Not sure if there are threads on this. If so, forgive me...

When Kate and Sawyer are breaking rocks with the Others, it reminded me of footage I've seen of engineers building landing strips on Pacific islands in WW II. They used crushed coral then and packed it down. The way they were making sure everything was aligned, packed and level seemed to be the same precision used for building a runway. Maybe it was just a useless task, though. Sawyer was a lot like Cool Hand Luke in this ep and he was given useless tasks in the movie of the same name starring Paul Newman.

this was exactly what i thought of... it didn't seem useless since some of the others were working too...

I too don't think it is useless because one of the others had plans like a blueprint.

Weird thought: maybe they are building a runway so they can send the plane back in time an make it land safely so they can rescue the person they were after but who died in the crash.





I don't believe this at all!!!!

I thought they might be building another bungalow for othersville.

That's a good theory but the lost that they were clearing looked more rectangular than long, which lead me to believe they were building a structure. Also, they had someone tamping down the soil to make it level. I'm no engineer but I'd think that clearing the runway would be first prioroty with making it level coming in much later in the process.

That's a good theory but the lost that they were clearing looked more rectangular than long, which lead me to believe they were building a structure. Also, they had someone tamping down the soil to make it level. I'm no engineer but I'd think that clearing the runway would be first prioroty with making it level coming in much later in the process.

It would depend on how fast you want it built. Pre-fab houses have the walls complete before the foundation is even poured. If you want the runway built quickly, I would do it all at simultaneously. But, I'm no engineer either.

I thought they were building cells of sorts for the losties to stay in. I don't know though. Hmm maybe they are building a new hatch. LOL

How do we know the others working on "the clearing" were even part of The Others? mayvbe they were preisoners as well...

I thought they might be building another bungalow for othersville.

Possibly for Kate and Sawyer to live (...happily ever after?) in?

Hmm....

yeah! though it reminded me of making a road, or clearing a field to plant crops, or for making a mud wrestling ring, or a football pitch, or a excatvation site, or an ice rink, they only need a bit of water and a cold day now and you know what the weather is like. they could be doing anything, but if they have been there more than 20 years (as he said all his life) then wouldnt they already have built one, i find your theory uncredible and aloaf, who says its a meaningless task? they wouldnt have the whole team doing nothing would they? i think its an ice rink, or a rodeo ring for cerebus :)

yeah! though it reminded me of making a road, or clearing a field to plant crops, or for making a mud wrestling ring, or a football pitch, or a excatvation site, or an ice rink, they only need a bit of water and a cold day now and you know what the weather is like. they could be doing anything, but if they have been there more than 20 years (as he said all his life) then wouldnt they already have built one, i find your theory uncredible and aloaf, who says its a meaningless task? they wouldnt have the whole team doing nothing would they? i think its an ice rink, or a rodeo ring for cerebus :)

I guess you mean "incredible and aloof"?;)
Anyways, I meant meaningless or at least seemingly meaningless. Like pushing the button. Even though it had a purpose, the tape from the Pearl made them think it was meaningless and changed their behavior. Ibelieve all their behavior is being watched and noted for the experiment.So this too could be a setup for that.

The other thing that had me thinking 'meaningless task' was Sawyer behaving like Cool Hand Luke. In the movie (which I highly recommend), Paul Newman is a prisoner on a CHAIN GANG and doesn't follow orders. He also refers to the guards as "Boss" in the movie. He's asked to dig a hole for punishment and then fill it up again. He also has to eat dozens of boiled eggs.The similarities are very strong.