Lost Recap #2.5: Walkabout
Season 1, episode 4
Hero of the episode: Locke for his perseverance and Rose for not giving up her belief that her husband, Bernard, is alive
Zero of the episode: Sawyer
Quote(s) of the episode: “Don’t tell me what I can’t do.” – Locke to everyone who doubts him; “We don’t have time to sort out everybody’s god.” – Jack on the decision to burn the fuselage and the bodies in it; “And you gave him his knife back.” – Sawyer after listening to Locke talk
Music vibes: hyper staccato-like music when the boars attack the camp. The best music is in the final 3-4 minutes, a mixture of hope and resilience as Locke takes a few steps.
Little things: Claire organizing a memorial service.
Episode notebook:
The opening shot of Locke’s eye, then he’s staring at his feet/toes. Why? There’s a lot of significance to this shot as the episode progresses.
Vincent is barking loudly at the plane wreckage. Something is rumbling and making noise in the fuselage. Not the jungle monster, but a pack of wild boars.
“Metro” is Sawyer’s nickname for Jack.
Jack states it’s time to burn the wreckage with the bodies in it.
Sayid is also trying to find the power source sending the French distress signal
Fight fight fight! Food is gone except for the stash Sawyer is hoarding for himself.
Locke reveals his collection of knives and his plan to hunt the boars. Yeah, totally normal for someone to check a suitcase full of knives on a plane.
Flashbacks to Locke’s seemingly dead-end job and a boss whining for him to get his TPS reports in. TPS reports? Did we segue into the movie Office Space?
A walkabout, according to Locke, is a journey of spiritual awakening.
Charlie seems to be running low on drugs. Crash and burn is imminent.
In the past, John talked to “Helen” about going to Australia for a walkabout. This voice on the phone is a call girl, but I’m trying to remember why he asks her to pretend her name is “Helen.” It’s a season or two before we meet the real Helen, the woman Locke is in love with.
Shannon. Shannon. Shannon. What a manipulative person, conning Charlie into fishing for food.
Return of the unseen monster, who Locke stares right at. Can’t remember why Locke was spared by the monster?
Locke is the hero of the day, returning to camp with a dead boar – food for the group.
The final flashback and the big reveal that Locke was paralyzed and in a wheelchair before the crash. Why can he walk now?
Episode recap: Walkabout. In short, a walkabout is a spiritual journey, particularly for Australian Aborigine males on their journey from adolescence to manhood. It’s also the title of the fourth episode of Lost. This episode is what sold me on the series. It’s still my favorite, followed closely by “The Constant” (that’s season four, we’ll get there). This episode is all about Locke’s spiritual awakening.
We open with yet another close-up of eyes, this time it’s Locke on the day of the crash. It wasn’t until I started rewatching that I realized how much these opening shots became a trope for the show. The next episode also opens with a close-up of someone’s eyes. Anyway, back to Locke. He’s staring up at the sky, but then he’s starting at his feet. Was he injured? It’s a mystery as we drift back to the present day. A night when yet again ominous sounds startle the survivors, this time coming from the fuselage full of dead bodies. Vincent is barking like a dog possessed, but it’s clear that he’s just sensing danger and wants to protect Walt. What’s the danger?
Wild boars run amok, injuring some of the survivors. It leads Jack to an ominous conclusion. It’s time to burn the wreckage. The smell of decomposing flesh will only attract more animals, putting everyone at further risk of harm. Plus, the rescue teams might spot a big bonfire.
So begins the plans to burn the wreckage, but a larger problem is afoot. Most of the food is gone, except for what nice guy Sawyer is hoarding for himself. Jerk! What do the survivors do now? A knife sailing through the air, landing right next to Sawyer offers a solution. It’s time to hunt, according to Locke, who just happened to be ready for the occasion with a suitcase full of knives.
Flashbacks to Locke’s past reveal a complicated man. At first glance, you think Locke might be some government agent or military officer, but he’s just a working man who likes role-playing games. He’s longing for adventure, hence his trip to Australia to go on a walkabout. This boar-hunting mission isn’t about finding food for the group, Locke needs to prove to everyone and himself that he’s capable. He’s capable of doing anything, despite people telling him that he can’t.
What couldn’t Locke do before the crash? Walk. He was paralyzed from the waist down, preventing him from going on the walkabout he was so looking forward to.
The reveal of Locke in a wheelchair was a shocker. But by weaving together the previous episodes and this episode, the clues were there. In the pilot, Locke looked like he was struggling to run as Jack screamed for his help. Throughout the flashbacks in “Walkabout,” Locke is always sitting but there’s no hint of a wheelchair until the end. In those moments after the crash, while everyone is screaming out in pain, shock, and fear, Locke is smiling. He’s struggling to stand up after the crash but is happy just to be able to stand. The music and the cinematography in the final three minutes are just pitch-perfect. And that final smile from Locke as the episode ends was just the right touch. Please come back next Thursday for episodes five and six.
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