# Lost 2.14 "One of Them"
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [February 15, 2006, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668 "2006-02-15T19:22:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 7
### Author:  [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/121 "2006-02-16T13:15:58Z")
I have a screenshot showing four of the five symbols clearly. [Link](http://www.zombieninjapiratemonkeys.com/images/lost.JPG)
The visible glyphs exactly match the glyphs in the link **Baraqiyal** provided.
I’m curious why there are three red-on-black symbols, then two black-on-red symbols. (Match all three normal symbols and at least one of the Powerglyph symbols to win $100,000! Match the three normal symbols and _both_ Powerglyph symbols and win $1,000,000!)
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### Author:  [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/122 "2006-02-16T13:30:21Z")
Regarding Kate’s age–I’m guessing she’s supposed to be closer to thirty than twenty. We don’t know how long ago her buddy Tom was killed, but he had managed to become a doctor, and they were the same age, so I think she’s probably older than she looks. As for the picture … well, _I_ look almost the same as I did at age 15, except for the haircut. 🙂
But hey, I’m just very proud of myself for recognizing her father in his first scene–not because I actually _recognized_ him, but because that’s the kind of coincidence I’m constantly looking for.
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### Author:  [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/123 "2006-02-16T13:37:57Z")
You know, I really hope that button doesn’t do anything. Back when Desmond was in charge there was a reasonably good chance that thing would get pressed every 108 minutes. Despite the fact that he was overtired and stir crazy.
Now with fourty-some-odd well rested people involved the world has come close to ending - what? - half a dozen times now.
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### Author:  [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/124 "2006-02-16T14:06:12Z")
> [@Kingspades](#):
>
> Oh, what’s really going to bake your noodle later on is that he’s also the voice of everyone’s favorite entrepreneur, [Eugene H. Krabs](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206512/)
And Brother Justin in _Carnivale_.
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### Author:  [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/125 "2006-02-16T14:08:24Z")
With time to study the symbols, that really doesn’t look like a penguin. The tail sticks out in back.
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### Author:  [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/126 "2006-02-16T14:23:10Z")
> [@Honey](#):
>
> With time to study the symbols, that really doesn’t look like a penguin. The tail sticks out in back.
It’s not. It’s a vulture. See post #113. **Baraqiyal** , do have provenance for that picture? Where was it found?
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### Author:  [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/127 "2006-02-16T14:56:31Z")
Last week, I opined that Lost had put out two bad episodes in a row. Some disagreed. Well, do not put me down for a threepeat, because that episode rocked!
Not only was the island story interesting, the flashback was entertaining.
A few thoughts:
- Some good direction this episode. When Sayid is telling his subject that he has another side that is capable of bad things, the lighting cast a COMPLETE shadow over the right side of his face. One side you could see, the other side was pitch black. Nice effect.
- Will Locke keep to himself the fact that the clock went to zero?
- Without starting a great debate, were we to draw modern parrallels between the torture situations in Gulf War 1, the Hatch and current events? It didn’t seem heavy handed, but Locke’s comments about “this is a part of war” caused me to do a double take. (I hesitated in asking that because I don’t want to debate the moraility of it, rather I wanted to know if the writers intended to spark debate and thought!)
- I liked the Shawshank guy. I figured him for CIA, but Military Intelligence makes sense. He was actually likeable. This surprised me for two reasons. First, I only know him from his role as one of the worst villains in all of film. Second, Intel officers who act as the antagonist are normally cartoonish bad guys. I thought was going to be especially true when Mr. Typecast had the role. Good for Lost for not taking the easy way out. This guy, while being a hardass, really just wanted his man back. Whoever said Sayid was being recruited as a spy is probably right. The fact that he was an interpreter for a man who spoke the language perfectly tells us a lot. Plus, why wouldn’t the Army have interpreters? Couple this with the fact that Sayid was “compromised” and you have yourself a pretty good asset.
- Is there any reason to doubt that was Kate’s “dad” in the episode? It was clearly the same actor and he had a picture of Kate. I don’t understand the confusion. As soon as he spoke, I made the connection. The guy has a good voice. I could hear the line “I don’t have murder in my heart.” I guess that explains the video of Sayid at his recruiting center…
- I agree with **GWVet**. The facial expression by the prisoner at the end was certainly meant to convey something. Either we were being told he was an other, or being intentionally mislead. But I know a creepy face when I see one. And that is a creepy face.
- I think the reason it didn’t look like Saddam was because it was his lookalike. Everyone knows Saddam has a scar on his face. [That was a not a scar.](http://imnoscar.com/)
- This episode, specifically the moment when Sayid explains a man who buried the woman he loves would know how deep her grave was, was Naveen Andrews’ Emmy submission.
- I think it has been discussed before, but how long has Jeph Loeb been a producer on the show? I am pretty sure I knew he was involved in the show, but I noticed his his name in the credits this week.
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### Author:  [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/128 "2006-02-16T15:04:27Z")
As far as the Hieroglyphics go, the first one is a flail.
And I don’t think they mean “Cause to die”, that notebook picture looks like it’s in some type of shorthand. Caus has a period after it, implying it’s an abbreviation and it ignores the swd3 in front. Saying the symbols mean “Cause to die” is a pretty big leap.
I thought the bearded DIA guy was Bluebeard, but I guess not?
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### Author:  [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/129 "2006-02-16T15:16:23Z")
> [@Omniscient](#):
>
> Well, it appears that Sayid and Kate are connected prior to the flight, at least tangentally. That’s new info.
And didn’t we see Sayid’s face on the television in the recruiting office? I wonder now if it was a broadcast or a tape that he was replaying.
> [@Oslo Ostragoth](#):
>
> His badge said DIA.
Dental Intelligence Agency. Hence the pliers. Maybe it will be revealed that he knows Bernard.
> [@Gadarene](#):
>
> Henry Gale. On a balloon. _snerk_
First thing I thought of. I’m just glad he was from Minnesota instead of Kansas.
> [@Omniscient](#):
>
> Gah…I feel like this maybe should have been spoilered.
Meh. It’s speculation and interpretation, just like everything else here. It doesn’t really reveal anything, and adds to the mystery.
> [@middleman](#):
>
> Well, do not put me down for a threepeat, because that episode rocked!
Yes, I liked this episode. I was not particularly put off by the last two, but this one stepped up the suspense.
I really thought that that we would see what would happen when the clock ran to zero. Now I’m thinking that that will be the cliff hanger episode.
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### Author:  [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/130 "2006-02-16T15:19:40Z")
> [@August West](#):
>
> As far as the Hieroglyphics go, the first one is a flail.
>
> And I don’t think they mean “Cause to die”, that notebook picture looks like it’s in some type of shorthand. Caus has a period after it, implying it’s an abbreviation and it ignores the swd3 in front. Saying the symbols mean “Cause to die” is a pretty big leap.
>
> I thought the bearded DIA guy was Bluebeard, but I guess not?
The first one is a folded cloth, not a flail.
And the _caus._ means causative verb. So “Cause to die” is technically accurate.
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### Author:  [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/131 "2006-02-16T15:21:44Z")
Forgot to add that the swd3 is the Manuel de Codage (do a search) shorthand for the hieroglyphs.
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### Author:  [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/132 "2006-02-16T15:23:40Z")
> [@ivylass](#):
>
> I thought Sayid was wrong, that the guy really did crash on the island from a hot-air balloon. I guess since I don’t torture people the whole “I felt no guilt” seemed rather lame to me.
Instead of torturing the guy halfway to death, maybe we can just put a gun to his back and demand to find the balloon, and, if necessary, dig up his wife?
Oh, and dude, if your order your subordinate to kill himself, well, you’re kind of putting it all on the line. If he doesn’t immediately cut his own throat you might just want to try to convince him you were joking…
-Joe
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### Author:  [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/133 "2006-02-16T15:29:26Z")
Are we thinking Sayid is a Sunni or a Shiite?
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### Author:  [@Ass\_For\_A\_Hat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ass_For_A_Hat)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/134 "2006-02-16T15:31:47Z")
> [@middleman](#):
>
> The facial expression by the prisoner at the end was certainly meant to convey something. Either we were being told he was an other, or being intentionally mislead. But I know a creepy face when I see one. And that is a creepy face.
I started thinking that maybe this guy was intended to be captured and brought to the hatch. The Others likely know that our Losties are in the hatch now. Maybe they want to see what’s going on in there, now that Desmond is gone. Are the Losties pushing the button? If not, did whatever was supposed to happen, really happen? I thought maybe the sinister look on the prisoner’s face was because he saw that the clock had been reset to 108. Could he see it from where he was after Locke opened the door?
Also, are there Lost discussion groups on the Coconut Internet(s)?
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### Author:  [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/135 "2006-02-16T15:33:36Z")
> [@Merijeek](#):
>
> Instead of torturing the guy halfway to death, maybe we can just put a gun to his back and demand to find the balloon, and, if necessary, dig up his wife?
>
> -Joe
Wouldn’t prove nothing. He could have come here in a balloon four months ago with his wife and _still_ be an Other. Four months is plenty of time to have undergone the Otherification Process.
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### Author:  [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/136 "2006-02-16T15:46:35Z")
I’m a little confused. What information was Clancy Brown blackmailing Sayid with if torturing Turik was Sayid’s initiation to the torturing guild?
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### Author:  [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/137 "2006-02-16T15:48:14Z")
> [@Trion](#):
>
> Wouldn’t prove nothing. He could have come here in a balloon four months ago with his wife and _still_ be an Other. Four months is plenty of time to have undergone the Otherification Process.
Or, a balloon could have crash landed as described and an other assumed Henry’s identity after killing him and feeding him to the TCM.
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### Author:  [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/138 "2006-02-16T15:55:17Z")
> [@Trion](#):
>
> Wouldn’t prove nothing. He could have come here in a balloon four months ago with his wife and _still_ be an Other. Four months is plenty of time to have undergone the Otherification Process.
And you know this _how_?
(I’m keeping my eye on you, buddy.)
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### Author:  [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/139 "2006-02-16T15:58:29Z")
> [@Dante](#):
>
> It’s not. It’s a vulture. See post #113. **Baraqiyal** , do have provenance for that picture? Where was it found?
The vulture and hawk glyphs look very similar, though I think this pictogram is of a hawk. The vulture is more [hunched-looking](http://www.thekeep.org/~kunoichi/kunoichi/themestream/mut.html).The hawk is connected to Horus and Amentet. [Look at the bird](http://www.thekeep.org/~kunoichi/kunoichi/themestream/amentet.html) on this woman’s head. Looks a hell of a lot like the bird on the countdown. She happens to be the goddess of the dead.
The feather is a symbol of Ma’at, or truth, the concept of rightness and harmony in the world. Maybe the fact that it was on the right in red shows that the balance was out of whack?
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### Author:  [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2006, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-2-14-one-of-them/344668/140 "2006-02-16T16:05:52Z")
> [@Ass For A Hat](#):
>
> I thought maybe the sinister look on the prisoner’s face was because he saw that the clock had been reset to 108. Could he see it from where he was after Locke opened the door?
No, I don’t think he could have seen the counter, but he surely noted that the claxon shut off, so if he was aware of the button, he knows it was reset. The counter is straight in front of the computer. I’m not clear on the exact layout of the hatch, but the door to the computer room is definitely either directly under the counter or to the right of it when you are sitting in front of the computer.
> [@UncleRojelio](#):
>
> What information was Clancy Brown blackmailing Sayid with if torturing Turik was Sayid’s initiation to the torturing guild?
Presumably the powers-that-be can drop a dime on Sayid to Saddam about his role in torturing a superior officer if he doesn’t do their bidding. Thus Sayid better do whatever the Americans ask unless he wasn’t to end up on a painful road to death.
So, have we met Sayid’s father in a previous flashback? Turik said his father was a great man…
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