The well

[LostFreak21]

When Sawyer was holding the rope for John and then the rope was in the ground I felt sorry for Sawyer... so why did that get covered up? How many years I wonder had it been covered? Who covered that up and for what reason. Obviously the well was there when Charlotte was little. My first thought is that a wishing well?

[RePercussionist]

Actually it could be that the well hasn't been made yet. The Rope is coming through the ground because Sawyer was holding it, so it time traveled with him. It looked to me more like the Well wasn't there yet, in whatever time Sawyer/Julliette/etc moved to, not that it had been covered up.

[ortrules]

Actually it could be that the well hasn't been made yet. The Rope is coming through the ground because Sawyer was holding it, so it time traveled with him. It looked to me more like the Well wasn't there yet, in whatever time Sawyer/Julliette/etc moved to, not that it had been covered up.

Agreed. It's likely that they went to a time before the well was created. Then Dharma will come along and say, "I wonder why this rope is here?" and proceed to build a well that follows it.

[hunter8768]

I took that to mean that they transported to a time before the well was dug. The cave he was in had a rock ceiling. If a well had been dug and filled in, the ceiling would not be solid rock but a patchwork of stones that were used to patch the ceiling of the tunnel.

Just a side note, as soon as he started down the rope I thought to myself that what happens if they flash backward to a time before the well was dug and Locke finds himself in the ground? Then, Poof! it happened. Although, we know Locke wasn't burried but instead fell to the bottom of the well just as they flashed.

[5starboss]

2 questions: 1) Who's gonna build the Well? 2) did they also build the Wheel?

DI, the Hostiles, Widmore, Jacob?

[ortrules]

2 questions: 1) Who's gonna build the Well? 2) did they also build the Wheel?

DI, the Hostiles, Widmore, Jacob?

I believe the Well will be built by Dharma. It's likely that they see this mysterious rope coming from out of the ground and decided to dig down and find out why. They will find the donkey wheel, and soon after they will build the Orchid station to test the wheel's power.

Where the wheel came from is a huge mystery, but it's been around longer than Dharma - that I'm certain of.

[notsolost42]

The well was dug by the ancients. Didn't you all notice that the ancient totems were not there also after that flash? Therefore, whomever built the totems, as with the temple and the other ancient sites we've seen on the island already, built the well. To me, the whole area, the totems and well, looked more like some kind of ancient sacrificial site than anything else. Obviously, the builders of the well knew it wasn't for water. The ancients were in the ice caves before also as noted by the glyphs down there. So, I definitely believe that the ancients and not the DI built the well.

[5starboss]

The well was dug by the ancients. Didn't you all notice that the ancient totems were not there also after that flash? Therefore, whomever built the totems, as with the temple and the other ancient sites we've seen on the island already, built the well. To me, the whole area, the totems and well, looked more like some kind of ancient sacrificial site than anything else. Obviously, the builders of the well knew it wasn't for water. The ancients were in the ice caves before also as noted by the glyphs down there. So, I definitely believe that the ancients and not the DI built the well.

I think you're right. It looks primative to me, especially with the ruins type of stones. Unless it was stage 1 of the DI Orchid project. How could they know where to build it, Sawyer, Faraday, or Jin perhaps leads them to it?

[ortrules]

The well was dug by the ancients. Didn't you all notice that the ancient totems were not there also after that flash? Therefore, whomever built the totems, as with the temple and the other ancient sites we've seen on the island already, built the well. To me, the whole area, the totems and well, looked more like some kind of ancient sacrificial site than anything else. Obviously, the builders of the well knew it wasn't for water. The ancients were in the ice caves before also as noted by the glyphs down there. So, I definitely believe that the ancients and not the DI built the well.

I guess we'll see about this. You could be right, but I didn't consider the well area to be as ancient as you saw it. Plus, we saw that there was obviously another entrance to the donkey wheel (where Christian entered) so the ancients could have written the glyphs before the creation of the well.

But, I think we can all agree that this scene was sometime in the past. We'll see about the exact timing.

[ortrules]

Actually, I'm changing my mind. I think you're right notso. When looking at the images of the Temple area where Smokie pulled in Montand, the structures there are eerily similar to the stone structures around the well.

[notsolost42]

Actually, I think we did already see that cave door in the ice caves when Ben went down there to turn the wheel. Check the picture on Lostpedia with Ben in the ice caves.

[Lieutenant Dan]

Well now here's a good question, which came first... the well or the rope?

The rope would not have existed without the well, so how could the DI have found the rope and dug a well all the way to the bottom, when it didn't exist yet?



Also... obviously the hole leading to the wheel was disguised as a well, because there's no water at the bottom.:)

[5starboss]

Why does everyone FALL into the well. Locke *winces* fell hard. Ben's arm was injured when the ladder broke.

[LostFreak21]

Thought when Ben went in his closet when Keamy was out there didn't he go in a place that looked like the side walls of the Temple? Isn't that when Smokie was released too? I think Ben's closet is a way to the Temple. It had the same drawings on it.
The well had to be there when Charlotte was little.

[RePercussionist]

Well now here's a good question, which came first... the well or the rope?

The rope would not have existed without the well, so how could the DI have found the rope and dug a well all the way to the bottom, when it didn't exist yet?



Also... obviously the hole leading to the wheel was disguised as a well, because there's no water at the bottom.:)

This one doesn't seem hard to me...When Locke is going down the well, and time flashes, leaving Locke to fall, and Sawyer holding the rope still...Locke and Sawyer/etc are all in the same "time" still (all the Losties have been time traveling to the same periods of time, even when separated before (see Jin), so why wouldn't they still do it now?). It's just that Locke is down about 20-30 (?) feet below the ground, in this Wheel room.

So there we are, Locke with the wheel, and the other losties, with no well.

The Wheel was definitely there first.

[Lieutenant Dan]

This one doesn't seem hard to me...When Locke is going down the well, and time flashes, leaving Locke to fall, and Sawyer holding the rope still...Locke and Sawyer/etc are all in the same "time" still (all the Losties have been time traveling to the same periods of time, even when separated before (see Jin), so why wouldn't they still do it now?). It's just that Locke is down about 20-30 (?) feet below the ground, in this Wheel room.

So there we are, Locke with the wheel, and the other losties, with no well.

The Wheel was definitely there first.

I think I agree with you.

My post was in regards to the theory on page 1 of the thread that stated, "The DI dug the well to follow the rope to the bottom of the hole, creating the well." Which I still don't think is correct.

And I still maintain that the well is just a front for a much easier way to the donkey wheel.

[5starboss]

Thought when Ben went in his closet when Keamy was out there didn't he go in a place that looked like the side walls of the Temple? Isn't that when Smokie was released too? I think Ben's closet is a way to the Temple. It had the same drawings on it.
The well had to be there when Charlotte was little.

good point.

I think Smokie was "summoned" while Ben was in the closet you mentioned. Actually, I think whatever Ben did, he disturbed something Smokie is meant to protect and that's why he came charging hard with bad intentions. There is certainly a connection to the ancient ruins on the Island and Smokie.

[rochnative]

I have two questions about the Well incident. First off, the Orchid station was a long, long, long, long ways underground. They had to travel down an elevator for quite a while and then Ben had to go down even further via ladders and tunnels before he arrived at the wheel. So how is it that Locke is within view of Sawyer and Co. just before the flash and then ends up in the cave so far below. If he truely did fall that far he would have sustained a much more serious injury than a broken leg. Personally I think he should have been buried alive within the ground until the next flash. Talk about claustrifobia.
Second, if we all agree they were in a period of time prior to the well having been built, wouldn't the wheel be working properly at that time? Ben didn't knock it off its axis until a number of years later. Do the undergournd tunnels not apply to the same time standards as to what is above ground? Just doesn't make sense.

[LostFreak21]

The " well " wasn't a water well so what was it really for? There wasn't a bucket on the end of the rope. Does it have a meaning? Is it where you get well? Google The Well.

[losttime]

I thought the well was there when Locke and Ben first went to the Orchid station.

[beachblinkette]

The symbolism of the deep well seems the opposite of that of the lofty temple. One, the well, is going down into the bowels of the earth to some dark mysterious place--the underworld. It suggests death and buriel. Is it evil or does it hint that it is the vessel to take them to the afterlife or to reincarnation?.....The other, the temple concept, seems to ascend to some height in order to communicate with God in the heavens. Who is being communicated with deep in the earth? I guess I think of that movie The Ring was it (?) and the little girl buried in the well. Creepy.

Of course the pharaohs were buried deep down under the pyramids to ensure their journey to eternity and to foil grave robbers. I think the ancients did build the well as the entrance to a sacrificial or sacred place because Richard spoke of sacrifice to John. What better place to speak of "not my will but thy will be done"... because John must bend his will to the will of Jacob and and the island. Time "WILL" tell!!!

All in all I loved that well scene and another peek at the mysterious wheel!!

[RePercussionist]

Yea I don't remember clearly...but the Well was not in sight from where the Orchid was (before the time flash). But Locke knew exactly what direction to go to get to the Well, that part is certain. either he was there before, or it's just another of the Locke mysteries (albeit a smaller one)

[5starboss]

I have two questions about the Well incident. First off, the Orchid station was a long, long, long, long ways underground. They had to travel down an elevator for quite a while and then Ben had to go down even further via ladders and tunnels before he arrived at the wheel. So how is it that Locke is within view of Sawyer and Co. just before the flash and then ends up in the cave so far below. If he truely did fall that far he would have sustained a much more serious injury than a broken leg. ...
I kinda wondered the same thing. The elevator they rode didn't lead straight to the cave. It lead to the fancy closet Ben loaded with metal. They then spelunked thru a passage leading to the cave entrance ( from the top). idk know if its a satisfactory explanation, but I tried.

[LostFreak21]

Does someone have a picture of Ben closet?

[kobefan234]

Actually it could be that the well hasn't been made yet. The Rope is coming through the ground because Sawyer was holding it, so it time traveled with him. It looked to me more like the Well wasn't there yet, in whatever time Sawyer/Julliette/etc moved to, not that it had been covered up.

I agree they went back in time when the well was not there. :)

[beachblinkette]

This is the pipe that pierces the dam
that holds back the universe,

that takes off some of the pressure,
keeping the weight of the unknown

from breaking through
and washing us all down the valley.

Because of this small tube,
through which a cold light rushes

from the bottom of time,
the depth of the stars stays always constant

and we are able to sleep, at least for now,
beneath the straining wall of darkness.

This is a poem, Telescope, by Ted Kooser-- former poet laureate of the US.
Thought it was great!