tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448824486226424563.post133552423495816146..comments2023-04-29T05:49:10.011-04:00Comments on Mistaking Coincidence For Fate: Top Ten Episodes #2: 2.10 "The 23rd Psalm"Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07475817897723801757noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448824486226424563.post-58933759442936540582007-12-05T08:26:00.000-05:002007-12-05T08:26:00.000-05:00Interesting comment about death hanging over those...Interesting comment about death hanging over those in the implosion. Eko and Charlie died in the course of the season and for a while we thought Locke might too, at either Ben or his own hands. The only one that didn't seems to run the death gauntlet was Desmond.memphishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11135806668363907263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448824486226424563.post-80182593777089122882007-12-05T00:09:00.000-05:002007-12-05T00:09:00.000-05:00Yeah, I totally think that he knew this was the en...Yeah, I totally think that he knew this was the end. I believe death hung over Eko like a cloud (of black smoke, har har), sort of the same way it followed Charlie. The hatch implosion changed everybody: Locke regained his faith, Des became displaced in time, and Eko became marked for death. And I think that, as Locke regained faith in the island, Eko lost it. Eko does have faith, but it's not in the island, which is why he rejected its 'false' salvation.Paula Abdul Alhazredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09383429691581717478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448824486226424563.post-953415225997003882007-12-04T21:49:00.000-05:002007-12-04T21:49:00.000-05:00That's a really interesting analysis, Paula. You'r...That's a really interesting analysis, Paula. You're certainly right that Eko seemed to accept his past in TCOL and the Hatch explosion was the trigger. But it still sits with me wrong, I guess. <BR/><BR/>But I guess I could see your point in this way: Did Eko think he was dying... i.e. did he take the Monster's message that he had to confess as it being his last confession? Maybe if he thought this really was the end (that he was going to die from his injuries) <BR/>he realized that, despite his efforts to repent, he really wasn't sorry for everything he had done. <BR/><BR/>Of course, if he had known the Monster was going to turn into a giant hand and pound the life out of him, I wonder if he would have changed his mind? ;)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07475817897723801757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448824486226424563.post-7866321722319999692007-12-04T16:38:00.000-05:002007-12-04T16:38:00.000-05:00I've written about this quite a bit, and it's real...I've written about this quite a bit, and it's really made me have to think long and hard about the change in Eko's personality between "23rd Psalm" and "Cost of Living." Personally, I don't think Eko's repentance in season two is fake. I believe it is absolutely genuine. He has gone from a vicious criminal unashamed of his actions, to a criminal disguised as a priest trying to make up for getting his brother killed, to a man truly sorry for his past who wants to set things right. So, what the hell happened in season three? I believe the hatch implosion changed Eko fundamentally, and allowed him to find a middle ground between his past and his present. Instead of existing in either extreme, he's accepted his past instead of rejecting it, whilst retaining his newfound faith. He rejects the forgiveness offered by the island, as he no longer accepts the messages from the island as the word of God. Therefore, only God can judge him, and the island is not God. When Eko repeats, "I have only done what I needed to do to survive," he doesn't mean it the way he meant it in "23rd Psalm." The first time, that statement was made out of arrogance. The second time, it is made out of acceptance. I don't think Eko was reverting to his old way of thinking, I think he was just making complete peace with his past instead of getting on his knees and flailing before the island saying, "I'm a horrible person, please forgive me!" He has given up his almost inhuman sense of humility and instead revealed himself to the flawed human being that he is. I think that's what is hardest about that final scene . . . Eko goes from being this iconic character to an imperfect man who is happy to be imperfect. I'm sure this would have been developed better had AAA been killed mid-season as opposed to early in the season, but I think there's still a logic behind what happened to him.Paula Abdul Alhazredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09383429691581717478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448824486226424563.post-6505778383000937842007-12-04T12:41:00.000-05:002007-12-04T12:41:00.000-05:00Me too also. :-)Me too also. :-)Capcomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06841675195251354073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448824486226424563.post-31981394302230119292007-12-04T11:08:00.000-05:002007-12-04T11:08:00.000-05:00When I first sat down to make my list, it was very...When I first sat down to make my list, it was very difficult to cut it down to only ten. I knew there were about 5-6 I absolutely wanted on there, but the bottom was a bit more fluid. <BR/><BR/>I probably could have put most of the second half of Season 3 on there (especially One of Us and Greatest Hits), but ultimately decided to just have "Man from Tallahassee" to represent them. <BR/><BR/>It will be interesting what episodes from Season 4 end up on the list and where.<BR/><BR/>As for Eko, Capcom, sadly I do think AAA's desire to be off the show made the writers change Eko's<BR/>perrsonality a bit (making him defiant instead of penitent). I think that's why "The Cost of Living" bothered me so much (aside from Eko's death).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07475817897723801757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448824486226424563.post-71296410645067636142007-12-04T08:54:00.000-05:002007-12-04T08:54:00.000-05:00I'm impressed you can pick 10 Jay. I think my top...I'm impressed you can pick 10 Jay. I think my top episodes change based on my moods. Episodes that would have been my favorite post S2 have dropped off the list post S3 and not so much for S3 episodes to replace them, but because my opinion of the characters have changed. Dang those guys are good at manipulating at least my part of the audience.memphishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11135806668363907263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448824486226424563.post-33784437087773632992007-12-03T10:22:00.000-05:002007-12-03T10:22:00.000-05:00P.S. very good post all the way through, I forgot ...P.S. very good post all the way through, I forgot to say that. :-) And good call about the vents, and Eko's different behaviors, and the reason for his travel destinations.Capcomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06841675195251354073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448824486226424563.post-81344375920056392262007-12-03T10:15:00.000-05:002007-12-03T10:15:00.000-05:00Oh yes, definitely one of my favorites. I do wonde...Oh yes, definitely one of my favorites. I do wonder though, why Smokey backed away from defiant Eko the first encounter, and then stood up to Eko and challenged him the second time around. Except of course, for the fact that the actor wanted to be killed off. But I still wonder why TPTB made Smokey do a turnaround like that. Maybe Smokey sizes someone up and then might say, "Ah, he's not so tough." :o)Capcomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06841675195251354073noreply@blogger.com