I can't see how this skill of Locke's is really useful. :-)

You only say that because you're not sleeping with your brother.

You only say that because you're not sleeping with your brother.

Do not assume, young one. It will become your demise.

Do not assume, young one. It will become your demise.

LeN and I go way back. Trust me. He's not her brother.

From what I've seen, any shmuck who gets lost in the woods could find (a) caves and (b) water. Possibly (c) invisimechasaurs as well, but their appearances are awfully convenient.

Sun and Sayid are the two who have shown the longest-range planning, although that's not saying a hell of a lot. As a group, they're just not willing (or haven't been willing) to think strategically. They haven't even mapped Lost Island, and don't know if, ten miles down the beach around that curve, there might be a Club Med.

I'm not really sure what would be a catalyst for the survivors to cohere and begin to think strategically about the group as a group -- I'm sort of surprised that the Ethan/Claire debacle didn't have more impact. Being a raging paranoiac myself, I find the idea of an infiltrator freaky, and a kidnapper double-freaky. I would, at this point, long since have organized a buddy-system for going anywhere, emergency noise-makers or whistles, and a rotation for guarding the camp at night.

If we don't count medical saves, has he saved more than Locke? Given that both Sayid and Locke have the skillset to find water too?

Dragged Claire and Hurley out from under an about to collapse fuel-filled wing; pulled a drowning Boone out of the water; went back to rescue trapped Charlie from rampaging Lostzilla. Locke's hauled Jack up from a cliff; that's his only save so far.

I guess I'm counting value in terms of uniqueness. Sure, Jack is the only doctor, but most of his skills will never come into play. And only a few people have needed what only he can bring to the table.

But that's the thing; Jack's skills *are* unique, and extraordinarily hard for anyone on the island to learn the full array of. Protein-gathering is something any reasonably competent adult can figure out. This is not to dis those who do it especially well and tastily -- Jin would definitely be in the running for my 4th pick after Michael -- but I'm confident I can provide my own protein, and *not* confident I can undislocate my shoulder, set my own leg, and sew up gaping wounds. And while I bet Jack hopes he never has to do a Cesaerian section or a trepanation, at least the victims would have a fighting chance.

Locke's hauled Jack up from a cliff; that's his only save so far.

I guess I'm still counting feeding 40 odd survivors for at least two weeks as save-ish.

Jin would have to be catching a whole lot of fish to match a couple hundred pounds of boar. Also, the monster in the woods has not eaten since Locke stared it down/made his contract/it turned into Ethan and helped him catch rabbits.

I would love for Locke to hand someone over to the monster for food, as some sort of sacrifice. It'd be funnier if he went around asking random islanders if they were virgins.

I think Jack has an idea about how dangerous Kate can be. Unless he has lost his mind, he can't forget about how desperate the marshal seemed to find out where she was.

He pshawed the idea that someone as willowy as she could be any danger to the marshal after being warned about her by same. It wasn't until Hurley pointed out the gun that he entertained the possibility she might be able to kill the weak-as-a-kitten antagonist whose survival might mean an indefinite jail term for her.

Maybe that's it. Maybe I just think that Jack is lame because he's an inconsistently written character. Or an idiot. Or both.

That could be the root of my disdain.