Subtle Sub Light

This visual issues concerns a moment during the episode The Glass Ballerina, the second episode of Season 3.

So the situation was that a smoke fire had been deliberately lit as a means of attracting The Others. Jin and Sayid, armed, were waiting in the trees for The Others to take the bait so they could spring an ambush and capture a couple of them. Sun had been tucked away on the yacht (the "Elisabeth") beside the Pala Ferry Pier out of harm’s way.

Or what they thought was harm’s way. Because silently The Others appeared on the yacht, completing bypassing Jin and Sayid. How did they do that?

The answer presents itself for all to see during the episode Enter 77, when Sayid discusses access to the Island with Mikhail.

Mikhail: “There is an underwater beacon that emits sonar pings to help guide in the vessels.”

Sayid: “By vessels, you mean submarines.”

Mikhail: “Yes. The Initiative used it to bring us to the island. . .”

Sayid: “That explains how they were able to get around my position and capture our sailboat.”

Sayid is absolutely correct, and this is precisely how it happened, and as a neat little extra there was the briefest of glimpses of clues showing this in action when it occurred. This is best illustrated by first seeing the submarine clearly.



This is the submarine, a.ka. the 'Galaga', the one that Locke would eventually blow up. Take note of the red dot light. And now below is the yacht as the Galaga silently snuck up on it. Here we see that red light of the Galaga betraying The Others' using the submarine to bypass Sayid and Jin.

The red light of the Galaga is there, to the left of the fire.

(Click on image to enlage.)

And then gone in the next frame – indicating it flashes.


And that’s all there is, really. I mean, I know it’s not much but, if you’re anything like a Lost-obsessive like I am then this particular detail might have interested you. If it didn’t. . . well. . . there’s not much either of us can do about it now!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

actually i think thats just an ember from the fire, it just looks like its a flashing light. see how theres also a bunch of other "red lights" near the fire that are also gone in the second pic?

AngeloComet said...

I think when you see the 'live action' moment this red light appears it becomes harder to figure it as a fire ember. The red light flashes on and off and on and off a couple of times.

If I ever have the time and energy then I might look into seeing if this was ever made 'official' - but even if not, I think it has to be taken as such, because otherwise it begs the question of: How did The Others get on the boat!?

Anonymous said...

how did harper show up in the middle of the jungle when she stopped juliet and jack on their way to the tempest? why the fuck are there so many holes in this show. in your honest opinion, i ask because you seem pretty educated on lost, do you really think all of the questions on this show will be answered?

AngeloComet said...

Don't confuse 'holes' with things we don't yet know. You can't read a book halfway through and then complain that it doesn't make sense. When Lost is done, that's when we get to pick at the holes - for now we sit and watch and wait.

(Personally, I'm thinking the imploding-exploding Swan is going to be a Great Big Unexplained, but we'll see. . .)

By the way, I took a run at explaining Harper's weird appearance and disappearance as part of this theory here: http://angelocomets-lost-place.blogspot.com/2008/07/whispers.html