We've seen that temple before, though it is never pointed out to us. I'm 100% CERTAIN, and I encourage readers to go look and verify, that the "cliff" the Beechcraft was precariously perched on was in fact the temple. I noticed this in the episode "?" near the end of season two. (When Eko and John find the question mark.) A good shot is also in Expose when Nikki and Paulo are searching for the diamonds.
Notice how when Boone, Locke, and Eko scale the "cliff" they all head straight up. Eko makes it and appears to be standing on even ground, even though they never show the "roof" of the place. I think the directors have intentionally shown us the temple without drawing any attention at all to what we were seeing. (And, not looking for it would make it easy for all of us to miss, especially considering we were all shown those scenes well before knowing there was any such thing as a temple to even be on the look out for)
Now, go back and pretend you're watching in chronological order. You've seen Richard bring Ben into the temple but there wasn't any well nearby. Considering we know that the temple isn't on Dharma land and assuming the Orchid is built on Dharma land (the truce is still in effect, isn't it?) I don't think the Orchid and the temple are the same place.
I also don't think you can "see" the temple unless you are looking for it. For all the people who have waltzed on by the thing, seeing the plane, the hatch nearby, climbing up it, falling down it, getting shot climbing it, etc... Ethan was nearby, possibly on guard duty when Locke climbed during one of his flashes. The monster (whom we know guards the temple) has been seen very close to the beachcraft and Pearl.
I think everything points to the temple being right next to that big question mark in the jungle. Since you can't find and/or see the temple unless you know it's there the question mark (salted earth) is an attempt to "mark" something unknown so you can find it later.
And if I'm right, I think I know the purpose of the Pearl station too. If you really can't "see" the temple unless you are looking for it, what if the experiment being conducted at the Pearl was just to see if any of the workers would notice that the place they go to work to just happens to be right next to an extremely ancient stone temple. (Of course, no one notices, right?)
Am I way off base or have we all seen the temple before but are blinded by not knowing what we were looking at to begin with? Theory by Albert Awol
Notice how when Boone, Locke, and Eko scale the "cliff" they all head straight up. Eko makes it and appears to be standing on even ground, even though they never show the "roof" of the place. I think the directors have intentionally shown us the temple without drawing any attention at all to what we were seeing. (And, not looking for it would make it easy for all of us to miss, especially considering we were all shown those scenes well before knowing there was any such thing as a temple to even be on the look out for)
Now, go back and pretend you're watching in chronological order. You've seen Richard bring Ben into the temple but there wasn't any well nearby. Considering we know that the temple isn't on Dharma land and assuming the Orchid is built on Dharma land (the truce is still in effect, isn't it?) I don't think the Orchid and the temple are the same place.
I also don't think you can "see" the temple unless you are looking for it. For all the people who have waltzed on by the thing, seeing the plane, the hatch nearby, climbing up it, falling down it, getting shot climbing it, etc... Ethan was nearby, possibly on guard duty when Locke climbed during one of his flashes. The monster (whom we know guards the temple) has been seen very close to the beachcraft and Pearl.
I think everything points to the temple being right next to that big question mark in the jungle. Since you can't find and/or see the temple unless you know it's there the question mark (salted earth) is an attempt to "mark" something unknown so you can find it later.
And if I'm right, I think I know the purpose of the Pearl station too. If you really can't "see" the temple unless you are looking for it, what if the experiment being conducted at the Pearl was just to see if any of the workers would notice that the place they go to work to just happens to be right next to an extremely ancient stone temple. (Of course, no one notices, right?)
Am I way off base or have we all seen the temple before but are blinded by not knowing what we were looking at to begin with? Theory by Albert Awol
