LOST 2.17 Discusion Thread

[UConn James]

Was helping my brother install some Pergo-type flooring and by the time I got home I missed the first half... Came in as Locke was getting Henry to climb through the vent and he fell from the shelf. Could someone describe a little of what happened in the first half?

 

Need to see a screen capture of the design illuminated by the blue light(?). Was that over the mural that Desmond or whoever had made?

 

What was the deal with Locke's backstory? His father got him to do a life insurance scam?

 

So, it's settled that "Henry Gale" is an Other, or was at least sent by them? Said in the preview for next week that "He'll kill me." Could we take that to be Mr. Friendly/Zeke?

[CosmicBills]

Was helping my brother install some Pergo-type flooring and by the time I got home I missed the first half... Came in as Locke was getting Henry to climb through the vent and he fell from the shelf. Could someone describe a little of what happened in the first half?

 

Need to see a screen capture of the design illuminated by the blue light(?). Was that over the mural that Desmond or whoever had made?

 

What was the deal with Locke's backstory? His father got him to do a life insurance scam?

 

So, it's settled that "Henry Gale" is an Other, or was at least sent by them? Said in the preview for next week that "He'll kill me." Could we take that to be Mr. Friendly/Zeke?

646410[/snapback]

Clearly the most interesting part was the painting hidden on the blast door. It was on the blast door leading from the main room to the computer room. I froze that image (yes, I am a nerd) on my projector to get a clear view. Got some good stuff on that in a sec.

 

Recap of the first half:

 

The first half of the show dealt with Locke and Helen in flashbacks. Locke buys a ring and is ready to propose over a picnic lunch when Helen reads that Locke's father has died in the Obit collumn. So they go to the funeral (the only two there) and there are two shady, mobster guys watching them and a white car with tinted windows. Locke speaks at the funeral and only says one thing: "I forgive you".

 

Later on in the flash back, we see Locke doing house inspections (he is a house inspector apparently) and he is inspecting a woman's house who is Sayid's GF from his original flashback (and she does not have a husband). Locke again sees the white car and the driver is...dum dum dum....his father. He faked his own death (more on this later) because he conned 700,000 from the two shady guys and needs Locke's help to get the money from a safe deposit box -- which Locke agrees to do. When will Locke learn?!

 

On the island, Locke is in the Hatch with Gale and Jack and they are reacting to the "joke" Gale told at the end of the last episode. Jack flips and tells Locke to lock (sorry) Gale back up. Gale asks Locke why he lets Jack talk to him that way -- which causes Locke to unleash his anger. Shortly after locking him up, there is a countdown heard over the intercom speakers and suddenly the blast doors begin to close, sealing off the center room.

 

Locke cuts a deal with Henry and gives him his word that if Henry helps him pry open the doors, he will "protect him no matter what Sayid and Anna find". Locke agrees and winds up getting stuck under the door. Of course now Locke needs to tell Gale about the button (big mistake) and how to dismantle it.

 

Outside of the Hatch, Hurley, Kate and Sawyer are playing Hold 'Em for fruit and Sawyer is dominating. Enter Jack who is a good card player (of course this is an inside joke -- the Cast members play no limit Hold 'Em twice a week at people's houses and Matthew Fox apparently always loses). Sawyer goads Jack into playing and Jack wins -- cleans Sawyer out.

 

Sawyer wants to up the stakes, Jack says they should play for all the medical supplies in Saywer's "Stash". Saywer agrees and we are treated to three of the best lines in the show's history. First, when Sawyer and Jack are arguing about cards Kate quips: "Should I go get a ruler?". Hilarious. Secondly, while Hurley and Libby watch the poker game from afar, Hurley goes, "Jack and Sawyer are finally going to beat eachother up." Of course Jack wins and when Sawyer asks why he didn't want to play for the guns, Jack goes, "When I need the guns, I'll get the guns."

 

That should catch you up. Now for the fun bits:

 

The map:

 

It was a topographical map highlighting the water and mountain ranges on the island (which is apparently an octogon). There are 7 "Hatches" drawn along the perimeter with different symbols. Some we recoginze as the Swan (marked with a circle outside teh octogon saying "I AM HERE"), the other is the medical hatch and there is also another hatch that is crossed out which I assume is the abandoned hatch the Tailies found. In the center of the island is a big ? with another octogon around it.

 

Interesting to note there are TONS of notes written outside of the octogon and most of them are too small to read (or are in another language). But the ones we can make out are roman numerals: 108, 107, 106 etc...all by various hatches. Wanna bet what they mean? You can also make out the words: Missel and a name Melinda. Also, by the Roman numeral 108 there is a note: "inactive since accident". If 108 is the Swan (which I think there is little doubt) it could mean that the button is infact useless now -- but I doubt that since Gale seemed VERY keen to know what was going on with the button.

 

Another interesting thing to note is that all the hatches lead to the ? in the center but have large red X's through them, showing that maybe they don't reach the center -- except for the swan hatch. So maybe the swan hatch is the only one which can reach the center? It would explain why it is so important and why Gale is so interested in their hatch.

 

 

Other stuff:

 

A couple other notes that may or may not mean anything. I am convinced now that Locke's dad is infact Sawyer. They are one and the same. Who is another famous literay figure who faked his own death? You guessed it, Tom fuggin' Sawyer. Remember, our Sawyer took the name Sawyer after the man who conned his mother. And we learned tonight for certain that Locke's dad is indeed a conman.

 

We also learned where Jack got his tattoos from (Thailand). What that means? Who the hell knows.

[CosmicBills]

Oh, and I suspect Gale did not type in the numbers to the computer. He already knew how to work it (again a hunch) and typed something else in. Why do I say that? The last time the buzzer reached 00000 there were no black lights that sprung on.

 

And why did the blast doors drop? Was it to prevent the people inside the hatch from getting the supplies? That seems unlikely since you can go around the blast doors through the vents.

[Rico]

I also missed the 1st half thanks to Idol... was that Peg Bundy???

[CosmicBills]

I also missed the 1st half thanks to Idol... was that Peg Bundy???

646422[/snapback]

 

Yeah! lol Second time she's been on the show. We saw her during Locke's flashback in the beginning of the season too.

 

Too bad Locke didn't score 4 touchdowns in a single game, otherwise Peggy would have accepted his marriage proposal.

[UConn James]

Tgreg, merci beaucoup for the rundown.

 

I saw the part where Locke tells 'Henry' the numbers, and the curiosity about and memorization was a little too much to expect. Do the Others want or need the number sequence for their own uses? The countdown did run out, and nothing really happened. Unanswerable for now I know, but could Henry have used the computer to talk to Walt or whoever's at the other terminal? Did Henry type in a different number sequence?

 

As I was reading your description, I was thinking the same thing about Locke's father being Frank Sawyer. The timing would be w/in reason given James Ford/Saywer's age; i.e. that 25-30 years ago, Frank Sawyer wouldn't've been a white-haired colostomy-bag carrier, and would have been dashing enough to lure in a naive woman.. And also, the shrimp guy James Ford shot in Australia looked to be older too, so that tells us he knew the guy was older. I'd say this is a solid theory.

 

Something that's a little disappointing about Locke's backstories is that as they've gone deeper back, they skipped over how Locke was paralyzed. But that is, generally speaking, how this season has been going into deeper flashbacks, as last season's were mostly what happened w/in a few days/hours of the flight.

 

From what I saw, and what I'm reading, the creativity of the plot and the really good dialogue shows that this was a Lindelof/Cuse script, and not one of the absolutely horrible writers from last week.

[sweet baboo]

Need to see a screen capture of the design illuminated by the blue light(?). Was that over the mural that Desmond or whoever had made?

646410[/snapback]

 

 

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/6923/img22eq.jpg

 

or

 

http://pixelheaven.pulsehost.com/sa/lost.jpg

[CosmicBills]

Tgreg, merci beaucoup for the rundown.

 

I saw the part where Locke tells 'Henry' the numbers, and the curiosity about and memorization was a little too much to expect. Do the Others want or need the number sequence for their own uses? The countdown did run out, and nothing really happened. Unanswerable for now I know, but could Henry have used the computer to talk to Walt or whoever's at the other terminal? Did Henry type in a different number sequence?

 

As I was reading your description, I was thinking the same thing about Locke's father being Frank Sawyer. The timing would be w/in reason given James Ford/Saywer's age; i.e. that 25-30 years ago, Frank Sawyer wouldn't've been a white-haired colostomy-bag carrier, and would have been dashing enough to lure in a naive woman.. And also, the shrimp guy James Ford shot in Australia looked to be older too, so that tells us he knew the guy was older. I'd say this is a solid theory.

 

Something that's a little disappointing about Locke's backstories is that as they've gone deeper back, they skipped over how Locke was paralyzed. But that is, generally speaking, how this season has been going into deeper flashbacks, as last season's were mostly what happened w/in a few days/hours of the flight.

 

From what I saw, and what I'm reading, the creativity  of the plot and the really good dialogue shows that this was a Lindelof/Cuse script, and not one of the absolutely horrible writers from last week.

646432[/snapback]

 

Yup -- it was a Lindelof/Cuse script. And considering how many potential tie-ins they made tonight (Locke knowing where Sayid's gf lives / Sawyer being Locke's dad / the map of the island on the hatch door / and the revelation of Gale) it makes sense they would be the ones to script it.

 

I think that Gale did indeed type in a different sequence. It seems to me that he knew about this hatch but had never been "in" it before. Maybe the "Others" have been looking for this hatch (and that was the purpose of Gale's mission) because they need the computer or the lockdown sequence.

 

Also, the bit about the missels can't be overlooked considering Hanso was a munitions expert. If each hatch is a missle silo, then maybe Desmond's theory about the button controlling the end of the world (maybe they're nukes designed to trigger a nuclear war wiping out the planet save for the "enlightened ones" on the island) might in fact be right.

[Scraps]

The map:

 

It was a topographical map highlighting the water and mountain ranges on the island (which is apparently an octogon). There are 7 "Hatches" drawn along the perimeter with different symbols. Some we recoginze as the Swan (marked with a circle outside teh octogon saying "I AM HERE"), the other is the medical hatch and there is also another hatch that is crossed out which I assume is the abandoned hatch the Tailies found. In the center of the island is a big ? with another octogon around it.

 

Interesting to note there are TONS of notes written outside of the octogon and most of them are too small to read (or are in another language). But the ones we can make out are roman numerals: 108, 107, 106 etc...all by various hatches. Wanna bet what they mean? You can also make out the words: Missel and a name Melinda. Also, by the Roman numeral 108 there is a note: "inactive since accident". If 108 is the Swan (which I think there is little doubt) it could mean that the button is infact useless now -- but I doubt that since Gale seemed VERY keen to know what was going on with the button.

 

Another interesting thing to note is that all the hatches lead to the ? in the center but have large red X's through them, showing that maybe they don't reach the center -- except for the swan hatch. So maybe the swan hatch is the only one which can reach the center? It would explain why it is so important and why Gale is so interested in their hatch.

646418[/snapback]

 

I assumed that the tunnel the tailies found was to the left of the crossed out hatch. It says "the shaft" on it. Didn't their hatch have an arrow on it?

 

The hatch to the right of the crossed out one says "the bow" on it. Continuing around clockwise, the next hatch seems to have a picture of a woman superimposed on it. The word "baby" seems to be at about the 3 oclock position.

 

Actually the Swan hatch also has an X going through it, though it is drawn differently. All the other hatches tunnels stop at the X, almost as though someone tried to tunnel through but got stopped. The Swan's tunnel does continue past the hatch to the ?, almost as though the tunnel led to the center at one time but later became blocked some how.

[Scraps]

Yup -- it was a Lindelof/Cuse script. And considering how many potential tie-ins they made tonight (Locke knowing where Sayid's gf lives / Sawyer being Locke's dad / the map of the island on the hatch door / and the revelation of Gale) it makes sense they would be the ones to script it.

 

I think that Gale did indeed type in a different sequence. It seems to me that he knew about this hatch but had never been "in" it before. Maybe the "Others" have been looking for this hatch (and that was the purpose of Gale's mission) because they need the computer or the lockdown sequence.

 

Also, the bit about the missels can't be overlooked considering Hanso was a munitions expert. If each hatch is a missle silo, then maybe Desmond's theory about the button controlling the end of the world (maybe they're nukes designed to trigger a nuclear war wiping out the planet save for the "enlightened ones" on the island) might in fact be right.

646443[/snapback]

 

I didn't think Gale ever made it into the room with the terminal. Didn't he fall and get knocked out trying to get into the ventilation? Maybe he faked it and was more interested in the map?

[duey]

Here's an interesting theory about the blast doors that a friend of mine came up with...could the count down and subsequent closure of the blast doors have been timed with the food drop? The Dharma project participants assumedly are supposed to be isolated from the rest of the world, so perhaps the lock down occurs to prevent them seeing/being seen by whoever/whatever does the food drop.

 

And on the topic of the food drop...my theory is that this is an automated process where every 90 days or so (a guess), a drone from another nearby island (???) flies over our island and makes the drop. The natural next question is why is this still occuring, assuming that the organizers of the Dharma project know that it has gone kaput.

 

Discuss.

[CoachChuckDickerson]

Here's an interesting theory about the blast doors that a friend of mine came up with...could the count down and subsequent closure of the blast doors have been timed with the food drop?

 

I think that is pretty much fact, not theory.

[Fires]

I watched it but forgot to DVR it

Definetely one of the best episodes yet.

[JoeFerguson]

Does anyone remember if Desmond was racing across the world alone? Could Henry Gale's balloon be the same one Desmond was on?

[duey]

Does anyone remember if Desmond was racing across the world alone?  Could Henry Gale's balloon be the same one Desmond was on?

646669[/snapback]

He said that he was alone...and wasn't it a race that he was in?

[Lurker]

Something that's a little disappointing about Locke's backstories is that as they've gone deeper back, they skipped over how Locke was paralyzed. But that is, generally speaking, how this season has been going into deeper flashbacks, as last season's were mostly what happened w/in a few days/hours of the flight.

646432[/snapback]

 

Actually, based on the flashback last night, my guess is the two goons his father swindled do a number on Locke and that's how he got paralyzed. If they keep doing flashbacks cast member by cast member, it'll be quite a while before we get to that story, I guess.

 

I almost fell out of my chair at Kate's "ruler" remark. Don't hear dialog like that on TV too much. Too funny.

[The Jokeman]

Something that's a little disappointing about Locke's backstories is that as they've gone deeper back, they skipped over how Locke was paralyzed. But that is, generally speaking, how this season has been going into deeper flashbacks, as last season's were mostly what happened w/in a few days/hours of the flight.

 

 

646432[/snapback]

Maybe I've watched too many mob movies or the re-start of the Sopranos but I couldn't help think of the 700k Locke's father conned made me think that Locke's leg problems might have resulted in a beat down.

 

Later on in the flash back, we see Locke doing house inspections (he is a house inspector apparently) and he is inspecting a woman's house who is Sayid's GF from his original flashback (and she does not have a husband). Locke again sees the white car and the driver is...dum dum dum....his father. He faked his own death (more on this later) because he conned 700,000 from the two shady guys and needs Locke's help to get the money from a safe deposit box -- which Locke agrees to do. When will Locke learn?!

646418[/snapback]

Good catch in recognizing's Sayid's girl, it went completely over my head.

 

He said that he was alone...and wasn't it a race that he was in?

646723[/snapback]

Yes it was a race and pretty sure Desmond said he was alone.

[Lurker]

And on the topic of the food drop...my theory is that this is an automated process where every 90 days or so (a guess), a drone from another nearby island (???) flies over our island and makes the drop.  The natural next question is why is this still occuring, assuming that the organizers of the Dharma project know that it has gone kaput.

 

Discuss.

646546[/snapback]

 

How long would something like that have been going on? I know it's a big island, but wouldn't they have encountered other food drops by now, if it is indeed a regular automated thing?

 

How about this? Letting the countdown clock expire triggers the food drop--as long as they keep hitting the button, they're not re-supplied.

[CosmicBills]

I think that is pretty much fact, not theory.

646584[/snapback]

 

I don't know about the blast doors yet. If they are to do with the food drop. If they are designed to keep people inside the hatch inside and prevent them from getting to the food, it doesn't make much sense since you can simply go around them through the vents. Poor design.

 

There is no doubt they are linked somehow, but I don't understand how.

[CosmicBills]

I didn't think Gale ever made it into the room with the terminal.  Didn't he fall and get knocked out trying to get into the ventilation?  Maybe he faked it and was more interested in the map?

646498[/snapback]

 

No, he got up. He was initially knocked out but then made it into the vents. He also was at the terminal because we heard the buttons being pushed -- but again, I think he may have hit a different sequence...or at least it's possible.