It is appropriate that Hurley and Charlie were central characters in last night's episode. Thematically, their seperate journies on the island have now come together with a renewed sense of comradery when they needed it the most. I'd like to compare the music from last night-- a personal favorite song of mine, "Shambala" by Three Dog Night-- to previous themes involving both characters.

A prominent song featured on Hurley's headphones in season 1 was "Wash Away" by Joe Purdy. The similarity of the lyrics is no coincidence-- both songs consider water as a medium to expunge sins, cares, and pain:

"Wash away my troubles, wash away my pain
With the rain in Shambala
Wash away my sorrow, wash away my shame
With the rain in Shambala"

"I got troubles oh, but not today
Cause they're gonna wash away
They're gonna wash away
And I have sins Lord, but not today
Cause they're gonna wash away
They're gonna wash away"

The metaphor extends beyond Hurley, however, when one considers the larger implications of the water motif. Baptism, a physical act involving water, represents a spiritual cleansing and a purging of sin, a renewal of purpose and a rebirth. Baptism was featured prominently in the Charlie-centric episode, Fire + Water. This means that for Charlie, last night's events were just as relevant as they were to Hurley. Coming from a spiritual background, Charlie understood the significance of baptism in Fire + Water, so he would certainly be able to appreciate the renewal described by the lyrics of "Shambala." Furthermore, by being in the position of staring down death's door, he instead chooses rebirth by defying his "destiny."

According to the Bible, man is sinful and destined for damnation, but acceptance of Christ, represented by baptism, gives a chance at rebirth. Perhaps, just as Hurley has now come to believe he can defy the "curse" of the numbers by the power of his own belief, Charlie can defy the "curse" of his predicted death, by confronting it as he did last night.

I love that!

I didn't think of that! What a wonderful analogy. Thanks! :)

According to the Bible, man is sinful and destined for damnation, but acceptance of Christ, represented by baptism, gives a chance at rebirth. Perhaps, just as Hurley has now come to believe he can defy the "curse" of the numbers by the power of his own belief, Charlie can defy the "curse" of his predicted death, by confronting it as he did last night.

That's very beautiful; thank you.

Something interesting in the water motif, if you don't mind. The ocean is frightening. Hurley's "shoulder devil" Dave plunges into the ocean - like the demons that fled into the Gadarene swine. Hurley smacks Charlie for moping and staring out at the ocean, which is what people do when they fall prey to despair. People die in the ocean. The Tailies fell into the ocean, not onto the beach, and things go far worse for them. The Others seem to rule the ocean (or something does, as people aren't apparently able to sail away, at least not unless The Island or The Others let them.)

But fresh running water, OTOH, is life. The Losties need fresh water - and Jack is somewhat mysteriously led to it. (Water from the rock, anyone?) Peculiar rain falls on Locke.

Kate and Sawyer begin their friendship in a lovely swimming scene - even if it's marred by the bodies at the bottom of the pool. (Is there some kind of corruption or impurity in their relationship?) Hurley and Libby begin their relationship at "the town well" (so to speak), the washing machines in the hatch, where they sort clothes and Libby makes Hurley blush by trying on that sexy camisole. (Is this a metaphor for desire that's selfish, versus desire that's pure?)

Then (even though it doesn't rain!) we have this lovely song, with this great image of rain falling down and washing everyone.

Because curiously, The Island is almost like two different places to two kinds of people. "To the pure, all things are pure..."

Thanks again for a really uplifting and beautiful post.

You really are spot on with this one. I could go on and on listing examples of this motif from the show, but I don't wanna go overboard so I'll just list a few.

Michal cleaning the bloody floor after murdering Ana Lucia and Libby.

Locke washing his shirt after Boone's death.

Locke in the sweat lodge.

Desmond's nakedness after the hatch implosion (ok this is more metaphorical but you see what I'm getting at)

awesome!

brings to mind the song by Joe Purdy, "Wash Away". it was in an episode pack in Season 2. the lyrics are similar:

I got troubles oh, but not today
Cause they're gonna wash away
They're gonna wash away

And I have sins Lord, but not today
Cause they're gonna wash away
They're gonna wash away

And I had friends oh, but not today
Cause they're done washed away
They're done washed away

And oh, I've been cryin'
And oh, I've been cryin'
And oh, no more cryin'
No, no more cryin' here

We get along Lord, but not today
Cause we gonna wash away
We gonna wash away

And I got troubles oh, but not today
Cause they gonna wash away
This old heart gonna take them away


....interesting.

Yeah, I like it.:)

All our main characters are weighed down with real or imagined guilt and need washing to be whole again.

It is appropriate that Hurley and Charlie were central characters in last night's episode. Thematically, their seperate journies on the island have now come together with a renewed sense of comradery when they needed it the most.

It is interesting that in S2 even though Hurley and Charlie don't spend as much time together as they do in S1 and S3, their storylines were mirroring each other. Both Hurley and Charlie were keeping secret stashes in S2 (the food and the heroin) that were dragging them down, isolating them and making them haunted by their pasts. Towards the end of S2 they both got rid of their stashes and were set free. It seems very appropriate that they have come together again now.

Well, it's been said that the show is called "Lost" not only because these people are 'lost on an island far from home,' but they're also lost in their own lives. Terrifying and bizarre as it may be, I think their experiences on the island are helping them find purpose and a renewed vestment of hope in their lives. And I'm fairly sure that's one major theme for the entire series; facing the demons of the past, and redemption.

That's very beautiful; thank you.

Something interesting in the water motif, if you don't mind. The ocean is frightening. Hurley's "shoulder devil" Dave plunges into the ocean - like the demons that fled into the Gadarene swine. Hurley smacks Charlie for moping and staring out at the ocean, which is what people do when they fall prey to despair. People die in the ocean. The Tailies fell into the ocean, not onto the beach, and things go far worse for them. The Others seem to rule the ocean (or something does, as people aren't apparently able to sail away, at least not unless The Island or The Others let them.)

Charlie also seemed afraid of the ocean in the past. "I don't swim..." when he runs for Jack when Boone and Joanna are drowning, his face always struck me as somewhat haunted...and whatever killed Sceve came from the ocean...

Charlie also seemed afraid of the ocean in the past. "I don't swim..." when he runs for Jack when Boone and Joanna are drowning, his face always struck me as somewhat haunted...and whatever killed Sceve came from the ocean...

It does bring to mind that part in Lord of the Flies, where the kids are all frightened of "The Beast from the Sea."

Admiral Erik Pressman, good point about the washing, too.

It seems that water does play a big part in LOST not only physically but metaphorically.

The water, in all reality, is really thier barrier from the outside world. It is what is keeping them from freedom.

I like all of these ideas.

Well, it's been said that the show is called "Lost" not only because these people are 'lost on an island far from home,' but they're also lost in their own lives.

Indeed, and this is a huge part of what makes the show so involving to me. If it was just about people with cardboard personalities uncovering mysteries, it wouldn't be nearly as engaging. The themes of redemption and second chances are rampant in the show, which is why part of my personal theory is that many, if not all of the Losties will elect to stay on the island at the end of the series.

In one of the first 2 episodes of the series (the pilot or Tabula Rasa, can't remember which), it starts to rain and everyone starts running for shelter while Locke sits calmly, arms outstretched (in a Christ-like pose), and lets the rain wash over him.

This is a really good find, and like someone else said, is one of the reasons I like this show so much. I'm gonna rewatch some stuff and see if I can find more.

Indeed, and this is a huge part of what makes the show so involving to me. If it was just about people with cardboard personalities uncovering mysteries, it wouldn't be nearly as engaging. The themes of redemption and second chances are rampant in the show, which is why part of my personal theory is that many, if not all of the Losties will elect to stay on the island at the end of the series.

Thank you! That is exactly how I feel; why I have been so despondent since the beginning of S3, and why last week's ep lifted my spirits so. If I didn't *care* about these characters, I wouldn't watch anymore, and certainly wouldn't post here. I'd just move on. Random puzzle solving for its own sake has never held my attention.

RB, do you have a link to where you have written more on your theory? Because someone and I were having that very conversation today, re: Hurley. It seems if anyone would stay on The Island, it would be Hurley - not only because of the possibility that whatever is wrong with a person could come back when the person leaves (a riff on the Shambala / Shangri-La idea), but also because Hurley is really out of sync with the modern world in many ways.

I don't see where staying on the Island is necessarily a bad thing - depending upon what you have to go back to. And most of the Losties really don't - Hurley's mom has his dad back, and if he does give away the money (as the TTID ep suggests he might, and I for one think it's a good idea!), what's there for him but ridicule and another low-end job? When he has a heart the size of the world, in a world that measures your "success" only by money and physical beauty.

Kate and Sawyer, obviously, are looking down at the wrong side of the law, if they return.

Sayid's country is under US occupation - if he did come to the US, he's lucky he'd stay out of Guantanomo prison.

Sun and Jin still have to face down the Korean mafia. And so on.

He11FiRe, I do hope you look! I remember that scene with Locke and the rain - it sent shivers up my spine. Locke I felt got really sidetracked with his obsession with the Hatch. It will be interesting to see more of his story.

Another point about the water idea. Jack is "led" to the freshwater spring by the "vision" of his father, walking through the jungle. So there's some unsolved mystery (what happened to Jack's father's body?) associated with the finding of the first fresh water.

I don't really have anything more detailed on that theory, it just seems to me that by the time the end of the series comes, the island will have changed these people so much that they will realize they cannot just reintegrate into their lives like nothing happened. Can you imagine Locke as a regional manger for a box company again?

I don't really have anything more detailed on that theory, it just seems to me that by the time the end of the series comes, the island will have changed these people so much that they will realize they cannot just reintegrate into their lives like nothing happened. Can you imagine Locke as a regional manger for a box company again?

Absolutely not - nor can I imagine Hurley going back to another fast-food or equivalent job. Except perhaps for Jack, I can't see anyone whose story we've followed closely even wanting to go back, if they continue to change.

We don't know exactly *what* they'd be going back to, either. I'm not convinced that time moves at the same rate on The Island as "outside."

True, and there is that whole clue TPTB dropped about the climate in that last scene of season two.

What an amazing and fresh theory! Very Cool!