies.  Richard is arrested.  A priest tells him that he can never be absolved for his sins.  A naval officer comes and purchases Richard and asks him if wants to go to the new world.  He then says that Richard is the property of Magnus Hanso.

We then see the Black Rock sailing the high seas and crash into the Island, smashing into the statue.  Richard and some other guys are chained in the hold.  The officer comes down and starts killing them since he figures if they are free they will kill the officers.

The smoke monster comes and kills the officer and then stares at Richard and then leaves.  For a few days, Richard tries to escape, but to no avail.  Isabella comes to visit him, says that they are in Hell and that the devil is coming.  She tries to run, but we hear the smoke monster get her.

Then, the Man in Black comes to visit Richard.  He frees him from his chains and says that he must kill the devil in order to get his wife back.  He gives Richard the knife (the one that Dogon gave Sayid) and tells him to stab him before he has a chance to speak.

Richard heads to the statue and all of a sudden, Jacob comes out of nowhere and beats the crap out of Richard.  He explains that he is not the devil and that this is not hell.  In order to convince Richard, he dunks him in the ocean a few times.  Once they are seated, Jacob explains a few things.

He says that the Man in Black is evil or a malevolence that needs to be contained, like the one in a bottle.  The island is the cork.  Jacob says that he brings people to the Island to prove to the Man in Black that humans are not all corruptable and bad.  Unfortunately, Jacob cannot interfere with them, yet the Man in Black can, so he offers Richard a job to act as his advisor/representative.

Richard then asks if he can have his wife back, which Jacob replies that he cannot do that.  His next request is for his sins to be absolved.  Jacob cannot do that one.  Richard then says that he does not want to die then because he does not want to go Hell.  Jacob can do that.

Richard then goes to the Man in Black and gives him a white rock as a gift from Jacob.  The Man in Black informs Richard that if he ever changes his mind, the offer to join him is still on the table.

Later Jacob and the Man in Black sit together.  Jacob is astounded that the Man in Black tried to kill him.  Man in Black says that he wants to leave the island and that he will eventually kill him.  Jacob says that someone will replace him.  He then gives Man in Black the wine bottle and says that he will see him later.  Man in Black smashes the bottle and says to himself  “sooner than you think.”

Back to the Present
Ilana explains to everyone that Richard will know what to do next.  Unfortunately Richard is now a good bit crazy and says that he needs to go talk to someone else.  He goes back to where he buried his wife’s necklace and shouts that he has changed his mind.

Out of nowhere comes Hurley, who says he has a message from Isabella.  Basically she forgives him and he puts the necklace back on.  Hurley then says that Isabella said to never let the Man in Black escape the island or else everyone will go to Hell.

Thoughts
This was definitely a good episode, and the thing that amazes me is how much people over think everything.  People putting way too many rules on what Richard can do and what his role was.  Basically he is exactly what people said, the representative of Jacob.  He does not age and cannot kill himself.

I really thought that Jacob was going to say the Man in Black’s name, but I guess they are holding that one back for a few more episodes.

Interesting sidebar, the actor who plays Jacob, also plays Lucifer on Supernatural.

It was pretty cool to see Hurley as the one who reasons with Richard.  Glad that Hurley has went from bumbling idiot to the guy who knows things and seems to be a major player in this game.  Unfortunately, I do not believe he will be Jacob’s replacement.  Can you imagine people coming to the island and Hurley being like “Okay, dude listen up.  You must not be bad, okay?  Cool.”

That is why that Jack is really the best candidate.  Plus he has always been the one to oppose the real Locke at every turn.  I think he would be the right choice.

Author: Ngewo