Ummm.....why couldn't Hurley quit? I seriously doubt his 401k plan or COBRA benefits would be affected by giving up the job of food inventory and head button pusher.

I'm really surprised that Locke would even say that to him...as if he enjoyed Hurley's discomfort ALOT. He was smiling the whole time Hurley was opening up to him about why he didn't want any parts of this mess.

I love Locke, but I'm beginning to have some doubts about his "benevolence"

My husband was wondering that too - why does Hurley HAVE to do it???

I think it was another one of Locke's character tests... he always seems to tell people just what they need to hear, without actually MAKING them do anything.

Locke was showing some teethering on the edge; every one must do this or that
to keep his illusion intact, or delusion.

Hurley is still too young to realize that no one is the boss of him; but he got
pissed and was going to blow it all up until gentle Rose listened to him. He
did the right thing, bringing the food out for a feast. I just hope he was able
to remove the dynamite back to a safe place!

Perhaps it was a character test, like you say, but why was he enjoying Hurley's frustrations so much? That just seemed kind of cold.

I know from last week that he doesn't have much of a soft spot for people who are in emotional pain....he told his anger management group that they were basically stupid. LOL

Oh it's the obvious temptation...make the fat guy the keeper of the food.
Like if they made Charlie the drug czar, or if they made Shannon the keeper of the
suntan oil.

But really, what are they going to do? Fire him?

It was a little scary, the way Locke was repeatedly cleaning that rifle.

Locke was giving Hurley a "life lesson".
"You can't quit" was because he realized that Hurley NEEDED to deal with responsibility instead of walking away from it. Hurley came through like a champ, and he has John Locke to thank for it.

He has Rose to thank for it quite honestly. He was all set to blow it up and be done with it...leading to everyone truly hating him. She talked him out of it. Locke just really pushed him to that edge, waiting for him to decide if he wanted to jump or not.

Locke was giving Hurley a "life lesson".
"You can't quit" was because he realized that Hurley NEEDED to deal with responsibility instead of walking away from it. Hurley came through like a champ, and he has John Locke to thank for it.

I saw it as Hurley having Rose to thank for it.

Maybe both!

He has Rose to thank for it quite honestly. He was all set to blow it up and be done with it...leading to everyone truly hating him. She talked him out of it. Locke just really pushed him to that edge, waiting for him to decide if he wanted to jump or not.

The important thing is that Locke made Hurley confront a responsibility. If Hurley chose to blow it up, so be it. The point is not 'how" he dealt with it, it's that he dealt with it at all.

I think Locke was cruel, but not because he meant to hurt Hurley. I just don't think he has any kind of litmus test for how people should overcome difficulty. Everything in Locke's life has been difficult, and everyone in his life has abandoned him at some point. He's never had any help with anything (save for Helen, maybe), which might be why it's such a big deal to him that everyone work through everything for themselves. I think he really though that he was pointing Hurley in the right direction (just like he thought he was pointing Charlie in the right direction when he held onto his drugs). Unfortunatly, it was the last thing that Hurley needed and it pushed him over the edge.

I'm not saying that Locke is right, I'm just saying that he thinks that what he's doing is right.

It's almost as if Locke had some insight into the fact that Hurley quit his job at the chicken place. As if he knew Hurley's past. Add to that the fact that they shared the same boss Randy at their respective jobs. And the fact that Locke knew Hurleys name was Hugo, when he had not shared that info. Makes you wonder. Maybe Randy was a big blabbermouth and Locke learned about Hurley from him. Perhaps Randy was telling the story at the box company about a guy named Hugo, who won the lottery and quit his job. Then at some point Locke saw Hugo on the news, and remembered the face later after the crash.

I didnt read much into it. I just thought that since only a few people knew of the bunker interior, the food and the computer, that they were going to share responsibilities. And everyone thought that Hurley was suited for the Food Inventory Control Manager position :)

I don't think it amounts to much in the overall scheme of things on the island, but I was sitting there thinking...."WHY THE H*LL can't he quit?" LOL It's not like there's any reason he HAS to continue doing that job.

The same reason he told Jack he had to push the button. He makes people confront their biggest fear and overcome it. He had Charlie ask him three times for his dope back...he had Boone confront his feelings for his sister and Shannon get over having to report to her brother ("Should I be writting this down?"and he made Sayid confront his anger with Locke for hitting him on the head and NOT beat him to a pulp. Just his entire way of looking at people.

did it creep anyone else out when locke said "my job is to convince people to push that button every 108 minutes"? It gave me chills.

I used to work as an addictions counselor for people very early in their recovery, and we would very often do the same thing with our clients. Give them tasks to complete and smile at them the whole time they were complaining about it. Somewhere in all of that complaining they will voice to themselves what their real fears are, which helps them take action to overcome them.

did it creep anyone else out when locke said "my job is to convince people to push that button every 108 minutes"? It gave me chills.

While sitting there with the gun! Yes, it creeped me out!

I think Hurley was acting like a big baby! "They're all gonna hate me, Mommy! Boohoohoo!" Come on people. Haven't your parents ever told you not to quit at anything? Locke is like a father figure to most of these people. He, for a while, before they dropped that storyline, was the provider for them. He, more than anyone else, has the right to build these people up to face whatever they are going to have to face on this island. They cant have people whining and crying and giving up when they no longer have the choice but to fight. Locke is doing Hurley a big favor by making him stand up and face his resposibilities, which obviously he has never had to do before...

I ..which obviously he has never had to do before...

Question: Wasn't that his role back in Season 1?
He (Hurly/Hugo) was passing out the food from the plane and responsible for the water (to some degree). Albeit, he allowed people to take what they wanted because they were still anticipating rescue, but it was his resonsibility nonetheless.
I saw this as a continuation of the responsibilties he had already taken on.

Hurley's biggest fear is that he won't be liked. Rose said something very important to Hurley - "you're the only one that everybody likes." As a fat person who has dealt with this issue, I know EXACTLY where Hurley is coming from. Well, except for the sudden wealth, that is! (I wish... ;) ) Hurley is afraid that, if he's controlling the wealth (money or food), everyone is going to suck up to him to get something they want, rather than just liking him for himself.

You're right, Nashville! I hadnt thought of that. That gives me even more reason to think he's acting like a nutter!

In a way, its all about power. On this island, the roles have reversed. Locke has it, Jack doesnt have it, but wants it badly, and Hurley has it, but will do everything in his power to not have it. Ironic.

Overall, the ones I enjoyed watching this ep were the raftees. They stayed in character and tough.

The three main LOSTies seemed to loose it this time around.

Jack with his "Who else did you tell?" accusation to Hurley which I really didn't appreciate considering Locke was telling anyone who wanted to know. Why the heck were they keeping it such a secret anyway when they knew the others would have to know?

Then Locke telling all to Charlie, effectively siccing Charlie on to Hurley without warning and not caring of the results. This is really the first ep where I was severely disappointed in Locke. He's redistanced himself from everyone just because the Hatch didn't fulfill his expectations.

I really hated the whining Charlie, berating Hurley in one moment then as soon as he gets what he wants, everything's "cool, mate." I don't think so. A true friend doesn't constantly blow up at you then assume when they are ok, everything can go back to normal. Talk about an A**.

And Hurley who rose up to every challenge, even the numbers, freaks because he's in control of the food again. I saw the reasons for it but it was still, well, disappointing to say the least.

Then there's Kate with the all about me thing again. Who cares that everything has to be inventoried and Jack said no one gets anything until then? I need a shower and I'm special....Good Grief! Give me a freakin' break. Everyone else is still struggling with what they have to do but I'm going to have my relaxing shower then say I did it to make sure it was safe for others. PLEASE! (Oh, don't forget Jack stinks, too!) Someone shoot me...No, shoot her, please.

Then loving Rose..."Sure, honey, anything you need...help yourself." Nevermind that Jack just told Hurley that he's in charge and no one gets anything yet. Guess since Jack adressed Hurley, Kate and Rose could do whatever they wanted...ARRGGH!

That'll teach me to get hyped for an ep. I thought this one would be comparable to NUMBERS. Oh, well, we'll see what next week has to offer.

Ok, rant over...*sulks back into a corner to take a deep breath*