Everybody Loves Hugo

Let's talk about LOST.     Everybody Loves Hugo.

"In a world full of conflict and strife...there is but one fact we all can agree upon...Everybody Loves Hugo. Born to humble surroundings, Hugo Reyes has always been a beacon of light for all who cross his path. Now Hugo's lifelong love affair with chicken led him to acquire and then expand the Mr. Cluck's chain into a worldwide phenomenon.  The exponential growth of Hugo's success was startling.  But financial success wasn't the end... it was the beginning. Hugo and giving became synonymous.  Parks, playgrounds, hospitals, the Mr. Clucks house for children. The philanthropy was unparalleled.   Which brings us to this evening and the opening of the Hugo Reyes Paleontology wing at the Golden State Natural History Museum. A lasting beacon of culture that bears the name of one of our cities greatest benefactors...Ladies and Gentlemen...our man of the year...Hugo Reyes."
When he stands to the applause of the room his mom looks unimpressed.

The "Flashes of snapshots" from Hugo's life is displayed during the speech.{A farm, as an infant/mom, baby, grand re-opening, w/box of chicken, Mr. Cluck's in Paris,Mt Fuji, Egypt, shaking hands with people at a Construction site/hardhats, w/NuNu, kids and chicken suit guy at a zoo w/elephant, ribbon cutting, experimental farm,etc.}

{Note: When Cheng says hospitals the image of Hugo in front of BOX2 is shown}
The master of ceremonies is Pierre Cheng/Candle/Wickman/Halliwax.

While leaving the event Hugo tells his mom about another event in his honor next Saturday night; The Human Fund. {The trophy is an opaque piece of glass in the cutout shape of a T-Rex.} "Can you make it?"    Apparently Hugo receives many trophies.
Unimpressed and bored Mom remarks that everybody loves Oo-go, "You know who doesn't? Women."
She feels Hugo needs a woman in his life especially on who has not "nursed" him. While Hugo feels he's too busy to meet someone his mom feels the real reason is that he scared. Hugo says he's not scared. This pleases mom as she reveals he has a date tomorrow with grandpa Tito's neighbor's daughter Rosalita; she agreed to lunch with him. When Hugo asks what she's like, angry mom replies, "Willing to meet you! You're going! She's gonna love you. And if she doesn't...we will find someone who does."
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
Hurley changes the dead flower to a bright new fresh one at Libby's grave marker at Boone Hill.

Hurley kneels down and talks to Libby. "A lot of crazy stuff's been happening. I kinda wish I could talk you about it in person. A lot of people come and talk to me when they've...you know...gone. It'd be nice if you did too."
Ilana walks over asking Hugo if he's ready to go. "Once I'm back we're leaving."   She says she's going to the Black Rock because they need dynamite to destroy the plane. Hugo asks if she's sure that's the right move. Ilana isn't sure, but it's the only move they have.
Hurley-"Well, you're the expert."  {Some expert, huh?}
Ilana asks whose grave it is.
Sad Hurley shares her name was Libby and was in the tail section of the plane. They were gonna have their first date, like a picnic and then she was murdered. Ilana is sorry.
Hurley-"Yeah. Me too."
Ilana walks away. Once alone Hurley hears whispers.
Michael appears and informs Hurley he's there to stop Hurley from getting everyone killed. Hurley stays quiet while holding his dead flower.
Michael-"You gonna say something?"
Hurley-"And why should I trust you? You murdered Libby and Ana Lucia."
Michael-"That doesn't right matter now. What matters is you going across that Island to blow up that plane. People are gonna die.  A lot of people and it's gonna be your fault. {What?!} Because people are listening to you now, Hurley!"
In the distance Jack calls "Hurley".    Jack wonders who Hurley's talking to.
Hurley-"No one."
Jack-"Come on. We're leaving."
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
Hugo is down to his last homemade tortilla chip in the basket. The waiter offers him more and starts to remove the other place setting but Hugo has him leave it because he's meeting someone and she's running late.
Waiter-"Right. Chips are on the way."
Hugo looks over the Spanish Johnny's menu.

Libby appears at his table. "Hugo."
Hugo looks over the top of the menu and sees this woman. He wasn't expecting someone like her; someone so pretty. He invites her to sit.
Hugo-"You don't look like a Rosalita."
She informs him her name isn't Rosalita, it's Libby.
Hugo-"So, you're not my blind date?"
Nope, she just saw him from across the room. She apprehensively mentions if she tells him how she knows his name he'll think she's crazy.
Hugo-"No I won't."
Libby reaches across the table and takes hold of both his hands. "Hugo. Do you believe that two people can be connected...Like soul mates?"
Hugo-"I guess."
Libby is getting teary eyed, "You don't remember me, do you?"
Hugo-"Should I?"
Dr. Brooks walks over and asks Elizabeth what she's doing. "Are you bothering this man?"
Libby claims Hugo to be an old friend. Dr. Brooks apologizes, explaining she wandered off.
Hugo-"Wandered off from where?"
Nearing tears, Libby tells Hugo that everything she said she meant.  They look in each other's eyes for a moment.
Dr. Brooks-"Forgive us."   He literally pulls Libby away.  Hugo is left surprised and confused.

Hugo walks outside to watch Libby get into the white van.  They wave at each other.
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
Ilana returns to the beach telling everyone they have to make it to the outriggers and across the channel to Hydra Island before nightfall. She tells Richard she retrieved four sticks of {totally shitty ruined sweaty leaking} dynamite; enough to destroy the cockpit and all the instruments. "That plane'll never fly."
Hurley doesn't think the whole unstable dynamite thing is a good idea. Ilana wants him to trust her because she's been training her whole life for this.
Hurley-"To blow stuff up?"
Ilana-"To protect you."
Hurley-"Yeah, but, how's blowing up the plane protecting us?"
Ilana starts piling water bottles into the dynamite bag, "With that plane gone, that thing wont be able to  leave the Island."
Hurley-"Yeah, well, neither will we. And then we'll be stuck here with it and then it'll be angry at us.
Ilana-"Jacob said Richard will know what to do.  And Richard said to blow up the plane, correct?"
Richard - "Yes."
Hurley- "Well, Jacob never said anything about it to me. I mean what if Richard's wrong?"
Richard is just watching Hurley.
Ilana-"Hugo, I'm looking out for your best interest...all of you!  Nothing is more important than this. That thing is evil. And god help us if it ever leaves this Island...Because if it eve..."
Upon jamming her last water bottle into her bag, Ilana is blown to bits!

Locke is whittling a very long stick with his big knife.  Sawyer asks him if it's going to be a spear.
Locke-"I'm not sure what it's gonna be yet, James. When the time is right, it'll tell me."
Sawyer-"You talk to wood now?"
Locke wonders if there's something Kate and Sawyer want him to do.
Frustrated Sawyer wants Locke to do "anything!"  He feels the bastards on the other Island grabbed Jin and they're just sitting around twiddling their damn thumbs doing nothing about it.
As he continues to whittle, Locke shares, "There's a difference between doing nothing and waiting."
Kate asks what they're waiting for.
Locke waves his knife-"You were only able to come back to this Island because you all did it together.  If we're gonna get on that plane and leave it has to happen the same way. We're waiting for your friends to get here, Kate.  Hugo, Sun, Jack.  That's the only way we're ever getting off this... god forsaken rock."
Kate-"Well I don't see that happening."
Locke-"Well let's just hope you're wrong."
Sayid saunters into camp and Sawyer asks him where he's been.  Sayid needs to speak to Locke in private; the two men walk into the jungle.  Sawyer suspiciously watches them
Locke wonders if everything went alright; did Widmore see Sayid.    Sayid mentions Widmore's people saw him.
Locke-"And you let them live?"
Sayid-"I didn't see the point of killing them when I had what I came for."
Locke-"So you found what they were hiding in the submarine?"
Sayid most certainly did. He led Locke to the reveal of peaceful Desmond tied to a tree.

Hurley walks over to Ilana's belongings.  Picks up a red covered book and the small sack of "ash"{Or diamonds}, which he takes.

Richard dumps a bag full of crap out and tells Ben they have to go get more dynamite or else "she" died for nothing.  Quiet Frank just watches.
Jack-"Maybe she died to show us to stay the hell away from dynamite."
That's a risk Richard is willing to take.  Jack tells Richard that he promised Sun that he'd get her off that Island and Richard wishes he didn't promise her that.
Richard-"If it makes you feel any better you can blame it on me."
Hurley thinks Richard is right and feels it's the only choice they've got, "Trust me, Jack."
Jack says okay, and motivated Richard suggests, "Let's get moving."
Although Hurley looks unsure.
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
A clerk at the counter at Mr. Cluck's chicken is calling out for number 38.
Hugo walks up to clerk {Jayden} and orders a family size bucket of chicken.
While Hugo sits a eats a woman is calling out the number 41.
Hugo looks around, as if "feeling" like he's being watched and does indeed see a man looking at him. It's sunglass wearing Desmond. He walks over as asks Hugo if he's seen him before.
With a fist full of chicken leg, Hugo reveals he owns the place and the guy might have seen his commercial; he asks Des if he wants a Cluckateer key chain.
Desmond seems confused, "No. It's not that."
After a few seconds of recall he asks Hugo, "Were you on Oceanic flight 815...a week ago from Sydney?"
Yeah, what a coincidence! Desmond automatically takes a seat while he asks Hugo if he minds he join him while he waits for his order. "OOh...That is a lot of chicken!"
Hugo-"I eat when I'm depressed."
Desmond smiles-"So what's her name?"
Hugo-"I met a girl on a blind date the other night."   {Night?! It was lunch...in the day!}
Desmond-"And it didn't go how you hoped."
Hugo is excited and shares that she's totally awesome except for one thing..."She's crazy."
Desmond-"Well all women are a little bit crazy, brotha."
Hugo-"No! This one actually lives in the looney bin. I mean I saw the van. She's full on nuts. I mean she started sane...but then she told me we already knew each other. And that...I'd remember!"
Desmond wonders if Hugo believed her and he says yeah, he kinda did.  Desmond whispers to Hugo to go with his gut and try to find out where she thought she knew him from before he gives up on her. Hugo is lost in thought. The clerk calls out "42. Order 42."  That's Desmond's order number!
Desmond-"It was nice bumping into ya."
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
Locke kneels down to talk to calm tied to the tree Desmond. He apologizes that Sayid tied him up but he was afraid Desmond would run before they had a chance to talk. Des doesn't blame him and explained he has nowhere to run to.  Locke feels that best argument against captivity that he ever heard, he doesn't know what is. He cuts Des free and asks him a couple of questions.
Locke-"Why did Charles bring you back to the Island?"
Desmond-"Considering I was kidnapped...you'll have to ask him."
Sayid confirms they had him under armed guard.
Desmond-"They threw me into a wood shack and blasted me with a massive amount of electromagnetism."
Locke wonders how he can be sure what he blasted him with.
Desmond-"Experience."
Locke-"Do you know who I am?"
Des replies matter of fact, "Of course...You're John Locke."
Locke instructs dead pan Sayid to head back to camp because he and Desmond need to take a walk. Sayid mechanically heads into the jungle. Locke holds out his right hand to Desmond to take, "Something I'd like to show you." {Who is showing who what?} Desmond takes his hand and Locke helps lift him up.

On their trek through the jungle stunned Ben remarks to the gang about Ilana and Jacob, "Kinda makes ya think, Ilana being handpicked by Jacob, trained to come and protect "you candidates", no sooner does she tell them who they are, then she blows up. "The Island was done with her. Makes me wonder what's gonna happen when it's done with us."
No cross wearing Richard has led them to the Black Rock. He wants to be the only one handling the dynamite so he's going in alone. It's at that moment he and the rest realize Hugo isn't with the group. {How does Hurley manage to vanish from the group undetected over the years?}
"RUN! GO! GO! GO! GO!" It's Hugo running from the Black Rock! It is blown to bits! {Only the ship, nothing else}
Richard is pissed, "Why the hell did you do that?"
Hugo-"I'm protecting us."
Richard-"What the hell were you thinking?! What are we supposed to do now?!"
Jack tells him to calm down.
Richard-"We're dead. We're all dead!"
Hugo sits alone. Miles tells him a warning might have been nice. Hugo did indeed say "run". He reveals to Miles that Michael told him to do that. Of course Miles doesn't know Michael so Hugo explains. "Michael. He's one of the people who come back and yell at me after they die. He told me I have to stop everyone from blowing up the plane, so...no dynamite...no more blowin up."
Miles-"That happen a lot? Dead people yelling at you?"
Hugo-"Happens enough."  {He thinks he gets yelled at?!!  WTF?}
Miles-"And you just...listen to whatever they say?"
Hugo-"Dead people are more reliable than alive people."   {And why would that be?! Think about it.}
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
Large photo of a tropical island.
Hugo {wearing a gray zip-up hoodie)sits in Dr. Brook's office wanting to see Libby.

Dr. Brooks doesn't think that's a good idea as she's not well.
Hugo-"Clearly she's well enough for like a fajita field trip."
Brooks feels that's his mistake; he mis-judged her condition.
Nervous Hugo-"Her condition."
Brooks-"She has issues with reality."   He doesn't think it "probably" would be a good idea for Hugo to see her right now, it'll only confuse her.
Hugo-"You said 'probably' which means you might make an exception?"
Brooks-"Perhaps for family."
Hugo-"Or a generous donor. The rec room looked pretty narly on my way in. What do you think 100K might buy?"   Hugo writes a check.

A patient releases the black and red chips from the Connect Four grid.  Visitor Hugo sits in the rec room waiting for Libby. The room is filled with child like artwork, cutouts, paint, alphabets W-7U,games, images of the Island, old dude playing a hand-held video game etc.

Excited Libby enters and wonders if Hugo remembers. He does not.
She's disappointed, "Then why are you here?"
Hugo-"Where is it you think you know me from?"
Libby's not sure, "I know it won't make sense."
Hugo-"Try me."
Libby-"A few days ago I was watching TV and one of your commercials came on... and the moment that I saw you it was like I was hit over the head all these  memories came washing back... of my life..only it was... another life."
Hugo-"What kind of memories?"
Libby-"There was a plane crash and uh, I was on an island."
Hugo-"And I was there?"
Libby-"I think so. We knew each other. We... liked each other.  And then when I got here it was almost like I'd been here before and for some reason, Hugo,  I have a memory of you being here too."
Hugo-"Um, this is the first time I've ever been in a mental hospital."
Libby-"Yeah, I know. But I can't get you out of my brain and that's why the other night when I saw you  I had to talk to you. Because if.. you remembered me..."
Hugo -"I wish I could, Libby, but I can't. I'm sorry."
Libby cries-"It's ok. It's ok.  I'm crazy."
Hugo-"Yeah, probably, but we all got something, right?  I mean it takes a lot of guts go up to a total stranger  and tell them you know them from some bizarro alternate universe. I'm scared just saying hi to a girl."
Libby-"You're doin fine."
Hugo-"Hey, can you ever like... get out of here? Umm, day pass or...?"
Libby-"Yeah. I'm here voluntarily."
Hugo-"Whoa. Would you like to do something?"
Libby-"You mean a date?"
Hugo-"Yeah."
Libby would love that.
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
"Remind me Desmond, how long were you down in that hatch pushing that button?", asks Locke.
 Desmond-"Three years."
Locke notes here he is back for more, "If I didn't know better I'd say this Island has it in for you."
Desmond-"Do you know better? There's nothing special about me, brotha. This Island has it in for all of us."
Locke-"Yes it does."    He sees a familiar young boy{brown hair} over Desmond's shoulder.
Desmond can see him too, "Who's that?"
Locke-"Just ignore him."
Desmond-"Do you know that boy?"
Locke-"I said ignore him!"    Desmond looks back at the boy, the boy smiles and runs away.

Back at the burning Black Rock motivated Richard decides he and Ben going back to the Dharma barracks because Ben thinks there is still grenades and explosives there.  Jack feels they should talk about this.  Richard feels there's no time to talk, but if Jack knows what they need to do , if he knows how to stop that thing from leaving the Island without blowing that plane up then they need to hear it.
Hugo declares they need to go and talk to Locke.
Richard-"Are you trying to get us killed?!"
It's not Hugo's idea, it's "his".    Hugo  points into the jungle at nothingness, claiming Jacob  to be there.    Richard calls Hugo on this and wants him to prove Jacob is standing there by asking Jacob "What the Island is".
Richard feels if Jacob is really standing there he'd know that he had told him what the Island is.
Hugo walks over and stands next to Richard stating he doesn't have to prove anything to him, "You can either come with me or you can keep trying to  blow stuff up. Your call, dude."
Richard looks Hugo in the eyes and announces Hugo's lying.
Richard-"Jacob isn't telling us what to do because Jacob never tells us what to do.  I'm gonna make this simple, if that thing leaves the Island that's it... it's over."   {Yes, it will be game over.}
Miles-"What's over?"
Richard-"Everything!  I'm destroying that plane and I could use all the help I can get.  Who's coming with me?"
Ben is going.  Miles tells Hugo he saw "that thing" in action and it doesn't want to talk, so he's going with Richard too.    Jack apologizes and feels if Jacob says we go talk to Locke, then they go talk to Locke. He's going with Hugo.
Richard-"Don't get in our way."   He and his tiny group heads out.
Jack-"Alright, Hurley...let's go talk to Locke."     Hurley looks troubled.

Hurley leads his group through the dark jungle.   Sun writes a note to Frank asking if they made a mistake.
Frank-"Probably."

Nervous Hurley asks Jack what he thinks they should say to Locke when they get there. "I mean...How do you break the ice with the smoke monster?"
Jack tells him not to worry about it because something tells him Locke will do most of the talking.  Hurley's scared he could just kill them all.   Jack seems nonchalant about it.   Hurley turns around to Jack and confesses he didn't see Jacob back there. He just said it because he wanted everyone to listen to him.
Jack-"I know."
Hurley wonders why Jack went with him.    Jack explains that ever since he got Juliet killed all he's wanted was to fix it, but he can't ever fix it.  "You have no idea how hard it is for me to sit back and listen to other people tell  me what I should do. I think that maybe that's the point.  Maybe...I'm supposed to let go."  {Yes, Jack. That is your lesson.}
Hurley remarks, unless his letting go gets them killed.   Going to see Locke was Hurley's idea, not Jacob's and  Jack is trusting Hurley.
Hurley feels it's a good thing he does, "'Cause I have no idea where I'm going."
They all hear whispers!
Hurley says it's cool because "I think I know what these things are."
He has the group wait there as he walks into the jungle alone.  He calls out for Michael "Hey you around?" and Michael walks out.   {It's a good thing Michael walked out and not some other gone folk.}
Hurley-"You're stuck on the Island, aren't you?"
Michael-"'Cause of what I did."
Hurley-"And... there are others out here... like you, aren't there. That's what the whispers are?"
Michael-"Yeah. We're the ones who can't move on."    {Can't.}
Hurley-"Do you know where Locke is?"     Michael points to a torch illuminated area down  in the valley.

Hurley asks Michael if there's anything he can do to help him.
Michael-"Don't get yourself killed."    He also asks if Hurley ever does see Libby again "Tell her I'm very sorry."  {Tell her yourself!!!}    Hurley smiles will be sure and do that. 
{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
Hugo lays out a blue blanket on the beach for his picnic with Libby.  He brought six different kinds of cheeses.   Libby sits staring out at the ocean.   Hugo wonders if something's wrong.
Libby-"No. Not wrong...just...off."
She hasn't been "here" before but being there with Hugo is familiar to her, "Like a date we never had."  She realizes she sounds completely insane.  They both question each other about why they want to be with one another.
Hugo-"Come on, look at me."
Libby looks him in the eyes and tells him she wants to be with him because she likes him.  Hugo feels she likes him because she's delusional.   Libby just kisses him.  Hugo gets "Flash images" of he and Libby on the Island".   He opens his eyes and Libby asks what's wrong.  Hugo shares he thinks he's remembering stuff.   With this recall it may mean Libby isn't crazy.   Desmond has been sitting nearby in his car watching the two on the beach.

Locke has led Desmond to a  very old well.  Locke reads Desmond's mind in wondering how deep it is.  Locke tosses a lit torch into it and it sounds like it lands in water.    Locke teaches him that the people who dug the well did it completely by hand.  "God knows how long it took em."
Desmond-"It seems like a lot of  work just to get some water."
Locke-"Oh they weren't looking for water, they were looking for answers.  A long time ago places like the one we're standing at now made compass needles spin.  And the people holding the compasses needed to know why...so they dug."
Desmond-"Did they find what they were looking for?"
Locke-"No, they didn't.  The reason I wanted you to see this, Desmond,  is because Charles Widmore is not interested in answers, he's only interested in power.  And he brought you back to this island  so that you can help him find what he's looking for.    After all, this isn't the only well."
Desmond-"And that's the reason you wanted me to see this."
Locke is curious, "Why aren't you afraid?"
Desmond-"Excuse me?"
Locke-"You're out here... middle of the jungle...with me... not a person on earth even knows you're here.  Why aren't you afraid?"
Desmond-"What is the point of being afraid?"
Locke looks deep in Desmond's eyes, smiles and pushes him into the well.

Locke arrives back at his camp and informs Sayid that they don't have to worry about their "friend" anymore.
Curious Sawyer asks Locke where he's been.  Locke shares he went for a walk.   Sawyer feels now that Locke's stretched his legs...Sawyer's distracted by the arrival of Hurley.
Hurley-"I don't know who you are , dude or what you want..."
He appeals to Locke that even though both sides have weapons he wants Locke's word no one will get hurt or killed.  He gives his word that they're not going to do anything and he wants Locke's word to the same. So Locke hands his knife to him and gives his word.  Hurley tells the guys they can come out.   Out walk Frank, Sun {She doesn't automatically asks for Jin!}  and Jack.   Jack and Kate share a smile.   His gaze is broken when Locke says "Hello Jack."    Jack looks confused and concerned, Locke smiles.

{Air plane engine/sounds-rumble}
At school Locke is making his way across the parking lot in his wheelchair.   Desmond is sitting in his car and spots Locke.   Educator Ben knocks on Desmond's window to inquire if he's waiting for someone in particular.  Ben notes Desmond has been parked at the school watching the kids.
Desmond doesn't have a kid who goes there and adds the lie of just moving to the neighborhood and is looking for a school for his son "Charlie".   Desmond keeps his eyes on struggling Locke.
Ben-"Well, as a teacher here I can vouch for it completely. It's a wonderful school."
Desmond finds this info great to hear and obviously ends the chat with Ben.  Ben still looks suspicious.   Locke is still wheeling his way up the little hill.  Des starts the car and speeds up intentionally hitting Locke.
Ben runs over to him, tells someone to call 911.
"Mr. Locke! Oh my god!  Don't, don't move.  We're gonna get you to the hospital. Mr. Locke...Mr. Locke... Can you hear me?!"
Watch when Locke starts to come around.

Everybody Loves Hugo is a GREAT episode!!

Why did Desmond hit Locke with the car?  Is it so Locke has to connect with Jack...or because Locke pushed him into the well?
Why did Locke push Desmond into the well?  Was it payback for hitting him with the car?
Which of these intentional events came first?  Hmmmm  It is possible things are not separate at all.

Child-like artwork, cutouts, play, toys, games, imagination, make believe and yes...even deep pain.
I can't help but sometimes "feel" like we are seeing our grown up Losties behave like children at the same time.
The unblemished innocence of a young child, the ability to feel safe, to have their minds open to nothing but wishes, dreams, imagination, fantasy, exploration and possibility.  All of this is what every child embodies until the ugly hand of society gets a hold of them.    When a "catastrophic" experience happens to a child it leaves them feeling alone, abandoned, and hopeless, with their strength shattered and dreams crushed.
With all this mention of children this season I can't help but wonder about Waaaaaaaalt.

The "Island" does indeed seem to be the place you go to find  yourself, to rediscover the person you left behind and need to connect with again, to learn to love, forgive and accept things so that you can move forward.
People who are unable or can't "move on" are stuck. Exactly! Aren't they all stuck on the "Island" looking for answers?
This episode is riddled with mental health issues and the connection of Libby, Michael and Hurley.  Add to this Michael's revelation about the whispers belonging to some that are "stuck" in this "Island" adventure/experience/game because they're the ones who can't move on.  Locke is "stuck" too.  They have not learned what they are there to learn, hence they are still there.
Maybe there are even ones that "can't"... simply because they "can't".   Michael never said they were dead and/or spirits/souls lost in between worlds.  The reveal was left with enough ambiguity to go in the direction of either a religious "purgatory" (Of course then this would mean this "Island" purgatory would enable the dead to die over and over and over again) or something completely simple.
Can't it be that they are "stuck" in the damn adventure?!   Possibly on another level/plane or outside of the experience with access to enter while the Losties are in an altered state?
Nowhere did Michael or Hurley say how their journey is happening or what the "Island" is!!  A contrived bloody snow globe where things are imagined and faked?  If so, how would it be purgatory?
Take a look at Michael's monitors from the episode Meet Kevin Johnson.
(Click the pic)

Voices/whispers in their heads: 

Schizophrenia: A severe emotional disorder of psychotic depth characteristically marked by a retreat from reality with delusion formation, hallucinations, emotional disharmony, and regressive behavior.   

Personality Disorder: severe personality disorder that develops in early childhood; characterized by a lack of control of anger, intense and frequent mood changes, impulsive acts, disturbed interpersonal relationships, and life-threatening behaviors.

Or the more common reason among the rest of us, we may hear whispers/voices is when you are in a half awake-half, {semi conscious} sleep state.

Things to Note...Questions to ask...
* Now we have "wells" to look down into instead of "hatches".
* I don't see Isabella's cross hanging around Richard's neck.
* Hurley lies/manipulates to get the people to do what he wanted.
* Real. Not real.  "Island" and off "Island" events blur together.
* So...where's Christian?
* Menu. Connected. Power. Channel.
* Marker. Chip. Move.
* Crazy. Insane. Santa Rosa. {Rosalita} Mental Hospital. The Looney Bin. Full on nuts. Depressed. Delusional. Issues with reality.
* Identity. 
* Memory. Mind. Head.  Brain.
* Believe.
* Desmond is #42 at Mr. Cluck's
* Game. Connect Four.
* Well. How many times was the word "well" said or shown in this episode?!
* Wrong. Not wrong-off.
* Wood Shack. Jacob's cabin. Mr. Cluck's chicken shack.
* What is with quiet observing Frank the pilot?
* When they blew up "the bomb" did that change things for the "stuck" people on the"island" too.  Shouldn't have?   Michael was told he can go by Christian.
* Desmond, Sawyer and Locke have seen the young boy.
* In Live Together Die Alone, Locke asked Desmond "How long did you say you were you down in the hatch?" Desmond replies-"3 years."
* Why would Hurley think the dead are more reliable than the living?  Maybe because the living can disappoint and hurt you.
* Jack mentions something to Ana Lucia about women being crazy.
* Why does Libby and Hugo say they met each other the other "night" when they met at lunch in the day?!!!!
* I don't recall mirrors for Hugo here.
* Hugo's commercial talks about sleeping under the stars and dreaming.
* Longing for family
* Is Locke still trying to bring the "family" back together.

Vocabulary and Research...
* The Human Fund is a nod to the show Seinfeld.  The Human Fund was a made up charity by George.  He created it in an effort to con his fellow workers, giving them the illusion he donated money for a gift/donation in their name.  Every aspect of  this was bullshit.
* Bump: The removal of passengers from an overbooked airline flight
- A dosage of some illegal substance (slang, most often in reference to cocaine)
- Bump (Internet), raising a thread's profile by returning it to the top of the list of active threads OR an abbreviation for "Bring up my post"
- Bump mapping, a computer graphics technique
* Записки из подполья: 1864 novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Translated to Notes from the Underground or Letters from the Underworld.
* Well: "Well-to-wheel", or Life cycle assessment.
- WELL: The Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, normally shortened to The WELL, is one of the oldest virtual communities in continuous operation.
- A potential well is the region surrounding a local minimum of potential energy. Energy captured in a potential well is unable to convert to another type of energy (kinetic energy in the case of a gravitational potential well) because it is captured in the local minimum of a potential well. Therefore, a body may not proceed to the global minimum of potential energy, as it would naturally tend to due to entropy.
Well of Knowledge-In Norse mythology, Mímisbrunnr (Old Norse "Mímir's well")is a well associated with the being Mímir, located beneath the world tree Yggdrasil.
* Nurse:  In other languages, the word for nurse comes from the same etymology as the word infirmary, such as in French (infirmier), or Italian (infermiere).
* "Spanish Johnny's"   Bruce Springsteen's -Incident on 57th street.
* 57th Street in NYC: This stretch of 57th Street is home to  hotels such as Le Parker Meridien and well known restaurants such as the Russian Tea Room, and the offices of several magazines including The Economist and Newsweek. The corner of 57th Street and 7th Avenue is home to the city-owned performance venue Carnegie Hall.
300 East 57th Street is a Manhattan apartment building on East 57th Street designed by Emery Roth and erected in 1947.  The building is the last known New York address for J. D. Salinger before he moved to a life of seclusion in the New Hampshire woods.




So...What is the "Island"?! Are events happening in the "head/mind/consciousness"?    Is it combined with one hell of a LARP?! What kinds of things are happening in their brain/mind?
Either way things are connected. Who knows...this may lead us all back to a building in New York City.


Just throw a penny in the well and make a wish to find your true north.

Love to all who are "LOST"™

PS: Check out:
Dave
Numbers

Disclaimer: I never claim to know everything about the show and my thoughts by no means make me right! The things I share here are my views and/or opinions. I don't claim to catch every single detail either! You all know I hate spoilers and I stand clear of reading certain sites as to not take me off my own course of research. The one thing I don't need to do here is rehash all of the obvious clues from an episode, we all know what they are. Understood? Good! Let the fun begin! I'll only note things that I know come up as clues later, but need to be noted when they first show up and things I find that will be of importance. It will get very exciting as we progress into the story.