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| + | Occupants of the [[Swan]] station followed a protocol in which they typed a [[The numbers|sequence]] into a [[Swan computer|computer]] every 108 minutes. Typing these numbers and pressing "execute" (a.k.a. '''pushing the button''') on the keyboard discharged an electromagnetic buildup, continually averting worldwide catastrophe. |
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| − | During the [[Season 2|second season]] of ''[[Lost]]'', the survivors discovered a [[Swan computer|computer]] inside the [[Swan]] station which required [[the Numbers]] to be entered into it every 108 minutes. A [[Countdown Timer|timer]] set into the wall provided a continual countdown - and an alarm would sound as the timer neared zero. Entering the Numbers sequentially and pressing ''Execute'' (a.k.a. '''pushing the button''') on the keyboard would cause the timer to reset to 108 minutes and begin the countdown anew. It was initially unclear what would happen if the button was not pushed. |
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| + | The [[survivors]] discovered the station in November 2004 and spent weeks debating the protocol's meaning and consequences before the station was destroyed. |
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| − | ==Countdown sequence== |
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| − | * The timer began a countdown from 108 minutes. |
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| − | * With [[4]] minutes to go on the timer, an alarm was triggered at a rate of one beep every two seconds. The Numbers could then be entered, followed by the Execute key. |
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| − | * When the final minute was reached, a second alarm sounded at a rate of one beep every two seconds. |
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| − | * With 10 seconds remaining, the second alarm would speed up to a rate of one beep every one second. |
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| − | * When the timer reached 0, the timer flipped to a set of static red and black hieroglyphics - and "system failure" was broadcasted repeatedly over the station's loudspeakers. |
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| + | ==Origins and purpose== |
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| − | ==Purpose== |
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| + | {{main|The Incident (event)}} |
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| − | [[Desmond]] described the process of entering the Numbers, as told to him by [[Kelvin Inman]], as "saving the world" {{crossref|2x03|2x23}}. Kelvin remarked in "[[Live Together, Die Alone]]" that a "charge" progressively “builds up” in or near the Swan, with an accompanying magnetic field. The procedure of "pushing the button" effectively discharges the amassed energies. |
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| + | The Swan was originally designed for experiments, but during construction, the [[DHARMA Initiative]] punctured the research site's [[Electromagnetism|electromagnetic]] pocket. A [[Jughead (bomb)|nuclear device]] also entered the pocket, further complicating matters. Following this incident, an electrical charge continuously accumulated at the Swan site. The Initiative designed the Swan protocol to discharge the amassed energy. An excessively large buildup could lead to a global catastrophe. The protocol had to run within a 4-minute period every 108 minutes -- a [[countdown timer]] tracked this time, and an alarm sounded during the 4-minute window. In case the protocol failed, the Initiative installed a [[fail-safe]] that would destroy and seal the leak with unknown consequences for whoever activated it. |
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| − | == |
+ | ==Later history== |
| − | === |
+ | ===Pre-crash=== |
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| − | The protocol of ''pushing the button'' was set up after the Incident at the Swan site in 1977 when the DHARMA Initiative drilled into a pocket of electromagnetic energy on the Island. {{crossref|5x16}} Exactly why the protocol was set up requiring constant attention by personnel at the station is unclear. A [[failsafe]] was also installed as a backup system - capable of destroying the energy pocket at the expense of the station and potentially the personnel stationed therein. |
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| + | After the Island's natives [[The Purge|eliminated]] the DHARMA Initiative, Radzinsky and Inman continued pushing the button. Radzinsky committed suicide, leaving Inman alone and awaiting a replacement until [[Desmond Hume]] landed on the Island in 2001. Kelvin introduced Desmond to the protocol, which he described as "saving the world." He didn't share further details about the Swan, including the Incident and the fail-safe key, until a drunken conversation years later. |
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| ⚫ | |||
| + | Desmond killed Kelvin outside the station on [[Timeline:September 2004|September 22, 2004]] and returned too late to push the button in a timely fashion. This triggered a [[System Failure|system failure]] and released a massive magnetic surge that caused [[Oceanic Flight 815|Flight 815]] to break-up in mid-air and crash on the Island. |
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| − | ====After the Purge==== |
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| − | Kelvin and Radzinsky were the only two known survivors of the Purge who did not defect to join the [[Hostiles]]. The two of them continued following the station's protocol until Radzinsky's suicide which left Kelvin manning the station alone - until he was joined by [[Desmond]] who crashed on the Island during his solo race around the world. |
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| + | ===Post-crash=== |
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| − | Kelvin introduced Desmond to the protocol - which he described as "saving the world." One night years later, while drunk underneath the Swan's computer room, Kelvin revealed to Desmond the nature of the Incident, and the function of the [[fail-safe]] key, which he carried at all times but was never able to find the courage to use. Desmond lived in the station for three years, until Kelvin's death. {{crossref|2x23}} |
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| + | Though late, Desmond entered the sequence and reset the station's timer. He continued pushing the button for the next 40 days, though he at times thought that his failure had had disastrous consequences. |
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| − | ===Recent Events=== |
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| − | ====Season 1==== |
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| − | [[Desmond Hume|Desmond]] failed to enter the Numbers in a timely fashion on [[Timeline:September 2004|September 22, 2004]], triggering a [[System Failure|system failure]]. Although the sequence was entered just after the countdown expired, the resulting massive magnetic surge caused [[Oceanic Flight 815|Flight 815]] to break-up in mid-air and crash on the Island. {{crossref|2x23|3x01}} Alone in the Swan, Desmond continued to man the station for the next 40 days, carrying on the duty of pushing the button all by himself until the survivors blew open the hatch. {{crossref|2x03}} |
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| + | On November 5, the [[survivors]] entered the station. Desmond explained the Swan protocol after a confrontation with them and then fled thinking the computer had been permanently damaged. [[Sayid]] managed to repair the computer, and [[Locke]] and [[Jack]] had a stand-off over whether to push the button. Locke convinced Jack to take a "leap of faith" and push it, and they agreed to organize shifts with other survivors to continue doing so. That same day, a [[vision]] of [[Walter "Walt" Lloyd|Walt]] appeared to [[Shannon]] and spoke backwards ''"Don't push the button. Button bad"''. |
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| − | ====Season 2==== |
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| − | [[Jack]] and [[Locke]] were the first two survivors of [[Oceanic Flight 815]] to learn of the station's protocol. [[Desmond]], the lone caretaker of the station, disclosed the bare facts of the situation and pointed them to the [[Swan Orientation Film|orientation film]]. He fled the station after the computer became damaged in an accident, thinking it was destroyed. With [[Sayid]]'s help, they managed to repair the computer - and Locke made a decision to take on Desmond's role pushing the button with the help of the other survivors. {{crossref|2x03}} |
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| − | In {{ep|2x01}}, a [[vision]] of [[Walter "Walt" Lloyd|Walt]] appeared to [[Shannon]] and spoke backwards ''"Don't push the button. Button bad"''. The meaning of this message is somewhat unclear; it was revealed later that not pushing the button was catastrophic. {{crossref|2x01|2x23}} |
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| ⚫ | Days later, [[Locke]] inadvertently let the timer reach zero. The station released a loud escalating sound as if something were powering up and the timer then flipped to a series of red and black [[hieroglyphics]]. Locke discovered it was still possible to enter the Numbers and, on pressing ''Execute'', the counter reset, flipping back to 108. {{crossref|2x14}} |
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| ⚫ | Later, it appears a similar event took place off-camera, while Locke was trapped underneath the [[Blast Door Map|blast door]]. [[Ben]] (then still known as [[Henry Gale (original)|Henry Gale]]) claimed that he did not press the button, but given the catastrophic consequences of not pressing the button, it seems very likely that he was lying. {{crossref|2x17}} |
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| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | Days later, [[Locke]] |
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| ⚫ | Following the DHARMA protocol, the survivors made an effort to set up shifts of two people in the station to operate the computer - with Locke initially taking on more shifts than anyone else. Locke's faith in the station, however, began to fall apart after Ben's arrival - and Ben's description of the Swan as a "joke." This feeling intensified for Locke after he and [[Eko]] visited the [[Pearl]] - when he came to view the protocol as a meaningless psychological experiment. Mr. Eko, however, took over the duty of pressing the button. {{crossref|2x18|2x19|2x21}} |
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| ⚫ | Later, it appears a similar event took place off-camera, while Locke was trapped underneath the [[Blast Door Map|blast door]]. |
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| ⚫ | After Locke destroyed the computer's monitor, the timer once again expired without the button being pressed. Although [[Desmond Hume|Desmond]] activated the [[Fail-safe|failsafe]], the resulting "event" (termed ''the [[discharge]]'') was felt across the entire island, and resulted in the destruction of the Swan station. An electromagnetic pulse from the discharge interrupted communication among the Others and also caused the failure of the satellite dish at the [[Flame]]. The discharge was also large enough to be detected at a distant [[tracking station]]. {{crossref|2x23}} |
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| ⚫ | Following the DHARMA protocol, the survivors made an effort to set up shifts of two people in the station to operate the computer - with Locke initially taking on more shifts than anyone else. |
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| + | ==Later references== |
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| − | The [[Season 2 finale]] revealed that the button serves as a discharge mechanism for an [[electromagnetic]] source within the sealed portion of The Swan. [[The_Incident_(event)|The incident]], according to Kelvin, was a leak causing a "charge" to gradually built up over time. After 108 minutes, the increasing charge reached a point where the magnetic field began to have effects within the Swan itself. It was implied that if left unstopped, the magnetic field would continue to grow until it would destroy the world - or at least all life on Earth. {{crossref|2x23|3x08}} |
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| + | Immediately after turning the failsafe key, Desmond's consciousness traveled back to 1996. He initially forgot his adventures on the Island, but he experienced flashes of memory of his time in the Swan. He spoke of the button when he ran into [[Charlie]], and he later spoke about in in more detail to [[Donovan|a friend]]. When he met [[Eloise Hawking]], the two spoke extensively about the Swan, and she told him, "pushing that button is the only truly great thing that you will ever do." |
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| + | The [[Man in Black]], after assuming Locke's form and memories, compared the Heart of the Island to the Swan. "If there was a button down there to push, we could fight about whether or not to push it," he said. "It'd be just like old times." The unknown consequences of turning off the Light mirrored the unknown consequences of letting the Swan timer run down. (They proved disastrous; the Man in Black told Jack "Looks like ''you'' were wrong," echoing Locke's own statement of "I was wrong" during the final [[system failure]].) |
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| ⚫ | After Locke destroyed the computer's monitor, the timer once again expired without the button being pressed. Although [[Desmond Hume|Desmond]] activated the [[Fail-safe|failsafe]], the resulting "event" (termed ''the [[discharge]]'') was felt across the entire island, and resulted in the destruction of the Swan station. An electromagnetic pulse from the discharge |
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| + | In the flash sideways, [[Locke]] dimly recalled the button while unconscious and mumbled "Push the button" recovering after surgery with Jack. {{Crossref|6x14}} |
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| − | ==Flash-sideways timeline== |
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| − | When [[John Locke (flash-sideways timeline)|Locke]] was recovering from surgery after he was hit by [[Desmond Hume (flash-sideways timeline)|Desmond's]] car, [[Jack Shephard (flash-sideways timeline)|Jack]] heard him mumbling "Push the button" in his sleep. {{Crossref|6x14}} |
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| − | ==Other buttons== |
+ | ===Other buttons=== |
* In {{ep|4x08}}, when [[Michael]] is trying to blow up the [[freighter]] he pushes a button marked "execute" in order to detonate the [[Michael's_bomb|bomb]]. |
* In {{ep|4x08}}, when [[Michael]] is trying to blow up the [[freighter]] he pushes a button marked "execute" in order to detonate the [[Michael's_bomb|bomb]]. |
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* In {{ep|5x02}}, when [[Kate]] and [[Aaron]] enter the elevator, Aaron asks "Mommy, Mommy, can I push the button?" |
* In {{ep|5x02}}, when [[Kate]] and [[Aaron]] enter the elevator, Aaron asks "Mommy, Mommy, can I push the button?" |
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{{NavMinor-Unanswered}} |
{{NavMinor-Unanswered}} |
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* Why did the manifestation of Walt caution Shannon against pushing the button? |
* Why did the manifestation of Walt caution Shannon against pushing the button? |
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| + | * Why did the protocol use a code instead of just the button? |
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== See also == |
== See also == |
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Latest revision as of 05:24, 9 August 2019
Pushing the button.
Occupants of the Swan station followed a protocol in which they typed a sequence into a computer every 108 minutes. Typing these numbers and pressing "execute" (a.k.a. pushing the button) on the keyboard discharged an electromagnetic buildup, continually averting worldwide catastrophe.
The survivors discovered the station in November 2004 and spent weeks debating the protocol's meaning and consequences before the station was destroyed.
Origins and purpose
The Swan was originally designed for experiments, but during construction, the DHARMA Initiative punctured the research site's electromagnetic pocket. A nuclear device also entered the pocket, further complicating matters. Following this incident, an electrical charge continuously accumulated at the Swan site. The Initiative designed the Swan protocol to discharge the amassed energy. An excessively large buildup could lead to a global catastrophe. The protocol had to run within a 4-minute period every 108 minutes -- a countdown timer tracked this time, and an alarm sounded during the 4-minute window. In case the protocol failed, the Initiative installed a fail-safe that would destroy and seal the leak with unknown consequences for whoever activated it.
Later history
Pre-crash
DHARMA assigned personnel to the station in teams of two for a tour of duty lasting 540 days. It was recommended that they work in alternating shifts in pushing the button. Stuart Radzinsky, the station's designer, was running the protocol in the early 1990s, when Kelvin Inman joined him.
After the Island's natives eliminated the DHARMA Initiative, Radzinsky and Inman continued pushing the button. Radzinsky committed suicide, leaving Inman alone and awaiting a replacement until Desmond Hume landed on the Island in 2001. Kelvin introduced Desmond to the protocol, which he described as "saving the world." He didn't share further details about the Swan, including the Incident and the fail-safe key, until a drunken conversation years later.
Desmond killed Kelvin outside the station on September 22, 2004 and returned too late to push the button in a timely fashion. This triggered a system failure and released a massive magnetic surge that caused Flight 815 to break-up in mid-air and crash on the Island.
Post-crash
Though late, Desmond entered the sequence and reset the station's timer. He continued pushing the button for the next 40 days, though he at times thought that his failure had had disastrous consequences.
On November 5, the survivors entered the station. Desmond explained the Swan protocol after a confrontation with them and then fled thinking the computer had been permanently damaged. Sayid managed to repair the computer, and Locke and Jack had a stand-off over whether to push the button. Locke convinced Jack to take a "leap of faith" and push it, and they agreed to organize shifts with other survivors to continue doing so. That same day, a vision of Walt appeared to Shannon and spoke backwards "Don't push the button. Button bad".
Bunker hieroglyphs
Days later, Locke inadvertently let the timer reach zero. The station released a loud escalating sound as if something were powering up and the timer then flipped to a series of red and black hieroglyphics. Locke discovered it was still possible to enter the Numbers and, on pressing Execute, the counter reset, flipping back to 108. ("One of Them")
Later, it appears a similar event took place off-camera, while Locke was trapped underneath the blast door. Ben (then still known as Henry Gale) claimed that he did not press the button, but given the catastrophic consequences of not pressing the button, it seems very likely that he was lying. ("Lockdown")
Following the DHARMA protocol, the survivors made an effort to set up shifts of two people in the station to operate the computer - with Locke initially taking on more shifts than anyone else. Locke's faith in the station, however, began to fall apart after Ben's arrival - and Ben's description of the Swan as a "joke." This feeling intensified for Locke after he and Eko visited the Pearl - when he came to view the protocol as a meaningless psychological experiment. Mr. Eko, however, took over the duty of pressing the button. ("Dave") ("S.O.S.") ("?")
After Locke destroyed the computer's monitor, the timer once again expired without the button being pressed. Although Desmond activated the failsafe, the resulting "event" (termed the discharge) was felt across the entire island, and resulted in the destruction of the Swan station. An electromagnetic pulse from the discharge interrupted communication among the Others and also caused the failure of the satellite dish at the Flame. The discharge was also large enough to be detected at a distant tracking station. ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1")
Later references
Immediately after turning the failsafe key, Desmond's consciousness traveled back to 1996. He initially forgot his adventures on the Island, but he experienced flashes of memory of his time in the Swan. He spoke of the button when he ran into Charlie, and he later spoke about in in more detail to a friend. When he met Eloise Hawking, the two spoke extensively about the Swan, and she told him, "pushing that button is the only truly great thing that you will ever do."
The Man in Black, after assuming Locke's form and memories, compared the Heart of the Island to the Swan. "If there was a button down there to push, we could fight about whether or not to push it," he said. "It'd be just like old times." The unknown consequences of turning off the Light mirrored the unknown consequences of letting the Swan timer run down. (They proved disastrous; the Man in Black told Jack "Looks like you were wrong," echoing Locke's own statement of "I was wrong" during the final system failure.)
In the flash sideways, Locke dimly recalled the button while unconscious and mumbled "Push the button" recovering after surgery with Jack. ("The Candidate")
Other buttons
- In "Meet Kevin Johnson", when Michael is trying to blow up the freighter he pushes a button marked "execute" in order to detonate the bomb.
- In "The Lie", when Kate and Aaron enter the elevator, Aaron asks "Mommy, Mommy, can I push the button?"
- In "Happily Ever After", when Desmond is undergoing a MRI-scan in the flash-sideways timeline, the MRI tech tells him he needs a button. When Desmond doesn't understand he explains: "The panic button. You need to stop, press it. Try not to 'cause we'll have to start all over again from the beginning."
Production notes
In Access: Granted, a special feature on the Lost: The Complete Third Season (DVD) Blu-ray edition, the reason for the numbers needing to be entered by humans and not by an automated process is explained:
- Damon Lindelof: I think the idea of sort of trusting the machine, what if the power goes out, or what if the station gets taken over by the hostiles? You know, it absolutely had to be manned by human beings.
The producers later clarified that the turning of the key by Desmond prevented a potential "global catastrophe." ("Lost: The Answers")
Trivia
- 108 corresponds to the sum of the Numbers (4 + 8 + 15 + 16 + 23 + 42 = 108).
- A short story by Richard Matheson (later turned into a 1980s Twilight Zone episode) called "Button, Button" deals with a couple that is given the option of pushing a button or not—with a surprising ending.
- You can only push the button for 4 minutes, and as Desmond told Locke, it was to save the world. The Madonna song, "4 minutes", has a lyric that says, "We've got 4 minutes to save the world", which is oddly similar to the situation.
- Pressing the button bears some resemblance to an episode of the new Outer Limits called "Dead Man's Switch" which deals with a group of humans who are locked in underground bunkers. The humans must press a button to prevent aliens from taking over the Earth but would allow the earth to be destroyed if they were dead.
- The movie Sphere (based on the Michael Crichton novel of the same name) has a button that must be pushed every 12 hours. "Everything in the habitat is videoed, so every twelve hours we take the video storage out to the mini-sub and press the reset button. The idea is, if something happens to us and we don't reset it, the sub goes to the surface automatically, so if we're all dead, they at least have a partial record of what went wrong." There are also connections between the alien, time-traveling sphere in the story and Lost's Magic box.
Unanswered questions
| Unanswered questions |
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- For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Pushing the button/Theories
- Why did the manifestation of Walt caution Shannon against pushing the button?
- Why did the protocol use a code instead of just the button?
See also
- 108
- Countdown Timer
- Electromagnetism
- Fan-made countdown timers
- Log printout
- The Numbers
- Swan computer
- System failure
- Swan Orientation Film
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