Jacob's Foot: More "The Candidate" and other musings as LOST moves ever close to The End.

I have even more to write about "The Candidate" and other LOST things including the awesome LOST podcast. Let's go:

Sayid's death had the right amount of closure. In the flurry of the emotion of the episode and admist attempting to strike a decent balance between the shocking deaths and the important John Locke/Jack story taking place, one can forget to ruminate on the totality of Sayid's personal narrative, his own arc. In "LA X," he was broken, scared and full of fear. He asked Hurley what he thinks happens after death. Sayid was convinced he'd go to a place quite unpleasant. What he didn't know was, upon his resurrection or whatever you want to call it, that unpleasant place was inside himself. Sartre, in his play No Exit, had one character exclaim that Hell is other people. Hell is sometimes your own self. Sayid made a deal with His Smokeness that infected him. He felt nothing. He did what he was told. "You're evil," Dogen told him. Sayid accepted that. "What will you tell her you did to bring her back?" Desmond asked. Sayid didn't respond. We saw him on the beach of Hydra Island, telling Jack where they were. It seemed like he had more to say before MIB interrupted. Before Desmond was thrown into the well by NotLocke, NotLocke tried to rattle him, to scare him. Desmond wasn't scared. What's the use of being afraid he asked NotLocke. Perhaps, the profoundness of Sayid's talk with Desmond lies in the not being afraid. We didn't see how the conversation ended. We only saw a renewed Sayid. Perhaps Desmond told Sayid why it's useless to be afraid. We won't see the end of their conversation but I'll bet we see the full scope of Desmond's influence in the final three episodes so we'll be able to understand how he saved Sayid's soul.

Fans on various LOST messageboards have theorized about Jack offering Claire an Apollo candy bar as well as her rejection of the candy bar because that's exactly what Jacob did with Jack after the dural sac incident that Jack eventually fixed (as told to Kate in the Pilot episode). My own humble opinion is: sometimes a guy offering a girl a candy bar and her not wanting it is just a guy offering a girl a candy bar and her not wanting it.

Fans have been clamoring for the Outrigger mystery to be revealed. I'd like to see that resolved as well. There wasn't a huge chance of seeing that mystery solved because everyone is on Hydra Island. Why bring this up? I don't know. It's not a good segue but it's a seque. Fan outrage has been more evident after this week's episode. I can't recall a more vocally angry internet outrage than the outrage about this episode because of the characters who died. I don't agree with the naysayers. In fact, I probably wrote about how I wish they'd stop watching the show if they find so much wrong with it. It's television and free. Chuck Klosterman wrote something, I imagine as a retort to all of the LOST naysayers he's been dealing with, on Twitter. In fact, Klosterman did an awesome job on a BS Report podcast with ESPN.com's Bill Simmons of defending the show. Simmons was in the majority of fans who felt that the show going to be a train wreck until it ended after seeing the first six episodes of the season (I wasn't and remain a part from that community of fans). Klosterman essentially told Simmons that LOST is what it is and he suggested to just roll with it. He considers it, as do I, to be one of network television greatest shows of all-time. Klosterman describes LOST as 'the most exclusionary show ever.' I totally agree. He also compared it to reading a Russian novel. I've read a few in my life and I'd agree.

The point he essentially made then and made outright on Twitter is: "If you continue to watch a serialized TV show you actively dislike, you completely deserve your unhappiness."

Listen, in less than two weeks, there's going to be a 250,000 word recap of the series finale that at least one person will be reading besides myself (and I'm the author!). There's less than 2 weeks to go now. Maybe after tomorrow's episode, "Across The Sea," the negativity and bitterness will cease. I hope it does so that the fan community, the loyal community who have been watching for six seasons without ever leaving, can enjoy the ultimate unwrapping of the Christmas gift (as DL and CC have said). LOST is a great Russian-esque novel. NotLocke, in "The Substitute," told Sawyer that he's so close (to the Number Caves in the context of the episode). We're so close, fans. Embrace and savor the final three episodes because there's never going to be a show like LOST again.

Other Things to Address:

--I forgot to add this in "The Candidate" entry. Lostpedia noted that only six season one character remain in the Island timeline: Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley, Claire and Walt. It's wild and sad.

--I listened to the penultimate podcast episode of The Offical LOST Podcast on Saturday afternoon. The penultimate podcast. Amazing how time flies. It seems like yesterday they announced their three-year deal that would end LOST in its sixth season on a podcast. But I shall save the podcast memories for the entry I write after the final podcast has been listened to. It's coming this week as there won't be any prehasing for the series finale. Expect the "Goodbye, LOST Podcast" entry sometime this week.

I'll be back Wednesday with thoughts on "Across The Sea" as well as the LOST rankings.