Are We Being Misled On Ethan?

[Choppin Broccoli]

I was thinking about this the other night, and it occurred to me that we're being intentionally misled about Ethan. When we're first introduced to Ethan, he's working with Locke. Locke seems to have a pretty good grip on what's going on on this island, and he also seems to have pretty good insight into people's character. Would Locke really be working with Ethan if he were evil?

I think it all goes back to the conversation Locke had with Walt while they were playing Backgammon. "Two sides. One light, one dark."

Maybe Walt is not the only kid on the island with mysterious powers. Maybe Claire's baby will have powers too. Except, the only difference is, one of the children will have powers of good (or "light" powers) and the other will have powers of evil ("dark" powers). One could make the argument that since it appears that whenever Walt uses his powers, something or someone dies, Walt might actually be the child who has "dark" powers, thereby making Claire's baby the child with the "light" powers. So, is it possible that instead of Ethan being evil and stealing Claire's baby for some evil purpose, Ethan is actually a GOOD guy, who kidnapped Claire's baby in order to keep it safe (a la Obi-Wan Kenobi separating Luke and Leia at birth in order to keep them from being corrupted)?

By the way, this is NOT the only subtle "Star Wars" reference in the show. There have been a few others. In fact, when Jack helped Shannon start breathing again after an asthma attack, Hurley said something like, "That was some JEDI stuff." There are some others, too, but I can't remember them right now.

[cinderellabop]

I think someone posted an "Ethan isn't evil" thread once before, but had a different theory behind it. It's a nice idea, and I wouldn't put it past JJ & Co to pull a switch on us. But there is still the matter of Charlie's hanging. I can't imagine how Ethan could be a "good guy" after he did that. And if it wasn't Ethan who did it, then it was "the Others," who seem to be working with Ethan.

However... I have thought the exact thing about Locke myself. Since Locke is the guy who seems to know what's going on, it just seems really weird to me that Locke could have been so wrong as to put his trust in Ethan.

[Wynter Zera]

It's possible.

[Hodgepodge]

cinderellabop says:
...But there is still the matter of Charlie's hanging. I can't imagine how Ethan could be a "good guy" after he did that...
I'd like to piggy-back cinderellabop's statement with another visual. In the previews of Homecoming, Ethan has a death-grip around Charlie's neck. I can't imagine that from a nice guy!

[RUready2getLOST]

Well, 1. We don't know for sure that Walt has supernatural powers. Yes, we saw the bird hit the window, and it appeared to be the same one in Walt's book. We also saw the polar bear in the comic book, and then one appeared, but Danielle DID say "If we're lucky, it's one of the bears." Apparently, there were already bears on the island, and Danielle knew about them.
2. We don't know that Locke is "good" either. He could very well be the main enemy in this story, but we don't know for sure. He might seem like a great leader, a protector, someone filled with much wisdom, but this all could be very deceiving.

Your theory is great in the fact that Ethan could be a "good" character, but he can not allow people to interfere with what he is doing. For example, when Ethan had kidnapped Charlie and Claire, it could have been for their protection. Ethan might not have intended for them to be harmed, but we (the viewers) get a sense from what we have seen, that Ethan is "bad".

[futureidol]

On the significance of names thread I decided to make a full list of first and last name meanings for my own interest in the truth behind names and I came up with some surprising meanings pertaining to the name ETHAN. Others had found the name to mean strong and constant, but I stumbled upon a more shocking meaning: THE GIFT OF THE ISLAND. I couldn't believe it! I thought it might be another frighteningly awesome coincidence, as I have found many biblical, spiritual, etc. references that are so coincidental I'd be hard pressed to disbelieve their intentionality. Ethan is a biblical name and I have found it to mean "gift of the island" on numerous sites, but do not know the full story behind the name as I am an atheist with little practice in bible study. I do know that there was an island called Ethanim and a wise man named Ethan (Old Testament) was somehow its gift.
As for ROM, well I immediately thought ROME, abbreviated ROM in the bible. After looking up Rom in a surname dictionary, it confirmed that Rom is an abbreviation for Rome. Now a while back I had looked up 8:15 under Rom in the bible and found a few lines concerning the bondage of children in Egypt. The quote didn't exactly strike me as pertaining to the show, it did involve children, but the words "bondage" and "adoption" being in the quote were the oddest things about it.
Now I'm not sure if I'm on the "Ethan is good" boat, but I concur that there are two children, one light, one dark, one good, one evil on the island. Claire's episode is utterly fascinating to me and I am convinced that her child is some sort of messiah, or at least extremely important and magical in some way. Discovering the truth about Walt has confirmed this idea for me.
As for how Ethan is "the gift of the island", I am drawing a blank... But the Biblical references just keep coming and I'm sure they will fit together eventually. Here's a list of discoveries I've made:
The two most biblical names are Christian Shephard and Ethan Rom, and both have appeared as hallucinations in Jack's eyes.
The two children on the island may be representations of good and evil, God and Satan.
The number 8:15 is very important, and every quote in the bible under this number seems to fit somehow with Lost.
There are 14 main characters, and there are 7 deadly sins and 7 heavenly virtues, each character possesses one of these sins or virtues more than the others. note: this isn't actually a biblical idea, but a later Medieval concoction.
There is a constant conflict between the "shepherd" (Jack) and the "robber" (Sawyer), a classic biblical theme.
I have more but I'm pressed for time at the moment.

[deelsee7]

I also believe we are being misled about Ethan, so I LOVE it that his name can mean 'Gift of the Island'. And we have been told that the names of the characters are not accidental.

It is true that Rom could mean Rome, but it could also mean ROM (Read Only Memory). Is it possible that Ethan is a 'construct' of some sort, you know, robot, android, cyborg, etc.? If his fight with Jack actually took place, it could explain his superior strength and speed. If he hung Charlie, it could explain having the strength needed to haul him so high in that tree. Could also explain how one person could abduct two.

If Ethan was truly trying to kill Charlie, Charlie's hands would have been tied. I know, I know, he would have died if Jack and Kate hadn't found him in time and if Jack had not been so persistant in trying to revive him. But still, those untied hands really bug me...

[Clementine Kruczynski]

Wow futureidol, that makes a lot of sense, especially with the whole "light" and "dark" idea, the 7 deadly sins and the 7 virtues. You have more?

[ClaireAndCharlie]

I like this theory. It's really annoying because there's a lot of controversy out there about Ethan being "good" or "bad". At first, when I saw the episode, I immediately thought, "Omigod that guy is an evil morbid freak!" But Locke working with him right there is bugging the crap out of me, since Locke supposedly knows everything about everyone, I guess you could say. I do believe that Ethan was on the plane, since it was never stated who wasn't on the manifest. Maybe Hurley is a dirty little liar (well not little :b ) But if Ethan is a nice guy, and he killed Charlie (maybe more than once) I should start hanging out with different people.

But if Ethan did abduct Claire for the safety of her and her baby, why did he take Charlie too? Just cause he was there and would'bt suspect anything..?

[deelsee7]

I don't think he had much choice. There's no way Charlie would've let ANYONE take Claire without a fight, and if he just knocked Charlie out and left him, when Charlie woke up, he would've told everyone what had happened. Ethan did have the option of killing Charlie right there - and he didn't. Instead, he drags him through the jungle, hauls him WAY up in a tree and hangs him? There's got to be WAY MORE going on here than we've seen so far. I hope we find out a little more next Wednesday!

[NurseHotLips]

I've been thinking about Ethan too. In Solitarty he shows up hunting with Locke. How long had he been around camp? I know Hurley eventually gets all the names coorilated with the manifest, but wouldn't have people noticed some guy showing up in camp a week after they crashed? Seems like he would have had to appear and blend in from pretty early on. Which means he knew/saw when they crashed.

I'm also perplexed on how Ethan hung Charlie. We don't actually know that Ethan did it by himself. He told Jack if he didn't stop following him he'd kill Charlie or Claire. when he said this he didn't have either with him. Seems like he'd have to have an accomplice to keep them both together and scared to not run away. And then to get Charlie up int he tree while keeping an eye on Claire.

I don't really have any theories, just perplexed. Thought I'd share.

[ccmerlot]

I don't think this is a spoiler because the info came from the preview of the upcoming episode:
Could a good guy threaten to kill, one at a time, the survivors on the island until the obviously traumatized Claire is returned to him?

[xLegenDx]

going back to the first post, where it is stated Ethan was working with Locke and Locke has a good sense for people, do you think Locke maybe just picks the gullable people, the people he can get to do what he wants without questions.
Or maybe Locke and Ethan are in cohersions, I just made a topic a little bit ago about Locke being possesed, maybe Ethan is to, and i dont believe it effects them all the time. Since Locke is sometimes the guy with knowledge who helps, and Ethan, when he first heard about Claire being in labor,m he ran the opposite way to get help, yet showed up later acting all funny...

[hppydppy1]

ethan is creepy. he looked soft and friendly at first, then after claire had false labor and charlie saw him and told him to go get jack, he showed up looking very transfixed and evil. also, where the heck is vincent???? that dog always disappears wehn something bad is to happen. it just sets my theory more that vincent is not the dog he appears to be. could he be shapeshifting into ethan? spying and listening to what is said and so forth as vincent? as for ethan being a droid, very possible he is one who has learned human feelings, or is a man with a messed up chip in his brain, mixed up, bouncing back and forth from good to evil. or! could he be alex? (so alex is not really dead?) ethan was there before the plane crashed. maybe the one who dies is rose? the angel-like lady who seemed to help others through something, in an ethereal way, with her enlightening words. so this would make them all sad.

[soup]

Maybe Charlie is destined to be a bad guy.

cool, a psychic "Lord of the Flies"

[kaycee13]

This has probably been speculated on before... but maybe Ethan is the one supposedly on the medication, and it ran out, which is causing him to do all these crazy/violent things?

[Wynter Zera]

I'm inclined to agree more with this theory after rewatching part of the episode, because of a specific spoiler...

[east928]

Maybe Ethan hung charlie, but KNEW Charlie wouldn't die. He 'hung' him to scare off people...but really wants to help Claire. (IF Ethan is good). OR: If Ethan is bad, then yes, maybe Ethan IS Vincent the dog, and maybe even he was the phsyic. Heck, i don't know.

[luxe]

Great ideas. I like the idea of Ethan possibly being good, although they are doing quite a job making him look evil with those facial expressions, the hanging, threatening to kill people, etc.

I am not sure if they would go so far off the story to surprise us but stranger things have happened. If he is evil, the idea of claire needing to raise her child alone and Ethan's pursuit of the baby makes sense. Otherwise, if he is good and knows she needs to raise the baby, why is he taking it? If it is to protect her, why is she returning with amnesia and looking so tortured and worn? It just makes more sense that he is evil and a bad guy. But I guess we shall see.

Locke is still very confusing. I do believe he is creating a little alliance of "followers" and because he has said the walkabout is his destiny, i wonder if he will eventually be the leader of the good who fights the leader of the bad "others." Jack appears to be a leader, as do Sayid and Kate, but Locke has accepted his role on the island from the get go and known it was his destiny. This makes me believe that he is good. If he is evil, he is slowly creating a group of "followers" for some strange task, maybe to overpower and eventually conquer claires baby...(whatever that means:D )

[Bushwoods]

A couple things I caught last night show me that Ethan may be good or evil, but he does seem to care about the well being of the people on the island.
When Hurley finds him to talk about the census, he is picking fruit and tossing them in a handmade basket. He is by himself, not doing this in a group or anything. If he was only after Claire, wouldn't he be plotting or watching her instead of providing food for the group?
Also, I think that he may have simply been waiting for the baby to come and then he wanted to take it. His plan had to be rushed into action because of the census. When Hurley said that he was taking a log of the group, Ethan must have put two and two together and realized they would figure him out. That's why he grabbed Claire before she had the baby. I think that he only hurt Charlie to follow through on his seriousness with Jack. He told Jack that he would kill one of them if he was followed, Jack followed so he had to show he wasn't bluffing.
I think that Ethan may also fear the "sickness" on the island (like Danielle). And that this is why he wants the baby, to protect it.

[drabauer]

Wynter: exactly *what* do you agree with, and *which* spoiler are you referring to?????
8o

[Wynter Zera]

I agree with the main theory. That Ethan isn't a villian per say. And I'm refering to the drug issue.

[jcrew1179]

Thats really cool that Ethan means THE GIFT OF THE ISLAND. thats definately deliberate. If that is true, then Ethan is probably not Danielle's son. I'm sure if anyone knows the Biblical story behind Ethan, then it may bring to light how Ethan got on the island and what his purpose and his Gift really is.

Maybe his Gift is to raise the Claire's child as the new messiah?

[NeillT006]

It is true that Rom could mean Rome, but it could also mean ROM (Read Only Memory). Is it possible that Ethan is a 'construct' of some sort, you know, robot, android, cyborg, etc.?

Deelsee:

I was pursuing this same thought and did not see your post, but want to make sure to acknowledge your prior posting.

Freud/Matrix (http://p073.ezboard.com/flosttheunofficalforumfortheabcseriesfrm29.showMes sageRange?topicID=800.topic&start=61&stop=80)

Neill

[Rooster]

Nice guys do not make death threats like the one Ethan gave Charlie in last nights previews.It also looks like Claire put up a good fight for her freedom, from the scratches on Ethans face.

[Purgatori]

I would like to know that as well....