Parallel Universe

Cheif Brody's Thoughts on "Some Like It Hoth"

Hey, gang...Thanks for stopping by to listen to me ramble on about "Some Like It Hoth".

How about that title, eh? Hoth. When this episode title appeared online, everyone assumed this episode was going to be about someplace cold...not literally referencing a well known planet from "Empire Stikes Back". That would be too 'easy', some probably thought. Well, sometimes with LOST...the answers ARE that literal.

This second Miles 'centric' outting was well worth the wait, especially since he had to share his first outting with a few other "Freightees" backstories. Refelcting back on the episode, I'm struck by all the parallels stuffed into 46 minutes of television. This was just a beautiful job on the writer's part in layering these interwoven stories of "Daddy Issues". I love when the flashbacks so wonderfully mirror what's happening in real time on the island.

Russell & Mr. Gray

Miles & Pierre "Douche" Chang

Luke Skywalker & Darth Vadar

Ben & Roger Linus

Miles, Russell, Luke and Ben...all share a strained relationship with their difficult fathers. Mr. Gray laments he isn't sure if his son knew he loved him...Pierre chose or was forced to step out of Miles life, leaving Miles to wonder if HIS dad ever loved him. Ditto for Luke, who only heard stories about the great man his father was...but, if he was so great...why did he abandon Luke, the young Jedi might have wondered. And then there's poor Roger, who can't seem to show Benjiman he loves him until his little boy disappears. Roger & Mr. Gray being the closest kindred spirits in this episode.

Speaking of 'spirits'...A couple of other parallels...Felix and Alvarez...two of three souls Miles consorted with...I'm not counting poor Mr. Vonner...as tiny Miles didn't really understand that 'reading' as it was happening. But the grown Miles knows he's special...just not 'how' he's special...another attribute shared by other Losties...Locke and Hurley, specifically. But back to Felix & Alvarez.

Alvarez died thinking of a girl named Andrea, Miles tells us...as his 1960-70's METAL filling shot through his brain...No wonder the D.I. needed a "Chernyobal" type wall to control that pesky magnet in the Swan hatch! Then there's Felix...Working for Widmore? About to expose Widmore? Well, we don't know that...or how he died...or who killed him...we just know he had all the evidence of Widmore's involvement in the 'sinking' of faux Flight 815. I'm thinking poor Felix DIDN'T work for Widmore...and he planned to expose Widdy's 'lie'...and it cost him his life? Perhaps in another life...Felix would have been driving around in a black van with his buddy Bram? (Nice literary nod to the creator of everyone's favorite 'undead' Count there!).

Then there's the "Star Wars" parallels. If only Luke had been able to go back in time and see young Anakin bouncing his beloved twins on his knee in a galaxy far, far away. Perhaps losing his hand to Vadar's light sabre could have been avoided...(and awkwardly kissing his own sister in "A New Hope"). This echoed a point Hurley went to great strains to make. Miles GOT that opportunity at the end of this episode...What will Miles do, now that he knows his father in fact DID love him in the '70's? Miles said it wouldn't be fair to Russell when he returned Mr. Gray's money for his bogus reading...would it be 'unfair' to Mile's long lost father to NOT try to bond with him now that he has the chance? What will be the reprecussions of that? Will history be erased?

Speaking of erased...Jack was staring pretty intently at the hieroglyphs on the chalkboard in the Dharma classroom....right before he erased them...erasing history, perhaps? Jack seemed to be falling hard on the "whatever happened, happened" theory of time travel when he refused to step in and save bullet ridden Ben. But, could the good doctor be having a change of heart? He extended the olive branch to Sawyer...offering up his tip that Roger is about to blow the lid off LaFleur & Kate's 'save Ben' plan...but when pesky Phil skipped up with the sonar fence surviellence tape...Sawyer knew the jig was up. What to do with Phil the snitch? Kill him? Bribe him? They can't keep him tied up forever. I'm so glad that Sawyer is now forced to come up with a better plan than 'reading & thinking'....and playing house with Juliet.

"The Emire Strikes Back" began in a cold place for Luke Skywalker...and ended in a cold place for Luke Skywalker, being confronted by the fact his father is his own sworn enemy. The same could be said for Miles Strame/Chang in this excellently structured episode of LOST. Kudos to writers Melinda Tsu Taylor...and the keeper of all LOST continuity, Gregg Nations...they honored one of the most iconic sci-fi tales of all time with a stellar sci-fi tale of their own.

But, the "Hoth" episode begs one nagging question...If Pierre Chang is Mile's Darth Vader/father...Who is The Emperor?

Thanks for reading this nonsense. I'll be in the "Hoth' AICN talkback for further analysis and more discussion. But feel free to comment below with your thoughts. Right now...I need a beer!

Namaste!