Lost S3 episodes 1 - 4. LOTS of spoilery speculation.
I'm all caught up!
First of all, here are the two maps that I'm talking about-- The Lockdown Map, and The General Map.
Number of Dharma Stations
How many Dharma Stations are there? Ones we know of-- The Swan, The Staff, The Arrow, The Hydra (which may or may not be on the 'Lockdown' map), The Flame (as yet undiscovered) The Pearl (otherwise known as "?"). That's six. The "Lockdown" map notes up to #7 (and noted "aborted"). The general map counts "The Door" as a Dharma station, but I wouldn't. It was a front. Unless that's what "aborted" means, because #7 on the "Lockdown" map and "The Door" on the General map are rather close in proximity.
I'd be inclined to say that there are six stations (the # of numbers in the "Lost Numbers-- 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42), plus one fake station-- #7, The Door, which can be seen as "aborted."
So then, what are C3, C4, and the scratched out hatch? Transfer points? Or the original location of other hatches?
The Two Islands, Cartography, and the Location of The Hydra
The "Lockdown" map shows five definite Dharma stations (but not the Hydra), two dotted-line stations, and one scratched-out station. Maybe the dotted line means underwater, which would make either C4 or C3 the Hydra-- maybe that cable wasn't Rousseau's after all?
The written notes on the "Lockdown" map right next to the C4 dotted-line station say "interference might also prevent location from use as listening station / cryptography / research or analysis." Cryptography is the study of making and decoding secret messages, as one might do in wartime. You might have noticed that Jack's communication box at the Hydra encountered a whole lotta interference. There's also a note near it that says "subterranean conduit?"-- The Hydra was at least partially underwater. As is the C4 station, according to the "terrain" filter on the "Lockdown" map.
(Unless the subterranean conduit is the hole that the monster tried to suck Locke into.)
So... is The Hydra on the main Lost island or the Others' island? I don't remember seeing The Hydra on the "Lockdown" map with the other stations. It's obviously a zoological study station. I guess that leaves us with two options:
I have a theory for each.
If The Hydra is actually on the Lost island, I think that what Sawyer was shown is a small island off the coast of the main Lost island to throw him off. Going off the "Lockdown" map, The Hydra is likely the C4 station.
If The Hydra isn't on Lost island, though, some location on the island is directly connected to The Hydra island via the mysterious "sub" that Ben mentioned in 3x04. It's either the C4 station or one of the islands to the Northwest of the Lost island-- the ones closest to Pala Ferry.
And if The Hydra isn't on the Lost island, where is it? Judging by the general map of the island, here are my thoughts.
There are pros and cons to them all, but if the Hydra is infact off the main Lost island, I'd say it's either on the island to the East of the main Lost island, based on the cable and the location of the C4 station, or it's on the string of islands to the Northwest, based on its proximity to Pala Ferry.
I'm also going to guess that the CV boxes on the "Lockdown" map are food/supply drop points.
Others Theories / Ben & Juliet's relationship
Based on 3x01, I'd have to say that the Others' village is located on the Lost island, since Ethan & Goodwin could make it on foot to the survivors' beaches so quickly.
I bet that 'The Others' are rebelled Dharma employees (and possibly their children). I don't buy that Ben has grown up on the island-- he and Juliet are about the same age, and she had a life as a fertility doctor. I bet she didnt' learn that on the island. Unless Ben was genetically engineered or something-- which I guess would fit in with the whole Juliet-as-fertility-doctor thing.
Unless, of course, Ben was part of a people who lived on the island first, who agreed to help Dharma, and then rebelled and either killed or incorporated all Dharma employees (like Juliet) when they realized how shady Dharma really is.
Ben and Juliet are either exes or family members. There's a power struggle going on there, and it's certainly personal. Unless Ben's people (theoretical island people) killed Juliet's people (theoretical Dharma employees) in some kind of overtaking/rebellion/revolution. That would certainly cause some tension.
(Someone at Entertainment Weekly theorized that Ben & Juliet are siblings, children of the DeGroots, and that's a pretty neat theory. I like it.)
Regardless, the people left over that we call 'The Others' act as kind of a self-regulating militia. They're naturally suspicious of all newcomers, and they go all scary Rambo on them while simultaneously calling themselves "the Good Guys." (Note to both The Others and the decision-makers of the American Army-- making scary threats and killing innocent people is maybe not the best way to proclaim that you're the Good Guys.)
And why are children so important to The Others? Juliet's a fertility doctor. Ethan was an obstetrician. They keep kidnapping children. Maybe they're worried about the collapse of the outside world, and see themselves as sort of a failsafe? Survivors who must multiply if the outside world falls apart?
Jesus christ, I want answers. They need to stop introducing new mysteries and start answering some old ones, because I'm actually getting a little fed up. If they don't answer some stuff relatively soon, it would almost be worth it to not watch until the end of this season, then do another catch-up. It's so irritating.
Character notes
I am totally okay with Kate/Sawyer. Both characters are generally really predictable and boring for me to watch unless they're interacting together. Sawyer/Kate has a chemistry that Jack/Kate just doesn't. I think Kate thinks that she should want Jack and hate Sawyer based on her daddy issues, but in the end, she and Sawyer are just too thematically matched. And I think she's too immature for Jack, anyway. Jack's the hero. He makes good plans, he's active. Kate can't lead or make good plans worth a damn. She's great at manipulating people behind the scenes, but any time she tries to make a big play (that's not planned for her, like the bank heist), she ends up the damsel in distress. Jack deserves someone just as smart as he is.
Also, I have no theory about why Desmond is now psychic, but I think that's damned cool, too.
First of all, here are the two maps that I'm talking about-- The Lockdown Map, and The General Map.
Number of Dharma Stations
How many Dharma Stations are there? Ones we know of-- The Swan, The Staff, The Arrow, The Hydra (which may or may not be on the 'Lockdown' map), The Flame (as yet undiscovered) The Pearl (otherwise known as "?"). That's six. The "Lockdown" map notes up to #7 (and noted "aborted"). The general map counts "The Door" as a Dharma station, but I wouldn't. It was a front. Unless that's what "aborted" means, because #7 on the "Lockdown" map and "The Door" on the General map are rather close in proximity.
I'd be inclined to say that there are six stations (the # of numbers in the "Lost Numbers-- 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42), plus one fake station-- #7, The Door, which can be seen as "aborted."
So then, what are C3, C4, and the scratched out hatch? Transfer points? Or the original location of other hatches?
The Two Islands, Cartography, and the Location of The Hydra
The "Lockdown" map shows five definite Dharma stations (but not the Hydra), two dotted-line stations, and one scratched-out station. Maybe the dotted line means underwater, which would make either C4 or C3 the Hydra-- maybe that cable wasn't Rousseau's after all?
The written notes on the "Lockdown" map right next to the C4 dotted-line station say "interference might also prevent location from use as listening station / cryptography / research or analysis." Cryptography is the study of making and decoding secret messages, as one might do in wartime. You might have noticed that Jack's communication box at the Hydra encountered a whole lotta interference. There's also a note near it that says "subterranean conduit?"-- The Hydra was at least partially underwater. As is the C4 station, according to the "terrain" filter on the "Lockdown" map.
(Unless the subterranean conduit is the hole that the monster tried to suck Locke into.)
So... is The Hydra on the main Lost island or the Others' island? I don't remember seeing The Hydra on the "Lockdown" map with the other stations. It's obviously a zoological study station. I guess that leaves us with two options:
a) The Hydra is located on the Lost island, and Ben was tricking Sawyer again. He was actually showing Sawyer another island off the coast of the Lost island, and in fact, Kate, Sawyer, and Jack never left the Lost island.
b) The Hydra is located on The Others' island, hence not being on the "Lockdown" map.
I have a theory for each.
If The Hydra is actually on the Lost island, I think that what Sawyer was shown is a small island off the coast of the main Lost island to throw him off. Going off the "Lockdown" map, The Hydra is likely the C4 station.
If The Hydra isn't on Lost island, though, some location on the island is directly connected to The Hydra island via the mysterious "sub" that Ben mentioned in 3x04. It's either the C4 station or one of the islands to the Northwest of the Lost island-- the ones closest to Pala Ferry.
And if The Hydra isn't on the Lost island, where is it? Judging by the general map of the island, here are my thoughts.
The Northeast-- There may be an unmapped island. Jin, Michael, and Sawyer would have seen it on the bits of the raft when they were floating back to the island after Walt's kidnapping... unless they were asleep, that is.
The East-- There is a small island to the East. Hurley should have seen it when he followed the beach clockwise to find Rousseau (he stopped walking when he found that ocean power cable). But maybe he didn't. This one is suspiciously close to the C4 station. Like I said, maybe the cable wasn't Rousseau's.
The South-- There is also a small island to the South of the island. Like the Eastern island, Hurley also should have seen it on his beachwalk. Still, it's a possibility.
The Southwest-- There are a string of islands to the Southwest of the island. They should be somewhat visible to the periphery of the beach camp, but no one has ever mentioned them.
The Northwest--A string of islands to the Northwest of the island. Technically, the Raft Crew should have seen them, too, before Walt was kidnapped, unless it was too dark by the time they got there. This one is also more likely because it is rather close to Pala Ferry. There is also a note on the "Lockdown" map here that says "but could be #6"-- could that possibly be referring to Dharma Station #6-- the Hydra?
There are pros and cons to them all, but if the Hydra is infact off the main Lost island, I'd say it's either on the island to the East of the main Lost island, based on the cable and the location of the C4 station, or it's on the string of islands to the Northwest, based on its proximity to Pala Ferry.
I'm also going to guess that the CV boxes on the "Lockdown" map are food/supply drop points.
Others Theories / Ben & Juliet's relationship
Based on 3x01, I'd have to say that the Others' village is located on the Lost island, since Ethan & Goodwin could make it on foot to the survivors' beaches so quickly.
I bet that 'The Others' are rebelled Dharma employees (and possibly their children). I don't buy that Ben has grown up on the island-- he and Juliet are about the same age, and she had a life as a fertility doctor. I bet she didnt' learn that on the island. Unless Ben was genetically engineered or something-- which I guess would fit in with the whole Juliet-as-fertility-doctor thing.
Unless, of course, Ben was part of a people who lived on the island first, who agreed to help Dharma, and then rebelled and either killed or incorporated all Dharma employees (like Juliet) when they realized how shady Dharma really is.
Ben and Juliet are either exes or family members. There's a power struggle going on there, and it's certainly personal. Unless Ben's people (theoretical island people) killed Juliet's people (theoretical Dharma employees) in some kind of overtaking/rebellion/revolution. That would certainly cause some tension.
(Someone at Entertainment Weekly theorized that Ben & Juliet are siblings, children of the DeGroots, and that's a pretty neat theory. I like it.)
Regardless, the people left over that we call 'The Others' act as kind of a self-regulating militia. They're naturally suspicious of all newcomers, and they go all scary Rambo on them while simultaneously calling themselves "the Good Guys." (Note to both The Others and the decision-makers of the American Army-- making scary threats and killing innocent people is maybe not the best way to proclaim that you're the Good Guys.)
And why are children so important to The Others? Juliet's a fertility doctor. Ethan was an obstetrician. They keep kidnapping children. Maybe they're worried about the collapse of the outside world, and see themselves as sort of a failsafe? Survivors who must multiply if the outside world falls apart?
Jesus christ, I want answers. They need to stop introducing new mysteries and start answering some old ones, because I'm actually getting a little fed up. If they don't answer some stuff relatively soon, it would almost be worth it to not watch until the end of this season, then do another catch-up. It's so irritating.
Character notes
I am totally okay with Kate/Sawyer. Both characters are generally really predictable and boring for me to watch unless they're interacting together. Sawyer/Kate has a chemistry that Jack/Kate just doesn't. I think Kate thinks that she should want Jack and hate Sawyer based on her daddy issues, but in the end, she and Sawyer are just too thematically matched. And I think she's too immature for Jack, anyway. Jack's the hero. He makes good plans, he's active. Kate can't lead or make good plans worth a damn. She's great at manipulating people behind the scenes, but any time she tries to make a big play (that's not planned for her, like the bank heist), she ends up the damsel in distress. Jack deserves someone just as smart as he is.
Also, I have no theory about why Desmond is now psychic, but I think that's damned cool, too.