Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: A | 1374 USERS: A- YOU GRADE IT Live Alone; Die Together
By Cindy McLennan | Season 5 | Episode 16 | Aired on 2009.05.13
Ilana
Gift: None.
Touch: No visible touch and Jacob was wearing black gloves.
Words: A request to help him.
Analysis: Ilana seemed to know who Jacob was. Was it of her and her crew that Jacob spoke, when he gasped, "They're coming" with his dying breath -- or was he speaking of Jack, Kate, Sawyer, et al, and their giant Jughead-fueled reset? If Jacob is this island's god, are Ilana and her crew angels or zealots?
Sun & Jin
Gift: None.
Touch: Touches them both on their arms -- at the same time.
Words: His blessing in the form of cautionary words -- not to take one another for granted.
Analysis: I can't read any deep ulterior motive into this, which makes me think better of Jacob's interactions with the other characters. Of course, there's the obvious motive of making sure Sun doesn't leave Jin for her lover, which plays into them flying to L.A., which lands them on the island in the first place but I mean beyond that. Arguably, all Jacob's interactions with these characters marked them in some way, and occurred at key moments in their lives, and in some way Jacob meeting up with them was meant to assure they'd wind up on the island.
Locke
Gift: None, unless like me, you think he brought Locke back to life.
Touch: Firm grasp of shoulder.
Words: Tells Locke not to worry and that he's sorry this happened to him.
Analysis: I can't read any ulterior motive into this, either, except for the obvious one of making sure Locke survived long enough to get to the island. If Jacob brought Locke back to life once, will he do so again?
Jack
Gift: Apollo Candy Bar.
Touch: Their fingers brush.
Words: "I guess it just needed a little push."
Analysis: Is this a metaphor for Jack being the kind of guy who gets so bogged down with fear that he can't act? Did Jacob somehow give him a little push by rewarding him for telling off his father? I don't know. I can't make sense of this one.