John Locke overview (Spoiler if not up to speed with current S6)

Marcaiocht_Tonn

I always wondered what the final appraisal of John Locke's character was. In the show, MIB made him out to be pathetic and confused, and a "sucker". However, I'm guessing that from the scene when Jack pushed MIB into the water and said "John Locke told me to stay", we were presented with the conclusion that Locke was actually right all along and that he was vindicated, and that Jack finally realised the man's virtue? What do people think? In the winning Fan promo for the last episode, there's a clip from S1 where Jack says "I don't believe in fate", and Locke replies "Yes you do, you just don't know it yet". From my point of view, regardless of whether the mysteries are solved, the ongoing Jack/Locke conflict is a powerful story as despite Jack's animosity towards him, Locke always had faith in Jack coming through. And the fact that Locke has been proved right about Jack at the end is great, and already is a profound ending for this TV show. His death was initially made out to be a pathetic, whimpering end, but in reality his character has been elevated to legend status.
I always liked Locke, and enjoyed the tension between him and Jack. I then disliked him for a while when he was leader of The Others and kind of d1cking people around (though I still found him compelling!), but I feel he came through in the end and we see now that he did care about the other survivors and the island, and that it is tragic that no one came to his funeral.

Desmond is an awesome character and deservedly gets a lot of fan attention. But I feel Locke is perhaps the show's most important character and was at its core in terms of interesting storyline.


Below is Lostpedia's overview of John Locke, interesting stuff. Do you agree with it?:

"John Locke had a character trait that made him unique among the survivors: he never wanted even once to leave the Island. The Man in Black says he was the only one who understood how pathetic his life before the island was.
Opposed to Jack, Locke was a man of faith. Since he gained back the ability to walk, John knew (or thought he knew) that everything, from the plane crash to minim details, happens for a reason. Locke acted wise and could understand the other survivors, wishing to help them fulfill their destiny. He was smiling, very friendly and caring. Adding this to his tracking and hunting skilling, Locke became the second in charge of the survivors, becoming a rival to Jack.
However, Locke’s faith often lead him to make dire mistakes (the first being Boone’s death) that put him away from many survivors. Locke is a less patient and sensitive leader than Jack and can make sudden aggressive moves (he punched Charlie for taking Aaron while Jack nursed him afterwards). Despite having committed only two murders, Locke often acted violent to people he view as enemies and knows psychological torture (having suffered much himself).
Locke was regarded as crazy by Kate and many others. Because of his eccentricities, of his drastic actions and his errors of judgment, Locke had few real friends, to the point that no one came at his funeral. But at the end, all he did was for the sake of the survivors and the Island, and many of his predictions were later proved true. "

Spiritoftheseventies

Locke and MIB are linked. One of the opening scenes had Locke playing Black gammon and then we had MIB playing a similiar sort of game with Jacob.
The similiarities between the two characters are striking. Both were called special, both had inferiority complexes, both grew up not really knowing their fathers.

SimpleLogic

Spiritoftheseventies wrote: »

Locke and MIB are linked. One of the opening scenes had Locke playing Black gammon and then we had MIB playing a similiar sort of game with Jacob.
The similiarities between the two characters are striking. Both were called special, both had inferiority complexes, both grew up not really knowing their fathers.

I would agree the characters are linked in some way. MIB using the Locke catchphrase "dont tell me what I cant do", signals Lock actually might have some control over MIB actions later.

Yes they both didnt really know their fathers but the same could be said for so many others, Clare, Hurley, Miles, Faraday....

But I would strongly disagree that both characters are similiar. They are opposites if anything.
Locke loves the island, while MIB cant stand it. MIB is a man if science while Locke is a man of faith.

I really dont think MIB has an inferiority complex. Comparing the two brothers Jacob and MIB. If anyone had an inferiority complex it was Jacob.

darrenh

Locke is the best character on the show without a shadow of a doubt. The biggest mistake ever made was killing him. I think the show would have been so much better if Locke was still alive now. The writers could easily have came up with another person to be MiB and seen as they were making most of it up as they went along (they were and any who says they weren't is delusional, because I now believe I was delusional for 5 seasons). It would be cool to see him come back to life if MiB was some how killed. I'd believe it no matter how daft it is. Even if it takes some water, light and a wheel :rolleyes:

I could never understand how people like Jack and just presumed they had God complexes too!! Although after 6 seasons he's now pretty cool. Without Locke though, I'd have stopped watching this show a long time ago. Please bring him back.

Spiritoftheseventies

Burner- wrote: »

I would agree the characters are linked in some way. MIB using the Locke catchphrase "dont tell me what I cant do", signals Lock actually might have some control over MIB actions later.

Yes they both didnt really know their fathers but the same could be said for so many others, Clare, Hurley, Miles, Faraday....

But I would strongly disagree that both characters are similiar. They are opposites if anything.
Locke loves the island, while MIB cant stand it. MIB is a man if science while Locke is a man of faith.

I really dont think MIB has an inferiority complex. Comparing the two brothers Jacob and MIB. If anyone had an inferiority complex it was Jacob.

Yes but the two are linked. Ie the black and white stones. Is it too much of a coincidence that Locke was playing the game of blackgammon in first ep and then MIB was playing a similar sort of board game in across the sea.
.

Irish Guitarist

The one thing that turned me off him was when he got Sawyer to kill the real Sawyer (Lockes father). If anything made him look bad, it was that. He didn't want to kill anyone, but he didn't actually care about them dying and getting someone else to do his dirty work. The way he smiled and said "thank you" to Sawyer was creepier than anything Ben has ever said or done.

Apart from that I did think he was a great character. He was my second favourite (after Hurley) during the first series. The first time I really got hooked on Lost was when I saw walkabout.

In my opinion killing him off and having Terry O'Quinn play Flocke was the worst decision ever. If he does look pathethic it's only in retrospect as the writers have changed the story so much. I'm sure at the time when he was talking about faith the writers intended him to be a central part of the story. Having said that, even now what he said about faith has proven to be true. When Jack believed the bomb wouldn't go off, I think he was thinking like Locke would have. Actually John Locke may still prove to be a central part of the story as I'm sure there's some of him in Flocke. I wouldn't be surprised if there's some kind of a battle between Locke and MiBs minds.

Spiritoftheseventies

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

The one thing that turned me off him was when he got Sawyer to kill the real Sawyer (Lockes father). If anything made him look bad, it was that. He didn't want to kill anyone, but he didn't actually care about them dying and getting someone else to do his dirty work. The way he smiled and said "thank you" to Sawyer was creepier than anything Ben has ever said or done.

Theory.

Its all down to long con. And when it began. I think it began in episode "man behind the curtain". Locke was targetted by MIB from a very early stage.
What happened in the Jacob's cabin is where the long con began imo.

PirateShampoo

Who has Locke killed?

tok9

Naomi is the only person Locke killed

PirateShampoo

tok9 wrote: »

Naomi is the only person Locke killed

Ben killed Naomi, he shot her after Locke knifed her.

tok9

PirateShampoo wrote: »

Ben killed Naomi, he shot her after Locke knifed her.

No he didn't.. Ben was tied up..

She eventually got back up and hid in the jungle until Kate found her, she called the freighter and died of her wounds

PirateShampoo

tok9 wrote: »

No he didn't.. Ben was tied up..

She eventually got back up and hid in the jungle until Kate found her, she called the freighter and died of her wounds

So then why am i convinced there is a scene where Ben pulls a glock from somebodys bag when his hands are bound and shots her?

Daysha

PirateShampoo wrote: »

So then why am i convinced there is a scene where Ben pulls a glock from somebodys bag when his hands are bound and shots her?

You're thinking of Charlotte in S4E2 perhaps?