Locke's Legs

[teaspoons]

Something that I am extremely puzzled about is Locke's Legs. In the scene where he gets stabbed in the leg he can not feel it, then the scene where he is sticking himself with a safety pin, still no feeling. Now my question is this, has this always been the case or has he temporarily lost feeling?

something tells me that he is indeed still paralyzed and has no feeling in his lower body, but the part of his brain that sends messages to his legs to move has been f'ed with and he is able to walk because he thinks he can. Some force on the island that is controlling his dreams is somehow allowing manipulating his brain to think he can walk, although he is in fact still paralyzed.

I guess I am having a bit of difficulty expressing my thoughts clearer, perhaps someone can help?

[azteclady]

I do not have definite answers to the question, just opinions.

My belief is that Locke had feeling in his legs after the crash, because when he was laying on the beach right after the crash and lifted his heads to look at his toes, these were moving. This, to me, implies that he felt his toes moving and that's why he looked. Also, his reaction to Boone pointing out that he [Locke] had a piece of metal sticking out of his leg, and later his pricking himself all over, clearly point out to surprise on Locke's part - he suddenly realizes that he's lost/is losing feeling in his legs. Pretty soon after that, he starts to lose control over them - hence his limping and later his barely being able to walk, even with Boone's help.

I don't think I quite understand what you mean when you say: "Some force on the island that is controlling his dreams is somehow allowing manipulating his brain to think he can walk, although he is in fact still paralyzed."

Do you mean that everyone else around the island is also hallucinating Locke walking around? If so, who did the boar hunting at the beginning, or who helped Michael climb that trees to rescue Walt from the polar bear?

I suggest that you check out Locke's forum for some older discussions regarding the condition that originally paralyzed him - it may offer some insights. [At the very least, they are interesting reading ;) ]


Beto
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[Bungarian]

He could feel but the island took it away. He does not seem to take very good care of his legs since he burned the hell out of his foot.

[teaspoons]

I don't know, but there is definitely something controlling his ability to walk/not walk. So I guess he is still technically paralyzed as if he left the island he would lose that ability.

[Mcanical]

I believe that the island was protecting him from the inevitable "Boone, plane debacle". The island still needs Locke for something.

He got his feeling and ability to walk back right afterward.

[moongirl0719]

My husband has been saying since the very first ep that Locke's paralysis is all pschological. Let's say that's true, then let's examine this further.

For starters, let's agree that Locke seems to be a Fatalist. He believes in destiny and things that are meant to be. If he had a breakdown of some sort, at some point four years ago, he could have invented the paralysis idea in his head as a crutch or whatever.

He believes the island has given him a new life, a fresh start, if you will. He gets to start over from his previously crappy and boring life.

What would suddenly trigger a relapse? Well, for the first time since he's gotten to the island, he is up against a wall (with the hatch.) So he may be reverting back to his old defeatist ways.

[moongirl0719]

Wow, I gotta post something here. I was reminded on another thread (the one titles Theresa) that Locke's foster mother died 4 years ago (ok, there's that nunber 4 again, we're all in agreement that it keeps popping up)

Here's the thing - psychological or not, do you think that Locke's paralysis had something to do with his foster mother's death? He's only been paralyzed four years. Coincidence?

[UDcc123]

I think that he's had this "condition" since he landed on the island...the condition that he can feel his legs, but he can't feel pain in his legs. Thus, all throughout last night's episode, he felt his legs, he just couldn't feel pain (from the glass, fire, etc). But something about the plane brought the pain back.

I thought that the island was trying to tell him NOT to go to the plane. That the pain was a sign that he'll lose use of his legs again if he continues this pursuit...until of course the light in the hatch came on at the end.

Anyone else upset they still haven't shown why he was paralyzed???