I think it might make alittle sense to me. The island failsafe was the catch-22. Des had to choose between saving the island, which means the forcefield activated and keeps outside world out and island world in, or seeing what happened (ie charlie dying near the computer room of the hatch) which has now set all these chain-reaction events into motion.The failsafe guaranteed they would be stuck, but not using it mean almost certain death for the inhabitants of the hatch-...... a catch -22 which Des will have to set right. The whole Charlie death thing requires an island sacrifice,(charlie or someone must die) because he skirted death for charlie by turning the key... any thoughts????????
100%
Furthermore, dont assume the pilot is from outside, could be a plant, or the "box" giving Des his wish. However, the pilots bag was interesting and might have been Penny's way of communicating to Des that she's not forgot about him and she's hovering above the island trying to find way to rescue him/them. That whole "box and wishes" thing from the Locke-Ben episode keeps rplaying havoc with the possibilities of the island. So, not totally sure there.

I think it might make alittle sense to me. The island failsafe was the catch-22. Des had to choose between saving the island, which means the forcefield activated and keeps outside world out and island world in, or seeing what happened (ie charlie dying near the computer room of the hatch) which has now set all these chain-reaction events into motion.The failsafe guaranteed they would be stuck, but not using it mean almost certain death for the inhabitants of the hatch-...... a catch -22 which Des will have to set right. The whole Charlie death thing requires an island sacrifice,(charlie or someone must die) because he skirted death for charlie by turning the key... any thoughts????????
100%
Furthermore, dont assume the pilot is from outside, could be a plant, or the "box" giving Des his wish. However, the pilots bag was interesting and might have been Penny's way of communicating to Des that she's not forgot about him and she's hovering above the island trying to find way to rescue him/them. That whole "box and wishes" thing from the Locke-Ben episode keeps rplaying havoc with the possibilities of the island. So, not totally sure there.


I think the catch-22 is that Desmond can see when Charlie dies and feels obligated to intervene each time, but in order to "move on" he must let Charlie die. If he had let Charlie die, would it have been Penny that was stuck in the tree?

I think it might make alittle sense to me. The island failsafe was the catch-22. Des had to choose between saving the island, which means the forcefield activated and keeps outside world out and island world in, or seeing what happened (ie charlie dying near the computer room of the hatch) which has now set all these chain-reaction events into motion.The failsafe guaranteed they would be stuck, but not using it mean almost certain death for the inhabitants of the hatch-...... a catch -22 which Des will have to set right. The whole Charlie death thing requires an island sacrifice,(charlie or someone must die) because he skirted death for charlie by turning the key... any thoughts????????

Only one problem. So far, it's been made clear that Desmond's precognitive abilities developed after he turned the failsafe. Secondly, if you rewatch Live Together Die Alone, you see that he only turned the failsafe because Locke destroyed the computer and Desmond was convinced that pushing the button was necessary because of the printouts from the Pearl station that showed the System Failure at the exact time that the plane came down on 9/22/04.


Furthermore, dont assume the pilot is from outside, could be a plant, or the "box" giving Des his wish. However, the pilots bag was interesting and might have been Penny's way of communicating to Des that she's not forgot about him and she's hovering above the island trying to find way to rescue him/them. That whole "box and wishes" thing from the Locke-Ben episode keeps rplaying havoc with the possibilities of the island. So, not totally sure there.

Well, other than the fact that we were told by TPTB that this person was from off-island and wasn't an 815 survivor, an Other, or part of a flashback. So, that would seem to indicate that she is indeed from off-island.

The real Catch-22 is how Pen has a copy of the picture off-island (seen on her nightstand at the end of Live Together Die Alone and a photocopy appears in the Catch-22 book which seems to be a big clue). As far as we know, that picture was taken moments before Desmond broke up with Pen, and he should have the only copy, yet he doesn't.

The statements by msg board by producers has not always been truthful, or misleading on purpose, so dont discount it. Also, no independent confirmation of his precog abilities prior to the key turn are available....yet

but he did tell Jack in the stadium that he'd see him in another life, broutha. ;)

I think that the catch-22 in this episode was that Des couldn't win. If he wanted to see Penny, and maybe rescue, he had to let Charlie die. But, obviously, if he let Charlie die, that wouldn't be a good choice either since he could have prevented it.

I think that the catch-22 in this episode was that Des couldn't win. If he wanted to see Penny, and maybe rescue, he had to let Charlie die. But, obviously, if he let Charlie die, that wouldn't be a good choice either since he could have prevented it.

also he would have had to go back to the beach and face the losties with Hurley telling them all how Charlie had to die because we had to go searching for Desmond's girlfriend. Had Charlie died, Des would assuredly have a serious P.R. problem with the group.

I know he saved Charlie out of his goodness but I am sure that, especially after so much had been revealed to the "campers" in regards to his vision, Des considered his plight from that perspective as well.

I think that the catch-22 in this episode was that Des couldn't win. If he wanted to see Penny, and maybe rescue, he had to let Charlie die. But, obviously, if he let Charlie die, that wouldn't be a good choice either since he could have prevented it.

You got it IMO.

lol i think the real catch-22 is that Desmond coudln't really bring Penny to the Island, because to do that, he would have had to follow his visions exactly: he had to let Charlie die, AND make him grab that white parachute when he cuts free the pilot (he sees both things happening in his vision). Obviously, he could only do one, not both.

Perhaps all his visions are like that. He gets visions in which he can't possibly follow them through because a catch-22 arises.