- For other uses, see the disambiguation page: Listening post
The listening station was introduced in the episode "Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1". The station is operated by two Portuguese-speaking technicians, named Mathias and Henrik in the script, who kill time by playing chess. The station is located in a cold, snowy place; a blizzard is seen outside and mountains are observed nearby. The station is also in direct contact with Penelope Widmore.
Description
The computer display
The apparent purpose of the station is to detect any electromagnetic signatures emanating from the Earth. The technicians missed a prior anomaly. After the discharge occurred, a console there displayed the numeric/text:
| “ |
>/ 7418880 |
” |
This is the first evidence that is given that indicates that the world is "still out there". The second instance is shown in "The Glass Ballerina" when Benjamin shows Jack a clip of the Red Sox winning the World Series. The third instance is in "One of Us" when Ben shows Juliet a live video feed of Rachel in Acadia Park.
This is also first time that perspective broke off the Island. For the first time the outside world was seen.
Though it is not explicitly stated, the appearance of the station and the climate around it strongly suggests that it is in Antarctica.
Search and Rescue Mission
As a result of detecting the discharge the listening station was able to pass coordinates to Penelope Widmore, we are then lead to believe by Naomi that Penny hired a company to conduct a search and rescue mission at those coordinates. A ship travelled to this location and deployed one or more helicopters to conduct a GPS grid search of the surrounding area. According to Naomi the coordinates were for the middle of the ocean, and it was seen as a fool's errand. In Through The Looking Glass though, it is revealed that Naomi wasn't sent by Penny, who in fact didn't know anything about Naomi's ship.
As seen in "Catch-22" Naomi crashed on the shore of the Island while conducting one of these searches in the helicopter. She parachuted onto the Island, and made contact with Desmond. Initially she was injured, but with help from Mikhail (and the Island's healing properties) she survived and was taken back to the beach. In "The Brig", after arriving at the beach, she stated her alleged purpose - that she had been hired by Penelope and was looking for Desmond.
Trivia
- There is a snippet of sitar music playing at the start of the scene - the song being played is "Make Your Own Kind of Music" by Mama Cass Elliot.
- One of the technicians (Mathias) looks like Jack but is in fact a different actor. Mathias is played by Len Cordova.
- Their speech is Portuguese from Brazil. Although their accents do not exactly match any Portuguese accent (neither the native nor any colonial one), the sentence constuction and some expressions they use are without any doubt Brazilian. The weird accent is caused by a serious case of bad casting. The sub-titles omitted a few key phrases spoken by the two men.
- In a later Kristen E-Online interview, Jack Bender talks about the choice of Portuguese as a language for the technicians as somewhat arbitrary. Originally, Russian was planned for the script, but they just happened to find two actors that spoke Portuguese.
- There is a Brazilian research station in Antarctica at 62°08'S 58°40'W operating since 1984. Among other activities, the station does research on geomagnetic observations.
- The yellow telephone that is in the station has no buttons (apparently for receiving calls or making a call to one number).
- The number 7418880 is the product of the Numbers (4 x 8 x 15 x 16 x 23 x 42).
- Mikhail claimed he was recruited while working at a listening post in Siberia.
- Leonard Simms and Sam Toomey served together at a listening post monitoring long wave transmission in the Pacific. Sam heard a voice repeating the Numbers. ("Numbers")
- The computer is running a windows 98 theme.
- In "Catch-22", the parachutist has a copy of Joseph Heller's novel "Catch-22" in Portuguese.
- As they run over to the desk they move a book out the way, the cover of which looks quiet similar to Desmond's copy of "Our Mutual Friend". DGEE - david-gee@hotmail.com
Terminal output
At the end of "Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1" we see the following on a computer screen in the station.
| “ |
Delivery Subsystem 550 requested action taken: 1bbybby 77111790 ++++systems normal++++ 76555#722#0 zzzzzz330 7711345 ++++systems normal++++ QX10022005#311 TEST COMPLETE ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Delivery Subsystem 550 Requested action taken: |
” |
This appears to be a report from an email client. The message sent was to two IP addresses, however the 10. prefix indicates they are part of a private network, as opposed to the internet. This could suggest that there are other terminals, perhaps at nearby listening stations, or an internet tunnel in being employed for use by the Listening Station crew.
Dialogue transcript
The two listening station technicians: Mathias (left), and Henrik (right)
Portuguese Speech
Operator 1, Mathias, is wearing a hat and glasses.
Operator 2, Henrik, has black hair and fuller beard.
1) Quem quebrou isso hein?
2) Não se preocupe, 'tá quebrado! Eu destruí a sua defesa. Esta será a última vez que você verá a sua Torre.
1) Tudo parte do plano, meu amigo, tudo parte do plano...
2) Ah, então seu plano deve ser perder! Agora, por favor...
1) (stares at the computer)
2) O quê?
1) (pointing to the computer) Há quanto tempo tá fazendo isso?
2) (Goes frantically searching a binder)
1) É isso, não é? A gente não percebeu de novo, eles vão a matar a gente!
2) Venha cá! A gente não perdeu...
1) Fala, fala que é de novo que é um alarme falso, fala de novo que é, é uma mensagem... (unaudible)
2) CALA A BOCA E CHAMA AJUDA!
English Translation
1) Who broke this, huh?
2) Don't worry, it's broken! I've crushed your defense. And that is the last you will see of your Rook.
1) It's part of the plan, my friend, it's all part of the plan.
2) Ah, so your plan must be to lose! Now, please, your move.
1) (stares at the computer)
2) What?
1) (pointing to the computer) How long has it been doing that?
2) (Goes frantically searching a binder)
1) That's it, isn't it? We missed it again, they're gonna kill us!
2) Come here! We didn't miss it!
1) Tell me, tell me again that it's a false alarm, tell me that it is, it is a message... (inaudible)
2) SHUT UP AND CALL HELP!
Unanswered questions
| Unanswered questions |
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- For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Tracking station/Theories
- Is the lisening post related to DHARMA?
- How did Penelope know that electromagnetic field anomalies are related to Desmond's location?
- Did Penelope know this? Was she looking for the Island, for Desmond or for both?
- How does the listening post look for electromagnetism?
- Does the post's location have any significance?
- Where is the listening station?