Theory on French distress call

[dispensable]

What if... The French didn't actually crash onto the island, but they were there on purpose? They could have used the location to experiment with weapons, etc (because there is French territory relatively near the Fiji area). And they could have been using animals, such as the polar bear, for experiments (maybe to allow them to adapt and be able to live in different habitats). One of the experiments could have gone wrong, creating a "monster" animal that killed the French scientists... resulting in the distress call. :hat Yeah?

[dispensable]

No one agrees?

[very lost indeed]

Maybe. But this theory isn't original, and has come up in other topics. No offense, either. I thought of it too, but this idea has been way overdone in both TV and Movies.

[dispensable]

Well, I hadn't read it anywhere else on the site, nor did I get it from another source. I thought it could be possile - with the French territory nearby and all. It makes sense.

[Bungarian]

There has to be a base or something on the island with a power source because the message has been playing so long. No way batteries last that long plus it has to be weather proof to keep the radio from getting wet.

If you are right then perhaps the plane was shot or brought down by some defensive system the French put on the island.

Also perhaps they used some technology to hide the island from the outside world.

[Sleeestack]

A quick Google Spelunkering turns up the following factoids:

1. French Polynesia (the likely geographical location) is approximately 1000 miles N.E. of New Zealand.

2. The French shifted their nuclear research from the Sahara to that location in 1966 (and continued research into the late 1980's).

3. I couldn't find anything "Atlantislike" or "Bermuda Trianglish" in French Polynesia, other than a strange dissapearance of a basketball star and entourage on a yacht in 2002, and Easter Island (which is a little too far away to figure into this imo).

4. While a little sci fi, I think JJ will keep the plot grounded mostly in logic and believable psuedo science. While I agree that there have been a number of sublte religious overtones, I am sensing that the plot won't delve too deep into biblical mythos.

5. Pitcairn Island and Marquesas mark the perimeter of French Polynesia. You will remember Pitcairn as the paradise inhabited by the mutineers from "Mutiny on the Bounty," an actual event.

Prediction: Even though interview suggest that other groups have been "lost" on the island, perhaps French nuclear testing created some sort of vortex or abomination which exacerbated the "lost-causing force", perhaps blasting a hole in the space/time continuum or a creating an atmospheric Bermuda triangle type thing which messes up weather patterns. It also seems that the intended recipient of the distress call "knew" about the existence of the "thing," which was perhaps created (intentionally or not) through some sort of genetic mutation caused by the radiation or by some experiment gone awry. (King Kong? Godzilla? Enoch? Al Franken?)...

SOoooo, I agree that so far the clues steer towards the conclusion that the French had a military or scientific base on the Island. Perhaps the time/continuum anomaly prevents radio broadcast through to civilization?

Aside: it has to be an island--unless it is a lost continent or different planet accessed through a hole in time [think "Marshall, Will, and Holly on a routine expedition") which is waaaaaay out there... but would be fun! Or, maybe it is a "Land that Time Forgot" in the Antartic--that would be cool too.

Observation One: There is a science fiction story by Jerome Bixby entitled "Its a Good Life." The story is about a 6 year old boy, Anthony Fremont -- AKA Mumy (with a wet purple gaze) who destroys the rest of the world except for his own town (the town of Peaksville, pop. 46). His mind is so powerful that he can read people's thoughts and send them to "the cornfield" if the thoughts are bad. He can create, destroy, morph at will. The townspeople are allowed to remain, but are his servants and live to entertain him. If they defy him in any way, they are destroyed, disfigured, or banished.

The Boy in Lost reminds me of this story. He mentioned to Locke that he did not have an Australian accent because "he moved around alot." This suggests that he and Mom may have been on the run--perhaps because of his ESP powers?
The Polar bear may have been conjured by him (as mentioned here in the past). The Twilight Zone did a sequal to this called, "Its Still a Good Life." Perhaps this represents a parapsychological bent to the plot? I still think that is too farfetched and that JJ will steer closer to believable psuedo science. Then again, all of your "fear" comments may suggest that little junior is reading bad thoughts and making the nightmares come true!

Obvious Observatoin/Prediction Two: JJ is using symbolism with the name "Locke." He knows something secret--which he is hiding or locking from the others. He may be "locking" the survivors in the prison of this Island because he may know a way out. The actor was a castmember of Millenium (I loved that show. Frank Black! Pixies?). I predict Locke is military or a spy, and knows of the island through past espionage.

It is going to be really interesting if the series delves into the supernatural or religious themes.

Some links:

www.thebulletin.org/issue...lsson.html (http://www.thebulletin.org/issues/1990/mar90/mar90danielsson.html)

64.233.167.104/search?q=c...esia&hl=en (http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:Joc6PCF2ZMUJ:canterbury.cyberplace. org.nz/peace/nuchealth.html+nuclear+french+polynesia&hl=en)

go.hrw.com/atlas/norm_htm/frpolyns.htm (http://go.hrw.com/atlas/norm_htm/frpolyns.htm)


www.halcyon.com/jmashmun/...dlife.html (http://www.halcyon.com/jmashmun/npd/goodlife.html)

[dispensable]

Yes, I think that the French may have had a lot to do with what all is happening on the island. Guess we'lll find out when this "mystery French lady" shows up. Well, let me take that back... We'll probably get little hints as to if this is true or not, but I get the feeling that we won't find out what is REALLY going on for a very long time.

[Sleeestack]

Those darn Frenchies!

[dispensable]

Wow, Sleeestack. You really did your research. o_o;;

[FlynnWAtson]

hmmm i think the frenchies scientist theory is interesting. but what is the ultimately story of the show... i am pretty sure they wouldn't get rescue by anyone so soon yet. but last time a plane crash or missing they will always ended in the front page of the news paper. so let say the writter decided to make the plots more interesting, then it has something really interesting for the explanation. so far the theories are:

-- time loop
-- unsafe french isolated island with mutated creatures
-- just a plane crash story that will ended in 5 episodes or less.
P.S i think kate is hot so i gonna keep watching it...lol until her bra eventually come off... then i saw it's on ABC and i realized that isn't very likely. but anyways peeps this might be a very dramaticing tv series. i hope they gonna last and eventually comes out on dvds:\

[Kpretzer]

Well the message has been looping 16 years, five months. So what was happening back then? Pretty definitive clue Sherlocks!

Message also said "it" killed them, so the mysterious creature is a singular entity. Look for tracks or spoor.

Maybe the French came in possession of a crashed space ship and isolated an entity from that ship onto the isolated island. It awoke, ram amok and killed everyone. Maybe its an alien warbot, and the French, unable to destroy it instead isolated it on the island.

But the date appears related, n'cest pas?


Keith

[yung23]

I posted this on another board but here goes..

What were the french doing 16 years ago ?

It might help this theory..

This ISLAND has evolved seperatly & so has the wildlife there...
Just as AUSTRALIAS wildlife did, same for New Guinea and the Galapagos islands.. a lot of islands evolve its wildlife differently. Diff climates, food, weather, all create different species.. I KNOW ALL ISLANDS HAVE BEEN CHARTED, but..
What if the people WHOM charted it..
in this case it was the FRENCH who aquired the landrights.. BACK WHENEVER ... 16 YEARS ? but the people sent to Inhabit/Guard the island , were caught completely off guard by all these strange exotic and even deadly widlife and now all have been killed by the unknown beast, the top predator living there... think KOMODO DRAGON ?
but maybe Mammalian ?
Leaving a distress call etc...
And if the FRENCH were busy 16 years ago.. who would have had the time to check ?

[TeDDY RuCKSSPIN]

if we are talking about french experiments... we go back to my HOPE that this isn't a rip of THE ISLAND OF DOCTOR MOREAO... where there has been genetic experiments conducted with animals/humans... the writers probably don't want us saying LOST is a rip off of some old old show/movie... so probably not.

[yung23]

not experiments, but natural evolution..

[Sleeestack]

I still think the verbage used in the distress call suggests that the intended recipient would "know" what "it" is... I just had a thought....there has to be something about the island or location that the signal is not heard by the outside world...

If I were stranded on an Island and had the opportunity to make a distress call, I would define the creature in some way to give a head's up to my rescuer. For example, "Help Me! There is a freaken eatmesaurus killing all my homies"...

But the distress call in my view seems intended for a specific recipient. Something that was controlled or locked up, but got free.

What do we know about this creature?

1. It is large enough to move the tops of 30 foot palm trees.

2. It is dexterous enough to pluck the pilot out of the wreckage (either with small pointy teeth (suggesting a smaller head) or a hand/claws with an opposable thumb.

3. The idea for the creature was not originally in the script, suggesting that the genesis for the idea was introduced by Hawaian legends.

4. It has a vicious roar that sounds familiar to someone from Long Island.

5. It is awake both night and day.

6. It is either too large or too cumbersome to outrun humans.

7. It killed the pilot and the compadres of the French chick.

8. It is an "it" suggesting some unknown or unfamiliar species.

9. It might not be able to access the black rock.

10. It did not attack the survivors on the beach (fear of water? Fear of fire? Fear of too many people?)

11. "It" may be so dangerous that the French refused to rescue the surviving French chick (or like I said above--there is something about the location that prevents the signal from reaching the outside world).

12. The existence of a polar bear suggests that something with zoology may have been going on (when "it" escaped so did the bear?) Maybe the bear was it's food? I also think the bear might evidence proximity to the artic....

Digression: My buddy Google shows the following in a Hawaiian monster search:

(a) Mamala the surf-rider was a chiefess of kupua character. She is described as a gigantic lizard.

(b) In an old Honolulu legend, a dog-man overthrows the government of Kahanai and becomes the ruling power between Nuuanu Valley and the sea. He is a cannibal and many of the people are killed and eaten by him. He can appear at will either as a man or a dog. (Interesting? Hmmmm.)

(c) In Maui, as legend goes, the king once had a giant rooster which was cruel and destructive. This rooster had magical abilities.

(d) Dragons are among the ghost-gods of the ancient Hawaiians. Known as mo-o and kupuas, they lived in pools or lakes and could appear as animals or human beings according to their wish. Kupuas have a strange double body, and are shapeshifters. Another interesting tidbit is that these shaeshifting dragons are also embedded in other South Pacific cultures, as far west as New Zealand... The New Zealand creatures (Taniwha) are said to inhabit the ocean and inland waters, hiding in deep pools, rivers, lakes and dark caves. In 2002, New Zealand newspapers discuss a situation where a new highway which was being built in the lower wetlands inhabited by the creatures, was stopped by a taniwha. Freak accidents and unfortunate deaths plagued the scheme until, on advice from the local Ngati Naho people, Transit New Zealand moved the route to higher ground.

(e) The indigineous cultures inhabiting the islands of French Polynesia are known for their human sacrifice and cannibalism. The avowed cannibals were found in New Zealand, the Hervey Islands, the Gambier Islands, and the Marquesas. The first settlers in Hawaii are thought to have arrived probably around 500 CE by what archaeologist think were from the Marquesas.

(f) Other Hawaiian Monsters:
Fire Goddess
Night Marchers (spirit warriors)
Pele the Goddess
The Shark Boy
Kanaloa: The Squid God
Maui, The Trickster
The Menehune of Kaua`i (trolls)

I gotta go for now. Anybody an expert on Hawaiian mythology that can tighten up this monster research?

Sources:

encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Kupua (http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Kupua)

myths.allinfoabout.com/feature101.html (http://myths.allinfoabout.com/feature101.html)

www.create.org/myth/11myth.htm (http://www.create.org/myth/11myth.htm)

www.geocities.com/~olelo/legends.html (http://www.geocities.com/~olelo/legends.html)

[mlevin2]

Any ideas as to why part of the message was in French (the part actually spoken by the sender) and part was in English ("Iteration 12345")? Maybe it was just the thingy she used to send the message, so it is probably nothing...

[djshiva]

ok, so after an hour of conjecture, me and my friends had a theory that the island was a french testing ground (under the aegis of nuclear testing on south pacific atolls) for electromagnetic weirdness, and that the electromagnetics tore the plane apart and also affected some crazy genetic mutations. the polar bear would have to been brought to the island, since even the ice age would not have gone that far south.

perhaps some bermuda triangle weirdness with electromagnetics?

the french transmission would have to have some self-sustaining power source to have been transmitting that long, hence perhaps a station of some sort...

i dunno. that's what happens when tired tv junkies start talking science and tv plots...

[djshiva]

whoops...obviously i posted this before reading the rest.

damn sleestack..you did yer research... :)

[Vicki]

You're suggesting it might be some kind of Hawaiian god or guardian creature? I highly doubt that they would be able to make that in the story, it would probably be quite insulting to the native Hawaiians here seeing as how its the gods that they respect and believe in...if you know what I mean? Although your idea is quite plausible. Btw, Pele the goddess is the fire goddess ;)

[Sleeestack]

^^^

Good point. I would love for the show to take religious and heavy sci fi plot turns (viking and phoenician ships -- Atlantis--Philedelpia Experiment -- Land of the Lost -- Land that Time Forgot, etc.) --but I still think it will live within the parameters of believable psuedo-science.

Finger's crossed though.

[railwaymadness]

Ha! Google search for 1988, french, disappearance yielded a first hit of "Jules Verne Stamps: 1988: French Southern & Antarctic Lands". Apparently one of his novels is "The Mysterious Island". *strokes chin*

[Abraxas]

I see another novel written here. Ok, maybe that's just to give a nice reference for those 16 years.
What will be next?

[JacksGirlfriend]

We could possibly go there... but we could be sorry... there probably aren't enough copies of it to go around. Mysterious Island has everything - including dinosaurs (and nobody wants that).

Except Jen - she's rooting for the dinosaurs.
JacksGirl

[Abraxas]

It's quite popular, too popular, perhaps.
That's readable online, nice. Is it worth the while?
Forget it...priorities are elsewhere...

[Sleeestack]

Ha! Yes! Railway--I had forgotten all about that classic! Mystery, drama, intrigue, and a whopper of an ending! Nothing short of Cap't Nemo's sub in an underground cave. Dovetails right into Pinnerman's theory.

I am among kindred souls here...

[OneIrishRover]

I don't believe Locke's name is not a reference to a lock, as mentioned in this post.

Rather, it is a refernce to John Locke and the ideas attributed to him regarding the nature of man.

See: plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/ (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/)

[JacksGirlfriend]

Irish: I mentioned John Locke days ago and obviously no one agreed with me. I don't even remember what thread we were in. Do you know anything about him? I took philosophy years ago and have since forgotten most of it, but I think Locke dealt with man's place in society and his inherent character, right?

That's what made me think of Locke as the mediator between the dark and light (and good and evil if you want to go there - I want a touch of religious theory as well).

But you seem to be the only other person here that even might consider that. Tell me what you know.

JacksGirl

[railwaymadness]

Sorry JacksGirl! I'm sure we didn't mean to ignore you. I sure don't know much about philosopher types, although I may only speak for myself there.

But I looked over bits of a Locke page at lunch today. Just the parts about sensation vs. idea and man's ability to know things, not too much good/evil stuff there. Although there is the "white paper" / "dark room" part which might be tied in. The description I read described him as a proponent of religious tolerance, so that could point toward his role as a mediator (if I remember correctly, you like that one, yes?). Actually, that kind of philosophy could work quite well for a mediator because the basic idea seems to be "Hold on there, cowboy, let's examine our basic assumptions to determine what we actually know and what is currently unknowable." I expect that could help in the culture clashes that are bound to occur.

[JacksGirlfriend]

"Hold on there, cowboy, let's examine our basic assumptions to determine what we actually know and what is currently unknowable." I expect that could help in the culture clashes that are bound to occur.

I think it might have helped here as well.

JacksGirl

[maxpublic]

Locke must know something. After all, the guy used to be part of the Millennium Group! :-)

Max

[JacksGirlfriend]

The guys in the Millenium group were definitely brainiacs.
I think there's a few people in here that might have worked for them once.

JacksGirl

[Woodnymph12]

Wow, just read this thread for the first time. Very cool! Too many interesting things to comment on at once...

Jacksgirl, fyi Locke the philosopher has being discussed in some detail in the spoilers section-- ( /!\ Episode 04 Spoilers /!\ thread). It's hidden away there because one of the upcoming episode titles could be a reference to him...

And a minor correction: French Polynesia is NE of New Zealand, not SE. (There isn't much south of NZ besides Antarctica!)

[JacksGirlfriend]

Nymph: I'd like to see what people had to say about Locke, but I don't go to the spoilers section. I like to be surprised. If you're there, invite them over to play.

JacksGirl

[Woodnymph12]

Only a few threads in the spoiler section are very spoilery-- most are just speculation and were only spoilery back when the pilot hadn't aired yet. But I understand your reluctance to go there.

The only spoilerish things (to date) in the Locke discussion are the titles of upcoming episodes. But I'm pasting in a copy of the relevant posts here, with spoilers deleted where you see this mark[XXXX]. Hope this isn't too long:Topic: /!\ Episode 04 Spoilers /!\
------------------------------
Sobofi
Posts: 9
Posted: 8/26/04 11:29 am
Re: /!\ Episode 04 Spoilers /!\ The concept of "[XXXXXXXXX]" is philosophical term invented by a British philosopher called John Locke.

Could be a reference to the character Locke although it is a bit far-fetched, J.J. Abrams loves these kind of details.
------------------------------
kris10boo
Misplaced
Posts: 6
Posted: 9/24/04 3:14 am
Re: /!\ Episode 04 Spoilers /!\ You know...geeky psycholgy history buff here... the reference to Locke is quite interesting.

Since Locke proposed that the inherent nature of human beings is borne in habit, it's a neat addition to the story. Whatever habit you have...a drug habit, a lifestyle habit...he proposed that nothing is innate, that habits and learning make a person who they are.

Very interesting, of course. Habit is the drive that propels us to do many things - Charlie appears to reflect that.
------------------------------
TechnoChickenBone
Misplaced
Posts: 12
Posted: 9/26/04 11:12 pm
Re: /!\ Episode 04 Spoilers /!\ Back to the [XXXXXXXXX] title:

"3(b). [XXXXXXXXX] & Empiricism:

Ultimately, in his acceptance of the existence of God, Locke was a dualist -- though only barely so; he did not consider man to be a divine creature fixed with ideas on coming into this world. Locke was an empiricist, viz., all knowledge comes to us through experience. "No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience." There is no such thing as innate ideas; there is no such thing as moral precepts9; we are born with an empty mind, with a soft tablet ([XXXXXXXXX]) ready to be writ upon by experimental impressions. Beginning blank, the human mind acquires knowledge through the use of the five senses and a process of reflection..."

Source

Thus, this title is most likely a reference to how the survivors are expected to begin themselves anew, throwing aside their past lives.

[XXXXXXXX]
------------------------------
Iseult of the White Hands
Misplaced
Posts: 1
Posted: 10/1/04 8:21 am
Re: /!\ Episode 04 Spoilers /!\ You know, in formal debate, [XXXXXXXX] is the term used to describe the state of the judge. Literally, the translation means "Blank Slate", as in the judge can only know and consider what the debaters tell him or her and cannot rely on previous knowledge to determine the outcome of the debate.

Which sort of puts another spin on the whole thing. That, combined with the Locke philosophical stance, makes this operate on many levels.

[XXXXXXXX]
------------------------------

[JacksGirlfriend]

Thanks for the info - Psychology and philosophy I understand (unlike other topics which we will not discuss).

JacksGirl

[Abraxas]

The guy invited himself already.
And if I had been around I would have agreed with you, JG!
Definitely a reference to John Locke.

[CatchFoundAlias]

If the french had been on the island as we might think... ie as scientist why would this female scientist not be more specific in her distress call as to who or what it was that killed them all. All of them.

[JacksGirlfriend]

Abraxas: That's because great minds think alike.

JacksGirl

[wickedriposte]

Is there any credit for the voice of the French distress call? Could it have been an Alias cameo by Jennifer Garner?

Just a silly thought, with all the Alias 'tie-ins'.

[teamwolf]

Hey everyone, Just started today, but I have been reading the posts and have come across some interesting things. Touching on the French having a base there, If parsay they did have a base and something did go wrong, would they have really abandondeda mutated monster on the Island for someone else to capture??? I think that it will come down to having a tie in with nuclear material of some sort, Either that island was being used for illegal sales of uranium during the time that Australia cut ties with the French during 1983.

In June 1983 Prime Minister Bob Hawke announced the suspension of Australian uranium shipments to France, in order to signal the Labor Government's dislike of French nuclear testing..

So mabey the Island was a black market meeting place..

That would explain.....
1. The bear, Could have been a cub that was being sold
2. a possible power source
3. And a mysterious creature, Could have been as some many have said and experiment gone bad.

One other possible theory that I don't know if it has been considered on here, and hesitent to say due the fact that it would reach a chezz factor of about 10 out of 10..
Is if they island was training ground for terrorist and they aquired a mysterious source that they couldn't control and over took them (obviously eletromagnetic related)

[Black Dahlia]

While it seems farfetched, one must not forget that this is generally the same region in which French "experiments" gave birth to Go-du-jir-a.


P.S. At least one source confirms Mira Furlan, acclaimed Croatian/Yugolslavian actor who played Delenn on Babylon 5, as being cast as a if not "the" French woman on Lost.

[JY Yang]

Dudes. I'm reading through this list, and I'm devastated that nobody suggested the obvious:

It's Cthulhu.

The French sent an expedition to check out the weird sightings on that island 16 years ago and everybody except one got killed by the Great Old One.

Makes perfect sense doesn't it?

[railwaymadness]

Heh. I know it's floated through a couple of our minds.
There was a Lovecraft thread here (http://p073.ezboard.com/flosttheunofficalforumfortheabcseriesfrm29.showMes sage?topicID=62.topic) and it eventually links back to another Elder Gods reference.

It does make really good sense. Plus it's got everything! Aliens, monsters, insanity, invisibility, EM interference ... everything!

[Iseult of the White Hands]

I came to the same conclusion as Dispensable, though I really think that the "It" is something more like a virus, genetic mutation kind of thing. I'm also not convinced that the French are the ones behind it- maybe an outside group hoping to develop a technology to sell?

I keep getting the feeling that the plane crash survivors have fallen into the remnants of an International Incident. Like somebody was doing some nefarious and dangerous research and somebody else moved in to stop it. The French woman likely got trapped on the island because of exposure to what was there.