Here is a theory that would go a long way to creating the sympathy for the Others that TPTB said we would get this season.
What if they are ALL brainwashed, and are keeping the brainwashing going as part of their subliminal commands?
If Dharma used a bunch of experimental subjects in tests 40 years ago, they may have brainwashed them back then to think that they were part of an essential mission on the island. Once brainwashed, they would even help their experimenters in experimenting on others and take part voluntarily in the many experiments taking place on the island. Perhaps, if people are inexplicably unable to conceive on the island, Ben was an exception to that-- a "miracle baby" who, because of his exalted status, became the leader of the experimental subjects. Karl may have been among the last "wave" of new experimental subjects, hence his age.
When Dharma left, they would not want to have to deal with re-integrating their subjects back into society (not to mention all the criminal issues of human experimentation), so as part of their programming, Dharma would have convinced them to stay on the island, like abandoning tainted research materials. The society of the Others now functions like an automated machine as conceived by the Dharma Initiative.
They may have even programmed them to continue the work that Dharma had started (although other than the brainwashing of Karl, I haven't really seen any active experiments, which reinforces my theory). This may explain why all of the facilities seem so broken down-- the Others simply don't know how to provide the necessary upkeep, and are just following suggestions in their heads. It may also explain why they don't like being on Alcatraz island, as Isabel said in SIASL-- that was where they were programmed, yet they can't ignore the mental commands to return there.
It may also be why they are "stuck" on the island-- something compels them to stay, and thus they are incapable of leaving. They are stuck in an endless mental trap of subliminal captivity. This would go a long way to explain their actions, AND to generate sympathy. The Others are not in control of their actions, and in fact, they are just as much the victims as anyone.
What if Ethan was acting on mental commands when he was so ruthless trying to get Claire back? His behavior in those scenes seems contrary to everything else we've seen of him. He honestly seemed like a nice guy in Materity Leave. Ben may have also been the same when he left to seek help from the Losties for his tumor. This theory explains all of the supposedly erratic behavior the Others have shown.
There may even be the possibility that the activation of the failsafe interfered with their brainwashing, which was why they were "reprogramming" Karl in season 3. It would explain the end of Tom's sentence, "ever since the sky turned purple..." ("we haven't had any idea what to do with ourselves," "we haven't been able to think clearly," etc.)
This could potentially explain all sorts of things. How about Patchy? Maybe he was a lone former Dharma employee sent to watch over the Others and make sure the programming continued to work. The rustic "Others" who crept through the forest may be a seperate faction whose minds were so far distorted that they became primitives. Alpert may have brought Ethan off-island to do reconnaisance work for him, knowing that he had complete control over him. It explains the past-tense use of "Jacob," who may have been the Dharma person responsible for their experimentation. The ritualistic "trial" of Juliet and her subsequent "marking" all smack of a "drone" mentality.
Now, I don't know how this affects what Jack will be like when we see him again-- whether he will be brainwashed, just cooperating, or more aware of the Other's plight and sympathetic to them. Since the rumor mill states that the season finale will be a Ben flashback, it seems likely that it will show the history of the Others on the island. While being mixed with present-tense scenes, the flashbacks will show how the Others were victimized by Dharma, and went on to set up their own dynasty on the island after Dharma left. When the Losties arrived, programming kicked in to defend their pocket society with all aggression necessary. In the finale, I believe they will somehow learn how they have been manipulated, resulting in a mass disillusionment.
Theory by Rodimus Ben
What if they are ALL brainwashed, and are keeping the brainwashing going as part of their subliminal commands?
If Dharma used a bunch of experimental subjects in tests 40 years ago, they may have brainwashed them back then to think that they were part of an essential mission on the island. Once brainwashed, they would even help their experimenters in experimenting on others and take part voluntarily in the many experiments taking place on the island. Perhaps, if people are inexplicably unable to conceive on the island, Ben was an exception to that-- a "miracle baby" who, because of his exalted status, became the leader of the experimental subjects. Karl may have been among the last "wave" of new experimental subjects, hence his age.
When Dharma left, they would not want to have to deal with re-integrating their subjects back into society (not to mention all the criminal issues of human experimentation), so as part of their programming, Dharma would have convinced them to stay on the island, like abandoning tainted research materials. The society of the Others now functions like an automated machine as conceived by the Dharma Initiative.
They may have even programmed them to continue the work that Dharma had started (although other than the brainwashing of Karl, I haven't really seen any active experiments, which reinforces my theory). This may explain why all of the facilities seem so broken down-- the Others simply don't know how to provide the necessary upkeep, and are just following suggestions in their heads. It may also explain why they don't like being on Alcatraz island, as Isabel said in SIASL-- that was where they were programmed, yet they can't ignore the mental commands to return there.
It may also be why they are "stuck" on the island-- something compels them to stay, and thus they are incapable of leaving. They are stuck in an endless mental trap of subliminal captivity. This would go a long way to explain their actions, AND to generate sympathy. The Others are not in control of their actions, and in fact, they are just as much the victims as anyone.
What if Ethan was acting on mental commands when he was so ruthless trying to get Claire back? His behavior in those scenes seems contrary to everything else we've seen of him. He honestly seemed like a nice guy in Materity Leave. Ben may have also been the same when he left to seek help from the Losties for his tumor. This theory explains all of the supposedly erratic behavior the Others have shown.
There may even be the possibility that the activation of the failsafe interfered with their brainwashing, which was why they were "reprogramming" Karl in season 3. It would explain the end of Tom's sentence, "ever since the sky turned purple..." ("we haven't had any idea what to do with ourselves," "we haven't been able to think clearly," etc.)
This could potentially explain all sorts of things. How about Patchy? Maybe he was a lone former Dharma employee sent to watch over the Others and make sure the programming continued to work. The rustic "Others" who crept through the forest may be a seperate faction whose minds were so far distorted that they became primitives. Alpert may have brought Ethan off-island to do reconnaisance work for him, knowing that he had complete control over him. It explains the past-tense use of "Jacob," who may have been the Dharma person responsible for their experimentation. The ritualistic "trial" of Juliet and her subsequent "marking" all smack of a "drone" mentality.
Now, I don't know how this affects what Jack will be like when we see him again-- whether he will be brainwashed, just cooperating, or more aware of the Other's plight and sympathetic to them. Since the rumor mill states that the season finale will be a Ben flashback, it seems likely that it will show the history of the Others on the island. While being mixed with present-tense scenes, the flashbacks will show how the Others were victimized by Dharma, and went on to set up their own dynasty on the island after Dharma left. When the Losties arrived, programming kicked in to defend their pocket society with all aggression necessary. In the finale, I believe they will somehow learn how they have been manipulated, resulting in a mass disillusionment.
Theory by Rodimus Ben
