# Lost 3.21: Greatest Hits
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 16, 2007, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361 "2007-05-16T19:44:30Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/41 "2007-05-17T06:14:18Z")
So what’s Alex’s angle, exactly?
-FrL-
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### Author:  [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/42 "2007-05-17T06:16:29Z")
What would be awesome would be if those chicks in the underwater hatch turned out to be the two “birds” from second row in Helsinki.
-FrL-
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### Author:  [@Rich\_Mann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_Mann)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/43 "2007-05-17T06:20:16Z")
[QUOTE=Omniscient]
…Also, was anyone else wondering why they didn’t think of just cutting the cable to the underwater station? I mean, it’s either the power cable or the transmitter cable or both, cutting it seems like a hell of a lot safer plan to disable the station. Worst case scenario it doesn’t work and they swim out later. Baffling I tells ya…
[/QUOTE]
You beat me to it (not surprising, given your username). The whole time I was yelling at the TV “You’re following a power cable to flip a switch. Cut the damned cable.” When they showed Charlie looking down at the cable passing through his hands I really thought he was about to get the idea.
I wonder if this was a flaw in the Losties plan or in the writing.
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### Author:  [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/44 "2007-05-17T08:22:06Z")
I thought this was a really good episode. BUT, if it turns out that everything that is happening is just Ben manipulating everyone (ie, making a fake plan with Juliet, knowing she’ll act exactly the way she’s acting, knowing the Losties will act exactly the way they’re acting, knowing Charlie will end up where he is yada yada yada) so that Ben once again ends up totally winning and being in control and the Lostie plans all fail… if that happens, I will be upset.
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### Author:  [@some\_white\_dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/some_white_dude)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/45 "2007-05-17T08:25:14Z")
[QUOTE=Omniscient]
Also, was anyone else wondering why they didn’t think of just cutting the cable to the underwater station?
[/QUOTE]
But what are they gonna use to cut a giant cable? You can’t just take any old knife and saw through a bundle of intertwined wires. I bet the dynamite wouldn’t even be able to sever the cable completely. That thing looks thick.
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### Author:  [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/46 "2007-05-17T10:26:08Z")
[QUOTE=Offkenter]
Charlie’s thinking skills leave a little something to be desired. Instead of letting Desmond risk his life by swimming to the Looking Glass, he hits Desmond in the head with a wooden oar. He his Desmond hard enough to cause unconsciousness and then leaves him alone in a tiny boat floating in the ocean.
[/QUOTE]
Oh the convenience of TV head trauma knockouts.
Here’s how I would’ve written the scene:
[Charlie whaps Desmond with the oar]
“OW!!! WHAT THE HELL?”
“oh! oh sorry, you were supposed…”
“MY HEAD IS BLEEDING”
“I meant to knock you out”
“I think you cracked my skull, what the hell is wrong with you?”
“I couldn’t let you go in my place”
“well you could’ve told me instead of brutally beating me with a large wooden object”
“yeah, um… my bad”
Not exactly ideal dramatically, but funny and realistic. I could see that scene in an episode of firefly.
Well, it looks like Charlie isn’t a dick. This is inconsistent with his character, since he’s a dick.
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### Author:  [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/47 "2007-05-17T10:59:14Z")
[QUOTE=Team of Scientists]
But what are they gonna use to cut a giant cable? You can’t just take any old knife and saw through a bundle of intertwined wires. I bet the dynamite wouldn’t even be able to sever the cable completely. That thing looks thick.
[/QUOTE]
Plus, even if it is a power cable, we don’t know which way the power goes. The Looking Glass station could have it’s own power generating plant (like the Swan seemed to have a geothermal power source) and actually be providing power for other places on the island. They could waste a lot of time trying to hack through that thing.
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### Author:  [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/48 "2007-05-17T11:23:23Z")
Did anyone else take exception to the whole discussion about how the Sat Phone would work? Firstly, there is no way that the high frequency Sat Phone signal is being interferred with by Danielle’s shortwave signal from the radio tower. Secondly, how do you jam an RF signal from underwater? Thirdly, it’s a Sat Phone. It doesn’t matter if the receiver is 8, 80 or 8,000 miles away. The signal must travel up to ( at least one) satellite, where it is boosted and relayed back down to the reciever. Hence the name, ‘Satellite Phone’. Stupid Sayid.
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### Author:  [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/49 "2007-05-17T11:37:46Z")
[QUOTE=randwill]
Does anybody else think that Jack’s plan to keep everybody in the dark about what’s going on and then one day drag them out into a field and dramatically introduce CFL from behind the bushes and then have her blow-up a tree (everybody knows about the dynamite) seemed sort of like something you’d see on a overly melodramatic television show?
Oh. Yeah.
[/QUOTE]
Well, sure. But I gotta tell you, I’ve been to a lot of meetings in my life where people sit down and calmly talk about their plans and strategies. And every single one of those meetings would have greatly benefited from somebody blowing something up.
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### Author:  [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/50 "2007-05-17T12:35:33Z")
[QUOTE=UncleRojelio]
Hence the name, ‘Satellite Phone’. Stupid Sayid.
[/QUOTE]
Actually, and feel free to correct me if I’m wrong because I haven’t been paying extreme attention to this detail, but I’ve noticed they don’t call it a “satellite phone.” They keep referring to it as a “radio phone.” The only reason I remember this is because every time I hear them say it, I wonder, “Why don’t they call it a satellite phone?”
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### Author:  [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/51 "2007-05-17T12:56:50Z")
[QUOTE=Offkenter]
Charlie’s thinking skills leave a little something to be desired. Instead of letting Desmond risk his life by swimming to the Looking Glass, he hits Desmond in the head with a wooden oar. He his Desmond hard enough to cause unconsciousness and then leaves him alone in a tiny boat floating in the ocean.
Obviously he hopes to survive his swim so he can run to be elected as Camp Lostie’s Safty Officer.
[/QUOTE]
Eh, I thought the exact same thing. But this is “TV Unconsciousness” and not “Real life floating on the ocean concussion”, so Desmond will be fine.
> [@Conboy](#):
>
> Charlie writing out his list of greatest moments was very sad, but was undercut by the knowledge that it couldn’t work out the way Desmond described it because there are three more years to go. He had to be, dare I say it, conning Charlie.
Not necessarily. It’s still possible that Claire and Aaron will be saved and that Charlie will still die. Or, Charlie will die and it will take 3 years for his actions to cause the rescue.
> [@Monstre](#):
>
> Desmond didn’t see the “captured by hot chicks with guns” part in between.
Or he did see it (late) and that’s why he suddenly volunteered. 😉
[Quote=Omniscient]
Also, was anyone else wondering why they didn’t think of just cutting the cable to the underwater station? I mean, it’s either the power cable or the transmitter cable or both, cutting it seems like a hell of a lot safer plan to disable the station. Worst case scenario it doesn’t work and they swim out later. Baffling I tells ya.
[/quote]
Trust me, I thought of it too. If they’re afraid of electrocution, it seems like SOME DYNAMITE could cut that cable, dontcha think?
And from the preview…
Looks like our intrepid losties manage to have **ANOTHER** cunning plan blow up in their faces. Maybe they’ll actually get to kill some noname Others so that there can be at least a little sense of accomplishment.
> [@UncleRojelio](#):
>
> Did anyone else take exception to the whole discussion about how the Sat Phone would work? Firstly, there is no way that the high frequency Sat Phone signal is being interferred with by Danielle’s shortwave signal from the radio tower. Secondly, how do you jam an RF signal from underwater? Thirdly, it’s a Sat Phone. It doesn’t matter if the receiver is 8, 80 or 8,000 miles away. The signal must travel up to ( at least one) satellite, where it is boosted and relayed back down to the reciever. Hence the name, ‘Satellite Phone’. Stupid Sayid.
In Saddam Russia, satellite phones you!
Yes, I thought of it too. Even the part about a radio transmitter being underwater. But at least the writers covered that. The transmitter may be underwater, but the antenna is on the island. Hence Rousseau’s “radio tower”.
Of course, that means that there’s two radio towers on the island. And, somehow, they were able to pick up the distress signal from the tower but it wasn’t jammed. Maybe the jamming antenna is actually a big ring around the island? :dubious:
-Joe
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### Author:  [@wasson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wasson)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/52 "2007-05-17T13:00:12Z")
[QUOTE=Turek]
Actually, and feel free to correct me if I’m wrong because I haven’t been paying extreme attention to this detail, but I’ve noticed they don’t call it a “satellite phone.” They keep referring to it as a “radio phone.” The only reason I remember this is because every time I hear them say it, I wonder, “Why don’t they call it a satellite phone?”
[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I think you’re right about this. I think Hurley called it a satellite phone when they first found it, but Sayid has always called it a plain 'ole “radio”, if memory serves.
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### Author:  [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/53 "2007-05-17T12:59:00Z")
They also keep saying that they are going to use the “radio phone” to contact Naomi’s ship, which is sitting 70 miles away. If it was a satellite phone they could call anyone, anywhere they wanted (and probably _wouldn’t_ use it to call a ship; what’s its phone number anyway?). So I think it’s really supposed to be a radio of some kind and not a satellite phone.
The cable to the Looking Glass was labeled “Anchor Cable” on Sayid’s diagram, so cutting it probably wouldn’t have done anything. (The station looked to be pretty well attached to its own pylons, so why it needed an anchor cable is beyond me.)
Did anyone besides me think Naomi’s interaction with Charlie was a bit odd? She recognizes him as the “rock star” then starts talking about how there was a big memorial for him and that there was a new “Greatest Hits” album released.
Greatest hits? Wouldn’t that be, like, a _single_ for Driveshaft? They only had two albums, apparently.
I dunno, something just seemed off to me. Now I’m wondering if Naomi is working for Ben or something. (What is is about this show that makes me suspicious of everyone. Nah, no one would be conning anyone about anything on _Lost_, would they?)
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### Author:  [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/54 "2007-05-17T13:00:55Z")
[QUOTE=SenorBeef]
Oh the convenience of TV head trauma knockouts.
Here’s how I would’ve written the scene:
[Charlie whaps Desmond with the oar]
“OW!!! WHAT THE HELL?”
“oh! oh sorry, you were supposed…”
“MY HEAD IS BLEEDING”
“I meant to knock you out”
“I think you cracked my skull, what the hell is wrong with you?”
“I couldn’t let you go in my place”
“well you could’ve told me instead of brutally beating me with a large wooden object”
“yeah, um… my bad”
Not exactly ideal dramatically, but funny and realistic. I could see that scene in an episode of firefly.
[/QUOTE]
This is brilliant. I would pay actual money to have seen this scene played out; I might still be laughing this morning. I especially love: MY HEAD IS BLEEDING!
I kept wondering about whether Desmond was lying to Charlie throughout the episode, but I think - much as I know this will disappoint \*\*randwill - \*\*he was being pretty honest. After all, all Desmond actually said was “you flip the switch, then you drown.” Doesn’t mean those things happen the moment Charlie arrives at the Looking Glass. Hell, they could happen in the next season finale.
I think Ben sent everyone to start the kidnapping and killing early for no real reason other than to get the camp het up so that no one would ask questions about Locke. I mean, when Batmanuel and Tom and whoever else starts asking “where’s our new Messiah?”, you can’t exactly just say “Oh, yeah, I gutshot him and left him to die alone in the death pit. So what’s for dinner?” Now he has a distraction, something that will have all the Others busy and occupied (and possibly get a few of them killed) and, most importantly, _not thinking about Locke._ Further, starting the war right now, he hopes, will unify everyone, behind Ben. Inventing conflict with outsiders is a sure way to keep anyone from questioning the leadership.
Jack is a putz. Did he really think that he, the _doctor_, should hang around and try to shoot the tents while the _professional soldier_ left the scene of the upcoming battle? I am still waiting for his uppance, and Juliet’s, to come, but I fear it will not be this season.
I think, for my money, that this show has really gotten its groove back.
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### Author:  [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/55 "2007-05-17T13:14:11Z")
[QUOTE=Turek]
Actually, and feel free to correct me if I’m wrong because I haven’t been paying extreme attention to this detail, but I’ve noticed they don’t call it a “satellite phone.” They keep referring to it as a “radio phone.” The only reason I remember this is because every time I hear them say it, I wonder, “Why don’t they call it a satellite phone?”
[/QUOTE]
If it’s not a sat phone then the antenna on it is the wrong kind for VHF/UHF and still wouldn’t be affected by the shortwave radio emissions from either radio tower. I don’t mean to sound too argumentative, it’s just that stupid technical errors bug the crap out of me.
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### Author:  [@wasson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wasson)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/56 "2007-05-17T13:20:08Z")
[QUOTE=UncleRojelio]
If it’s not a sat phone then the antenna on it is the wrong kind for VHF/UHF and still wouldn’t be affected by the shortwave radio emissions from either radio tower. I don’t mean to sound too argumentative, it’s just that stupid technical errors bug the crap out of me.
[/QUOTE]
Man, you are watching the wrong show then.
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### Author:  [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/57 "2007-05-17T13:33:06Z")
[QUOTE=wasson]
Man, you are watching the wrong show then.
[/QUOTE]
Yeah, but it’s too late to stop now.
Anyhow, [here is a picture of the Sat Phone](http://www.lostpedia.com/wiki/Image:Iphone.png). Looks to me like the top portion of the screen shows the earth with a little satellite orbiting it. I say it’s a sat phone.
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### Author:  [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/58 "2007-05-17T13:33:10Z")
I find it interesting that the looking glass is full of women. It’s also interesting that Ben apparently lied to the others about it being flooded. This leads me to believe that Ben doesn’t want anyone to know those women are there.
So my guess is that those are the “dead” pregnant women. Ben wants to kidnap the losties’ pregnant women so they don’t successfully give birth and give away whatever nefarious plan he has going (they were able to explain Claire as having conceived off-island, but won’t be able to explain Sun/Kate the same way). I’m also thinking Ben’s little girlfriend is there and wasn’t gassed with the rest of Dharma.
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### Author:  [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/59 "2007-05-17T13:38:26Z")
Oh yeah, Charlie said in a very early episode (I think it was _White Rabbit_, ironically enough) that he couldn’t swim.
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### Author:  [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)
#### Post date: [May 17, 2007, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-3-21-greatest-hits/404361/60 "2007-05-17T13:41:58Z")
It was a dream sequence, but he was swimming in Fire + Water. Could have been wish fulfillment, but in the dream, he was trying to save Aaron, and still couldn’t.
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