I didn't really think about it until we saw Richards and Bens first meeting.

We see Richard in the 50's Looking clean cut, then we see Him In 1974 when he talks to Horace in Dharmaville, he looks the same as he did in the 1950's.

I'ts 1977 in this epi and Little Ben tells Sayid he met Richard 4 years ago sooo.....

In 1973 Richard was wondering the island in Pirate costume??? Do the Hostiles celebrate Halloween??? Did he just let himself go for a few years? I really hope this is not one those questions we will never get an answer to.

I'm thinking Damon and Carlton and the writers didn't have his role completely fleshed out at that point. I noticed that too though, Richard had a grisly five o'clock shadow and long hair.

I remembered the hair was different, but the beard was a new observation for me.

I was thinking maybe Richard was in costume - he knew Ben was coming and the get up was to look like an adventurer that would appeal to a young boy. I'm thinking like Strider the Ranger in LOTR. The corporate look wouldn't have worked as well

I thought it was the same sort of costume we see the Others use early on, like when they take Walt. Maybe to give people the impression that they're a bit feral or primitive or something. It gives them an aura of mystery. Richard doesn't really need any help being mysterious, though.

In 1973 Richard was wondering the island in Pirate costume???:biglaugh:

I maintain my original standpoint that he was in disguise. We know that the Others used disguises.

And what reason would they have for disguising themselves from the DI?

They had a reason to costume themselves with the Losties.

Things change on the Island over time. Maybe they were livin pretty well in '54 and by '73 things changed, then they found new rags. Who knows.

Well, Ben's first meeting with Richard is the only time we've seen him in that get up with the long hair, but not the only time we've seen him wearing rags for clothes. I think it's also the only time we've seen him carrying a gun.

Right?

Maybe it gets explained, maybe not. Either way it's not a big deal to me in the grand scheme of LOST.

The primitives disguise makes Dharma misunderestimate them, the same way Michael Referred to them as 'Hillbillies' whose butt the Losties could kick without much hassle.

Maybe he wasn't in costume but just groovin in the 60s and 70s as a dirty hippie :smoke:

The primitives disguise makes Dharma misunderestimate them, the same way Michael Referred to them as 'Hillbillies' whose butt the Losties could kick without much hassle.

That would make a lot of sense. But the problem is that when Richard came into the Dharma barracks to complain that the truce had been broken he was wearing regular clothes.

That would make a lot of sense. But the problem is that when Richard came into the Dharma barracks to complain that the truce had been broken he was wearing regular clothes.

Well, maybe Horace knows the truth, that they aren't hillbillies. The way Alpert walked straight into camp and the way Horace walked right up and talked to him, made me think that this was a usual means of negotiations for them.

Or alternatively, maybe Mini-Ben (or Benry Potter, if you will) met Richard before the truce, and after the truce the Others came clean about their not-grubbiness.

If he'd come out of the forest looking all clean cut, that might have been scarier to young Ben. Looking ragged and 'cast away' was less threatening.

That was 1973. The Hostiles we saw in 1974, putting a bag over Amy's head, we dressed in similar old clothes and long hair. But I guess Richard got a haircut that year -- probably just to spite Horace who grew his out that year. Richard definitely keeps up with the styles. In 1954 he had a nice business part style with pomade. I guess he figured in 1974 that the whole hippie thing had kind of run its course. As for his clothes, even if they are usually wearing the grunge look, I think when he came into the DI camp for negotiations he would want to make a better impression than that.

When I first saw Ben & Richard's encounter way back when, I did think it was odd that he looked so disheveled and wearing the old-timey clothes. Then knowing what we know about Richard being "ageless," could he have been one of the original crew of the Black Rock? The look seems to jibe with that era.

Could be, but this was the same sort of things you see the Others in the first two seasons wear.

So this could mean that this idea of dressing in costumes dates back a long while.

I was thinking maybe Richard was in costume - he knew Ben was coming and the get up was to look like an adventurer that would appeal to a young boy. I'm thinking like Strider the Ranger in LOTR. The corporate look wouldn't have worked as well

This is a perfectly reasonable explanation for me and I actually don't even feel the need to discuss the topic further, I just think its one of those things (accident or not) that adds to the flavor of Lost (and gives us something to chatter about).

Either way, not a deal breaker regardless of explanation.

Well, maybe Horace knows the truth, that they aren't hillbillies. The way Alpert walked straight into camp and the way Horace walked right up and talked to him, made me think that this was a usual means of negotiations for them.

Or alternatively, maybe Mini-Ben (or Benry Potter, if you will) met Richard before the truce, and after the truce the Others came clean about their not-grubbiness.

Lol! you are using "Benry Potter" too. Or do you like "Benny Potter"?

Did Locke mention Ben to Alpert in 1954? then for sure, he was looking out for him, and expecting him to show up.

A lot of older speculation in fact, the when Locke failed his 'Alpert test', he settled for Benny instead.

That could be why...he wanted Benny to think that's what he was....every boy dreams of Pirates and of being a Pirate! A Peter Pan thing...and Peter Pan never grew old.
Alpert didn't wear Pirate clothes in 1954, he and his crew wore Army clothes...they seemed to be disguising themselves as the army guys they murdered.

p.s what was the thing said that 'date stamped' when Benny 1st met Alpert?

Wow, it seems that once you run out of guy-liner, your appearance can change drastically. :rolleyes:

Maybe he wasn't in costume but just groovin in the 60s and 70s as a dirty hippie :smoke:Thank you!! His "pirate" attire would have made him all but invisible in late 60's San Francisco.

funny you said this, I rewatched this morning and it seemed so obvious he was costumed. I so wanted him to be a colonial era Black Rocker, but I was scammed by those Others too.

We know that for some reason the others used disguises to wander the island, probably to make themselves appear less well off and native remember like Michael said in S2 ' These people are animals! Hillbillies!' lmao , i miss Michaels quotes

i dont know about anyone else, but i'd rather run off with the dirty pirate then with the business man wearing eye liner!

And what reason would they have for disguising themselves from the DI?

They had a reason to costume themselves with the Losties.

Things change on the Island over time. Maybe they were livin pretty well in '54 and by '73 things changed, then they found new rags. Who knows.

They were wearing the military clothes in '54, weren't they? I assumed they took the clothes from the military camp they took over.

I'm thinking maybe as a part of the truce they were given supplies, including clothes.

what was the thing said that 'date stamped' when Benny 1st met Alpert?

Young Ben told Sayid that "four years ago" he ran away and met Richard.