Surely if Ethan could do what he says (kill everyone off one by one), then he could easily just take Claire himself; why did he need Charlie to do it? It seems to me that the goal wasn't to get Claire, but something else entirely

His entire deal was a mystery. He was definitely a few French Fries short of a Happy Meal.

Great episode. I didn't care that the character that was hyped up as being the one to die was some nobody that we had never heard of and didn't even get a good look at.

I was really shocked that they gave the other gun to Sawyer, who I wouldn't trust, given his history. But I have to admit, it was great seeing him as a good guy when he told "Jungle Boy" not to move. For a second there, I was thinking, "Gee, who do we root for here?"

Some Other Notes:
This episode takes place "almost a month" after the plane crash.

Now that another castaway is dead, that brings the number to what, 45?

Remember, Sawyer already had the gun, he just needed the ammo. I think Sawyer is just a big jerk, but hasn't done anything that didn't warrant trust in this situation.

Then he shouldn't have given him the ammo. As for trust, where do we begin? Looting and stealing from others, including items of possibly vital importance? Pretending to have withheld Shannon's breather? Making an unfounded accusation that Sayid caused the plane crash, and getting into a fistfight with him? Generally antagonizing everyone? The fact that he shot a guy at point-blank range and still missed his heaert?

Also, I have my suspicions about whether Sawyer was in league with Rousseau and/or Ethan, particular after Sayid returned from his aborted mapping mission and told him about the "others," and Sawyer, rather than torturing Sayid out of revenge, seemed interested in these other people. Since Sawyer knows that Jack and the castaways have no love for him, I wonder if Sawyer is interested in forming an alliance with this other group.

Luigi Novi: I didn't care that the character that was hyped up as being the one to die was some nobody that we had never heard of and didn't even get a good look at.
What, you never heard them mention "Scott and Steve"?

Maybe Ethan was just trying to see how far he could push Charlie, or get him to go darkside or otherwise playing a few mind games with the castaways.

If you go with the theory that they are dead and in limbo maybe ethan and the others represent somekind of "evil" trying to get the castaway's souls or somethign? I don't know.

This show has so many wheels spinning within and in so many different directions it makes a tilt a whirl seem sedate by comparision.

Nice metaphor.

Anyway, I enjoyed the episode. Especially the end.

I was surprised that Jack went to Sawyer before he went to Kate. I guess he did know that Sawyer could shoot, since he took down the bear. I get the impression, though, that he may have wanted to protect her by keeping her out of it.

And Vincent returns. Just as someone dies. I wonder if that's coincidence.

Luigi Novi: I was really shocked that they gave the other gun to Sawyer, who I wouldn't trust, given his history.
I was a little surprised, but I think that it's understandable. They did seem pretty desperate with stopping Ethan.

Luigi Novi: it was great seeing him as a good guy when he told "Jungle Boy" not to move
I loved that line.

I did figure that it would either be Claire or Charlie that took Ethan down.

Luigi Novi: Now that another castaway is dead, that brings the number to what, 45?
I believe so.

I was surprised that Jack went to Sawyer before he went to Kate. I guess he did know that Sawyer could shoot, since he took down the bear. I get the impression, though, that he may have wanted to protect her by keeping her out of it.

Personally, I thought it might be he no longer trusts her.

I don't see how great a shot you have to be to take down a huge animal like a polar bear that's coming right at you. It's not like shooting a mosquito, after all.

As for desperation, wouldn't three or four people with guns have been enough?

And you thought Ethan might've been taken out by a pregnant woman, Josh? Geez, you don't give Ethan much credit, do you?

Even a 5-year-old with a gun can take down an adult...

As Sawyer pointed out, it's better to have more armed five armed people than four.

Luigi Novi: And you thought Ethan might've been taken out by a pregnant woman, Josh? Geez, you don't give Ethan much credit, do you?
He did disappoint me in this one. He got his keister handed to him by Jack.

Thanks. What else would it be for?

As for killing the bear I have a friend who went bear hunting (Black or grizzly not polar)in alaska last year (Same one in the Navy). Yes it is not impossible to hit a bear as they are a bit on the large side. Hitting one so that it does mortal wounding without either just making the bear madder or giving it enough time to rip your face off before it dies is another story. Basically have to go for a spine, head or heart/lungs shot and depending on the circumstances that can be a bit tricky.

I have a small nit about the backstories. Everytime a backstory is shown for Jack and Charlie, they're shown back at their jobs unshaven. I know it hard to film scenes within ten days or so, but it does create a credibility problem. For example, with Jack, I've never seen an unshaven doctor in a hospital (that unkempt appearance would be unprofessional and off-putting to patients). With Charlie, he was shown at a office job with uncombed hair and unshaven. It's difficult to imagine any company where that would be tolerated. I get the point that his appearance was meant to relect the fact that he was a drug addict, but every office expects their employees to be better groomed.

I also found it unbelievable that Locke would consider not informing everyone that Ethan was threatening to kill one of them. Also, if Ethan swam in from the ocean to kill, wouldn't he be exhausted. A tired man wouldn't be that much of a threat.

Despite Charlie's stated reason for killing Ethan (because of his threatening to kill Claire), it seemed that his real reason was payback for killing (by hanging) him earlier.

Rona: With Charlie, he was shown at a office job with uncombed hair and unshaven.
I thought that his hair was combed?

Rona: Also, if Ethan swam in from the ocean to kill, wouldn't he be exhausted. A tired man wouldn't be that much of a threat.
It would most likely depend on how far he swam, as well as how fast he swam. And if he's a strong swimmer (which I'm assuming that he is.) Even so, if he could manage to kill someone while fatigued, it makes him even more dangerous.

I know it hard to film scenes within ten days or so, but it does create a credibility problem. - Rona

My understanding is that all the island scenes were filmed (over the course of several weeks) long before the backstory stuff. This makes it easier to maintain continuity as far as the characters' appearances are concerned as well as control the cost of shipping the actors to and fro.


For example, with Jack, I've never seen an unshaven doctor in a hospital (that unkempt appearance would be unprofessional and off-putting to patients). - Rona

Ever watch E.R.? I think George Clooney brought back the unshaven look. In any case, I think it's a lot more prevalent in professional careers than you might think.


With Charlie, he was shown at a office job with uncombed hair and unshaven. It's difficult to imagine any company where that would be tolerated. - Rona

In the 1950's, maybe.


...every office expects their employees to be better groomed. - Rona

Maybe in the office you work at. But even Disney has had to adapt to current trends in personal appearance in regards to their park personnel.

815 Watch: Charlie does a sales pitch for the model C815 copier.

Are the 815s disguised 47s? 8-1=7, 5-1=4

How exactly is Claire able to run from Ethan, given that she's about nine months pregnant?

Complete and utter terror, Luigi.

Wait til her water breaks.

Fascinating episode.