1.) The fact that Widmore sent Daniel and Charlotte to turn off the Tempest, does that mean that Widmore is really a "good guy"?

2.) The fact that the countdown was already running by the time Juliet arrived, does that mean that Ben set it to go off? Or did Daniel and Charlotte have to set if off in order to disable it?

3.) Do you guys think that the gas was being developed on the island in order to use it off the island? Like in the Terminator movies how Sarah Connor has been to the future and she goes on an assasination spree to kill all the people who are part of the movement to make computers self-aware. Maybe the gas was meant for the people Sayid was going after for Ben?

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"Helen, do you remember that authentic Australian walkabout I told you about?"

My opinion: 1) Yes 2) They set it off to disable it 3) No

Calling it The Tempest was an allusion to Shakespeare's play, right?

I don't think it necessarily means Widmore is a good guy. I think it is just a plan for war -turn off toxic gas so Ben doesn't use it against me. Ben's people probably turned it on - was Ben really going to kill everyone on the island? Including all the people heading for the temple (including that dreamy Richard Alpert?) Or is the "temple" some kind of bomb shelter that would have protected them in the event that gas was released on the island?

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`Dear, dear! How queer everything is to-day! And yesterday things went on just as usual. I wonder if I've been changed in the night? Let me think: was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is, Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle!'

-- Alice, from “Alice’s Adventure’s in Wonderland”

I think Ben is testing Juliette. Juliette says it herself, "Ben knew where they were going" If Ben wanted those people dead, Why on Earth would he send HIS people to get Juliette who had already betrayed him resulting in the deaths of several Others

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"John: Is that some sort of code?
Ben: No John, we don't have a code for 'There is a man in my closet with a gun to my daughter's head' but obviously we should."

1. jury is out on whidmore. I think he is bad.
2. not sure. I haven't processed this yet.
3. no

1. Whidmore is definantly bad in my opinion. Just look at how he treats Desmond, do you really think he cares where Ben got 324 dead bodies? I sure don't.
2. I think when they tried to nullify the gas they probably set off some sort of defence system.
3. They were probably developing the gas to experiment with it on the island, they would then use it off the island, probably sell it to governments.

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"John: Is that some sort of code?
Ben: No John, we don't have a code for 'There is a man in my closet with a gun to my daughter's head' but obviously we should."