Here's an email I got today showing a lot of the connections and hidden things in Lost! Since we won't be seeing any new episodes of said show until 3 weeks from now (
![Bawling Smilie :waah!:](./images/smilies/sob.gif)
), I thought I would post this. Enjoy!
[SPOILER]March 1
In response to our continuing request, more than a few eagle-eyed viewers of the most recent new episode (Feb. 15) told us they noticed that the soldier who interrogated Sayid in Iraq was Kate's father, Sgt. Austen (played by Lindsey Ginter), whom we met in a previous flashback. To make sure we'd pick that up, the writers had him pull out a photo of an obviously younger Kate as he asked Sayid if he had a family. (Related item: Discuss Lost in Pop Candy)
And many readers clued us in as to this week's far-less-obscure-than-usual literary reference. The man who might or might not be one of The Others is named Henry Gale, and he says he came to the island in a hot-air balloon ? Dorothy Gale's Uncle Henry, perhaps, from The Wizard of Oz.
One puzzler: the meaning of the hieroglyphs that flipped up as the timer ran out on Locke ? maybe a bird, a feather, a bent staff, an arrow. Are they Egyptian for "death"? "Loss"? "Your guess is as good as mine"?
Feb. 8
What's Lost without a coincidence (or three)?
Sharp-eyed viewers responding to our weekly search for clues for the ABC island mystery (Wednesday, 9 ET/PT) spotted one in Sawyer's diner scene. The waitress is Kate's mom, Diane (Beth Broderick), who was introduced in a flashback in November. And the music that Sayid and Hurley picked up on their radio was a big-band tune by Glenn Miller, who was presumed dead after his plane disappeared in 1944.
Then, in another Lost literary reference with possibly no significance, Locke leafs through An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, a 19th-century short story about a man who thinks he has escaped from a hanging, only to find at the end that it was a momentary flash of imagination before his death.
Feb. 1
The Jan. 25 episode of Lost (the last original one to air) focused on a baby's baptism. But most readers responding to our ongoing request for clues to the island mystery focused on the budding romance between Hurley and "tailie" Libby ? and to Hurley's comments that he felt he knew her from somewhere. (Related item: Send us your clues after the show Wednesday)
More than one viewer noted that since Libby was in the tail section while Hurley was seated up front, there would have been no way for him to have stepped on her foot as he boarded the plane, which was her explanation.
What's her game? Could Libby, a psychologist, have worked at the mental hospital where Hurley had been treated? Is she part of the Dharma Initiative "experiment," studying reactions from the inside? And, as Libby observed, the washer-dryer in the hatch is much newer than the rest of the furnishings, which sharp-eyed viewers also had noticed. So is there a way that items (and people) continue to move to and from the island?
Jan. 25
So let's recap: Two weeks ago, Lost viewers saw the mysterious, monstrous cloud close-up. And last week, we chatted with one of The Others as Jack, Locke and Sawyer chased after the unhinged Michael. Will revelations never cease?
In that chat, perhaps, was another hidden revelation: As "Zeke" was challenged by Jack, he yelled, "Bring 'er out, Alex," and showed Jack that they were holding Kate hostage.
Who is Alex? Could it be the Frenchwoman's daughter, who was kidnapped 16 years ago? Is she one of The Others? In fact, viewers ask, is there more than one group of Others?
Jan. 9
The big reveal of the island's "monster" as an amorphous black cloud spurred lots of chatter. Those who examined the smoke more carefully, in stop-motion on their DVRs, noticed images in the mist (and indeed, some indistinct but human shapes seem to flash by): Eko's priest brother, the old man Eko shot, perhaps the woman who was selling the statues of the Virgin Mary in his village? Is it some scientific force reading his memories, or is there a more sacred significance?
Several viewers came away from the heavily religious-themed episode believing more strongly that the island represents purgatory, and its inhabitants ? nearly all turning out to have killed or in some way caused the deaths of others ? await judgment. In the meantime, judge for yourself: The episode repeats tonight at 8 ET/PT, before a new episode.
Dec. 7
Last week's "aha!" moment on ABC's Lost was spotted by more than a few viewers, though it appeared for no more than a moment on the edge of the screen, and even then may have depended on the clarity of the TV set and the acuity of the viewer's vision.
As Kate visits her adoptive father in an Army recruiting station, Sayid appears on a TV screen; some say he looks like a military prisoner. This type of sighting is reminiscent of the Season 1 episode in which Hurley appeared on Korean TV during Jin's flashback.
Coincidences? We think not.
Then there's the restored film clip; what was the earlier "incident" mentioned in it? And why did Mr. Eko go on about Josiah, the biblical king who restored the Temple? Another literary reference?
Nov. 30
The preview for this week's episode shows the crosses for three graves. Is someone else about to die?
Does fugitive Kate have a link with cop Ana Lucia?
Is Libby, the psychologist, really Karen DeGroot, one of the originators of the Dharma Initiative mentioned in the training film? Or could she be one of "The Others" ? maybe even Alex, Rousseau's daughter?
Nov. 23
Two episodes ago, Ana Lucia, fearful of The Others, mistakenly killed Shannon, squashing the budding romance between her and Sayid. And what to make of her Rambo-esque survival skills? "Ana Lucia's ability to defend herself and take charge when necessary may indicate some sort of military or covert operational background," says Lost fan Susie Kruise of Altoona, Pa. But can Ana Lucia's skills match those of Sayid, a former member of Iraq's notorious Republican Guard?
As for the kidnapped survivors who have Ana Lucia on edge, Jin and Mr. Eko's teddy bear sightings may be a sign that some are still alive. But where are they?
Nov. 16
Last week, a wet Walt appeared again on Lost. Before Shannon was shot, he spoke unintelligibly to her. But when Walt's words are played backwards, is he saying: "They're coming, and they're close"?
Also last week, in the hospital where Shannon's dad died, you see Jack hurrying by in his scrubs. Was Jack's future wife ? who was in the hospital after an auto accident ? the driver of the SUV that killed him?
We probably won't get answers Wednesday in the extended episode (9-10:05 ET/PT) that focuses on the tail-section survivors.
Incidentally, more than 15,000 readers voted online last week: 21% felt the producers had picked the right character to kill; 34% said they would have preferred Ana-Lucia (Michelle Rodriguez) to die.
Nov. 9
?It's the number of stitches on a major-league baseball. (This ties into the Yankees' retired-number theories covered earlier.)
?It's a sacred number in Buddhism; a prayer strand traditionally has 108 beads. (This ties into the name of the mysterious island project, the Dharma Initiative.)
?It's approximately the number of minutes some satellites take to circle Earth.
Then there is the overriding theme of fatherhood, with close examinations of the complex and troubled relationships of Jack, Sawyer, Jin and Sun, and Locke with their respective fathers ? and, of course, Michael's rebuilding of his relationship with Walt.
October 27
?The teddy bear. What's the significance of one of the Others carrying a tattered stuffed toy as he or she walked by Eko and Jin, hidden in the brush? It could be a literary reference to the Lost Boys of Peter Pan. That person could be Alex, Danielle's child, who was taken as a baby 16 years ago. Or it could be the same teddy bear that was on Desmond's bunk in the hatch. (Lost and Found)
?Those digits. The magic numbers ? 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42 ? have all been retired by the New York Yankees, worn by Lou Gehrig, Yogi Berra/Bill Dickey, Thurman Munson, Whitey Ford, Don Mattingly and Jackie Robinson, respectively. (Of course, that doesn't account for 3, 5, 37 and 44 ? Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Casey Stengel and Reggie Jackson ? among others.)
?That swan.One of last week's clues was in error: The shark and the wall in the other survivors' bunker did have Dharma Initiative logos, but they weren't the "swan" logos found in the hatch. They were similarly shaped, but ? as viewed quickly and in dim light ? had different symbols. (Everybody Hates Hugo)
October 19
?The shark that chased Sawyer and Michael on the raft had a Dharma Initiative mark on its fin. Another apparent Dharma logo was at the compound where the new group of survivors was found. (Adrift)
?The actor who played Hurley's boss, Randy (Billy Ray Gallion), played Locke's boss, too ? also named Randy. (Everybody Hates Hugo)
?The numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42 total 108, which is the number of minutes the computer operator has to reset the counter. (Man of Science, Man of Faith)[/SPOILER]