Does anyone else find it odd that Ben asks for the "man from Tallahassee" to be brough to his room but yet it never happened? Was he referring to John's father?

That was referring to Alpert, Evan. Who DID show up, and was pushing Ben's wheelchair around in the last scenes.

WHY they call him that, I still don't know.

I dont know about that... Seems like it would be more than the wheelchair guy to be the reason to name a show after....

That was referring to Alpert, Evan. Who DID show up, and was pushing Ben's wheelchair around in the last scenes.

WHY they call him that, I still don't know.

See, it didn't seem that clear to me, STH. I'm with the original poster; was it Dr. Alpert, or was it Locke's dad?

And what is the deal with Tallahassee??

He was referring to John's father.. I thought it was obvious at the end. Who else would it be of significance enough to name the episode after?

It wasn't Alpert he was referring to. Ben was speaking to Alpert. It was Alpert he instructed to get the man. I think that was Cooper, who's obviously a prisoner there. Maybe they refer to him that way because they don't know his real name.

I thought he guy he told to bring the man form tallahassee (Richard) was Dr. Alpert. Richard looked like him from behind.

I dont know about that... Seems like it would be more than the wheelchair guy to be the reason to name a show after....Agreed. That would be odd.
I figured that it was Locke's dad.

I thought it was Locke's father too.

I also thought it was Locke's dad.

Side question: Is Locke's dad the conman who conned Sawyer's mom? In other words, is he the real Sawyer? (Now there's a thread about it... jeeesh!)

It wasn't Alpert he was referring to. Ben was speaking to Alpert. It was Alpert he instructed to get the man. I think that was Cooper, who's obviously a prisoner there. Maybe they refer to him that way because they don't know his real name.
Agree. According to the press releases, Alpert's first name is Richard. I don't think we actually heard him called that in Not in Portland (Juliet always called him Dr. Alpert), but that's who Ben was talking to when Locke was in the closet.

Although Ben said it wasn't a code (LOVED that line!), it was. I just don't think Ben wanted to ruin the nice surprise for Locke by using Cooper's name.

On the last podcast, Damon and Carlton said that by the end of the season, they might erect a statue to John Locke in Tallahassee. So I guess there is more to come about the connection.

I just wonder if the "man from Tallahassee" line is supposed to be more important. I don't think he said that just so John wouldn't realize who he was talking about. He could have done that just as well by telling him to get the new visitor or something like that.

Maybe the phrasing is meant to suggest that he was literally teleported or "generated" there at the island and didn't get there by any traditional means. Either way they've got some explaining to do.

I really don't think it was made clear. I'm guessing now that it was Cooper, but he wasn't brought to Ben, they went to him. I was assuming the flashback took place in California. So where does Tallahassee come in?

:hide:
Yeah, after thinking about it, I realized it wasn't Alpert. Not convinced it was Cooper, though. Cooper was from Tallahassee? I don't think so. I wonder if TMFT is some kind of special "enforcer" Ben uses. Or if he actually talked to the guy before going to visit Locke at the end of the eppy.

In this case, it may be a few eppys before we know who TMFT is. Figures. :rolleyes:

"The Man from Tallahassee" is Locke's dad. Ben kept it vague so as to add to the surprise for Locke. If Ben was referring to Richard, he would've just said Richard, that name has no significance to Locke.

Calling Anthony Cooper the man from Tallahassee is a big flashing bulb to everyone who wants answers. Kate's husband from "I Do" was going to Tallahassee and Sawyer had big issues with a con in Tallahassee. Anthony Cooper is clearly THE Mr. Sawyer and he's the link between Kate, Saywer and Locke. In Kate's upcoming episode we'll see Cassidy in her flashback. I think this will bare out more of my theory.

Sawyer's thing in Florida was the TAMPA job. Not Tallahassee, fyi.

Anyway, the Man from Tallahassee was definitely Cooper. 100% believe that.
Alpert is Richard who brought Cooper to the room so that Ben could bring Locke to see Cooper.
The reason we didn't see Richard's face was so that it would be a surprise that it was Richard Alpert. That was pretty surprising to me because I luckily forgot the press release that Alpert would be in this episode. I was actually more surprised than seeing Cooper there. Because, well, I guessed it earlier on in the episode.

I don't know what the significance of the codename is. I do believe it was a codename so that Locke wouldn't know what was going on, but I don't know why Ben called him that in particular. It probably represents something. But I do believe that Ben knows his real name. (Which, to me, might be Jacob, and not Cooper, btw.)

Sawyer's thing in Florida was the TAMPA job. Not Tallahassee, fyi.

Anyway, the Man from Tallahassee was definitely Cooper. 100% believe that.
Alpert is Richard who brought Cooper to the room so that Ben could bring Locke to see Cooper.
The reason we didn't see Richard's face was so that it would be a surprise that it was Richard Alpert. That was pretty surprising to me because I luckily forgot the press release that Alpert would be in this episode. I was actually more surprised than seeing Cooper there. Because, well, I guessed it earlier on in the episode.

I don't know what the significance of the codename is. I do believe it was a codename so that Locke wouldn't know what was going on, but I don't know why Ben called him that in particular. It probably represents something. But I do believe that Ben knows his real name. (Which, to me, might be Jacob, and not Cooper, btw.)

You're right, it was "The Tampa Job" but I'm still certain the connection between Tallahassee and Tampa will pan out.

Didn't Sawyer say to Jack, "You've been to Phuket, but I've been to Tallahassee" when he was explaining why he knew about antibiotics?

Didn't Sawyer say to Jack, "You've been to Phuket, but I've been to Tallahassee" when he was explaining why he knew about antibiotics?


During the card game? I thought he was referring TO the card game.

If the Man from Tallahassee truly is Cooper, then Ben's pawn has to be one of the dumbest people on the entire show for not realizing something was up.

They know its Locke's dad, so they obviously know his name - yet Ben refers to him as "The Man from Tallahassee"

Then the pawn even asks, "why would Ben want to see him?" in full recognition that the request was weird. And it was happening at like 1 AM.

And even in addition to that, they just captured Sayid and Kate so they know the survivors are up to something.

was Cooper

During the card game? I thought he was referring TO the card game.

During the card game, Sawyer referenced having been to Tallahassee. He apparently had some...health issues...while there. "Something was burnin', and it wasn't from the sun." :71:

I think that Tallahassee is a running joke with the writers. I too believe that they were referring to "Cooper" in the show title and that Ben wanted his folks to bring Cooper to the room where Locke saw him.

Also, voting for Cooper being the real Sawyer, but that's another thread.

Not sure exactly who/what the "man from tallahassee" is. However, if all of you are correct that it is Locke's father, I am a bit curious about why Ben had him brought to the island or "the box" produced him before he was useful. That is to say, why would they have him tied up and ready to present to Locke at a moment's notice? In order to have the code name "The Man from Tallahassee", Locke's father would have needed to be on the island for a while.

I also wondered if TMFT was actually the name of the submarine.

Calling Anthony Cooper the man from Tallahassee is a big flashing bulb to everyone who wants answers. Kate's husband from "I Do" was going to Tallahassee and Sawyer had big issues with a con in Tallahassee. Anthony Cooper is clearly THE Mr. Sawyer and he's the link between Kate, Saywer and Locke. In Kate's upcoming episode we'll see Cassidy in her flashback. I think this will bare out more of my theory.

It's also where Kate was going when she was caught at the bus station by the marshal.

Not sure exactly who/what the "man from tallahassee" is. However, if all of you are correct that it is Locke's father, I am a bit curious about why Ben had him brought to the island or "the box" produced him before he was useful. That is to say, why would they have him tied up and ready to present to Locke at a moment's notice? In order to have the code name "The Man from Tallahassee", Locke's father would have needed to be on the island for a while.

"TMFT" is a way for Ben to tell his minions to get Cooper without alerting Locke *or* us, the audience. Because if Ben had just said, go get Cooper, or go get his father, there'd have been no surprise.

But there had to be some way to get Cooper there, tied up and gagged, in the closet. I seriously doubt he was sitting there all along, from the time Locke entered Ben's home.

IMO, in the scene where the detectives were talking to Locke in the hospital room, and said that Locke's father "could be anywhere in the world" and was unlocatable, that was a big hint that he was actually on the Island. So it's possible that Cooper has been there since the onset of Locke's recovery (around four years.)

That's kind of a satisfying notion - the guy's a total jerk who deserves to be "fed" to the Others.

Not sure exactly who/what the "man from tallahassee" is. However, if all of you are correct that it is Locke's father, I am a bit curious about why Ben had him brought to the island or "the box" produced him before he was useful. That is to say, why would they have him tied up and ready to present to Locke at a moment's notice? In order to have the code name "The Man from Tallahassee", Locke's father would have needed to be on the island for a while.

I also wondered if TMFT was actually the name of the submarine.

You bring up great points. I think TMFT is the Black Smoke. The others have it contained somehow and Ben was asking for it, because it would change form into someone from Locke's past and try and test him... the same way it tested Eko. Locke seemed so cocky about the island healing him and not Ben, I think Ben just wanted to expose him to the Black Smoke so he could be further tested.

What better way for Smokey to test Locke's willingness to kill than to transform into his con man father.

You bring up great points. I think TMFT is the Black Smoke. The others have it contained somehow and Ben was asking for it, because it would change form into someone from Locke's past and try and test him... the same way it tested Eko. Locke seemed so cocky about the island healing him and not Ben, I think Ben just wanted to expose him to the Black Smoke so he could be further tested.

What better way for Smokey to test Locke's willingness to kill than to transform into his con man father.

Wow! Great idea! Although I wonder why Ben would need to test Locke's willingness to kill?

During the card game? I thought he was referring TO the card game.
What's so funny to me (living in Tallahassee for the past 20+ years) is why they talk like Tallahassee is a hotbed of hookers and gambling, like Vegas or something!! If there's anything like that going on in this backwater little southern country burg, it's only for the Legislators during session, and even then it would only be done in extreme secrecy!! You never see anything like that here...:D

Maybe Cooper happned to be in Talahassee when they grabbed him?

In any case, I am Ben was referring to Cooper, when he asked for TMFT.

It was Cooper.

I believe the reason he was called the man from tallahassee has more to do with Sawyer (since Cooper is the real Sawyer), I think that there is some connection with him and Cooper dealing with Tallahassee and I know that Sawyer has mentioned Tallahassee before. I think they were killing two birds with one stone.

I thought that Lockes dad was the smoke monster. The 'box' that Ben spoke of is a metaphor for the smoke monster. He said somehthing like 'whatever you imagine is in the box- you open it and there it is." Just like the smoke monster was Eko's brother, Kate's horse, Jack's dad etc.

Tallahassee itself seems to have a special significance to the show, being home to the world's most powerful magnets. (also it has been referenced before) See this thread: http://www.thefuselage.com/Threaded/showthread.php?t=73327

Of course it's Cooper. (Oh, and Alpert is on island ! YAYYYY!!!)

Wow! Great idea! Although I wonder why Ben would need to test Locke's willingness to kill?

The Others have always stated that they are not killers. The Smoke judged Eko for leading a murderous life and not being sorry for it. It's not that Ben is testing Locke, but he knows the island/smoke will. Locke did a lot of bragging that he was in tune with the island and Ben wasn't... so Ben decided to expose John to the Smoke to further put him to the test. At least that is my theory of what happened in this episode.

Will Locke try and hurt or kill the Smoke posing as his father, or will he past the island's test and restrain himself. Who knows, maybe being exposed to his father will put John back in the wheel chair, only time will tell.

It wasn't Alpert he was referring to. Ben was speaking to Alpert. It was Alpert he instructed to get the man. I think that was Cooper, who's obviously a prisoner there. Maybe they refer to him that way because they don't know his real name.

I don't believe it's obvious of anything, don't forget cooper is a con man and so is ben and alpert hell they all are. I mean I can punch a freind a few times and tie him up to look like a prisoner, but he isn't, that's what I think

I don't think the Cooper in the room is Smokey. That Cooper that was bound and gagged seemed to be freaked out and a little emotional. From what we've seen about Smokey taking human/animal form, it's always kinda lifeless. Jack's father didn't even have a face in the beginning right? And Eko's brother just kinda stared blankly. Walt never really did anything except mumble and "Shhh". I don't think Smokey is able to convey actual emotion.

Maybe Cooper happned to be in Talahassee when they grabbed him?

In any case, I am Ben was referring to Cooper, when he asked for TMFT.

My thoughts exactly!!! And Wiki confirms his identity here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_from_Tallahassee

Locke's dad and that is why the episode is named this.

IMO, in the scene where the detectives were talking to Locke in the hospital room, and said that Locke's father "could be anywhere in the world" and was unlocatable, that was a big hint that he was actually on the Island. So it's possible that Cooper has been there since the onset of Locke's recovery (around four years.)

That's kind of a satisfying notion - the guy's a total jerk who deserves to be "fed" to the Others.

I thought the exact same thing. If Cooper could be anywhere in the world, then why not on The Island? It's the perfect place for a con man who's on the lam to disappear to. He probably met up w/ some Dharma folks in Tallahassee. He "let" himself get recruited by them because he desperately needed a remote place to escape to where nobody would come looking for him. He probably thought he could con them too, but Ben was a little too smart for him. That's how Cooper ended up in the box, and that's one reason why Ben knows everything about Locke.

I also thought that Cooper looked like he'd been there for a long time, a lot longer than our Losties have been on The Island. And for a con artist who likes to be in control, it was cool to see him scared out of his wits and not in control for once too!

If the idea that 'anywhere in the world' is The Island... then wouldn't he need some sort of connection to be able to get to the island? Of course. So that would mean TMFT plays a bigger role in the overall story of the island. But what is his connection to Widmore/Hanso/Dharma? He must have one if he escaped to the island as his own will!

I agree with everyone that TMFT is Cooper - though I am unsure if it is really him, the smoke or just an imitation. The way the show ended I would guess we'll find out pretty soon.

My thoughts exactly!!! And Wiki confirms his identity here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_from_Tallahassee
Warning: If you click on the link, it will spoil at least the next few episode titles. Those are considered spoilers here, and actually I think I can make excellent guesses at major upcoming plot developments based on the three I saw. :frown:

Locke's dad and that is why the episode is named this.

Seriously?? ;)

I thought that Lockes dad was the smoke monster. The 'box' that Ben spoke of is a metaphor for the smoke monster. He said somehthing like 'whatever you imagine is in the box- you open it and there it is." Just like the smoke monster was Eko's brother, Kate's horse, Jack's dad etc.

This seems plausible to me!

Locke's dad and that is why the episode is named this.

Exactly...:cool:

Seriously?? ;)

Seriously :)

It was Locke's Dad! It was Locke's Dad! It was Locke's Dad!

The Man from Tallahassee is Locke's dad. They wouldn't have titled the show "Man from Tallahassee" if it wasn't Locke's dad.

its lockes dad, he wouldnt have called him by his real name because that would be obvious to locke who was in the closet

Obviously it would ruin the episode for the viewers if they called him Cooper before the reveal at the end, but could it be they called him The Man from Tallahassee because his real name is something else? Are we sure Anthony Cooper wasn't an assumed name? Maybe his real name is Alan, but if Ben had said "go get Alan" and then we say Cooper, everyone would be theorizing about clones and twins.

Tallahassee itself seems to have a special significance to the show, being home to the world's most powerful magnets. (also it has been referenced before) See this thread: http://www.thefuselage.com/Threaded/showthread.php?t=73327

The magnet in Tallahassee is a pretty big deal in the scientific community. I would bet that it's not a coincidence that these characters keep referencing the city.

Or one of the main writers was an FSU grad... GO NOLES!!

See, it didn't seem that clear to me, STH. I'm with the original poster; was it Dr. Alpert, or was it Locke's dad?

And what is the deal with Tallahassee??

Easy it was a place that Sawyer-James Ford that he has visited and caught something that he would not say what but needed Caphalexin after the visit.

I also thought that Cooper looked like he'd been there for a long time, a lot longer than our Losties have been on The Island. And for a con artist who likes to be in control, it was cool to see him scared out of his wits and not in control for once too!

I thought I saw an injury on Cooper's head. This gave me the impression that he hadn't been there too long. Thinking about it after a second watch I thought maybe they went to fetch him after Locke came to the island as a control effort to use against Locke.

It was Cooper.

I believe the reason he was called the man from tallahassee has more to do with Sawyer (since Cooper is the real Sawyer), I think that there is some connection with him and Cooper dealing with Tallahassee and I know that Sawyer has mentioned Tallahassee before. I think they were killing two birds with one stone.

Excellent I was thinking the same thing.

If Cooper could be anywhere in the world, then why not on The Island? It's the perfect place for a con man who's on the lam to disappear to. He probably met up w/ some Dharma folks in Tallahassee. He "let" himself get recruited by them because he desperately needed a remote place to escape to where nobody would come looking for him. He probably thought he could con them too, but Ben was a little too smart for him. That's how Cooper ended up in the box, and that's one reason why Ben knows everything about Locke.

I also thought that Cooper looked like he'd been there for a long time, a lot longer than our Losties have been on The Island. And for a con artist who likes to be in control, it was cool to see him scared out of his wits and not in control for once too!

I think this is the best theory/explanation on this thread, because it makes sense. I also thought that Ben had learned about Locke's past thru talking w/ Cooper (or by torturing info from him, who knows?)

I enjoyed seeing him looking frightened, too. Now, did he look frightened because he saw Locke, or just because of the general situation he is in, I wonder?

I don't think the Cooper in the room is Smokey. That Cooper that was bound and gagged seemed to be freaked out and a little emotional. From what we've seen about Smokey taking human/animal form, it's always kinda lifeless. Jack's father didn't even have a face in the beginning right? And Eko's brother just kinda stared blankly. Walt never really did anything except mumble and "Shhh". I don't think Smokey is able to convey actual emotion.

did i miss something? this is the first time i've ever heard of the black smoke being presented in another form...i'll tell you one thing Walt was really Walt when he appeared in the jungle all wet, he's able to teleport or project himself to another place somehow, we know he has special powers. Ms. Klue (now dead since Enter 77), asked Michael if Walt ever appeared where he wasn't supposed to be, and told him (Michael) he was very "special". If you can point me towards a thread about the smoke taking on human form that would be great. as for now I disagree.

now, Cooper is "TMFT", and that's because he IS from tallahassee, as in born there. ben says this 'cause Locke doesn't know that's where his dad is from. He barely knows him.

My thoughts exactly!!! And Wiki confirms his identity here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_from_Tallahassee

Just keep in mind that Wikipedia is written by fans so this episode review is wikiality not canon. A Wiki entry alone cannot confirm anything. It can only reference what the TPTB have revealed. If TPTB have confirmed that Cooper is the man from Tallahassee, Wiki didn't reference it.

However, IMHO Cooper is the man from Tallahassee. Strange that Alpert knew immediately who Ben:cool: was referring to and from his tone didn't think much of the man "What do you want him for?" The line also (to me) implies TMFT/Cooper had been there a while. In the Other's jail? Branded? Maybe he washed up on their shores or arrived with a con in mind. Either way the Island arranged it so when Locke and Ford arrived they could work through their issues with him which is what both men want from the box.

"The only way to earn a con man's respect is to con him." Wonder if we ever find out how Ben conned Cooper while Cooper was trying to con Ben? I would have loved to have seen that.

I know it's silly but from the box metaphor Ben used I got this picture of boxes stacked Hollywood Square's style. In one is the "man from Detroit" and in another you have "the man from Liverpool" and so on and in the pivotal center square sits Cooper "the man from Tallahasse" sweating buckets :sweat:.

That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it (until the next podcast).

...don't forget cooper is a con man and so is ben and alpert, hell they all are.

And which con man will be best at conning the cons? Who is in league with whom? Will one con the other (double-cross) in the midst of their Long Con?
These unanswered questions are what makes LOST so interesting!

I'm gonna stay wary of the Cooper = TMFT thing until someone on the show (or Darlton) actually SAYS this. This is LOST, and it's too dangerous to say "definitely" about much of anything! :rolleyes:

And which con man will be best at conning the cons? Who is in league with whom? Will one con the other (double-cross) in the midst of their Long Con?
These unanswered questions are what makes LOST so interesting!

every event in everyones life, from years before the crash to now, has been part of a long con that "someone" is behind.

when a large number of people are involved in multiple lies with each other, someone is going to get blindsided. i.e. the realization that they have been lied to the whole time when they thought they were in control.

if (a) represents the apex of the socail pyramid, the "mastermind", then (b) - (z) are all suckers that have been duped by (a). but, there is always a chance of (zero) character, one who is invisible and is the true puppet master and is letting (a) think he is in control, therefore taking all the heat.

I thought I saw an injury on Cooper's head. This gave me the impression that he hadn't been there too long. Thinking about it after a second watch I thought maybe they went to fetch him after Locke came to the island as a control effort to use against Locke.

Watched it again too and noticed a couple of scrapes on his head. Can't tell how long he's been there yet, but I got the impression Ben's had him locked up for some time now. Whatever they've done to him, they certainly don't think too highly of him.

I enjoyed seeing him looking frightened, too. Now, did he look frightened because he saw Locke, or just because of the general situation he is in, I wonder?

I think it was a bit of both. He was frightened of whatever Ben & Co. have done to him so far, both physically & psychologically. And then seeing John walk in the door, who he surely must have thought was dead or paralyzed, just put him over the edge.

so, in a few different posts, there is talk of cooper being at, or just below, mr. widmore in the chain of command of the entity that is behind the whole shabang. a few have mentioned that the fact of cooper drinking the same whisky as widmore, puts him high up in the ranks of the coalition involving DHARMA/hasnso/????.

ALSO, cooper, IMO, is the real sawyer. im not sure what that means in the explanation of the island/the Others/the numbers/etc., but he is somehow involved.

if cooper is in the upper mangement, then the fact of the Others abducting him seems like a crime/attack on the "company" cooper is working for. i.e widmore industries/hanso corp.

thoughts?

According to one site, Tallahassee means "home" - perhaps that's why it is used so much in the show - it's metaphoric.

According to one site, Tallahassee means "home" - perhaps that's why it is used so much in the show - it's metaphoric.

imo, its a straight forward reference to a person who is from the capital city of florida, it could be Richard Alpert, or cooper, or someone else.

every event in everyones life, from years before the crash to now, has been part of a long con that "someone" is behind.
... is the true puppet master and is letting (a) think he is in control, therefore taking all the heat.

Well, isn't THAT depressing.

. Whatever they've done to him, they certainly don't think too highly of him.
I think it was a bit of both. He was frightened of whatever Ben & Co. have done to him so far, both physically & psychologically. And then seeing John walk in the door, who he surely must have thought was dead or paralyzed, just put him over the edge.

I agree with you there. I really HOPE tht Cooper's afraid.
He needs to spend some time feeling like he's made others feel.