Ok this has been bothering me ever since the episode ended. Why on earth after seeing what Charlie said and knowing he talked to Penny would Desmond not go with Locke. It makes no sense at all. Desmond knows the boat is not Penny's boat. He knows Charlie spoke to Penny. He knows she told him it wasn't her boat. Which means the picture they got of him and Penny was not from Penny. Which means the cover story about them looking for Desmond is all made up. Also add in the fact Desmond was hell bent on telling Jack not to call the frieghter. So with all that why in the blue hell would Desmond go with Jack. I am definatly worried about Desmondo and worried he might die sooner than later(i figured he would die in the last episode of Lost, sacrificing himself for the Losties can get off the island who actually want off).

This is really causing me to rack my brain on this one.

I think that Des wants to find out why they had his picture if they weren't sent by Penny. Also, Naomi never told the freighter (contains the number eight by the way) people that she found Des. As far as they know they only foud 815 crash survivors.

For Desmond to play along and pretend to not know that they're NOT Penny's people will get the losties more info I believe.

maybe desmond's gonna try and convince jack and co, not
to go through with it, (we know they do tho) thats his plan,
otherwise it won't make sense

if not maybe its a writing mistake?

He's been on the island for 3 years. He once tried to kill himself, then he tried to sacrifice himself. I would imagine he's about ready to take whatever freighter that passes by, regardless of if Penny is actually on it. He just wants to go home and find her.

He's been on the island for 3 years. He once tried to kill himself, then he tried to sacrifice himself. I would imagine he's about ready to take whatever freighter that passes by, regardless of if Penny is actually on it. He just wants to go home and find her.

This seems to be the most plausible explanation.

I cannot wait to see what storylines develop as a result of Desmond seeking out the freighter, especially if he's carrying the heavy burden of Charlie's fate and possibly seeking vengeance on the people who "tricked" him by carrying that picture and lying to him.

Yeah, I think it makes sense too but I'd be happier if he went with Claire. ;)

but here's the question, if he plans to go along with it to find out more info or the answers everyone gave, then why was he screaming at Sayid and Sawyer to warn Jack not to make contact. Why was he SO against it and is now suddenly for it. It makes no sense. I could understand if he was for going along with it the entire time, but he went with hurley to warn Jack and the others(not THE others) but then decidedes to join with Jack in search of rescue.

It doesn't seem right. Why the instant change?

Could be a “if you can’t beat them join them” response. Desmond was willing to give up getting his answers to protect everyone else. However, when it was clear that some of the group were going to meet the freighter people anyway then he probably figured that he did his part to TRY to prevent it, and since he couldn’t, he might either want to get answers to how these people had the same picture he and penny had or he feels that because they are using finding him as a front he can do more to protect Jack’s group.

For one thing, I would imagine Desmond would want to know how the freighties got the picture of Penny and him.

I agree that Desmond wants some answers. He probably would have tried to meet up with Naomi's people regardless of who decided to stay or leave the island. Even if they have sinister motives, he is dying for news about Penny. And you have to remember that Desmond's connection to the island (how he got there, why he stayed, etc.) is not the same as the Oceanic Losties'. Although there are connections, his story and perhaps his ending is not the same as theirs.

I think Desmond wants to keep an eye on Jack. His visions of the future have already done enough damage, and Locke's team is pretty much just trying to get as far away from the freighter people as possible, so going with them wouldn't really do anything. Going with Jack though, he has a chance to meet these people first hand, and do whatever he needs to once he meets them.

Glad someone brought this up -- because this was definitely bugging me too -- how could he be so adament one moment when he got onto shore, and then not be first in line, along with Hurley and Claire, to side with Locke. Desmond doesn't even have any real personal gripes with Locke, unlike some people like Sayid, who seem to decide not to side with him simply because they don't trust Locke (who could not trust Locke ? ;) )

But they did seem to make a point of the fact that some people haven't exactly chosen sides yet -- the camera specifically picked up on Sayid and Desmond (I don't think Sun and Jin were even really addressed), as being kind of "waffling", maybe not sure either way. And Hurley seemed to give Desmond a weird look that he wouldn't be willing to come with Locke.

So who knows? Maybe next week's ep will make it clearer who decides to go with whom.

I don't see how he can be part of the "Oceanic 6" if was not on the plane. I disagree that he is rescued.

i don't think desmond will be rescued, i am worried he will die. I don't think desmond will ever leave the island. I figure his will be the tragic ending where he does not reunit with penny. Although hopefully he does not die now.

Maybe he's not part of the oceanic six but if only six get off, what happens to everyone else in Jack's group? What happened that was so bad in Locke's group?

Something is up with Desmond and I am worried something big might happen. He needs another vision ASAP because if you think about it, every vision he has had has been releated to Charlie. Hopefully that wasn't the end of his visions and he is just going along with Jack because of a vision.

Although something is up with Desmond no doubt.

Yet another loose end that might never get resolved..... how Naomi got a photo of Penny and Des.

In Further Instructions, Boone told John that Desmond would be 'helping himself'. I think we will see an important storyline with him in the near future.

I agree that Desmond has reasons to want answers from the freighter folk, and isn't it also possible that he has already had a "flash"? One which convinced him that, for whatever reason yet to be revealed, he needed to stay with the group that Jack led? Possibly, a glimpse into the future of Sayid? Maybe he knows they will need Sayid to help fight the new enemies, and the only way he can convince him to work with Locke and co., is by staying close to him for now, and working on changing his mind?

Alternatively, Des may know that this is not Penny's boat, and that these people are not rescuers but maybe, because of a "flash", he also "knows" that the fate of Locke's group will be even worse? Hurley might've found that out the hard way, and that would explain why he now feels he should've stayed with Jack all along??

Just a few thoughts...Anything's possible with Des!!

I figure he wants to know just who these people are and who they are working for and how do they know who Penny is.

Yet another loose end that might never get resolved..... how Naomi got a photo of Penny and Des.

I don't think this will be left unresolved -- I always assumed it pointed to a Widmore connection with the freighter. I expect we might get more info on just what that connection means, as we learn more about the freighties themselves (though of course this mystery, as so many others, is likely to be slow in unraveling )

I'm definitely a little nervous about Desmond too -- he's one of my favorite characters, and I think one of the most interesting on the show. I can see him eventually sacrificing himself to save people, but I'm not quite sure where his character is going. Though in his case I think this is a good dilemna -- there are just so many different directions he could go in =

* self-interested: doesn't care about Charlie's message and decides to risk rescue just for the chance to get back to Penny?

* Sticking by Jack to learn more about the freighties and possibly prevent disaster? -- This is definitely my favorite theory.

And I hope the flashes don't disappaer -- by my count they didn't just have to do with Charlie = the very first one was of Locke's speech, and the very last one was of Claire and Aaron on the helicopter -- not specifically related to Charlie.

For me it's a biggest question after seeing the epi.
The theory that he wants to know who those people are is most simple and probably most possible. It could be also some new falsh, but do not really think that writers will continue this plot... Des as a character needs developing. Unless we're talking about next great thing he will do.
But Hurley saying he should have stayed with Jack, not Locke - this is a question. And that what he said does not concern even Oceanic 6 - he must be talking about something else, because they weren't in the one group, so he can't i.e. regret that he wasn't with Jack and wasn't rescued.

And I don't want Des to be killed! That would be nonsense. His character is just developing.

There's also a thing which annoying me really. Our dreems about more interactions between Des and Locke and Des and Ben for now will not get real.

I figure he wants to know just who these people are and who they are working for and how do they know who Penny is.

People are very cunning and clever on this show. These people know Desmond is there and used the whole Penny sent us thing as their story. It's a viable story that people would believe. Until their plan took a wrong turn and Penny and Charlie communicated. I don't think Desmond is out to solve that puzzle of how they got the picture or how they know who he is. I think he just wants to get off of the island and be reunited with Penny.

Yes, Lostlocke, but still you can see Desmond shouting that they must WARN Jack.
There's just a huge, unspoken dread not in that it's not Penny's boat, because it could be any other boat and people there could reascue Losties as well as could Penny.
But we know Naomi lied to them. And that is why she doesn't deserve for a trust and that's why they should stay away from the frighter, because why she would lie to them if not for hiding something... bad?
Des saw Penny in the LG, he was very close to Charlie when he passed this info from her, he was shocked and for me absolutely trusting Charlie and Penny. He must have some other reason to go with Jack then just do everything to be reaunited with Pen.

People are very cunning and clever on this show. These people know Desmond is there and used the whole Penny sent us thing as their story. It's a viable story that people would believe. Until their plan took a wrong turn and Penny and Charlie communicated. I don't think Desmond is out to solve that puzzle of how they got the picture or how they know who he is. I think he just wants to get off of the island and be reunited with Penny.

I think the most intriguing question is: How did they know Desmond was on that island? Or that he was even still alive? To plan an elaborate mission like that on the "chance" that he might be still alive even if they were able to locate his sailboat, seems a bit unbelievable. And anyway, WHY?

Only Penny would have the motive or desire to go to those lengths to find Desmond. And we know that this is "not Penny's boat"...so why even carry a photo of him? If the mission is not a "rescue Desmond mission", then why bring along that photo, and presume that he might, by pure coincidence, be on that island. And what difference if he was?

Just doesn't add up... I still wonder if we have not seen the last of Desmond's trips into the past... maybe he went back again and this time left Penny details of exactly where he was, and about the hatch, the failsafe key, the numbers, Dharma, Flight 815, etc..?? If information like that fell into the wrong hands, it could explain why Naomi's freighter has knowledge of Desmond, and an almost exact location of the island without having a singular assignment to "rescue Desmond"???

So many possibilities!!!

I think the most intriguing question is: How did they know Desmond was on that island? Or that he was even still alive? To plan an elaborate mission like that on the "chance" that he might be still alive even if they were able to locate his sailboat, seems a bit unbelievable. And anyway, WHY?

Only Penny would have the motive or desire to go to those lengths to find Desmond. And we know that this is "not Penny's boat"...so why even carry a photo of him? If the mission is not a "rescue Desmond mission", then why bring along that photo, and presume that he might, by pure coincidence, be on that island. And what difference if he was?

Just doesn't add up... I still wonder if we have not seen the last of Desmond's trips into the past... maybe he went back again and this time left Penny details of exactly where he was, and about the hatch, the failsafe key, the numbers, Dharma, Flight 815, etc..?? If information like that fell into the wrong hands, it could explain why Naomi's freighter has knowledge of Desmond, and an almost exact location of the island without having a singular assignment to "rescue Desmond"???

So many possibilities!!!

i think the freighter crew was hired by Charles Widmore, who has a vested interest in The DHARMA Initiative and wants the Island for himself. he knew Penny was looking for Desmond and that she was tracking electromagnetic anomalies in the Pacific. He probably sent the freighter to the coordinates that the arctic guys found at the end of Season 2 and gave them the picture of Penny and Desmond to use as a cover story.

The Widmore theory is most possible, we discussed it in other places.
And Des already told someone about the Island and the hatch during his time travel showed in FBYE. He told it to Donovan. Together with Penny, who has a connection with those arctic guys, they can know where - with a quite nice possibility - is the Island with Des on it. From Penny to her father there's not a long way and I'm not talking she passed him the info. They certainly not work together.

i think the freighter crew was hired by Charles Widmore, who has a vested interest in The DHARMA Initiative and wants the Island for himself. he knew Penny was looking for Desmond and that she was tracking electromagnetic anomalies in the Pacific. He probably sent the freighter to the coordinates that the arctic guys found at the end of Season 2 and gave them the picture of Penny and Desmond to use as a cover story.

I agree, but why would Penny or Widmore or anyone even be looking for electromagnetic anomolies?? It wouldn't exactly be the most obvious way to locate a missing sailboat? Or an island for that matter. Unless they knew somehow that EM Anomolies = Desmond = Island?? Thats why I wonder if Desmond, knowing by the time of his second trip back in time that there would be an anomoly when hatch implodes and failsafe is used, left coordinates for Penny and told her to LOOK for EM Anomolies?

At what point did Des indicate that he was "going with Jack" ? I must have missed it.

At what point did Des indicate that he was "going with Jack" ? I must have missed it.

He never actually "indicated", he was just seen standing with Jack's group when Locke's group departed. I think it is significant that he DIDN'T say anything. His motives are unknown, and probably will be questioned by the rest of the "Jack" group, considering he, of all people, would be expected to heed Charlie's warning...

Thats why I wonder if Desmond, knowing by the time of his second trip back in time that there would be an anomoly when hatch implodes and failsafe is used, left coordinates for Penny and told her to LOOK for EM Anomolies?

He actually could do this during his first (or the only one) time travel (FBYE), he told much to Donovan, as I said. The time travel was after turning the failsafe, but he went to very very past time and telling Donovan about the Island and the hatch where the electromagnetic anomolies are monitoring - he changed the Past. Someone "there" knew they have to look for EM Anomolies to find Des. And he could remined of the chat with Desmond just when searching for him started, didn't have to remember that all the time.


probably will be questioned by the rest of the "Jack" group, considering he, of all people, would be expected to heed Charlie's warning...

Hope so.

I've been thinking also all along the freighter is connected to Penny's father: he had the interest in Dharma; and remember it was Widmore's boat race to begin with--Desmond was racing for Widmore. Just pleasant coincidence for Mr. Widmore that his daughter missed him [desmond] so much...plus, I just remebered, Henry Gale's balloon was sponsored by Widmore...

I agree that Desmond has reasons to want answers from the freighter folk, and isn't it also possible that he has already had a "flash"? One which convinced him that, for whatever reason yet to be revealed, he needed to stay with the group that Jack led? Possibly, a glimpse into the future of Sayid? Maybe he knows they will need Sayid to help fight the new enemies, and the only way he can convince him to work with Locke and co., is by staying close to him for now, and working on changing his mind?

Alternatively, Des may know that this is not Penny's boat, and that these people are not rescuers but maybe, because of a "flash", he also "knows" that the fate of Locke's group will be even worse? Hurley might've found that out the hard way, and that would explain why he now feels he should've stayed with Jack all along??

Just a few thoughts...Anything's possible with Des!!


I think he may have had a flash as well. There is a spoiler about a certain person dying in 4.07. Maybe Des had a flash about that death and has decided to stay back and see if he can stop it.

Maybe Desmond stays with Jack's group because he has one of his visions and knows that he can somehow help Jack's group. I just hope that this doesn't mean that Des gets killed of, I like him he's an interesting character.

Just because Desmond is staying with Jack doesn't mean he isn't heading Charlie's warning. Now that he has seen the civilians he cares about (Claire, Aaron, and Hurley) off to safety under guard, he can hope to get some answers about who the freighties are and who sent them. I'm sure Sayid and Jin will help. Freighters don't usually have a large crew, do they? Maybe Demond hopes that, if the answers aren't to his liking, the Lost crew can hijack the freighter and rescue themselves.

I think that Des wants to find out why they had his picture if they weren't sent by Penny. Also, Naomi never told the freighter (contains the number eight by the way) people that she found Des. As far as they know they only foud 815 crash survivors.

For Desmond to play along and pretend to not know that they're NOT Penny's people will get the losties more info I believe.


Very good point. He needs to see this through even if it puts himself at risk. He does not want to see the others put at risk. He has been on the island and caught up in the post Dharma/Widmore projects long enough. He too wants answers.

I think it is pretty obvious with the way the episode tried to almost hide Des' decision to go with Jack that something is going to happen...or we would have seen a clear shot of him deciding.

I think the most intriguing question is: How did they know Desmond was on that island? Or that he was even still alive? To plan an elaborate mission like that on the "chance" that he might be still alive even if they were able to locate his sailboat, seems a bit unbelievable. And anyway, WHY?

Only Penny would have the motive or desire to go to those lengths to find Desmond. And we know that this is "not Penny's boat"...so why even carry a photo of him? If the mission is not a "rescue Desmond mission", then why bring along that photo, and presume that he might, by pure coincidence, be on that island. And what difference if he was?

Just doesn't add up... I still wonder if we have not seen the last of Desmond's trips into the past... maybe he went back again and this time left Penny details of exactly where he was, and about the hatch, the failsafe key, the numbers, Dharma, Flight 815, etc..?? If information like that fell into the wrong hands, it could explain why Naomi's freighter has knowledge of Desmond, and an almost exact location of the island without having a singular assignment to "rescue Desmond"???

So many possibilities!!!

Maybe Penny's father doesn't want her to find des and has been monitoring her search while conducting one of his own? And he wants doesn't want Penny to know he's still alive?
It doesn't explain very many things but he would be motivated enough. This may also explain why des would go with Jack, if he feels like it is his fault that they are exposed to danger. I mean, clearly his is the only name invoked so perhaps he feels responsible.

Just because Desmond is staying with Jack doesn't mean he isn't heading Charlie's warning. Now that he has seen the civilians he cares about (Claire, Aaron, and Hurley) off to safety under guard, he can hope to get some answers about who the freighties are and who sent them. I'm sure Sayid and Jin will help. Freighters don't usually have a large crew, do they? Maybe Demond hopes that, if the answers aren't to his liking, the Lost crew can hijack the freighter and rescue themselves.

I think that the freight-ies are there for Desmond and they work for Charles Widmore. The hot air balloon from Henry Gale, said Widmore on it, which says to me that he has tried to find the island before. I really believe that he is involved.
Also, how is Ben so sure of the purpose of these people, perhaps he met the real Henry Gale and got the scoop?:undecide: Maybe.....

Desmond wants to find Penny by any means necessary. If that means siding with Jack and crew for a while then so be it. I'm sure he is still skeptical, but wants to get off that island so badly. He knows where Locke and co. will be... at the barracks. If Desmond finds out that can the freighters are not who thaty say they are, then he can always flee to Locke's camp. I'd do the same thing if I were him.

Quite possible that he just hopes he will have some flashes, not that he had them already.
He's a man who needs to be needed, you know - who likes to have something to fight for, because then he goes through it on 100 per cent. So maybe he feels Jack team is in a more danger then Locke's and he will be needed more there. Which doesn't mean he will have flashes indeed.

Quite possible that he just hopes he will have some flashes, not that he had them already.
He's a man who needs to be needed, you know - who likes to have something to fight for, because then he goes through it on 100 per cent. So maybe he feels Jack team is in a more danger then Locke's and he will be needed more there. Which doesn't mean he will have flashes indeed.

Like Charlie said last season, "That man needs another button to push." Little did Charlie know at that time that HE was going to be Desmond's next button. Now Charlie is gone, and Des is bound and determined to find out why Naomi had his picture but turned out to be a liar (unless someone had lied to Naomi and she's just an innocent pawn...now a dead one...I think ;) ).

I think he may have had a flash as well. There is a spoiler about a certain person dying in 4.07. Maybe Des had a flash about that death and has decided to stay back and see if he can stop it.

You do realize you spoiled what sounds like a pretty big plot point there, right? Really, thanks a lot! :mad: :wallbash:

So again...

All information on upcoming episodes must be spoiler fonted!

ETA: And a note for everyone else: if you see a post like this, please don't ignore it or only tell the poster to spoiler font the post, but use the "Report Post"-button!

In Further Instructions, Boone told John that Desmond would be 'helping himself'. I think we will see an important storyline with him in the near future.

That's a great point, Shardyk.

For me, Desmond's desire to leave the island and find Penny (in whichever order those two thing might happen), outweighs Locke and Hurley's call for them to go with Locke. Des knows he won't find any clues as to Penny's whereabouts at the Others' old stomping ground. He wants to know how Naomi got that photo of him, and he sure as hell wants to know whether the people on that boat can get him back to her.

Ketch - You're right. Des isn't going to just sit around and wait. He's a man of action. He needs to find more answers.

I don't it is a matter of what needs to be done or what makes sense, I think he has to do with "Who do you trust more?" Clearly I think Desmond trusts Jack more than Locke. Desmond and Jack have a history on and OFF the island.

Yeah - there was no "definite choosing of sides" with Sayid and Desmond. I think that they will initially go with Jack. BUT I see one staying with Jack and the other staying with Locke.

I think Desmond will eventually stay with Locke. He will remember that Charlie lost his life telling him it wasn't Penny who sent the boat AND he will remember that it was his destiny to "Push the button".

Now I know there is no button to push but the button was on the Island and he will stay on the Island because he will eventually believe it was his destiny to stay there.

So still I don't know what to do with that he was shouting they must warn Jack to not contact the frighters.
1. He could be by the impression of the info passed him by Charlie and then, some time after that he realized it could not be so bad and to that - what is more significant for him - can bring the answers.
2. Something happend i.e. during the meeting of the two groups, something what forced him to change his mind. Another flash? Some words someone said?
100%

he will stay on the Island because he will eventually believe it was his destiny to stay there.

Oh oh... Wouldn't go so far. First thing he wants is to be reunited with Penny. He was doing everything during those three years with the thought on her.

Yeah, I think it makes sense too but I'd be happier if he went with Claire. ;)

Haha, yeah. Me too, Selene.

I think it is pretty obvious with the way the episode tried to almost hide Des' decision to go with Jack that something is going to happen...or we would have seen a clear shot of him deciding.

Wasn't that scene more about hiding Sawyer's decision, rather than Des's? What I got from it was that Sawyer's decision was being put off, to see if he would be "loyal" to Kate in the end.

And is Des on team Jack, now?

Personally I didn't see either Desmond or Sayid go either way. I thought I had seen Des go with Locke when the ep aired but I haven't looked at my tape since that night.
I definitely didn't see where Sayid went. I think he will end up with Locke, but I've been wrong before!
100%
I don't it is a matter of what needs to be done or what makes sense, I think he has to do with "Who do you trust more?" Clearly I think Desmond trusts Jack more than Locke. Desmond and Jack have a history on and OFF the island.

I don't think Desmond will go with Jack. I don't think they are that close. They barely talk and have little to no storyline together. I don't think them meeting off the island makes them any closer than if they hadn't met at all. I think Desmond will be with Locke all the way. There is one reason that perhaps Des might go with Jack and that's because he will risk his life to get rescue and get home to Penny. I just don't see Desmond being that careless though.

Sayid and Des stayed with Jack. You can see them in the group as the camera pans up and zooms out at the end of the 'separation' scene

I'll have to check my tape, thanks. Of course people can change their minds can't they?! I can see Sayid staying with Jack but Des is much closer to Locke than to Jack, I hope he goes with team Locke.

No reason why people won't make moves in the next few epis. I've said elsewhere that the distances on the island aren't that great, so there's no reason why people won't be able to switch in the future

I feel the same way, I don't think these groups are permanent. Alot will happen before anyone makes it off of the island.

It is odd that Desmond chose to stay with Jack since he definitely wanted to warn Jack and not contact the boat when he got back to the beach.

Being a man of action, Desmond probably wants to find out Naomi and the freighter's connection to him and Penny. After all, Naomi knew who he was and had a picture of him and Penny. I'm sure he wants to know the what their story is since Penny told Charlie she doesn't know any Naomi. Plus if there's going to be some sort of encounter/battle, I'd want to be on the same side as Sayid.;)

No reason why people won't make moves in the next few epis. I've said elsewhere that the distances on the island aren't that great, so there's no reason why people won't be able to switch in the future

The only reason I can think of for why they need to make their allegiences known sooner than later is that they have no way to know when the freighter is going to leave. It could leave within an hour of reaching the beach, which doesn't leave much room for changing their minds later. Of course, we are on LOST time...a single day could take a few episodes.

Absolutely. They won't be comsidering switching right now, but they may do down the line. There's a chance that the freighter won't be leaving for a while, assuming that saving the Losties isn't what they've come to do. If that's the case then we may see a sequence of events that leads to some switching.

Isn't there the little issue of Locke's "I was wrong about the hatch"?

I might choose to side with Jack as well...

Maybe he trusts Jack more than Locke. I would.

I think it not so much who they (Sayid and Desmond) trust more, it is who they DON'T trust, and that is Locke. So the choice is of the lesser of two evils, yes?

Jack may be wrong to contact the freighties, but their distrust of Locke is so entrenched due to his past actions, they prefer to stay with Jack and take their chances they can turn the outcome to a favorable one in some manner for everyone. Sayid, Jack and Des are men of action and I believe they think that even if the freighties are bad, they may be able to turn it into a good thing if they know that going in. ANY chance to get off the Island is a good one to them.

Remember, he's helping himself.

All these suggestions are plausible and could very possibly be the right explanation but something that someone suggested in another thread has stuck out in my mind in relation to this topic. What if Desmond has had another flash that we don't know about and he knows something we don't know about Team Locke. Hurley telling Jack he should have gone with his group instead of Locke's supports this theory, because if he wants to go back to the island so bad and Locke and the rest of them stayed on the island, why on Earth would he be telling Jack he wishes he would have gone with Jack's group. This makes it pretty obvious that something happened involving the people that went with Locke. I am very interested to see how this plotline plays out with Desmond and Team Locke vs Team Jack.

All these suggestions are plausible and could very possibly be the right explanation but something that someone suggested in another thread has stuck out in my mind in relation to this topic. What if Desmond has had another flash that we don't know about and he knows something we don't know about Team Locke. Hurley telling Jack he should have gone with his group instead of Locke's supports this theory, because if he wants to go back to the island so bad and Locke and the rest of them stayed on the island, why on Earth would he be telling Jack he wishes he would have gone with Jack's group. This makes it pretty obvious that something happened involving the people that went with Locke. I am very interested to see how this plotline plays out with Desmond and Team Locke vs Team Jack.

That's a very interesting thought -- there was some speculation about what exactly Hurley meant by his comment to Jack in the FF, and I think my first thought was that something bad happened, perhaps because border-line megalomaniacal Locke made some very rash decisions, trusting the island, etc. and someone(s) in his group got hurt or killed. That is going to be really interesting to see play out.

I have to rewatch the ep, but I thought Hurley gave a look to Desmond about him staying -- as though to say, why on earth aren't you of all people going with us? Do you know something we don't?

Though first and foremost, I think Desmond wants to help others (not quite sure what to make of Eko's warning that he only wants to help himself) but Des's actions with Charlie showed that he could be pretty selfless when it came to wanting to put himself in danger rather than have anything happen to Charlie. So my first thought is, if he has a bad sense, it's about Jack's group, and now he has a desire to help them.

Maybe the Eko warning was about who Des was before, that is, only caring about getting off and seeing Penny, rather than helping the 815ers -- after what happened to Charlie, and especially watching his death before his eyes in TTLG, I can imagine he has undergone a bit of a transformation and now cares more for the people around him.

I don't think Desmond will go with Jack. I don't think they are that close. They barely talk and have little to no storyline together. I don't think them meeting off the island makes them any closer than if they hadn't met at all. I think Desmond will be with Locke all the way. There is one reason that perhaps Des might go with Jack and that's because he will risk his life to get rescue and get home to Penny. I just don't see Desmond being that careless though.

It has nothing to do with carelessness. The choice given to everyone at the end of episode one was: Go with Locke and live without rescue, or go with Jack and maybe live with rescue. Des going with Jack (which he appears to do at the end of ep. 1) isn't about carelessness; it's about his deep desire to be reunited with Penny. Staying alive and alone on the island is not a choice to him. Des would rather die.

It has nothing to do with carelessness. The choice given to everyone at the end of episode one was: Go with Locke and live without rescue, or go with Jack and maybe live with rescue. Des going with Jack (which he appears to do at the end of ep. 1) isn't about carelessness; it's about his deep desire to be reunited with Penny. Staying alive and alone on the island is not a choice to him. Des would rather die.

Hmm -- that's a good way to put it. I had always thought of Desmond as being a little more practical, but it makes sense too to say that, given his overwhelming desire to just be back with Penny, he may be willing to sacrifice a great deal, even the remote possibility of rescue, to do so.

The only reason I didn't initially think it odd Desmond chose to stay with Jack instead of going with Locke (even though he was so insistent to get Charlie's information to Jack when he first hit the beach) was because I was thinking that by the time he finally got to Jack and group and the whole Hurley speech go with Locke thing happened - the freighter had already been contacted. He wanted to try to prevent them from contacting them in the first place, but then learned they already had. So at that point he either goes with Locke or goes with Jack - since they are already on their way, he goes with Jack, either because he wants answers, thinks he can manage to get off the island somehow anyway, and / or he wants to try to help them...anyway - right or wrong, thats how I managed to justify it.

But after reading thru the other posts, I can also see some possibilities around his having had a flash of some sort. If so, then I would lean towards something happening to Jack's group that he is trying to prevent, because I don't think he would let Claire go with Locke if he thought she wasn't safe - and his flash saw her getting on a helicopter - ergo Jack's group needs the help or he needs to interact with the boat crew in order to make it happen.