Why did Charlie lie?

[Raalix]

Charlie as a child was an excellent swimmer ("Greatest Hits") yet in several episodes in seasons 1 and 2 he appears unable to swim ("Fire and Water" and "White Rabbit" spring to mind). Indeed, in "White Rabbit" Charlie refuses to even attempt to save unknown lostie Joanna who eventually died because both Boone and Jack were unable to save her. But Charlie didn't even get his feet wet.

Why would he lie about his swimming ability? Why would he knowingly let someone else drown? Why did he suddenly promote his exceptional swimming talent at the end of season 3? Why did no-one question his newly-professed talent after several months of him not being able to swim?

Blooper or something deeper....?

[Bibliophile]

Hmm. I'll have to go back and see the episodes in 1 and 2 you're talking about. But I believe that the promoting of his swimming talent was an outright lie. He knew what was coming for him if he went down there and wanted to make sure that noone would come with him. So if they thought he was fully capable he'd be able to go it alone.

[Raalix]

I agree with you - but there are still some inconsistencies.

In "White Rabbit" it is Charlie who gets Jack to try and save the drowning woman saying that he can't swim. But in the final of Season 3, Charlie tells Jack that he is an excellent swimmer. Fair enough - he lied so that he would definitely sacrifice himself but why didn't Jack remember that Charlie couldn't swim?

[Teresa Edgerton]

Originally Posted by Raalix

Why didn't Jack remember that Charlie couldn't swim?

Although I often marvel at the things that television characters don't remember, in this case it might fairly be said that Jack has so much else on his mind, he can't be expected to remember everything.

In fact, if I were Jack, I'd have been lying down with a permanent headache long before that point.

[CharleneHaines]

First off... I am a huge "Lost"-aholic .

And, I for one agree! There were a lot of inconsistencies on this show... but, the way it is written, most of them are forgotten! Like, for example: what ever happened with Walt's "psychic" ability??? Remember the bird flying into the window on season 1?

And the psychic that tells Claire that she must go to California... he was freaked out when he saw what would happen... but, if he knew what was going to happen, why would he insist she go?

(Sorry, I was waiting for the answers to these questions to come up later on in the show... but never did.)

Nevertheless... the show is brilliant.

[Raalix]

The Walt issue I have no answers for.

However, I have a theory concerning the Claire storyline. The psychic told her first of all that she had to raise the child herself and was not to give it away. Then he told her of a couple in LA with whom the child would be safe and made her get on the doomed Oceanic 815 flight. When the plane crashed, Claire reasoned that the psychic knew that the plane would crash and mader her get on it so that she would indeed raise the child herself.

However, in a recent episode of Season 4 (I think it was "Eggtown") we jump into the future to see that an older Aaron is living with Kate and calling her "Mom" no less! In my mind, something happens to Claire - she may die or simply be stuck on the island - and she asks Kate to adopt Aaron as her own son. Kate, being one of the Oceanic 6, is now back home and raising Aaron as Claire wanted. Kate is living in LA! Maybe the psychic saw it all and Kate is one member of a couple who are now responsible for Aaron.

[CharleneHaines]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I forgot about that!!! Oh, man! I can't believe I didn't put that together!!! Hahaha, thank you!

Sorry, on the Charlie issue:
I think that Jack had a lot on his mind, as Teresa mentioned. Charlie knew that he had to do what Desmond said... in order to make Claire and Aaron safe. Furthermore, he was a different person in the begining... and with Joanna drowing, perhaps he was not the "heroic" type at that time. It seemed to me that he a bit on the (forgive the way I am putting this), but... selfish side? I understand that he was still a good person.
Honestly though... the "Lost" writers write as they go... so, my person opinion is: I think maybe that is a blooper... the idea that Charlie professed that he was not a swimmer may have slipped their minds.

On that note: why on Earth did he shut the door after (I forget his name... the guy with the eye patch)... Russian name... Mikhal or something... anyways, why did he shut the door after he blew the window open with the grenade???????? He could have survived!!!! All he had to do was get out... shut the door... and swin to the surface with Desmond!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!

Sorry, I was upset when he perished :-(

[Teresa Edgerton]

Originally Posted by CharleneHaines

On that note: why on Earth did he shut the door after (I forget his name... the guy with the eye patch)... Russian name... Mikhal or something... anyways, why did he shut the door after he blew the window open with the grenade???????? He could have survived!!!! All he had to do was get out... shut the door... and swin to the surface with Desmond!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!

I've asked myself that same question many times, and the only answer I've been able to come up with is that Charlie genuinely believed Desmond when he said Charlie had to die before Aaron and Claire could get on the helicopter and leave the island.

It's beginning to look like Desmond was wrong, and that his death was totally unnecessary.

Well ... except for the fact that Dominic seems to have been ready to leave the show, and I don't think viewers would have accepted a recast.

But I hate that his story line ended that way.

[CharleneHaines]

Me too! I was sooooooooooooo mad!!!!

But, to be honest... I would not have accepted a recast, either. I also heard that Dominac wanted to "pursue other things"... :-(
However, I kept waiting for them to bring him back. I guess I'll be waiting a long time.

Another thing I noticed: (and this REALLY fired me up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

After Charlie died (granted there was a lot going on), but did they give him a funeral??????????????? NO!!!!!!!!!!!! They said a few words before they split up into two groups and that was it! I was so mad!!!

I mean, they even gave a funeral to those jerks who were buried alive! (That was a messed up episode by the way).

Anyone else bothered by this?

[Raalix]

Firstly - in response to the question why did Charlie shut the door - I think that he was very much aware that Desmond's visions of Charlie's death were true and he was also appereciative of the fact that "death has a way of course correcting". If he didn't die one way, death would claim him in another. The death Charlie had really meant something. He was saving the lives of everyone on the island. He then had a chance to warn everybody that the boat wasn't Penny's. If he hadn't died here, then chances are, when death finally caught up with him, it would be a pointless death.

Secondly - the funeral question. I think it will happen at some point. But put yourself in their position. Charlie sacrificed himself for the good of everybody else. As soon as he had died, the supposed rescuers landed on the island. As there was no body to bury, I believe I would have mouned Charlie in my own way but I would have been very focussed on getting off the island. I think that when the current crisis blows over, there may well be a funeral of sorts. You also have to bear in mind that in island time, Charlie has been dead for a couple of days.

What would have been a nice touch is for Charlie to have two simultaneous funerals. After the group split, a very poignant piece of TV would have been for both groups to have some kind of memorial gathering and we see everyone mourn Charlie but in two different locations.

[Stormpirate]

I think the one thing that gets me about Charlie's death is the fact that they really haven't shown Claire grieving. She cries when Hurley tells her Charlie died, but that's about it. She's been perky Claire ever since.

[Mouse]

Yep. Hurley seemed more upset about Charlie than Claire did!!

[CharleneHaines]

Originally Posted by Stormpirate

I think the one thing that gets me about Charlie's death is the fact that they really haven't shown Claire grieving. She cries when Hurley tells her Charlie died, but that's about it. She's been perky Claire ever since.

I noticed this too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If she only knew what he did... for her and Aaron!!!

Oh, that makes me so mad!

[Teresa Edgerton]

I've been annoyed about that, too. But there has always been a cold side to Claire.