Lost/One of Them

One of Them
Season 2, Episode 14
Airdate	February 15, 2006
Production Number	214
Written by	Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse
Directed by	Stephen Williams
← 2x13 The Long Con	2x15 → Maternity Leave
Lost — Season Two

One of Them is the fourteenth episode of the second season, and the thirty-ninth episode overall.

When Rousseau leads Sayid to a mysterious captive in the jungle, he becomes determined to find out if he is one of the "Others." Meanwhile, Sawyer discovers Hurley's potentially devastating breach of the survivors' trust and blackmails him into helping track an elusive island creature that won't leave Sawyer alone.

Starring: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Mr. Eko), Naveen Andrews (Sayid), Emilie de Ravin (Claire), Matthew Fox (Jack), Jorge Garcia (Hurley), Josh Holloway (Sawyer), Daniel Dae Kim (Jin), Yunjin Kim (Sun), Evangeline Lilly (Kate), Dominic Monaghan (Charlie), Terry O'Quinn (John), Harold Perrineau, Jr. (Michael), Michelle Rodriguez (Ana-Lucia), Cynthia Watros (Libby).

Guest Starring: Clancy Brown (Kelvin Inman), Mira Furlan (Danielle Rousseau), Lindsey Ginter (Sam Austen), Marc Casabani (Tariq), Michael Emerson (Henry Gale).

Co-Starring: Theo Rossi (Sgt. Buccelli), Thomas Meharey (U.S. Soldier No. 1), Kamari Borden (U.S. Soldier No. 2).

Plot Overview

The Island

• On the beach, Ana-Lucia comes running out of the jungle and sees Sayid. She asks him where Jack is and, after Sayid asks her why, brings Sayid into the jungle where they spot Rousseau. Sayid tells Ana-Lucia to go back and not to tell anyone what she saw. Alone, Sayid approaches Rousseau and she tells him she was looking for him. Refusing to go with Rousseau until she tells him why, Rousseau gives him her rifle and the two continue on into the jungle. They come to a man trapped in a net — one of Rousseau's traps. The man tells Sayid he's been up there since last night, that his name is Henry Gale, but Rousseau tells Sayid that the man is one of "them" and is lying. Sayid cuts Henry down while Rousseau uncovers a crude crossbow and, as Henry attempts to flee, Rousseau shoots him in the shoulder with an arrow. Rousseau tells Sayid that he should take the man to his doctor, but warns him that the man will lie and will lie for a long time.
• Sayid carries Henry Gale back to the Swan and wakes up Locke. Henry Gale tells them that he and his wife crashed on the island in a balloon, and his wife died after she got sick three weeks ago. Before Sayid can get any more information out of Henry, Jack appears and treats Henry's wound. While Jack works on Henry, Sayid pulls Locke aside and asks him to change the combination to the armory so he can get more information out of Henry. Once Jack is finished with Henry, they bring him into the armory and Sayid locks himself inside with Henry. Sayid questions Henry thoroughly, but becomes convinced he's lying when Henry is unable to tell Sayid how deep his wife's grave was and how long it took him to dig it. Sayid begins to beat Henry badly. Outside the armory, Jack shoves Locke up against a wall and demands he open the armory, but Locke refuses. The four minute warning for the timer sounds, but Jack refuses to let go of Locke until he opens the armory. Locke finally caves in and opens the armory, then rushes to the computer but is unable to type the code in on time. The timer hits zero and then begins locking in hieroglyphic symbols as a mechanical noise is heard in the background. Before the last hieroglyphic symbol locks into place on the timer, Locke executes the code and the timer resets to 108 minutes. At the armory, Jack pulls Sayid off of Henry gale and takes him outside, closing the door to the armory behind him.
• On the beach, the sound of a frog is keeping Sawyer awake. Venturing into the jungle, Sawyer runs into Hurley who is dipping chips into DHARMA ranch dressing. Sawyer makes Hurley a deal: help him find the tree frog and he'll keep Hurley's secret stash of food a secret. The two venture into the jungle and Sawyer catches the tree frog. Hurley suggests that Sawyer gives him the tree frog and he'll take him far away so that he won't bother Sawyer. But Sawyer crushes the tree frog in his hand and gives it to Hurley before heading back to the beach camp.

The Flashback

• Flashback: Sayid

Inside a bunker, Iraqi troops are burning and shredding documents as the explosions from a bombardment can be heard outside and rock the bunker. The commanding officer, Tariq, threatens to kill the soldiers if they stop destroying the files. U.S. Army soldiers burst into the bunker and order everyone to stop and get down. Sayid and Tariq get down, but two of the Iraqi soldiers continue destroying documents. Sgt. Buccelli tells them that someone had better tell the soldiers to stop or he’ll shoot them. Sayid orders them to stop and Sgt. Buccelli asks him if he’s in charge. After Sayid tells Sgt. Buccelli that he is not the one in charge, he covers for Tariq by telling Sgt. Buccelli that their commanding officer left two hours ago. Sgt. Buccelli tells Sayid that his English is good, but he’s lying, and knocks him out with his rifle.

Shortly after being captured, Sgt. Buccelli shows Sayid to Sgt. Austen and he’s pulled from a holding pen. As Sayid is being escorted by the two men, Sgt. Austen tells Sayid that an Apache helicopter went down in the area two days ago and their sources say the pilot was captured. They know he was taken to the local Republican Guard intelligence commander - a man named Tariq. Sayid tells Sgt. Austen that Tariq was his commanding officer, but he fled to Hila when the bombing began. Sgt. Austen shows Sayid into a room with Tariq and welcomes him to Hila.

Using Sayid as a translator, Sgt. Austen tries to get information regarding the Apache pilot out of Tariq. He tells Tariq that he's free to go if they get their pilot back safe and sound. Tariq tells Sayid that he’s an Iraqi soldier and orders him to steal Sgt. Austen’s gun and kill as many of the American soldiers as he can. Sayid tells Sgt. Austen that Tariq does not know where the pilot is, but Sgt. Austen tells Sayid that someone else is going to take over the interrogations and has him locked back up.

Sayid is later brought to a man named "Joe" Inman. Inman tells Sayid that Tariq used to be the head of the chemical warfare battalion in the north. He plays a video tape for Sayid showing sarin gas being used on a village. Inman tells Sayid that he should know that village since Sayid had relatives there. Sayid asks him to stop and then asks him why he should believe Tariq was responsible. Inman shows him Tariq’s personnel file and tells Sayid that he only wants his pilot back. He hands Sayid a box and tells him he’s going to have to make Tariq talk.

Sayid is left with Tariq, alone, in a room with the box from Inman. Tariq laughs at Sayid and the thought that he could actually torture him. He reminds Sayid that he's the son of a great hero and wouldn’t dare harm him. He orders Sayid to kill himself, but Sayid picks up a pair of pliers and begins his work on Tariq. After his work is done, Sayid reports to Inman that the Apache pilot was executed two days ago and that he can take him to where the body is buried. He hands Inman, with blood-soaked hands, the box he was given.

Later, a U.S. Army truck convoy is driving down a road in the desert. While looking at a picture of a young Kate, Sgt. Austen asks Sayid if he has a wife or kids, but Sayid shakes his head. The convoy comes to a stop and Sayid is brought out. Inman takes possession of Sayid and tells him that they're not going to Baghdad, and it looks like Sayid is going to stay in Saddam's employ but with a new skill set Sayid can use. Inman cuts Sayid’s bonds and, speaking to him in Arabic, tells Sayid that one day there is going to be something Sayid needs to know and now he'll know how to get it. He gives Sayid money and leaves him on the side of the road.

Notes

Mysteries

• Is Henry Gale lying? Is he an Other?
• What is the significance of the hieroglyphic symbols when the timer reaches zero?
• What happens if all five hieroglyphic symbols lock into place before the button is pushed?
• When the timer is displaying the symbols, mechanical noises and a 'powering up' sound can be heard in the background. What were those noises attributed to?

Answers

• Hieroglyphic symbols appear and lock into place on the timer when it reaches zero. (2x03 - Orientation)

The Cursed Numbers

• Henry Gale claims he and his wife crashed on the island 4 months ago.
• The Apache pilot was buried in a field 4 kilometers from where Sayid tortured Tariq.
• Sayid was 23 years old when the Americans first came to his country.
• 15 was the first number in Locke's new combination for the armory.
• The video of the sarin gas being used on the villagers has the markings "PROPERTY OF DIA" and "REEL 23108-42" marked on the bottom of the screen. "23108-42" can be broken up into 23, 42, and 108. 108 is the sum of all the Numbers.

Happenings

• Rousseau captures a man she believes to be one of the Others, Henry Gale.
• Henry Gale is brought to the Swan and interrogated by Sayid. He is currently locked inside the armory.
• The timer reached zero, but Locke was apparently able to reset the timer.

Characters

• Sayid: Beats up Henry Gale and firmly believes he is lying to him.
• Charlie: After beating up Henry Gale, Sayid tells Charlie that there is a stranger being held inside the Swan.
• Locke and Jack's relationship continues to be strained as they argue over the treatment of Henry Gale and the pushing of the button.

Trivia

Behind the Scenes

• Awards: For his role as Henry Gale in this episode, Michael Emerson was nominated for an IVy Award for the 2005-06 season for Best Guest Actor or Actress in a Drama Series.
• Awards: For her work on this episode, Sarah Boyd was nominated for an Emmy for the 2005-06 season for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series.
• Henry Fossett?: Henry Gale claimed to be a wealthy man who attempted to cross the Pacific in a balloon. The statistics he gives for his balloon are the same as those for Steve Fossett's Solo Spirit balloon. Steve Fossett is a multi-millionaire adventurer who attempted to circumnavigate the world by balloon, beginning in western Australia.

Allusions and References

• Henry Gale: Henry Gale could be a reference to L. Frank Baum's children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its many adaptations. Dorothy Gale, the story's young heroine, has an Uncle Henry and the Land of Oz, it seems, can be reached (and returned from) by hot-air balloon.
• Babar: While searching for the tree frog, Sawyer refers to Hurley as "Babar." Babar the Elephant is a popular French children's character created by Jean de Brunhoff in 1931. He is a young elephant who leaves the jungle, visits a big city, and returns to the jungle to bring it civilization.
• Rerun: Running into Hurley, Sawyer refers to him as "Rerun." Freddie "Rerun" Stubbs was a character on What's Happening!! that aired from 1976 to 1979. Rerun was an overweight, bumbling, comedic character who was teased by his friends because of his weight.

Quotes

• Sayid: I was 23 years old when the Americans came to my country. I was a good man. I was a soldier. And when they left... I was something different. For the next six years I did things I wish I could erase from my memory. Things which I never thought myself to be capable of. But I did come to learn this: there is a part of me which was always capable. You want to know who I am? My name is Sayid Jarrah... and I am a torturer.
• Locke: Let go of me, Jack.
  Jack: Or what? You want to push the button? Open the door. [one minute alarm sounds] It's under a minute now, John. You better think fast.
  Locke: You wouldn't.
  Jack: What? I wouldn't what?
  Locke: If we don't— You would risk everyone's lives?
  Jack: You talked me into pushing that button once, John. But it's yours now. You're the one who won't risk it. You. Me? I don't think anything's going to happen when we get down to zero.
  Locke: Jack!
  Jack: You want to see what's going to happen? Let's just see what's going to happen.