She gave her that picture for two reasons.

1. To identify desmond
2. So he would know this is the real deal only penny would have had that picture.

Ben is lying about going back and forth. There must be other ways. Maybe he wants his followers to think it is diffucult only to persued them not to go home. If it was as easy as driving to the store to get milk then why would they stay all the time. Ben knows more than he is letting on.

I have no doubt that Ben knows more than he leads people to believe, but I don't automatically trust that Naomi was sent by Penny. She will probably claim that she was sent by Penny, but she could have been sent by "someone on the inside" (whoever that is?)

I just get the feeling that Desmond is being tested somehow. Maybe someone/something sent him that vision to see if he would sacrifice Charlie for Penny, but he didn't. Now Naomi is setting him up for another test.

So if Naomi is a "fake", it may still mean that the island is as inaccessible as we think.

Just a thought.

Well, I'm wondering how far a helicopter can go out to sea. If she arrived by helicopter does that mean they are actually pretty close to another island or mainland?? Or could she have flown out from a ship or something?? :39:

It would certainly appear that Penny sent Naomi to look for Desmond. I can't wait until Jack fixes her up and she starts talking.

Well depending on the type of helicopter, some have pretty good range. Also, some are equipped to re-fuel in flight from another aircraft, so basically their range is unlimited. The only thing about those are that they usually have more than a one person crew. Of course maybe that's what brought the helicopter down in the first place. It didn't sound like it was breaking apart, just slowing down. If her goal was merely to make it to the island, maybe they loaded it with enough gas to get there and no more. Of course now I wonder what the point of stranding another person would be, aside from letting them know help was on the way. Seems like there's more feasible ways to do that though.

There were a few clues that indicate that Naomi was sent by Penny:

* Obviously the photo of Desmond and Penny (copy?)
* The book, Catch 22 was the Portuguese edition, which could tie in with the Brazilian researchers that Penny had in her employ as seen in last year's season finale.
* Naomi knew who Desmond was.

Did anyone else find it odd that Naomi had the gear on that she did? That get-up seemed more apprpriate for a pilot of a jet. Also, who parachutes/ejects out of a helicopter? She had to have been at a very high altitude. Something else of note was the fact that whatever Naomi was flying experienced extreme turbulence as it approached the Island. A tie in to Ethan's comment that the approach to the Island is a bumpy ride (regardless of how you arrive)?

Who's Naomi???

Why would only one person be sent if you knew about a dangerous place you would send in a team of people. I expect more help is on the way

Not to be picky, but I think the photo was for identification but not for proof she was sent by Penny. I mean, if you're sent to rescue someone who's been stuck on an island for three years, you're probably not expecting them to say "no, I don't believe Penny sent you. I'll stay here and wait, you be on your way now." lol

(I get your point though.)

Who's Naomi???
Naomi was the name given in TV Guide for the helicopter pilot. I think in earlier press releases, she was identified only as 'parachutist'

I think the gear she was wearing was pretty unique, almost futuristic (to go along with the phone), yet perfect for lost.

Actually the gear Naomi was wearing was not up to date gear. Plots can eject from some helicopters other just jump out the side.

IMHO Naomi could be working for Penny or part of the origional Dhrama group. Perhaps Dhrama is coming to retake control of the island. Who knows lets wait and see.

The gear that the parachutist was wearing looked very similar to what you might see on a HALO jumper (High Altitude, Low Oxygen). Interesting indeed... the gear itself didn't really look "futuristic" to me, but when I read that comment something clicked in my head.... it's been theorized all along that time may pass differently on the island. What we think is 2004 on the Island may indeed be a different time in the real world. Yes - I know we saw the news feeds about the crash in the Flame, but for all we know those could have been recaps of the story on its anniversary date. (Say, the 5 year anniversary or something of the mysterious disappearance of Flight 815) That satellite phone looked very modern...more modern than anything else I remember seeing in 2004. Take a look at this image:
http://blog.wired.com/wiredphotos16/images/menu_1.jpg
That's a pic of Apple's new iPhone - now I'm not saying the thing we saw was an iPhone... but the menus look very similar and very modern, more modern than anything in 2004 perhaps. Could this be another clue that time is passing differently on the Island?

More important than why did the parachutist/pilot have the photo of Des and Pen, is HOW she had the photo. Even if it was a photocopy.

When the photo was taken it was with an instant developing Polaroid type camera. There was only one print that was given to Des/Pen and then Des broke up with Pen and she left. He still had the photo. Now when we see Pen at the end of season 2 she has the photo on her nightstand. And now the pilot has a copy of the photo. Where did all of these copies of the photo come from? There was only one produced and then Des and Pen parted ways.

As for the technology of the Satellite phone. Military and Government groups have access to technology almost 30 years before the general public does. It wouldn't surprise me at all if someone involved with either DHARMA or Widmore or Paik Ind., or any organization on this show for that matter, to have technology that isn't readily available to the public.

It would be nice though if it WERE a clue to a time consistency issue. I am a strong proponent of either multiple time lines merged together, or parallel universes. Of course I have no solid foundation, just speculation.

What about all the other stuff she had?

Like the Hula Girl (possibly Hurley's?)
And maybe a cookbook?

Maybe she wasn't sent just by Penny.

Yeah, that phone was pretty modern - but I'm not a satcom nerd, so I don't know what money could buy in 2004. Although getting email on a satcom phone does seem pretty recent.

So If Penny did in fact send her to save Desmond why only take a helicopter? Wouldn't she send a whole search party considering the fact there's other survivors there besides Desmond? I'm sure she's pretty aware of flight 815's crash

yeh i am not too sure that I buy into this parachutist being sent from Penny. For starters that is the more obvious suggestion and when it comes to these writers, the more obvious it is, the less likely it is.

I'm fairly sure this is not a rescuer. Just a really large hunch. It's way too soon for any talk of rescue.

I'm fairly sure this is not a rescuer. Just a really large hunch. It's way too soon for any talk of rescue.

Not sure about that. How many more seasons of Lost are there going to be? I think 5 has been the assumption based on comments, but they only got picked up for one more season. Not saying it won't get picked for a 5th or more seasons, but maybe the writers are hedging their bets a bit. Say they set up the prospect of being rescued in the season 3 finale, the next season (assuming it is the last just for argument's sake) would be about Ben trying to prevent it, while the Losties tried to make sure it happened. Just an idea