I think Desmond tries to take Charlie's place at the last minute because he feels guilty for lying; I don't really think he saw Claire and Aaron going into the helicopter in his flashback, he probably saw himself and Naomi or maybe him meeting Penny. Either that or he is a more of a manipulator than I thought....

Why didn't they blow up the cable with some dynamite?

Coolio. Thanks.

Yes, that spoiler is in reference to Coolio coming to the island.

now that would be a fantastic voyage

I thought Sayid's girl was Andrea Gabriel.

We don't know that. We've barely seen Sayid since that episode. That could have been ALL he's been doing.

You would want to trap yourself in an enclosed space when you are being hunted? An enclosed space where the hunter is familiar with?

Great episode. Definitely a nice twist at the end. I didn't think they could kill off Charlie. Don't think Locke is going to bite it either. I missed last weeks thread, what was the verdict on Ben's right-hand man? Why doesn't he age? Bad make-up?

My prediciton having read no spoilers for what the big shocking thing is

That would shock me

Does anyone think


That was my first thought.

Nice send off ep for Charlie. I was actually starting to miss him...

I never really cared for Charlie and was actually glad they might actually kill him off until this episode. I gained a new-found respect for his character and now I really don't want him to die. I figure Charlie will still die the same way Desmond said he would. Maybe he'll "die" but then be revived by Desmond?

Ben sure likes to lie a lot.

Great Charlie episode. Very S1 feeling, as he and Des travelled to the boat resigned to his fate. The sense of dread was very well done and Desmond trying to calm him while guiding him to his destiny was well written also. The flashbacks were very relevant and the story was advanced. Perhaps if they had ended the episode 2 minutes earlier and not shown Charlie swimming in the moon pool, it would have had even more impact. I would have liked to have seen Claire find his ring and run after him only to run into Hurley on the beach and see him diving in the water from the boat. Still one of my favorite episodes this season.

Great episode. Man, this last quarter of the season has been fantastic. Hope the trend continues.

The two women at the end of the episode. The back one with the larger gun, I'm like 95% sure that was the woman that Sawyer conned and later helped Kate see her mom. (Cassidy) The front woman we saw was Coleen (Paula Malcomson, who payed Trixie on Deadwood). The last time she was in an episode of Lost, was Kate's flashback episode where Cassidy helped Kate. (added FYI, she was also on Deadwood).

Did anyone notice that

whaaaa? Wasn't Colleen shot by Sun?

I swear, I think the writers read these threads and other threads to write the show...
as per Charlie...
"What's with all the secrets? Why cant we be more open?" LOL...how long have the dvd talk threaders been saying that?

But he wasnt suppose to drown, until he got in the installiation and pull the switch.

It might, but they didn't say. All they said when looking at the maps was that the hatch was anchored by the cable. It might power it, but they don't have anyway to know or a way to sever the line without electrocuting themselves in the process.
I thought they made it perfectly clear there was a "moon pool" in there - a pocket of air for subs to dock and for the crews to come in and out of the station. Charlie's task was 2-fold - 1) swim down to the moon pool to get a breath and 2) then find and flip the switch. They know the rest of the hatch was flooded, but the moon pool was fine (somehow).
I still think there is a literary reference there. (Edit: I realize I misread your post and you were saying that it IS a literary reference, sorry about that). In order for them to leave the island they must go "Through the Looking Glass". Someone (Charlie) had to get down there and disable the jam. And we know there's only one man that would dare

How can that station exist without flooding? How do they keep the water from coming in from the bottom? Is it a pressurized thing?

Good not great ep, I think they were saving the juicy bits for the finale

I didn't think that was made perfectly clear at all. I was under the impression that the whole thing flooded as in some sort of pressure loss to the rest of the station causing it to flood completely. Ben told it to the rest of the others this way to keep them away. Desmond never made mention of the moon pool being anything other than a way into the station, he wasn't specific about whether there was or was not air to breath once Charlie got inside.

She sure was!! I didn't notice it as being her I'll have to go back and have another look, not that I doubt the information.

I just rewatched it. Pretty sure is wasn't Trixie.

Yes the station would have to be pressurized. If there is no where for the air to go, the water can't get in. Like if you put a bowl in a tub of water upside down. As long as you don't tilt it, water won't get in the bowl.

That Ben is one manipulative SOB. Makes you wonder what his real agenda is.

According to Lostpedia.org, the two Looking Glass females are

or Charlie got caught in a downpour singing the same song on multiple occasions.

link