In the beginning of "The Empire Strikes Back" it only took a glance at the screen showing the shield generators for Lord Vader to know where the Rebel base was. He understood the importance of generating power.
Without a viable power source, this would just be a primative jungle isle, like Gilligan's Island. Our version of the professor, Sayid, would be stringing lines between coconuts for walkie-talkies. But that is not the case here, oh no not on "mystery - frickin' island", (if I can borrow a phrase from the late Shannon).
If anything, this island has an abundance of power. One of the first things I thought of when the losties finally got inside the Swan hatch in season two was - WOW, where does the electricity come from? I mean, every time they discovered a new station, there were plenty of monitors, computers and other gadgets that I figured they must have a pretty good electrical grid going on this island.
Initially I thought there was a giant generator humming along inside that 6 foot thick concrete wall of the Swan, but once that imploded there still seemed to be plenty of juice at the other stations still. So, that rules out the Swan as the power source.
I've Got The Power
Now as an electrician in a former life, brotha, I know a little something about moving electrons down a wire. They have the two main elements on this island to produce almost unlimited sustainable electricity. They have an abundance of magnetic material from which to manufacture generators (at least the rotors and stators, the steel they would have to import).
There is also a volcano on the island, and although dormant, probably still has some heat available. Either a geo - thermal vent or drill down to the lava bed and use the heat to create a steam plant to drive the generator. There seems to be an ocean full of water available to use.
So it is easy to understand how they are producing the juice to power the flame and the looking glass. But where is this power plant located? If not in the Swan, where? Sayid had a map showing where the DHARMA relays ran, why wouldn't he follow the wires to the source?
On the Blast Door Map was a notation that asked "Why so many DharmaTEL relays in such an untenable location?" A good question. I suspect there is yet another Station (Station 8) that has yet to be discovered. Maybe the "Power Station"?
Of course it could be a couple of giant hamsters on wheels they keep in their secret underground Lair...
So just what exactly are they doing with all this power they are making?In the Swan there was a button, when you pressed the button you saved the world. but how? When Desmond didn't get back to the hatch to press the button in time, a large magnetic field captured Flight 815 and pulled it apart over the island. Was the purpose of the Swan to control a magnetic flux capacitor?
It was somehow linked to the time travel that Desmond experienced, yet would that have happened only by turning the key, or would it have happened if he allowed the Swan to continue to melt down?
There was a great movie years ago called "The Philadelphia Experiment" about the Navy using a giant magnetic field generator to make ships invisible. The USS Eldridge was the test ship and it did sort of Phase out for a second and become invisible, but caused death and destruction to the crew. Check it out, it's a cool movie.
Even though apparently the island was somehow hidden from the world long before DHARMA got there and built the Swan. So it's not the same experiment, but still had to be a very real reason for pressing the button.
I thought it was interesting that these symbols came up that TPTB described as saying "UNDERWORLD" , what the hell does that mean? and if this Station melts down, then how come there are other symbols that appear besides the numbers?
What do these symbols mean? Is there only one meaning to a meltdown? or can something else happen here?
I can understand the numbers on the flip wheel as they are involved in the countdown sequence, it's just the other symbols that don't make any sense to be there. Unless they have another meaning.
So many questions, and I don't think we're gonna get the answers. Since the Swan is gone and the show is going to focus on "DEFEND THE ISLAND" drama, I've got a feeling the show is going to start moving away from the mysteries and become more action oriented. Guns, Outsiders, Drama, Action, Shooting, Chases etc. I can already hear the network executives screaming "we want more action and less talk" to Damon and Carlton.
Personally I really want to know more about DHARMA's work in the Swan. I was really intrigued by the whole numbers mystery. I suspect I will be disappointed and let down and LOST will turn into "Prison Break".
Can you tell I really liked Season 2? In all of Season 3 did the Swan station even get mentioned once?
Big smoking hole in the ground, end of a cool storyline. They had a whole season to tell us the effects of the sky turning purple and what did we learn? NOTHING. So there you are. Tonights post doesn't even have a theory. Just file this one under Ramblings of a LOST mind. Some of these things were just kicking around the back of my mind for a while and I needed to see it printed to see if any of it made any sense.
Don't get me wrong, I really am excited about the new season and can't wait, but I fear that the show will be taking a turn in a new direction. More off island stuff, more action, less mystery.
Namaste,
hatchling23
