Danielle is very sneaky ... I got the feeling that she knows Patchy ... I didn't believe that "I don't want to get involved" line ... now that I think off it, there is no way that she caught Ben in her trap ... that was a set up ... very sneaky Danielle ... could Ben really be Alex's father? Were Ben and Danielle a couple at one time?

When she backed off going into the Flame I immediately thought something was up. Of course she offered to kill Mikhail because she didn't want to look suspicious. Oh yeah, the scene with Ben in the net was definitely a set-up.

I really thought she was going to see Patchy and say "ROBERT?????????" That was her mans name that she had to kill because he was "sick" right? Supposidly Alexs real father?

On another thread in last weeks epi it was brought up that Danielle could very well be an other - someone and I have to go look who -
pointed out that she almost would have had access to the others site to put on her radio loop - will go look for the link - but am clueless as to how to add it here -

But if she is truly an other - why keep her from her daughter -
Why keep her isolated?

Danielle is very sneaky ... I got the feeling that she knows Patchy ... I didn't believe that "I don't want to get involved" line ... now that I think off it, there is no way that she caught Ben in her trap ... that was a set up ... very sneaky Danielle ... could Ben really be Alex's father? Were Ben and Danielle a couple at one time?

I think she knows Patchy, too.I find it hard to believe that Danielle been on the island for 16 years, without ever seeing the hatch, or encountering anyone else on the island. I mean, she been there for 16?? I think she is lying. I know Danielle is lying, considering she claim she had never seen the others, but since we now know that she helpped Claire escape from Ethan, we also know that she seen Ethan (supposedly , he's one of the others) and she did see a hatch . ( she saw where Ethan and the others were looking for Claire)



I also wonder why Patchy and Ms. Clue are so eager to have Sayid kill them? Do anyone else find that to be kinda of weird?

The thing about Danielle and Ben knowing each other, which surely is a possibility, is that she shot an arrow through his shoulder! Talk about inflicting damage. Strange for someone she was working with.

Something is still fishy about her, and I can't wait to find out more of her story.

Danielle's gotta know about Patch, at the very least she must've heard the cow or horses at some point in her 16 year stay on the island. I also found it curious that she took no part in their encounter with patch.

I too immediately thought she knew something when she backed away into the jungle to avoid the situation.. Patch-man says something very similar in the episode, about avoiding a situation.. There's way more to Danielle than meets the eye..

She could however just be incredibly honest -
I have survived on this island because I don't go near them - she doesn't go looking for trouble -
she doesn't want to die and never find her child - she doesn't want to be taken away and never find her child - she thinks they are still on the island - not knowing there is another island -

I am totally torn on whether or not she is an other -
I tend to believe Kate is an other before Danielle and no one seems to agree with me on that one!

I just wonder if Danielle is just not a woman that was so scorned by the loss of her daughter shortly after arriving on the island - within 9 months that she has not gone anywhere - just like the woman that Sayid may or may not have tortured - afraid to leave the apartment - but Danielle is stuck on an island - so outside but yet still afraid!

Danielle may just be a hostile?


Or an ex member of Ben's crew, shut out after doing something against the group.


But in this ep, she definately was shady...all those gunshots and craziness and she just sat by the water waiting for Sayid to caller? then wants to kill the russian sight unseen? something is up. I am expecting a Danielle turn.

I really thought she was going to see Patchy and say "ROBERT?????????"

I was half-expecting that too!

She definitely knows more about Patchy and that place. It is a huge stretch to believe that she had never seen that place before.
I can't wait to learn more of her story. It was great to see her again.

I hate to say this, but I think Danielle knows more about the others, and may be working with them. It seems that way now. So, she's been lying about everything from her 1st encounter with Sayid. Can we even use her lines as clues anymore? Her story is NIL now. As for Alex, she may not even be her daughter. Danielle may know where she is and may be in contact with her. Her story could be just to make the losties feel sorry for her. It's all up in the air now. Anything goes. I don't know why the writers would go to the trouble of pinpointing Danielle's story so clearly and then we find out she was lying.

I thought something weird was going on when Danille wouldn't go with them to Patchy's ranch. And when she wanted him killed I wondered whether she was afraid that it would come out that she knew these people. Could she have been marked and banished from the group like Juliette? And is the reason that Alex wasn't allowed to go to the main island because they don't want her running into Danielle?

As for Alex, she may not even be her daughter. Danielle may know where she is and may be in contact with her. Her story could be just to make the losties feel sorry for her.

Good point. If baby Alex was taken after one week, it doesn't make sense that the Others would have maintained that name. Would they have even known her name? Heck, people often change the names of pets they adopt from the animal shelter.

I don't think Danielle is an Other because she kidnapped Claire's baby at the end of season one to take her to the Others to trade for Alex. That entire story makes absolutely no sense if she IS an Other. Also she showed Jack, Locke, Kate, and Hurley where to get the dynamite at the Black Rock so they could blow the hatch. Why would she do that if she's an Other? Why would she help Claire escape from Ethan? Why would she volunteer information about the numbers to Hurley and give him a battery?

Clearly, she's hiding things, but for the most part I think her story has been accurate.

Did Danielle say she had never been there (Patchy's Palace)?

Is that where she recorded and sent her distress call?

Or an ex member of Ben's crew, shut out after doing something against the group.

Next time we see danielle i bet we see a tattoo similar to that of juliet's that she got for killing pickett

Maybe Danielle's story is the story that Patchy told. She was part of a team of scientists that came to join the Dharma crowd, only when they got here, the Hostiles attacked, Montond lost his arm, and Danielle was the sole survivor- with her baby being taken also.

They said they would leave her alone if she left them alone- they gave her boundries- remember the Dark Territory she spoke of? I really think now that Patchy told Danielle's story, not his own.

Their trip was supposed to be about rescuing Jack and finding Alex. This was a risky side trip that compromised Jack's safety and Danielle's hopes.

The smart move would have been to tend to job #1 then deal with Patchy on the return trip. Danielle was right to back off.

I've maintained since the end of season 2 that Danielle is an Other who now lives in isolation. Here are my theories about her:

* She is the biological mother of Alex, who is also the biological daughter of Ben, meaning that Danielle and Ben have "known" each other in the Biblical sense.

* She is crazy. My theory is that she became crazy as a result of something that happened to her as part of the Others' psychological experiments. She is a "failed case", who ran away from the Others and lives in isolation voluntarily.

* Ben forced her to go along with the ruse of capturing him in order for him to infiltrate the Swan and talk Locke into destroying it. He was able to force her by threatening Alex in some way.

* Danielle then shot Ben with her arrow after turning him over to Sayid out of anger for his forcing her to comply with his plan. She intentionally did not hit any major organs, but just wanted to score a point on him.

* Her story of belonging to a scientific research team has some truth behind it, but the real truth is that the scientific research team are the Others. And they did not die, like she claims, but rather this is part of her psychosis.

* She does want to re-establish contact with Alex, but she also is frightened of what Alex will think of her, and so this is why she does not just walk into Otherville and find her.

* I believe Danielle was at one time a very prominent member of the Others, and as such is still treated with compassion by them, this is why they have not killed her. That, and the fact that she has not committed the unpardonable sin - yet - of killing a fellow Other...

Just some thoughts... Could be right, could be wrong. Who knows...

Very good theories -

Makes me wonder what Danielle would do if she ever did meet Alex and how Alex would react to her!

who is also the biological daughter of Ben

Where did you get that from? We've been led to believe that she knows ben as her father but we have yet to see proof that he's biologically related to her.

I've maintained since the end of season 2 that Danielle is an Other who now lives in isolation. Here are my theories about her:

* She is the biological mother of Alex, who is also the biological daughter of Ben, meaning that Danielle and Ben have "known" each other in the Biblical sense.

* She is crazy. My theory is that she became crazy as a result of something that happened to her as part of the Others' psychological experiments. She is a "failed case", who ran away from the Others and lives in isolation voluntarily.

* Ben forced her to go along with the ruse of capturing him in order for him to infiltrate the Swan and talk Locke into destroying it. He was able to force her by threatening Alex in some way.

* Danielle then shot Ben with her arrow after turning him over to Sayid out of anger for his forcing her to comply with his plan. She intentionally did not hit any major organs, but just wanted to score a point on him.

* Her story of belonging to a scientific research team has some truth behind it, but the real truth is that the scientific research team are the Others. And they did not die, like she claims, but rather this is part of her psychosis.

* She does want to re-establish contact with Alex, but she also is frightened of what Alex will think of her, and so this is why she does not just walk into Otherville and find her.

* I believe Danielle was at one time a very prominent member of the Others, and as such is still treated with compassion by them, this is why they have not killed her. That, and the fact that she has not committed the unpardonable sin - yet - of killing a fellow Other...

Just some thoughts... Could be right, could be wrong. Who knows...

We don't have any solid reason to think that Ben is Alex's biological father.
I say Danielle is the last of the Dharma crowd, who never got fully indoctrinated because the hostiles had taken over by the time she got there.

I've also noticed that no one has mentioned the fact that every time the producers talk about Danielle on the podcast, they've made it a point to mention her Ukrainian accent. That alone gives her a connection to patchy, let alone her suspicious behavior in this episode.

I've also noticed that no one has mentioned the fact that every time the producers talk about Danielle on the podcast, they've made it a point to mention her Ukrainian accent. That alone gives her a connection to patchy, let alone her suspicious behavior in this episode.

Never made that connection until now. Thanks!

Ben called her "That woman" when Danielle released him from the net into Sayid's custody.

It's also interesting that Danielle was the first non-crash survivor that the Losties had contact with that they knew was on the island before them (they didn't know they'd been infiltrated).

I still think she and her party crashed on the island, just like Desmond did and Flight 815 did. However, I'm beginning to believe the sickness is in Danielle's head.

But, what was the vaccine that Charlie gave Claire for Aaron?

I found it VERY interesting that Patchy didn't mention the illness- I was sure he would. Was that something the Hostile invented to scare Dharma away? was the vaccine actually a slow poison or maybe something that allowed for tracking? maybe?

Danielle definitely lies (don't ALL the Islanders lie to some extent?), or at least, she holds back much of what she knows. I think she was telling the truth about staying away from the farm because she wanted to stay alive, but I also think she did finally recognize the guy when she saw him.

I still believe...want to believe that DAnielle will have a hand in getting the survivors off the Island, or save them in some way. But she definitely knows more than she's talking about.

I love that character, though--crazy or not. I hope that she doesn't die. I don't think she'll ever get off the Island though--too much time has passed for her to be able to stand "Civilization" again.

I've also noticed that no one has mentioned the fact that every time the producers talk about Danielle on the podcast, they've made it a point to mention her Ukrainian accent. That alone gives her a connection to patchy, let alone her suspicious behavior in this episode.
Not to pick nits, but she's Croatian (they usually joke about why the "French" woman has a Croatian or Yugoslavian accent.) With Patchy being Ukrainian or Russian, I think any connection might be a stretch.

I think Danielle is just scared & cautious.

My husband on the other hand hates her and thinks she's the most useless character thats ever been on the show. :(

Next time we see danielle I bet we see a tattoo similar to that of juliet's that she got for killing pickett.
Now that would be a very interesting story!

I don't think Danielle is an Other because...
Clearly, she's hiding things, but for the most part I think her story has been accurate.
I agree with you. I don't think she's one of the Others, either. However...

I've maintained since the end of season 2 that Danielle is an Other who now lives in isolation. Here are my theories about her:
Saukkomies sure makes a good argument! My ideas could possibly change, if what Saukkomies posits is true.

Maybe Danielle's story is the story that Patchy told. I really think now that Patchy told Danielle's story, not his own.
That would make sense to me. People who lie will sometimes take someone else's story as their own. For instance, isn't that what Ben did, when he claimed to be Henry Gale? Sure it was.

First off, I definitely think Rousseau is an Other (in cahoots with Ben and company). That said, I do think she knew about the flame station and Mikhail, etc. The fact that she didn't want to go in with them only makes sense if she was telling the truth about not getting involved. And since that's a load of crap (considering she certainly walks up to strangers' camps and even captures and then pierces Ben with an arrow), she's clearly lying about staying clear of things. Furthermore, I think when she went off to the "stream" instead, she was very likely doing something else that I can only guess at. By the end, when she brings up the idea of killing Mikhail because he is of no use, it still makes sense that she knows him. It seemed to me like Mikhail wanted them to shoot him after he shot Ms. Klugh. "End it. Do it." etc. I mean, why shoot Ms. Klugh? Because she has information that the Losties want, but that she doesn't want to give up, and she doesn't want tortured for it. So, he shoots her. Mikhail clearly knows things too, and seems to have no intention of just telling the Losties. So when Rousseau brings up killing him, she would be protecting information and doing to him much like what he did to Ms. Klugh. But the Losties wouldn't look to Rousseau for answers like they look to Mikhail for answers, so Rousseau could live.

Could she have been marked and banished from the group like Juliette? And is the reason that Alex wasn't allowed to go to the main island because they don't want her running into Danielle?

I thought this too--she could be banished. I mean, think of this. Ben came up with an elaborate lie that even included a baloon on the island. So Danielle lying about Black Rock would seen natural for an "Other." But I don't think she is "with" them anymore. She seems a bit too crazy and wired to be a current Other.

It did seem very weird to me when she backed off. She had to know who patchy was, or at least what the hatch was (and if she indeed was a former other, yea she would know, and would want to stay clear)

i've always been under the impression that EVERYONE the Losties come in contact with were and are all part of a big plot of deception and propaganda. maybe some of the Losties are in on it too, but mos def everyone else.


Losties(most of em anyway) -vs- everyone else

care_n_jim says:

I am totally torn on whether or not she is an other -
I tend to believe Kate is an other before Danielle and no one seems to agree with me on that one!

While I would admit that there seems to be holes in Danielle's story, I would trust Danielle over Kate any day of the week. Until I find out where Kate was, when Jack was fighting Ethan back in season 1, or find out what was discuss, between Ben and Kate in "the tale of two cities". I will not trust Kate.:undecide:


Good point. If baby Alex was taken after one week, it doesn't make sense that the Others would have maintained that name. Would they have even known her name? Heck, people often change the names of pets they adopt from the animal shelter.

.. what really do not make sense, is how they would have found out the baby's name? I mean, if the others came to take the baby from Danielle',did they have a nice conversation where they ask her for the baby's name, before they took it? Because I figure that if someone was trying to take a mothers child away from them, they would be too busy fighting to talk.


don't think Danielle is an Other because she kidnapped Claire's baby at the end of season one to take her to the Others to trade for Alex. That entire story makes absolutely no sense if she IS an Other. Also she showed Jack, Locke, Kate, and Hurley where to get the dynamite at the Black Rock so they could blow the hatch. Why would she do that if she's an Other? Why would she help Claire escape from Ethan? Why would she volunteer information about the numbers to Hurley and give him a battery?

While I'm not sure rather or not Danielle is a other or not. ( I tend to think that she isn't. At least I hope not..) I do find her story about Never seeing one of the others kinda of fishy, considering we know she saw Ethan,when he was looking for Claire. So we know that she lied. As for her kidnapping Claire's baby in order to trade for Alex, she might have been given instruction to bring the baby back, considering that she was the one who helped Claire escape. Alex helped Claire to escape too, yet she is consider one of the others.

I don't see this mentioned anywhere, but does anyone recall that Danielle's place was rigged to explode on intrusion as well? Just like the Flame, she boobytrapped her underground shelter. Just wondering where she would have gotten the same idea.

Also, I do think her science vessel story smacks of Henry Gale's balloon.

Danielle has to be an Other. She delivered Ben to the Losties free and clear. Why? For someone that doesn't "get involved" she sets traps for them? And then she presents him gift-wrapped? And it's Ben! Talk about a complete set-up!

And she doesn't want to get involved so she is going to "wait by the creek". But in the end she is right outside the house waiting for them. Why? Because she stayed close making sure Mikhail and Klugh didn't blow "it". The same way Klugh told Mikhail to shoot her, Danielle was telling Sayid to do the same. Sacrifices are made with these people. So if Danielle is an Other, her shooting Ben with an arrow to make the ruse work does not seem out of the realm of plausibility.

Firstly, I found Danielle to be even more 'off' in this ep. Something is up for sure..
Secondly, was I the only one that noticed Patchy's reaction once Danielle showed up? When he heard her speak it seemed like he had a look of recognition. Maybe it was just me.. but rewatch the final couple minutes and see what you think.

I don't think Danielle is an Other because she kidnapped Claire's baby at the end of season one to take her to the Others to trade for Alex. That entire story makes absolutely no sense if she IS an Other. Also she showed Jack, Locke, Kate, and Hurley where to get the dynamite at the Black Rock so they could blow the hatch. Why would she do that if she's an Other? Why would she help Claire escape from Ethan? Why would she volunteer information about the numbers to Hurley and give him a battery?

Clearly, she's hiding things, but for the most part I think her story has been accurate.

There ya go..logic and remembering all her actions dubunks most theories

There ya go..logic and remembering all her actions dubunks most theories

I'm not saying I'm 100% behind this theory but there are explanations. Whatever she said her reasons were, Danielle did abduct a baby which is just what the Others do. She helped with the hatch and the battery because where was the harm? Just as Mikhail readily handed over information about the Dharma initiative because it is not important. THe Others are using Dharma as a screen to hide behind and they'll assist the islanders with the hatches and Dharma mysteries all they want. It's like keeping them in a hamster wheel while they go about their business (whatever that is).

I will put this forth as well...

What if Mikhail's Russian plea to Klugh "There is another way." (paraphrasing) meant that Danielle could do something. What if it was also a message to Danielle?

Firstly, I found Danielle to be even more 'off' in this ep. Something is up for sure..
Secondly, was I the only one that noticed Patchy's reaction once Danielle showed up? When he heard her speak it seemed like he had a look of recognition. Maybe it was just me.. but rewatch the final couple minutes and see what you think.

Yes, yes. Definitely a look of recognition. If not recognition of Danielle herself, then of surprise at an accent like his own. I read earlier on in the thread of a theory that the story of survival that Patchy told was actually Danielle's. Could it be possible that it was in fact her story, and Patchy was just surprised that someone on that team actually survived all these years alone? I do not believe that Danielle and Patchy know each other, unless it was a flaw in her acting (which I doubt) I watched carefully after noticing Patchy's response to her voice, and noticed no look of surprise on Danielle or in her voice.

Danielle is very sneaky ... I got the feeling that she knows Patchy ... I didn't believe that "I don't want to get involved" line ... now that I think off it, there is no way that she caught Ben in her trap ... that was a set up ... very sneaky Danielle ... could Ben really be Alex's father? Were Ben and Danielle a couple at one time?

Why not? She caught Jack and Kate in one of her traps. She caught Sayid in one of her traps.

I think that this is exactly how she survived, by avoiding encounters.

And she does say that she was 7 months pregnant when she and her team arrived on the Island, so I think it's very unlikely that Benry Liar had anything to do with her pregnancy.

I think she knows Patchy, too.I find it hard to believe that Danielle been on the island for 16 years, without ever seeing the hatch, or encountering anyone else on the island. I mean, she been there for 16?? I think she is lying. I know Danielle is lying, considering she claim she had never seen the others, but since we now know that she helpped Claire escape from Ethan, we also know that she seen Ethan (supposedly , he's one of the others) and she did see a hatch . ( she saw where Ethan and the others were looking for Claire)

She told Sayid that she had never seen an other BEFORE she helped Claire escape, and encountered Ethan. Sayid made it back to camp from his first encounter with Danielle, just about the time that Ethan kidnapped Charlie and Claire.

Danielle may just be a hostile?

Or an ex member of Ben's crew, shut out after doing something against the group.

But in this ep, she definately was shady...all those gunshots and craziness and she just sat by the water waiting for Sayid to caller? then wants to kill the russian sight unseen? something is up. I am expecting a Danielle turn.

Benry and "the others" are "the hostiles", remember that Inman mentioned them to Desmond?

Danielle was smart enough to want to kill Mikhail, because she knows (she heard him say it, and she believes him) that if he gets the chance he will kill any and all of them. He's a dangerous fanatic, like Benry and the rest of the members of the child stealing cult. They are much safer if he's dead.

Did Danielle say she had never been there (Patchy's Palace)?

Is that where she recorded and sent her distress call?

No. Sayid asks her in this episode , if that was the radio tower where she recorded her message, and she tells him no. We also know from previous conversation, that that radio tower is up by the Black Rock.

Maybe Danielle's story is the story that Patchy told. She was part of a team of scientists that came to join the Dharma crowd, only when they got here, the Hostiles attacked, Montond lost his arm, and Danielle was the sole survivor- with her baby being taken also.

They said they would leave her alone if she left them alone- they gave her boundries- remember the Dark Territory she spoke of? I really think now that Patchy told Danielle's story, not his own.

I think it's highly unlikely that Danielle had or has anything to do with Dharma. I think she and her team just ended up crashing on the Island, just like flight 815, Yemi's drug plane, Desmond, and the Black Rock.

I think Danielle is exactly who she says she is.

And I don't understand why people have so much trouble believing that "the others/the hostiles" stole her child. When we have seen time and time again that that is what they do.

Benry and his little band of brainwashed cult groupies are nothing but a lying, murdering group of child thieves.

I've maintained since the end of season 2 that Danielle is an Other who now lives in isolation. Here are my theories about her:

* She is the biological mother of Alex, who is also the biological daughter of Ben, meaning that Danielle and Ben have "known" each other in the Biblical sense.


Where did you get that from? We've been led to believe that she knows ben as her father but we have yet to see proof that he's biologically related to her.

Well, as I said, it's just a theory... So far there is no proof that Ben is Alex's biological father. But I have a hunch she is...
100%
Danielle definitely lies (don't ALL the Islanders lie to some extent?), or at least, she holds back much of what she knows. I think she was telling the truth about staying away from the farm because she wanted to stay alive, but I also think she did finally recognize the guy when she saw him.

I still believe...want to believe that DAnielle will have a hand in getting the survivors off the Island, or save them in some way. But she definitely knows more than she's talking about.

I love that character, though--crazy or not. I hope that she doesn't die. I don't think she'll ever get off the Island though--too much time has passed for her to be able to stand "Civilization" again.

I think that there are some parallels between Danielle and the character Ben Gunn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Treasure-island02.png)from Robert Louis Stevenson's book "Treasure Island (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_Island)". Ben Gunn was a former pirate who had been marooned on the island years before, and had lived alone until the ship carrying the booty seekers arrived, along with the pirates. Both groups vied with each other to establish dominance on the island, all the while looking for the treasure that had been left there. In the end, it was Ben Gunn who took the side of the good guys and showed them where the treasure really was. He was a bit crazy, after living on island alone for so long, but he was instrumental in their success.
100%
Although Ben Gunn DOES help the notorious Long John Silver escape.

When Ben Gunn returns to England (and civilization), he spends all his share of the fortune in 19 days and ends up begging on the streets. But then the Squire gives him a stipend and forces him to settle down in a quiet country cottage, where he becomes a very good singer in church on Sundays. But he always kept a wild streak about him, carried over from his days of pirating and being marooned.

So, see the connections? :)

Not to pick nits, but she's Croatian (they usually joke about why the "French" woman has a Croatian or Yugoslavian accent.) With Patchy being Ukrainian or Russian, I think any connection might be a stretch.

Oh man, you're right. I hate being "that guy." Guess that's what I get for trying to post when I'm still wrapped up in the episode. Thanks for correcting me.

First off, I definitely think Rousseau is an Other (in cahoots with Ben and company). That said, I do think she knew about the flame station and Mikhail, etc. The fact that she didn't want to go in with them only makes sense if she was telling the truth about not getting involved. And since that's a load of crap (considering she certainly walks up to strangers' camps and even captures and then pierces Ben with an arrow), she's clearly lying about staying clear of things. Furthermore, I think when she went off to the "stream" instead, she was very likely doing something else that I can only guess at. By the end, when she brings up the idea of killing Mikhail because he is of no use, it still makes sense that she knows him. It seemed to me like Mikhail wanted them to shoot him after he shot Ms. Klugh. "End it. Do it." etc. I mean, why shoot Ms. Klugh? Because she has information that the Losties want, but that she doesn't want to give up, and she doesn't want tortured for it. So, he shoots her. Mikhail clearly knows things too, and seems to have no intention of just telling the Losties. So when Rousseau brings up killing him, she would be protecting information and doing to him much like what he did to Ms. Klugh. But the Losties wouldn't look to Rousseau for answers like they look to Mikhail for answers, so Rousseau could live.

Yes! Thanks for these ideas Kevn! I like the points you raised:

* Just exactly WHAT was Danielle doing "by the stream" all that time?

* She wants to kill Mikhail to keep information he has from being tortured out of him by Sayid.

I think it's getting more obvious that Danielle is an Other of some type or variety...

I also wonder why Patchy and Ms. Clue are so eager to have Sayid kill them? Do anyone else find that to be kinda of weird?
It seems to be a mindset of the hostiles: It is better to be dead than a prisoner. It's also very likely a test of the shooter - will they kill when the opponent has succumbed?

I don't think Danielle is an Other because she kidnapped Claire's baby at the end of season one to take her to the Others to trade for Alex. That entire story makes absolutely no sense if she IS an Other. Also she showed Jack, Locke, Kate, and Hurley where to get the dynamite at the Black Rock so they could blow the hatch. Why would she do that if she's an Other? Why would she help Claire escape from Ethan? Why would she volunteer information about the numbers to Hurley and give him a battery?

Clearly, she's hiding things, but for the most part I think her story has been accurate.
Why would she steal a baby if she was an other? because the others steal babies! I am undecided on Danielle's true nature, she could fall either way, and there seems to be enough cloudiness in her alibi to allow this.

I really think now that Patchy told Danielle's story, not his own.
This is a good idea, but not necessarily Danielle's story. Remember his details:11 years on the island isn't Danielle's story.

Firstly, I found Danielle to be even more 'off' in this ep. Something is up for sure..
Secondly, was I the only one that noticed Patchy's reaction once Danielle showed up? When he heard her speak it seemed like he had a look of recognition. Maybe it was just me.. but rewatch the final couple minutes and see what you think.
I noticed her reaction, we'll just have to wait to see if it actually means anything though.
And again, I think that they are just setting up Danielle to be able to go either way, leaving alot out for now so that, if needed, she could have been telling the truth, or she could be a hostile.

There ya go..logic and remembering all her actions dubunks most theories

John Burger (btw, I love your name!),

I think you're forgetting that right now everything is just a theory. We who hold that Danielle is an Other - or rather at one time had been an Other - are using logic and remembering all her actions, too. It's all a matter of interpretation. Nobody knows this for sure right now.

In posting my theories about various things, including that I believe that Danielle was an Other that went crazy and sentenced herself to exile in the cave, I am not necessarily saying that everyone else's theories are "bunk". I think that it there are several very valid explanations for a lot of the things we try to explain on Lost, and just because someone has a particular theory they like does not mean that they believe that everyone else's theories are wrong. This is a friendly place - I don't think we need to be in a big contest to see who's theory can pee the furthest...

Yes! Thanks for these ideas Kevn! I like the points you raised:

* Just exactly WHAT was Danielle doing "by the stream" all that time?

* She wants to kill Mikhail to keep information he has from being tortured out of him by Sayid.

I think it's getting more obvious that Danielle is an Other of some type or variety...

I think it's getting more and more obvious that there is no way that she is an "other/hostile".

Her story fits with many of the other things that we have come to know about the Island.

She was the first indication that we had that things randomly crash on the island (her ship, flight 815, the Black Rock, Yemi's drug plane, Desmond's yacht, Henry Gale's balloon).

She let us know that "the others/the hostiles" kidnap children (Alex, Walt, that two from the tailsection).

She let us know about "the sickness" later mentioned by Inman and Desmond, and Ethan.

The only reason the "the others/the hostiles" haven't killed her is that she hasn't ventured across the line, and that she's so far managed to avoid them.

Other wise they'd have tried to kill her too, just like they killed most of the DHARMA scientists and Henry Gale and Sceve and Nathan, and tried to kill Charlie, and Sawyer, and Jin, and Michael, and then Sawyer again.

Benry and his little band of cult followers are nothing but a murdering bunch of child thieves, and Danielle gave us our first indication of that.

The same way Klugh told Mikhail to shoot her, Danielle was telling Sayid to do the same. Sacrifices are made with these people. So if Danielle is an Other, her shooting Ben with an arrow to make the ruse work does not seem out of the realm of plausibility.
In Maternity Leave, Danielle also told Kate to kill her. The Mikhail asking Sayid to shoot him scene was very reminiscent of that for me.

THe Others are using Dharma as a screen to hide behind and they'll assist the islanders with the hatches and Dharma mysteries all they want. It's like keeping them in a hamster wheel while they go about their business (whatever that is).
So this would go along with the idea that the hostiles destroyed or overtook Dharma, but are still using their equipment and such? I could see that.

A long time ago when the Losties asked Danielle what Smokey was - she commented that it's a security system. I like to think that Danielle is a loner that knows too much. Much like when Juliet saw Alex out in the woods with Sawyer and Kate - Juliet's comment was, "Oh hell." with a big sigh attached to it. In other words - my thought is, yes, the Others know Danielle is there and they know she's smart and will cause trouble, much like Alex, but they must have no reason to kill her.

I think she was part of the other's little scheme at one point and decided to live alone - still wanting her daughter back. I don't believe Danielle's story about her child being taken away from her at a week old. I think she's had a lot of contact with Alex - but Alex may not remember Danielle. Danielle may have had a falling out with the Others early on and they told her fine - go live in the jungle, but you're not taking your kid.

On another thread in last weeks epi it was brought up that Danielle could very well be an other...
I definitely do not think Danielle is an Other. Remember when she rescued Claire from them? And what about when she strung up "Henry" (Ben)? True, one could argue that she could have been one of them a long time ago and was cast out/exiled for some reason, but I truly do not think that is the case. When Danielle speaks of "the sickness" that killed the rest of her scientific expedition, I believe her to be speaking the truth. You can see the pain and grief in her eyes. No, Danielle is not an "Other" or "Hostile" or whoever the flip these people are. Danielle is definitely one of the good guys. The Others say they are "the good guys", but imho they are so NOT and Danielle so is. She is utterly devoid of otherness, imho.

She can be "sneaky", as the original poster put it, at times, and play her cards close to her vest, but it is only a hard-learned survival mechanism. My verdict: Danielle is not an Other.

P.S. edited to add: I will say that one thing doesn't make sense to me. She has been on the island for sixteen years, right? And all that time, the one thing she has wanted more than anything is to find her baby, Alex. Wouldn't you think she would have searched every inch of the island by now? I mean, how big is that sucka? You would think she would have found "The Village at Other Landing" (my pet name for the actual community of houses where the Others live), as well as Patchy's house, etc. It does strike me as a tad implausible that she says she has never seen any of these places. Still, that said, I do not think she is an Other. I just don't. I believe her story about the science expedition, the sickness, etc. Consider: how freaked out she seemed when telling Sayid that "I hear them...they whisper." No, she is not one of 'em. Not imho, anyway.

On another thread in last weeks epi it was brought up that Danielle could very well be an other - someone and I have to go look who -
pointed out that she almost would have had access to the others site to put on her radio loop - will go look for the link - but am clueless as to how to add it here -

But if she is truly an other - why keep her from her daughter -
Why keep her isolated?
Maybe she isn't really as isolated as we think :undecide:

I didn't trust her in "Maternity Leave" when she helped rescue Claire. What was she doing so close to the Staff hatch? She was really close to the Others as you can see their torches nearby. Kind of close considering she claimed to have never seen an Other before.

P.S. edited to add: I will say that one thing doesn't make sense to me. She has been on the island for sixteen years, right? And all that time, the one thing she has wanted more than anything is to find her baby, Alex. Wouldn't you think she would have searched every inch of the island by now? I mean, how big is that sucka?

I've been thinking the same thing since season 2. She did mention in last night's epi that she is alive simply because she keeps a low profile. But seriously, how low of a profile can you keep for 16 years?? She has nothing else to do but explore! It's total BS that she hasn't already found everything the Losties have found in 3-4 months.

"Danielle is very sneaky ... I got the feeling that she knows Patchy ... I didn't believe that "I don't want to get involved" line ... now that I think off it, there is no way that she caught Ben in her trap ... that was a set up ... very sneaky Danielle ... could Ben really be Alex's father? Were Ben and Danielle a couple at one time"

She knows...........

Did Danielle untie Patchy/Mikhail??? That's what I want to know.

I didn't trust her in "Maternity Leave" when she helped rescue Claire. What was she doing so close to the Staff hatch? She was really close to the Others as you can see their torches nearby. Kind of close considering she claimed to have never seen an Other before.

Her rescuing Claire in "Maternity Leave" didn't happen until AFTER she told Sayid she'd never seen an other.

Sayid made it back to camp from his encounter with her, about the same time that Ethan kidnapped Claire and Charlie.
"Danielle is very sneaky ... I got the feeling that she knows Patchy ... I didn't believe that "I don't want to get involved" line ... now that I think off it, there is no way that she caught Ben in her trap ... that was a set up ... very sneaky Danielle ... could Ben really be Alex's father? Were Ben and Danielle a couple at one time"

She knows...........

Why couldn't she have caught Benry Liar in her trap? She caught Sayid in one of her traps, she caught Jack and Kate in one of her traps. So, it's not like we don't know that she's caught other people in her traps.

Danielle was 7 months pregnant when she got to the Island. So Benry Liar is only Alex's father in the sense that he, like many people who kidnap children, is passing her off as his own.

I'm starting to wonder if Benry Liar, like many people who kidnap children, might not also have been molesting Alex, from the time that she was quite small.

Did Danielle untie Patchy/Mikhail??? That's what I want to know.

Good question?


As for being truly isolated or not -

This is a tough call - she could be so deeply scarred by the entire situation -
getting stranded on an island -
your group getting sick
killing them
finding out you are pregnant
have a baby ALONE on an island
having the baby stolen -

Could be enough reason to stay isolated -

Could also be totally made up - and she had a falling out with the Hostiles!

Yes, yes. Definitely a look of recognition. If not recognition of Danielle herself, then of surprise at an accent like his own. I read earlier on in the thread of a theory that the story of survival that Patchy told was actually Danielle's. Could it be possible that it was in fact her story, and Patchy was just surprised that someone on that team actually survived all these years alone? I do not believe that Danielle and Patchy know each other, unless it was a flaw in her acting (which I doubt) I watched carefully after noticing Patchy's response to her voice, and noticed no look of surprise on Danielle or in her voice.

I agree with you. Carlton and Damon were giving an interview with Kristin from E!. Somehow it was brought up about Danielle and her being the french woman. They made the comment about everyone calling her "the french woman" and she has a (they didnt' say Russian) but a Russian type accent. They said she has no French accent like everyone calls her. So I do believe that could be her story. Good theory. I was thinking maybe she was an Other (and I don't want to call them Hostiles) and was going to say hello to "Patchy".

Danielle is French.


Mira Furlan is from Croatia.
It must be near impossible for a croatian speaking actress to do a believable French accent in English.

Danielle Rousseau = French name.
Her distress call was in French spoken by a true French speaker.

Danielle is French.


Mira Furlan is from Croatia.
It must be near impossible for a croatian speaking actress to do a believable French accent in English.

Danielle Rousseau = French name.
Her distress call was in French spoken by a true French speaker.

and Nadia Comenici is Romanian!!!

and Nadia Comenici is Romanian!!!

This episode was an East European special.

I agree with those who saw the look of recognition on Patchy's face: first when Sayid mentioned Danielle's name and then another one when Danielle approached them and he heard her voice.

Patchy and Danielle have definitely met before!

I definitely do not think Danielle is an Other. Remember when she rescued Claire from them? And what about when she strung up "Henry" (Ben)? True, one could argue that she could have been one of them a long time ago and was cast out/exiled for some reason, but I truly do not think that is the case. When Danielle speaks of "the sickness" that killed the rest of her scientific expedition, I believe her to be speaking the truth. You can see the pain and grief in her eyes. No, Danielle is not an "Other" or "Hostile" or whoever the flip these people are. Danielle is definitely one of the good guys. The Others say they are "the good guys", but imho they are so NOT and Danielle so is. She is utterly devoid of otherness, imho.

She can be "sneaky", as the original poster put it, at times, and play her cards close to her vest, but it is only a hard-learned survival mechanism. My verdict: Danielle is not an Other.

P.S. edited to add: I will say that one thing doesn't make sense to me. She has been on the island for sixteen years, right? And all that time, the one thing she has wanted more than anything is to find her baby, Alex. Wouldn't you think she would have searched every inch of the island by now? I mean, how big is that sucka? You would think she would have found "The Village at Other Landing" (my pet name for the actual community of houses where the Others live), as well as Patchy's house, etc. It does strike me as a tad implausible that she says she has never seen any of these places. Still, that said, I do not think she is an Other. I just don't. I believe her story about the science expedition, the sickness, etc. Consider: how freaked out she seemed when telling Sayid that "I hear them...they whisper." No, she is not one of 'em. Not imho, anyway.

I think your reasoning is pretty sound Lockefan. But how about considering this idea: Danielle WAS an Other, but left them and now is in exile, perhaps self-imposed, perhaps not. That theory would also fit into most of what you were saying...
100%
And about Danielle not knowing all the island after living there for 16 years. That sure doesn't sound right. Especially when you realize that Vincent had scoped the entire island out, had it mapped in his brain, had conducted extensive surveys of streams, animal burrows, all of the caves, all of the Dharma sites, the best spots to lay in the sun in the afternoon, etc... and he did all of this within 3 days after the crash!

PS: That is not canon - I'm just making that part up...:kiss:

I think that when Patchy screamed out "I told you not come to back around here". He tought he was speaking to her.

Cant remember the exact line but I think you guys know what scene I'm referring too

There is certainly much more to learn about Danielle and her place on the island. There is something to the looks they gave each other at the end of the episode, though I'm not sure for Danielle is was recognition. I still see lack of trust - but not fear - in her interactions with Ben and now Patchy. I didn't get a vibe of recognition from Danielle as much as I did from Patchy - when Sayid is calling for her after leading Patchy from the house at gunpoint, the look on his face is surprise - maybe fear? I feel like he recognized that name and was surprised to hear it from Sayid, as if he wouldn't have expected her to be their ally.

I think Danielle is one of the most fascinating characters on the show - her motives and her history are veiled, but as of now I still want to trust her that while she is looking out for herself, she is not an enemy of the Losties.

Hopefully someday we'll get a Danielle flashback - I don't think Danielle is purposefully lying about how she and her team came to the island, but I also don't believe it is entirely truthful... this is the good stuff!

Good point. If baby Alex was taken after one week, it doesn't make sense that the Others would have maintained that name. Would they have even known her name? Heck, people often change the names of pets they adopt from the animal shelter.
Well if she was once with them or still is, they'd keep the name. I think that was the clue to let us know all along that they are affiliated or were. The looks on Patchy's and Dani's faces were very telling,if this is just a ruse I wont be happy. We need a Danielle FB, she is the key to a lot of the mysteries. No way she doesnt know every inch of that island by now. When she left and then popped up again it was like she was just keeping some code of ethics not to harm Patchy and his cohort Bea Klugh.

She's definitely hiding something, although I'm not sure what.
Is she Other, ex-Other, ex-Dharma? :shrug:

Zlatna, I am a doubter of Danielle now, and mad because she is one of my faves. Your post gave light for me! I hope you are right about her ending up there like some of the other characters. It could be true.
Has anyone noticed how she shut Mikhail up when he was going to say something and she put the gun to his head and interupted him?

after watching the ep. 77 a couple more times, i really want to point out the look on Mikhail's face when the camera holds on him for a long time right when he see's Dannielle as he is being led out.
100%
Forget the guy with the eyepatch... of particular interest last night was Danielle. Her disappearing act last night was eerily reminiscent of the 1st season when she led them to the Black Rock and then just took off into the jungle. Here she goes again, only this time Sayid questions her.

"I have survived this long by avoiding these types of encounters."

This was a very strange thing to say. Here's someone who was hellbent on getting her child back from the Others during season one, yet now she's got three armed and capable people with her on a joint mission to find Jack AND Alex... and she's uninterested? Sorry, that just doesn't add up. Either Danielle isn't who she says she is (which is a distinct possibility) or she knows a LOT more than she lets on.

word.

Danielle may just be a hostile?


Or an ex member of Ben's crew, shut out after doing something against the group.




I agree completely , i think yes she landed there and ben and the others brought her as one of their own and maybe ben and danielle had a relationship and therefore alex was calling ben dad but something definately happened to make her keep away from all of them , the whole catching ben in the net thing is all suspicious however if they dislike each other.

She told Sayid that she had never seen an other BEFORE she helped Claire escape, and encountered Ethan. Sayid made it back to camp from his first encounter with Danielle, just about the time that Ethan kidnapped Charlie and Claire.

Yet, she failed to mention to anyone that she was the one who rescued Claire. When Claire asked her about her arm, not once did she mention that she encounter Claire that night that Claire escape from Ethan. Why not? why didn't she mention that to Claire, Jack, or Sayid. Why did she hide that fact.

Danielle was smart enough to want to kill Mikhail, because she knows (she heard him say it, and she believes him) that if he gets the chance he will kill any and all of them. He's a dangerous fanatic, like Benry and the rest of the members of the child stealing cult. They are much safer if he's dead

...True. She was quick to want to kill Mikhail, yet she was also quick to turn Ben over to Sayid. Why the different treatment?

I definitely do not think Danielle is an Other. Remember when she rescued Claire from them? And what about when she strung up "Henry" (Ben)? True, one could argue that she could have been one of them a long time ago and was cast out/exiled for some reason, but I truly do not think that is the case. When Danielle speaks of "the sickness" that killed the rest of her scientific expedition, I believe her to be speaking the truth

...yet, her story keep changing . On the transmission, she stated that "they" killed them all. Then she told Sayid that she killed them all, because they were sick. That when they returned from the black rock, they were same, but different some how. So who kiled them? the others, the sickness, or her?


You can see the pain and grief in her eyes. No, Danielle is not an "Other" or "Hostile" or whoever the flip these people are. Danielle is definitely one of the good guys. The Others say they are "the good guys", but imho they are so NOT and Danielle so is. She is utterly devoid of otherness, imho

Danielle might not be an other, but that doesn't mean that she's above making a deal with the others. We know that the others are in the habit of making deals.

I can totally buy the fact that she survived this long because she didn't get involved in these kind of encounters as she said, but not even by accident seems really weird to me. She didn't even realize that there was a whole war going on around her? (Hostiles vs Dharmans) Weird!!

The only explanation that i can come up with is that when she and her team shipwrecked the war was going on but because she was pregnant and all, her team told her to stay put. So while they were hanging around in the island during the fight they caught the disease or whatever it is that made Danielle suspicious of them and she killed them. Then the war ceased (Dharmans defeated) and a while later they came to take her baby. She was probably devastated by all this and by the time she could get her strength everybody disappeared on the north shore and she couldn't bump on them even by accident. The Dharmans were hidden in the hatch so she couldn't bump on them either. When the Losties crashed the other group(s) decided to come out of hiding and thus Danielle started meeting people.

I know... far fetched but it's all i can come up with to justify her story so far.

Another thought came to mind -
How does Danielle continue to get fire power and explosives for her trap - I am sure as scientists they didn't bring that much with them -

Another thought came to mind -
How does Danielle continue to get fire power and explosives for her trap - I am sure as scientists they didn't bring that much with them -

Same way the flight 815 survivors got the explosives to blow up the hatch, the dynamite in the Black Rock. Which was there long before Danielle and her crew arrived.

The same dynamite that Danielle used to rig her hidey hole, after her encounter with Sayid.

Which is how Jack & Sayid knew about the dynamite.

Let us not forget one thing. In season 1 danielle thought that by stealing Claire's baby she could get Alex back, like a trade. That's why she rescued Claire to begin with, to have a bargaining chip, but the others took Walt instead. My theory is backed up with what Ms. Klugh did to Michael he had a list. Juilet is in talks of going home even Jack. Ben's group does a lot of talks and they hold to their word. Danielle's reason to stay away from trouble is a alibi that holds, because even patchy said in his lie that the hostiles allowed him to stay there as long as he didn't cross the lines drawn, sound familiar when Tom told Jack the same. Danielle had her baby taken and she was not about to cross those lines. Funny that 16 years ago they found danielle as soon as she wrecked, same as Desmond so what does that say, maybe the Others have eyes everywhere possible.

The thing about Danielle and Ben knowing each other, which surely is a possibility, is that she shot an arrow through his shoulder! Talk about inflicting damage. Strange for someone she was working with.

Something is still fishy about her, and I can't wait to find out more of her story.

I don't know. Ben was willing to suffer a fair amount to maintain his facade, so it's possible that he instructed Danielle to string him up in a tree and later shoot him with an arrow. Remember, the wound was in a non-lethal spot (his shoulder), so it could have just been a means to an end.

Let us not forget one thing. In season 1 danielle thought that by stealing Claire's baby she could get Alex back, like a trade. That's why she rescued Claire to begin with, to have a bargaining chip, but the others took Walt instead. My theory is backed up with what Ms. Klugh did to Michael he had a list. Juilet is in talks of going home even Jack. Ben's group does a lot of talks and they hold to their word. Danielle's reason to stay away from trouble is a alibi that holds, because even patchy said in his lie that the hostiles allowed him to stay there as long as he didn't cross the lines drawn, sound familiar when Tom told Jack the same. Danielle had her baby taken and she was not about to cross those lines. Funny that 16 years ago they found danielle as soon as she wrecked, same as Desmond so what does that say, maybe the Others have eyes everywhere possible.

Danielle didn't know that "the others/the hostiles" wanted "the boy" until well after she rescued Claire. And she certainly didn't know when she rescued Claire that the baby she was carrying was a boy.

It did seem very weird to me when she backed off. She had to know who patchy was, or at least what the hatch was (and if she indeed was a former other, yea she would know, and would want to stay clear)
Maybe she thought that Sayid's plan of just walking in with his hands up was ridiculously dangerous, and wanted no part of it. As it turned out, she was right, since Mikhail shot first and asked questions later.
100%
I've been thinking the same thing since season 2. She did mention in last night's epi that she is alive simply because she keeps a low profile. But seriously, how low of a profile can you keep for 16 years?? She has nothing else to do but explore! It's total BS that she hasn't already found everything the Losties have found in 3-4 months.
Maybe because she got shot at whenever she tried to explore, and she was determined to stay alive for her daughter's sake?

Let us not forget one thing. In season 1 danielle thought that by stealing Claire's baby she could get Alex back, like a trade. That's why she rescued Claire to begin with, to have a bargaining chip, but the others took Walt instead. My theory is backed up with what Ms. Klugh did to Michael he had a list. Juilet is in talks of going home even Jack. Ben's group does a lot of talks and they hold to their word. Danielle's reason to stay away from trouble is a alibi that holds, because even patchy said in his lie that the hostiles allowed him to stay there as long as he didn't cross the lines drawn, sound familiar when Tom told Jack the same. Danielle had her baby taken and she was not about to cross those lines. Funny that 16 years ago they found danielle as soon as she wrecked, same as Desmond so what does that say, maybe the Others have eyes everywhere possible.

Okay, here are my responses to your ideas. Please keep in mind that I am also just guessing, just like everyone else, so I'm not saying "I'm right and you're wrong"... I'm not in a contest to see who's theory can spit the furthest... I just want to have a friendly chat about your ideas. :)


#1. "In season 1 danielle thought that by stealing Claire's baby she could get Alex back, like a trade. That's why she rescued Claire to begin with, to have a bargaining chip, but the others took Walt instead."

This is all based on what Danielle said. We have lots of substantiated proof that Danielle lies. Why would we believe her in this case, when she only said this after being caught, and would try to use any excuse to get out of being mistreated by the Losties?

#2. My theory is backed up with what Ms. Klugh did to Michael he had a list.

Why would the Others just stop with one child? They want as many children as they can get. So, why would they give up one child for another, when they really would want all the children, and plan on taking them anyway?

#3. Ben's group does a lot of talks and they hold to their word.

Yes, on this point I agree with you. It is I think perhaps the reason that when Alex asked Jack why he saved Ben's life (when Jack was in the cage before she released him to go to Juliet's trial) and he answered her that he had promised to save Ben's life, and that is why he did it, that Alex looked displeased. I think she was not prepared to have someone who was not an Other keep his word, even if it meant he would have to save the life of his enemy. This disrupted her worldview, or Weltanshauung.

#4. Danielle's reason to stay away from trouble is a alibi that holds, because even patchy said in his lie that the hostiles allowed him to stay there as long as he didn't cross the lines drawn, sound familiar when Tom told Jack the same.

We cannot assume that Mikhail thought he was talking to Danielle when he said that. We really don't know WHY he said that, because there are just too many possible explanations right now for that, even if you take into account that Tom told Jack the same thing...

#5. Danielle had her baby taken and she was not about to cross those lines.

This doesn't make sense to me. I know mothers - I'm married to one. And I can say that if someone took away a baby from the mothers I know, that they would do everything they could to get their baby back, including "crossing a line".

#6. Funny that 16 years ago they found danielle as soon as she wrecked, same as Desmond so what does that say, maybe the Others have eyes everywhere possible.

Okay, first, "they" didn't find Desmond - Kelvin did. And Kelvin was not an "Other" - he refered to the Others as "Hostiles".

Second, Danielle said that when her scientific team crashed on the island, that she was 7 months pregnant. She also said that her baby was 1 week old when she saw the pillar of smoke on the horizon, and soon after that the Others kidnapped her daughter. This means that she would have been on the island for at least 9 weeks before the Others took Alex.

Of course the Others have a good idea of what goes on on their island... But why does this support your theory that Danielle was not at one time one of them? In fact, it detracts from it, because if the Others know where Danielle was all this time, why didn't they get rid of her? She isn't THAT GOOD at hiding - especially since the Others would know where her cave is... In fact, this point is a good argument that she was an Other - probably even Ben's partner - and that she went into exile. They know about her, but leave her alone.

Again, to reiterate, please do not feel I'm attacking you, just wanted to chat about these ideas you are putting forth.

This is all based on what Danielle said. We have lots of substantiated proof that Danielle lies.

We do? Other than her telling Locke that she got the scratches on her arm from a bush, what other lies has she told?

what really do not make sense, is how they would have found out the baby's name? I mean, if the others came to take the baby from Danielle',did they have a nice conversation where they ask her for the baby's name, before they took it? Because I figure that if someone was trying to take a mothers child away from them, they would be too busy fighting to talk.

Well, she probably would have been screaming "Alex! Alex! My baby!", similar to the way Michael went off his rocker about Walt.


My guess is that Rousseau probably knows about some of these places and has even spied on them. I think she's withholding information from the Losties just because she doesn't know who to trust because she's seen so many different groups of people.


The discussion about Rousseau shooting Ben in the shoulder...
Patchy/Mikhail shot Sayid in the shoulder/arm, right? If Rousseau is an other, maybe they are told not to make shots that kill unless absolutely necessary.

#6. Funny that 16 years ago they found danielle as soon as she wrecked, same as Desmond so what does that say, maybe the Others have eyes everywhere possible.

Okay, first, "they" didn't find Desmond - Kelvin did. And Kelvin was not an "Other" - he refered to the Others as "Hostiles".

I quoted your quote to point out that Mikhail (in his story) that the purge was 11 years ago - 1993. This would have been well after Dharma had been there for ~20 years and 5 years after Danielle said she showed up. Just wanted to point out the timeline, as someone earlier said the Danielle arrived during the purge.

Mikhail referred to the others as hostiles also, but he sure was one of them. I don't think that we have enough info to make a determined call as to the official status of Kelvin.

And a big Hi to a fellow Michigander (though I'm not even close to being a Yooper).:wavey:

She could however just be incredibly honest -
I have survived on this island because I don't go near them - she doesn't go looking for trouble - she doesn't want to die and never find her child - she doesn't want to be taken away and never find her child - she thinks they are still on the island - not knowing there is another island -!

I tend to agree with it. So far, that we know of, shehas never inflicted any damage to the Losties - no betrayal, information, etc., except for the initial encounter with Sayid and the case with the baby.

When the jet came down, we saw Ben choosing two people to "make lists". Not a third. They did their job as best as possible.

When Sayid met Danielle, she had a "home" that was too nice to have been created only as a prop, conveniently close to where the crash happened.

Danielle survived because she never went looking for trouble.

We do? Other than her telling Locke that she got the scratches on her arm from a bush, what other lies has she told?

1. How does she know that Ben is a liar? Here is the transcript:


VOICE: Help me!
DANIELLE: Don't believe a word he says.
VOICE: Hey!
DANIELLE: He's one of them.
VOICE: I have no idea what she's talking about. She's crazy.
SAYID: How long has he been up there?
VOICE: Since last night. Please, just cut me down. My name is Henry Gale. I'm from Minnesota. Please.
DANIELLE: He's lying.
SAYID [pulling out his knife]: I'm going to cut him down.
DANIELLE: Don't.
GALE: Thank you.
DANIELLE: You're making a serious mistake.
SAYID [after cutting him down]: It's okay; it's okay. You're alright. Hold on. Take it easy.
[Danielle prepares her cross bow. Gale sees her.]
GALE [running]: No.
SAYID: Wait. Danielle, don't!
[Danielle shoots Gale in the shoulder. Sayid runs to him.]
SAYID: You could have killed him.
DANIELLE: If I wanted to kill him, I would have killed him.
SAYID: You shot this man with no provocation.
DANIELLE: He is one of them. Tie him up. You should take him to your doctor. He's no good to you dead.
SAYID [tying him up]: And then what?
DANIELLE: You talk to him, Sayid. As I recall that is what you do. But know this -- he will lie -- a long time. He will lie.


So, how does she know Ben will lie if she had never met him before?


2. Mikhael recognized Danielle when he first sees her.


Those are just the ones we can pin on her right now. There are a lot of other things that make her appear very untrustworthy.

1. How does she know that Ben is a liar? Here is the transcript:



So, how does she know Ben will lie if she had never met him before?


2. Mikhael recognized Danielle when he first sees her.


Those are just the ones we can pin on her right now. There are a lot of other things that make her appear very untrustworthy.

Neither of those are lies that she's told.

Number 2 is an assumption on your part, I saw no indication that Mikhael recognized her. And even if he did, how does that make anything that she said a lie?

As for number one, maybe he'd been repeatedly lying to her while she had him trapped in her net, before she went to get Sayid. We don't know how long she'd had him in the net, and how many lies he'd told her. And it's not like we don't have stacks and stacks and stacks of proof that Benry the child thief is a lying liar who lies, so she was certainly telling the truth about that.

As it turned out, Henry Gale wasn't just an Other, he's a very high ranking Other! Maybe it will turn out that Danielle hasn't just been working for the Others, she's their leader and is actually orchestrating this whole thing!

I'm being sarcastic here, but wouldn't it be great if it turned out that Danielle really had some authority with the Others? I can't wait to see what will happen when they reach Othersville.

And let's not attach much importance to Patchy's "look".

Remember at the end of Season 2, K-J-S at the pier, how Kate and Jack exchanged looks? Everybody thought they had a plan, that something had prompted that look. And yet, it was nothing like that. Their look was much more intriguing than Patchy's, btw, who only turned his eyes back. A perfectly natural reaction from a scared and nervous person.

Patchy's "look" might have been caused by:
a) surprise at hearing a new voice, a new person, so he thought "how many are they after all?"
b) he recognized Danielle's voice through the ongoing radio transmission.

There is *nothing* to substantiate that they knew each other.

Danielle has a long history of not getting involved. She had no reason to believe her daughter would be inside that house - Kate saw her daughter not at that place. Why look for trouble? She spares herself to the ultimate goal - find her daughter.

She could have known that Ben was lying because she saw the original balloon crash -

She also knows from the fact that her team was infected that whatever the sickness is - they will protect it. And the only thing you can do is kill them to protect yourself -

Think Michael - she warned Jack about the sickness and what to do about it - she saw the look - probably the same thing that happened to the others in her party - and she knew she had to kill them or be killed. Just a thought..............

All of the points mentioned above are very, very interesting. But from the start of the show in the eppy where we are introduced to Danielle, i have been very suspicious of her......i think she is just plain crazy from being on that island for 16 years. And i had the impression that she and her scientist husband(who died from a sickness) were on the island for Dharma.......sooooo, i think that what really happened is that Danielle, who was pregnant when she arrived at the island, lost her baby(baby died)....meanwhile, Ben's daughter, Alex, is born around the same time. Danielle, who is grieving over the death of her baby girl and her husband (remember she loses both), so she get's it in her head that Alex is really her baby....and steals Alex from the Others. Whoops! big mistake......so the Others come after Danielle to get Alex back......and maybe they have compassion for Danielle because of her loss and the fact that she is losing her mind......so they give her an ultimatium......you live in a dugout.........and stay away from our camp.......and don't ever go after Alex again. But i have a sneaky feeling that all along, Danielle has been seeing Alex.......and tells her that she(Rousseau) is her mother and puts all kinds of ideas in Alex's head so that she loses some of the control that the Others have over her (she loses the brainwashing effect, or she never had the brainwashing since she is Ben's daughter). Danille has been teaching Alex the difference between what if right and what if wrong, and Alex is acting upon what she has been taught.

Just an idea!!!!!

So who is Alex's mother? Alex's mother is Juliet's sister that had cancer and died (eventually) And from what i could gather......Juliet's sister seemed to be a very caring and compassionate person.....and maybe those traits were passed on to Alex.....instead of Ben's traits. And maybe this is why Alex is drawn to Danielle, because she has compassion for Danielle after losing so much in her life.

I think that Danielle know's Ben and that the whole caught in a net thing was just her way to get Ben to jack and perform the surgery and it led the whole chain of events up until they could use Michael and the "others did not know where the hatch was located supposedly so it could have been a way for them to make sure the button did get pressed and find the "last" member of the DI

All of the points mentioned above are very, very interesting. But from the start of the show in the eppy where we are introduced to Danielle, i have been very suspicious of her......i think she is just plain crazy from being on that island for 16 years. And i had the impression that she and her scientist husband(who died from a sickness) were on the island for Dharma.......sooooo, i think that what really happened is that Danielle, who was pregnant when she arrived at the island, lost her baby(baby died)....meanwhile, Ben's daughter, Alex, is born around the same time. Danielle, who is grieving over the death of her baby girl and her husband (remember she loses both), so she get's it in her head that Alex is really her baby....and steals Alex from the Others. Whoops! big mistake......so the Others come after Danielle to get Alex back......and maybe they have compassion for Danielle because of her loss and the fact that she is losing her mind......so they give her an ultimatium......you live in a dugout.........and stay away from our camp.......and don't ever go after Alex again. But i have a sneaky feeling that all along, Danielle has been seeing Alex.......and tells her that she(Rousseau) is her mother and puts all kinds of ideas in Alex's head so that she loses some of the control that the Others have over her (she loses the brainwashing effect, or she never had the brainwashing since she is Ben's daughter). Danille has been teaching Alex the difference between what if right and what if wrong, and Alex is acting upon what she has been taught.

Just an idea!!!!!

So who is Alex's mother? Alex's mother is Juliet's sister that had cancer and died (eventually) And from what i could gather......Juliet's sister seemed to be a very caring and compassionate person.....and maybe those traits were passed on to Alex.....instead of Ben's traits. And maybe this is why Alex is drawn to Danielle, because she has compassion for Danielle after losing so much in her life.

Big hole in that theory.

Juliet only came to the island 3 years ago, when her sister was pregnant.

Big hole in that theory.

Juliet only came to the island 3 years ago, when her sister was pregnant.

Yes, which would make Alex about three years old, not 16 as she appears.

I've watched the scene at the end with Mikhail and Danielle several times and his look just seems one of surprise to hear another voice he hadn't already heard from that day. It's possible he does recognize her voice from the transmission but I doubt he knows her otherwise. If she was an Other and knows they are to kill themselves rather than be possibly tortured for information, she could have killed Mikhail easily when he failed to kill himself and made it look like she came back to help the Losties when she heard gun fire.

As for lots of substantiated proof that Danielle has lied before, I've read nothing but speculation. I do question at times her living on the island and not having "seen" any of the Others before she takes Sayid prisoner but then I reflect on the fact that a plane broke apart in mid air and 48 passengers survived.

Put me squarely in the camp that believes Danielle is NOT an Other/Hostile. She may have been Dharma at one time, but I doubt that, as well. :twocents:

Danielle and Benry are still married.

Danielle goes to othersville all the time to see her daughter and the others.

Benry tried to sneak into losties camp to join them, but the plot backfired because Sayid was unexpectedly good finding out if people lie or not. Danielle shot Benry deliberately so their plan would look more believeable.

When they approached Mikhail's house, Danielle sneaked out to warn the others. They now know our little band of happy campers are approaching. Other possibility is she somehow blocked the road leading to othersville (cut down a bridge perhaps).

When Mikhail saw Danielle, he paused for a moment, and then realized they hadn't found out Danielle's role yet and played along. Danielle would have shot him if Sayid said so. They are afraid Sayid will use his interrogation methods and find out what Mikhail knows. She would not shoot unless Sayid agreed, that would raise suspection against her.

Mikhail and Klugh were surprised that J+S+K found out about the house, and Danielle didn't have time to warn Mikhail. After they entered the yard, the goal was to capture K and return her to the other island, and maybe kill J+S. It didn't work out, so Danielle comes back from in hiding, and joins them to keep on playing along.

i didn't read the entire thread , so i am sorry if this was mentioned, but my guess when i first saw the episode was danielle is shady as hell (yeah we knew that) , and her not wanting to go see what was up w/ patchy is a head scratcher! yeah it dont' concern you? how the heck would you know that danielle? what if patchy had information about alex? any at all that could point you in the right direction? that is why you still wonder the island, isn't it danielle? danielle went through all the trouble of going w/ claire/kate to that other hatch , in hope's it would give her a clue to alex's whereabouts, yet you don't think visiting a strange man on the island your business?
my guess.......just a guess.......she is NOT AN OTHER! my guess , is that danielle is part of the dharma initiative, and the others took alex from her!? not sure exactly, but this danielle broad has a ton of information that she ain't sharing........and she better start talking soon! lol. oh yeah, and my other question/point about this issue........sayid knew what was up w/ radzinsky and his living situation almost immediately! he has tortured/interegated people for years and years! my question is, you think sayid has a clue what is up w/ danielle , but is playing "dumb" so she won't suspect anything? sort of like how sayid played along w/ radzinsky for a while? just a thought............cause anyone w/ half a brain can see that danielle has shadyness written all over her!

i didn't read the entire thread , so i am sorry if this was mentioned, but my guess when i first saw the episode was danielle is shady as hell (yeah we knew tha

As much as I like Danielle, I would have to agree, that she shady as hell. Her story is not adding up. She claim to not know about the hatch, or anything that they had came across, yet in episode 1.09 Solitary, she had a working electric lamp inside her bunker. Would she had wonder where the electricity was coming from? I mean she been on the frickin island for 16 years without a tv set,or a radio, so how the hell did she past the time. Where did she get the bed from? her place seem furnish, with a bed. Didn't she wonder where it came from, and where the hell are the people who inhabit the place before she got there?We still do not know how receive food. Did she hunt it, capture it, or did she know about the food drop, and just steal it. Sayid or someone need to sit down with Danielle and ask her a couple of questions. I also do not buy her story about never seeing the other, considering that she been on the island 16 years...I mean Jack , and company only been on the island 3 months, and yet they met a whole bunch. So why would they make themselves know to Jack, and company, and not to her? Plus I sure she saw them when they took her baby, if she didn't than how the hell did they take her, and how the hell did she know.

I believe Danielle is not an other. And I don't have any big theory to support this, just a feeling. I know we often want to believe something shady is going on in Lost, but I don't think this is happening here. Although her actions are sometimes suspicious and confusing, her reactions are, to me, just so believable, she's tortured, she's in real pain and she has been alone on this freaky island for 16 years. The only thing that's confusing for me here is the fact that she's never run into Mikhail's place or Otherville. And the fact that she wanted to kill Mikhail before trying to ask him anything about Alex or how to find her. And one more thing that's been bugging me ever since I saw One of them - the way she said "he will lie for a long time", it's like she knew them and that they are hard to break.

But, as I said, I just don't believe she's an Other, despite these things.

No one seems to question Danielle because she is so scary!

But think back to Hurley, the maps of the island and the numbers on the map -
that I am sure have nothing to do with the Others -

She said they heard the numbers coming from the island and so they went to investigate -
why make this up????
Where would she even come up with a story like that -

She can't be an Other -
IMO ;)

Danielle has to be an Other. She delivered Ben to the Losties free and clear. Why? For someone that doesn't "get involved" she sets traps for them? And then she presents him gift-wrapped? And it's Ben! Talk about a complete set-up!

And she doesn't want to get involved so she is going to "wait by the creek". But in the end she is right outside the house waiting for them. Why? Because she stayed close making sure Mikhail and Klugh didn't blow "it". The same way Klugh told Mikhail to shoot her, Danielle was telling Sayid to do the same. Sacrifices are made with these people. So if Danielle is an Other, her shooting Ben with an arrow to make the ruse work does not seem out of the realm of plausibility.

Good coherent,well argued post. I think that although she may not be an Other per se,she has some kind of arrangement with them, a non-aggression pact (akin to the bogus one described by Patchy) and maybe a deal whereby they can call upon her to do them certain favours such as infiltrating Ben into the Losties or simply keeping an eye on Losties activities.

I've been saying since the summer (after rewatching the Season 2 eps) that she is probably an Other. Why she isn't with the group other than she's a loon, I don't know. It doesn't seem like being a loon would preclude her from the group. It would be interesting to see if she has a mark similar to Juliet's brand on her somewhere. If so, that would explain why she's all alone...

Do anyone have the actual transmission of Danielle distress call ? Not the script for the transmission, because the script is different from the actual transmission. In the actual transmission it sounds like Danielle had stated that someone ( I didn't catch the name,) had taken the key. Could Daniele had been some how connected to Rodger? I remember her saying that someone have taken the key,in her distress call,but I do not remember the name.

When she backed off going into the Flame I immediately thought something was up. Of course she offered to kill Mikhail because she didn't want to look suspicious. Oh yeah, the scene with Ben in the net was definitely a set-up.
It wasn't intended to be. Henry gale was planned to be a one off, 3 episode random other. He just impressed them so much that he was made leader. Just like desmond was meant to be just a 2-3 episode guy. Ben was orignally written as a random other, which is why he was so easily caught.

Do anyone have the actual transmission of Danielle distress call ? Not the script for the transmission, because the script is different from the actual transmission. In the actual transmission it sounds like Danielle had stated that someone ( I didn't catch the name,) had taken the key. Could Daniele had been some how connected to Rodger? I remember her saying that someone have taken the key,in her distress call,but I do not remember the name.Brandon or possibly Brennon. http://www.lostlinks.net/transmission.htm

has anyone noticed an inconsistancy between danielle and mikhail's storys................ he states that the dharma initiave existed untill the purge which occured sometime in the last 11 years, however the distress call has been on a loop for over 16 years

if dhrama still existed when she changed the radio tower message................ someone should have noticed and changed it back, am i right............... so someone is liying

She's probably Queen of the Others!.

I just find it interesting that she's says she's survived on the Island for 16 years by avoiding confrontation but happily shoots one of the Others through the shoulder. Contradictions aplenty. Excentrique?. Not so certain.

What if Danielle and her "party" were somehow called to the island like reinforcements? I have thought for a long time now that she is somehow a part of a group not yet introduced to us. I know I saw this mentioned somewhere else, but if you were 7 months pregnant would you embark on a research expedition? Do we even kow what the purpose (focus) of their research was? I think Danielle is the key to how the rest of this season plays out. Thoughts?

This is my first post BTW. Be kind:biggrin:

but if you were 7 months pregnant would you embark on a research expedition?

I've never thought of that before....great point. I agree, I think she's the key figure to a lot of the mystery.

I agree with the consensus, something is up with Danielle. I agree that she isn't telling the whole story, but really, who does on this island? Her actions taken by themself do seem suspicious, but when taken in context with everyone else on that island, her half-stories and lack of information sharing are quite the norm.

I do have a few issues with her being an Other. If she was an ostracized Other, why keep her on the island? Or why not just kill her? Ben obviously can get people off the island, so why kick her out of the group and keep her there? Wouldn't she be a HUGE liablity to them? I mean, they stole her baby, she's obviously got a major bone to pick with them. They have to know that she will try to get her baby back. The Others seem he!!-bent at keeping their identity and location unknown, so why would they just let someone free who knows both. Surely they would suspect that she would tell people about the Others and where to find them. Instead, she's trekking through the jungle keeping up the crazy island facade for days and days trying to find the Others to get her child back?

The other thing that bothers me is the radio transmission. Why go through all that trouble if you're an Other? Others know that outsiders can't find the island (b/c of what Ben told Michael) so why would an Other transmit a rescue signal? Especially when we know they have had contact with the outside world?

If Danielle is so clueless about most things relating to dharma and the others, how did she know that smokey functions as a "security system" (season 1)?

We should also remember what happened in "Exodus": Danielle comes to warn the losties that "the others are coming to take the boy". Then the smoke appears, I don't think it matters if she started it or not, the important thing is that she definitely had prior knowledge. Danielle takes Aaron, and Tom takes Walt. It cannot be a coincodence that Walt was taken while all of this stuff related to Dalielle was going on on the Island. How did she know that the Others were coming??? IMO the Others contacted her and offered to let Danielle see/have Alex if Danielle provided "the boy", and when the Others realized that the raft had already left, with Walt on it, they abandoned the part of the plan involving Danielle.

has anyone noticed an inconsistancy between danielle and mikhail's storys................ he states that the dharma initiave existed untill the purge which occured sometime in the last 11 years, however the distress call has been on a loop for over 16 years

if dhrama still existed when she changed the radio tower message................ someone should have noticed and changed it back, am i right............... so someone is liying

I should read the rest of the thread before I post this, but if I do, I'll forget all about it.

The thing I constantly bring up, to the annoyance of all my friends, is this: When Danielle talks about the radio tower she says "they control it now".

Who are they? The Others? Dharma? Someone else? If they control it now, who controlled it before? Her? Did either The Others or Dharma control it before and now the other group does? (would make sense considering what we know about the purge: Dharma controlled it, along with the rest of their facilities, until the purge, when they were overthrown) And why hasn't whoever controls it now changed the distress call after all this time?

If we consider the Lost Experience to be canon, the radio signal was originally a broadcast of the 6 core numbers of the Valenzetti Equation. It was to continue being broadcasted until the Dharma Initiative had fulfilled their goal and changed one of the numbers. That's why Leonard Simms, Hurley's friend, and Sam Toomey heard the broadcast at his government listening station in the South Pacific. Danielle's group heard the same transmission and crashed on the island. So that means that 16 years ago (at least... people always say she's been there for 16 years but we don't really know how long it took her to find the radio tower and change the transmission), Dharma was still in control of the tower. Apparently Danielle finds it, changes the broadcast to what our Losties heard, and the transmission is still the same up until the present.
According to Mikhail, the purge took place somewhere in the neighborhood of 11 years, but for the purpose of our discussion, less time than Danielle has been on the island, meaning she was there for the purge. As I said, this means that her statement "they control it now" could refer to the Hostiles or the group we now refer to as The Others, and their post-purge control of the tower. That still doesn't answer the question Why haven't the Others changed the transmission? Not necessarily back to the numbers, but maybe eliminating it completely. The only answer I can come up with is that the tower is in "The Dark Territory" and there have been vague statements about The Others not going to certain parts of the island.

If Danielle is so clueless about most things relating to dharma and the others, how did she know that smokey functions as a "security system" (season 1)?

My guess is that she doesn't *know* what Smokey is/does and that was just her opinion of what it is. After seeing smokey for 3 years, how many people would describe that thing as a "security system?" It flashes images of people's minds, it kills people, it possibly manifests itself as animals/people on the island. What kind of security system is that?

Just by giving the thing a name doesn't mean she still isn't clueless about it.

has anyone noticed an inconsistency between Danielle and Mikhail's story's.

..I 'm not sure about Mikhail, but I notice a lot inconsistency in Danielle's story. She claim that her , and her crew were attack going back from the black Rock, and that the others/it killed them....yet, she told Jack, that she killed her crew.If they were dead, than how did she killed them? also she told Sayid that she never seen the others, so who was it exactly that took her baby?:eek2: Her story is not adding up. Did they take her baby, before , or after she/they killed her crew, and why in the hell she didn't see them?:eek2:



I just find it interesting that she's says she's survived on the Island for 16 years by avoiding confrontation but happily shoots one of the Others through the shoulder. Contradictions aplenty. Excentrique?. Not so certain.

..unless she has some type of deal with the others, I do not know how she survived for 16 years, without running into them. Why haven't the others went after Danielle? or did they leave her alone,because she have a disease?

I do have a few issues with her being an Other. If she was an ostracized Other, why keep her on the island?
..Because Danielle is more of a liability "off the island" , where she can tells someone about what's going on , on the island, than she is staying on the island.

Or why not just kill her?

Good question! maybe, they do not kill her,because they are not in the habit of killing their own.:hypocrit:

Good question! maybe, they do not kill her,because they are not in the habit of killing their own.:hypocrit:

Juliet smoked Pickett without even saying good-bye.

I stated a few days ago that I think Danielle was originally a part of the Others, and that now she lives in exile. I think the circumstances surrounding her exile have something to do with the birth of Alex. Now, thanks to the introduction of the castaways from Flight 815, Ben and his people need Danielle's help, so they're offering her a pardon, and access to her daughter, if she helps them work over the castways.

I think Danielle's reasons for killing Mikhail coincide with Bea's. She wanted him dead so that Sayid wouldn't be able to extract any information from him. But, they have a long walk through a thick jungle with him, so she'll have plenty of opportunities to get her way.

Oh, and I think the reveal that Danielle was an Other all along will be a mark on her body similar to the one Juliet just received. Only problem is, Jack's the only one that's seen Juliet get marked.

..Because Danielle is more of a liability "off the island" , where she can tells someone about what's going on , on the island, than she is staying on the island.


I thought of that as well, but they certainly didn't have a problem sending Mike and Walt off the island. Even when Michael said that he'll come back or whatever, Ben was very confident that no one will find the island. Ben has also said that he's letting Juliet and Jack go home. I don't know....Ben seems not to have a huge worry about letting people off the island.

Besides, even if Danielle got off the island, who the heck would believe her story? "I was trapped on an island for whatever years where a black smoke thing floated around and read people's minds, there's a group of hillbillies that whisper in the jungle and don't leave tracks. And by the way, one of them stole my baby. Oh, and I also killed my entire crew b/c they came down with some kind of island sickness." They'd have her locked up and treated for PTSD or something. No one would believe that story.

Okay, I may be remembering wrong, but didn't Danielle have Claire examine Aaron for a mark on his body? Or were they just looking for signs of 'the illness'? I seem to remember Danielle looking a bit surprised that there was no mark on Aaron. Does anyone else remember this or am I hallucinating again?

I thought of that as well, but they certainly didn't have a problem sending Mike and Walt off the island

But Michael had just killed two people in cold blood,so they knew he wasn't going to say anything, without risking implicating himself. If Michael was to seek help, and return to the island, the others will tell that he "Murder" Ana and Libby.

Besides, even if Danielle got off the island, who the heck would believe her story? "I was trapped on an island for whatever years where a black smoke thing floated around and read people's minds, there's a group of hillbillies that whisper in the jungle and don't leave tracks. And by the way, one of them stole my baby. Oh, and I also killed my entire crew b/c they came down with some kind of island sickness." They'd have her locked up and treated for PTSD or something. No one would believe that story
..even if they do not believe her. She was once a creditable scientist ,who was pregnant prior to coming to the island, her accusation would prompt them to launch a full investigation, which might mean them sending people/police /or traveling to the island . Which the others are trying to avoid.

Okay, I may be remembering wrong, but didn't Danielle have Claire examine Aaron for a mark on his body? Or were they just looking for signs of 'the illness'? I seem to remember Danielle looking a bit surprised that there was no mark on Aaron. Does anyone else remember this or am I hallucinating again?

I think you may be right - at the time I thought it was more about the shots - but the Others never really saw Aaron did they?

They would have had to mark him inutero - which is possible but highly unlikely!