Thursday, February 4, 2010

"Sayid Gets Baptised?"

Our intrepid island MacGyver, always looking for redemption and forgiveness, lands in grotto water once again. We've seen Sayid lament the path that his life took before, and seeking a better life to make amends for his transgressions is not new to him. In what he believes are his final breaths he now asks Hurley, "When I die, what do you think will happen to me?" Little does he know, but Hurley finds out soon enough.

It looked to me like Jacob has some important plans for Sayid, as he intently ponders his near lifeless body on the ground. He looks deep in thought about something. If the water did 'turn' and lose it's power because Jacob died, then Jacob possibly knows something about the waters that the temple Others don't yet. But before they learn the fate of Jacob and the waters, they submerge Sayid in the pool face down on Jacob's relayed commands to save him.

I wonder, is it necessary for the dying person to inhale the water before they die to be healed, and to die in the water? That's a lot like Christian baptism, "dying" to sin and being washed by the waters of the Holy Spirit, becoming a "new man" in Christ as the Bible puts it. I follow the sprinkling method myself but theology aside, I can see the case for total immersion here. Sayid's body later revives, after an odd reaction by Miles over his seemingly lifeless body. Did Miles know that there was something different going on there in Sayid? Or that it wasn't Sayid? In typical Lost fashion, when questioned Miles replies with the usual, "Nothing." Grr-arg! It also looked like the shot hole in his shirt was gone, but that could have just been the camera angle.

We don't know why the unclear water worked anyway but perhaps it was because while not present physically anymore, Jacob is still around spiritually and his powers are weaker but still somewhat viable. And since now that the water was apparently less potent, did it just not heal Dogen because he only dipped his hand in briefly? Sayid asked the correct question, "What happened?"

21 comments:

maven said...

Good observations, Capcom. Also, did you notice when they took Sayid out of the water his arms were outstretched in the Christ position...like he was going to be resurrected.

Capcom said...

Ohhhh, good point!

Paula Abdul Alhazred said...

Hey Capcom! Long time no comment. I agree, it was pretty hard to miss the baptism/resurrection imagery of Sayid's experience in the Temple. I'd say he's been brought back as the new vessel for Jacob, which is pretty much the consensus and I find it hard to disagree. Hope you're doing well!

Capcom said...

Hey PAA, nice to hear from you! Hope that all is well with you also. Come around more often for the final season to talk Lost with us.

I'm sailing along with that theory also for now. But I'll be sad if we don't get anymore of Sayid's personality and wit. And will Jacob be able to make a radio out of a coconut like Sayid could? Haha.

Tess315 said...

Why did Jacob ponder on his decision to "save" Sayid? I'm wondering just what exactly happened to Sayid. The water wasn't clear but they decided to use it anyway, well Jack did. I fear life isn't going to be good for Sayid on the island.

He even felt after he died it wouldn't be pleasant what happened to him. Dogen and his translator thought he was dead. That he was to far gone to be saved.

I think Miles felt that Sayid wasn't dead while Hurley was talking to him. But he always keeps his gift to himself.

lost2010 said...

I thought of that too. Buried with Christ in baptism. . .raised to walk in newness of life. . .went through my head during that scene.

Capcom said...

That's what I'm thinking too SG, that Miles couldn't "read" him because he was still alive. Or alive again. Or he was reading Jacob in him instead of Sayid. :-o

Neat Lost2010! :-)

memphish said...

Along the Biblical lines, when Jesus is first raised from the dead he is not immediately recognizable to many of those who knew him. Maybe that will come into play too.

I think though that Sayid won't be Jacob. I think he did indeed died and know like young Ben has been born on this Island, uber-ironic given that Sayid was even more anxious than Kate to get off of it.

Of course Sayid's path since Season 4 has been a type of mirror of Ben's, so this latest step is merely another one in that progression.

I think this new Sayid won't remember what happened, just like young Ben, and as evidenced by his remark as he awoke. That makes him very un-Jesus-like. And he'll also never be the same, but to that end maybe it will be a good thing like his plans that always failed will now work and he'll get long-lasting batteries (or battrys as he calls them).

The only thing I don't understand is why the Others would tell the Losties he was dead if this is indeed the way the pool works.

memphish said...

And by know in paragraph 2, I mean now.

Capcom said...

Very interesting Memphish, and particularly your first paragraph.

I was also wondering about how quick the Others were to declare him dead. Was it only a writer's ploy to divert us? Did they just not know that the waters had a little bit of potency left? Were they trying to trick the Losties? I'd like to know the answer to that in the next episode. Pshshhh.

Paula Abdul Alhazred said...

I don't think the Others were expecting Sayid to come back to life. It seems like it was part of Jacob's plan, but not a plan the Others are privy to. I doubt that Jacob has been brought back from the dead through Sayid's body . . . it's probably still Sayid, but changed in some fundamental way. Maybe Jacob passed some of his essence to Sayid, but I'd imagine Ghost Jacob is still around. But yeah, I do think this was part of whatever Jacob is planning and that something special happened to Sayid (apart from being resurrected, hehe). The healing pool seems to be Jacob's essence, so there is likely a connection.

I also dig that Sayid literally came back from the dead, whereas the smoke monster can only create the illusion of the dead having been brought back to life.

TheOtherLisa said...

Hi All-
Capcom I visited here a number of years ago (during Hanso) and only left a few comments, its nice to see you are still posting! Count me in on this theory! Including that Miles knew Sayid was alive....though, the theory that Sayid wasn't Sayid anymore either by way of someone else taking over or Biblically becoming a "new person" ... I can also buy...

I also think that the water change from clear to murky (bloody, ashy? via Jacob's blood/ashes???)-- changes what the water could do.

Ex. when the others took ben- they said he'd loose his innocence as a price for healing--- we can assume that the water was clear at that time. Water, Biblically, cannot wash away sin... only blood can.

But now- Sayid, who is seeking redemption....is dunked in murky water... also now Biblically able to wash away sin if you go the murky by blood route... will he come out innocent

The mirror of ben.... but with the exact opposite result?

Is it Tuesday yet?

Capcom said...

I hope that Sayid is back, PAA! And the more I think about it, the more I wonder if he does have the he-won't-remember-anything syndrome that Richard said Ben would have.

Hi Lisa! Oh, I'm liking your water vs. blood idea. I'm really anxious to find out why the water was brown/red. Altho it reminded me of my favorite lake in NY that was a flooded iron mine/quarry, and the water looked like rootbeer from the iron, just like in the temple. :o)

Miss Scarlett said...

I totally thought the same thing when Miles said :Nothing.
That Sayid was not dead - just appeared dead.

Interesting ideas re: baptism.
There was certainly an overwhelming amoung of christian symbolism!

Capcom said...

Hi Scarlet! :-)

Greg Tramel said...

my favorite theory right now is Sayid was pulled form the S6 Earth Universe (i know i know, a little too Fringe, maybe Sayid will be the 1`st Shining One like Peter)

also

LA = S6 Earth Universe
X = Island Universe

Was There a Civilization X?: Evidence Indicates There Was

Capcom said...

Now that Fringe has opened my head up to that idea, I wouldn't be adverse to that happening. It would be pretty neat. By any chance did anyone say that Ben "won't be the same" as well as losing his innocence, etc? If so I really think you're on to something.

Neat article. I like the sentence: "Atlantis remains as the Holy Grail of archaeology, even if archaeologists won’t admit it." Haha, got that right.

Greg Tramel said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Greg Tramel said...

RICHARD: If I take him, he's not ever gonna be the same again.
KATE: What do you mean by that?
RICHARD: What I mean is that, he'll forget this ever happened, and that...his innocence will be gone. He will always be one of us.

i'll fix a few typos

i admit it's a bit whackadoo as is (are they just going to disappear on Earth?)but maybe something like that may be a way to get the whole scooby gang back together on island in 2008 or whenever

Capcom said...

Zoinks, there ya go!

:-o

Greg Tramel said...

"it would be interesting is Nadia had been able to escape the clutches of the Republican Guard without Sayid's aid, maybe because of his oversight, and now he is chasing her, much like the Marshal had been chasing Kate"

Last Thoughts on LOST