Back when my friend Libbie and I finally got around to watching the pilot of LOST,
more than 16 months after it originally aired, we both had a pretty
good idea of who was going to inspire our most ardent affections. My
money was on Charlie, the burned-out rocker portrayed by none other than
the adorable, hilarious former hobbit Dom Monaghan, while hers was on
Jack, the rugged hero bringing a sense of order amidst the post-crash
chaos, a towering figure of strength and resolve played by Party of Five's Matthew Fox.
Three seasons in, we've both conceded that tortured, time-traveling
Scotsman Desmond, a latecomer to the game, gives our respective flames a
run for their money, but since we're not going to be seeing Mr. Hume in
plastic form anytime soon (and when we do, I really hope his prop is
the failsafe key, which I can string around my neck should I feel so
inspired, rather than that picture of him and Penny) there was no
question as to which character in McFarlane's line of LOST
figures would be most suited to her. When her birthday rolled around
recently, it was Jack in the box, ready to spring into action.
Jack, it seems, is not quite as popular now as he was in the first
season. While I never really latched onto him as a favorite, preferring
the more down-to-earth Charlie and Hurley and the enigmatic Locke, I've
always liked him, and I don't envy him his position of having leadership
thrust upon him because, as a doctor, he was among the first to check
into the well-being of the survivors. He knew what to do when it
counted, so everyone continued to look to him for direction.
And he's delivered pretty well in that regard. As the only doctor in the
bunch, he's indispensable, making everyone's stay on the island more
pleasant and saving lives - most dramatically Charlie's, in a testament
to the value of his stubborn unwillingness to give up on a patient. He
rallies the castaways with inspirational speeches and pushes past the
personal issues plaguing him for the good of the group. Jack is a good
guy.
This figure captures him at a moment early in the series,
roughly the same time as the scene in which the Charlie figure is
rooted. Jack stands, ever so wobbly on his feet, weaving his way dazedly
through the sea of wreckage strewn about him. Chunks of debris jut out
at odd angles, while Jack himself looks a little uneven, knee bent, arms
splayed at his sides, jacket flapping, shirt half-tucked, tie askew,
startled expression on his face. This is Jack just moments after the
crash, only beginning to comprehend what's happening, barely aware of
the lacerations in his skin leaving bloodstained tears in his clothes.
Maybe the blood is a bit much, but it certainly adds to the realism of
the scene.
Of all the figures I've examined out of the box,
Jack probably looks the least like the character, but that's not to say
it isn't a good likeness. It's just not as remarkable as Locke or
Charlie. It's still clearly Jack, though, looking mighty heroic atop the
pile of fuselage remnants. Like the other figures in the series, he
doesn't move a whole lot, but his hands, head and waist are articulated.
Putting together the plastic base, complete with its thin black rods,
cardboard backdrop and black box, is a bit tricky, but a little fiddling
around does the trick. There's also the added complication of having a
piece of wreckage that fits onto pegs on the base, just as Jack's shoes
do; this makes things a bit more confusing at first, but it's not the
sort of challenge that should pose undue difficulty. The backdrop still
requires the more complex assembly.
Accompanying Jack is a mug
shot of Kate, which seems like a rather odd prop for him to have, but
upon reflection I can't think of any definitive props Jack has had at
any point in the series, unless it were a first aid kit or something of
that nature, so I guess the Kate picture makes sense, given his close
connection with her. And it's very realistic-looking.
And
then, of course, there are the sound clips. Most iconic is his pleading
catchphrase: "If we can't live together, we're gonna die alone." Less
effective, especially considering that they both came from the same
episode - heck, the same conversation - are "Everybody wants me to be a
leader until I make a decision that they don't like" and "There's
something that you need to know... We're going to have a Locke problem,
and I have to know that you've got my back." These last two are fine,
but given the fact that Jack is the closest thing the series has to a
singular main character, it seems a little strange to have two quotes
from the season one finale. I would nix the third and put in something
from around mid-season, something showing the softer or lighter side of
Jack... As it is, while the first quote is inspirational, the second is a
bit petulant and the third comes off as slightly paranoid - though it's
not quite unfounded, given Locke's various issues throughout the second
season, to say nothing of the third...
When I bought this
figure, it still cost $16, but considering that the second series is due
out in July, I wouldn't be surprised if the price goes down before too
long, especially since I snagged the hatch set half-off. If Jack's your
main squeeze, snatching up this figure before it vanishes from the
shelves might be just what the doctor ordered.
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