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John Locke (Lost)

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Template:Infobox Lost character John Locke, most often referred to by his surname "Locke", is a fictional character on the ABC television series Lost played by Terry O'Quinn. Although he typically has a calm demeanor on the island, his flashbacks portray him as angrier and more emotional. He is the antithesis to Jack Shephard and to a certain extent Ben Linus. In 2007, O'Quinn won the Emmy award for acting in a supporting role.[1]

Fictional character biography

Before the crash

Born May 30th, 1956 to Emily Annabeth Locke and Anthony Cooper, Locke was put into government care and found himself in a multitude of foster homes. In one of these homes, Locke experienced the death of his foster sister Jeannie, an event which left her mother distraught. Her grief would be overcome when a stray Golden Retriever came to live with the family, even sleeping in Jeannie's room.

As an adult, while working at a toy store, Locke is visited by a woman claiming to be his biological mother. Now curious about his origins, Locke hires a private investigator who tracks down the location of Locke's biological father, an elderly man named Anthony Cooper. Cooper warmly welcomes Locke into his life, and the two bond over hunting trips and activities. Cooper eventually makes it known that he is in need of a kidney transplant. Locke agrees to donate a kidney to him, but following the surgery, discovers that Cooper has abandoned him and refuses to see him.

Distraught over being conned by his own father, Locke attends an anger-management group where he meets Helen. Helen begins helping Locke overcome the issues with his father. The two begin dating and move in together. While Locke plans to propose to her, he is informed of his father's apparent death. At the funeral, Locke is approached by two men who question him about Cooper's location, believing that he faked his death. While inspecting the home of Nadia, Locke is visited by Cooper, who reveals that he conned the two men out of $700,000 in retirement money, which now sits in safe deposit box and which Cooper needs Locke to reclaim. Locke reluctantly agrees and without Helen's knowledge, delivers the money to Cooper, just as Helen appears and confronts the two. Disgusted with Locke's relapse and his willingness to lie, she abandons him just as he proposes marriage.

To escape his past, Locke joins a commune that secretly grows marijuana. One day, he picks up and welcomes a hitchhiker into the commune. Six weeks later however, Locke discovers that the hitchhiker is an undercover police officer. Under orders by the commune, Locke leads the officer into the nearby forest to kill him, but loses his nerve at the last minute and allows him to escape. Sinking further into a state of depression, Locke retreats into a life of solitude, until he is visited one day by a man asking for information about Adam Seward, who intends to marry the man's wealthy mother. Locke, initially unfamiliar with the name, realizes it is Cooper, and after dismissing the man meets Cooper and orders him to not marry the mother. Cooper surprises Locke by revealing that he has decided against the marriage after the mysterious death of her son, a death Cooper denies involvement in. Locke, unsure of Cooper's sincerity, prepares to call the mother when Cooper shoves him out of the window, sending him tumbling 80 feet to the sidewalk below. Locke survives the fall with a broken back, an injury that condemns him to a wheelchair.

Locke finds work at an industrial box company owned by Hurley and is constantly harassed by his boss Randy, who one day inquires about the pamphlet for the "Australian Aboriginal Walkabout" in Locke's possession. Later that night, Locke speaks with a phone sex worker he has nicknamed "Helen," whom he invites on the aboriginal walkabout, which she steadfastly refuses, throwing him into a rage. Despondent but determined, Locke flies to Australia alone, where his frustration reaches a boiling point when he is denied admission on the walkabout because of his paraplegic state, and is offered a ticket back home on Oceanic Flight 815. At the airport, Locke is the first to board the plane, being carried on by staff. He is seated behind Rose.

After the crash

Season 1

After crashing on the island in the fuselage section, Locke miraculously regains the use of his legs. Locke's survival skills influence Walt to bond with him, much to Michael's resentment. It is on a hunt that Locke first encounters the "Monster". Later, Locke accompanies Jack, Kate and Charlie to the caves for examination, where he learns of Charlie's heroin addiction. Locke decides to help Charlie overcome his addiction, which pays off when he throws it into a fire. When Sayid attempts to locate Rousseau's signal, Locke knocks him out and destroys the transceiver, then places the blame on Sawyer. When Claire is abducted, Locke accompanies Jack, Kate and Boone, resulting in him and Boone discovering the hatch. From then on, Locke and Boone spend most of their time contemplating on how to open it. Locke helps Michael find Walt after he leaves the camp, due to Walt's desire to go hunting with Locke; he and Michael no longer appear to be at odds after his safe return.

One morning, following a dream he had the night before, Locke takes Boone into the jungle, where the two discover a beechcraft lodged atop a cliff. As Locke struggles to maintain the use of his legs, he watches as Boone climbs up into the plane. It is only after the beechcraft falls down that Locke is able to stand again, and carries a fatally injured Boone back to the caves. Instead of staying to help Jack, Locke sneaks away to the hatch, where he bangs furiously on the door; Locke's faith is restored when a bright light shines from the other side of the glass. Locke returns to the beach in time for Boone's funeral to apologize; he is soon forced to reveal the hatch to Sayid after Shannon holds him at gunpoint, holding him responsible for Boone's death. Locke takes Sayid and Jack to the hatch to discuss how to open it. When Rousseau arrives on the beach one morning, she takes Locke, Jack, Kate, Fatty and Arzt to the Black Rock. After collecting the dynamite, Locke has a close encounter with the "Monster" once more, managing to escape with Jack's help. Upon returning to the hatch, Locke blows open the door using the dynamite, ignoring Hurley's protests.

Season 2

Upon blowing open the hatch, Locke and Kate descend into the hatch against Jack's wishes. Once inside, Locke convinces Desmond to lock Kate in the pantry, and finds himself at gunpoint when Jack enters the hatch after them. Locke and Jack are shown the orientation video for the hatch as Desmond prepares to flee, following the computer being damaged. When Sayid manages to fix it, Locke sets up a rota for people to enter the numbers into the computer, a task which he takes pride in. He soon welcomes the arrival of Mr. Eko, who gives him the missing film reel from the orientation video. After giving Michael some shooting lessons, he finds himself locked in the armory with Jack, released only when Sawyer arrives for medical treatment. The three of them chase after Michael in the jungle, only to encounter the Others; in return for Kate's safety, the three of them are forced to hand over their weapons. Later, Locke suspects Charlie of taking heroin again. When Charlie attempts to baptize baby Aaron, Locke beats him to the ground. It is following the attempted kidnap of Sun that Locke and Jack's decision to consult each other about the guns is broken. Locke gives Sawyer the guns to hide, unknowingly falling victim to one of Sawyer's cons.

Upon the arrival of "Henry Gale", Locke holds him in the empty armory, much to Jack's resentment. Because of their disagreement, Locke fails to enter the numbers in time, but manages to prevent a system failure. Later, Locke is caught in a lockdown, with only him and "Henry" present; after being injured, Locke relies on "Henry" to enter the numbers. However, as he disappears into the vent, Locke notices a strange map drawn on one of the blast doors when the lights go out. Following the hatch's restoration, Locke learns that "Henry" hasn't been truthful to him. Following these events, plus "Henry"'s traunts of not entering the numbers into the computer, Locke becomes frustrated and loses faith in the island - it is only after he speaks with Rose that his faith is briefly restored, and manages to sketch an accurate copy of the map he saw. After the death of Ana Lucia and the injury of Libby, Locke and Eko enter the jungle to search for the '?' on Locke's map. The two discover another hatch beneath the beechcraft, and enter it to discover the Pearl station. While Eko is convinced to continue entering the numbers, Locke abandons the Swan hatch.

Locke, furious that Eko is wasting his time on the computer, attempts to destroy it, only to be thrown out of the hatch. When Desmond returns to the island, Locke informs him of the Pearl's orientation video and how he believes the Swan's computer is just a mind game. The two sneak into the hatch and initiate a lockdown, trapping Eko outside of the computer room. As the two wait for the timer to reach zero, Locke prevents Desmond from entering the numbers by smashing the computer on the floor. However, when the electromagnetic force builds up following the timer running out, Locke realizes that he has been wrong all along; he is still in the hatch when Desmond turns the fail-safe key that causes the hatch to implode.

Season 3

Locke wakes in the jungle the next day, unable to speak. He builds a sweat lodge to induce a hallucination, while Charlie waits outside. After encountering Boone, he is told to clean up his own mess, and must save Eko. Locke and Charlie head in the jungle, passing the crater left behind after the implosion. Locke approaches a polar bear den, and proceeds inside to rescue Eko. Locke and Charlie carry him back to the beach, to which Locke reveals he will rescue Jack, Kate and Sawyer. The next day, he leads Desmond, Sayid, Nikki and Paulo back to the Pearl station, where they rewire the circuits in the monitors to view surveillance from another hatch with a man in an eye patch in it. Shortly after, Locke hears a commotion outside, and discover a dying Eko in the jungle. He decides to bury him on the spot rather than back on the beach. Upon placing his stick at the head of the grave, he notices a particular inscription, instructing him to go north. He allows Desmond to inform Charlie and Hurley of Eko's death.

When Kate and Sawyer return to the beach, Locke and Sayid follow her into the jungle in search of Rousseau. The four head north, until they discover the Flame station. Inside, Locke is drawn to the computer, where he continually plays a game of chess. Upon winning a game, he watches the station's orientation video, instructing him to enter different codes for different situations. As they are about to leave, with Mikhail as hostage, Locke enters the code that causes the station to self-destruct. They continue their hike the next day, eventually coming across a sonic barrier. Locke pushes Mikhail through the sonic barrier, which apparently killed him. Sayid discovers a pack of C4 in Locke's bag, which he had taken before destroying the Flame station. Locke is questioned about his motive for coming along, but dismisses the matter. The four arrive at the Others' barracks, where they watch Jack bonding with Tom. That night, Locke barges into Ben's home, and demands to be taken to the submarine, holding Alex at gunpoint. Once inside the submarine, Locke rigs it with the C4, and detonates it. Locke is taken away by Ben and Richard, who lead him to a room containing Anthony Cooper, tied up and gagged.

Locke is then offered the opportunity to join the Others as they leave the barracks, which he accepts. He says goodbye to Kate the next morning before leaving. As they set up camp in a large clearing, Locke is approached by Cindy, who tells him that everyone is excited about him being among them. That night, Ben tells Locke that he must kill Cooper before he can officially join them. Locke is unable to do it, and the Others abandon him the next morning, leaving behind a trail for him to follow should he kill his father. Before leaving, Richard hints to Locke about finding someone else to kill him. He returns to the beach and brings Sawyer to the Black Rock, where he locks him in a room with Cooper. After Sawyer kills him, Locke gives him Juliet's recorder and tells him she is a spy. He carries Cooper's body with him to the Others' new pitch. He then demands Ben take him to see Jacob, much to his resentment, and the shock of the others. Ben agrees, and takes him to an isolated cabin. Locke is cautioned not to use his flashlight, but Locke grows impatient and uses it, causing Jacob to erupt in anger, sending objects flying across the room. The next day, Ben takes Locke to a pit full of long-deceased DHARMA members. Ben tells Locke of the purge of the original DHARMA personnel in which all men, woman, and children were killed with nerve gas. Visibly distraught at the heinous act of which he has been told, Locke pulls his knife but is shot by Ben before he can act. He falls into the pit of long-deceased DHARMA members and is left to die. Locke contemplates suicide, but his faith is again restored upon seeing Walt. (It is later revealed that Locke's bullet wound was non-fatal, due to his missing kidney.) He makes his way to the radio tower and fatally wounds Naomi by throwing a knife into her back, and begs Jack not to contact her freighter, and threatens to shoot him if he doesn't put the radio down. Jack refuses, but Locke is unable to kill him. Locke tells Jack he wasn't meant to do this, then walks away, shaking his head, disappointed with Jack's decision.

Season 4

Locke finds a distraught Hurley in the jungle, who tells him about Charlie's warning. When all the survivors meet at the cockpit Locke is attacked by Jack, who knocks him to the floor and aims a gun at his head. Locke says that Jack won't shoot him, but before he can finish the sentence, Jack pulls the trigger - Locke explains that the gun wasn't loaded. Locke insists that he has only ever tried to act in everyone's best interests, and that they need to hide from the people coming to the island, saying, "If you dont want to die, you need to come with me." His plan is to head for the Barracks, and stay there until he thinks of something else. A few of the survivors, including Hurley, Claire, and Sawyer, as well as Ben, Rousseau, Alex, and Karl, join him, and they head off into the jungle.

Locke and Stations

Themes

Games

Locke frequently connected with games in Season 1. He teaches and plays backgammon with Walt and Sawyer, which he refers to as a game between "Dark and light...good and evil," demonstrates Mouse Trap to a child in a flashback scene in "Deus Ex Machina", plays a card game on one of the others' computers and has fun playing Risk with a co-worker in "Walkabout". In a deleted scene from "Tabula Rasa" Locke is shown giving Walt tips on how to play poker, identifying the "tells" of the various castaways. In "Exodus: Part 2" while handling dynamite, Locke asks Jack if he ever played Operation, joking that he "always got nailed by the funny bone"; he then proceeds to make a buzzing sound while lifting one of the fragile explosives. A startled Jack asks, "Do you like to play games, John?" Locke smiles and says, "Absolutely." In "Enter 77", Locke plays numerous matches against the Flame Station's computer chess program, eventually beating it. The finished chess board is a reference to the "Brisbane Bombshell" match between Anatoli Karpov and Garry Kasparov.[2]

Philosophy

John Locke, after whom the character John Locke is named, was a famous social contract philosopher who dealt with the relationship between nature and civilization. As an empiricist he proposed that humans are born with a tabula rasa (the title of the third episode of the first season, featuring Kate). Also, the TV Locke's father is named Anthony Cooper, named for Lord Anthony Ashley-Cooper, the real-world John Locke's political mentor and patron.

The real Locke believed that, in the state of nature, all men had equal rights to punish transgressors; to ensure fair judgment for all, governments were formed to better administer the laws. This philosophy is paralleled by the character of Locke, who embraces both nature and the need for organization among the survivors. Further, the flashback in which Locke donates his kidney to his father mirrors the historical relationship between the philosopher John Locke and Lord Anthony Ashley Cooper, whose life was saved by Locke when the latter persuaded Ashley-Cooper to undergo an operation to remove a cyst on his liver.

Faith

Locke's life has a repeated pattern of believing in a higher being or purpose (for example, his father, pressing the button in the hatch). He begins to suspect that he was destined to be on the island, which coincided with the partial loss of his recovered ability to walk.

Midway into Season 2, however, his faith begins to falter as he slowly grows disillusioned with repeatedly pressing the button. The season finale of Season 2 concludes with Locke ultimately deciding not to press the button, despite the protests of Mr. Eko, who tries unsuccessfully to convince John to keep believing (and keep pushing). After the cataclysmic events that occurred when they stopped pushing the button, Locke admitted that he was wrong to stop believing.

At the beginning of Season 3, Locke's faith seems to be fully restored. This is supported by the fact that Locke's first action after regaining consciousness is to "talk to the island," a strongly spiritual action that harkens back to the Locke of Season 1, who considered the island to be a nexus of spiritual energy, and an entity that could be communicated with. After Mr. Eko is killed by the smoke monster, it is Locke who buries him, thanking him for restoring his faith.

Cast Notes

Terry O'Quinn was the only actor who did not have to try out for the part, since J. J. Abrams knew that he was perfect to play Locke.[citation needed]

  • A new slang term "Locked" has been circulating among some groups of fans of the show Lost. It is used when someone does a seemingly brash action that is destructive, while following a hidden agenda.[3]
  • At various points throughout the show, Locke is shown eating fruit, and placing it in his mouth, referencing The Godfather.

See also

References

  1. ^ King, Susan, (September 16, 2007) "Emmys Live," The Los Angeles Times Envelope. Retrieved on September 16, 2007.
  2. ^ No Archiving Spiders Allowed
  3. ^ Article on slang word Locked
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