Episode 224 - Secret Clue

The second season finale, "Die Together, Die Alone" finally answered several questions that have been keeping us awake at night, such as the truth behind the button, the real status of the fake Henry Gale, the fate of Kelvin and, most importantly, that the outside world is still operating and Penelope is searching for Desmond.

Some of the island's mysteries were revealed to be nothing more than a ruse throughout the episode. Before they were attacked, Michael's group came across the notebook pneumatic tubes from the Pearl hatch, all dumped into a field - we know this was the same pile because Jack discovered Locke's map -where they heard the whispers, with a distinct "Elizabeth" that begun the chorus. When Sayid ambushed the Other's camp, he found it abandoned and their hatch door simply masking the rock face, most likely the scribbled out hatch that was seen on the secret blast door map painted by Kelvin and Radzinski. We also caught a glimpse into the hole blown in the concrete wall by Eko where a corridor lays waiting, further validating Radzinski's map.

In a threateningly silent fashion, Fenry Gale revealed himself to be in charge when he arrived on the same boat that had Mr Beardy, now known as Tom, had used to kidnap Walt. First addressing Michael, he told him that his people kept their word, and that if Michael and Walt keep on a bearing of 325 degrees, they will find rescue. He was noticeably unsurprised when Desmond turned the key and begun the system termination, meaning he probably set Locke up to not press the button once he had eventually made his escape. Ms Klugh, now known as Bea, tells Hurley that he must return to the camp and warn the survivors that they must never trek to the Pala Ferry, and with Jack's nod of approval, he sets out alone. Hurley certainly creates an unpredictable factor through his apparent bad luck - could this be why he was sent back? Or could they be giving the cowardly lion a hero's task? Especially since the Others are "the good guys"?

While secretly following Kelvin, the Dharma Initiative volunteer, outside for the first time in three years, Desmond learnt the shocking truth behind the sickness - it was made up by Kelvin, so that Desmond would stay inside and push the button while Kelvin could work on his escape. This doesn't rule out there being a sickness though - Rousseau killed her crew, claiming them to be suffering from the it, and Claire is a firm believer.

Through Kelvin's actions, however, we learnt the true nature of the button - it discharges the geologically unique electromagnetism that builds up below before it become overpoweringly magnetic. He never mentions the original use of the hatch, but that the Incident was "a leak" and is why they must now press the button. Using the log Eko retrieved from the Pearl, Desmond worked out that the SYSTEM FAILURE he was responsible for caused the crash of Oceanic 815, as he had not entered the code on time at 922044:16 - September 22, 2004, the date of the crash. If this is the case, could Locke's lateness entering the number 9 days after Desmond leaving be responsible for his arrival back at the island?

The final two minutes were mind boggling - two Portuguese speaking technicians posted somewhere in a snowstorm, monitoring for magnetic anomalies are alerted to a finding - 7418880 - the numbers multiplied by one another. By broadcasting that number, have we finally learnt the true purpose of the numbers - were they keeping the magnetic field in check, hiding the island from the eyes and satellites of the world? Even more shocking, the technicians report the news to Desmond's eternal love Penelope Widmore, who also happens to be the daughter of Charles Widmore, board member of the Hanso Foundation - financial backers of the Dharma Initiative!

While the TV season may be over, the hunt for truth about the Hanso Foundation is far from it. Over the last few months, the LOST Ninja has helped reveal the truth behind the mysterious Black Rock ship seen in season one, the meaning of DHARMA and at currently he is hard at work at cracking the Valenzetti Equation, which apparently predicts when humanity will wipe itself out - The Ninja thinks it involves the numbers, it's not far away, and the only copy of the equation is in the possession of the long missing Alvar Hanso...