Dez question: AWOL in 4.2?

[Fourtoes]

Hi Desmond fans, I've asked this on other threads but gotten no response. Am I correct in thinking that we saw no sign of Desmond and are completely unaware of his whereabouts during 4.2? And furthermore, he may have been the only regular (except Michael and Walt) who did not make an appearance. (Actually, I can't remember if we saw Jin or Sun either.) If I'm right about this, does anyone have an idea about what he could be up to?

[aggiesean]

I didn't see him either, which was very odd, considering I thought that in 4.1 he went with Locke, and we pretty much saw all of them.

:Cowdance:

[cinderellabop]

Actually, I'm pretty sure he went with Jack. It's a head-scratching decision, really... but he did not go with Locke. Most likely he was on the beach.

[aggiesean]

Actually, I'm pretty sure he went with Jack. It's a head-scratching decision, really... but he did not go with Locke. Most likely he was on the beach.
Does anyone have the screencap of this from 4.1? I just figured he went with Hurley and Claire because Penny told Charlie that she wasn't affiliated with the rescuers, and staying with Locke would, at the moment, make it more likely that Penny'd come rescue him from the island.

:Cowdance:

[Brian]

Does anyone have the screencap of this from 4.1?

He's still standing by the fuselage when Team Locke departs. I pulled a capture, as clear as possible, and tried to highlight the area that is Des. He's easy to spot because of his open blue shirt.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v698/Leuthen2/Screencaps/S4E1Desmond1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v698/Leuthen2/Screencaps/S4E1Desmond2.jpg

[a70eezchild]

I'm amazed by how many people think he went with Team Locke. However, I admit it was kinda confusing, thank goodness for screen caps!

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa125/a70eezchild1/Desstayswithfuselage.jpg

[Brian]

There's a production note at Lostpedia which states that Desmond (along with Jin and Sun) does not appear in 4x02, so we didn't miss him, he wasn't there. :)

[time is a river]

In a way it seems strange that he went with Jack, because he was the one who actually saw the message on Charlie's hand: "not Penny's boat." But maybe his reasoning was that even if it wasn't Penny behind the rescue mission he could still get off the island and search for Penny.

[sgtdraino]

He did stay with Jack, I don't understand why either. It was kinda weird, TPTB kept his status very low key throughout that whole scene. He doesn't speak throughout the argument, nor does he participate in anything, like pulling Jack off Locke. He just stands there silently through the whole thing. In fact, I don't think he says anything past the point where Hurley says he'll tell Claire about Charlie. After that, Desmond fades into the background, and as mentioned, is completely absent in 4.2.

I would have thought at the very least Desmond would have stuck with Claire, to see if his vision of her getting on a helicopter pans out.

[time is a river]

He did stay with Jack, I don't understand why either. It was kinda weird, TPTB kept his status very low key throughout that whole scene. He doesn't speak throughout the argument, nor does he participate in anything, like pulling Jack off Locke. He just stands there silently through the whole thing. In fact, I don't think he says anything past the point where Hurley says he'll tell Claire about Charlie. After that, Desmond fades into the background, and as mentioned, is completely absent in 4.2.

Yes, I was very disappointed that Desmond didn't have more screen time in S4E1. Hurley seems to get all his lines. Why didn't Desmond announce what happened to Charlie, and talk about what it means? He was the one who was there after all.

[Fourtoes]

Thanks to everyone who answered my question. I'm wondering whether we will learn that Desmond has taken an altogether different path and is not exactly with either team.

It's probably worth looking at Desmond's perspective:
Locke's team is dominated by Locke, though it also includes such personalities as Hurley, Claire, Sawyer and a captive Ben. Desmond has an affinity for Hurley and Claire dating to events we saw during S3, as well as 4.1. But he has no such warm feelings toward Locke, with whom he has had virtually no contact since early in S3. Desmond's strongest impression of Locke undoubtedly remains from the final events in the Swan. It's thus likely that Desmond does not consider Locke an admirable leader. Add to this the news that Locke has killed Naomi after Desmond worked so hard to save her. Desmond's attitude is likely that getting Naomi to talk was a much better idea than silencing her.

Jack, on the other hand, has an uncanny connection with Desmond going back to the days before the island. The plan to reach the Looking Glass was coordinated with Jack. The plan came off very well, especially from Jack's end, and Desmond's respect for Jack's leadership is probably fairly strong right now.

So while I can see Desmond sticking with Jack, I think it makes even more sense for him to strike out on his own. I think not showing him in that episode can hardly have been coincidental.

[sgtdraino]

Well, Demond finally showed up again, but it still kinda confuses me.

So, apparently, he's just been sitting on his butt down at the beach, waiting for "not Penny's boat" to come pick him up, or slaughter everyone. Didn't follow up on Claire, didn't do anything proactive to find out about the helicopter people, or why Naomi had a picture of him and Penny. Just sat on his butt until Juliet dragged him over to where the helicopter is parked. Disappointing!

Not exactly dissing the character, because it really seems out-of-character to me. Weak writing?

[sweetsunray]

It's not really out of character... Most of the time he's by himself, drinking, hanging out on the beach. S3 he had lots of stuff to do with saving Charlie all the time. But after Charlie was gone I guess he fell in a black hole.

I didn't expect him to go with Locke (don't forget he witnessed Locke at his worst so far). There's the Penny lure to get off, finding out about the pic Naomi has, absolutely tired about of island. He often still seems to feel as if he's an outsider rather than a Lostie, and doesn't forward himself except when he has a vision.

Also SgtDraino, Desmond didn't even know the heli had already landed with the Miles, Daniel, Charlotte and Frank.

[sgtdraino]

It's not really out of character... Most of the time he's by himself, drinking, hanging out on the beach. S3 he had lots of stuff to do with saving Charlie all the time. But after Charlie was gone I guess he fell in a black hole.

Charlie's only been gone for like, a day. Was he really drinking? I didn't catch that.

I didn't expect him to go with Locke (don't forget he witnessed Locke at his worst so far).

What, blowing the hatch? I think that's water under the bridge. I think Desmond believes it was destiny.

Also SgtDraino, Desmond didn't even know the heli had already landed with the Miles, Daniel, Charlotte and Frank.

If he'd been proactive, and gone with Sayid and Juliet, he'd know.

[sweetsunray]

Charlie's only been gone for like, a day. Was he really drinking? I didn't catch that.

I didn't mean that Desmond was drinking the past day in the series (although I suspect he did), just that a lot of the time he's not the one to initiate action, and instead does whatever he does on the beach. Don't see how Charlie being gone only for a day advocates Desmond getting into action, quite the opposite. Charlie's loss would have probably made him want to grab for the bottle first.


What, blowing the hatch? I think that's water under the bridge. I think Desmond believes it was destiny.

Yet there was the way Locke did it: Locke was ruthless when it came down to it: locking out a priest, not caring whether Eko or Charlie were possibly wounded after they blew up the dynamite.

There's a difference between forgiving and forgetting. People can forgive others for the results of their mistakes, accept the results even, but not forget the other person's tactics. Then people become wary of the other, or want to have as little to do with them as possible.


If he'd been proactive, and gone with Sayid and Juliet, he'd know.

Yup, but Desmond's not really a proactive man, except when he has a flash.

[sgtdraino]

Yet there was the way Locke did it: Locke was ruthless when it came down to it: locking out a priest, not caring whether Eko or Charlie were possibly wounded after they blew up the dynamite.

Granted, but I've seen zero indication that Desmond holds any grudge or misgiving against Locke since that time. Quite the opposite, when Desmond is convinced that Locke will rescue Jack, Kate, and Sawyer from the Others. Towards the end of the hatch scene, Desmond tells Locke that he believes things were meant to happen the way they have.

Have you ever heard Desmond express any negativity in regards to Locke since the end of Season 2? I have not.

Yup, but Desmond's not really a proactive man, except when he has a flash.

That is true, I suppose. I wonder if he's stopped having them? Still, you'd think his last flashes (the one that shows Claire getting on a helicopter) would motivate him towards proactivity.

[sweetsunray]

Have you ever heard Desmond express any negativity in regards to Locke since the end of Season 2? I have not.

If you've forgiven a person you don't express negativity. You just learn your lesson and keep out of the way on crucial moments :D


That is true, I suppose.

Wow!!!!! First time Draino admits to a point I made, albeit begrudgingly :nanabobo: (I'm exaggerating of course)



I wonder if he's stopped having them? Still, you'd think his last flashes (the one that shows Claire getting on a helicopter) would motivate him towards proactivity.

For the moment, yes I do think he hasn't had any new flashes: no Charlie, no flashes, until somebody else's life gets to be endangered

Why would Desmond be motivated to act proactively to something he saw that seemed to be a positive outcome, and all the prior actions leading up to it have already occurred? He acted only pro actively when someobody needed to be saved from dying, or when some sacrifice needed to be mode to make somethign "good" happen.

Anyway, Charlie died, turning that switch and this would have Claire and Aaron board a helicopter. Trying to be pro active might interfere with the outcome, might end up with Claire and Aaron not getting on board of the heli.

More, while everybody thinks Des ought to be the first in line to go with Locke because of the way Charlie died and Des returned to the beach crying they had to stop the doc from contacting the boat, when it could not be altered anymore, I'm sure Des felt he would just have faith in his flash about Claire and Aaron getting on board. His flash is the only argument you need for Des to choose to go with Jack and sit back to watch it enfold.

[Reduak]

Well, Demond finally showed up again, but it still kinda confuses me.

So, apparently, he's just been sitting on his butt down at the beach, waiting for "not Penny's boat" to come pick him up, or slaughter everyone. Didn't follow up on Claire, didn't do anything proactive to find out about the helicopter people, or why Naomi had a picture of him and Penny. Just sat on his butt until Juliet dragged him over to where the helicopter is parked. Disappointing!

Not exactly dissing the character, because it really seems out-of-character to me. Weak writing?

I didn't see anyone mention this, so I thought I'd throw my two sense in.

You mentioned the photo in passing, but I think that's the main reason Des made the decision he did. I don't think his decision to go back to the beach had anything to do with what he thought of either Jack or Locke as a leader. Naomi had the picture of he and Penny, and claimed to be working for Penny. After seeing Charlie's message, he's probably going to want two big questions answered...

Where'd you get my picture if you're not working for Penny?
How'd you know I was on this Island if you're not working for Penny?

Running off to hide with Locke wouldn't let him get those questions answered, so the only logical option is to go back the beach and confront them when they arrive.

[sgtdraino]

That could be, Reduak, that makes sense. It just bothers me that, since he made that choice, all he's done is sit on his butt down at the beach. I would have expected him to be right alongside Juliet and Sayid, ambushing helicopter people and demanding some friggin answers.

[Reduak]

That could be, Reduak, that makes sense. It just bothers me that, since he made that choice, all he's done is sit on his butt down at the beach. I would have expected him to be right alongside Juliet and Sayid, ambushing helicopter people and demanding some friggin answers.

Well, in his (and TPTB's) defense, he may not have known all that was going on until Juliette came back to the beach for him. It seems like she and Sayid took it upon themselves to come looking for Jack & Kate. It wasn't until after that when they started going after the freighter folk.

Plus, that would the first time he'd have time to sit down and think about everything that happened down in the Looking Glass and Charlie's message. He is pretty introspective when it comes to stuff like that.