The Economist Discussion

[Listen to this episode!] [Subscribe to the MP3 feed via iTunes]

In this episode of the JoshMeister's LOST Podcast, tJM and guests Spivvy (aka Josh) and Amanda from the Lost Flashbacks and Steve from the Smoke Hatch discuss Season 4 Episode 3, "The Economist."

The following notes are from the rerun of the previous episode, Confirmed Dead, which contained several popups with new information:

• The woman in Dan Faraday's flashback was not Dan's wife—it's his caretaker!
• Miles Straume is supposed to sound like maelstrom, which is a very powerful whirlpool
• Faraday's remark about light scattering is a clue to the unique properties of the island
• It was confirmed that Charlotte's name is reference to C. S. Lewis and Narnia
• The phone number on the TV that Frank called is 1-888-548-0034, which is a real telephone number
  
• George Minkowski's name is a reference to Hermann Minkowski, who introduced the concept of spacetime
• Frank says: "Miles, this Juliet, she was not on the plane. ... She's a native."
• Miles: Really?! Where is he [Ben]?
  
• The popup confirms that the photo is supposed to be confirmation that Ben lied about never having left the island
• Ben: these people are a threat

The following notes are related to this week's episode, The Economist:

• Miles to Jack: "The people who hired me told me this is Benjamin Linus and they told me to find him. And for what they're paying me..."
• On Naomi's bracelet: "N, I'll always be with you. R.G."
  
  
• In a flashforward we find out that Sayid is one of Oceanic Six
• "I insist, Mr. Avellino" Sayid says before shooting him
• At this point we start to wonder if Sayid is an assassin, and if so, does he work for someone?
  
• Later, Sayid meets a woman named Elsa, who says: "my employer is an economist"
• After Sayid leaves, he makes a call and says: "I made contact," and then throws away phone and rubs snow on his hands for some reason
  
• Hugo didn't like Locke's plans - maybe this is why he told Jack in the episode 1 flashforward that he should have gone with him?
• Dan's experiment
• "fire the payload"
• "I don't have it ... that is far more than weird"
• when the payload finally arrives, it's a rocket, and the time on its clock is off by 31 minutes
• Locke (apparently) bound and gagged Hurley and left him at the barracks
• Sayid finds Ben's secret room
• currency from various countries
• passports, one of which says his name is "Dean Moriarty" according to Lostpedia
• Moriarty is the archenemy of Sherlock Holmes; if this name has some meaning, who might the Holmes be to Ben's Moriarty?
  
• Hurley was working with Locke!
• Sawyer to Kate: "I ain't lookin' to leave"
• He tries to convince her to stay by reminding her that if she goes back, she'll still be a wanted criminal
  
  
• In a flashforward, Sayid warns Elsa, "the man you are working for in not an economist"
• She knew that already and shot Sayid (intentionally not killing him) and made a phone call in German
  
• Sayid reached for his gun and shot and killed her
• What was with her bracelet?? Was that the same one that Naomi wore?
• It turns out it wasn't; click on the screencap at DarkUFO's site for a closeup look
  
  
• Frank to Desmond (in explanation why he didn't know about Penny Widmore even though Naomi did): Naomi was "senior management"
• Kate decided to stay behind with Sawyer
  
• Dan to Frank: "Be sure you follow the same exact bearing you came in on... no matter what"
• This is very reminiscent of Ben's comment to Michael that he must follow an exact bearing to "find rescue"
• Could it be that Michael is the "man on their boat" that Ben referred to? If so, how have they been keeping in contact with each other? And why would Michael work for Ben?
  
  
• The flashforward's major reveal: Sayid was working for Ben!
• Ben and Sayid were keeping Sayid's friends safe? Which friends? The Oceanic Six, or the people still on the island (assuming there are still survivors on the island), or perhaps the woman Sayid used to love, Nadia?
  
• Sayid: now they know we're after them
• Ben: "Good."
  
  
• Amanda pointed out that there's a deleted scene wherein Sayid and Kate try to disarm the pylon fence while Miles discovers that it's not on by walking through unharmed
  

The following section contains spoilers from the preview:

• Preview for the next episode:
• The fifth member of the Oceanic Six will be revealed
• Kate gets with Sawyer... again
  
• On the podcast, Amanda said that she thought she saw a different-looking Claire in the preview

---

If you have a product or service that you'd like to market to thousands of LOST fans, find out how you can become a sponsor of this blog and podcast! Send an e-mail to thelostmeister+marketing at gmail dot com.

---