S6E8 - Ab Aeterno

So, Richard’s past is revealed along with a few other tidbits. I must say, his story was had it all: love, murder, slavery, shipwrecks, treachery, tragedy, and even “the devil.” It seems like an epic or perhaps… a musical.

ACT 1
[Curtains open to reveal RICARDOS standing over the bed of his beloved ISABELLA.]

“Close Your Eyes”
RICARDOS: “My love, my life! You must hold on. I can save you by the end of this song. Together we can defeat this beast. I’ll get a doctor—”
ISABELLA: “I need a priest.”
RICARDOS: “No, stay strong! Speak not that way. The journey is but half a day.”
ISABELLA: “We’ll always be together, just close your eyes.”
RICARDOS: “I’ll make it through this weather, don’t close your eyes.”
[RICARDOS rides a stick horse to stage left where a DOCTOR is eating his dinner.]
RICARDOS: “Pardon the intrusion, but this is killing me. My wife, she coughs up blood.”
DOCTOR: “Sounds like TB.”
RICARDOS: “Good sir, I beg please save her. Is there any way?”
DOCTOR: “Medicine, I have. But you must pay.”
RICARDOS: “This is everything I own.”
DOCTOR: “It’s not enough, so leave.”
RICARDOS: “Sir, I beg your mercy. Please!”
DOCTOR: “Go home now to grieve.”
[The DOCTOR and RICARDOS stage fight until the DOCTOR dies from a fatal head bump.]
[RICARDOS takes the medicine and rides a stick horse to stage right.]
RICARDOS: “I’ll make it through this weather, don’t close your eyes.”
ISABELLA: “We’ll always be together, just close your eyes.”
[RICARDOS arrives too late and there is much weeping as the lights dim.]

[Lights come up to reveal RICARDOS in a prison cell.]

“Forgiven”
PRIEST: “I bring you food. And a last chance to repent.”
RICARDOS: “Father, I killed a man. But it was an accident.”
PRIEST: “This sin has stained your soul. It cannot be forgiven.”
RICARDOS: “Is there time for penance?”
PRIEST: “No, for soon you won’t be livin.”
[Guards remove RICARDOS from the cell and he is escorted to the gallows.]
WHITFIELD: “Is this the man you spoke of? His teeth, they look quite nice.”
PRIEST: “Yes, and he speaks English too. Now let us talk of price.”
RICARDOS: “To sell a man into slavery? It cannot be forgiven!”
PRIEST: “Considering the alternative, it’s ‘Thanks’ you should be givin.”

[A chorus line of slaves walk onstage and RICARDOS is chained to the floor with them.]

“The New World”
SLAVES: “The New World. A true world. A red, white, and blue world.”
RICARDOS: “The Old World. A cold world. Your wife dies then your sold world.”
[Long cardboard cutouts of waves slide back and forth across stage front.]
SLAVES: “The tale you tell is older than old. A tragic life, not much to behold. Why not join our happier view, of a world both bright and new?”
RICARDOS: “While your optimism keeps me level, on the horizon I see the devil. So hold on tight as we are all hurled, towards our fates on this new world.”
[Waves become violent, lights begin to flicker, and the cutout of an island with a palm tree rolls behind them.]
SLAVES: “A new world? We’re screwed world. We bid you fond adieu, world!”
RICARDOS: “The Old World. A cold world. Your life dies then your sold world.”

[Curtains close. End of ACT 1.]

INTERMISSION
Not much to report in Act 1, besides the campfire powwow in the very beginning. Apparently Jacob tasked Ilana to protect the remaining six (now five) candidates. I’d still like to know what happened to land her in the hospital, but perhaps another time. The bigger reveal is that Richard is the one who knows what to do next.

ACT 2
[Curtains open to reveal RICARDOS and the SLAVES lying chained on the floor.]

“The Devil Awaits”
SLAVES: “God has saved us! Sing and rejoice!”
RICARDOS: “Wait! Above us, I hear a voice.”
WHITFIELD: “We’ve crashed.”
SLAVES: “No duh.”
WHITFIELD: “We’re on our own.”
SLAVES: “Every man is an island.”
RICARDOS: “Every man is alone.”
WHITFIELD: “Our precious resources cannot go to waste. Prepare your souls, men… the Devil awaits.”
[WHITFIELD runs through SLAVES with his sword until only RICARDOS remains.]
RICARDOS: “Why do you do this? Please, set me free!”
WHITFIELD: “And if I did? Then what about me? In a matter of time, you’d hunt me down.”
RICARDOS: “Wait! Above us, I hear a sound.”
WHITFIELD: “Don’t try to distract me. You must die with haste.”
RICARDOS: “Prepare your soul, sir… the Devil awaits.”
[WHITFIELD is enveloped by a fog machine and is lifted offstage.]
ISABELLA: “Ricardos, my love!”
RICARDOS: “You have returned!”
ISABELLA: “But hurry we must or soon we’ll be burned.”
RICARDOS: “What’s this you speak of?”
ISABELLA: “The Devil. He’s here!”
RICARDOS: “Run then, and leave me!”
ISABELLA: “I cannot my dear!”
RICARDOS: “Please do not argue, he’ll surely give chase.”
ISABELLA: “Prepare your soul, love… the Devil awaits.”
[ISABELLA runs off stage right and screams. MAN_IN_BLACK enters stage right.]
MAN_IN_BLACK: “I brought you some water.”
RICARDOS: “You’ve saved my life!”
MAN_IN_BLACK: “I’m sorry to say not the same for your wife.”
RICARDOS: “She said we’re in hell. Can this be real?”
MAN_IN_BLACK: “Yes.”
RICARDOS: “But how?”
MAN_IN_BLACK: “First, let’s make a deal. This knife will kill Him if you stab in the right place. Prepare your soul, Richard… the Devil awaits.”
[MAN_IN_BLACK sets RICARDOS free and they exit stage right.]

[RICARDOS enters from stage left. A large stone foot has been rolled onstage. JACOB sits alone on the big toe.]

“Jacob’s Song”
JACOB: “How sad that Jacob’s life is like this sea storm ruined shore.”
RICARDOS: “Be this beast or man who speaks in silly metaphors?”
JACOB: “Stop! Who goes there, Jacob asks?”
RICARDOS: “Speak not, you Prince of Hell!”
JACOB: “Is that what someone told you? For Jacob knows that liar well.”
[JACOB and RICARDOS struggle and JACOB beats him soundly.]
RICARDOS: “Who are you then?”
JACOB: “I’m Jacob, my friend. How ‘bout some wine and pork?”
RICARDOS: “Explain and don’t dawdle.”
JACOB: “Evil’s like this bottle, and the island is like a cork.”
RICARDOS: “I wish you’d speak straight, it’s getting quite late and your metaphors make me sob.”
JACOB: “Jacob grows tired and is looking to hire and wonders if you need a job.”

[Lights dim and come up to reveal RICARDOS with a haircut and a nicer shirt, kneeling alone.]

“Close Your Eyes (refrain)”
RICARDOS: “I quit! I quit! I hate this work. I’m tired of being Jacob’s clerk. For countless years I’ve done as he’s said and now my boss, he’s dead! He’s dead!”
[HURLEY and ISABELLA enter from stage left.]
HURLEY: “Dude, don’t quit. You know the plan.”
RICARDOS: “I’d rather go work for the other man.”
HURLEY: “She wants to know why you buried her cross.”
RICARDOS: “What do you know of my long ago loss?”
HURLEY: “She sent me to find you so I can translate, that she thinks your English accent is great.”
RICARDOS: “Is it true? Can it be? I’m tired of lies.”
HURLEY: “She said you’ve suffered enough, just close your eyes.”
[RICARDOS weeps and puts her crucifix back around his neck.]
HURLEY: “Oh, and she says if you don’t stop the man in black from leaving the island then we’re all going to hell.”

[Curtains close. End of ACT 2.]


Well, that’s it. A decent story filling in a few things we already suspected. The most interesting part of the second half is Jacob’s explanation about bringing people to the island. The man in black thinks man in sinful by nature and Jacob brings them there to prove he’s wrong. Of course, everyone Jacob’s brought there is now dead so I’m not sure how successful he’s been at proving his point. Jacob cannot bring his wife back, or forgive him of his sins, but he can conveniently grant him immortality. Weird, but I’ll go with it. Also, Jacob is reluctant to hand-hold everyone he brings to the island and wants them to “do good” all on their own so appoints Richard as his liaison, which we kind of already knew was his job. So what does that leave us with? Just the solidification of the knowledge that anyone ever coming to the island has been brought there by Jacob. Also, they are all part of an elaborate demonstration that humanity is, by nature, good (or can at least overcome it’s not-so-good nature). His appointment of Richard as his “mouth piece” is strongly symbolic of Christianity’s Holy Trinity. Jacob = God the Father, Richard = Conscience / The Holy Spirit, and that just leaves Jesus, the Son. I guess that would be whichever of the candidates is “the one.”

Anyway, I’ll leave the theological debates up to you. The metaphor was just too strong to ignore. All and all a decent episode, I think.