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(the "shift" UQ has been answered. It means to move something through time like the bunnies.)
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This station is mentioned on the [[Blast Door Map]]. At the 7:00 position, there is a notation: "Low Priority Zone for Exploration - Possible site for Above Ground Study of ?Flora?. Low Relevance to [[Valenzetti]] related Research Activity".
 
This station is mentioned on the [[Blast Door Map]]. At the 7:00 position, there is a notation: "Low Priority Zone for Exploration - Possible site for Above Ground Study of ?Flora?. Low Relevance to [[Valenzetti]] related Research Activity".
   
The Orchid station was temporarily inhabited by [[Keamy]] and [[Mercenary team|his men]] {{crossref|4x12}} in attempt to catch [[Benjamin Linus]]. It was last seen on December 30, 2004 from Ben's perspective as he used the most subterranean level of the station to "move" the Island. He wore an [[DHARMA parka|Orchid parka]] with the name [[Halliwax]] printed on the left breast. As he turned a [[Frozen Donkey Wheel|giant frozen wheel]], a bright white light was generated in the Island's entire vicinity, and a humming (similar to that of [[the Discharge]]) could be heard. {{crossref|4x13}}
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The Orchid station was temporarily inhabited by [[Keamy]] and [[Mercenary team|his men]] {{crossref|4x12}} in attempt to catch [[Benjamin Linus]], in relation to something called the "[[Secondary Protocol]]". It was last seen on December 30, 2004 from Ben's perspective as he used the most subterranean level of the station to "move" the Island. He wore an [[DHARMA parka|Orchid parka]] with the name [[Halliwax]] printed on the left breast. As he turned a [[Frozen Donkey Wheel|giant frozen wheel]], a bright white light was generated in the Island's entire vicinity, and a humming (similar to that of [[the Discharge]]) could be heard. {{crossref|4x13}}
   
 
When [[Ben]] wakes up in the Tunisian Desert in October 2005, he is wearing the same [[DHARMA parka|Orchid Jacket]]. He has steam coming off of him and still has the arm injury he sustained descending into the bottom level of the station. {{crossref|4x09}}
 
When [[Ben]] wakes up in the Tunisian Desert in October 2005, he is wearing the same [[DHARMA parka|Orchid Jacket]]. He has steam coming off of him and still has the arm injury he sustained descending into the bottom level of the station. {{crossref|4x09}}

Revision as of 13:36, 5 June 2008

The Orchid is a DHARMA Initiative station first mentioned in outtakes from a DHARMA orientation film originally presented at the Lost Panel at the 2007 San Diego Comic-Con and later on the Region 1 Season 3 DVD release. It was introduced by Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse as a teaser for Season 4.

The video is presented by Edgar Halliwax. According to the video, the Orchid, or "Station 6", is a fake botanical station that houses many numbered white rabbits. It seems to have an alarm system with elements similar to that of the Swan. The subject of the Orchid's research is described as "highly volatile and potentially dangerous", and reference is made to the Casimir effect.

This station is mentioned on the Blast Door Map. At the 7:00 position, there is a notation: "Low Priority Zone for Exploration - Possible site for Above Ground Study of ?Flora?. Low Relevance to Valenzetti related Research Activity".

The Orchid station was temporarily inhabited by Keamy and his men ("There's No Place Like Home, Part 1") in attempt to catch Benjamin Linus, in relation to something called the "Secondary Protocol". It was last seen on December 30, 2004 from Ben's perspective as he used the most subterranean level of the station to "move" the Island. He wore an Orchid parka with the name Halliwax printed on the left breast. As he turned a giant frozen wheel, a bright white light was generated in the Island's entire vicinity, and a humming (similar to that of the Discharge) could be heard. ("There's No Place Like Home, Part 2")

When Ben wakes up in the Tunisian Desert in October 2005, he is wearing the same Orchid Jacket. He has steam coming off of him and still has the arm injury he sustained descending into the bottom level of the station. ("The Shape of Things to Come")

Introduction and presentation

Outtakes from the Orchid's orientation film were introduced by Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse as an opportunity to "learn more about the DHARMA Initiative". Cuse further described the film as "something that will fire your imaginations about what you're gonna see in Season 4".

Before the video played, Lindelof and Cuse recounted a story in which the film was sent to them after being found in a building in Narvik, Norway that was set to be demolished (possibly the Hanso Foundation headquarters). The film was then purportedly spliced together and restored by the writers.

Orientation video

Hallowaxorchid

A still from the final Orchid Orientation Tape

Implications of the film

  • Because of their reputation as prolific breeders, rabbits are often used as a symbol of fertility as well.
  • Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse suggest that fans curious about Charlotte's discovery of a polar bear skeleton in Tunisia watch the Orchid video, and further draw a link between the polar bear with the bunny in the video. (Official Lost Podcast/February 19, 2008)
    • In the film, Edgar Halliwax specifically mentions the Island's creation of a " Casimir effect". The appearance of such a pointed reference implies that the Orchid plays a specific role in the unique space/time properties of the Island (see wormholes).
    • The mention of 'negatively charged exotic matter' is something of a misnomer, more likely referring to 'negative density' exotic matter, like the oft-referenced theoretical particle known as the tachyon. These theoretical particles possess a 'negative energy density' or more appropriately, a negative mass, and are necessary to stabilize the event horizon of a wormhole enough for an object to pass through it. That the Casimir effect is also mentioned is significant insofar as the Casimir effect can lead to areas of space possessing negative mass density, and thus areas of space-time that could support the event horizon of a wormhole.
  • Hidden messages in the film:
  1. 0:40 - The Lab in the video
  2. 0:49 - A tower block which is also seen in the Swan Orientation film
  3. 1:09 - "God loves you as he loved Jacob" (as seen in the Room 23 video)
  4. 1:42 - Video of a bicycle which is also seen in the Barracks video

The station

Orchidgreenhouse

The Orchid's greenhouse

Aboveground section

From the outside, the Orchid station resembles a greenhouse, containing a variety of flora. The station's exterior also appears to have become ruined and overgrown with vines covering, for instance, stairs and support beams.

According to Ben in "There's No Place Like Home", there is a hidden switch within the station that activates an elevator taking one to the "real" station underground. Ben tells Locke:



"You're going to go into that greenhouse through that hole there. Once inside, you're going to 
turn left. Go about 20 paces until you see a patch of anthuriums on your left. They're in an
alcove against the north wall. Face that wall, reach down with your left hand, you'll find a
switch that activates the elevator.  The elevator takes you down to the actual Orchid station."

Underground section

Landborchid

Inside the actual station.

At the bottom of the elevator is a short corridor with adjacent rooms, and a larger area containing desks, various electronic equipment, rabbit cages, a TV and VCR upon which the Orientation video is to be viewed, and an oval-shaped room called "the Vault" where experiments with space-time are said to occur. Dr. Edgar Halliwax states that the device is used to displace a rabbit by 100 milliseconds in time, and that no metallic objects are to be placed in the room.

Judging by the original video, which was said by the writers to be "outtakes" of the real video, the equipment does indeed function, but often has unpredictable results.

Ancient section

Behind the concrete wall of the Vault is a tunnel, similar in design to Ben's secret door. At the end of the tunnel is a ladder leading down a hole covered by ice, and at the bottom is a small ice cavern with hieroglyphs carved into several surfaces, a small lantern, and a large wheel embedded into a rock wall and encased in ice. The wheel apparently is the device which moves the island through space and/or time, and is apparently related to a massive electromagnetic discharge, as it sets off a reaction similar to the failsafe key in the Swan station.

Visitors

Picture Name Status Reason for Visit
Keamy
Keamy Deceased Led the mercenaries to the greenhouse to ambush Ben; later followed him to the hidden section, where Ben killed him
OmarTargetpractice
Omar Deceased Traveled there with the mercenary team
Ben-mini
Ben Alive Used the frozen wheel to move the Island and was transported to Tunisia in 2005
Locke-mini
Locke Alive Traveled with Ben to move the Island and said goodbye to him
Hurley-mini
Hurley Alive Traveled there with Ben and Locke
Jack-mini
Jack Alive Went to find Hurley, and argued with Locke
Sawyer-mini
Sawyer Alive Accompanied Jack to find Hurley

Trivia

  • During the broadcast of the program on ABC on May 15th, 2008, in the fourth commercial slot (the one that follows Hugo running away from the restored Camaro), a commercial for the clothing company Old Navy appeared, which included a reference to an item called the "Orchid Night Dress." However, this may have been just a coincidence.

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: The Orchid/Theories
  • Why were the researchers so concerned about the presence of the second rabbit?
  • What was the countdown for?
  • Why, according to Ben, is using the Orchid "both dangerous and unpredictable"?
  • What does Daniel Faraday know about the Orchid, and how?
    • Why does he have a sketch of the Orchid logo in his journal?
  • Why is the greenhouse in apparent ruins?
  • How successful was DHARMA in using the Orchid to travel through space and time?
  • What exactly is the "exotic matter" described in the orientation video?
  • Who built the wheel in the cave, and why?
  • How did the wheel move the island?
    • Where did the light emanating in the walls come from?
  • Why is the cave below the station frozen?
  • Is the Orchid still useable or did it implode like the swan?

External links