This is my first post.....

Early on in Reckoning, was that the black Henry Gale sitting in the background on the beach between Ana Lucia and Libby?? (This of course was an excerpt from an earlier episode, "The Other 48 Days," I believe.)

Hi there and welcome to the lage! I think it is probably Eko. :)

No it was not Eko. In fact Eko had on a white shirt and this guy (seen briefly in the background on the beach, visible between Ana Lucia and Libby) had an orange-reddish shirt on. So the question still stands: Was that the black Henry Gale?

If someone can post a screencap, it'd definatively answer the question.

http://www.lost-media.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&album=814&pos=87

I hope this works. I tried to show the screen cap from Lost Media. To me it does not look like the real Henry Gale. IMO, the guy shown in this screen cap looks younger.

http://www.lost-media.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&album=814&pos=87

I hope this works. I tried to show the screen cap from Lost Media. To me it does not look like the real Henry Gale. IMO, the guy shown in this screen cap looks younger.

Thanks cutie for the screen cap. I agree with you, it does not appear to be the real Henry Gale.

I ditto the looks too young to be the real Henry Gale. But nice catch on the possibility.
Is the blond little girl to the left side of the picture Dorothy?

Just for completeness, here is the link to the screencap of Henry Gale's drivers license: http://www.lost-media.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&album=1024&pos=657

I don't think we can eliminate the possibility entirely.

In the driver's license, there's a guy with a moustache, smiling. In the beach pic, there's a black guy partly serious.

But I don't think they're the same. Different head shapes, and the guy in the driver's license looks older. And more importantly, there are many black guys in this world, it's not just because we see two or three of them that we should go getting confused!

I believe Henry Gale crashed with his balloon and died of injuries, or was left by the Others to take care of himself, becuase he wasn't "good". Then he died and the Others chose to bury him.

It must have been recent because the balloon looked new, bright colors and not sunburnt washed-out ones.

But was Henry Gale alone? It's likely the balloon would fit one more person. Where is she/he? Was this person abducted also? Or Henry Gale was alone after all?
100%
Now I was thinking... why was Henry Gale buried - who buried him? And Goodwin wasn't?? Because I'm sure that, while walking along the tailies, "escaping" from the Others, Goodwin would have left a trail. Ana kills him, impalled.

But remember that Michael met Goodwin, dead dead dead? How long after the killing was that? Why wasn't he buried like Henry Gale was? That is why I believe maybe Gale had company. He died and this person buried him.

Why wasn't he buried like Henry Gale was? That is why I believe maybe Gale had company. He died and this person buried him.

The interesting thing is that fakeHenry knew enough about the real Henry Gale to almost convince the Losties. fakeHenry knew his name, home state, and probably wasn't making up the company information either. Maybe the real Henry Gale was with his wife. Who did bury her husband when he died and was captured by the 'others'. That said, I've got no proof to any of this, just a thought.

The interesting thing is that fakeHenry knew enough about the real Henry Gale to almost convince the Losties. fakeHenry knew his name, home state, and probably wasn't making up the company information either. Maybe the real Henry Gale was with his wife. Who did bury her husband when he died and was captured by the 'others'. That said, I've got no proof to any of this, just a thought.

We do have some proof, fourthcop...Real Henry's note to his wife on the money that Sayid read to Fenry. He wrote to his wife Jennifer (Which Fenry also got correct)...."Well...you were right...crossing the Pacific is difficult...I owe you a beer". That means he didn't come with his wife. But it also means Fenry had to at least had a conversation with Renry to get all these important details correct. (The stuff he knew about the balloon...gas capacity, etc...was also dead on). But did Fenry kill him? Or did some other Others kill him after Fenry reported back to them. Why would the Others give him that respectful burial...with the cross and all? Ethan didn't bury Steve...Goodwin didn't bury Nathan, etc. If they DID bury him...why would they be so clumsy as to leave his license intact in his wallet...especially if Fenry was planning to use his "story" as an alibi if captured? Perhaps Alex buried him...secretly?

As for the black guy in the pic...that could be anyone...we didn't see Sayid dig up Renry...but his "decomposition" would have told us more...if he was in really bad shape...it couldn't be the guy we see on the beach, as not enough time would have passed.

Then why fake a note on a dollar bill?

Then why fake a note on a dollar bill?

Not sure I am following you, Heroic...Do you mean Fenry faked the note on the $20 dollar bill? Don't think so...here's the transcript from "Dave":

GALE: He was dead already. [Ana enters] 4 months ago I was part of the search party. Henry Gale was hanging out of the basket -- neck broken.
SAYID [motioning Ana not to speak]: So he was already dead?
GALE: Yes.
SAYID: Then you buried him and left a grave marker?
GALE: Yes.
SAYID [pulling a 20 dollar bill out his pocket]: You really should have checked his wallet before you did that. I assume Henry Gale did not have any paper on which to compose his thoughts, so he had to improvise. There wasn't much space for that. [reading from the bill] "Jennifer, well you were right. Crossing the Pacific isn't easy. I owe you a beer. I'm hiking to one of the beaches to start a signal fire. If you're reading this I guess I didn't make it. I'm sorry. I love you, Jenny. Always have; always will. Yours, Henry." So tell me, how did Henry Gale write a note to his wife with a broken neck?
GALE [panicky]: It wasn't me. I didn't kill him. You don't understand.
SAYID: How did you know his wife's name? Did you interrogate him?
GALE: Please, just listen. I'm just a --
SAYID: How many of you are there?
GALE: If I told you about them -- you have no idea what he'll do.
SAYID: He?
ANA: You mean their leader -- the guy with the beard.
GALE: Him? He's no one. Nothing.
SAYID: Where are your people?
GALE: I can't...
SAYID: How many of you are there?!
GALE: You don't understand

Whom are you saying "faked" this note?

Not that I think he did, but it'd be a perfect interrogation technique for Sayid to write a fake note to pass if off as legit to see fakeHenry's reaction, no?

Oh...I get it now...Heroic thinks Sayid faked the note. Sorry...it's late and I'm slow!!

Possibly Sayid could have pulled a fast one there...but I don't think so. Reading the transcript again, it just seems like Sayid is luring Fenry into revealing his bogus story...then takes satisfaction in proving him wrong. But I suppose that's possible.

But, I also believe the signal fire he lit was seen by Rousseau in Season 1 and led her to say "The Others are coming"...and then...they didn't. And Sayid called her out on that fact in "One of Them" this season. She thought it was an Other's signal fire...when in fact, it could have been the real Henry's. Which would make the note fact...and not Sayid's fiction.

Ator, off topic, but about that signal fire at the end of season 1. How come the Losties can't start and keep a signal fire like that? I mean, the one they had, that we saw in parts of season one was just a big fire. The 'other's fire had this thick black smoke column rising to the stars. In my opinion... a much better fire.

But, I also believe the signal fire he lit was seen by Rousseau in Season 1 and led her to say "The Others are coming"...and then...they didn't. And Sayid called her out on that fact in "One of Them" this season. She thought it was an Other's signal fire...when in fact, it could have been the real Henry's. Which would make the note fact...and not Sayid's fiction.

I respectfully disagree. The expiration date on Renry's Driver's License is 03...
I assume that means 2003. Flight 815 crashed in 2004. So unless they entered a time warp (and I don't think they did) I do not think that was Renry's signal fire.

Thanks for the clarification, Ator.
The note says "Jennifer, well you were right. Crossing the Pacific isn't easy. I owe you a beer. I'm hiking to one of the beaches to start a signal fire. If you're reading this I guess I didn't make it. I'm sorry. I love you, Jenny. Always have; always will. Yours, Henry."

Henry left his wife sleeping (was she ill?) to go to the beach start a signal fire. When he comes back, she has disappeared. He searches for her in vain for many days. Finally, he hangs himself off a tree. The Others find him and his wife, as an Other already, gives him a proper burial.

Far-fetched, but who knows...

The more I think about it the more I lean to Renry not being alone while traveling in the balloon. It just doesn't make sense to me to travel over the Pacific alone. That being said, I also don't think that Renry was traveling with his wife, Jennifer. I think the note on the twenty dollar bill reads like Jennifer is not with him. I like the possibility that Renry died and his balloon partner buried him. Then this partner was captured by the Others(search party as Fenry mentioned), and that is how Fenry knows all of the balloon specifications and also knows about Jennifer/Minnesota and so forth.

The more I think about it the more I lean to Renry not being alone while traveling in the balloon. It just doesn't make sense to me to travel over the Pacific alone. That being said, I also don't think that Renry was traveling with his wife, Jennifer. I think the note on the twenty dollar bill reads like Jennifer is not with him. I like the possibility that Renry died and his balloon partner buried him. Then this partner was captured by the Others(search party as Fenry mentioned), and that is how Fenry knows all of the balloon specifications and also knows about Jennifer/Minnesota and so forth.

Spot on, Cuter Than Kate...I don't think Renry travelled alone on his balloon...but I don't think his wife, Jennifer, was his passenger. But Renry def had contact with Fenry...or at least ONE of the Others...No way Fenry pulled all that detailed info out of his butt on a whim. Where's Fenry's passenger at now? No clue...but I wouldn't think piloting a hot air balloon on a transcontinental flight by yourself wouldn't be the smartest course of action.

BTW...I love Cartman and South Park as much as the next (suspended adolesence) guy...But...If you truly are "cuter than Kate"...may I be the 5,067th gentleman to ask you to PLEASE change your avatar to a picture of yourself? I'm having trouble picturing a girl who is cuter than Kate in my mind...and I just need a visual to confirm what that might look like.

OK...Hour and a half until "Two For The Road" airs...Time to get in my Dharma jammies and get out my big jar of Dharma "Mammal Cookies" so I can be ready for the show. Enjoy!!

Could it be that the fake Henry was the real Henry's partner in the ballon? Wouldn't that explain how he knew so much about him? Maybe the real Henry died in the crash, the fake Henry buried him and set off in the jungle, only to be captured by the Others. Just a thought. :)