JACK=HERO

There...any questions?

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" I push this button every 108 minutes, I don't get out much."

"Theres a time for living low down, theres a time for getting high. A time for peace, a time for fire. A time to live, a time to die."

The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.

As a homage to the great poet Dogfather I will now also write a epic peom in praise of our misunderstood hero, Jack Shephard.

Jack be nimble, Jack be quick!
Please don't be stupid.
Please have a good plan.
Or my butt will be in a big frying pan.

My hope is that Jack is a good of a hero as Dogfather is a poet. Hats off to the Dog.

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I will tell you the truth at all times, unless I am pulling your leg.

DogFather, thanks for the cool poem- I think that's the nicest thing ever happened to Jack, except for a few kisses he had shared with Kate, earlier

Very quickly, I see no classically narrated hero--anti-hero tension going on in Lost. Sure there are 'alpha' characters among the Losties and most of us love to hate Benjamin who is not all too lovable anyways. At the same time, hard for me to think that all will come down to actions, success or failure of one particular Lostie... So I'm not sure if Jack is/ could be a hero in that sense..

Besides look at Jack's tattoos and choice of ladies... The guy clearly makes bad decisions

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"Bear...? Is that you?"-- Hurley S03E4

Can I vote Jack a goatish-hero or a hero-ish goat? Is that fair?

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Well, I think you're right, mostly. He is a hero, but his most common mistake is not being too trusting, it's being too prideful. Jack's biggest fault (which has incidentally been a major fault of some big literary characters over the centuries, not least of which is Oedipus, who had his own father issues...) is hubris: overwhelming pride. This is the reason Sawyer why gets the guns. As AnaLucia said in Season 2. "Jack and Lock are a little too concerned with Lock and Jack," for example. It provides an avenue for Sun to be attacked by Charlie (in disguise as an Other). My .02, for what it's worth.

If you look back on it, all of the "main" characters have gone through a phase where they were unlikable and "off balance" so to speak. Sayid when he tortued Sawyer, Sawyer when he conned the guns, Charlie when he was (maybe) on drugs again, Kate when she's being twofaced and annoying, Locke when he gets the hatch imploded.... it goes on perhaps with Hurley as the only exception.

I think that Jack is in his "hateable" phase. He had to have one. But I believe he'll snap out of it as the rest of them have.

[quote=flaneuse;27582]
Very quickly, I see no classically narrated hero--anti-hero tension going on in Lost. Sure there are 'alpha' characters among the Losties and most of us love to hate Benjamin who is not all too lovable anyways. At the same time, hard for me to think that all will come down to actions, success or failure of one particular Lostie... So I'm not sure if Jack is/ could be a hero in that sense.. QUOTE]

I agree that the protagonist, antagonistic relationships are very slow in revealing themselves. A large portion of the show has revolved around internal conflicts. I expect to see a visceral externally oriented show now that ratings have started to falter.

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"Malinois... It's kinda like a bullet. Only it has four legs, teeth, goes around corners, jumps over obsticles, and never misses."

- The DogFather

Jack is a good guy , unfortunately he is a washed-up-has-been and is just getting in the current heros way. Who is the new living Legend? Locke of course. Jack serves the good of the people in his own way but, Locke serves the ULTIMATE GOOD. The Island.

I just explain that as "Ussually if a Character is Gonna die or do something crazy it will be there centric"

Although by Season 2 I no longer believed people only died in there own centric.

Yeah, the "My Way or the Highway" bidness bugs me too, especially when he considers himself so much more...uh, whatever...mature or responsible than Sawyer but still he fully participates in every macho My-Cahones-Are-Bigger-Than-Yours contest Sawyer comes up with: poker, ping pong, flirting with Kate, etc.

I don't think his biggest fault is that he is too trusting. It is hubris, just like all the best Greek heroes. He's too arrogant (or maybe too emotionally invested in appearing competent at all times, which would make him too insecure rather than too arrogant. (There's that mirror image thing! 2 halves of the same personality flaw.) He wants to decide who goes on every mission and wants to lead them all himself, which...as a doctor the MOST responsible thing he could do would be to NOT got on any of them because he's the ONLY doctor they have! Ughh! He's gotta know this but playing the hero is too important to him. It puts everyone else at risk. I am still rooting for him, however, because ultimately he is more heroic than he is flawed. He is believable because he's so human.

Also, as a side note, I'd like to see Sayid step up to the plate a bit more. Be more of a leader and less of a watch-and-hang-out-on-the-sidelines character because he's a charismatic guy, probably possessing more survival and leadership skills than anyone else.

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