Why did he need to fire his gun and scare the birds, all he needed to do was stop Charlie from trying to get the one on the rocks, right?

My guess is that he didn't know where Charlie was?

Aw, you know how those Scots are with their guns whenever any birds are around!

I'm thinking Des scared the birds to prevent the chain reaction from starting all over. Remember Des' previous vision? Claire went into the water and Des visioned Charlie trying to save Claire...with Charlie dying.

I'm thinking the same would have happened. Claire would go after the bird, fall or something like it and Charlie would try to save Claire (falling into the water and getting crushed against the rocks by waves).

Des has said he keeps trying to prevent Charlie from getting killed.

Seems to me initially he just wanted to shut down the whole idea of the bird catching. Then Charlie had it out with him since it got Claire mad, and he decided to catch one bird for her instead.

My guess is that he didn't know where Charlie was?

i thought he had already told Charlie about the vision he saw

If Desmond would have let them catch that bird in the net, then Charlie would have never had to go after it later and die. I don't get it. Maybe he was going to die both times? Is Charlie going to be "almost dying" every day now?

Maybe he didn't trust that Charlie was staying away, so he did a last ditch effort to destroy the plan? Or... is there any possibility that Des was telling the truth about that part? That he was hunting boar? :confused:

Seems to me initially he just wanted to shut down the whole idea of the bird catching. Then Charlie had it out with him since it got Claire mad, and he decided to catch one bird for her instead.

I didn't understand it either. I thought all Des needed to do was tell Charlie to stay away from the rocks and not try and catch any birds, but I think you've got it here. Des may not have seen that outcome right away, he may just have known that Claire catching birds would lead to Charlie's death so he tries to stop it and tells Charlie not to help. But by interfering initially, it maybe leads to Charlie later going out on his own and catch a bird to make it up to Claire so Desmond has to intervene a second time. Everytime he changes something, it may change something else.

TWO visions, then? First, the general "Charlie will die if he goes along with Claire's idea." Thus, the gunshot, in hopes that Claire would abandon the idea. Then, when she didn't, a second vision. Like the old woman said in FBYE, if one death doesn't get ya, another will!

Perhaps Charlie saw the bird on the other side of those rocks, turned to go over there, slipped, and DOOM. That's how Desmond knew where the bird was. He told Charlie this. Then went to the spot to GET the bird (like he went to the ocean to save Claire from drowning). Two things would be accomplished by this: 1) Charlie wouldn't go there instead and die that way; and 2) Claire would get her bird, thus completing her mission. Therefore, Charlie would not die via being involved in Claire's idea.

Desmond didn't expect this little Aussie firebrand to follow him, though. And, finally, he was too honest and too guilt ridden NOT to tell her what was going on. Thank goodness!!

Seems to me initially he just wanted to shut down the whole idea of the bird catching. Then Charlie had it out with him since it got Claire mad, and he decided to catch one bird for her instead.This is what I made of it. He wanted to avoid the whole plan because he knew that it would cause Charlie's death.
They made sure to show Charlie and Desmond arguing. Charlie was probably explaining that they had to do this for Claire.

"will charlie be almost dying every episode..."

this is an interesting comment. i think it speaks volumes to what's going on with desmond, claire, and charlie. it's not really an island mystery as much of a "fate" mystery. how will this unfold....interesting.

I loved this episode but they could have a done a better job of explaining Desmond's reasoning for his actions. The fact this thread has to exist is testament to that.

It's because Desmond wanted to be Claire's hero! :hearts:

Seriously though, just how long can Desmond keep this up? It's gotta be eating at him... :(

I am in the camp that thinks that Desmond was trying to stop the bird catching plan from the get-go. I was really mad at him for a second. And I think he could have come up with a better excuse than boar hunting...but I can't really think of any other explanations myself either.
I really hope this Charlie savior arc what-not is not what is in store for Desmond in every episode, because that could get really boring really quickly.

It did seem that by scrapping the whole bird thing, Des could save Charlie. But then Charlie had it out with him (good for Charlie!) and Des later caught the single bird.

What seemed odder to me was by preventing the bird capture, was Des trying not to be rescued? He'd tried to escape already and wasn't successful but that doesn't mean there's no way out. Of course things are different now after the pulse - we haven't seen many birds yet, but I don't think that necessarily means anything if they are migratory. The survivors have only been there 80 days.

I liked that Claire followed Des and got an answer. I like how when she thinks something is up, she pursues it.

Is Charlie going to be "almost dying" every day now?

Looks like it. Charlie is going to become like Losts version of Kenny from South Park (only with almost deaths rather than actual deaths). It could become a bit of a novelty - oooh! How is the universe going to try to obliterate Charlie this week?

It's because Desmond wanted to be Claire's hero! :hearts:

Erm, no. It would seem Desmond is wanting to be Charlie's hero. Desmond was screwing Claire over in this episode in order to save Charlie's life.

Erm, no. It would seem Desmond is wanting to be Charlie's hero. Desmond was screwing Claire over in this episode in order to save Charlie's life.

Desmond's my hero! :hearts: What a great guy.

Now that three people know about his visions, I wonder if word will spread through the camp about it. Maybe people will want readings and advice from him.

Erm, no. It would seem Desmond is wanting to be Charlie's hero. Desmond was screwing Claire over in this episode in order to save Charlie's life.It was a joke. Hence the "but seriously" following it. :rolleyes:

It's because Desmond wanted to be Claire's hero! :hearts:

Seriously though, just how long can Desmond keep this up? It's gotta be eating at him... :(

I hear ya! Poor Des already looks so haggard and anxious and worn by it all. :frown:

Seems to me initially he just wanted to shut down the whole idea of the bird catching. Then Charlie had it out with him since it got Claire mad, and he decided to catch one bird for her instead.

That's what I tought too, word for word.

I had a slightly different take on this all. When C/C were at the picnic, Dessy walks by and tells Charlie to go hunting with him. Desmond and Charlie share a look that spoke volumes even before Claire goes running off. When she tells them her plan, Charlie says that it is not a good plan, blah blah. Point being, he knew from Desmonds look and the way that he basically told Charlie to go hunting with him, that Desmond had another vision.

When Desmond and Charlie were arguing I took it that Charlie was just upset cause Claire was pissed and took it out on the one person that he could. I didn't for one second think that je was arguing with Desmond about not being allowed to get a bird for Claire. Why would he fight against Desmond? He knows that Desmond sees his death. That would make know sense.

Either way, Desmond did what he thought he had to to save our Mr. Pace.

A couple of people have mentioned Claire using her smarts this episode. Completely agree, she had a great idea, figured out the execution, and wouldn't walk away from Desmond without finding out the truth. Good girl Claire!!!

Now if only the rest of the Losties would follow suit and start asking questions and not leave until they get them.

I had a slightly different take on this all. When C/C were at the picnic, Dessy walks by and tells Charlie to go hunting with him. Desmond and Charlie share a look that spoke volumes even before Claire goes running off. When she tells them her plan, Charlie says that it is not a good plan, blah blah. Point being, he knew from Desmonds look and the way that he basically told Charlie to go hunting with him, that Desmond had another vision.

When Desmond and Charlie were arguing I took it that Charlie was just upset cause Claire was pissed and took it out on the one person that he could. I didn't for one second think that je was arguing with Desmond about not being allowed to get a bird for Claire. Why would he fight against Desmond? He knows that Desmond sees his death. That would make know sense.

Either way, Desmond did what he thought he had to to save our Mr. Pace.

A couple of people have mentioned Claire using her smarts this episode. Completely agree, she had a great idea, figured out the execution, and wouldn't walk away from Desmond without finding out the truth. Good girl Claire!!!

Now if only the rest of the Losties would follow suit and start asking questions and not leave until they get them.

This is pretty much what I thought, but it still doesn't explain why he scared the birds away. He had already warned Charlie and it seems like if Claire would have caught one of the birds with Jin and Sun then it never would have led to the incident at the rocks anyway.

Exactly. If anything Des should have been helping Claire, Jin and Sun with their initial attempt to catch the birds.

This is pretty much what I thought, but it still doesn't explain why he scared the birds away. He had already warned Charlie and it seems like if Claire would have caught one of the birds with Jin and Sun then it never would have led to the incident at the rocks anyway.Okay, this sounds whacked out but, just how far does fate go? Maybe it was the fate of that particular bird to fly that note away? (A huge stretch, I know...) Maybe Desmond saw in his vision that they wouldn't have caught the right bird or something. Claire said that Desmond walked straight to that rock to get that particular bird like he knew it was there. :shrug: Obviously that must've been in his vision. You know?

Okay, this sounds whacked out but, just how far does fate go? Maybe it was the fate of that particular bird to fly that note away? (A huge stretch, I know...) Maybe Desmond saw in his vision that they wouldn't have caught the right bird or something. Claire said that Desmond walked straight to that rock to get that particular bird like he knew it was there. :shrug: Obviously that must've been in his vision. You know?

That's possible. So besides just having a vision of Charlie dieing, he also had a vision of them getting the wrong bird/not getting a bird at all and he had a vision of where the right bird was. This is plausible, I just wish the show would make some of these little things clearer.