Hurley And the Many Indicators Of Random by DaKlenke

In my last post, the six installment in my on-going commentary on the larger issues of Lost, I ended it with a rather brief explanation of why I believed Hurley originally belonged to Random. For those of you who have not read that theory (Further Evidence On Random Vs. Purpose)or it's five predecessors (Reconsidering the Events of Season 3, Parts 1-3, Further Evidence of Desmond's Change and My Stance On the Powers That Be), I would highly recommend that you do so, as this is one continuous, interrelated examination at what I believe we are seeing on Lost. With the seventh installment in my series, I would like to take a closer look at Hurley and use his character as an example of what to look for as indicators of Random's manipulation.

To properly examine Hurley as a character, I felt it appropriate to go back to his Season 1 centric episode, "The Numbers". In this episode, we are introduced to Hurley's back story and the events surrounding him winning the lottery. As I said in my last theory, Hurley winning the lottery with those numbers is a sure sign indicator that he belongs to Random, but lets look more closely at why I believe that.
Since Hurley won the lottery and his bad luck truly began (arguably), he attributed his problems to a curse that follows the numbers. I would like to argue that point. It is not the numbers that are necessarily cursed, although I believe them to be an indicator of Random's involvement, but rather, I believe that it is what Hurley intends to do with the money that brings about his bad luck.
In the scene initially after Hurley wins the lottery, we see that he and his family are being interviewed by the media. After introducing his family, Hurley explains that his first order of business in regards to the money is he plans to take care of his hard-working Grandfather Tito. Then Grandpa Tito dies of a very random heart attack (he had a pacemaker put in 4 years prior).
In the next flashback scene of the episode, Hurley is taking his mother to the house he bought for her as a surprise. Along the way, he talks to his mother about his string of bad luck, specifically the priest at his Grandfather's funeral being struck by lighting and his brother being dumped by his wife (or significant other). When they get to the house, Hurley puts a red blindfold on his mother and then proceeds to attempt to surprise her with the house. Instead, she trips on the curb and breaks her ankle. Simultaneously, the house bursts into flames and then when the police arrive, they arrest Hurley mistaking him as a gangster.
To me it seems as though Random is punishing Hurley for his attempts at using the money for good. Hurley winning the lottery with those numbers was a direct means with which Random intended to corrupt Hurley. Hurley's stubbornness and on going attempts at using the money for good is what brought about all this bad luck. If he would have just succumb to his greed, I imagine his bad luck would have apparently gone away. However, I imagine Random would have then succeeded in his corruption of Hurley and in the end, Hurley would have lived a miserable and lonely existence.
In the next flash back scene, Hurley's accountant is explaining to Hugo about how his financial value has almost doubled thanks to freak tropical storms in Florida and Hurley's over insured shoe factory in Canada burning down and killing 8 people. Thanks to this increase in worth, Hurley became a major shareholder in the box company that Locke worked at. Because of the random meteorite that blew up Mr. Clucks in "Tricia Tanaka is Dead", Hurley's old boss was without a job. So Hurley sends him to work at the box company, where he goes on to torment Locke.
These random acts of bad juju are the signature of MIB's manipulation. I also believe that the numbers themselves are a sign that Random is involved. For example, Hurley causing the deck to collapse killed 8 people which to me marks this event as a form of manipulation by Random. The consequences of this deck collapsing is Hurley's ensuing mental instability. Because of this very event, Hurley ends up in the same mental institute as Leonard, the man who keeps muttering the numbers over and over. There is a plan here and the random disasters, the numbers and the color red are all indicators that this plan belongs to Random.
Yeah, that’s right; the color red is also an indicator that Random is involved. A few examples include: the red blindfold Hurley puts on his mother, the red paint Desmond is using in Flashes Before Your Eyes before his alternate reality future self consciousness jumps into his past body, the count down timer in the Hatch had red hieroglyphics and even the man Ms. Hawking allows to die in Flashes was wearing red shoes.
Even the idea of red shirts has two meanings. First of course is the obvious Star Trek reference but also, each of the red shirts who has died has died randomly and without serving a purpose. A prime example would be the woman in Season 1 who was a professional swimmer who randomly drowned in the ocean. The red shirts belong to Random and he kills them off accordingly.
There are plenty more examples of how the color red is a sign of Random, like in Deus Ex Machina. Locke was approached by his mother in the toy store (where he is very ominously explaining the concept of mouse trap to a child), and later he finds her following him in the parking lot. When he confronts her and discovers she is his mother, Locke hires a detective to investigate who his parents are.
The detective willingly gives Locke all the information he needs on Emily, but when it comes time to pass over the information regarding Locke's father, the detective has this to say: "Your mother looked you up, so she is fair game, but this guy may not even know you exist. Looking up your father is not meant to be, no matter how it may feel. It probably won't end well." John still insists on seeing the information, which the detective slides over. The information on Anthony Cooper, who we know goes on to steal Locke's kidney and push him out of an 8 story window, comes in a blood red folder.
With this in mind, I challenge all of you to watch Lost more carefully and take note of the numbers, random happenings and the color red, as these are all indicators of MIB. But lets get back to Hurley.
In an on Island scene in "The Numbers" Hurley has gone off looking for Danielle. Through random events, Hurley ends up finding her alone. When Hurley asks her about the numbers, she claims she doesn't know what they are. Hurley then begins to break down, demanding answers for why these numbers are cursed. Danielle then explains that since her expedition team first heard the numbers and chose to investigate, everything she ever loved in life she lost. She tells Hurley that the numbers are probably cursed and that "the numbers brought me here, and as it appears, they brought you too". She is absolutely right.
As far as how Hurley heard the numbers, they were first heard by Sam Toomey and then passed on to Leonard. Sam Toomey used the numbers in a bean counting competition (guess how many beans are in the jar) and was then plagued by the same corrupting force that Hurley was. Toomey ended up putting a shotgun in his mouth. Leonard was also plagued by the numbers, but his purpose (as deemed by Random, not by Purpose) was to go crazy and end up in Santa Monica Mental Institute where he could then unknowingly pass them on to Hurley. And what does Hurley do? He ends up on flight 815, which by all means, he should not have. He was late and only because of the random kindness of the flight attendant does he make it on board at all. And with him, he brings the curse of the numbers, which goes on to (very likely) possess Christian.
Fundamentally, Hurley originally belonged to Random but because he ends up rejecting the money and choosing to give it all away, Hurley proves to be incorruptible. Thus, Jacob approaches Hurley in the cab and gives him a purpose.
So for now, that is all I am going to say about Hurley. I hope what I have written has been enlightening and may inspire others to pick up this thread of thought and find other indicators of Random's involvement (i.e. the numbers being stamped onto the Swan Hatch and the consequences of Locke opening it).
Speaking of Locke, it may be about him that I write next. To give a taste, I believe that Locke is completely a man of faith, and would therefore belong to Purpose. Unfortunately, Locke's faith is blind and Random uses this blindness to corrupt and manipulate Locke. That is Locke's true character calling; he is a man of faith corrupted by his faith. More on this matter is coming.
Now, unlike my other theories, I would like to end this one a little differently. As always, my appreciation of your constructive criticism and positive feedback stands. I would like to end however with the following statement.
Hurley goes to see Leonard in hopes of learning what the numbers mean. When Hurley tells Leonard that he used the numbers to win the lottery, Leonard responds with "Well you shouldn't have done that. You've opened up the box." Hmmm.....