Originally posted by: slsmnaz
Same thing I thought. They would mark 3 tents and needed just 3 shooters to blow the dynamite.
But they say they need another GUN, and that's why the kid gives his gun to them. He doesn't say he'll fire it, he says they can take his gun. They needed another gun, THEN they have the argument about who the third shooter is going to be.
Originally posted by: CalvinHobbs
one things no one has mentioned, when young ben goes into the forest the first time, the guy with the long hair that he meets, i'm pretty it was Richards, the same RIchards that told Locke about Ben etc, that they're happy with his leadership, i mean the guy that gave locke the file about sawyer. any thoughts??? am i the only one who saw this?
Yes, it was mentioned many times after that episode (search for "Lost 3x20"). He was the person that recruited Juliette. He was the person that "recruited" Ben to the Hostiles. He was the person that gave the files to Locke.
I'll tell you this - and I'm sure of this... he's the most important "Other". Even if he's not openly the leader, he's got more say in what goes on there than Ben does. I think Ben somehow got leadership of the group when he first brought Jacob to them or showed them what Jacob was. Somehow, Ben uses Jacob and his spectre to keep control of everyone. Richard is not happy about him being leader and wants to come back to power. Also, he's been there longer than Ben, so he likely knows more than Ben does. So his friendships with people on the island are stronger than Ben's.
Again, importance is a tough thing to measure, but he's the most important Other in my mind.
Here's a theory: Mikhail, Richard and others were stranded on the island just like the Losties. They were being messed with just like the Losties are now, and so they fought back and won. Richard feels a sympathy for them and realizes that they are where he once was. Mikhail likes being in control on the island, so while he somewhat empathizes with the Losties, he doesn't exactly wish them well.
I also think that Ben gave the Hostiles the information about what the Dharma initiative was doing on the island - at least they think he did. What he actually gave them could have been the truth, or more likely, the truth as it best suited him to be. That's why they held him in such high regard.