Yeah, I think it’s from the fake crash. Didn’t the Losties find the black box from the real crash during Season 1?
Yeah, and besides, the real one is in the tail section and about 50 yds offshore of the island and as far as we know, no salvage vessels have been able to get to the island.
Can anyone post a transcript to clear up where the black box came from? It makes all kinds of sense for it to be the one on the island, and no sense whatsoever for it to be the one in the faked wreckage. For one thing, why would they bother hauling that all the way out to the island on a freighter? For another, how would Whidmore get his hands on it when governments from multiple countries would be conducting salvage operations? And why would he even bother? If Ben could fake an entire plane crash, I would assume he could doctor up a Flight Data Recorder.
You don’t need a big salvage operation to recover a black box from a wreck 50 yards offshore. you need a guy with a SCUBA outfit and maybe an underwater torch. Things that are probably carried onboard anyway for emergency underwater repairs of the ship, and certainly something that would be carried if they intended to hunt for the black box when they got to the island.
I was operating under the assumption that the guy who talked to Hurley and sent the rescuers WAS one of Widmore’s people. Otherwise, how would they have synched up with the crew of the freighter?
“Do either of you know what this?” the freighter guy asks as he puts down a box in front of Sayid and Desmond. “It’s a flight data recorder, otherwise known as a black box,” Sayid replies. “That’s exactly what it is. Now here’s the funny thing. This black box comes from Oceanic flight 815. A salvage vessel recovered it from the bottom of the ocean. It took a considerable amount of Mr. Widmore’s resources to procure it. It was found with the wreckage of the plane, along with all 324 dead passengers.”
(found here)
Of course, there’s no real reason to believe that this is true, considering the amount of deception that is the norm for the show.
Which points to the conclusion that Ben got to the real black box long before any of Widmore’s people could have. In fact, the black box on the freighter might well be the original one that Ben had planted in the fake wreckage. In either case, the one on the freighter is the one that Widmore “went to considerable expense” to recover from the faked wreckage. Still, the “why” of it all is the main question.
The pilot and the rest of the crew of the freighter seem to have a pretty loose relationship. No one on the freighter seems particularly interested in the well being of the 3 remaining on the island and they are only treating the pilot with slightly less suspicion and caution than Sayid and Desmond.
Seems possible that the Creepy Black Guy and Widmore share similar interests at this point and might be cooperating knowingly or unknowingly but it’s not entirely clear that they are in league together.
But if Widmore was so intent on finding the island, would he be satisfied with a crew of sailors and leave the actual reconnaisance to a third party? I don’t buy it. At the very least, Widmore would insist one of his people go along with the rescuers – and we know all the rescuers were recruited together.
Also, we know Ben believes Widmore is after him (or at least that’s what he wants Locke to believe he believes…it’s complicated) and we know that it is the “rescuers” who have come for Ben.
In addition, the captain of the freighter also referenced the need to get Ben, same as the rescuers.
IMO, either they’re all working for the same organization, or the two organizations are very closely aligned.
Good point. 
Ben’s got operatives both on the freighter (Michael) and being beaten up by Widmore’s guys (unnamed stooge on the video), so either he does have a plan or he’s trying to come up with one really fast.
On preview: what Sam Stone said.
Another question has come to mind: Did Desmond ever meet Michael? Could someone refresh my memory here?
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing earlier. I suppose, Michael was at the hatch at least once (when he dispatched the two drunk drivers) so surely he must have met Desmond at some point. That’s the trouble with trying to remember all these new people, it pushes the old stuff out. When we were introduced to the freighter crew, I forgot algebra.
Huh? Everyone was speaking Korean, not English. It was subtitled.
Remember, Hurley’s super rich. He can hop on a flight to Korea whenever he wants, plus he probably got one of those Gold flying passes like Jack & Kate.
Desmond ran off the island before Michael ever came down to the hatch. By the time Desmond returned, Michael was off selling out Jack, Kate, Sawyer, and Hurley to Ben.
At least that’s the way I remember it, brother.
The composition of the “rescue” team is certainly a mystery we’ve yet to understand. While the Creepy Black Guy gave the roster to Naomi and presumably put them on that boat, it’s not entirely clear that they were all his choice. He told Naomi that that was the team, she had no choice in the matter, and these people were chosen for a reason. That reason could be that they were dictated to him by Widmore or they could be some compromise between Widmore (who knows where the island is) and CBG who has unknown motives.
Widmore and his people certainly want to get Ben, and that certainly seems to be the motive of CS Lewis and Miles (who could do a double-cross). The Captain also stated that he’s on board with this plan. In contrast, Faraday and Frank the pilot seem to have little to no interest in Ben or the others as of yet. CBG grilled Hurley about “the rest” which may have referred to the other survivors, the other passengers, the Others, or the DHARMAites. When talking to Naomi he stressed the fact that “there are no survivors” which could have been read as an instruction to kill anyone alive or simply that he believed everyone to be dead. In either case he hasn’t said or hinted anything about Ben nor has Ben mentioned him.
It doesn’t seem clear that CBG is necessarily affiliated with any of the power groups we know yet.
It’s true that having all these people on the same freighter is a bit perplexing but on LOST that’s no reason to necessarily believe that everyone is on the same page. I’d say that it seems strange that Daddy Widmore, with his massive wealth and power, would contract such a beat up, crappy, low tech freighter manned with this motley crew to do his bidding. You’d think he’d have some high tech equipment and sharp personnel.
All in all, I am almost certain that there are going to be more than 2 power brokers vying for control here.
Is he still rich? He was presumed dead, it’s safe to assume that his estate was dispersed. CBG was offering him an upgrade to a nicer nuthouse earlier this season for his cooperation. If Hurley is still fabulously rich you’d figure he could make that happen on his own.
Of course he would have the Golden Ticket, so no reason that he couldn’t be in Korea on short notice.
You’re probably right. I do remember Desmond running off, but I thought it was close to Electromagnetic Meltdown and therefore after Desmond had met some of the Losties.
So what is the exact breakdown of Michael’s reappearance? Do both Desmond and Sayid know that it is Michael (I’m sure Sayid must be aware)? Are they feigning ignorance just out of general Lost wariness or because they know Ben has a man on the boat?
Let’s take a couple minutes to note that we still don’t know if Desmond has any of his memory back yet. Even if he and Michael knew each other Desmond might not remember him at all. In this episode all Desmond said was that he was feeling better, not that he had any recollection or understanding of whats going on. Overall he’s been really passive since his chat with Penny.
Here’s a thought - remember when Desmond and Sayid noted in their “holding cell” that someone was banging on the pipes?
What if it wasn’t Michael, but rather. . .
Naomi! Who’s to say that one of the effects of being on the fringe of the island’s sphere of influence isn’t revivification?!?!? “Brainnsss!”
Since he told Penny in his call ‘I’ve been on an island’ and addressed Sayid by name, it seems at a minimum those two parts of his memory are back.
They were feigning ignorance because the doctor was there. They don’t want to tip the boat’s crew off about Michael.