The Truth About the Purge
This is a theory I posted months ago on another site (now defunct). Some of you may have seen it there… anyway, I thought I’d bring it up because I’d like to get some more feedback on it… This is my favorite of my theories because as far as I can tell it’s unique… Anyway, here you go… have at it!
Anyway, so I’ve been thinking about the purge and the manner in which the DHARMA Initiative people died… We’ve seen another person die in similar fashion to the DI’ Minkowski (and since I’ve written this, Charlotte). This is hardly definitive. Just an idea. I don’t think we can prove anything either way until we hear on the show what actually happened.
Anyway, a gas. I’m guessing a nerve agent based on the way it killed. A Biological agent would have been much slower’ Most other chemical agents would have been much messier (and impossible to stop with just a protective mask). So bio and blister agents are out. So what kind of nerve agent was it? We aren’t going to be able to find out exactly but we can at least look at it generally. Was it persistent or non-persistent? Well, if it were persistent then the Hostiles would have died when they removed their masks, so I think that possibility is out. So it’s non-persistent. Still though, I think there would have been problems.
First, they protected themselves with only protective masks. No suits. Just a mask and their skin (a semi-permeable membrane) to protect them. I’m also not the least bit satisfied with how they handled their masks. Ben for example. The way he put his mask on.. He should have died. And the way Richard looks at his watch then takes his mask off’ I think I would have kept mine on until I couldn’t stand it anymore, just to be safe. I think it would have killed them with skin contact anyway’
Second is that the gas would have persisted not just in the air but in the water on the ground. I’m sure the island is pretty humid which would have kept the gas persistent down near the ground and the heat would have kept it around a while longer too. And it was a very neat killer. We’re probably not dealing with vintage ’30s-’40s nerve agent here. I’m sure it’s more stable than that so the UV shouldn’t have broken it down that quickly. Plus, imagine if one of the hostiles tripped after his mask was off’ he would have died when he hit the ground.
So where did the gas come from? I think there was a station where the gas was produced, right? The Tempest. So what were a bunch of hippies doing with this station? What was their interest in chemical weapons anyway? It all seems too convenient to me and I don’t think the writers would have been more careful about how they showed the hostiles protect themselves from the gas if it was actually necessary that they did so. So here’s what I think.
Richard, who I don’t think is actually a member of the Hostiles/Others but really more of an observer (a mole for Jacob?), manipulated the group into thinking that they were killing off the DI when actually it was Jacob / the island / whatever un-sticking them in time like what happened to Minkowski and what started happening to Desmond, only it was done forcefully and quickly.
Maybe, if this is the case, the whispers are the consciousnesses of the DI members who died in the purge. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear Minkowki’s voice in there sometime as well’
So that’s it. Let me know what you think. I anticipate a lot of dissenting views on this one but I’m looking forward to hearing them’
The coolest scene for me on Lafeur was Richie Boy struutin up and planting that firestick like nothing matters. Sweet. But what struck me was when Horace said “Shoulda told me you were coming and I would have turned off the fence”.
What does Mr Alpert say “That fence may keep some things out But not us”. Big clue. I thought It meant he was dead. Well then I re watched the purge and there he was with a gas mask on and the first to take it off.
What did Alpert mean by Somethings. Well he meant THE smokemonster.
Highbrow, nice thoughts here. Otos, I also believe the main purpose of the fence was to protecet them from smokie.
I been thinking that Jughead, has something to do with the “gas”. Whether a controlled radiation leak, or something else. It would make sense to a point, because if they did bury the bomb, it could have been used at a later time…of course I have also agreed that it could be buried at the Orchid, or more likely, the swan.
Either way, nice theory…Ill be picking at this…
i dont think its connected to jughead… atomic radiation is impossible to control and doesnt only work in a certain period of time…i do think it was a gas, there are certain nerve agents that dissipate after a while, and the can that ben opens in the car with his dad seems to support it. but the nosebleeds always got me, including lockes dream with horace in it..
highbrow, very nice post! I recall reading what the name of the gas was that they used way back, but of course can’t find it now.
I also thought it strange that there were no concerns about any after effects of using it. Especially, when Ben removes his mask, in such close proximity to ‘dear old dad’. Was this a misconception, on their behalf?
I have wondered, if this could have led to the pregnancy problems, or possibly something else.
Yeah most nerve agents basically become dilute in the air and then are no longer toxic.
Here’s a funny piece of history… mustard gas was originally called “LOST”. However, mustard gas is topical, in other words, it effects the skin and causes painful lesions, and later, cancer.
Chlorine gas is a more likely candidate as it’s deadly effects are stopped by gas-masks. Chlorine gas can be manufactured from Hydrochloric Acid, which itself can be manufactured by electrolyzing water containing Sodium Chloride (table salt). It can also be produced by mixing bleach with an acid such as vinegar or ammonia. The bleach is also manufactured in electrolyzing water containing salts.
Chlorine gas dissipates quickly in the air. Clues in Lost include the fact that it is produced at the “power station” and that Goodwin has burns on his hands… chemical burns which are probably the result of playing around with hydrochloric acid. Since Chlorine gas could be made quite easily using seawater, it’s a good candidate. It’s also possible that this facility was also responsible for producing bleach for cleaning and water purification… something the Hydra facility would have needed a great deal of.
Think about that the next time you buy some “Ionized” or “Negative Ion” or “Acidic” or “Electrolyzed” water. What makes it “Ionized” or “Electrolyzed” is a process that results in the presence of small doses of hydrochloric acid and bleach.
Given the symptoms (bleeding noses, quick death) I’d say it’s definitely not chlorine gas.
What gets me is that a gas that is capable of wiping out all life on the island seems pretty discriminant. But here the Others somehow managed to kill only those in a very localized area? Does not compute.
Yeah, the animals are still alive, too (at least a polar bear and a few boars).
Right… I also mentioned that there is further evidence for my theory in a comment on the recent post about the DHARMA Booth Video… It seems the purge is inescapable… or at least DHARMA believes it is… but it’s their gas! They could destroy it… Dan and Charlotte did so we know it’s possible. They could get masks and whatnot. A gas attack is totally preventable if they know ahead of time.
well dharma doesnt know HOW they died, and neither do the losties. all they know is that they were purged, not how. so they could not relay info they do not have
I think Juliet probably knows how they were killed actually….
Maybe Hurley could ask Jacob.
I know this is a little late … but before my time on this site. I wanted to say, highbrow, that I also wondered about Horace’s bloody nose, and how he died vs. how it’s portrayed. I think you may be on to something here, and we just need a few more clues.