What Mr. Eko failed to realized (why his death is the most tragic)

[Jack T Kirk Too]

He was just doing what he had to do to survive. He was just doing what he had to do to protect his little brother. This is what Eko says to justify his actions. Its true that he shot the old man to save his little brother from a life of sin...and sure, he sincerely believed that he was doing what was best for Yemi...but look what happened. He became a drug lord, he murdered people, and in the end, he inadverantly caused his brother's death. Not only could Eko not save his brother from violence, Eko, in his sin, destroyed everything his brother worked for. The new drug lord shot and killed a village woman because Eko was proud and told him that he wasn't afraid of him. Then he selfishly sold the polio vaccine. And finally by killing those men he destroyed his brother's church. He really did need forgiveness.

Eko recited the 23rd psalm but apparently he did not understand it, because if he did, he would've relied on God to save his brother, not his own strength. God had plans for Eko. The cross symbolized his priesthood and when he killed the old man he traded it for the life of a warlord.Then on the island he found the cross again on his brother's corpse in the beechcraft. For a time, he wore it and assumed the life of a priest, but his motivation was incorrect. He built the church because he felt like he owed it to his brother, not to do God's will.

Because of his tremendous guilt over Yemi, Eko was easy prey for the monster, which manifested itself to him as the black smoke. The smoke lured him away from the church to press the button. The button caused Eko to surrender his priesthood in the same way it caused Locke to surrender his calling as a hunter. After the hatch exploded and Locke saved Eko, the smoke monster continued to haunt him, sending illusions of Yemi, setting his hut on fire, sending him alone into the jungle where the ghosts of his past came to torture him, playing off his guilt in every way possible. Locke came to give him his cross back in his soft, friendly tone asked Eko "what are you afraid of?" But sadly, Eko didn't listen. His true brother's body was stolen away so he could not tell him he was sorry. Then the fake Yemi decieved him into handing over his priesthood, then it brutally killed him. Yemi never did get to hear he confession. Eko died an unrepentant sinner. His last words, "you're next", were words of despair. This is why Eko's death is the saddest thing to ever happen on LOST.

[sgtdraino]

To a degree, I actually agree with this.

I don't think that Smokey is God, or even a god (in fact, it definitely seemed at least partly mechanical in this episode), but it seems to be acting on a program similar to God. I firmly believe that the reason Eko was killed, was because of five words:

"I ask for no forgiveness."

Eko had done many bad things in his past. And while it is true he later found a redemptive path, good works do not negate evil deeds. Smokey scanned Eko, and apparently knows everything about him. For whatever reason, Smokey chose that time to judge Eko for what he had done. When Eko refused to repent, he got smited.

The timing of the thing is still very odd to me. Smokey seemed to have a special connection with Eko. Possibly as strong as with Locke, maybe even stronger. I got the feeling that Smokey had plans for him, intentions that Eko would play a part in things to come. Why did Smokey choose to judge Eko at that time? And what future plans did Smokey have for him? We'll probably never know.

[boonian androphile]

Locke communicated that he saw a white light when the essence (or whatever) of the island appeared. Eko obviously encountered the black smokey. There is of course discussion that there are two smokeys. Perhaps there are. Maybe what we have is the light/dark completion involving the same entity. I dont think that this/these island manifestation(s) pertain specifically to God as many of us perceive Him, but are island specific. I am hoping that the island itself has created it/them and I wish that they were in fact the island in active form. If it/they is/are manmade, well there's always symbolism.

Last season, Yemi appeared as a more joyous havid, apparently to draw Eko toward some other deed than what Eko was doing above the soil. Eko, although capable of violence, was focused on achieving and maintaining a more priestly disposition. Ths season, the hatch implodes, causing Eko not only to lose consciousness but evidently focus. Perhaps Eko was reminded by his losing the hatch of his having lost the church back in Africa.

Maybe then Eko was experiencing, when his consciousness was restored, anger which spawned from guilt for his past actions. And maybe Eko's smokey was responding to that not as a logical being but as a intransically emotional one, as would a self-centered kid. The island may have joy and rage, but little else. The island is perhaps not blessed with emotional nuance.

I really wish that the plot had spent more time on Eko struggling with these concerns because more time would have meant more investment in the character's ideals and identifying with his ideals would have allowed us to appreciate his death more than to be saddened (as some of us were) or enraged (as some of us, including me, were) by it. Didnt help that the stupidity inside the Pearl hatch was transpiring at the same time. This season, the writers, I think, are trying to make points better, to tie things together better, but continue to make choices which just cheapen things. Eko was a great character and deserved a better process towards death, and therefore a better outcome than the one which he finally reaped.

[Naps]

ok, Boonian, you need to stop putting charactrs in your banner, every character you've put in that has been written off the show! And they've been all my favorites

[boonian androphile]

ok, Boonian, you need to stop putting charactrs in your banner, every character you've put in that has been written off the show! And they've been all my favorites

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:


Just reminding TPTB of some of their many errors! Love live the dead and the missing!

[sgtdraino]

Locke communicated that he saw a white light when the essence (or whatever) of the island appeared. Eko obviously encountered the black smokey. There is of course discussion that there are two smokeys. Perhaps there are. Maybe what we have is the light/dark completion involving the same entity.

This is an interesting point Hodge and I were discussing: Locke has seen BOTH.

Apparently when he first saw the monster, he saw "a very bright light. It was beautiful." but then later, in the season finale, he saw a "column of black smoke" attempt to drag him into a hole.

I think it's pretty clear at this point that Smokey and the HAVIDs are largely the same thing, and that Smokey can pretty much take on any appearance it wants. But why appear two different ways to Locke?

Perhaps it's a mood thing. As the very bright light, it didn't attack Locke. As the smoke, it did. But then, as the smoke, it initially didn't attack Eko either. How come? Got me.

[boonian androphile]

Perhaps the first encounter with Mr. Eko was a draw superficially. However, Smokey used that opportunity to gather information. That information was used in to infiltrate Eko's judgment via Locke's already obsessive devotion to a connection with the island. Mr. Eko, as tough as he was, was vulnerable to suggestion via his own guilty psychology. Eko was reached via Locke. Locke remained certain all too long that the answers were in the hatch, that when Locke radically changed his mind, he was committed to proving the hatch wrong. Didnt help that Mr. Eko was wearing the visage of zeal that Locke was did. Locke was, I think, a little envious. Ultimately, after Locke abandoned the hatch that he had long embraced, Locke did not seek a reconnection with his man the island monster. I can fill in the blanks as to why but I wish that we had had some idea coming from Locke himself. Maybe the crying. Maybe Locke did seek reconnection and the monster did not return his call. The monster was busy, perhaps, ringing in Eko's head.

In season one Locke was grateful and full of new wonder. A reciprocity of good will occurred. Locke developed great insight into the workings of his peers, in something of an anti-con perception. This good will was all folly of course, because Locke had dreams (a bad sign) and went beyond the spreading of cheer: he sought a disciple as the island directed. We know the results. Locke's own willingness-to-please psychology may have confused that poor beautiful monster just a bit. Locke wanted the hatch and not the monster (Locke probably assumed the two were synonymous) and this is why I think why the Smokey arm grabbed Locke and attempted to drag him underground.

After Locke fell into disillusion with the hatch (and who didnt?), Locke had an opportunity to redirect his anger back to purpose; Locke had the temperment and skill. Mr. Eko did not. Mr. Eko was angry, angry perhaps that his (delusional) work ended in futility. The flashback promoted the parallel idea of the loss of the church through the violence that Mr. Eko was willing to enact within the sacred walls. He was thinking of this; he was thinking of failure. His anger and weakness of spirit (represented I supposed by Eko's weakened physical state) brought in the murderous Smokey. Eko did not have the same chance that Locke had to compose himself. And apparently Smokey, the monster, the island, or whatever, just doesnt accept nuance or mitigating fallibility.

I think, therefore, today, that Smokey and the White Light are two manifestations of the same force, and that while this force can tap into peoples' minds, Smokey and the White Light and generally the primary physical entities. While Locke was engaged in the stupid hatch, the monster tried to tap into other minds. Charlie and Hurley were not good candidates. Neither had a complete obsession to radicalize any self-transformation; Charlie and Hurley just wanted to be somewhat better people and help out their friends and loved ones. Too weak for a monster the size of the island. Eko was the prize. But Eko, I think, just became another offering that the island rejected. It was no coincidence that each climbed the same mountain. And it is really no coincidence that Eko's and Locke's stories have been so intertwined.

[Looking Glass]

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:


Just reminding TPTB of some of their many errors! Love live the dead and the missing!

I havnt visited the boards nearly as often as I have watched the show, so my question is, who or what is TPTB?

[boonian androphile]

The Powers That Be

These are the fine individuals who write, direct, produce, own, and who are mostly at fault when things collapse. They do good things too, but apparently they prefer negative replies from us the fans. It's the only thing that can explain season 2, for example. In season 3, however, they prefer a little praise too and are trying to improve the show. Mixed results so far.