First Hurley fires off a flare accidentally, then accidentally tells Mikhail about the sat phone. I'm starting to be concerned....

No, it's not accidental:


Hurley is supposed to have a significant role in the season finale. What if he's been comprimised in some way and is acting on behalf of the Others, or at least Mikhail? I know it's a stretch, but he's buffoonish enough that no one would suspect it. Maybe he's the "Cobra"!?!?

Plot device and Hurley is pretty naive.

I have to agree...something about Hurley is a little...off.

I mean he

a)seems to be setting Sawyer up as a new leader
b)a little TOO clumsy
c)why exactly was HE chosen to be the messenger for the Others

Well if I were an other, I'd definitely choose Hurley as a messenger, because all the losties like and trust him unconditionally.

Personally I don't think he's been compromised, but I think there's more to him than meets the eye. For all we know, with all his money, he could be a partnet in Widmore or Hanso and not even know it.

I've said it before and i'll say it again -- the best possible ending of this show, for me, would be a reveal that Hurley has been the man in charge all along. It exploits the "Everyman" convention to its fullest and would be a real long con on the audience.

It's the only resolution that would really surprise anyone at this point, IMO...

I think if Hurley fired the flare on purpose a big part of his motivation would be to save the girl as it seemed like that crisis was reaching a critical life and death point as Charlie was just saying How can they save her if they can't move her and nobody knows where they are? And telling Mikhail about the sat phone was kind of funny too! I think when it comes down to it, once more a character on lost is being presented very ambiguously and we are left to try to decide for ourselves untill we get more information. I have faith in Jack, and I have faith in Hurley, and in both cases I'll stick it out with them untill I know for sure.

I'm starting to see the Others and the Losties in less of a good/evil, black and white way. We've never seen if anything happened to Hurley on his way back from the Pala Ferry dock, he might have experienced or been shown something that is key to the island's mystery and realized that the Losties and the Others are not such enemies.

And man that was kind of heart-wrenching to see Hurley trying to make a call on the sat phone and just saying "Mom?"

I have to agree...something about Hurley is a little...off.

I mean he

a)seems to be setting Sawyer up as a new leader
b)a little TOO clumsy
c)why exactly was HE chosen to be the messenger for the Others

Yet you also have the episode where he saw Vincent coming out of the woods with the arm, and found the DHARMAbus. That would certainly indicate that he's not in the know about everything -- that is, at most I think he was recruited by the Others to do something. That's why I don't really buy the whole "Cobra" angle, plus the fact that we have been told a significant chunk of Hugo's backstory already.

The question is: when would he have been recruited by the Others? Probably not pre-island, given his efforts to track down the numbers in Australia, etc. If it happened on-island, it must have been when he, Jack, Kate and Sawyer were captured -- perhaps before the other three woke up?

An even bigger question: what could Ben have promised or threatened Hurley with that could convince him to act for them? Rescue? I'd be surprised if that were enough motivation for him to betray his friends. No, my guess is that Ben promised to bring Libby back to him -- and I'll bet Mikhail's "rebirth" will be what Ben uses to further convince Hurley that this is possible, just as he used the promise of healing Juliet's sister to convince Juliet to stay on the island.

I thought that Hurley had the most interesting reaction when Jack told everyone that Ben had promised him that he could leave the island -- Hurley seemed surprised by this, perhaps because he suddenly wondered if Ben's promises could be trusted?

I put up with EVERYTHING on LOst but i find it so weak if Hurley is an other or is Jacob or something to that extent. I like the idea that someone we know and like is part of the others or is Jacob because I think that can really open things up for the story b ut Hurley to me...its so not obvious that it's almost obvious. We need Hurley for compassion and humour on the show and its going to feel like such a cop out if he ends up being on there side. Am i alone on this. I hope they are more creative then that.

Did not look accidental and with the fake "Oops" hope it was.

My first reaction to this scene was "way to go Locke....I mean Hurley" He seems to be trying to sabotague the Losties...Remember Hurly worked for the airport (along w/some of the others) in Locke's vision.

No. No way. Not Hurely. If they reveal that Hurley has been helping the Others or has been an Other all along, I just may stop watching the show alltogether. Although Hurley was in charge of checking the manifest for Jack, so that puts him in another position to exploit everyone's trust.

Although Hurley was in charge of checking the manifest for Jack, so that puts him in another position to exploit everyone's trust.If Hurley was an Other, why would he "out" Ethan?

I have a feeling that the flashbacks reveal that Ben, much like the Wizard of Oz, has promised everyone a little something, but can't deliver. He could have promised Hurley Libby, or just to send him home, to his mom. He could have promised Kate a return home with a new identity. He could have let Sayid know that his chick from Iraq is alive and well, and that he could go home to her. He could have promised them all something. The main suspects to me are Hurley, Jack, and Kate. I don't know if Hurley set the gun off on purpose, He is really clumsy, after all. I think he just really wants to call home/get rescued. He's also a little unstable, so you never know what he might pull.

not into the idea at all. I did find it odd that Hurley easily volunteered info about the phone but then again he is just too trusting. He likely didnt realize he did it till after. Hurley is the perfect comedic relief and "every day" person this show needs. To sabotage or undermine the quality of that character for a cheap plot twist would literally ruin the dignity of the show and the writers. I cannot imagine how the writers would expect to really get away with making Hurley something less than he is. There would be a viewer revolt and the integrity of the show, IMHO, would be sunk.

wow u ppl can run with ideas
i think it was not an accident but Hurly attempting to signal the "help" that parachute lady bought to their hope of being rescued.. ok i will explain...
the moment they found ms parachute all Hurly kept spewing was "omg is she here to rescue, are there others" blah blah blah.. his reason for firing that flare was in fact to signal those that might be looking for the parachute lady if in fact she/they are there to rescue them...just seemed like he was anxious to find out if she was here to help and what other way to find out if there are more ppl looking for them than to fire off the flare that would signal "he i found them"
u know?

Hurley is not an Other, Hurley is not an Other, Hurley is not an Other.

He is just too trusting and sweet and kind. He makes mistakes, but that is all they are, mistakes. Hurley could never do anything to harm his fellows survivors intentionally.

I guess I should even post on this thread seeing how I am ridiculously biased.

Wow, so if Hurley was helping the Others or maybe learned why they are doing what they are doing and agrees with it, it makes him evil? It's our boy Hurley he's a good guy! Good/evil, Lost/Other, the lines are being blurred here I think.
Anyways, the result of him firing the flare gun was that the girl's life was saved is that such a bad thing if it was on purpose?
100%
Edit: What I said didn't fit in with Hurley's talk on the beach with Juliette, when he was saying "So....You're an other."

Now that I think about it, I think Hurley was more likely making his own luck as he's shown he has quite a bit of control over things lately. If he was able to start that bus, Maybe he just really wanted to save the girl to get rescued and the island just kind of manipulated events so that she did get saved.

not into the idea at all. I did find it odd that Hurley easily volunteered info about the phone but then again he is just too trusting. He likely didnt realize he did it till after. Hurley is the perfect comedic relief and "every day" person this show needs. To sabotage or undermine the quality of that character for a cheap plot twist would literally ruin the dignity of the show and the writers. I cannot imagine how the writers would expect to really get away with making Hurley something less than he is. There would be a viewer revolt and the integrity of the show, IMHO, would be sunk.

Would it really ruin the show for you if it turned out that Ben promised Hurley to "bring Libby back", in exchange for Hurley doing something for Ben? I think this would be solidly in keeping with what we know about Hurley's character -- I think his love for Libby was real, and that he would go to great lengths to have that chance back. The only other motivation I can think of would be to have the numbers "curse" lifted.

And remember, if Ben did make Hurley a promise, we don't know what Hurley promised in return. Maybe just to help if it ever looked like the Losties were going to communicate with the outside world, maybe to help establish Sawyer as someone everyone could trust, who knows? But I don't think it's going to undermine his character if we learn that Ben manipulated him. Now, if what Hurley has to do is something really drastic, like kill someone, then that's a "test" that we'll have to see if Hurley is up to -- I think like Desmond, he won't do it, even for Libby. But we'll see.

The more I think about it, the more that the driving theme for the show these days is a "test" administered by the Island itself or by Ben:

First it was Michael: Help Ben escape, then bring us J/K/S and you get Walt.
Then Eko: Acknowledge you are a bad person and you'll find release/Yemi.
Then Jack: Operate on your enemy and then you can go home.
Desmond: Allow Charlie to die and find Penny.
Juliet: Stay here on the island and your sister will be saved.

And more speculative (either might have occurred, or may still occur):

Locke: Destroy any hope of leaving the island and you will remain healed.
Kate: Seduce Sawyer and your past will be erased.
Sawyer: Do ____ and Kate will be yours (I think this is being set up currently -- his
complete infatuation with Kate)
Sayid: Do ___ and your past will be forgiven.
Sun: Do ___ and you and your baby will not die (maybe something similar with Claire
and/or Jin).

I can't figure out Charlie -- what would motivate him to do something otherwise against his nature? Claire/Aaron? Becoming a bloody rock god again? Kicking heroin for good? And has he already done the deed that gives him this, or not?

And what's the end result? Are you supposed to not do the things you're "asked" to do, or to do them? I'm guessing it's the former, and so far Michael and Juliet failed, Jack, Desmond and (I think) Eko passed.

Hugo is mental. If you watch his actions, he gets more mental in every EP's he's in. Nothing dangerious to anyone or himself. Perhaps his mental state is mixed with home sickness. Whatever, Hugo is the foil for some humor in a bleak story of people lost with little hope of rescue.

In D.O.C. Hugo's actions are one like a child. He has questions, that are unansered. Hugo want to go home. blurting out about the satellite phone to Mikhail was asking for help to be rescued.

At the time when Hurley shot off the flare, they were arguing about whether or not to move parachute girl... my first idea was that he shot if off so that some one would see it at the beach camp and come running.

Hugo is mental. If you watch his actions, he gets more mental in every EP's he's in. Nothing dangerious to anyone or himself. Perhaps his mental state is mixed with home sickness. Whatever, Hugo is the foil for some humor in a bleak story of people lost with little hope of rescue.

In D.O.C. Hugo's actions are one like a child. He has questions, that are unansered. Hugo want to go home. blurting out about the satellite phone to Mikhail was asking for help to be rescued.

Really? I'd almost say the opposite, that he seems saner and saner as we go along -- in fact, he's seemed pretty sane to me in every episode of the show except maybe "Dave". While I'd acknowledge that letting the DHARMAbus roll towards the rocks was an act of faith that bordered on crazy, he was right, the engine started. So it's hard to chalk that up to mental illness. We've seen other Losties do things just as "crazy", based on their convictions.

Really? I'd almost say the opposite, that he seems saner and saner as we go along -- in fact, he's seemed pretty sane to me in every episode of the show except maybe "Dave". While I'd acknowledge that letting the DHARMAbus roll towards the rocks was an act of faith that bordered on crazy, he was right, the engine started. So it's hard to chalk that up to mental illness. We've seen other Losties do things just as "crazy", based on their convictions.

It's interesting to me that since he found out about Desmond's "future crap," as he called it, Hurley has seemed far less obsessed (too strong a word, more like preoccupied) with the numbers and his own supposed role as an agent of bad luck.

Well if I were an other, I'd definitely choose Hurley as a messenger, because all the losties like and trust him unconditionally.

Personally I don't think he's been compromised, but I think there's more to him than meets the eye. For all we know, with all his money, he could be a partnet in Widmore or Hanso and not even know it.

I think that you are on to something. Maybe Hurley is doing this just for mere amusement because he has nothing better to do with his money.

I'd almost say the opposite, that he seems saner and saner as we go along -- in fact, he's seemed pretty sane to me in every episode of the show except maybe "Dave". While I'd acknowledge that letting the DHARMAbus roll towards the rocks was an act of faith that bordered on crazy, he was right, the engine started. So it's hard to chalk that up to mental illness. We've seen other Losties do things just as "crazy", based on their convictions.

I agree 100%. The Island has healing powers, even if not everyone is healed in every circumstance. But IMO the episode "Dave" showed explicitly Hurley's healing from mental illness.

Hi, mmpd: To me, the ep with the Dharma bus also pretty clearly showed that Hurley's fear that he was "cursed" was lifted, once and for all. He came to see that he "made his own luck" (that Sam Toomey's widow was right, and Danielle Rousseau was wrong.)

Some more Hurley thoughts relevant to this thread - if I don't mention the person who mentioned it, forgive me - it's a long thread ...

Personally, I think Hurley is a character a lot like Parsifal (or Galahad in some of the Arthurian stories.) Parsifal was raised by his mother, and over-protected. This made him foolish but also entirely innocent and pure of heart. Later, in some of the Arthur stories, Parsifal is the one pure enough to find the Holy Grail.

Similarly, Hurley is a "pure soul" - that's why IMO The Others let him go. Yes, he is loved and trusted by the Losties - but he also was able to make it back through the jungle without incident (and that is a fascinating fan-fiction plot bunny - what exactly DID happen to him on the way back?)

Yes, he seems childlike in many ways - certainly younger than the late-20s man he is supposed to be. I personally don't think that TPTB are going to twist Hurley into some kind of Bad Guy working for the Others, or Dharma, etc.

That is a chilling idea, that Ben might have offered to "resurrect" Libby, though. What a terrible choice - to do something wicked act, and have Libby alive again. And I'm not even sure that Libby would be "worth it" - Libby was not who she appeared to be. (Can Hurley please have a nice g/f???)

It's come up before that Hurley is in some ways a "linchpin" in this story, a really cardinal figure that will surprise many people. I've had this feeling for awhile. It will be interesting to see how it turns out.

Finally, as I saw that scene with the flare gun, Hurley let the flare fly after the other men came to an impasse after their argument. There seemed to be no solution - then someone mentioned that The Others "didn't know where they were" - and Hugo fires. It makes perfect sense - even drawing The Others might be worth the risk, if it could have saved the woman's life.

I don't think firing the flare was accindental. It would seem to me that if I accidentally fired a flare gun it would most likely be pointing horizontally. That is the natural way to point a gun. The fact he pointed it straight up, just like you are supposed to point a flare gun, shows some intent.

I don't think it was to attract Mikhail though. I think Hurlye really wants to be rescued and was hoping to attract the "other" rescue planes/boats/helicopters/etc.

I don't think firing the flare was accindental. It would seem to me that if I accidentally fired a flare gun it would most likely be pointing horizontally. That is the natural way to point a gun. The fact he pointed it straight up, just like you are supposed to point a flare gun, shows some intent.

I don't think it was to attract Mikhail though. I think Hurlye really wants to be rescued and was hoping to attract the "other" rescue planes/boats/helicopters/etc.

I agree that the flare was fired intentionally as well due to Hurley pointing it upward. I noticed that right away thought "boy is he lucky he wasn't pointing that thing at anyone else, or even himself for that matter....wait a minute....he did it on purpose!". I also agree with the others who posted that Hurley's fear of being cursed was finally lifted when he was able to get that VW bus running. He's been more confident since that episode IMO.

I don't think firing the flare was accindental. It would seem to me that if I accidentally fired a flare gun it would most likely be pointing horizontally. That is the natural way to point a gun. The fact he pointed it straight up, just like you are supposed to point a flare gun, shows some intent.

I don't think it was to attract Mikhail though. I think Hurlye really wants to be rescued and was hoping to attract the "other" rescue planes/boats/helicopters/etc.

I don't buy this explanation, because by the time he fired the flare it seems to me he wouldn't have had any realistic expectation of a ship/plane being so nearby that they would see the flare. Far better to conserve the flares and wait for an opportune time, maybe on the beach. Plus, if he did it in the hopes of rescue, why act as if it was accidental?

No, I think there are three possible explanations: (1) it was an accident; (2) he was trying to signal the Losties on the beach (ie, Jack) -- but again, why lie?; or (3) he was signaling the Others. I wouldn't have even considered #3 except for the additional "accident" disclosing the sat phone to Mikhail.

if he did it in the hopes of rescue, why act as if it was accidental?The conversation turned to "the Others don't know we're here" just as he fired it. I think he fired it to get help, but heard the conversation at the same time and suddenly realized he might just have given them away to the Others. Hence his "oops."

I say it was some comic relief that they put in the show. If somehow Hurley is an Other it would go against all literary rules. You can't just pull a plot twist out of your *** with no foreshadowing at all. The examples mentioned so far are not what I would consider foreshadowing. You can't just say Hurley was on a jungle trek for 2 days, so this could have happened and that could have happened. Its speculation. A good story teller will give you more than speculation to go by.
If they do do this, then it supports some of the arguments made in this thread...

http://www.thefuselage.com/Threaded/showthread.php?t=75979

On a side note, people seem to believe that everyone in the world functions in a fluctuating state of moral relativism. That with the right set of circumstances anyone can be made to do anything. I just do not buy it. I know if one of my kids were to die unless I killed 5 other children, I could not do it. Some people have a moral center and nothing can change their convictions.

The conversation turned to "the Others don't know we're here" just as he fired it. I think he fired it to get help, but heard the conversation at the same time and suddenly realized he might just have given them away to the Others. Hence his "oops."

In my opinion, this is the best explanation of what happened.

Rick