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Counter 108

The countdown timer

Before its implosion in "Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1", DHARMA Initiative station three, the Swan, contained a 108-minute countdown timer, connected to the station's computer. The timer would only reset by entering the Numbers into the station's computer and pushing a button. Failure to enter the Numbers within the last 4 minutes of the countdown cycle resulted in an audible alarm, which lasted during the remaining minutes until the timer reached zero. The alarm would then end, and the Timer's numbers would be replaced by black and red Egyptian hieroglyphs. Simultaneously, a recorded voice would begin to repeat "system failure" over the station's speaker system.

The countdown function

Scenesfromorientationfilm2

Countdown resetting described in the Swan Orientation Film

The resetting routine of the countdown timer was first described by Dr. Marvin Candle in the Swan Orientation Film. "Dr. Candle", however, has only mentioned that since the occurrence of an "incident", the protocol of pushing the button and resetting the countdown timer must be preserved.

In Desmond's flashbacks, the actual function of the countdown period was revealed. Kelvin explained that the incident was a leak from the Swan leading to a build-up of electromagnetic energy that had devastating effects. Hence, the countdown represents the maximum time limit for a "safe" charge build-up.

Normal operation

Zero Count

The countdown timer reaching zero count

The countdown timer was regularly reset every 108 minutes by different Islanders, before and after the crash, through the routine known as; Pushing the button. As revealed by Locke, the timer could not be reset any time before the 104-minute mark, since that was the only time where the computer accepts typing ("What Kate Did"). Thus, the last 4 minutes in countdown, after the sounding of the alarm, was the normal interval used in resetting the button.

The 108 count

The 108 count actually holds a number of relations to many other themes in Lost. For instance, 108 is the sum of the Numbers, which are also used as a code in resetting the counter.

See more details about the significance of this count in: 108.

Failure sequence

Locke Numbers

Locke, attempting to force in the Numbers code into the computer, to break the first failure sequence witnessed by the survivors

Failing to execute the button sequence before the last 4 minutes of countdown pass, resulted in the sequence of actions described below:

  • At the 4 minute mark, a steady alarm beep signalled, and continued for the next 3 minutes.
  • At the 1-minute mark, an intense alarm signalled, and continued for the next 50 seconds.
  • At the 10-second mark, for 20 seconds, the same alarm signalled at a much higher rate.
  • During the last 10 seconds, Egyptian hieroglyphs flip in position of the timer numbers.
  • At the end of the 10 seconds, the alarm stopped and all the hieroglyphs are locked in.
  • The alarm signal is immediately replaced by a recorded voice repeating: "System Failure".
  • The sound of a power build-up is immediately heard, which lead to the rest of the system failure effects.

Apparently, the timer could be reset during all of this sequence. However, as soon as the system failure starts, the counter soon becomes of no use due to the strong electromagnetism effect.

The first occurrence of the failure sequence was revealed in Desmond's flashback, where it lead to the first system failure. After their entering of the Hatch, the survivors have encountered this sequence in 2 more incidents, before the last incident ending with the second system failure and the implosion of the Swan. ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1")

First incident (flashback)

Hieroglyphs

Locked hieroglyphs, as seen by Desmond

In "Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1", Desmond reveals in his flashbacks an early incident where the hieroglyphs were all locked for a long period. At that point, the hieroglyphs were accompanied by a high power-build up, rising through time and causing the whole computer room to shake rapidly, while a system failure alarm signal kept playing. As Desmond frantically managed to enter the Numbers while facing a monitor flooded with Failure notifications, the build-up broke and things went back to normal. However, when he later analysed the Pearl's log of that period, Desmond came to the conclusion that his system failure was the apparent cause of the Flight 815 crash ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1").

Second incident

Flipping Hieroglyphs

Hieroglyphs flipping in the countdown timer

Locke was withheld by Jack from pushing the button before the timer reached the zero count. At the zero count, five Hieroglyphs started to roll in; three black figures appearing in position of the minutes count, and two red figures in the seconds count position. The figures lock in consecutively, separated by almost a second, and accompanied by loud mechanical noises. Eventually, Locke managed to use this little time in executing the button routine, before all five figures were locked in place. At pushing the button, the timer was immediately reset to the 108:00 count, after only four of the five glyphs were seen. ("One of Them")

Third incident

Locke Untrapped

Locke, looking at the reset countdown timer, after lockdown

As a result of Locke's entrapment under the blast door in he asked Ben, who was then captured at the Swan by the survivors, to execute the button routine. While trapped, Locke heard the 1-minute alarm followed by the flipping sound of the glyphs. As time passed, a power-build up noise is heard. After the blast door is lifted, Locke saw the timer count at 107.00.

Later, in a conversation with Locke, Ben confirmed that he viewed flipping red pictures that "looked like Hieroglyphics". However, he denied pushing the button; a claim that can now be easily refuted, when compared with the magnitude of the system failure incidents that was later revealed. ("Lockdown")

Final incident

Countdown-destroyed

The bunker timer crumpled before the Swan's implosion

Locke's determination to test the Button's effect resulted in the second and final system failure in the Swan. This incident included the longest locking period for the hieroglyphs. The timer, along with the glyphs, are crushed under the metal that implodes, moments before Desmond activated the fail-safe leading to the entire implosion of the Swan. ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1")

Trivia

  • After Jack resets the timer to 108:00, its takes a mere 35 seconds before 107:00 appears. ("Orientation")
  • The beeping sound of the four minute alarm is the sound of a supermarket checkout scanner. The sound editors went to several stores before finding the right sample to use.

Unanswered questions

Unanswered questions
  1. Do not answer the questions here.
  2. Keep the questions open-ended and neutral: do not suggest an answer.
For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Countdown timer/Theories
  • What would happen if the fail safe key wasn't activated?

See also

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