Lost/Walkabout

Walkabout
Season 1, Episode 4
Airdate	October 13, 2004
Production Number	103
Written by	David Fury
Directed by	Jack Bender
← 1x03 Tabula Rasa	1x05 → White Rabbit
Lost — Season One

Walkabout is the fourth episode of the first season of Lost, and is the fourth episode overall.

A series of flashbacks reveals a secret that Locke has kept hidden from the other passengers. Meanwhile, the bodies inside the plane need to be disposed of, but how? Jack decides the most effective way of doing so, but it's grisly. When the castaways realize that the food supply is running out, Locke has a suggestion.

Starring: Naveen Andrews (Sayid), Emilie de Ravin (Claire), Matthew Fox (Jack), Jorge Garcia (Hurley), Maggie Grace (Shannon), Josh Holloway (Sawyer), Malcolm David Kelley (Walt), Daniel Dae Kim (Jin), Yunjin Kim (Sun), Evangeline Lilly (Kate), Dominic Monaghan (Charlie), Terry O'Quinn (Locke), Harold Perrineau, Jr. (Michael), Ian Somerhalder (Boone).

Guest Starring: L. Scott Caldwell (Rose).

Co-Starring: John Simon Jones (Travel Agent), Billy Ray Gallion (Randy), Stephen J. Rafferty (Warren).

Plot Overview

The Island

• Boars infest the wrecked fuselage, scouring for whatever they can find. Jack states that the bodies need to be removed somehow, and suggests they set the fuselage on fire. The rest of the survivors in the discussion do not approve, but Jack manages to convince them. Some of the survivors collect wood the next day, and at nightfall, they set the fuselage ablaze and conduct a memorial for the victims.
• Sayid begins constructing his modified transceiver system. He plans on locating where the French woman's signal is coming from using triangulation. Kate takes one of the receivers Sayid constructed, but accidentally breaks it.
• Jack speaks to a traumatized woman named Rose, who lost her husband when the rear section of the plane broke off. Jack asks her if she would like to say a few words at the ceremony, but she insists that her husband is not dead. When Jack says there was no chance he could have survived, Rose says that her husband was probably thinking the same thing about her.
• With food running short, the survivors realize they must find something to eat. Locke suggests they hunt boars, and reveals his collection of hunting knives. Locke, Michael and Kate head out. As they prepare to go in for a kill, Locke gives out hand gestures to indicate strategy. Michael speaks, the boar is alerted to their presence, and it charges them, wounding Michael's leg. Locke chases after the boar alone despite Kate telling him he can't. "Don't tell me what I can't do," he tells her as he chases after the boar. Later, a large, rumbling sound comes from the border of a clearing as some trees are thrown from their roots. The "monster" finds Locke. All he can do is stare at it, wide eyed and motionless. Kate assumes Locke was killed, but he winds up bringing a slaughtered boar back to the camp. When questioned what he saw of the monster, Locke denied seeing anything at all.

The Flashback

• Flashback: Locke

John Locke is shown working in a generic office. He and his co-worker have a "game" where they jokingly talk like they are military officials. Locke's boss, Randy, is very condescending to Locke, sometimes bordering on contemptuous. We learn Locke is planning on attending a "walkabout" in Australia. Randy berates Locke, saying he just isn't able to wander around the Outback with people on foot. Locke is offended. "Don't tell me what I can't do," he tells Randy. Locke is later shown having a telephone conversation with a woman named Helen. He tells her that he is going to Australia on the "Walkabout," and mentions he purchased two tickets. Helen tells Locke she can't go to Australia with him. They have a small argument that ends with Helen abruptly ending the call and Locke slamming his phone on the hook several times in anger. The flashback culminates in Australia where Locke is trying to get on the bus for the "Walkabout." The guide says they are unable to take Locke along, claiming some sort of misrepresentation. The guide claims with his "condition," Locke is not able to go on the tour. The guide says they can fly Locke back to America on their own dime, but that is all they can do. As the guide walks out of the office, Locke yells at him, and it is revealed that Locke is paralyzed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair.

Notes

Mysteries

• Who is the girl in the pictures Sayid had?
• How did Locke get away from the monster? What was the monster?
• Who was the man in the suit that Jack saw?
• Why was Locke in a wheelchair?

Answers

• The "miracle" that Locke mentioned to Walt was his ability to walk upon waking up from the crash, having previously being confined to a wheelchair. (1x02 - Pilot (2))

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Sayid constructs his system to try and pinpoint the location of the distress signal. Kate accidentally breaks a piece of it, and Sayid gets frustrated over his lack of resources. He presses on, however.
• We are introduced to Rose. She remains completely convinced that her husband, who was in the rear of the airplane, is still alive.
• Locke has an encounter with the monster, yet survives without a scratch.

Characters

• Jack begins to accept some of the responsibilities of being a leader. He will accept some responsibilities but aggressively shun others.
• Shannon is presented as a "rich girl" who is constantly convinced someone is coming to rescue them. Consequently, she does not take an active role in the activities of the other survivors. As time progresses, though, she begins getting involved. One wonders if she does so out of spite to her brother, or if she is motivated by the fear of never being rescued.
• Locke reveals even more of his outdoors skills, a fact made all the more amazing considering his previous condition.

Referbacks

• The episode begins with events directly after the crash, but from Locke's perspective.

Trivia

Behind the Scenes

• What's in a Name?: This episode was almost titled "Lord of the Files" instead of "Walkabout".
• Tricks: The scenes with Locke getting up directly after the crash were not filmed during the Pilot, but rather afterwards and made to look as if they were.
• Location, Location, Location: The interior shots of the tour company building that Locke booked his walkabout with was filmed at a vacant retail space in Honolulu. It has since then been leased.

Allusions and References

• TPS Reports: Locke's supervisor, Randy, makes an reference to "TPS Reports," an acronym made famous in the movie Office Space.

Memorable Moments

• Hurley and Charlie's feeble attempt at spear fishing. "Damn it! Crap! Crap! Son of a...!"
• Locke in the tour office, yelling. "Hey, hey, don't you walk away from me. You don't know who you're dealing with! Don't EVER tell me what I can't do, EVER! This is destiny, this is destiny... this is... this is my DESTINY. This... I'm supposed to do this, dammit! DON'T TELL ME WHAT I CAN'T DO! DON'T TELL ME WHAT I CAN'T..." Cut to the clip shown at the beginning of the episode, where Locke wiggles his toes, puts on his shoes, stands up, and walks.

Quotes

• Hurley: {referring to Locke} Who is this guy?
• Locke: Hey, hey, don't you walk away from me. You don't know who you're dealing with! Don't ever tell me what I can't do, ever! This is destiny. This is destiny. This is my destiny. Listen, I'm supposed to do this, damn it! Don't tell me what I can't do! Don't tell me what I can't...!

Reviews

• Overall Grade: A with 2 reviews
• Review Breakdown: A+: 1 A: 1 A-: 0 B+: 0 B: 0 B-: 0 C+: 0 C: 0 C-: 0 D: 0 F: 0

• Walkabout is a great episode, and, in my opinion, the first season's best. It was at this point in the show that my love for Lost was fully confirmed. The final few minutes of this twisted flashback was a great twist that I doubt many people were privy to beforehand. David Fury's talent is really put to work here, and it shows in the great dialogue and revelations. A --Wizardryo 15:39, 1 Aug 2005 (PDT)
• I was a fan of Terry O'Quinn from some previous roles (The X-Files, Millennium), and Locke is my favorite character on the show. This episode not only introduced John Locke as the real enigma he is, but was emotionally stirring to boot. The closing moments had shivers running up my spine. I loved this episode, start to finish. A+ --Htom 22:03, 20 Oct 2005 (EDT)