'Lost': Old business, new business and 'Something Nice Back Home'

One of the frustrating things to deal with as "Lost" continues to add layer upon layer to its mythology is keeping myriad -- often unresolved -- clues, theories and Easter eggs straight on a weekly basis. Most of the time I'm so caught up in the current week's reveals that I fail to remember every bit of "Lost" trivia that's been revealed over the years.

That was the case this week, when The Times' assistant managing editor and fellow "Lost" fanatic Michael Whitley e-mailed me to remind me of an orientation film that wasn't introduced as part of the series. The Orchid Station's orientation film was first screened for fans at the San Diego Comic-Con last summer and was then made available online.

It provides an answer to the identify of Halliwax, the man whose parka Ben Linus was wearing at the beginning of last week's episode. In the film, Halliwax is another name for the guy I'll call Dr. Orientation. He's appeared in all of the Dharma Initiative films so far, identifying himself as Marvin Candle, Mark Wickmund and Edgar Halliwax. Candle, Wick and Wax. More name games, similar to what the Others were playing with the 815 survivors in the first and second seasons when Ben was known as Henry Gale and Ethan Rom was never officially unveiled as an anagram of "Other Man."

Does that make Dr. Orientation one of the Dharma people, one of Ben's people or both? And is there one Dr. Orientation or three? The mysteriously doubling rabbit and this season's loopy time tricks provide some big clues.

Michael also pointed out to me that the logo on Ben's parka, seen here, is not the temple logo, shown here. This means that this viney, flowery thing is most likely the Orchid station's logo. And as Dr. Halliwax said in the film, the station is not a botany station but one designed to study ...

Well, I guess we'll have to wait and find out later.

This week's episode is titled "Something Nice Back Home," and it looks to be a Jack-centric episode. With all the out-of-left-field surprises the show has thrown at us, I have to hope they'll do something unusual with Jack's apparent appendicitis. Maybe his appendix will turn out to be his constant. Or maybe we'll learn Jack already had his appendix out as a boy. Or maybe his appendix will look like Edgar Halliwax.

We'll all find out Thursday night.

--Patrick Kevin Day

(Photo: lostpedia.org)

Comments

[robert rodriguez]

Thank you for adding nothing to my day. You should not collect a check as a wrier.