He went about this not knowing what he was doing but had the opportunity to find out what he did was great...

Jack has done great things by being his hero...

Locke is doing great things...

each one our losties is doing great things on this island...

I thought she said "the greatest thing you will ever do", which would mean a whole different thing. I got the impression he took that as a big disappointment in himself, like pushing the buttons was meaningless, and he will never achieve greatness. He is destined to be stuck on this island.

it made me feel sorry for him. isn't love more important?!

Especially after that bastard Widmore said those things to him about not even being worth being a swallow of Scotch. After she said that, I felt really bad for him in that , I'm sure she didn't say it to make him feel bad; it just felt like a sad moment.

I felt bad for him too, but I think one day he will realize the value of what he had to do.

I think that moment was created to make us feel bad for Desmond. But they're also laying it on quite thickly at this point to highlight that our beloved Des isn't amounting to much (see thread title, he's broke, imprisoned for cowardice, unlucky at love)..

Which makes me think that he will in fact do many great things in "another life brother".... One of these time loops is bound to find him the hero at many things: in love, at battle, on the island..

(see thread title, he's broke, imprisoned for cowardice, unlucky at love)..

Ame, it sounds like a country song!

Which makes me think that he will in fact do many great things in "another life brother".... One of these time loops is bound to find him the hero at many things: in love, at battle, on the island..

I know, you're right. He's just such a great man, I mean a truly good person. He seems like the most selfless person on the island at this point.

And he's really cute.

I was surprised I couldn't use the word that has traditionally meant the child of an unwed mother in my post...it substituted "model student" for it. I thought we could use words that were used on TV, etc (PG-13) And does someone sit there and read the posts and substitute a nonsensical phrase for a naughty word? Guess I'm still new to this all, thought your experience could shed some light.

I think that line said by the old lady was her way of "pushing Desmond's buttons" and hitting him where it hurts. I believe she is trying to manipulate Desmond into resigning himself to his fate. I think she is lying and that we do have free will, and Desmond can make choices that change his destiny. He's having a crisis of faith right now but if he moves past it and saves Charlie he will ultimately save himself.

The pushing of the button may be way more important than we know so far. We'll see, but even if we find out that it was extremely important, I think des will do great things besides just pushing that darn button! I felt so sorry for him, first Widmore then this lady telling him this. Desmond was meant for great things. You'll see!

the button is becoming a huge deal. i'm sure that later on this season when we find out what pushing the button really ment, we will find out that desmond was actually doing something good.

Actually, I think we will find that turning the key will turn out to be a far greater (and braver) thing than pressing the button. It seems to be what breaks the time loop (and probably has other more significant impacts.) Hence Desmond's despair when he saw that the hatch had imploded and he had no chance of returning to his previous life.

I thought she said "the greatest thing you will ever do", which would mean a whole different thing. I got the impression he took that as a big disappointment in himself, like pushing the buttons was meaningless, and he will never achieve greatness. He is destined to be stuck on this island.

I think that moment was created to make us feel bad for Desmond. But they're also laying it on quite thickly at this point to highlight that our beloved Des isn't amounting to much (see thread title, he's broke, imprisoned for cowardice, unlucky at love)..

Which makes me think that he will in fact do many great things in "another life brother".... One of these time loops is bound to find him the hero at many things: in love, at battle, on the island..
I felt bad for him too there, especially after his self esteem being gutted by Widmore as well. (Bringing out two glasses and making a point to say he's not worthy of the whisky? That's low.)
But pushing the button, and using the failsafe key, probably have turned out to be a truly great thing, if the unchecked overflow of the magnetism could have indeed caused mass destruction, as the old lady implied. I think he's done his important work already on the island.
But in the end he did give in to her prediction of his fate and pushed Penny away, knowing he had to go. I think he believed it was his destiny, and like Locke, that destiny was more powerful than free will.

If that is the only great thing he does in life, do you think that means he wont make it off the isaldn, and that he will die, possibly sacrificing himself, to save all of the losties?

I think that Desmond has become the great man he had hoped to become. I also agree that the turning of the key was a more important decision than pushing the botton which is one of the reasons why I think that he wsa in a time warp and not a dream.

If Desmond was literally saving all of humanity....what could be more important than that? It may not feel important, averting some kind of fate and all.... But if we really knew the affect of not pushing the button and not turning the failsafe key was the death of the planet I think we would all agree Desmond has had THE most important task of all.

Very good point, I think it was his destiny and fate to go to the island, so that fate could show him he was a good man, maybe he is starting to believe in himself now. So know if he could only get off the island and make things right with Penny, it would be great.

His destiny may just be death on the island....BUT than Mr Widmore would realize that Desmond was not only worthy of his whisky but also of his daughter. One thing leading to another here...could cause major good things to happen with Widmore money.

Des has rejected the ring lady's attempt to convince him that nothing can be changed by attempting to change it... I wonder if this means he rejects the supposition that pushing the button is the greatest thing he'll ever do, too?

Are you guys forgetting when she told him his destiny was to save all of humanity? Turning the key is not some small thing. It's very, very important, obviously. It's just, that's the only great thing he gets to do. It could be the greatest thing anyone has ever done, but that's the only thing he's destined to do, supposedly. But who knows, maybe something's different this time?

...But man, poor Des. He didn't ask for any of this. He was fine with being a nobody, so long as he was with Penny. A cruddy apartment feels like a mansion if you're with a woman you love. The cheapest whiskey tastes better than Widmore's bitter garbage, too. But his destiny may not include her. That would be very sad... But I can relate, unfortunately. :frown:

But this is a TV show. Maybe things will turn out okay for Desmond. I hope so!

Desmone has been trying to change destiny....and still trying to change destiny with Charlies saves......since his time warp thing...

Des has rejected the ring lady's attempt to convince him that nothing can be changed by attempting to change it... I wonder if this means he rejects the supposition that pushing the button is the greatest thing he'll ever do, too?

I hope so because when Locke thought that he was at the lowest point in his faith. It's a pretty depressing proposition.

Depending on your perspective, very few of us will ever do something truly great. By that I mean, change the course of history or be remembered beyond our immediate friends and family. Clearly someone like Mr. Widmore places tremendous value on being "great" in this sense.

This doesn't mean that Desmond's life will be insignificant to those close to him or that he won't turn out to be a good man. I really believe that she was simply saying that Desmond would never achieve the level of success that Mr. Widmore demands.

BTW - I thought the jeweler scene was almost a rip-off from the Matrix. The Oracle and the Jeweler both had a lot in common.

Ahhh...but WE know that Desmond has reached a more successful life than Widmore has... Now it is a matter of Penny finding out....with the snowglobe guys....

Depending on your perspective, very few of us will ever do something truly great. By that I mean, change the course of history or be remembered beyond our immediate friends and family. Clearly someone like Mr. Widmore places tremendous value on being "great" in this sense.

This doesn't mean that Desmond's life will be insignificant to those close to him or that he won't turn out to be a good man. I really believe that she was simply saying that Desmond would never achieve the level of success that Mr. Widmore demands.

BTW - I thought the jeweler scene was almost a rip-off from the Matrix. The Oracle and the Jeweler both had a lot in common.
I agree, very few of us will do something truly great, but he will be significant to people
around him.

The question I have is this: If pushing the button was so important, why was the task allowed to end up in the hands of people who don't know why they're pushing it?