Plus, the numbers could either be some scientific formula/equation, or they could simply be a serial number from that thing? We have 5 weeks to figure it out .

Yeah, me too. Didn't see the sprained ankle coming, though. That made me wince.

I caught the box company reference, too. Another connection...

My first instinct is that Hurley was a patient, but he could also have been an employee, and that could explain his defensiveness to Charlie's "lunatic" comment, but I'm leaning more toward patient. (Which would mean we'll have more of Hurley's backstory coming.)

No explanation on why he's called "Hurley?" (If he attempted suicide, maybe he tried hurling himself off of something?)

What could the numbers mean? The only thing I can pull out of my ass right now would be something to do with chaos theory or fractals. With all of the seemingly random connections and coincidences going on between the characters, it might make some sense. Anyone remember Alan Moore's aborted graphic novel Big Numbers? Wasn't it supposed to have dealth with something similar? (I know that only two of twelve proposed issues were published, and I haven't read any of it, so I'm pretty much grasping at straws with the comparison.)

"She says 'Hey.'"

I also took it that Hurley was a patient, not an employee (hence the "put my family thru a lot lately" line).

I'm taking it that confirmation of this and the reason he's called Hurley are being saved for his second flashback ep (come on, Charlie got 2, so surely Hurley's worth another one).

When Hurley gave his rant to the Le French woman about wanting some answers, was anyone else thinking (or screaming), "no shit, that would be nice". I am guessing that the writers put that in there in a tongue-in-cheek sort of way.

Alas, I am left with more questions not answers...oh well, maybe I will go watch Carnivale now just to add to the alraedy hemorrhaging mind fuck that I am now left with ...arrrggghhhh...

4 8 15 16 23 42

Here come the Theories (from another site)

Or this one

What was the flight #? Do we know the date they crashed?

Wasn't pay close enough attention at the end. What was the thing the numbers were shown on? Was it the hatch that Locke and Boone were trying to open up earlier?

Yes

i believe it was 815.

and weren't people making a big deal a while back out of the fact that everyone seemed to have met or connected "4" years ago?

I thought they started out with 48 survivors? How many are left now?

Deaths (I may be forgetting someone):
U.S. Marshall
Drowning Woman
Steve or Scott

Does the Pilot count? Does Ethan?

That would leave either 45 or 43, depending on whether you count the Pilot & Ethan as original survivors.

Its not in the Locke backstory episode...he tells that to Boone in the Boone/Shannon episode (or sooner)

Cool. So we have a possibility for the 8 and 15. The 4 also a possibility (I missed that discussion - how'd you come to the 4 years conclusion?). Plus someone mentioned 42 survived the crash?

Ok, here's my guess. The code has something to do with the Rambaldi device. Lost will end with Sloane showing up on the island. He'll explain that he has been sent there to find a code that will be used to save the world. Hurley will be like, "Dude, I'll give you the code... if you get us off this island." The last season of Alias will involve all the weird ways that everyone around Sloane dies. He'll off himself on the series finale. The end.

As for the episode: another solid

Two in a row!

Danielle has been there 16 years...man I'm reaching here, aren't I?

Also, with Danielle's discussion with Hurley, it seems there were people there before her and her people. Are those the people Ethan was working with?

I think the execs and/or producers picked a good episode to leave a huge gap before the next new one. plenty to mull and chew and argue over. I'm enjoying all the theories so far.

A few months ago people were noticing that there were lots of "4 years ago" connections popping up. Of course now I'm drawing a blank, but it seemed significant at the time, moreso now with this weird string of numbers.

Anybody remember this?

Since she has stated that all of her party were taken, I always assumed that Ethan was not part of her expedition.

Were the 6 numbers in numerical order from low to high on the metal thing?

So why would the object transmit its numbers.

And would Hurley being on the downed plane be another coincidence?

Yeah, WHY were those numbers being transmitted? Really weird.

AND since the French crew was wrecked and the Navy guys listened to the transmission at the same time...

Why did they mysteriously begin to be transmitted 16 years ago?