Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya, tomorrow! You're only a day away!
That's right folks, we're just one day away- ONE DAY- from the return of Lost! Crazy to think that it's been eight months already but that's where we are. Speaking of where we are, where is the Island? It pulled a Houdini last May leaving a number of characters in limbo. Where did they go? I have no clue, but I can tell you what I think about all the main characters who went *poof* with the Island last spring.
REMINDER: Do not post spoilers in the comments section. The following predictions and prognostications are based on purely spoiler-free speculation. While I have read some spoilers in the lead up to Season 5, no spoilers or anything remotely spoilerish will be revealed here, so please do not let anything that you know slip. Let’s respect the fans that have gone 100% spoiler-free.
Alive On-Island Group #1
When the Island disappeared, it only took a few major players with it. This is the smallest of all eight character groups for the Season 5 LFL and features a unique assortment of characters. Only two of the six are original Losties that have been on the show since day one. Two others are, well, Others that were introduced in Season 3. The remaining two hail from the freighter, having been introduced early in Season 4.
This group gave many people a hard time. How do you choose between grizzled vets and exciting newer faces? You all made your choices and you’ll be mostly happy to know that I don’t think any of these six are outright bad choices for your Fantasy Teams. Some of them, however have enough quirks to make me worry about them.
1) John Locke
Number of Selections: 2,091 (43.02%)
G-Man Says: Good Pick
Locke was thought to be a sure thing last season. He was one of the most popular picks in his group but he finished 7th in the overall standings at the end of Season 4. This season, Locke still seems to be bursting with potential for a number of reasons.
First, we know that he is teaming up with the Others now. This could lead him around the Island to various places of importance (and point value). He may get the opportunity to discover new things and learn about the mysteries of the Island. Second, we know that Locke makes it off the Island at some point. This sets him up for appearances in FF’s for the members of the Oceanic 6. With all these discovery and appearance points possibilities at his fingertips, Locke could be a very lucrative character this year.
The one lingering issue is his death. At some point after he leaves the Island, Locke dies. There is a chance that we might see Locke’s death happen this season. I can’t imagine it happening early in the season because Locke helps fuel the mythology side of Lost. But, unless the timeline is split up and we see Locke on and off-Island all season, could Locke die and stay dead? It seems hard to believe, but he was very much dead in the Season 4 finale, so we could see a reduced amount of Locke at some point. If this were to happen a million or more Lost fans would flip out, so I don’t see it happening any time soon. Locke is too much a part of Lost to lose for good.
2) James “Sawyer” Ford
Number of Selections: 1,459 (30.02%)
G-Man Says: Good/Medium Pick
I bet Sawyer fans are already looking to lay some hate on me. No, I’m not sold on Sawyer being a legitimately “good” pick for the Fantasy League. He’s got the potential to score some points, but there is also a fair amount going against him. In Season 4, Sawyer managed only 200 total points, finishing 9th in the overall standings. That has to make you wonder at least a little bit about his ability to put up the points.
Working in Sawyer’s favor is the fact that he is almost certain to be the de facto leader of the Losties remaining on the Island. With Jack, Kate and Sayid gone and with Locke traipsing around with the Others, Sawyer is the most logical choice for leader. He’s likely to lead any A-Team missions and will undoubtedly discover a few things this year.
Working against Sawer is a number of things. First, without Kate, Sawyer has lost all potential romance points he had going for him last season. A Sawyer-Juliet romance seems too far-fetched and would seem extremely awkward. Sawyer also isn’t afraid to play rough. He’s dished out his fair share of abuse to a number of people. Finally, Sawyer has almost always been what I call the Island’s favorite little punching bag. How many times has the man been beaten, tortured, shot, attacked, etc.? His likely new role as leader of the Losties probably won’t help this problem of his much at all.
Expect to see lots of good potential from Sawyer but expect it to be accompanied by enough pain and suffering to reduce his overall value.
3) Richard Alpert
Number of Selections: 404 (8.31%)
G-Man Says: Medium/Bad Pick
Richard is the only character in this group that I’m not particularly fond of. Sure, he’s got lots of mystery and connections to both Ben’s past and the history of the Island, but he doesn’t have the track record for showing up to make him an appealing choice. I like to go with someone with lots of potential and slid attendance record. That makes for a safe and smart choice.
This means Richard is the wildcard pick of the group. He certainly has some potential, what with all the Island weirdness that surrounds him. His interactions with Ben and DHARMA in the past may prove fruitful as well as any possible interaction with Jacob. Nevertheless, the Others and the Hostiles in the past have shown the ability to use plenty of bloody force when need be. If Richard goes about dispensing too much bloodshed, he could hamper your Fantasy Team’s productivity.
The biggest thing that could hold Richard back is how often he appears. With Locke now camped with the Others, Richard might pop up more and more, but if he doesn’t emerge from his status as a supporting character he’ll never be able to compete with the big dogs.
4) Juliet Burke
Number of Selections: 358 (7.37%)
G-Man Says: Medium Pick
Juliet was a surprise success story last year in the LFL. I had her on my list of characters most likely to die but she survived the season and amassed 285 points when all was said and done. After finishing 6th overall last year, you’d think I would have a glowing outlook for Juliet this season. Not exactly.
Right now Juliet has very little back story left, so being stuck on the Island leaves her FB/FF potential pretty low. Since Jack left the Island, Juliet has lost her shot at romance points, as I don’t see a snowball’s chance in hell of a Sawyer-Juliet romance sparking up. Finally, Juliet isn’t afraid to get all rough and tumble when need be. That didn’t hold her back last season but you never know what Season 5 may bring.
On the plus side for Juliet is the fact that she may emerge as a leader for the Losties still stuck on the Island. I think Sawyer will likely take the reins, but Juliet would make for a pretty solid deputy. She’s been around the Island before and will probably be involved in some A-Team missions, opening up potential for discovery and visit points. While I’m up in the air on her now, Juliet could be a big surprise yet again and hold her own with the “elite” characters come season’s end.
5) Charlotte Lewis
Number of Selections: 280 (5.76%)
G-Man Says: Medium Pick
AND
6) Miles Straume
Number of Selections: 268 (5.51%)
G-Man Says: Medium Pick
I can’t help but consider Charlotte and Miles underdogs heading into this season. The bad news for each of them is that there are enough main characters to chew up screen time already. They’ll be hard-pressed to elbow in enough screen time fro themselves amidst the convoluted story lines and plot threads. The good news is that they won’t get lost in the shuffle completely. The freighter folk are certainly interesting enough to include in the main action and I can definitely see some of them getting some FB love.
Charlotte has the unique connection to the Island in her past going for her. She’s also an anthropologist, which could lead her to investigating some of the ancient ruins on the Island (hello 4-toed statue!). I think Charlotte is well-positioned to eat up all kinds of Island-related points in Season 5. She may not get quite as much screen time week in and out but I think she’ll find her balance and prove a worthwhile addition to your Fantasy Team. Plus, she already saw one polar bear (albeit a dead one), so who’s to say it won’t happen again!
Miles is an interesting fellow. He’s got that sass and spunk that will provide enough give and take between him and Sayid that we might not notice that Sawyer doesn’t have Jack, Sayid or Hurley to kick around anymore. This could be a boost to Miles, as he’ll undoubtedly be on the receiving end of wisecrack remarks and nicknames. Miles also has the interesting ability to communicate with dead people. Could this lead to Miles having a powwow with Christian Shephard or even Jacob himself? It’s Lost, so anything is possible. But, Miles wasn’t as involved last season as Charlotte, so I have to favor her slightly between the two of them.
Miles and Charlotte should provide some good competition in the LFL but I’m still not sure if they are the best choices. As tempting as they may be, Locke and Sawyer have to be the favorites in this category and it appears a majority of you felt the same way.
When the Island disappeared, it only took a few major players with it. This is the smallest of all eight character groups for the Season 5 LFL and features a unique assortment of characters. Only two of the six are original Losties that have been on the show since day one. Two others are, well, Others that were introduced in Season 3. The remaining two hail from the freighter, having been introduced early in Season 4.
This group gave many people a hard time. How do you choose between grizzled vets and exciting newer faces? You all made your choices and you’ll be mostly happy to know that I don’t think any of these six are outright bad choices for your Fantasy Teams. Some of them, however have enough quirks to make me worry about them.
1) John Locke
Number of Selections: 2,091 (43.02%)
G-Man Says: Good Pick
Locke was thought to be a sure thing last season. He was one of the most popular picks in his group but he finished 7th in the overall standings at the end of Season 4. This season, Locke still seems to be bursting with potential for a number of reasons.
First, we know that he is teaming up with the Others now. This could lead him around the Island to various places of importance (and point value). He may get the opportunity to discover new things and learn about the mysteries of the Island. Second, we know that Locke makes it off the Island at some point. This sets him up for appearances in FF’s for the members of the Oceanic 6. With all these discovery and appearance points possibilities at his fingertips, Locke could be a very lucrative character this year.
The one lingering issue is his death. At some point after he leaves the Island, Locke dies. There is a chance that we might see Locke’s death happen this season. I can’t imagine it happening early in the season because Locke helps fuel the mythology side of Lost. But, unless the timeline is split up and we see Locke on and off-Island all season, could Locke die and stay dead? It seems hard to believe, but he was very much dead in the Season 4 finale, so we could see a reduced amount of Locke at some point. If this were to happen a million or more Lost fans would flip out, so I don’t see it happening any time soon. Locke is too much a part of Lost to lose for good.
2) James “Sawyer” Ford
Number of Selections: 1,459 (30.02%)
G-Man Says: Good/Medium Pick
I bet Sawyer fans are already looking to lay some hate on me. No, I’m not sold on Sawyer being a legitimately “good” pick for the Fantasy League. He’s got the potential to score some points, but there is also a fair amount going against him. In Season 4, Sawyer managed only 200 total points, finishing 9th in the overall standings. That has to make you wonder at least a little bit about his ability to put up the points.
Working in Sawyer’s favor is the fact that he is almost certain to be the de facto leader of the Losties remaining on the Island. With Jack, Kate and Sayid gone and with Locke traipsing around with the Others, Sawyer is the most logical choice for leader. He’s likely to lead any A-Team missions and will undoubtedly discover a few things this year.
Working against Sawer is a number of things. First, without Kate, Sawyer has lost all potential romance points he had going for him last season. A Sawyer-Juliet romance seems too far-fetched and would seem extremely awkward. Sawyer also isn’t afraid to play rough. He’s dished out his fair share of abuse to a number of people. Finally, Sawyer has almost always been what I call the Island’s favorite little punching bag. How many times has the man been beaten, tortured, shot, attacked, etc.? His likely new role as leader of the Losties probably won’t help this problem of his much at all.
Expect to see lots of good potential from Sawyer but expect it to be accompanied by enough pain and suffering to reduce his overall value.
3) Richard Alpert
Number of Selections: 404 (8.31%)
G-Man Says: Medium/Bad Pick
Richard is the only character in this group that I’m not particularly fond of. Sure, he’s got lots of mystery and connections to both Ben’s past and the history of the Island, but he doesn’t have the track record for showing up to make him an appealing choice. I like to go with someone with lots of potential and slid attendance record. That makes for a safe and smart choice.
This means Richard is the wildcard pick of the group. He certainly has some potential, what with all the Island weirdness that surrounds him. His interactions with Ben and DHARMA in the past may prove fruitful as well as any possible interaction with Jacob. Nevertheless, the Others and the Hostiles in the past have shown the ability to use plenty of bloody force when need be. If Richard goes about dispensing too much bloodshed, he could hamper your Fantasy Team’s productivity.
The biggest thing that could hold Richard back is how often he appears. With Locke now camped with the Others, Richard might pop up more and more, but if he doesn’t emerge from his status as a supporting character he’ll never be able to compete with the big dogs.
4) Juliet Burke
Number of Selections: 358 (7.37%)
G-Man Says: Medium Pick
Juliet was a surprise success story last year in the LFL. I had her on my list of characters most likely to die but she survived the season and amassed 285 points when all was said and done. After finishing 6th overall last year, you’d think I would have a glowing outlook for Juliet this season. Not exactly.
Right now Juliet has very little back story left, so being stuck on the Island leaves her FB/FF potential pretty low. Since Jack left the Island, Juliet has lost her shot at romance points, as I don’t see a snowball’s chance in hell of a Sawyer-Juliet romance sparking up. Finally, Juliet isn’t afraid to get all rough and tumble when need be. That didn’t hold her back last season but you never know what Season 5 may bring.
On the plus side for Juliet is the fact that she may emerge as a leader for the Losties still stuck on the Island. I think Sawyer will likely take the reins, but Juliet would make for a pretty solid deputy. She’s been around the Island before and will probably be involved in some A-Team missions, opening up potential for discovery and visit points. While I’m up in the air on her now, Juliet could be a big surprise yet again and hold her own with the “elite” characters come season’s end.
5) Charlotte Lewis
Number of Selections: 280 (5.76%)
G-Man Says: Medium Pick
AND
6) Miles Straume
Number of Selections: 268 (5.51%)
G-Man Says: Medium Pick
I can’t help but consider Charlotte and Miles underdogs heading into this season. The bad news for each of them is that there are enough main characters to chew up screen time already. They’ll be hard-pressed to elbow in enough screen time fro themselves amidst the convoluted story lines and plot threads. The good news is that they won’t get lost in the shuffle completely. The freighter folk are certainly interesting enough to include in the main action and I can definitely see some of them getting some FB love.
Charlotte has the unique connection to the Island in her past going for her. She’s also an anthropologist, which could lead her to investigating some of the ancient ruins on the Island (hello 4-toed statue!). I think Charlotte is well-positioned to eat up all kinds of Island-related points in Season 5. She may not get quite as much screen time week in and out but I think she’ll find her balance and prove a worthwhile addition to your Fantasy Team. Plus, she already saw one polar bear (albeit a dead one), so who’s to say it won’t happen again!
Miles is an interesting fellow. He’s got that sass and spunk that will provide enough give and take between him and Sayid that we might not notice that Sawyer doesn’t have Jack, Sayid or Hurley to kick around anymore. This could be a boost to Miles, as he’ll undoubtedly be on the receiving end of wisecrack remarks and nicknames. Miles also has the interesting ability to communicate with dead people. Could this lead to Miles having a powwow with Christian Shephard or even Jacob himself? It’s Lost, so anything is possible. But, Miles wasn’t as involved last season as Charlotte, so I have to favor her slightly between the two of them.
Miles and Charlotte should provide some good competition in the LFL but I’m still not sure if they are the best choices. As tempting as they may be, Locke and Sawyer have to be the favorites in this category and it appears a majority of you felt the same way.
