Island Logistics, Location and Water as Smoke Barrier by Adrian McDonald

I will not say this is a concrete theory, rather it is a summing up of some of issues and some likely explanations based on what we now know of the Island. Specifically, this post concerns the Island's location (past present and future), traveling to and from the Island via conventional and unconventional means and, lastly, the effective use of water as a barrier against MIB/Smokie.

Island Location(s):

We know the Island can be moved, rather dramatically as though being teleported, by turning the frozen donkey wheel. We know, per Eloise Hawking, that the Island is always moving. It seems the time variations in season 4 when time on the Island seems to be either ahead or behind for varying periods from that of the passage of time for people on the freighter.

Island Locations According to the Dharma Initiative's Lamp Post Station:

These locations, whether past, present or future locations the Island (or all of those) cannot be dismissed. The Lamp Post is how the DI found the Island and also where Ms. Hawking was able to determine where the Island would be to allow the Oceanic 6 to return.

Based on the map of the Islands apparent movements found in the Dharma's Lamp Post Station (http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090219041833/lostpedia/images/c/c4/LampInterior.jpg), it appears the Island's locations have included:

1. In the Pacific--roughly the center (similar to Hawaii's location), off the coast of Chile in South America, further north off the coast of about Peru, and north of Papa New Guinea just east of the Philippines.

2. Somewhere in the Southern Ocean--south (maybe southwest) of Australia.

3. What looks like a spot in the center of the Indian Ocean, perhaps southeast of the Indian subcontinent.

4. In the Atlantic, likely mid-Atlantic and roughly midway between the Americas and North Africa.

Island Logistics, Construction & Supply:

Long the obvious question: how did an ancient Egyptian/Mediterranean city get built, given the Island's (at least current) location in the Pacific? One explanation, which I favor, is that the Island was once part of Egypt, North Africa or off that respective coast in the Med. We know from the map that the Island has, or does move to various spots across the globe and its not a big leap to conclude the Mediterranean is/was/will be among them. If the Island was once in or off the coast of Egypt, then the mystery of how the Tarawet statue, the temple, lighthouse etc. were built is not a huge mystery.

Another possible explanation is that, wherever the Island was at a given point in time in the ancient past, during the height of Egyptian power, the period of the New Kingdom (1570-1070 B.C.E) for instance, the Egyptians were aware of places of electromagnetic pockets like those on the Island and were somehow able to pass people and/or supplies through some sort of wormhole or entry point that dropped them on the Island, wherever its location. This is essentially the reverse of what happened to Ben. While he did not walk through a portal or wormhole (that we know of), he did teleport through space and time from the Island in 2004 to the Tunisian desert in 2005. Tunisia, Widmore explains, is the exit. Indeed, given the exits location in Tunisia, its not outside the realm of possibility that is precisely were the Island's location once was.

Not only did Ben exit into Tunisia, we also know a polar bear from Hydra Island also once exited there. But unlike Ben, who went just short of a year into the future, the polar bear traveled hundreds of years into the past. In effect, if the 'exit' is in a permanent fixed location--at least the exit for turning the wheel--then there could be similar fixed 'entrances' to get on the Island. And we have seen evidence of this already.


The Dharma cargo drop for the Swan station in 2004, probably one of many, suggests the DI knew the location of one or more such entrances. The trick, however, seems more of a 'when' problem then 'where.' After all, Ben and the polar bear may have shared the same exit, but they did not end up anywhere close to each other in time. It seems as though the DI was able to solve this problem at some level, since they apparently had confidence the supply drops would land not only where, but when they were supposed too. As far as we know, the DI does not exist in 2004, so the supply drop was likely done from a point in time in the past. Of course its also possible they were doing the drops even in 2004, given the importance on keeping the Swan station supplied so the button would always be pushed.

The notion of wormhole like entrances (perhaps the holes are just other pockets, and there is 'pocket to pocket' travel) also helps explain other anomalies. Take the drug plane for example, which took off from Nigeria. For a plane in Nigeria to crash on the Island, either the Island location when the plane crashed was close to Nigeria--not thousands miles away in the Pacific--or the plane, like the cargo drops, entered into a wormhole/hit a electromagnetic pocket. I lean towards hitting another pocket/wormhole. Similarly, this could also explain how Henry Gale's balloon crashed on the island.


By Air, Sea or Submerged?


Let's review the methods of traveling to the Island by conventional means from most dangerous to least: traveling to the Island by air is hands down the least safe way to travel. 815 crashed. 316 crash landed. The balloon crashed. The drug plane crashed. The helicopters, thanks to Frank's skill as a pilot were able to land, but barely--and most of his passengers were as likely to jump out as they were to walk off. Flying to the island=bad idea.

As for boats? Desmond wrecked. Black Rock wrecked, majorly. Danielle Rousseau's boat wrecked. The Freighter made it within sight of the Island, but not before several of her crew went nuts and began strapping chains to themselves before taking a permanent swim.

Between the DI and Ben's period of rule over the Others, it was always very odd that there was a virtual absence of any boats whatsoever. Outside of the canoes and the boat the Others gave Micheal, the only nautical transport to and from the island in addition to transport around the shore, was by submarine. The DI did it this way, the the Others and now Widmore. Given what Smokie told Sawyer in "The Package", we may have an answer...

You Can't Have Smoke Under Water, Maybe Not Even Above:

Clearly water is not kryptonite to Smokie. We have seen him operate in the rain. When Flocke shows up on Hydra Island, we see him walking shin deep in the water by the beach. Smokie is not a Gremlin...he can get wet. The main question for now is this: can he, for any period of time, fly above water in smoke form? He tells Sawyer he cannot, which makes sense because why would he still be on the island otherwise. Well, probably many reasons, but I wont go there right now. Taking Smokie at his word, if he cannot fly over to Hydra island, how did he get there when 316 crashed?

As Flocke, we know he can travel in boats. So perhaps he took a human form and found a canoe. This makes sense, but if he were free to do this, then it seems like he would have taken a row over there in Dharma times and wiped out the place. Dharma apparently never felt Smokie was a threat to Hydra, which lacked any sonic fence...only the water protected it.

It seems pretty clear that Smokie has a problem with bodies of water, better yet, barriers of water...even small ones. How small? How about as small as the cave toilet bowl in Ben's home where he 'summoned' Smokie? It's possible that Smokie is, literally, smoke. Even he says he is the smoke. Even if he is not, it seems he shares the same issues with smoke. Smoke, we know, could not come up through a working toilet with water. It cant pass through it. But an empty toilet? Sure...given a hole, even a very small one, so long as there is nothing to block its escape--smoke can get through.


Think about Richard getting into Dharmaville in the 70's. He tells Horace the sonic wall keeps some things out, but not him. And we saw how Richard does this, he doesn't go over the fence, he goes under. Why doesn't Smokie do the same? In the S5 finale, we learned that to access the caves under Dharmaville, you have to take a fairly long swim under water. The fence keeps out the Smoke on the top side (side note--Smokie can't fly up that high either), the water blocks access to the caves underneath. If one wants to summon Smokie, as Ben did, the water must be allowed to drain from the tub. The jury is still out on whether he can fly over water, even a short way. It makes me think that the pond at the temple was less about Zen curb appeal and more about security. When Smokie began his assault, he did go around the pond, which was not very big.

Submarines:

We know its the safest way to go to and from the Island. Why? Certainly the navigation by underwater sonar may explain...perhaps allowing for the most reliable navigation. Perhaps because submerged, subs are less likely to be moved off course by waves or surface currents--a big problem that can make crews go nuts. Perhaps the sedative is just an added layer of precaution for travelers, even on the safe subs. I am no engineer or scientist, but sonic/sonar fences and sonar on subs all sounds like good defense to me. But I suppose a sonic device could be placed on a ship, however.

If Smokie cannot travel above the water (at least without a boat), it seems certain he cannot go underwater at all. If so, subs allow folks to arrive, depart and travel around the Island virtually undetected. Smokie has shown he likes to arrive quickly on the scene when newbies arrive--but only if he knows about them.


Finally, since Smokie can, in a physical form, go on boats....its a good thing they are few and far between. But does that mean it was a deliberate choice? While Smokie probably could go on the sub, its doubtful he would want to--much less have it dive into the abyss. You have to love the irony. Smokie knows about the sub, the working sub that does not need the lone trained pilot or major repairs. Yet he does not even consider leaving the Island on anything other than flight 316. Smokie sees the most dangerous method of traveling to the Island as being the safest way to leave. For him at least.

Any thoughts on this? Because I am spent. I love and appreciate feedback and try to respond to every comment. Thank you for taking the time to read. If you liked any of this, or even if you hated it...feel free to visit my LOST blog at http://lost-looking-glass.blogspot.com/