Then he'd have to explain how come he's not in the wheelchair any more and why he didn't bring up that fact. It would at the least break into the illusion and at the worst could mean the reality goes back to what he knew before. Not worth the risk.

Don't threaten Fantasy Island, man.

Remember, Locke is the one person that clearly does not want to be rescued.

Good point. But do his 'sides' necessarily have anything to do with getting rescued? Is the whole thing just a game to him?

Also, I'm really looking forward to the Hurley ep. I'm getting sick of him being the chubby comic relief.

Why is Sayid such a fucking moron?

I read that scene as both Jack and Sayid knowing there was something weird about the compass/island but were just glossing over it in a sort of "We both know it's weird but we'll just blame Locke".

Sayid had a perfectly good magnetized needle floating in water when he got the compass, right? Surely he would have checked to see if botheneedles pointed in the same direction before saying "This compass is faulty". Though I can't imagine what would make a compass point somewhere but not magnetic north (or south).

Perhaps a large outcropping of iron-rich black rock nearby?

Perhaps a large outcropping of iron-rich black rock nearby?

Maybe that's how Rousseau and her team defeated some of the original invisimechasaurs, by luring them to the Black Rock of MAGNETISM, where they became immobile and useless.

Then the Others got wise and started making them out of plastic.

Is the whole thing just a game to him?

I'd actually argue that is anything but a game to him. It's life or living death.

Though much was made of Locke's being denied his walkabout by the Adventure Tourists, I don't think they were wrong. I don't mean that Locke didn't do absolutely everything to prepare for it, but that I think his plan was to live the way he wanted ("Don't tell me what I can't do.") or die. Either outcome would, I think have been acceptable to him, but not to the Tour Co and their insurance underwriters.

What he finds insupportable is to go back to what he clearly thinks of as a living death as the wheelchair bound supervisor at the box company being made fun of by the Boones/Charlies of the world.

I also think Locke feels that his side is the Island's side, so you are not siding with him so much as opening yourself up to the place. He is the High Priest in this scenario and needs a congregation to prove his own belief is correct.

Perhaps a large outcropping of iron-rich black rock nearby?

Ah-ha! And we know that Rousseau went to the black rock(s) after she sent the message. But why? Does it mess up the Others' mojo?

So Locke is bad because he tied someone up and injured them for their own good (and it worked) rather than tying someone up and injuring them in the name of someone else's good, even though it doesn't work?