Flashes Before Your Eyes.

Let's talk about LOST! Flashes before Your Eyes.

Desmond walks down to the beach.

Charlie and Hurley are going through Sawyers stash. {Note we see Charlie in the mirror. Dharma food and wine, Watership Down and other books, Brezza cigarettes.} Hurley doesn't really know about this going through Sawyers tent and ransacking his "stash" bit.
Charlie tells Hurley, "See, you're looking at this all wrong. He would want us to do this."
Hurley-"...Yeah, that sounds exactly like Sawyer."

Charlie goes on to say how Sawyer stole all that stuff in the first place. After all, people need food, medical supplies and shocking amounts of pornography. {Note cover Playpen} Desmondo heads over to join the guys. Hurley asks him if they found Eko.
Desmond-"I need you come with me. Both of you."
Desmond leads them out to the jungle to meet up with Locke and Sayid.   Locke informs them Eko is dead.
Sayid- "We found his body in the jungle. Buried him yesterday."
Charlie asks how he died.   Locke and Sayid look at each other then Locke reveals "The Island killed him."
Charlie wants to know what does it mean...the island killed him.
Locke-"You know what it means." {Charlie knows what that means?! WOW!}

Desmond looks distracted, almost like he's thinking or even remembering.   Locke goes on to say "With the doctor gone the camps on edge enough without people having to worry about what's out here in the jungle. They're gonna look to you two to see how to react.   So when I tell everyone what happened... I need you two to keep things calm."

Hurley notices Desmond is distracted; Desmond is looking around.
Hurley asks, "Hey guys. What's wrong with Desmond?"   All of a sudden Desmond takes off running and they run after him.

Desmond takes his shirt and shoes off and dives into the water. Charlie notices that Sun is with Aaron, which indicates Claire went for a walk.

Desmond retrieves drowning Claire from the water.   Charlie runs up to the water's edge; he's freaking out! Desmond forcefully tells him, "Get back Charlie. I know what I'm doing."
Charlie's freaking-"She breathing? She's not breathing?"
Desmond revives her! {Yeah!} Charlie is happy.  Desmond literally pushes Charlie out of the way and carries Claire to her tent.  Charlie wants to know how he knew she was drowning.
Hurley- "I'll tell you how he knew. That guy. He sees the future, Dude."

Desmond sits on the beach looking at the photo of him and Penny. Claire comes over and sees the pic and comments, "She's beautiful."
Desmond tells Claire her name is "Penny…Penelope."
Claire admits she's still shaken up from her near drowning, "I go swimming almost every day. The undertow just grabbed me. If you hadn't…"
Charlie walks over with the baby, "Claire, I thought you were only gonna be 5 minutes. Aaron's starving."    He gives Desmond a nod.
Claire goes on to say "Thank you for being there" to Desmond.

Charlie and Hurley walk through the camp. Hurley tells Charlie that Locke doesn't know about anything except knives and fishing.
Charlie-"There's nothing to know. I don't buy the pre-cognitive insanity rubbish. If the bearded wonder could predict the future he wouldn't have ended up here, would he?" {Are they both talking about the same guy or not?}

Inside Sawyers tent with the stash, Charlie says they are gonna have to find out what happened to Desmond.
Smart Hurley says, "You do realize he's gonna know your plan before you even come up with it, dude."
Charlie-"In that case were gonna have to get him really bloody drunk."
He picks up the bottle of MacCutcheon. {In Sawyers stash! Who does it belong to?}

Charlie and Hurley approach Desmond who is busy on the beach getting ready to build a fire. Hurley prompts Charlie to "Say it, Dude."
Charlie takes the bait and says to Desmond, "This morning, I'm sorry I wasn't more grateful. Thank you for helping Claire not drown."
Desmond-"No harm done."  
Charlie brought a peace offering to make the truce official.   He takes out the bottle of liquor.   Desmond declines the offer as he's spent a wee bit too much time drunk as of late.
Charlie's insulted, "Too good for us, brother?"
Charlie takes his drink says they'll go somewhere else.    Desmond wants to know "what kind of whiskey is that?"
Charlie-"MacCutcheon."
Desmond is amused and yes, he will have it!    Charlie offers him a mug/cup...But a cup or a mug won't do...
Desmond-"The bottle, brother. If you've come here to drink. Then let’s drink."
Desmond takes the bottle, pulls the cork out with his teeth and takes one hell of a swig! "Cheers!"

At night the three drunk wise men are singing about a one legged chick, like there's no tomorrow.
Hurley-"Song about drinking and fighting and girls with one leg"
Desmond and Charlie simultaneously say "One leg and a heart of gold." {It's my opinion that Charlie is way less drunk than the other two guys. The bottle's label is torn up.}
Charlie being very serious and "sober" asks Des, "How did you know Claire was drowning?"
Drunk Desmond says he can hear her calling for help.
Hurley-"No, You were like a mile away."
Des-"I suppose I've got good hearing."
Charlie asks he heard the lightening as well.  Desmond looks confused.
Charlie-"Just by chance you pitch your little rod outside Claire's tent. Two hours later lightening strikes."

Desmond gets up and thanks him for the drink; drops the bottle at Charlie and walks away. Charlie wants to know what Des is doing.
Charlie-"You think because you turned some key that makes you a hero? You're no hero brother. I don't know how it is what you're doing. But I know a coward when I see one."

Desmond tackles Charlie and yells at him, "You don't want to know what happened to me when I turned that key. You don't want to know."
Beeping Alarm. The countdown clock shows 1 second, then 00000 and it turns to red and black. We hear System Failure. Des takes a key out of a book that was hidden behind other books. He runs into the computer room where Locke is hanging out waiting to see what happens next. Des pushes a computer out of the way to reveal a 'hidden hatch'.

Desmond tells Locke, "See you in another life brother" and heads down below.
Stuff is flying everywhere in the Swan hatch.

Down below Desmond lifts up the "Caution System Termination" lid.  He crosses himself, says I love you Penny and turns the key.
Literally, his life 'Flashes' before his eyes.
Eye:
Desmond is clean shaven and laying on a wood floor. There is red paint spilled all over. {He is wearing a jumpsuit similar to DHARMA.} He's waking up. Things/vision are blurry. Penny runs and gets ice. {Paint can FUTU…Also note that Desmond is a shitty painter!}  Desmond had red paint across his neck. He wants to know what's happening.

Penny- "Well, what's happening is the result of combining ladders, painting the ceiling and alcohol."

He looks around, things still a bit blurry; then clear. {There are things that could be representative of the island. It looks like 2 sets of stacked coins on the table, fish, boxes marked CD'S, PHOTOS.} This is his flat. Penny tells him if he wants her to feel more at home he might start calling it our flat.

Penny checks out Desmond by holding up three fingers and asks how many. {Note how she does this}

Des is happy.  He kisses/hugs her, but he looks confused.

Desmond is standing in front of the mirror putting on a tie. The clock displays 108; he looks puzzled.  {Familiar}

Penny comes from behind to help him with the tie. We see her reflection too. {Song ‘Building a Mystery’ in the background.} She tells him he has paint on his neck.
Pen-"How's that concussion?"
Desmond-"A severe head injury is a small price to pay for the pleasure of having you move into my humble…is rat trap accurate?"
Penny-"No."
Desmond is going to meet her father. She tells him he "really don't need a job from my father, Des."
Desmond- "It's not about the job. I want him to respect me.”
Penny- "And respect you he shall. But if for some reason he's too daft to see how brilliant you are, it’s not the end of the world."
All of a sudden Desmond hears the familiar sound of the "Island"  computer beeping. He runs into the kitchen and looks at the microwave.  Onto top the microwave are three bottles, a pitcher, a can of chicken broth and two spices {I think}. Penny takes a cup of containers of  coffee out of the microwave. She sees he looks confused. He reveals he's had a bit of Déjà vu!

Desmond walks into a large building and tells the lady at the reception counter that he's Desmond Hume, to see Mr. Widmore.    A delivery man tells the receptionist he has a parcel for 815. This too confuses Desmond.  He has a "Flash" of the computer and countdown clock in the hatch. {Flash within a Flash} The receptionist informs Desmond "Mr. Widmore is ready for you."

Desmond is in Widmore's office.  On Desmond's right are a table with liquor and two lamps on it; it's set up like a bar.   There's a replica of Widmore's sailboat, and to Desmond's left is a large painting. Desmond is sitting across from Widmore who is reading files on his desk.   Des sees the large painting of the polar bear, Namaste now on his right and mirror image. Desmond looks at it {Knowing it's out of place, perhaps?}

Widmore looks over his Resume. "You didn't tell me you were an actor, Desmond."
Desmond- "No. It's actually set design. For the Royal Shakespeare Company."
Note the table is back on his right side. We learn he didn't graduate from university as he had to look after his three brothers after his father died. He does not have any military experience either.

Desmond compliments Widmore's boat. {Replica} Widmore shares his foundation is sponsoring a solo race around the world.  All of a sudden Desmond has "Flashes" of Libby's boat, landing at the island, Kelvin. {Flash within a Flash}

Widmore acknowledges Desmond being distracted for a second. Then tells him he will see to it that he has a position in their administrative department.   It's not the most glamorous duty, but it's a start. He'll speak to Human Resources.
Desmond admits to Widmore he didn't go there to interview for a position in the company, but to ask for his daughters hand in marriage. They've been together two years, Pen's moving in and I love her. "Your permission would mean everything to me."

Widmore is impressed; it's a noble gesture.   He asks Desmond if he knows anything about whiskey. He introduces him to the 60 year old MacCutcheon. It's named after Anderson MacCutcheon, esteemed admiral from the Royal Navy. He retired with more medals than any many before or since. {He takes 2 glasses and the bottle over to his desk.} "Moved to the highlands to see out his remaining years. He was a great man. The whiskey is his crowning achievement."
Widmore pours a shot into one glass only. "This swallow is more than you can make in a month...To share it with you would be a waste.  And a disgrace to the great man who made it. Because you, Hume. Will never be a great man."   He goes on to say he's not worthy of drinking his whiskey, so he can't be worthy of his daughter.

Outside the building Desmond throws his tie on the ground in frustration.  He turns around and there's Charlie playing guitar on the street corner. {The song Wonderwall} Desmond realizes he knows him. Charlie's handmade sign says "Musical Stylings of Charlie Hieronymus Pace Donations Accepted.”
Someone donates a 5-er.    Charlie even comments to someone "You can leave your number if you want." {LOL!}
Desmond asks him how do I know you, "Where do I know you from?"
Charlie-"I don't know. But I'd remember if I could get some help."
Des has a Flash of the day of the implosion and Charlie.  {FLASH within a FLASH}
{CHARLIE USES FORMAL NAME BUT DOESN'T USE CHARLES. Plus his name on the sign is pretty much the same color blue of his eyes.}
Desmond-"It was in the hatch, I remember seeing you. There was a computer. There was a button...We were on an island."
Charlie- “We are on an island, Mate. This is England."
Desmond gets a little frantic, "It was real! I remember!"
Charlie-"All right... This is why we don't do drugs."
Desmond-"No! I remember! This all happened before!"
Desmond starts to recall what he remembers already happening... "This happened today...This...He said I wasn't worthy, Then I took off my tie...I lost my tie...Penny said...Then it started to rain."
And yes, it started to rain. Desmond looks up.

We see a man talking about a woman's Thesis.
Donovan tells the woman, “Your thesis is a bit neat. Run the wild card part which is unpredictability.  Run the same test 10 times, you'll get 10 different outcomes. That's what makes life so wonderfully chaotic.”
Desmond runs in to speak to Donovan.
Donovan- ”Case in point. Who could have known that a drenched Scotchman would appear in this rotunda?"  
Desmond needs to ask him what he knows about time travel.

In a pub the two mates sit over drinks.
Donovan asks, "Are you bloody insane?"
Desmond just wants to know if it's possible.
Donovan-"Which part? The island full of mysterious hatches or the computer which keeps the world from ending?"
Desmond is serious, "Forget you're my best mate, right? As a Physicist. Is it possible that I somehow managed to go back in time? I'm now living my life over again?"
Donovan laughs but Desmond doesn't think it's funny.
Donovan-"Penny's father berates you for not being a great man, Walla, you've dreamed a future where push a button to save the world."
Desmond insists these things are not in his head, "I remember things."
Donovan calls him on it and asks him what will happen next?
Desmond-"It doesn't work like that. Just bits and pieces."
Donovan-"How wonderfully convenient."
The song Make Your Own Kind Of Music comes on the jukebox. Like a light bulb goes on in Desmond's head he says, "I remember this night. Graybridge come back from two goals down in the final 2 minutes, win the game, it's a bloody miracle!"

He goes on to say what will happen next. {Note the game shows ads for Expose, Apollo Bars, Mr. Clucks chicken, Oceanic}... and Jimmy Lennon will come through that door and hit the bartender right in the head with a cricket bat 'cause he owes him money. "Watch!"    Only those things don't happen. {Note cricket is a bug.}
Donovan- "There's no such thing as time travel, Des. From what I understand, true love can be just as unlikely. So, if you love Penny, stop messing about. And marry her."

Desmond enters his flat. Penny fell asleep reading a book in their bed; there's a glass of wine on the bedside table. She wakes up and remarks Des smells like the pub.
Des informs her he didn't get the job, "Your father was lovely. We just both agree that I wasn't exactly qualified."
She wants to celebrate that "fate has spared you a miserable existence under the employ of Widmore Industries".   She wants to take him out tomorrow for lobsters on the pier; her treat.   Desmond doesn't feel his failure to impress her father is reason to celebrate.
Penny says the occasion is "I love you."
Desmond-"Why do you love me?"
Penny- "Because you're a good man."   Desmond gets emotional.
Penny tenderly holds his face and asks, "Des. Where are you?"
Desmond- "I'm right here."

Desmond is in an antique store checking out diamond rings. We see his reflection in the glass case. {There are vessels and; vases all over the place. Every shape and size. Clocks, watches, huge globe, stairs/steps.}

Miss Hawking asks Desmond, "Never done this before, Have you?"
Desmond-"Is it that obvious?"
Hawking-“I can always tell the first timers." {Hear the bell toll in the background.} He's not a man of means but she has just the thing for him. She shows him a from another ring case. {Clocks behind her.} "This won't blind any Queens to be sure. But still has the sparkle of life." {Marquise cut diamond.}
He'll take it!
Hawking-"No you won't. Give me the ring. Give it here."
Desmond doesn't understand. She goes on to explain this is wrong; he doesn't buy the ring,"You have second thoughts, you walk right out that door."
She wants the ring back. "You don't buy the ring, Desmond."

She not only knows his name but knows he doesn't ask Penny to marry; he breaks her heart.   Breaking her heart is what drives him in a few short years to enter the sailing race to prove her father wrong. Which brings him to the island, where he spends the next three years of his life entering numbers into the computer, until he is forced to turn that fail safe key. "And if you don't do those things Desmond David Hume, every single one of us is dead. So give me that sodding ring." {Chimes in the background}.
Desmond-"Who are you?"
She nonchalantly asks if he likes chestnuts.

Outside, Miss Hawking buys a bag of chestnuts. She directs Desmond's attention to a man. "That man over there is wearing red shoes." {She’s wearing a circular dragon pin. Alchemy} She just thought it was a bold fashion choice worth noting.

Desmond-"This isn't really happening, is it?...I've had a concussion. You're my subconscious."
Hawking-"Am I?"
Desmond-"You're here to talk me out of marrying Penny."
He says it won't work but Hawking says it will.
Desmond-”There is no Island. There is no button. It's madness. I love her. She loves me. I 'm gonna spend the rest of my life with her."
Miss Hawking insists he won't.
A collapse at the construction site behind them kills a man with the red shoes. {We see more than one pair of red shoes at the site} Desmond realizes she knew that was going to happen and he's upset that she didn't do anything to stop it. Hawking goes on to explain it wouldn't matter if she warned the man his fate would still play out. "The universe unfortunately has a way of course correcting. That man was supposed to die. That was his path. Just as it's your path to go to the island. You don't do it because you choose to, Desmond. You do it because you're supposed to."

Desmond is determined to meet Penny in an hour and give her the ring, "I can choose whatever I want."
Miss Hawking-"You may not like your path, Desmond. But pushing that button is the only truly great thing that you will ever do."
Determined Desmond asks, "How much for the ring?"
Hawking walks away from him.

Desmond stops in front of an Armed Forces Careers recruitment office. He looks at the two signs- The Royal Scots Honor Adventure {yes the word honor is misspelled!} Desmond touches his head; wondering/confused.  He walks away from the building.
{Did Des realize the word was misspelled; giving him a clue he may be dreaming or in an altered state perhaps?}

Penny meets Desmond. {Big Ben! She's right on time.}
A photographer asks them, "Take your photo, lovebirds?"
They take a picture so they can show the grandkids. They choose a marina backdrop for the photo. {Palm trees.}
The photographer counts to two and snaps the photo. "Instant classic."
They purchase one photo for 5 quid {out of 20} "You're a lovely couple. Small price to pay for the memories. Right?"
Desmond stares at the photo, remembering, "I couldn't go through with it." {WOW! That's important! He remembered!}
He tells Penny he can't do this relationship. Penny gets upset. He gives her excuses for the break up. Penny tries to make him understand she chose to be with him.
But Desmond feels,"Love is not enough. Being a good man is not enough."
Penny's confused.
Desmond rambles, "This is all happening too soon. You're moving in. You're changing things. I don't even like red..."
She slaps him; tells him not to pretend that he doesn't care, "And don't you dare re-write history. I left my expensive flat because you were too proud to live there. Remember?.... Have the decency to admit you're doing this because you're a coward."
Desmond says he sorry, "We're not supposed to be together."
Penny walks away and Desmond throws the ring into the water! {We get a shot from under the water looking up. Amazing!}

Desmond is in the pub. We see the bottle of MacCutcheon next to a bottle of old scotch whiskey. He orders a pint of the cheapest; he's celebrating the biggest mistake of his life. The worst part is he's pretty sure he's made it before. The bartender calls it Déjà vu.
The song Make Your Own Kind Of Music comes on. {Jukebox is a Venus CD player} The football/soccer games ends with the win he told Donovan about. Desmond thinks he just got the day wrong, "I was right. I was off by a night. I heard the song and then, I remember this. I'm not crazy. I can still change things."

Jimmy Lennon comes in with his cricket bat wanting his money. Desmond tells the bartender to duck! Desmond gets hit with the bat and is knocked out!


Flash of Desmond turning the key.

Trees:
Desmond is waking up in the jungle; naked!  His head hurts and there's blood on him.  Yummy Naked Desmond runs through the jungle and comes upon the imploded hatch.  He is upset. On the ground there are vinyl records and the picture of him and Penny.
Desmond pleads, "Please. Let me go back. Let me go back one more time. I'll do it right. I'll do it right this time. I'm sorry Penny. I'll change it. I'll change it." He cries.

Desmond with Claire; Charlie's voice asking how he knew Claire was drowning.
It is night with the three guys drinking MacCutcheon Whiskey.
Charlie- "You hear the lightening as well?"    We see the golf club lightening rod.
Charlie continues, "Just by chance you pitch your little rod outside Claire's tent. Two hours later lightening strikes.”
We see the rain and lightening. Charlie calls him a coward.
Desmond tackles him. "You don't want to know what happened to me!"
Hurley breaks them up.
Drunk and troubled Desmond is crying, "It doesn't matter what you do. You can't change it."
Hurley makes the crazy sign regarding Desmond's mental state.   Charlie helps Desmond to his tent.

Desmond tells Charlie he's a good man and apologizes for trying to strangle him. {Des tried to kill him!}
Determined Charlie says, "Desmond, You are going to tell me what happened to you."
Desmond-"When I turned that key. My life flashed before my eyes. And then I was back in the jungle. Still on this bloody island. But those flashes, Charlie. Those flashes they didn't stop."
Charlie asks if that's how he knew to save Claire.
Desmond-"I wasn't saving Claire, Charlie. I was saving you."
He goes on to say it was Charlie who dove in to save Claire. Charlie looks confused by this statement. {Last we knew Charlie didn’t swim.}
He tells Charlie about the lightening, etc.. "The Universe has a way of course correcting. But I can't stop it forever... No matter what I try to do Charlie. You're gonna die."



Flashes Before Your Eyes is a Great Episode!!!!!

Things to note...Questions to ask... 
✈ Mirrors. Mirror image. Reflection. Reflect.
✈ Head injury. In the head. Concussion. Drunk. Blurry vision. Confusion. Disorientation. Crazy. Insane. Forget. Memory. Deja Vu. Altered state. Dream. Wish. Game.
✈ Ring. Rotunda. Circle. Loop. Do-over. 
✈ Desmond wears a DHARMA-like jumpsuit in his Flash
✈ Penny tells him it's not the end of the world if her daddy doesn't respect him.
✈ Was Desmond waiting for the delivery of flight 815?   "A Parcel."
✈  Things being out of place/wrong for Desmond.  Such as the painting in Widmore's office on the right when it should be on the left. Mirror image of painting. The word honor misspelled in the recruitment poster.
✈  Desmond worked in the theater doing set design. We was almost a doctor once and a priest/monk/brother.  He did not graduate from university, so how would he have become a doctor?
✈  Photo backdrop. Paint. Scene. Set. Theater. Re-write.
✈  Are there clues to the comic book?
✈  Clues to people, less one limb.
✈  I can't let go of the beautiful shot from the under the water perspective when Desmond throws Penny's ring away.
✈  Could Desmond just be having Flashes of Memory,  Blended/blurred images of real and manipulated memory/experiences in Flashes?   Maybe there's a "bug" in the system.
✈  Did he physically time travel or was that a metaphor or a figure of speech?
✈  EYES. EYES IN THE FLASHES!!! GO LOOK!
✈  Images/things in Desmond's Flashes show ties to the "Island", other Islanders and their stories. Coincidence? HA!
✈  Des was never supposed to marry Penny.
✈  "That man was supposed to die."- Just as Charlie is supposed to.
✈  Miss Hawkins did manage to talk Desmond into his role on the "Island". She conned him, manipulated him; told him that would be the only great thing he will ever do. To Desmond, that may be the great thing he wants/needs to prove Penny's father wrong.
✈  "…every single one of us is dead"- Hawking.   Is she speaking of the "Island" and the Others, perhaps?!
✈  Have the decency to admit you're doing this because you're a coward." He's not breaking up with her because he's a coward. He's breaking up because he wants her and her father to know he did something great.
✈  Did Desmond fail by not continuing to push the button? Now Widmore will never respect him.


Vocabulary and Research... 
✦ Chestnut is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce. Chestnut trees thrive on neutral and acidic soils, such as soils derived from granite, sandstone or schist. Chestnuts grown for nut production are grown in orchards.
✦ Vases: In Buddhism- Known as a Treasure Vase or Bumpa: Representing inexhaustible treasure and wealth.
✦ Tinnitus can be perceived in one or both ears or in the head. It is usually described as a ringing noise, but in some patients it takes the form of a high pitched whining, buzzing, hissing, humming, or whistling sound, or as ticking, clicking, roaring, "crickets" or "tree frogs" or "locusts", tunes, songs, or beeping.
✦ Concussion:  Latin concutere ("to shake violently").  Headache is the most common symptom. Other symptoms include dizziness, vomiting, nausea, lack of motor coordination, difficulty balancing, or other problems with movement or sensation. Visual symptoms include light sensitivity, seeing bright lights, blurred vision, and double vision. Tinnitus,or a ringing in the ears, is also commonly reported.
✦ 108 Mala Beads: Buddhist mantra meditation counting beads.


We're going to explore two ways we can look at this episode. It will be a long lesson, so go grab a snack and a drink and meet me back here.
Well! What are you waiting for?!….

Okay, Desmond traveled back and forth through the time/space continuum. Huh???   How was only Desmond able to do this? Eko couldn't do it and Locke couldn't. Charlie didn't even take this "trip", only Desmond did. Interesting, huh?   Please read through the items I researched as they may pertain to the story.
Let’s break down a few things.

* A pre-lucid dream is one in which the dreamer considers the question, "Am I asleep and dreaming?" He or she may or may not come to the correct conclusion.   Such experiences are liable to occur to people who are deliberately cultivating lucid dreams, but may also occur spontaneously to those with no prior intention to achieve lucidity in dreams.
* A false awakening is an event in which someone dreams they have awakened from sleep. This illusion of having awakened is very convincing to the person.  After a false awakening, people will usually dream of performing daily morning rituals, believing they have truly awakened. A dream in which a false awakening takes place is sometimes colloquially referred to as a "double dream", or a "dream within a dream" {OR MAYBE A FLASH WITHIN A FLASH? Hmm?!}   Certain aspects of life may be dramatized, or out of place in false awakenings. Things may seem wrong, details, like the painting on a wall, not being able to talk or difficulty reading (reading in lucid dreams is often difficult or impossible). In some experiences, the human senses are heightened, or changed.  For instance, one may be able to see things in greater detail, or lesser detail, or one may feel an intense burst of fear and anxiety, or possibly pleasure. And there are "time" issues. No "sense of time", etc.
* Some believe déjà vu is the memory of dreams. Though the majority of dreams are never remembered, a dreaming person can display activity in the areas of the brain that process long-term memory. It has been speculated that dreams read directly into long-term memory, bypassing short-term memory entirely. In this case, déjà vu might be a memory of a forgotten dream with elements in common with the current waking experience. This may be similar to another phenomenon known as déjà rêvé, or "already dreamed."
* FLASH- to be visible briefly. - A very short amount of time.
- The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book super heroes from the D C comic’s universe. - Flash Gordon, a comic hero and space traveler. - Flash Thompson, classmate of Peter Parker (Spider-Man)
- Thomas "Flash" Gordon played for the Boston Red Socks. I read a book by Stephen King called 'The girl who loved Tom Gordon'. Great book!
- In photography a flash is a device that produces an instantaneous flash of artificial light to help illuminate a scene.
- To expose one's naked body in public briefly. Of course Des woke up in jungle naked! Naked like when the Terminator time travels to L.A.. He's naked.
- To release the pressure from a pressurized vessel. Des turned the fail safe key.
* Anagram of Flash is the Plural form of half. Alternative spelling of halves.
* A flashback also is a similar recurrence of the effects of a hallucinogenic drug.
*A flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened prior to the story's primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial back story. In the opposite direction, a flash forward reveals events that will occur in the future.
- A sudden, short, temporary burst of light.
* Flash memory in computing is a re-writable memory chip that retains its data without a power supply.
* Flash of Insight:  Zen Buddhism- A Koan is riddle-like puzzle used for teaching in Zen Buddhism. It cannot be solved by reason, but instead forces the student to solve it through a flash of insight.




I must bring up The Orchid, Station 6; although it doesn't have to do with this episode. Dr. Halliwax aka Candle aka Wickmund tells us about the "Island" and some sort of casimir effect. All three versions of this guy's name have to do with candles...Light.   What the fuck is that about? Ahhhh! Oh well, that's a whole other part of the story!

Casimir Effect/Worm Holes…Time Travel:
Exotic matter with negative energy density is required to stabilize a wormhole. Morris, Thorne and Yurtsever pointed out that the quantum mechanics of the Casimir effect can be used to produce a locally mass-negative region of space-time, and suggested that negative effect could be used to stabilize a wormhole to allow faster than light travel. A similar analysis can be used to explain Hawking radiation that causes the slow “evaporation” of black holes (although this is generally visualized as the escape of one particle from a virtual particle-antiparticle pair, the other particle having been captured by the black hole).
In physics, Hawking radiation is a thermal radiation with a black body spectrum predicted to be emitted by black holes due to “quantum effects.”
A detailed study of the quantum geometry of a black hole horizon has been made using Loop quantum gravity.
Loop quantum gravity (LQG), also known as loop gravity and quantum geometry, is a proposed quantum theory of space time which attempts to reconcile the seemingly incompatible theories of quantum mechanics and general relativity.
Loop quantum gravity (LQG) is a proposed theory of space time which is constructed with the idea of space time quantization via the mathematically rigorous theory of loop quantization. It preserves many of the important features of general relativity, while at the same time employing quantization of both space and time at the Planck scale in the tradition of quantum mechanics.






Worm holes. Yes! A way to get from point A to point B via space! Okay, time travel... I more than anybody want to believe Desmond time traveled in this episode, but how did he do it? In a vessel? A fucking DeLorean? A winged Unicorn? Or telepathically? If the implosion catapulted him to "time travel" how did he manage to get back? Wouldn't something have to propel/bring him back?
Let’s not forget that he didn't change anything by this "journey".   When he tried to intervene and got hit in the pub/bar and he woke up, that still didn't change anything/his path.   Hawking insists he doesn't buy the ring, but Des does buy the ring. That didn't change anything either. Of course, if it IS "time travel" then he always would have bought the ring.

Hawking must be an Other. By her showing up in Desmond's other centric episode {Photo at the church.} that tells me she's probably a part of the "Island".   But she is correct when she says the universe has a way of course correcting.   By Desmond still trying to do a couple of things differently in his "Flashes", it didn't matter; It didn't change anything.   He still ended up on the "Island" and without Penny; with a job he's told will save us. Nothing changed. This is what was to be, the universe wins.

Back to the whole lucid/waking dream/altered mind point.  Desmond sits in Widmore's office with a table and liquor to his right side. Then in a 'flash' the image on his right is a mirror image of the giant painting that was on his left side (painting with polar bear, Namaste, etc.) Then in a "Flash" it's all back the original way.   Next example is the army recruitment poster. Yes everyone found the misspelled word honor. We heard yet again this is a prop error. But let us not forget we learned that one of the ways a dreamer realizes he may be dreaming, but feels awake, is when things are out of place, words on signs are misspelled, things are backwards, wrong. ALSO there is no sense of time!

Could Desmond's "Flashes" be "Flashes"  of real and manipulated memory coming out in a dream state or altered state of consciousness?  Maybe, just maybe, when the hatch imploded he hit his friggin head and got a concussion!
What about Desmond knowing Charlie's fate over and over? Remember they are in a loop of sorts; doing things over, so maybe he's just remembering reoccurring go-rounds!  I.e. Des knowing Locke would make a speech, or the lightening, and even Charlie dying. Was he seeing the future or just remembering the past in a 'flash'?

Donovan uses Desmond as the "Case in point" when explaining running a test over and over and using the wild card of unpredictability... and you will get different results.
If they've done all this before, let’s say, run the experiment 10 times, maybe Charlie really did die in those other horrible events in those other "times".   Does the possibility exist that maybe the implosion gave Desmond the ability to "remember" and  not time travel!   By remembering what is about to come next he is able to intervene or even manipulate the situation; but that's only putting off the inevitable. But Charlie having to die is his "path", he is meant to die. Again, the "universe" wins.

Is time travel through space really happening here? It could be. We know there's a special way to get to the "Island".   But what if travel to and from is via a tunnel to the mainland?  Underwater perhaps? I'm just throwing ideas out there. We also assume time runs different on the "Island". It must, but I wonder how?!! Maybe there just is NO sense of time or purpose for time on the "Island". It keeps me up at night, wondering!!!
I have been hoping since before The Lost Experience ARG that we were going to find out more about the numbers. I wanted those numbers to be the mathematics equation to make time travel possible. It could be that we need Plutonium or Gigawatts (Jiggawatts) to make it happen! The purpose of the numbers may be being used in some other way, no pun intended. lol


So with two ways to look at this episode what did we really see here? Do I know what's going on? Hell No!
Time Travel or Flashes of insight/memories/Lucid/Waking Dreams and/or manipulated images?   Maybe it's a bit of the latter.  I wonder if there will be a Missing Piece Mobisode telling us more about naked Desmond in the jungle after the implosion?

Remember, I just present my research to you and you make your own decisions.

Flashes Before Your Eyes is just that...Desmond's life as he knows it, "Flashed" before his eyes.

Love to all who are "LOST" ™

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.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME. pt1.

Let's talk about LOST! There's No Place Like Home. pt1.


A view of blue sky and white puffy clouds. {Note the Set Alt- is all zeros!}
The Pilot and Co-Pilot mention they have a little "Chop" ahead.


The Pilot tells the Co-Pilot to put the rabbit's foot away.
Co pilot {Rubbing rabbit's foot w/ left hand} replies that they need this "Thing".
He's is very nervous about the cargo they have back there, "Bad Mojo."

Karen Decker is asked to head back there and let them know we're landing.  Karen heads back and says hello to an unseen passenger. She tells the group they're coming in for a landing.

JACK IS SLEEPING.

Karen tells them it's a military facility just west of Honolulu; it's completely private, "Your families are already here."
Jack wakes up. The six don't look very happy. Karen goes on to say there's a lot of Press who want to speak to them, but as far as Oceanic is concerned they don't have to speak to any reporters.
Jack tells Karen "We'll talk to them."
She asks if that's alright with all of them.
Jack answers for all six and says it's fine, "We all agreed. We just want to get it over with."

Karen reveals, "They're referring to you as the Oceanic 6. That's not the best branding as far as we're concerned, but it's catchy. We'll see you on the ground."
Jack talks to the group, "We all know the story, if we get any questions that we don't want to answer or that we can't answer, let's just keep our mouths shut."
Jack tells them it's okay; they'll think they're in shock.
Sun admits they are in shock.  Jack feels then it should be easy.

The plane lands on the Island. {Barbers Point} The six seem apprehensive and unsure.
The Hatch/ramp opens on the plane and people gather to see them.
Hurley exits first. The six meet their families for a reunion. {Five Parents.}
Kate has no one.
Sayid has no one, but Hurley includes him in his family reunion.
Sun, looking distant and stand-offish, meets her emotional parents but only hugs her mother.
Jack hugs his crying mom. {She's wearing green, wedding ring.}

Night on the beach:
Rose-"It was Sayid and Desmond in the helicopter, right? I mean It had to be. Why else would they drop that thingamabob right over us?"
Sun asks why they wouldn't just land. Jack doesn't know, but tells them this thing is tracking the chopper, so if they were on it, they want us to know where they're going.
Sun-"It's a phone. Can't we just call?"
Jack asks Charlotte and Daniel if they could, Dan nods yes.
Jack hands him the phone and warns, "Don't try anything stupid."
Dan understands. He presses a bunch of things on the sat phone and discovers it's being used only as a monitor.
We can hear dialog between Keamy and Frank; they're five clicks from the site. Keamy wants Frank to "Put her down!"
Keamy also announces that as soon as they hit the ground, they deploy to the Orchid, "Heads down." {Watch Juliet and Kate.}
Juliet claims she doesn't know what the Orchid is. They also note they didn't hear Desmond or Sayid either.
Jack takes the sat phone from Dan and asks Kate if she wants to "Take a walk." {Of course she does!} He'll get the guns, she'll get some water.
Juliet freaks out, as Jack just had surgery and she needs him to rest; she's worried about his sutures. Jack feels he can't just sit around.
Juliet-"Recovery is not just sitting around."
Jack has to do this because he "promised those people he'd get them off this island."
Juliet angrily walks away telling him not to bleed to death.
Jack-"I'll see you in a couple of hours."
Daniel is very worked up. He gets out his notebook and looks up his notes about the Orchid.
Dan whispers to Charlotte that they're going to the Orchid, they're using the secondary protocol, "We HAVE to get off this Island, right now."

Daylight:
Jack has the sat phone monitor/tracker, tells Kate they're catching up; the chopper must have landed. Kate suggests they take a break.
Jack is bleeding; only he calls it suppurating, discharge. His body is fighting off infection around the stitches. They drink some water.
Kate-"You know when most people are lying and they can't look you in the eye, you do the exact opposite."
A branch snaps and they draw their guns.  
Miles nonchalantly walks out of the jungle, "Hey, long time, no see."
Sawyer's behind him carrying Aaron. Sawyer wants to know who he's "talking to up there, Genghis?"
Sawyer's surprised/happy to see Kate. He tells them they lost Claire; she just walked off in the middle of the night, "We looked for her for a day, but she was just gone."
Jack's troubled. Claire didn't walk back to the beach.
Sawyer asks what they're doing out there, "What's that phone for?"
Jack explains it to him.
Sawyer explains to Jack he better hope it aint Sayid, "Because if he's with those animals who blew up half of New Otherton you do not want to tussle with them...They" tried to kill them. Just like Locke said "they" would.
Jack mockingly asks if they're supposed to just turn around and hide because it seems that didn't to work out to well for him. Aaron's crying.
Sawyer says, "I'm sorry Doc, maybe this is Deja vu. But didn't you just do the whole run through the jungle with a walki plan?"
Jack claims the helicopter is the only way off the island.
Sawyer wonders, "What's with you and getting off the Island? You're like a damn broken record."

Kate questions these two fighting each other now.  Jack says he put Sayid and Desmond on that chopper, it was his call, his responsibility and he's going after it whether they're on it or not. Kate doesn't want him to go by himself. Sawyer tells Kate to take care of the baby {Jack and Miles share a look here} and all should head back to the beach.

Sawyer w/gun-"That son of a bitch is stubborn. Hold up! You don't get to die alone."
Sawyer goes with Jack.
Kate holds Aaron. The Oceanic six sit at the dais table.

Karen gives the fabricated specifics about the Oceanic 6. "Based on the wreckage, our best estimate of the crash site is here. {Map of Indonesia. Note 3 Oceanic logos.} From there, the survivors were carried by the ocean's current to here. An uninhabited island in the lesser Sunda islands known as Membata. As you've all read in your briefing books, on day 103 a typhoon washed up the remnants of an Indonesian fishing boat, including basic supplies and a survival raft. {WOW! How else would they have survived?!} On day 108 the remaining six survivors, including Miss Austen's baby, which she gave birth to on the island of Membata, used this raft to journey here, an island called Sumba. They then came ashore near a village called Manukangga. This photo was taken by the local fisherman who found them. {I'm glad he had a camera!lol!} Once it was discovered who they were, they were transported to Honolulu by the U.S. Coast Guard. {us?} As you can imagine this has been an extraordinarily trying experience. They have however agreed to answer a few questions."
Karen introduces the survivors of Oceanic 815. The reporters snap pictures and begin their questioning. The first reporter {Press Pass written in Orange} asks Dr. Shephard what it was like when the plane hit the ocean and how he survived. Jack tells him it happened really fast. He remembers the impact and remembers the plane filling up with water. A few of them got out through the emergency door before it went down. They didn't swim to the island, they had cushions, some life jackets, they were in the water for over a day before the current took them in. "By then there was only 8 of us left." {Watch Sun.}

Another reporter comments that they look pretty healthy considering they were on an island for more than 100 days. Hurley thinks the comment was directed at him. The reporter mentions that he was worth more than 150 million dollars at the time of his "death", "How does it feel to know you're gonna get all that money back?"   {This is an example hint for "dead" yet not really "dead"}
Hurley doesn't want it back; that money was bad luck.
A Korean reporter asks Sun a question in Korean. Someone yells out for a translation.
Sun translates-"She asked if my husband was one of the people who died on the island." Apprehensively Sun replies "The answer is no. He never made it off the plane."
The reporter w/the orange Press Pass asks Miss Austen what it was like giving birth on the island.
Kate-"Scary."
He asks how old her son Aaron is.
Kate-"He's just a little over five weeks." {WTF?!}
The reporter states "That would have made you six months pregnant when the U.S. Marshall Service apprehended you in Australia for an outstanding murder warrant. Is that correct?"
Karen interjects telling him Kate's legal issue is off the table. The female reporter asks Sayid, considering the circumstances of their survival, could there be any others yet to be discovered.
Sayid-"No. Absolutely not."
With the briefing over, Jack tells Kate she did good. Karen informs Sayid that there's a woman outside who says she knows him wasn't on the list of family members. Her name is Noor Abed Jaseem.
Sayid heads out the rose colored hanger doors to find a waiting Nadia outside with a patrol car and officer. They kiss and cry.

Sayid is on the zodiac raft making his way back to the beach. {Sea Turtle on the beach. EKO'S CHURCH.} Sayid tells the beach camp Desmond is on the freighter and that he's going to start taking people back to the freighter six at a time. They have to go right now before the helicopter gets back to the boat. Juliet asks why.
Sayid-"Because the men on that chopper have every intention of killing us all."
Juliet's upset because Jack and Kate just went running after it.
Hurley, John and Ben on their trek. Hurley wonders when someone is going to tell him where they're going. Ben tells him they're going to a place called the Orchid it's a greenhouse.
He heard John, "we're going there, to move the Island."
Ben will accomplish this task "Very carefully."
Hurley-"If you could move the island whenever you wanted, why didn't you just move it before the psychos with guns got here?"
Apparently doing it is both dangerous and unpredictable. "It's a measure of last resort."
Ben retrieves a foot locker from an army duffel hidden under broken rock. Ben allows John to open it. There are Dharma soda crackers, a mirror, rope and binoculars. Hurley eats one of the 15 year old crackers. Ben uses the mirror to communicate a code/message to someone in the hills. John looks through the binoculars. Ben gets a reply from his communications.
Ben-"Alright. Now we can go."
John wants to know what did he tell them.
Ben-"None of your business, John."

Daniel tells Sayid if he wants to run into the jungle after that chopper he should, but in the meantime they need to get people off of this Island. Dan can start ferrying people back and forth. By the time Sayid gets back Dan can have "Most of these people on our boat."
Sayid gives Dan a compass and says, "I trust you know the bearing."
Juliet is sure to have Sun go out on the first trip.

Kate, Aaron and quiet Miles walk out of the jungle right into the "ferrying scene".  Sayid is aware that Jack thought he was on the chopper.  Kate gives Sun baby Aaron to take along with her and Kate and Sayid will head after Jack. Dan starts ferrying.

On the raft, Jin is proud to tell Sun "I told you I'd get you off the Island."

Pregnant Sun at Paik headquarters. {Dressed in her signature Blk/white, wedding ring.} She heads up stairs to talk to her father.
Mr. Paik is in a heated discussion with two men about 'How could this happen' and whoever did this used five different banks.
Sun interrupts his business; father just lets her know there's "Some complications with the company. Nothing you'd understand."
He asks how the pregnancy is. She confronts him about him ruining her husband's life.
Paik's pissed; he wants her respect. Sun informs him she received a very large settlement from Oceanic so this morning she bought controlling interest in his company,"So you will now respect me."
He wants to know why.
Sun explains, it's because of him that she and Jin were on that plane. Two people are responsible for his death and Paik is one of them. Sun will have her baby and then they'll talk about plans for the future of "Our company."

Hurley pulls up to his fancy house in an old dilapidated Pinto. He picked up some chicken from Mr. Clucks. The front door ajar.
Inside he calls out for Mom, Dad, Mr. Tron and Lady Tron. {Grandfather clock.} No one's around. He picks up a coconut from the floor. {Hears whispers.} Cautious and nervous Hurley picks up golden Jesus to check things out. He wonders, "Why am I doing this?"
Hurley opens the double door to the outside and, "Surprise!"

Friends and family are there to throw him a surprise birthday party; "Island" theme of course. Hugo thought there might have been a prowler and that's why he had golden Jesus.
Mrs. Reyes tells him, "Hugo. Jesus Christ is not a weapon."
{Kid with 42 on his shirt}

Kate, Aaron, Sayid w/wedding ring and Nadia are guests at this party.   Jack is running late. {Jack is running late!}

Mr. Reyes asks if Hugo and friends are talking about building a fire or boar hunting.
Dad had a present for Hugo and Hugo makes it clear he doesn't want anything bought with "The money."
Dad tells Hugo to "Relax. I got this before you gave us the money."
It's the Camaro Z28; Dad fixed it. After the crash dad worked on it as a memorial to Hugo. "When I was fixing it up, it was almost like I was with ya. But now you're back. And it's all yours."
Dad gives him the key w/ rabbit foot key chain.

Inside the car, Hurley freaks because the numbers are displayed on the dash! Hurley wants to know if dad did this; if this is a joke. Dad calls it a coincidence.
Freaked out Hugo says -"No! Not a coincidence. No! I don't want this!"
Hugo runs away.
Hugo asks Ben if the greenhouse thing does what he says it will, he understands it's dangerous and unpredictable, but suppose it works and they move the island, "Doesn't that mean the dudes with the guns move too?"
Ben admits it does and he's working on that problem. Hugo's upset because he wants off it! John tells him it's a little late for that. Ben stops and asks for the binoculars and tells them to get lower to the ground as they are at the Orchid. Ben shares with John that Widmore knows about this place and knows what they need is inside. John thought Ben had no idea what Widmore wanted.
Ben admits to not being entirely truthful.
John-"When were you ever entirely truthful?"
Ben has John take a look through the binoculars, "Watch the plants at the back." {Hint to things being hidden in plain sight.
Ben-"They're already here."

The raft approaches the freighter.
Dan announces, "We're back!"
He tells Desmond Sayid went after Jack and the chopper. Desmond helps the passengers out and Dan will head back for the next group.
Jin and Sun hear Michaels voice. {He says he fixed the.}
Desmond tells Hendricks that the engines work so, "Take us to the island."

Desmond wants him to be sure to follow the bearing exactly, 305.
Hendricks says he's getting R.F. interference with the fathometer and he can't see the reef.
Desmond asks how that's possible with the radio room down. Something on this boat is broadcasting. Hendricks won't go closer than five miles off the coast if they don't turn it off.
Desmond will locate it.

Sawyer asks Jack if he cut himself shaving. {The monitor is beeping.} Jack tells him Juliet took out his appendix a couple of days ago. Sawyer feels like he missed a lot while away.
Jack says, "We're here."
They hear noise/rattling from the chopper. Frank is cuffed inside.
Frank tells Sawyer to get a tool box from the back compartment so he can get him out of the cuffs. Frank admits to dropping the phone on the beach so they could find them and he could fly them out of there. Lapidus tells Jack that Sayid and Des were smart to keep their asses on the boat; that's the safest place to be, "Because when the boys I brought over here come stomping out of this jungle, you're gonna wanna be long gone."
The boys are at the greenhouse, "Perched up there waiting to snatch Linus."
Jack confirms that once they cut him free that he'll fly them out of there.
Frank also confirms that once the boys have Ben, nothing good will come to the people with him.

Sawyer is concerned and tells Jack that Hugo is with Ben, "Son of a bitch."

A photo of Christian Shephard is displayed in the church.   Jack is speaking at the memorial service. Kate holds Aaron,{How old is Aaron here?} Hurley, Sayid and Nadia are also there.

Jack shares that 10 months ago he wrote on the back of a cocktail napkin in the airport in Sydney what he was going to say at his father's funeral and he doesn't remember what he wrote. Jack tells us his father couldn't stand eulogies, "They only good thing about a wake is the free booze, he'd say."
Jack feels it's not much of a wake because he won't even be able to bury him.
Jack says "Good bye, dad. I loved you. I miss you."
Jack tells his mom he'll be at the house later; {Mom w/wedding ring.} they love each other. Mom is so glad he's home. Kate tells Jack he did that well.
Jack-"I had a lot of practice." {Huh?}
A blond woman asks to speak with Mr. Shephard. {Not Dr. Shephard?} She tells Jack she believes that Christian was in Australia to see his daughter. The woman mentions she was still in the hospital so she never saw him. Jack is shocked! Jack could check dads phone records if he doesn't believe her claim. The woman also goes on to say the daughter was on flight 815, probably sitting a few rows from him. They were in the air for six hours and never knew they were related. She was one who died when the plane hit the water; her name was Claire.
Jack is really, really shocked!
The woman comments to Kate that her son is beautiful. Jack just looks at Aaron.

Sun asks Michael how he got back to New York.
Michael-"Uh, Walt and I uh, uh, we took Ben's boat and we followed his bearing. A couple of days we came to an island, you know, with people, sold the boat, we hopped a cargo ferry back to the states, didn't tell anybody who we were."

He says he DOES NOT WORK FOR BEN. He's trying to make up for what he did, "trying to help you out here. Translate what I said."
Jin admits he understands.
Desmond busts open the door and screams for Michael; he needs him.
Des leads Michael, Jin and Sun to a room filled with C-4. {Wow how convenient!} Jin says something in Korean to Sun.
Jin-"Now!"
Sun leaves.

Kate tells Sayid the tracks aren't Jacks or Sawyers, "They're different tracks, fresh and they're doubling back behind us."
Sayid yells out, "Whoever you are come out now!"
Richard comes out, hands up, tells them to relax and to drop their guns.
Sayid-"Take one more step." All of a sudden they are surrounded by armed Others; dressed in the brown drab garb.
Richard takes their guns.

John, looking through binoculars says, "I see two of them. But not the one who killed Alex."
Ben says he's there.
Ben hands is baton to John and wants him to listen very carefully because he won't have time to repeat it...Ben goes on to quickly ramble exact instructions, "You're gonna go into that greenhouse through that hole there, once inside you're gonna turn left go about 20 paces until you see a patch of Anthuriums on your left, they're in a alcove against the north wall face that wall reach down with your left hand you'll find a switch that activates the elevator. The elevator takes you down to the actual Orchid station."

John wants to know what he's supposed to do about the armed men inside. Ben will take care of them. John wonders how.
Ben-"How many times do I have to tell you, John I always have a plan."
Ben walks toward the Orchid.

Sun exit's the ship door to the deck.
Jack and Sawyer walk away from the chopper.
Richard leads the posse with Kate and Sayid.
John and Hurley watch Ben.
Ben enters the greenhouse; hands raised.
Keamy comes out... "My name is Benjamin Linus. I believe you're looking for me."
Keamy points the gun between Ben's eyes, but opts to knock him out instead.







I won't rehash the same info as my "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" blog.   Head back there for that additional info.
Could the Oceanic six be six who are being discharged from duty? Did they get tossed out? Or did they just want off that badly? Debriefing? Another level?
Are they the next big shots in charge of the "Island"? Could they be in line to take over the family business? Or is there something extra that makes them different, separate from the rest?
Is John on his way to bringing the family back together?

Things to note…Questions to ask...
* HERE-HERE-HERE-HERE-HERE-HERE.
* Desmond has to shut off another radio signal!
* Deja vu. Broken record. Repeat.
* It's Business.
* EYE Color.
* Numbers.
* The pilots badge has a rainbow on it.
* They bring the Oceanic six to a private military airport, yet it's filled with reporters.
* Clothes shades of blues and greens
* Sun wears black and white in her "flashes".
* Catchy Brand Name…"Oceanic 6".
* Kate is raising Aaron as her own. Kate delivered Aaron at birth.
* Underground. Underwater. Under-Over. UP THERE.
* Jack's eye contact issues when lying or telling the truth.
* Map. Click.
* Mirror.
* Dead. Not Dead.  Life, Death, Rebirth.  Literal or metaphor?
* Daniel is privy to the Tempest, Orchid and Secondary Protocol.
* The Others don't leave tracks.
* "He never made it off the plane" -Sun. What/which plane?
* Is Patch, Charlie and Eko inside the Orchid? Or just repeated "Island" data (so to speak)
* Did the Oceanic 6 have to drink the juice to get back?
* Could the whole "Island" be a "Green house", Biosphere Or a Moon Pool?
* Is the "island/Islands" in a "container"? Is it really in a cold place? Is it only 5 miles off shore somewhere?
* Is the "Island" hidden by 'Plates' or rocks? Is it underwater? Beside moving, can it fly?
* Why wait all that time to have Christian's memorial service?
* The Set Altitude on the plane's dash was on all zeros! Hmmm....simulation...

Vocabulary and Research…
* Suture- An album by American coldwave band Chemlab.
- The suture is an external feature of the shell of a snail, a shelled gastropod mollusk.
- A suture is in structural geology a major fault zone through an orogen or mountain range.
- Sutures separate terrains: tectonic units that have different plate tectonic metamorphic and paleogeographic histories.
* A greenhouse (also called a glasshouse or hothouse) is a building where plants are cultivated.
- Operation Greenhouse was the fifth American nuclear test series, the second conducted in 1951.
* Mahâbhûta: is Pali for the "Great Elements." The 4 Great Elements (Pali: cattâro mahâbhûtâni) are earth, water, fire and air. Mahâbhûta is generally synonymous with catudhâtu, which is Pâli for the "4 Elements."   In early Buddhism, the 4 Elements are a basis for understanding and for liberating oneself from suffering.



I still feel this could be called Further Instructions Part 2!
Check out my past notes for the connections. Read Further Instructions or Instructing Further and Tricia Tanaka is Dead notes.

The Wizard of Oz motif is all over this episode. Dorothy thinks she leaves home to go to Oz.  In Oz, without her realizing it, she is surrounded by her friends and family who are in costume/disguise; playing other characters. She tries very hard to get back home. The reality is it was all in her head. She never left home and her family was always there with her. I see the same thing with the Losties. The "Island"="home". Surrounded by their friends and family the whole time. Watching.

Love to all who are "LOST"™
{Click the pics!}

Karen saying hello to an unseen passenger-








Rainbow in patch-













Daniels notebook-Orchid- but also note the Bug-








Set Alt...(zeros)








Posted on MySpace post May 30, 2008


Disclaimer: I never claim to know everything about the show and my thoughts by no means make me right! Things I share here are my views and/or opinions. I don't claim to catch every single detail either. I hate spoilers! I stand clear of reading certain sites, as to not take me off my own 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. Good! I'll only note things that I know come up as clues in bold.