The Seduction of John Locke

To all those who say the writers are making it up as they go along, I cite the opening scene of "Deus Ex Machina". This episode begins with a younger, less-bald John Locke at work at what appears to be a Wal-Mart, explaining the game of Mouse Trap to a small boy. He tells the boy that you start with all the pieces off the board, but slowly you build the trap, patiently waiting for it all the pieces to fall into place and your opponent to land in just the right spot. And when the time is right, you spring the trap. He tells the boy it's his favorite game.

That's the perfect metaphor for John Locke's life on the Island up through Season 5, right? He starts off angry and alone, a truly pathetic man in every sense of the word. Then Abaddon put that walkabout idea in his head. He starts to invest himself in the thought of a "spiritual journey of self-discovery". Instead of going on his walkabout, he lands on the Island, where he's gifted with the ability to walk. He meets the smoke monster, looks into the eye of the Island, and what he sees is beautiful (even though what everyone else sees horrifies them). And then the dreams start. These dreams, more than anything else, feed Locke's need to feel special. They lead him right where he wants to go and convince him of the importance of his quest, that he's the chosen one. Locke proceeds to believe whatever he thinks the Island tells him, whether that means killing Naomi, moving the Island, or sacrificing himself. By the time the Island starts skipping in time, all the pieces are in place. He's going to land on that wheel of cheese.

The Man in Black set up this whole trap, and Locke couldn't see it. He was the perfect target: an extremely needy man who wanted to be loved - to be special - more than anything else in the world. The Island put the pieces on the board by giving him his legs back, then let that wheel of cheese dangle right in front of his nose, guiding him right below the cage with the dreams, "Help me", and a lot of other nonsense, until the MIB sprung the trap. Now Locke's dead, Jacob's dead, and the Island might be exploded. Not good times. Take a lesson from your favorite game, John.