When they did a close-up of him in the safe at the end.. there seemed to be a mark of somesort burned or carved into his forehead. How did he get it? Did he have it when he first came back.. I haven't noticed it before now. But it looks like a pattern.. anyone else notice this?

Maybe I need a screencap! Maybe it's nothing..:confused:

I did notice it and take note...but I have no explanation.

I know what you are referring to, but I don't know what it is.

Darnit.. maybe a screencap will pop up sometime.

I notice that mark too half way though the epi. in the previews (when he was talking to a lady) they showed his head bleeding

**mod edit to add spoiler font--previews are considered spoilers here**

Its been there since SOS: http://www.lost-media.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&album=1039&pos=704

Its not quite as prevalent (or consistent) during Two For The Road: http://www.lost-media.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&album=1049&pos=430

I can't find any screencaps that show any sort of pattern.

Didn't notice it, but that is creepy and reminds me of when fans were saying they saw some sort of mark or brand on the shark in the episode with the scenes with Michael and Sawyer on the raft remnants. I've been assuming that the others have threatened Michael with harming Walt if Michael doesn't do EXACTLY what they tell him to do (such as liberating faux Henry and killing Ana-Lucia...I think the Libby shooting was an accident). However, I wouldn't put it totally outside the realm of possibility that we could be dealing with a faux Michael here, some sort of clone from a eugenics project or something. Thing is, Michael seemed genuinely shattered (it was all in the eyes) when he shot Ana and absolutely horrified when he realized he had shot Libby. So, to me, it seems like he is really Michael and he really has a soul and he really HATES this whole thing.

Could the others have "branded" him for some reason? Why would they do that and take the chance of the Lostaways seeing it? If you all everybody noticed it, why couldn't the Lostaways?

Well thank goodness someone else saw it. I thought I was imagining things! I looked for a screencap but couldn't find one.

With all the religious references floating about I'm surprise noone has mentioned the Mark of Cain. ;)

I have never noticed anything special about the mark on Michael's head before but on this weeks episode at the very end I noticed something that was very surprising. I could be crazy because of the four people watching the episode in my house at that time I was the only one to notice anything strange about the mark. However, I have a 62" HD tv and to me it stuck out like a sore thumb.

I believe that only on the most recent episode after Michael had done the things he had done, that the scar on his head spelled out the word SIN. I paused it and looked at the image for a while and still believe that is what it says.

I think it's a wound from where he was hit in the head when he was capture by the Others. I believe that there is no way that Michael would have gone without a fight. If iit was a struggle then I am going with the mark being a wound from being captured. Time will tell, hopefully? Time may just pose more questions.

He came back in SOS with that head wound. I think it looks more like a pattern now because they are making it look like he's healing...scabbing over.

I agree with GotLost4815162342's thinking--if he has "turned" we know he was at least running around the jungle for some time. Is it so hard to think that he would have hit his head, run into a tree, been struck by the Others, or something else more obvious?

Had he come back all clean with his clothes starched and pressed, then you have reason to question what happened. He was filthy and ragged for a reason. He was alone in the jungle!

I love a good conspiracy, so perhaps Michael's head wound is part of a cybernetic control system implanted into his head during his captivity. It could be as pseudo-scientifically complex as a neural control mechanism, or it could be a compulsion trigger to pain receptors triggered to control him toward specific actions.

Alternately, what better way to "persuade" (compel) Michael, a grieving father, than to use Walt as a bargaining chip to gain his fealty to infiltrate and lie to the LOSTies. The Others could threaten harm to (or promise safety for or future freedom for) Walt once Michael complies with their demands and enter a fragile, but complicit partnership temporarily. This would lead us to a more typical explanation of the wound, perhaps simply received in struggle.

Whilst Jack felt that it was a coincidence that Michael showed up after his verbal display at "the line not to be crossed", I still beleive that this was indeed the aforementioned captive exchange. In my opinion, Micheal was indeed dropped there by the Others, and fulfilled the promise made for exchange. Of course, Jack didn't get what he had bargained for, and even if Jack had asked for Michael, this Michael is certainly compromised...

-Mang

i noticed it too, but just put it down to a wound from him being captured/ beaten by the Others.

i think Michael has been forced to do this in some hope of getting Walt back, i dont think he's turned evil. Libby was an accident, but he didnt seem too bothered bshooting Ana (then again, who would). did the Others specifically want her dead? or was it just to free Henry in case he gave something away about them.

i saw the mark, or wound or boo-boo, whatever ya want to call it but i dont think its anything worth paying attention to. i think bakerboys is right about it changing how it looks as it heals. if you wanted to go all x-filesish and say its a microchip controlling his behaivor that may be a little to far-fetched for lost.

We noticed the mark too
Our concensus here is it looked like a brand
but one person said something implanted in his head
With Lost you NEVER know