In addition to featuring several huge surprises, "Par Avion" included the usual set of Easter eggs. Some were clear-cut, and some have been disputed on various blogs and message boards. So far, fans have come up with a decent list of clues, questions, and theories.
The Numbers: After Claire's tragic car accident, the number 108 was shown on her odometer (108 is the sum of all six numbers, as well as the magic timer number in the Hatch). During another flashback scene in the hospital, the following could be heard over the loudspeaker: "Dr. Addison, phone call on line 4." These examples could reinforce the idea that the numbers are cursed.
Jack's Tattoo: There has been a lot of disagreement over the tattoo on Jack's forearm that was visible during the episode's final scene. Some have argued that the tattoo is new, and possibly proves that Jack has joined the Others (or that he has a twin). A before-and-after comparison on one blog shows that the tattoo has been there all along. Sorry, conspiracy theorists.
Sawyer's Book Club: As I mentioned in the recap, Sawyer was reading Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead at the end of "Par Avion." Sawyer's taste in literature could end up being either a significant clue or merely a fun Easter egg. For the curious, Lostpedia has a list of the other books that Sawyer has read in the last few seasons.
The Charlie-Claire Connection: One Lost fan at Pop Candy pointed out that all of Charlie's near-death experiences involve Claire in some way. Ethan nearly killed him after abducting Claire, the lightning was going to strike Claire's tent, etc. Would Charlie's life be saved if he simply avoided Claire? Will Claire's renewed commitment to Charlie be his undoing?
The Birds: Claire's idea to attach a message to a tagged bird was met with some fan skepticism. Viewers have complained that the note was not waterproof, and others have theorized that Charlie did not actually attach the note. My favorite fan theory is that the type of birds shown hints at the island's location (scroll down to the bottom of the page after following the link). One of the birds was an Arctic Tern, which migrates to the Antarctic for the winter months. Is the island located closer to Antarctica than to Fiji? If you line up this information with the show's timeline, the theory could make sense.
Happy hunting for this week's episode, "The Man From Tallahassee"!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-18-2007 @ 8:28PM
Anthony said...
Perhaps the Arctic Tern can somehow tie into the Arctic/Antarctic station at the end of the "Live Together, Die Alone" episode. That is, of course, if the two are anywhere near each other
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3-18-2007 @ 8:33PM
Greg the Paladin said...
I know i'm not the only one who thought that the note Charlie read was waaay too long to fit on a bird's leg.
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3-22-2007 @ 5:31PM
Chris said...
I'd say the paging Dr. Addison was more of a Grey's shoutout
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3-19-2007 @ 2:13PM
ac said...
Isn't Dr. Addison a character on Grey's Anatomy? Kate Walsh must be a part of Dharma!!
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3-18-2007 @ 10:06PM
Curt said...
Maybe he's a master of calligraphy Greg.
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3-18-2007 @ 10:34PM
Bash said...
OH MY GOD! Claire was really involved? Who would've thunk?
This is just like, you know, a bodyguard getting killed close to somebody they are protecting. SHOCKER!
Claire is always so close because Charlie made his life on the island about taking care of Claire and the baby.
Next thing those conspiracy numbnuts argue that Charlie would be safe if he'd just "gotten off the island".
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3-18-2007 @ 10:38PM
erroneous_nick said...
Yeah Greg, we started laughing as Charlie's reading of the note seemed to go on far longer than would've seemed reasonable. My wife joked that the note must look more like a phonebook from a large city than a tiny strip of paper wrapped around a bird's leg. That caused my daughter to say how it reminded her of the scene in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" where they discuss whether or not a swallow could've carried a coconut.
We agreed a satisfactory note would've sounded more like, "We're survivors of Oceanic flight 815 stranded on an island...HELP!"
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3-19-2007 @ 1:00AM
Eleventeen said...
Hah....Tallahassee. I live in Tallahassee. And yes, there's a Waffle House at every exit along the interstate.
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3-19-2007 @ 7:49AM
RSL said...
If I recall correctly, the note wasn't even a "come rescue us" as a "we're still out here" kinda thing, wasn't it? I mean, they have no idea where to tell people they are other than not Fiji.
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3-19-2007 @ 12:39PM
Gordon Werner said...
Charlie relayed the information the pilot gave him before he was eaten by something large (and since forgotten by the show)
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3-19-2007 @ 2:19PM
Hoover said...
After reviewing the footage, it seems that Charlie MAY have switched the note. The bird flies off, with a note attached, and in the same shot, you can see a small white object concealed in Charlie's left hand. Also, the entire time Charlie is reading/handling/folding the note, two fingers of his right hand remained tucked into his palm.
Charlie also acts kind of sheepish and stares at the ground, avoiding eye contact with Claire.
It's worth reviewing.
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