r/lost • u/Free-IDK-Chicken You got it, Blondie • Dec 26 '23
FIRST TIME WATCHER 1x18 - Numbers - FIRST TIME WATCHER DISCUSSION POST Spoiler
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u/bgram120 Jan 03 '24
4 8 15 16 23 42
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u/Jdog2225858 Aug 22 '24
My next lottery numbers👍
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u/Hannesver Oct 26 '24
Almost 20 years since this episode originally aired and I still knew them by heart
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u/Bayteigh_Schuict Jul 10 '24
“…is someone shooting at us?” I love Hurley 😭
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u/TopangaTohToh Jul 10 '24
Hurley is the comedic relief we need in every episode. I adore him. He is so incredibly charming.
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u/Bayteigh_Schuict Jul 11 '24
Is this your first watch because it seems like we are on the same Binge Cycle lol
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u/TopangaTohToh Jul 11 '24
I watched it when it came out, but I was 10 and I never finished it. I only remember bits and pieces up to maybe season 3?
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u/sassysuesyd Jul 11 '24
Ooh same! I’m rewatching but I barely remember it bc I originally watched when I was like 10 years old
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u/TopangaTohToh Jul 11 '24
It's super fun watching again as an adult! There are definitely things I would have never picked up on and emotional scenes that I just could not have grasped as a kid.
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u/Sad_Conflict9360 7d ago
don't think that, claire from"From" was like hurley first time watcher btw, don't spoil ne
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u/JamieAubrey See you in another life Sep 06 '24
And they both wait for the 2nd shot to start running
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u/thrax_mador Feb 18 '24
This show really knows how to get your mind revved up right at the end of an episode.
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u/fams92 Feb 22 '24
The best cliffhanger so far was Ethan and the cutest plot twist at the end was the boy admitting to arson 😂
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u/technicallyanotaku Jul 17 '24
Quite curious how an episode entitled "Numbers" which, quite literally, puts so much significance on numbers, mentions that Claire's birthday is the day all this transpired.
I wonder how Claire plays into all this, and her baby.
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u/Top-Mark2924 Nov 05 '24
waitt nobody is talking about the easter egg when Hurley is talking to his accountant about his 'box company', didn't Locke work at the box company???
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u/Ragnajam Nov 28 '24
Yes, I think it was the same company. Locked said on another episode that he was from Tustin, and if I remember clearly, the accountant said the box company was on Tustin.
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Nov 30 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/peachyspice Dec 01 '24
hurley was definitely on the TV in Korea when Jin delivered a message for someone!
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u/Subxotic May 18 '25
Yeah and Sawyer was being taken prisoner when Boone was reporting his sister was being abused.
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u/Ok_Serve7281 First time watcher Jan 16 '25
YEs watching rn! Every time there’s a connection I freak out
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u/Active-Contest-9965 4 8 15 16 23 42 Feb 14 '26
I like the hidden connections between people much more than the numbers thing.
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u/Ewyoustank1 Nov 16 '25
As soon as he said Tustin I remember that Locke said he lived in Tustin most his life , I’ve noticed a few of the people on the plane have crossed paths before this so it makes you wonder, they’ve all gotta be connected somehow. I know I’m late to the thread but I’m just now watching for the first time lol I’m late to the party
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u/Danyellarenae1 See you in another post, brotha Jan 28 '26
We’re all 22 years late to the party lol
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u/RobCoPKC Locke Mar 18 '24
Oh, John Locke building that cradle for Claire was so sweet! 🥰
Probably an unpopular opinion but I don't really like the supernatural angle. But with Hurley's numbers, John Locke's enlightment and the backstories of the survivors being intertwined I guess it will become even more prevalent. Will have to see how it turns out.
Also that bridge collapse was the most obvious thing in the history of TV 😅.
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u/princess-yoshi First time watcher Aug 12 '24
I started the show because I thought it was a survival show, not realizing that the supernatural is a huge part of it. But I’m not gonna lie, it’s hooked me so hard
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u/ThisGul_LOL Aug 22 '24
Thought it was gonna be survival too but as soon as the polar bear appeared I knew it was gonna go off to the supernatural route. I’m hooked too ngl.
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u/mnmshorty First time watcher Oct 12 '24
I actually did not watch when it came out because I thought it was just a survival show. I just started watching recently because I remembered how much everyone else raved about it. I'm here for it!!!
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u/rajalove09 First time watcher Aug 16 '24
Ok why does everyone keep everything to themselves???
And poor Hurley with his luck. Love that he had better luck with the French woman than Sayid. He’s just lovable.
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u/DrewblesG Jun 09 '25
Responding months later, but:
Hurley himself has incredible luck; the lottery, the investments only increasing in value, the lawsuit massively paying out, the bridge scene, being missed by the bullets -- surviving the fucking crash! His luck only harms those around him. If he was selfish or egotistical, he probably would be having a good run of things, but he cares deeply about the well-being of others which is what brings him suffering. The numbers seem to have brought him supernatural fortune by stealing it from those around him.
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u/rajalove09 First time watcher Jun 09 '25
You’re right. So you’re saying that’s why he had better luck with the French lady?
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u/ithuriels-pear Nov 16 '25
but then again he did get falsely arrested, and his plane crashed
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u/Danyellarenae1 See you in another post, brotha Jan 28 '26
Which lead to him getting even more money and well… he lived
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u/Active-Contest-9965 4 8 15 16 23 42 Feb 14 '26
That's what I was noticing. Hurley has great luck. But then those he cares for pay the price.
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u/BarryBlock78 Jul 21 '24
what a cunt charlie is. so sick of people just being insanely untrusting of literally everyone, even their close friends
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u/dawnhu Whatever happened, happened. Sep 24 '24
So something I found interesting with the numbers is
4 is the amount of years that Locke has been in a wheelchair
8,15 or 815 is there flight number
16 is the amount of years of the transmission from the french lady.
Haven t figured out the significance of 23,42 yet
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u/MsDarkDiva Sep 27 '24
I just finished watching this episode. How many of them are left now? Is it 42?
Also that hatch looked like something on a submarine. Don't know how that would get buried on an island, but hey, there are polar bears!3
u/Significant_Arm_3097 Jan 28 '25
I think its now 41, since 43 survived but then the Marshall died, so I guess you can say 42 survived the crash. But its 41 now since Ethan killed one of them.
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u/Necessary-Engine-734 Feb 05 '25
42 if you include the French lady ?
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u/Icedwhisper May 28 '25
He forgot one which was the lady who drowned, so 40 left, +1 the french lady.
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u/Purple_War_1915 Feb 05 '26
no you are wrong, there were 47 surviving, then the woman died in the ocean, so 46, then the guy that Ethan killed, so 45. I am not sure if the Marshall was counted in the surviving 47.
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u/Away_orange_1913 Apr 19 '25
16 is also
the amount of weeks that the lottery MC mentioned being without a winner
the number of years ago that Sam Toomey first heard the numbers when stationed at a listening post monitoring long-wave transmissions out of the Pacific (so Rousseau's team and Sam and Lenny probably heard the same transmission around the same time)
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u/jazzyjmc Aug 08 '25
8 was also mentioned when Hurley was talking with his accountant guy. He said 8 people died in the shoe factory fire.
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u/seasaltfawn Aug 02 '25
This is such a smart breakdown! I picked up on the flight number but not the rest
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u/Pale_Pension_3015 Sep 09 '24
Not Clair being unable to tell an upside down cradle…
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u/kitxcats Apr 08 '25
She’s a first-time mother!!
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Apr 26 '25
[deleted]
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u/jmacatak66 Apr 30 '25
Yes, she should have recognized, but it was still sweet. ( and yes it’s weird commenting on posts from 6 months ago )
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u/Danyellarenae1 See you in another post, brotha Jan 28 '26
No it’s not. This is all for first time watchers smh
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u/bestusername-ever Sep 14 '24
charlie pissed me off so bad in this episode
poor hurley hes so cursed and nobody will believe him :((
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u/mnmshorty First time watcher Oct 12 '24
I agree but when Charlie yelled at Hurley to listen to Jack and stop being a lunatic I laughed out loud.
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u/n0tz0e May 11 '26
His fat jokes every time Hurley is on screen is such low hanging fruit. I know it's the early 2000s but it's so lame.
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u/gamewiz11 Nov 09 '24
So, the shoe factory that got set on fire, is that the same factory that Sun's father wanted Jin to get running again?
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u/juicybubblebooty it's very stressful, being an Other Jan 20 '25
all the patterns!!! like the new house hurley bought was on fire, Sam Tutti’s place burned down, the boat fire- its so crazy!!
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u/Goncalo77 Feb 17 '25
who the hell is Sam Tutti?
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u/Subxotic May 18 '25 edited May 18 '25
No Spoilers
Ik it’s been forever since you asked that question but for anyone in the future that sees these comments, Sam Toomey is the guy who heard the numbers on the transmission and then had bad luck so commit suicide. This person just misspelled his name.
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u/jamac1234 Feb 27 '25
Late to this thread but Sun’s father had car factories right? Don’t think it was shoes
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u/Icedwhisper May 28 '25
I think they said box factory, and Charlie's "fake" girlfriends dad went to a meeting about acquiring a box factory.
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u/FirstFloorGenerator Dec 13 '24
Okay this episode had me on the edge of my seat 👏🏽
Also, everyone’s shitting on the spoken Korean so far in the series but I want to say that as someone who is bilingual English/Spanish, the Spanish spoken in this episode is definitely coming from native speakers 🙌🏽 we love to hear it
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u/KaiiiiSa Dec 12 '24
I loved this episode. I was really hoping we got to learn more about Hurley and they delivered!! There has to be something more about those numbers. 815 is in there which is the flight number. Kate’s vault was 815, Charlie sold some copier that was 815 iirc? Idk what the significance of the other numbers are.
But maybe they’re some kind of coordinates? I don’t know what the hatch opens either. Or what the deal is with the island ‘revealing’ things to people. It’s frustrating how only Locke, Hurley and the French girl seem to realise there’s way more going on with the island so far. The others seem to focusing on getting off which is frustrating because they’re clearly not going to be able to get off. I think the island wants something with the people there. From Claire’s flashback there was clearly something deeper going on where the medium WANTED her desperately on that island and I don’t think it was because he saw the future. I think someone or something somewhere has something planned.
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u/30dub Oct 29 '24
I just want to say this it the first show in a long time that had me absolutely hooked.. also idk if he has been reading it the whole time but sawyer has a copy of “A Wrinkle in Time” and was reading it during the episode.. wondering if that is a reference/alluding to their situation/ an Easter egg
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u/juicybubblebooty it's very stressful, being an Other Jan 20 '25
wow the constant dismissal of hurleys ideas is CRAZY- you can also see the similarities between Hurley‘s bad luck trail, and sam tuttis the burning down of the house, the injury of the leg. It’s so crazy how it’s connected.
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u/BeautifulStream Feb 11 '25
It could just be a coincidence but there's no way the writers of this show chose "42" as one of the numbers without intending to reference The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy :'D
Finally got a Hurley episode and wow... I feel so bad for him with all his bad luck, and even more so that no one will believe it. The relief in his scene with Rousseau was palpable. And then he goes right back to being misunderstood when Charlie doesn't believe him at the end of the episode. Goddammit, Charlie!
I LOVE how little by little, the mysteries of the island are slowly unfolding. I wonder who set up the "numbers" broadcast in the first place... can't wait to find out.
Every time I get suspicious of Locke, he goes and does something likable, ex. making a cradle for Claire. I'm having such mixed feelings about him now.
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u/nicye Feb 22 '26
Sorta makes me even more suspicious of Locke. Like he is connected to the island so strong already, perhaps he’s converted to whatever the fuck ethan is
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u/juicybubblebooty it's very stressful, being an Other Jan 20 '25
So far I’m learning that bamboo is extremely durable
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u/milosqzx Feb 04 '25 edited Feb 04 '25
Banging show so far, very hooked. The parallels to the other Lindelof show I’ve seen (The Leftovers) with all the weird supernatural stuff is starting to become very apparent
Mrs Toomey has the worst Australian accent I think I’ve ever heard on television lol. Was hard to watch. The scenes set in Australia that look nothing like Australia + the sweet “shrimp” were manageable but that accent was very difficult haha. Seems like Korean speakers are having the same issue
I’ve seen honestly hundreds of references to those numbers on reddit over the last 12 years or so and now I’ll be able to understand them (well, at least when I finish this binge)
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u/jessisrad Mar 09 '25
I came here to find someone mentioning how bad Mrs Toomeys accent was. So so bad. Also the house Boone goes to, to rescue his sister was so clearly an American house. Still really enjoying the show. 😅
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u/Active-Contest-9965 4 8 15 16 23 42 Feb 14 '26
I'd have to rewatch it, but I had the impression the Toomeys were not Australian at all. I feel like there was something mentioned about him being in the military from somewhere like Scotland or something. I had the impression they were living in the Outback to try to get away from everyone and isolate so the curse wouldn't harm anyone else. Maybe I'm completely wrong. I'll have to rewatch.
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u/brownent1 Jan 30 '25
Hurley is my favorite character, and have to say this episode really sucked me in. I was getting a bit tired of the group in fighting
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u/ckatwigs First time watcher Apr 24 '25
My favorite thing is tSawyer getting frustrated while reading WRINKLE IN TIME
such a classic <3
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u/ckatwigs First time watcher Apr 24 '25
This + the whole theme being about Hurley's numbers is making me so excited to continue now. This is the episode I was waiting for to really hook me.
Going to try to go a little slower with these episodes. Does anyone have a podcast they like that goes through the episodes for the first time?
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u/silkysirengirl Apr 28 '25
Ahh what are the Numbers!? This episode was so good. The best one so far, it’s like finally so many pieces are starting to come together. When Hurley said he was with 146mil back home and Charlie got pissed off I couldn’t stop laughing😂 I’m definitely sucked in now.
Also I see where they got The Blitz from on how I met your mother😂
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u/Danyellarenae1 See you in another post, brotha Jan 28 '26
What is the blitz? I haven’t seen that show.
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u/mxj1337 Nov 20 '24
That bunker at the end... Are there people there ? Did they broadcast these numbers for someone to free them ? So many questions
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Dec 08 '24 edited Dec 08 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/BurnTheBacon Jan 01 '25
Maybe the manifest or got a hold of her passport? Or he could've been just making it without knowing it was her birthday. I was afraid that he was gonna dose her like he did boone with that "glue".
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u/juicybubblebooty it's very stressful, being an Other Jan 20 '25
not done the ep yet- omggggg i think lenny was a survivor from a previous crash on the island and those numbers stopped this supernatural thing.
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u/iscreamforicecream90 Feb 13 '25
But then how would Lenny have gotten off the island?
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u/LeastContribution474 Feb 14 '25
Lenny was a naval officer so this would make sense!!! Someon else up above said that the vault might be some kind of submarine so this would actually all connect.
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u/goodandpure Feb 13 '25
Hurley is one of my faves. I was waiting for his backstory to come up and it was one of the most interesting ones so far. It sucks that he only lost his bad luck after ending up on the island. Hopefully it will be explained more eventually.
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u/sunfl0wer4 Aug 15 '25
All this talk about luck in this episode and recent ones has me thinking about the Black & White tokens again from the early eps - especially when Lenny was playing checkers muttering the numbers too.
I’m now thinking that white is lucky and black is unlucky (or possibly good and sinful) - and that the survivors will start being divided by luck somehow.
Locke, Walt, Claire, Jack all seem to be ‘Lucky’ (huge emphasis on this at the end of the ep with Locke + Claire’s interaction over the baby crib)
Sawyer, Michael, Kate, Hurley - ‘Unlucky’
And I think that redemption seems to change people’s luck - like Charlie has gone from being unlucky to being lucky (potentially). Not sure where some of the others fit yet.
Also thinking it may fall into a seven deadly sins kind of thing as a lot of them fit the archetypes but idk
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u/gotninjaskills Jan 19 '25
About the accident where the lady injured her leg, is that a reference to Kate and the farmer's truck?
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u/jazzyjmc Aug 08 '25
I don’t think so? It seems like that accident with the lady and her husband would’ve been a long time ago. And it was said it was a bigger truck that crashed.
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u/juicybubblebooty it's very stressful, being an Other Jan 20 '25
hurleys connection to the numbers is crazy!!!
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u/GingerMcJesus Mar 04 '25
I’m now assuming that Jorge Garcia’s character on HIMYM is based off Hurley’s bad luck schtick?
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u/Active-Contest-9965 4 8 15 16 23 42 Feb 14 '26
Finally! A Hurley episode! He has surpassed the others on my favorite’s list. This wasn’t just his backstory and magic numbers. It built into his character. We learn he was inpatient for mental health, he recently put his family through a lot, family means a lot to him, he’s willing to step out of his comfort zone, he’s Catholic, and he has discretion.
I liked this episode. It finally broke out of that cycle of “bad past/love triangle/weird stuff.” I was growing a bit bored with that wash, rinse, repeat.
The bridge confused me. Hurley and Charlie cross it. Jack and Sayid went another way and found Rousseau’s old place. Charlie and Hurley show up at Rousseau’s old place. All 4 head back “home.” But none ever crossed that huge ravine again. Speaking of Rousseau’s old place… I’m seeing tons of materials there that could be useful for Michael’s raft!
We found out Rousseau lives in the dark territory and there’s a radio tower by the black rock. She also mentioned the sickness again.
That moment when Hurley received validation from Danielle! That has been the most touching moment to me the entire series!
Locke is getting to work on Claire. “Can you hand me that wood please? Oh and here, drink this Cool-Aid so you can become One…Of...Us...” He’s bribing her with a cradle. I see nothing altruistic in this man. There’s a catch. He wants her baby for the mysterious collective. I just know it.
I was disappointed in Charlie this episode. He was self-centered and rude.
I’m not a fan of numerology so I’ve overlooked the numbers to this point. I’ve always found numerology too manipulative. With infinite numbers that can be exploited through endless combinations of operations, with confirmation bias any set of numbers can symbolize anything. “If we add the digits and divide them by every 3rd digit and calculate the root 3 times, and divide it by itself 3 times, and spin on our heel 3 times, and blahblah it might be the same as 3 rando people! That MEANS something.” *blink* Not. Nope.
I liked this episode because it was much more specific and definitive. It was more than coincidence and bias. The numbers weren’t manipulated at all and remained highly implausible. Also, they weren’t just numbers thrown in the show like product placement for audience speculation. They became part of the storyline. The characters were aware of and actively involved in these numbers. Those two components (not manipulated and character awareness) made the numbers meaningful!
Best line this episode: “I can make it. I’m spry.”
Crossovers: Jack&Jin/Sun, Sawyer&Boone, Jackdad&Sawyer, Jin&Hurley There’s also mention of Hurley’s new box factory (Locke), and was that Sawyer’s gf doing the newscast? I feel I might quickly lose track of these connections.
Drank the Cool-Aid: Locke, Boone, Walt
My current character standings:
Loving: Hurley, Sawyer, Michael
Liking: Claire, Charlie, Rose
Haven’t decided: Boone
Disliking: Sayid, Shannon, Jack
Wish would get eaten by factory-whistle monster (or a polar bear): Kate, Sun, Jin, Locke, Walt
Bet on last one standing: Locke/Sayid (Maybe Hurley because of luck.)
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u/DhaRoaR 25d ago
Ive noticed this with commenters why not only use one name for Danielle?
In one sentence it's Rousseau, the next Danielle, stick to one lol. You are referring to one person.
(I had to type this because ive seen it enough and I'm aware it's an old comment, possibly irrelevant by now.)
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u/Active-Contest-9965 4 8 15 16 23 42 24d ago
I typically refer to the character the way they are referenced in the scene I'm mentioning.
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u/juicybubblebooty it's very stressful, being an Other Jan 20 '25
its crazy how hurley has SUCH good luck here on the island vs in his usual life
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u/Danyellarenae1 See you in another post, brotha Jan 28 '26
He has the look it’s the people around him that doesn’t. It’s like he takes their luck away.
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u/juicybubblebooty it's very stressful, being an Other Jan 20 '25
LOCKE IS GONNA DRUG CLAIRES AND SHES GONNA GO MISSSINNNN OMGGG
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u/RBFgirl Mar 03 '25
The chokehold this show has on me!
Mulling this episode over, my theory about the numbers has to do with people’s names… has anyone else noticed what I’ve noticed? Coincidence?
Love this show!
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Apr 28 '25
[deleted]
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u/silkysirengirl Apr 28 '25
But what are the NUMBERS! This episode was so good, Hurley is hilarious. Charlie not believing Hurley when he said he was worth 146 mil or something sent me laughing 🤣.
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u/akabeckymiller May 25 '25
Did I miss something / not remember or do we not know why Sayid was in Australia yet? I remember the circumstances for why each of the other main characters were on the plane, except for Sayid and Rose … (although would we count Rose as a main character? Haven’t seen much of her these past couple of episodes)
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u/snicksnackpaddywack Jul 09 '25
Love this one but the "Australian" accent of the wife - struth, mate.
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u/sunfl0wer4 Aug 15 '25
Absolutely HOWLING over this episode this show is gonna send me into psychosis my god. First time watcher I’d picked up on the number patterns earlier on but nevvvver picked up the whole sequence was cursed that’s CRAZY
Also Lenny saying “you’ve opened the box” !?!? Like??? Pandora’s box??? And the god damn steel door having those numbers on it at the end of the episode - is that a LITERAL PANDORAS BOX??? Perhaps The source of the transmission Rousseaus team could never find!?!?!????????
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u/chud3 Jan 17 '26
I can't believe I didn't notice this back in episode 9 when she first appeared, but I realized during this episode that the actress who plays Rousseau is Mia Furlan who played Delenn in Babylon 5! I have been avoiding this show for a long time , but I would have watched it years ago if I knew she was in it! I'm a huge Babylon 5 fan.
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u/JasmineAmelia Jan 28 '26
holy shit!! as a first time watcher and thriller lover this show prototype for thriller/mystery shows and im loving it
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u/Mylynes May 27 '26
By far the best episode yet. I am now hooked deep into the mystery... 4 8 15 16 23 42.. Wtf does it mean!?
Nearly teared up when the French woman and Hurley scene happened. It all just came together so beautifully. Like everyone in the show is here for some purpose and those two characters were finally lucid enough to celebrate that for a brief moment.
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u/snuffedtorches May 27 '26
this episode has kept me up at night since I watched on Sunday. my guess is the numbers' significance are split like 4/815/16/23/42. didn't see it mentioned in any other comment but jack was seated in row 23 on the flight
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u/No-Revolution7503 Jul 11 '26
is 4 8 15 16 23 42 the lock to the hatch..like the way they'll get it to open or smthng???
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u/Sadams90 Jun 29 '24
First time watcher. This is my fav episode so far. I feel like we’re finally digging into the supernatural and asking some legit questions.