Oh how I do love this LOST theory, from Entertainment Weekly:

John Locke is no longer alive — not in the traditional, off-Island sense of being ”alive.” The new Locke who washed up in last week’s episode is an Island creation imprinted with the old Locke’s consciousness. This is not the same thing as reincarnation, which is an eternal soul that puts on new flesh. New Locke can thrive only on the Island; if he strays from its life-giving power, he will gradually wilt like a flower denied sunlight. Similarly, as long as New Locke continues to think of himself as Old Locke — as long as he allows himself to fall prey to old weaknesses or return to old habits — he will not experience the fullness of strength that the Island provides its new creations. (And yes, I say ”new creations,” as in plural. My hunch is that some or all of the other castaways currently experience life in this fashion. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that the Oceanic 815 castaways are actually divided between people who really did miraculously survive the crash and ”reasonable facsimiles” of Oceanic passengers created by the Island.)

But here’s the thing about New Locke: He has no soul. And herein lies the secret to the great saga of Lost. You see, John Locke’s body, in any form, has NEVER had a soul. His life is the story of adulterated destiny — and radical course correction. Remember: Locke was born three months prematurely after a car struck his pregnant teenage mother. We never saw the driver. Locke grew up nagged by a feeling that he was meant for a different kind of life. And he was: We now know that the Island has been trying to bring him to its shores since he was a wee lad. My theory is this: Somebody went back in time to kill Locke’s mom in order to prevent Locke’s birth. It didn’t work — but the would-be murderer (Ben? Widmore? Ms. Hawking?) did succeed in making a mess of Locke’s predestined life. Locke’s eternal soul was displaced from its body — and it went to the Island, where it’s been waiting for reunification. And my guess is that this great, redemptive moment will occur…in the final five minutes of the last episode of Lost.

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That’s some theory. Holy cow. So the question becomes which of the Oceanic 815 castaways actually did die in the crash, but are actually copies of themselves, who will lose their strength when they fall prey to their old weaknesses or return to old habits? This, I think, is actually way too hard to do. Christian Shepard came to the island dead, just as John did this time. But then, of course, people died on the actual island, like the people they buried alive when they were paralyzed, Charlie, etc. And I’m annoyed by the whole, "you get to die when the island is done with you, so there’s no point in trying to kill yourself." As if the general time you are to die is predetermined. The exquisite torture of LOST!

More to follow later tonight. Apologies in advance to all those who couldn’t possibly care less. I’m doing these Lost Wednesdays through all of season 5, mostly for myself, to keep track.

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Okay, there was much to digest on this episode. First, I must go back and watch the episode "The Man Behind The Curtain."

Seeing Horace again, made me brush up on the details we know about him: "Before he came to the Island, Horace was driving with his wife Olivia 32 miles outside of Portland when he came upon Roger Linus carrying Emily Linus on the side of the road, right after Ben had been prematurely born. He wanted to take Ben’s dying mother to the hospital, but she died before he had the chance to."

Obviously that was no coincidence. Ben was born prematurely (when mom was in 7th month of pregnancy), as was John Locke (born when his mother was 6 months pregnant). And wouldn’t you know that Ben and Locke were both named by their mothers, who had the same name: Emily. Emily Linus, Emily Locke.

And our boy Horace is the one who built and designed the cabin where we see Jacob. Horace was married to Olivia, but was also wearing a wedding ring when Amy gave birth this episode.

4 YEARS AGO: Gushers