(Group1): All the Best Cowboys & Piss-Poor Captains
+5 5 Votes
Rate it:
By jazprof
- (Group1): All the Best Cowboys & Piss-Poor Captains
- Created: Jul 10, 2007
- Last updated: Aug 13, 2008
- After episode: 3.22: Through The Looking Glass
- Status: Current
- Flag this theory:
“I’m not letting him do this—not again”
— jazprof
What I was focussed on in this episode was whether or not Jack was supposed to save Charlie. If he didn’t save him, then no decoding at the Looking Glass, no contacting Naomi’s ship?
One way of approaching the question might be through the Star Trek reference. Locke describing Captain Kirk’s failure to save the red shirts—”sounds like a piss-poor Captain”—would seem to indicate that for Jack to be a good Captain, he needs to act as he does and save Charlie. But another reference to Jack’s role as the Captain was made earlier by Locke when he quite logically points out that Jack shouldn’t go with them as they are risking the camp’s only physician. (One problem with the original Star Trek—the Captain was always going with the away team.) Actually Locke’s logic and rationality contrasted with Jack’s emotionalism made me think they were doing a Spock/Kirk to some extent.
There were several things that made me think again of the “do-over” theme in Jack’s story:
- He is going in circles when Locke catches up with him.
- He says to Kate “I’m not letting him do this—not again” about Ethan.
- the rainfall just before they find Charlie—I’m beginning to think (since Tabula Rasa) that the rainfall signals a change in someone’s fate, wiping the slate clean, baptism.
- In the backstory, Christian is always emphasizing the inescapable nature of things—the damage the woman suffered was “irreversible”—Jack takes the opposing view, and in fact revises his and his father’s fate by changing his story before the board. Interesting that what changes his mind is hearing that the woman was pregnant. Pregnancy as change.
A few other thoughts and speculations from this episode:
- I was thinking that my idea that Christian might in fact have been Jack’s handler in the same way that Mrs. Hawking is for Desmond was reenforced by his speech about treating Jack harshly in order to make him who he is, and what he says about how he has had to make sacrifices in his personal life for the greater good.
- When Locke insists that they stop and rest, he says they have to get their “clarity” back—I’m sure that play on words isn’t accidental.\
- Kate describing her father says “being in the woods, it was like his religion”—is Locke Kate’s father figure?
- Michael’s “gone south”—another interesting play on words.
- Walt has switched to playing white—the lucky playing the unlucky
- Sayid (I think) is the first one to hear voices, which fits with his communication role
- Charlie’s eyes look damaged—when I looked up the ep on Lostpedia it said that the title is a reference to the Pete Townshend album “All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes” and that the title refers to a story told inside the album cover of leadership and sacrifice in a time of crisis. For the greater good, was Charlie supposed to be sacrificed?
- The image of Jack holding Charlie after he had revived him looked very like the PietÃ
Key characters
| Short Name | Full Name | Episodes | Theories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie | Charlie Pace | 1.7, 1.2, 2.10, 1.24, 3.21 | 403 |
| Jack | Jack Shephard | 1.1, 1.5, 2.11, 1.11, 1.16, 1.20, 3.9, 3.22, 3.1, 4.10, 4.12, & 3” href=”/episodes/theres-no-place-home-parts-2-3/”>4.13 | 1451 |
Key episodes
| # | Title | Aired | Central character | Theories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.11 | All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues | 12-8-2004 | Jack | 92 |
Jaz, God damn I’m glad you are back great post. For sure when Jack said to Kate “I’m not going to let him do this, not again”, Made me think that last time Locke convinced him to go back and Charlie died but this time he was clear that he was going to stay and save Charlie. Also When Locke left Kate and Jack he seemed to completely abandon search and wasn’t looking for Charlie any more, It made me think he knew the outcome and was being drawn to the hatch to his NEW destiny. If Locke had found Charlie he would have quit resuscitating him and Charlie would have died, Nobody else as you clearly stated would have been able to punch in ‘good vibrations’ and the whole outcome of the show would have been different. The question is was the last outcome better or worse??????
Thanks sleepz! Great to see you too, and great to be back.
Nice addition on Locke’s role—is Locke the only one not going in circles? The one forging a new path?
One other thought I was just reminded of having to do with “daddy issues”—comparing Aaron to Walt—Michael continued his downward spiral here and it made me think that if they are the two special children, Walt may be negatively impacted by his daddy issue, but what about Aaron? Is he going to have “Daddies” as he grows up (first Charlie, then Hurley?) and will that steer him toward a more positive outcome?
good points but i really dont buy the idea that anyone, especially jack, has ‘been there n done that’. i especially dont think we can conclude this from one remark (not again) that could have several meanings. i jus think its totally unrealistic, jus cos of how jack is on the island, cynical, and always needing proof of everything, if jack knew for a fact he had travelled thru time, would he really find it hard to believe there were others, about the button, there ‘destinies’ etc etc…
Jaz - yeah I reckon he is I think his statement “I’m on my own path now” will be more significant once we know the answer’s.
Regarding Aaron - good point he seems the only one without daddy issues with all the male role models in his life Locke, Charlie, Hurley supporting him maybe he’s the key to breaking the cycle, maybe Ben thought that Walt was the key but soon figured out that Walt to dwells on the dark side.
LostLondonGyal - not saying that this is for sure the answer BUT there are loads of examples that would fit in perfectly to this. Hey dont listen to me a originally bought the clones idea
llg, yeah I don’t think it’s time travel per se—which would at the very least bring up all the problems you mentioned. I think if that is what is happening to Jack it’s more along the lines of what is happening with Desmond. And I don’t think Jack is fully aware of living through things again. I think there was evidence for this in the Pilot ep and in the last ep of Season 3, not just that one remark, and there are probably more as well. Those are just the two eps that spring to mind.
Interests: martial arts, science, philosophy, music, film, anime, comics, tv of course
LOL!!! x5
under jazprofs interests it says philosophy, and here she is shes trying to be all philosophical like she knows it all!
ANIME?!?!?! lololol
also, jazprof learn how to spell lol
nice catch Kat :-)
Great observations, as always, jaz.
jaz, I love your instances of the do-over theme with Jack’s character. I believe that theme is present in all the characters, even Ben.
Locke for instance: I think sleepz hit the nail on the head, reiterating Locke’s “I’m on my own path now” line. His past was haunted by his need for a father figure. He could’ve fallen into line and simply follow the orders of Jack, or anyone else, instead he’s grown into an independent man, not needing anyone else. And even when he gets his father back (physically, not literally), he could just set Cooper free, or he could kill him out of spiteful revenge. But like I mentioned in kat’s thread, he sacrifices all those things in allowing Sawyer to kill Cooper, which allows Locke to get what HE wants, the secrets to the island (via getting in with the Others).
On the flip side, I believe a person like Ben has failed his do-over. He hasn’t been able to escape his disturbing father-figure-tragedy. First, he couldn’t get by his father and just be his own man, but even now, he’s still answering to his own (perhaps mental) father-figure - namely, Jacob. Is Jacob just an imaginary manifestation of Ben’s own father? Poor, poor Ben, still taking orders from the man in control of his life. Not able to escape, either his father or the island.
Hey I see we’ve recruited another village idiot Welcome to the site AndrewTX I’m sure it will be ever so much better now your here
LOL @ sleepz! Another fool on the hill as it were eh?
Great thoughts jaz.
It’s also ironical that Locke says that to Boone before his death. It kind of makes Locke a piss poor captain.
Sham your right I didn’t really pick up on that he’s sorta dogging his own ability.
Great post Jaz.
Thanks for the great analysis.