The Man from Tallahassee? What is that some kind of code?
No John, unfortunately we don't have a code for "there is a man in my closet holding a gun to my daughter's head". Although we obviously should.
“The Man from Tallahassee” · Season 3, Episode 13
In this episode: John Locke (5), Ben Linus (5), Dr. Jack Shephard (1), Anthony Cooper (1)
Would you mind helping me get into my chair. No tricks, I promise. I just want some dignity. You of all people should understand what means to want some dignity. Thank you. So tell me John, how do you plan on piloting our submarine. Its a complicated piece of machinery. You just don't press submerge.
I'll figure something out. For all you know I was a commander in the Navy. Put your arm around my neck and I'll lift under your knees.
What's in the pack, John? If you met Mikail that means you were at the communications station, which means you found the explosives. So you're not planning on piloting the submarine anywhere, you're planning to destroy it. I know you, John Locke.
You don't know me at all.
I know you were born in California. I know that you were raised in foster care. I know that you wasted a big part of your life in Tustin, pushing papers at a place that manufactures industrial boxes. I know that you spent the four years prior to arriving on this island in a wheelchair, and I know how you ended up in it.
[To Kate] I will come back here for you.
Where do you get electricity?
We have two big hamsters running around in this giant wheel in our secret underground lair.
Yeah, that's funny.
I know you think you need to do this John, but if you blow up my submarine, I'll have a big problem with my people.
Is that supposed to be an incentive not to blow it up?
I was born on this island; not many of my people can say that. Most of them were recruited and brought here, and as much as they love this place, as much as they would do anything to defend it, they need to know that they can leave if they want to. The sub maintains that illusion.
So you're lying to them?
No... they're here because they want to be here. Some of them are just not ready to make a full commitment yet. But you John, you've already made that commitment. And now you have a choice, because if you stop and think, I can show you things. things I know that you want to see very badly. Let me put it so you'll understand: picture a box. You know something about boxes, don't you John? What if I told you that somewhere on this island there is a very large box and whatever you imagined, whatever you wanted to be in it, when you open that box, there it would be. What would you say about that John?
I'd say that I hope that box is big enough for you to imagine up a new submarine.
Why are you so angry John?
Because you're cheating. You communicate with the outside world whenever you want to, you come and go as you please, you use electricity and running water and guns. You're a hypocrite. You don't deserve to be on this island. If you had any idea what this place was you wouldn't be putting chicken in your refrigerator.
You have been on this island for 80 days, John. I have been here my entire life. So what makes you think you know this island better than I do?
Because you're in the wheelchair, and I'm not.
I'm a con man, not a murderer.
When I asked you earlier if it hurt when you suffered your injury, I think you misunderstood me. Seems fairly obvious that when a person's back smashes into a hard surface after being thrown from a building, that that's going to sting a little. But I really wasn't asking about the physical pain.
What, do you want to know if it hurt my feelings?
No, John. I wanted to know what it felt like when your own father tried to kill you.
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