With the final season of Lost approaching (ever so slowly), I’ve been getting a bit nostalgic. Add to that the fact that I have many weeks of columns to fill before we can start digging in to the final mysteries of the show, and I thought it was the perfect time to look back at some of the best moments of the show. Each week, when there isn’t any big news to discuss, I’ll be writing about some of my favorite moments on the show.
To start us off, I want to talk about one of the earliest jaw-dropping moments on the show, and there have been several over the years….
Of course, I’m talking about the final moments from the first season episode “Walkabout,” when it’s revealed that John Locke was in a wheelchair before landing on the mystical island with the rest of the castaways. “Walkabout” was only the fourth episode of the show, and for many, this was probably a Blow the Hatch moment, even though that whole phenomenon was named after the hatch blowing at the end of season one. If you ask me, I don’t think Lost had a Blow the Hatch moment at all, I think it was stellar and fascinating from the opening scenes.
The scene definitely added a whole level of intrigue and mystery to the show, however. Sure, the monster had already been introduced at this point in the show, and it was clear that there was some crazy, unexplainable stuff happening on the island, but when the camera panned out at the end of the episode, revealing an angry Locke, bound in his wheelchair, yelling at the tour guide who wouldn’t let him go on the walkabout, the game changed. It’s like the writers threw down the gauntlet and told all the viewers that they should hold onto their seats. Anything could happen on this show, and boy howdy, just about everything has happened on this show.
Locke has been a pivotal figure on the show throughout its run and this revelation set up so much about his character. It was a great twist ending, and informed the character moving ahead, as well as moving back in flashback episodes that would explore his relationship with his father. I think this was pretty much the quintessential Locke moment, and definitely one of my favorites in all of Lost.
Clacked by Bob Degon
on Sep 21, 2009 @ 12:00 EST5EDT
I remember that moment as well. He’d basically been a leader, walking around, taking charge, becoming the Locke we all know and love and then BAM! We find out that he and the island are more awesome than we thought. It also made me go back and re-watch the first few episodes in light of the fact that he shouldn’t have been able to walk (I watched Lost season one on DVD while knitting a baby blanket). You’re right. First really awesome moment of the show.
I actually opted out after the first episode or two, and my wife watched season one alone. We bought the DVD afterwards because she HAD to re-watch it pre-season 2, and I started watching with her … my point is, after seeing it again for the first time then, I definitely found myself agreeing with you, Bob: “I think it was stellar and fascinating from the opening scenes.”
Oh, and the wheelchair reveal was cool. :)