government seal in his room

[tywarnerbabe]

This is my first time to participate, but did anyone tape the episode where Locke is sitting on his bed, talking to Helen? In the background of his room I spotted some kind of plaque, or award, maybe, call me silly but it kinda reminded me of the presidential seal. Could he have been secret service? But why no record of his service, then?
Anyway, I could kick myself for not recording this so I could go back and look at the stuff scattered around his room.

BTW, great message board. You guys have all raised lots of new questions for me. I love this show!

[Master Xander]

Either he just printed/bought it somewhere, or he was really, really, REALLY deep Secret Service.

I wouldn't be surprised if it's just a fake, though. People who are obsessed with that sort of thing usually go through the whole process.

[Enchirito]

Here's a look. I think yes that is a seal on his desk...
http://tinypic.com/dd0sw

And wow I think I've spotted something else... Look at that poster on his wall. Look familiar?
http://tinypic.com/dd0sj

just a bit like this poster?
http://lostmultimedia.beyondgrey.com/images/lostposter.jpg

...or am I just seeing what I want to see? It could just be an old war movie poster or something...

[Enchirito]

or maybe a Band of Brothers poster?
http://www.hyperion-film.com/phpgate/html/images/movies/poster/bandof.jpg

[Colonel Sanders luvs Lost]

In this pic you can see some type of device with a monitor on Locke's night stand. I noticed he turned it off while hewas on the phone. I wonder what it is?

http://tinypic.com/dd0sw

[Master Xander]

I've read somewhere that it could be one of those machines which sort of massage the muscles so that they don't atrophy (or at least slow down the atrophy) while they're not used...

[Leafy]

If he is into war gaming, and has dreams about being a survivalist, he probably collects stuff like seals and posters. I don't think it necessarily means he earned a seal or whatever. Some of those guys have stuff that makes their homes and offices look like something out of a government nightmare.

[tywarnerbabe]

Thanks for the pix, that is exactly what I remember seeing.
In the TV guide for next week there is an article about LOST and Damon Lindelof is quoted as saying "All I can say is, every prop is absolutely intentional" They are discussing the polar bear in the spanish comic book, and the reference to that issue, "Green Lantern/Flash: Faster Friends"
Anyway, that enforces for me, that the seal has some significance. And yes, I had wondered about the monitor type thing by the bed.

[Frogs Taste Nasty]

The poster looks like a line of soliders loading up into the back of a chopper.

[Lisa AR]

Is that a gun case to the right of the couch? If it is, I wonder if Locke took it with him?

[connundrum]

Look at the mug on the beside table. There is a mini flag next to the small US flag in the mug. It is white with what looks to me like 2 crossed red swords. Has anyone seen this before? I haven't, but it nagged at me as something important. Any thoughts?

[Leafy]

Don't know anything about the flag, but I think some country has crossed red swords as a national emblem. Flags change so often anymore it is hard to keep track

But back to the seal .... The "seal" is a commemoritive plate. I looked close on the reruns last night. It's on a little easel type stand. You can get them from places likeFranklin Mint or Danbury Mint.

[Radagast de Brun]

The flag looks like the Cross of St. George, the flag of England.

Looking at the gun, provided I have the scale right that gun is nearly 5ft long with almost 3ft of barrel. The proportions clearly indicate sniper rifle. If I have the scale right, it is almost certainly a M-82/XM107. This would be the official long-range weapon of both the US Army and Marines. There would be very little reson for a civilian to have a weapon designed to disable light armor at 2 km.

I suppose it could also be a wicked looking bass guitar, but somehow I don't picture Locke as the rocking type.

[Azriel]

When I first saw the machine beside his bed, I thought it was a police scanner.

[Enchirito]

From this angle they don't look like swords anymore. Just red squiggles.
http://tinypic.com/ejy9z

I don't know anything about sniper rifles but maybe Locke checked it with the knives. :rollin

[am i lost]

Hi! I love this show too! I really like this episode of Locke because his story was so sad! I like to thank the other person for the really good pics! Where did you get them? But I like this site because like you said it riases really good questions!

[MaxKaladin]

Let's remember that the only way we "know" there is no record of Locke working for the government is because his jerk of a boss looked it up in HR and all that proves is that Locke didn't put it on his application when he got hired.

As for the gun, I doubt he took it. Even if Australian government regulations would allow him to bring a rifle in for hunting of some kind, I suspect the walkabout group would probably not have wanted one along. Too bad, it would be useful.

[badmonky]

Hi guys...I'm (new here) totally hooked on this show i'm so glad I found this place! Anyway, that one little flag looks like....

www.nps.gov/saju/faq.html#1 (http://www.nps.gov/saju/faq.html#1)

the "Cross of Burgundy," a Spanish military flag used from the 16th to the 18th century to identify warships, forts, and regiments of troops loyal to the king of Spain.

[Enchirito]

wow it does look a lot like that flag. But why would Locke have "a Spanish military flag used from the 16th to the 18th century to identify warships, forts, and regiments of troops loyal to the king of Spain"?

Man, I can just see some prop designer sitting there making that thing thinking to himself "Some idiot is going waste his time trying to find out what this thing is... bwahahaha" :lol

[Leafy]

If he's a war gamer, one of the games he plays might involve 16th to 18th century Spanish warships. Some wargamers like to fight obscure battles.

[mokomonkey]

What gets me the most is that I put the pictures on this post into photoshop and lightened them. I just dont see ANY wheel chair, walker, crutches, or anything of the sort next to his bed.

I guess he could have a nurse.

Maybe he can walk but just not for extended periods of time and he has to take breaks.

I don't think the island is magical (I believe that they are only showing us what they want us to see) but I believe that Locke believes it is magical. Mainly because I think he is a little off in the head.

I don't know.

[Oswald]

Is that a geiger counter on the table next to his coffe pot and toaster? It looks like it could be one

http://www.cdc.gov/global/images/geiger.jpg

What does that mean, I don't know. I guess the toss up is whether he is an ex military man or just a collector that frequents army/navy surplus stores. Between the rifle and the geiger counter, I think I am leaning more towards ex military, but I am not fully convinced yet.

Someone brought up the idea that this was all going on in Locke's head ala St Elswhere, because there were no hairbrushes something a bald man such as locke could easily overlook while creating this imaginary world. While I hope the plot is deeper than that if that does hold true I think we will see clues such as things that were in Locke's room may materialize into his fantasy and therefore onto the island.

[ennui]

What gets me the most is that I put the pictures on this post into photoshop and lightened them. I just dont see ANY wheel chair, walker, crutches, or anything of the sort next to his bed.

I guess he could have a nurse.

Maybe he can walk but just not for extended periods of time and he has to take breaks.


Perhaps he's going to bed soon and has his wheelchair folded up next to the bed, out of sight. I don't think he can walk at all; he's completely parapaligic- otherwise, he wouldn't be in such awe over the ability to wiggle his tow when he wakes up from the crash.

Locke sure is a messy guy. I would have thought someone with that kind of a military obsession would be a bit more...orderly.

[Trueogre]

Could he be in a VA care home maybe?

The VZ poster thingy on the wall probably helped him get a job where he was at the time.

[susie1967]

I think the absence of a wheelchair in his room was intentional on the part of the writers. We only see Locke seated at his desk, a lunch table, then lying in bed... Then the revelation that he is wheelchair-bound. I don't think they wanted us to know that until they were ready to reveal it to add to the dramatic effect.

[KissMESawyer]

It actually looks like there are 3 flags there, the US, the red line squiggly one and one more that is half behind the US flag. Does anyone else see it? Or have I totally lost it?

:\

[Benedict]

Has anyone asked whether or not Locke might have been in Vietnam? It fits with the idea of him being a vet and also his nifty jungle skills.....

What do you guys think?

[poppieazul]

That would fit with survival skills, too. Locke is my fav because he is so egnimatic.

[Bob243]

Looking at the gun, provided I have the scale right that gun is nearly 5ft long with almost 3ft of barrel. The proportions clearly indicate sniper rifle. If I have the scale right, it is almost certainly a M-82/XM107. This would be the official long-range weapon of both the US Army and Marines. There would be very little reson for a civilian to have a weapon designed to disable light armor at 2 km
The case is no where near wide enough for an M82a1, it is about the correct size for a longrifle or a 19th century military rifle (Trapdoor, 1861, etc..) I doubt something like an M24 with optics would even fit into that case. But chances are, and going by the rest of his knife collection, it probably houses a sword.

[jcrew1179]

Okay, so their are several possibilities for Locke's past:

We know he has been in a wheelchair for only 4 years.
We know he is a Foster child, somehow abandoned by his birth parents.
We know he had a sister (foster/biological) that was killed when he was young.

As for his Past occupation:

He could have worked in the Govt - he may have actually had a hand in "Creating the Island" and suffered his paralysis from a botched "Science Experiment" thus creating special powers like Prof. X. He can mess with people's minds and create physical beings.

He could have been in the military (deep undercover/spec ops)/Vietnam. This would explain his interest in the military/survival.

He had an accident with a machine/Guns. This would explain why he was hesitant to pick up the Guns from Jack.

[Conundrum]

locke is one interesting guy, one of my thoughts on his past is a navy seal, nice top secret missions there, and the files cant be accessed by the general public, but just looking at all of them pictures made me think, why would a ex spec op want to keep a geiger counter lying around, cause thats what it looks like, the phone call he takes in his office makes me think he is in some sort of ex seal group where they get together every weekend for tea and bickies, if not that then atleast keeping there skill up, in all sorts of survival situations, including radiation disaster.

As for the government seal, the nave seals play a big part in anti terrorism and prolly wouldnt be hard to get some kind of under-the-table award from the president for saving the country

and the flag, well i have looked everywhere and cant find anything really, the only thing that really got pointed out to me is when someone said swords, thats an australian badge for infantry, and 2 rifles is the sniper devision. but that flag is beyond me at this point

[azteclady]

You guys may want to check out the Walkabout episode discussion (in General Discussions or in the archives), because a lot of the ideas I see here were discussed there as well. Some people with military/medical background provided sound explanations for some of the things we see in Locke's room.

As said on the first page of this thread, what looks like a Geiger counter could actually be a device that stimulates the muscles, like physical therapy but passive; the poster seems like one for Band of Brothers, etc.


Beto
Got a question/problem/complaint? Follow the link in my signature first, read the entire welcome forum second, then PM me

[Vertical]

That flag on his desk looks exactly like the Alabama state flag.

[betts4]

Just a big thank you for posting the pics! I love the last one with Locke kind of pursing his lips! Oh he looks so sweet!!!!

Okay, and back to the flags and seals and guns oh my!

My vision of Locke is that he worked for the government in some capacity - military of course. I don't believe that little poopoo HR guy at all. I mean, my husband is an HR person and I know what can be put in and left out of your files.

The thing that ruins this for me is, most really government military guys that I have met, (and this is just me) don't get into the gaming or such. They had enough of that for one lifetime. However, I have met and know several wannabe's that are primed and ready to go into the service, but have one thing holding them back....what ever it is. But they do take it out in otherways - by collecting flags of countries they have visited or taken over in their games, by talking the talk and walking the walk (no pun intended) but just not collecting the check. I even have a few friends that are non commissioned military that get into re enactment because they can be officers that way.

I just can't figure it out with Locke. Is he an ex military or is he a military wannabe that is finally living a dream?

[imamiamigurl]

ALABAMA FLAG


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y22/imamiamigurl/SAL35.jpg

[flatlinejos]

Hey All...

We'ev been having a similar discussion a few weeks ago, after someone cleaned up all these images in Photoshop....

1) The Flag is probably from Puerto Rico, a former Spanish Colony that's the Home of the SEALS at Roosevelt Roads NAS.

2) The poster on the fall wall is not the Band of Brothers poster, but a picture of US Infantry or Marines marching into Kuwait/Iraq in the first Gulf War. The smoke on the right is from the burning Oil Wells. I've seen it before, but it's not in the AP or Military's photo database.

3) The device next to Locke is a TENS (Transcutaneous Electro-Nerve Stimulator Unit), which stimulates the muscles and nerves in paraplegics. Someone actually tracked down which comopany makes that unit!

4) The mug is the cheezy beer steins they sell us (I'm a vet) at every damn PX/BX/NAVEX/Guy outside the Gate store I've every seen. I think it's either a Squid or Jarhead seal on it.

5) The picture directly above his head is probably him - the figure is wearing the old Desert Pattern (Chocolate Chip) Camos, he has a very dark beret (I don't know what the Squids wear, but it could be a Ranger Beret), there's Old GP Medium tents set up behind him, and he's standing on sand. Gulf War I setup, somewhere in Kuwait.

6) Sniper Rifle/Knives - this is new. Any Special Ops member gets extensive Marksmanship training, but Sniper School is an evil, grueling bastard of a class that only a select few get to go to. If that's some form of Sniper Weapon, I'm puzzled why he'd make the substancial financial investment for an M-82 when there are much cheaper precision rifles that do the same job. As far as why Locke is so bad with Knives, the SEALS esp spend a lot of time training in Hwarang Do, a particularly vicious art of knife-fighting.

7) The Gov't/Vet connection with the Box Company. You don't have to reveal SQUAT about your military past if you don't want to, when you apply for a job. You might if you want a gov't job and you want the hiring preferences. You can try and find out someone's military career using their Social Security Number, but that's iffy at best. If you were in any of Special Ops units, forget it - it won't be found by some doofus working at a box company.

My theory is that Locke was either a SEAL or Marine Force Recon during Gulf War I....which leads me to hope that they'll be a connection between Locke & Sayid at some point. He lost his ability to walk four years ago from Gulf War syndrome, and is living off his crappy box company pay and the pittance the VA gives you for this illness.

What his "deal" with the island is, we'll have to wait and find out....

[thoughtform]

I think that we will find out there is a connection between Kate and Locke also, due to her father being in the Rangers. She said that he was stationed at Ft. Lewis, Wa. I am in agreement with you about Locke and Sayid, but I think that will come into play around our mysterious hatch. A Republican Guard officer would know about Iraqi tunnels and hatches IMHO.

[Bootlegger0173]

Contrary to what is popularly thought, most spec-ops personnel are pretty professional, and prefer not to advertise what they do for a living, so maybe he is a wanna-be? I have to agree with you, I don't see him taking a high powered rifle on a walkabout. Even if allowed, a more all-purpose firearm would be preferred. Ever tried to scroung up meat after you shoot a little critter like a squirrel or rabbit, with a high-powered rifle?

[sgtdraino]

I hope you guys are right about Locke's secret military past, but the thing that keeps getting in the way for me, is Locke's almost total lack of ascertiveness before the plane crash. Pre-crash Locke has been repeatedly painted as a victim to us. A poor schmoe conned out of his kidney by his dad, who counts muttering "don't tell me what I can't do" under his breath as "telling off" his boss. I gotta admit, pre-crash Locke seems like kind of a puss to me.

All the military guys I've ever met do not have this type of personality.

[LostInWilderness]

Locke was a wannabe.

[Brian]

Sgt Draino says:
I gotta admit, pre-crash Locke seems like kind of a puss to me.

All the military guys I've ever met do not have this type of personality.
As a former military person, thank you! I agree with your assessment of pre-crash Locke, at least when it comes to abilities. (<--I can't think of the word I'm looking for there so I'll leave it.) It's been pretty well established that Locke is not prior military at this point. I may be proven wrong in the future, not like it'd be the first time, but I don't think I will be.

-----------------------
LIW says:
Locke was a wannabe.
wannabe = puss ? Kinda the same albeit semantically different. Yeah, I agree on both accounts.

[AGuyNamedSteve]

OK,

I lightened up the pictures above in Photoshop. Maybe they will be a little more clear for everyone:

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a236/seeverist/ejy9z1.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a236/seeverist/dd0sw1.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a236/seeverist/dd0sj1.jpg

[Susan B Anthony]

I can seen it clearly now.

He's cooking meth.

[LostInWilderness]

Funny.

Even his room is yellow.

[SarahWW]

There's Claire's peanut butter right there on the counter. :)

Is that a Culpepper (http://www.colorfastflags.com/pictures/7001s_EECCT949CUL.jpg)
flag in the Stein, along with the US and Burgundy Cross flags? I can't see it that well.

[sgtdraino]

SarahWW wrote:
Is that a Culpepper flag in the Stein, along with the US and Burgundy Cross flags? I can't see it that well.

Good eye, Sarah! You've pegged it:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v450/sgtdraino/Locke%20Knives/LockesNightstand.jpg

Specifically, the flag is a *reversed* Culpepper Minute Men flag; we're seeing it from the back. You guys are also right about the Cross of Burgundy flag:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v450/sgtdraino/Locke%20Knives/LockesFlags.jpg

Further more, the beer stein definitely looks like it's got the Statue of Liberty on it, along with another American flag.

[Susan B Anthony]

Those are definitely regular flavored Munchies in the blue bag.

Hmmm.....what could that mean???........

(Sorry guys. If we can't laugh at ourselves.....:rollin )

[SarahWW]

I guess it means it's time to play "guess the snack" :)

I'm from Richmond and my husband does the local re-enactment of Patrick Henry's Liberty or Death speech, plus he gets all kinds of re-enactor catalogues, so I'm familiar with the Culpeper flag (even though I managed to spell it wrong).

I thought I remembered a quote from one of my DH's books and found it by googling this brief online history (http://home.earthlink.net/~rschnorf/cmm/history.html) of the Culpeper Minutemen:

They adopted uniforms consisting of hunting shirts of strong, brown lines, dyed with an extract of the leaves of trees (probably the broad of oak leaves). On the breast of each shirt was worked in large white letters the words: "LIBERTY OR DEATH." (A wag of the times said that this was too severe for him, but that he would enlist if they could change the motto to "Liberty or be Crippled."

Before anyone makes fun of me, let me hasten to say I don't think you could convince me the flag has any special signifigance as a prop beyond "Locke is interested in military history" unless the rattler warned "Don't tell me what I can't do!!!" instead of "Don't tread on Me".

[AGuyNamedSteve]

Those are definitely regular flavored Munchies in the blue bag.

Hmmm.....what could that mean???........

(Sorry guys. If we can't laugh at ourselves.....:rollin )

My money is on Bugles, although they seem to change their packaging often. The SW Ranch flavor does have a blue bag, although the most current design via General Mills' website comes with a different packaging and font.:rolleyes

[AGuyNamedSteve]

Hmmmmm...

Is it just me, or is his room missing something...












A wheelchair within close proximity to the bed!?

[LostInWilderness]

I was looking for that too.

[boonian androphile]

If the wheelchair was close to the bed the surprise in Australia would not have worked. Also I see Locke despising the wheelchair that he would hide it in a closet until he had to leave the apartment. Meanwhile he would just crawl about. A desk chair with wheels might have been a good touch here.

Anybody ever comment on the picture that looks like a large tree with a bunch of smaller trees? Looks eerily like that one picture of the LOST characters, the one where they're rather silhouetted or blurred.

[AGuyNamedSteve]

flatlinejos explained what many of the items appeared to be. It's somewhere between the original caps and the lightened caps.

[lokimarine]

I would bet 20 bucks that the seal in the background is the USN offical seal.

That machine by his bet is a muscle workout machine. I had to use one for months after I had to have reconstructive surgery on my leg. You hook up these pads to your leg in certain spots and they pass electricity through your mucsles making them contract and release.

Lots of fun.

Anyone wanta take my bet on the Navy seal.

I would also have to bet that Locke has had no military training, and is nowhere near enough prepared for the rifle he had in the last episode (S2E3).

Just me .02

[SarahWW]

The "seal" is a commemorative plate of some sort.

It could be a stupid souvenier from Franklin Mint or a token gift in remembrance of a some special event, ranging from participation in any number of organizations or causes, up to a white house invitation.

I'd like to find out what it is, so I hope the cool kids who can blow up the screen shots will post a close-up.

[SarahWW]

In an old thread, a forum member named Badger32 postedthis (http://images5.theimagehosting.com/LockeRoom.jpg)

lightened and gamma-tweaked version of the screencap of locke on the bed with phone-Helen.

In that version, I have to agree with Badger that there appears to be a wheelchair off to the far right. You can't see the whole thing, but I think I see the foot rest and the armrests.

[SarahWW]

I found the best screencap I could and blew up a detail of the dish. The design is obverse side of the Great seal of the United States (http://www.homeofheroes.com/hallofheroes/1st_floor/flag/1bfc_seal.html).

http://static.flickr.com/32/52312465_88fcebcd12_o.jpg

[sgtdraino]

Bumping this golden oldie of an amusing thread. Perhaps we can have some more detailed observations of some of the other places we have seen John Locke live?