thats all. maybe its a premature. but the runway was there. how did he know the outriggers would be there?

I think that is the same boats we saw in Season 3 when they left the Hydra after Ben's surgery to return to the main island. So I think they have been there the whole time. I knew those boats looked familiar. So I am guessing Ben knew they would be there, but the runway is the question, how did they know it would be needed.

Hmm...obviously they are in 2004-2007. The plane didn't make the trip back to 1977 so Ben would know where everything is?

Didn't those palm fronds covering the boats look kind of fresh?

The year is 2007 for Sun, Ben and co. At the beginning of the show, they flashed back 30 years. Ben's surgery was late 2004 and I am guessing no one was back to the hydra after 2004 including the mercenaries. So I am guessing Ben always knew they were there.

yeah apparently the plane came back during the correct time. so crazy...but how did ben know that?

the question remains the same. everyone flashed and that didnt phase ben a bit - he knew what time it was. but how?

It's worth it for Ben to check it out, if he knew they were there when he left in 2004/5. If they were there when the others moved of Hydra Island after his surgery, then why wouldn't they be there in 2007/8? No one's gone back to that island, that we've seen, in that time between when the FDW was turned and now.

The palm fronds did look fresh though, but I can chalk that up to a small oversight and be satisfied.

Yeah, Ben knows more information than we do at this point, that's for sure. I guess it makes sense that no one was back to the Hydra after the events of S3, although it's all a *bit* weird...

Just a thought....Maybe 2007 Ben is getting NEW memories on the little island from 1977 Ben? Like Des got the new memory from Dan? I know in Namaste we just saw Ben meet Sayid but who really knows what that KId knows in 1977, I think by now he is working for the Hostiles (Richard) and may know a lot. Little Ben may be giving Big Ben new memories.

I think Ben put those boats there before he time-traveled off the island. He knew that he and the O6 would be back eventually. And, as LostLaura said, he knows more than we do at the moment.

I'm guessing either someone from the future or Jacob visits Ben in the past telling him that all this will happen and to prepare.

I thought that Ben left for the boats after overhearing Caesar talking about how he saw buildings in the distance. My theory is that Ben knows there are only so many time entry points when you flash to the island, and the fact that the buildings were there was enough of a clue for him to know that he could head off to where the boats would be.

Yeah, Ben knows more information than we do at this point, that's for sure. I guess it makes sense that no one was back to the Hydra after the events of S3, although it's all a *bit* weird...

Considering Ben built the runway that they landed on a full three years (from any perspective) before they landed on it, I'm not questioning Ben's knowledge on anything at this point.

Ben knows because he lived through it all.....its different than with Des. Ben has known the Losties since the 70's and all that follows...at least all that follows until 2005 when he turns the wheel and ends up in Tunisia.

Yeah, Ben knew there was good reason to build a runway back in 2004 so him knowing about some outriggers isn't too amazing. It could be that the runway was being built in relation to future off-Island Others endeavors. That would be the simple and uninteresting answer. I'm pretty sure he had the runway built for flight 316 though. As far as the outriggers go; I think it is the boring answer. They were there in 2004 and Ben figured they would still be there in 2007.

First, how did Ben know there'd be boats there? If he, along with the 316ers, Sun and Frank are in the present i.e. 2007, how would he know the boats would still be there?

And why didn't Ben, upon regaining consciousness, simply use another boat to get to the main island? He mentions there are 3, and yet we see him on Alcatraz in LDJB, injured. Are we to suppose he remained knocked out, was found by a 316er, and then taken to their shelter/ Dharma station? That doesn't sound like Ben, and I'd think he wouldn't be out of it for so long, based on the swipe Sun took at him...

Thoughts?

And why didn't Ben, upon regaining consciousness, simply use another boat to get to the main island? He mentions there are 3, and yet we see him on Alcatraz in LDJB, injured. Are we to suppose he remained knocked out, was found by a 316er, and then taken to their shelter/ Dharma station? That doesn't sound like Ben, and I'd think he wouldn't be out of it for so long, based on the swipe Sun took at him...

Thoughts?

He said he needed help rowing the outrigger. It looked like he had a separated shoulder or an injury of some sort. How do we know he regained consciousness. Locke saw him in the Hydra station unconscious. Maybe Sun and Frank moved him away from the other two outriggers so the rest of the people would not find the outriggers.

First, how did Ben know there'd be boats there? If he, along with the 316ers, Sun and Frank are in the present i.e. 2007, how would he know the boats would still be there?

He is Ben. He is an evil genius.

First, how did Ben know there'd be boats there? If he, along with the 316ers, Sun and Frank are in the present i.e. 2007, how would he know the boats would still be there?

How did ben know they needed to build a runway as well?

There is alot of time unaccounted for in Ben's life. I think Ben was told that in 2007, a plane would be landing on the island and a future version of himself would be on that plane. You will need to build a runway on the Hydra Island and you will want to place some outriggers on the beach so that you can get back to the main island.

Just a guess....

And Richard knows, too. And our beautiful eyes one who does age seems to retain his memories.

Now that 1970s Richard has met 1970s Sawyer/LaFleur, Richard knows that the Losties he meets in 2004 were at the Dharma Compound decades before. At some point, Richard will either talk with Jack or Kate or Hurley, and one of them will say that they were on a plane and then flashed off of it. Richard, being the bright one, will know that somehow a plane has landed on the Island (no exactly sure where, but somewhere) and he'll know that it was flying over the Island in 2008/2009 (or whatever time the O6 boarded Flight 316). With that kind of knowledge, Richard could have easily put a boat somewhere Ben would know to look.

How did ben know they needed to build a runway as well?

There is alot of time unaccounted for in Ben's life. I think Ben was told that in 2007, a plane would be landing on the island and a future version of himself would be on that plane. You will need to build a runway on the Hydra Island and you will want to place some outriggers on the beach so that you can get back to the main island.

Just a guess....

I'm with you 100%. Remember when Juliet told Sawyer in Season 3 that they were building a runway for the Aliens. Ben knew he'd be landing on that Island. He was just being prepared.

ILANA: I'm Ilana.

LOCKE: [Thumbing to himself] John. [Thumbing behind him] Are those your boats?

[Various crash survivors comb through two outrigger canoes pulled safely up on the beach.]

ILANA: No. They were already here. There used to be three, but the pilot and some woman took one. Didn't tell anyone, just ran off in the middle of the night.

This kind of indicates that the 316 people probably did find Ben unconscious there. However, I'm pretty sure no one saw Frank & Sun row away - also it was not night time. :shrug: