Episode 218 - Secret Clue

On this week's episode, DAVE, we learnt a lot about the tragic past of Hurley, some terrifying secrets were let slip by Fake Henry Gale and a shocking crossover in a flashback took place. According to Fenry, not even God knows where they are - no one can see "this place". He gets his manipulative claws deep into Locke once again, claiming to have never pressed the button and that the sequence reset by itself, rendering the hatch "a joke" and shaking the hatch guardian's faith to the core. That's a pretty big statement; if he's telling the truth, then it's all a test, but if he's lying...

How fitting it was the Fenry was strung up exactly how he'd predicted to Ana-Lucia three weeks ago. Sayid sprung him lying yet again when he pulled out the real Henry Gale's last words, scribbled on a bill. Fenry claims that he didn't kill Henry, causing Sayid to pull the gun, and then Fenry lets out a few juicy tidbits. Apparently, someone is running the show - "Him" - and He'll kill Fenry if he gives the information. And before you think he means the No-Bearded Man, Fenry almost spits with laughter when asked just that, replying, "Him? He's nobody. Nothing!" Who is in charge here?

Through the flashbacks, we found out a great deal about Hurley's stay at Santa Rosa Mental Institute. We can now add Hurley to the list of those who've killed; he was the 23rd person to step out on a second-story deck built for 8, causing it to collapse and kill two. After the event, according to his psychologist Dr Brooks, he was "practically catatonic", not talking or sleeping, only punishing himself by continuing to eat. Dr. Brooks believes that Hurley created his imaginary friend Dave as a punishment for his actions, showing him the polaroid to convince him. Dave only ever appears on the island when Hurley is being tempted by food, and even in the hospital he suggests to Hurley he pick up a plate of leftovers as they attempt to sneak out. Dave acknowledges to Hurley that he isn't real on the island, but the points that he raises about the coincidence of so many things linked to Santa Rosa suggests that he could have existed and that he was telling the truth. Dave himself raised the point that the polaroid could have easily been Photoshopped or altered at Kinkos, and therein lies an interesting question; upon closer study of the photo, a few things seem to be different from when it was taken. In the photo, it's dark outside and there is little behind Hurley. When the photo was taken, it was daytime, there was a poster on the wall and two men seated behind him. Photo trickery or clever angles?

Dave says that the numbers that seem to be so mysteriously tied to both Hurley and the island have come straight from Leonard. We learnt previously that Leonard and Sam Toomey had served on a naval base, where they had intercepted those numbers. Hearing the numbers repeatedly from Leonard while playing the 42-piece Connect 4 game could have caused them to remain in Hurley's subconscious, and if he truly is stuck in his own mind, it would explain their constant significance on the island as his anchor to reality. The island can stem from the picture of a (very familiar looking) island hanging over Hurley in Dr. Brooks' office, a patient on the basketball court is clutching a stuffed polar bear toy to his chest and, of course, Libby, the mysterious island blonde who happens to be the only young woman we see at Santa Rosa...

Was imaginary Dave on the island telling Hurley the truth? Anyone following the LOST Ninja's progress in the hunt for the truth about The Hanso Foundation and DHARMA would have found this episode interesting, considering what the has recently been revealed about the Mental Health Appeal and various psychological studies...