1.19 - Deus Ex Machina

As he and Boone attempt to open the mysterious hatch, Locke suddenly begins to experience physical problems. Meanwhile, Jack has to decide if he should do anything for Sawyer's sudden, blinding headaches.

I don't get you, man. One minute you're quoting Nietzsche then, all of a sudden, you're an engineer? --- Boone Carlisle

I wanted to tell you that you're special... very special. You were part of a design. You do realize that, don't you?
My father... Is he still alive?
Oh, John, don't you understand? You don't have a father. You were immaculately conceived. --- Emily Locke, John Locke

Flashback: We see Locke, apparently working in a toy store, putting together a Mouse Trap game. A boy comes up and asks about the game and Locke tells him that it was his favorite as a child. He explains that you wait for someone to land on the cheese space, then you spring the trap. He invites the boy to try it.

As they have been talking, a woman has been watching Locke. The boy starts the mousetrap device and Locke speaks to the woman, asking what she wants. She asks for footballs and Locke tells her they are on aisles 8 and 15. She leaves as Locke watches her strangely. Meanwhile, we see the mousetrap device operate and the cage falls on the mouse.

Boone and Locke are attempting to open the hatch. Boone does not seem to think that it can be opened but Locke tells him to have faith. Meanwhile, Locke is working on a large device that he identifies as a trebuchet. He says that the trebuchet will deliver a half-ton of force to the hatch.

Locke raises the trebuchet (in this case, a long, weighted pole on a pivot with a piece of metal on one end) above the hatch and releases it. The end of the pole impacts the hatch but does not damage it. Instead, the impact causes the trebuchet itself to collapse.

Locke surveys the destroyed trebuchet and undamaged hatch and angrily declares that it was "supposed to work". He stalks about and kicks at the hatch.

Boone, meanwhile, is staring at Locke and asks if he is all right. When Locke asks what he means Boone points to Locke's leg, which has been impaled by a large piece of the trebuchet. Locke stares at it in surprise then pulls the fragment free from his leg. Boone repeats his question and Locke, with some surprise, says he is fine.

Later, Locke is back at camp. He takes a pin and, with growing concern, repeatedly sticks himself in the leg; apparently feeling nothing as he does so. He then takes a branch from the fire and presses it against the bottom of his foot. He stares at it impassively; again feeling nothing as the hot embers burn his foot.

The next day Locke is using the axe to cut some branches from a tree. Boone arrives and Locke says they need to return to the hatch and salvage what they can from the trebuchet. Boone asks what they will do if they can't open the hatch and Locke, somewhat angrily, says that anything can be opened with enough force.

With obvious difficulty Locke gets to his feet. Boone asks if he is all right and Locke insists that he is. They set off into the jungle.

Flashback: Locke leaves the store and walks to his car, removing a flier for a lost dog from the windshield. Looking around, he sees the woman who asked about footballs watching him. He starts towards her and she turns to leave. Locke runs towards her but gets hit by a car backing out of its space. The driver gets out and helps Locke to his feet, asking if he is all right. Locke insists that he is and runs after the woman again.

Locke catches up with the woman and demands to know why she is watching him. She denies that she is at first, then tells him that she is his mother.

Somewhat later, Locke and the woman (who we later learn is Emily Locke) are in a restaurant. Locke, still uncertain, is asking her again who she is. She again tells him that she is his mother and points out that he was adopted. He corrects her, saying that he was raised in a series of foster homes.

Emily says she wanted to find Locke to tell him that he was special and destined for great things. Locke then asks about his father and Emily tells him that he doesn't have one; he was immaculately conceived.

Back on the island, Sawyer approaches Sun with two leaves. He asks her which is the correct one and she indicates one of them. He asks if she is sure, as he has been using that one to no effect.

Unseen by Sawyer, Kate has arrived. Kate asks him what is wrong and he tells her nothing. He leaves.

Kate then asks Sun what is going on. Sun says that Saywer was complaining of headaches and she was giving him something to help with them. Kate jokes that Saywer must have aspirin somewhere in his stash and Sun says that he told her that asprin wasn't helping. Kate looks after Sawyer with concern.

Deus Ex Machina is Latin for "God from the Machine". It refers to a standard in many Greek and Roman plays where the protaganists would find themselves in a desperate situation, only to be rescued by one of the Gods. The "God" would be lowered onto the stage by means of a mechanical device, hence the name. Today the term is used to refer to any plot situation in which the protagonists are rescued from an impossible situation by unexpected or implausible means.