Episode 222 - Secret Clue

This week's episode, "Three Minutes", found us learning a little more about the sinister, mysterious Others on the island, as well as learning what Michael's been up to while out looking for Walt. We watched them share a tearful reunion, with their (cut short) three minutes of time before Walt was once again taken from his father. While Eko discovered the magnetic attraction of the hatch, we discovered that the Others are particularly interested in four of our survivors - but for what purpose?

The vaccine we've seen used by Desmond in the first episode of this season and administered to Claire by Ethan re-emerged. Charlie discovered a case filled with enough vials to last Claire and Aaron months. Interesting that it needs to be injected every 9 days, especially if it is particular about the exact timing, seeing as 24 (hours) times 9 is 216 (days), double the timer and 2/5ths of the length in the stay of the hatch… It was also interesting that Eko did not seem to notice the magnetic attraction of the hatch wall until the alarm began sounding at 4 minutes...

Rather than the usual off-island flashback episode, we discovered what Michael had done and learned since he had spoken to Walt on the computer. After being told to head north and to look for a rock with a big hole, Michael attacked Locke and Jack separately before running off after his son. In an open field he looked to have gotten the spring on an Other known as Pickett who guesses that he "must be Walt's Dad!" After being jumped by Beardy, Michael attempts to run before being shot at by Pickett. Pickett is told off by Beardy, yelling "Don't shoot, We need him!"

Caught and being led across the island at night, we see the showdown that took place at The Line from Michael's perspective. Pickett took Kate out into the clearing, not Alex who stayed behind to question a bewildered Michael. She asks about the health and sex of Claire's baby, and explains to Michael not to worry as Beardy is "just delivering a message. He has to scare your friends to do that." It was odd that Pickett said 'half a click' behind when describing where he'd caught Kate, as click is a standard military term...

Two days of walking and Michael finally arrives at the Others' camp. They are barefooted and shabby, wearing tattered clothing and milling about fixing fishing nets and cleaning. He is marched past a hatch door guarded by two men with rifles, with a logo that looks like a door itself. Pickett produces a sterile syringe and jabs Michael in the arm, taking a blood sample and putting it back into a sterile plastic baggie. Judging by the questions asked by Ms. Klugh, questions he could not answer as he wasn't there, the blood might be to test whether or not Michael is actually Walt's father. Though the question, "Did Walt ever appear somewhere where he wasn't supposed to be?" suggests it might be for the sickness. Or it could even be used for something far more sinister...

After being held captive for a week, Michael was finally allowed a three minute visit with Walt. Pickett held the boy near the door as Ms Klugh instructed Walt on how to speak to his father. Breaking from Pickett's restraint, Walt runs to his father and they embrace. He tells Michael that they "make me take tests," though Ms Klugh tells Walt that if he continues to talk about them, he will have to go back to "the room." As he is being dragged away, their time together cut short by almost an entire minute, Walt screams "They're not who they say they are! They're pretending!" If you'll remember back to what Henry whispered to Ana before he choked her, this is particularly interesting...

Finally, there was the list produced by Ms Klugh. Needing help resolving a development, she tells Michael that if he gets their man out of the hatch and returns with JACK SHEPPARD, KATE AUSTIN, JAMES FORD & HUGO REYES, then he and his son can go free. Asking who James Ford is, Michael now knows of Sawyer's new name and he even referred to Hurley as Hugo to his face, meaning he know thinks like one of them. He agrees - but wants the boat.

So who are the Others and what do they want with our survivors? The link could be that each of the four have caused another to die before the island, ruling out Eko (perhaps Smokey ruled him out?) and Ana-Lucia (now dead.) Or could it be that they were snatched for being the only people to have seen or summoned an apparition - Jack his father, Hurley Dave, Kate the black horse and Sawyer the boar. Let's not forget what happened to the other survivor we thought showed signs of summoning...