“Cabin Fever” | The A.V. Club
What makes Locke special?
Ah, now here’s where this episode really shines. In our first old-fashioned castaway flashback all season (Jin and Michael don’t count), we witness the birth of Locke and his not-so-great upbringing. Dumped by his teenage mother. Pestered by his sister in the home of the family who adopts him. Pushed around in high school. Left paralyzed by his dad. And yet, all along, he’s being watched by the agents of…well, we don’t really know yet, do we?
“Hostile” Richard is there when Locke is still a preemie, and he returns when Locke’s a young boy to give him the test I mentioned up top. And Richard returns yet again when Locke’s a teenager to drop off a pamphlet for a Mittelos Bioscience summer camp (which Locke, denying his destiny yet again, refuses to attend).
And finally, Abaddon—who later will have a hand in placing Charlotte, Miles, Frank, Daniel and Naomi on the freighter, but may or may not work for Widmore—comes to see Locke when he’s rehabbing from his spinal injury, and plants the bug in his ear to go on a Walkabout in Australia.
What a thoughtful piece of character definition by the writers. The model of the reluctant, ignorant and/or unexpected hero is fairly common in myth (and in fantasy fiction), but the way these archetypes have been combined in Locke is especially compelling. Here’s a guy who wants to be a hero, but keeps missing the signs and opportunities, because the model of heroism in his head is all cocked-up. See also: Jack. And Ben, I’m guessing.

When Sayid hopped onto his boat to ride off to the island, the Lost team cued up the show's rarely used “adventure theme," usually saved for season finales. I love that theme.

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Flashbackin’…Season Three, Eps. 9-12:
Stranger in a strange land, Tricia Tanaka is dead, Enter 77, Par Avion.
“Tricia Tanaka Is Dead” If Lost were like any other TV drama, this would qualify as a standout episode. It was funny, sweet, and even tense toward the end as Hurley and Charlie put their lives and their potential optimism in the care of a rusted-out engine, straining to kick over. Those who've grown impatient with Lost's hurry-up-and-wait approach to story development have plenty of reason to complain about “Tricia Tanaka Is Dead,” especially since plunging ratings may mean that the show is going to have to wrap up quick next year. But those who've been waiting for our heroes to interact with each other again got their spirits lifted this week, especially when a cranky Sawyer was disarmed by Hurley throwing a big bear hug his way and exclaiming—with genuine relief—“Dude, you're alive!”
Saywer to Hurley: “Hey, you got yourself a hippie car!”
Note from the present day: Remember back before we heard the news about Lost’s exit strategy, when it seemed like the show was about to be cancelled? Those were the days, huh?