How did Flocke know...

[I_Am_Jacob]

Some people are saying that MIB can't leave until all the candidates are dead, but hasn't that happened in the past - all the past candidates on the island have also died? Or is it only when Jacob AND all the candidates are dead?

I believe that if all the candidates die with Jacob still alive then MiB is still stuck because of Jacob.

[Maxor127]

I assumed it was something as simple as he set the timer and pretty much knew when the bomb would go off.

[Madam P]

I assumed it was something as simple as he set the timer and pretty much knew when the bomb would go off.

How logical of you!     Come on, that's not nearly as much fun as Spidey-Sense!

That wouldn't really work, either, though, because if they'd never found the bomb, or if Sawyer had listened to Jack, it wouldn't have gone off because Flocke can't kill the candidates (at least we think that's the rule, right?)   So he'd have to know what went on in the sub or the timer would be meaningless.

[sobrien]

I got the feeling also that he could sense that some of them had died but not all.  Like there was a loosening of the restraints holding him to the island but he was not yet freed.  He could feel it.  I was picturing Yoda as the Jedi were killed off.  There was a disturbance in the force!   

Exactly.  Like Spidey-Sense or whatever...

But it begs the question of why couldn't he sense that Desmond isn't dead yet?   He seemed to just take Sayid's word for it, although a bit suspiciously.  Maybe he can only sense the death of Candidates...

I was wondering the same thing. When Locke asked Sayid if Desmond was dead, I felt very apprehensive because I thought, somehow HE WILL KNOW that Sayid is lying. But I think you're right on the money Madame P.  At this point, he is only aware of the candidates...or to push it one step forward mayube he can only sense THE ONE.

I think Flocke did know that Sayid was lying about Des.  That contributed to Flocke allowing/encouraging him to be on the sub of death.  Sayid had turned from him, so had to go with the other "candidates."

[sobrien]

I assumed it was something as simple as he set the timer and pretty much knew when the bomb would go off.

How logical of you!     Come on, that's not nearly as much fun as Spidey-Sense!

That wouldn't really work, either, though, because if they'd never found the bomb, or if Sawyer had listened to Jack, it wouldn't have gone off because Flocke can't kill the candidates (at least we think that's the rule, right?)   So he'd have to know what went on in the sub or the timer would be meaningless.

Flocke allowed Kate to be shot so that Jack would look in his backpack and find the bomb so that Sawyer would pull the wires and doom them all.  I give MIB the foresight to create that chain of events - all good chess players are several moves ahead of the board.

[Madam P]

That's a lot of chess moves, though, isn't it?  I mean, first Kate had to get shot (Flocke didn't shoot her himself -- if he had, I might buy into this a bit more, but he had to bank on one of the goons shooting her.)  Then Kate had to get onto the sub (easier to predict, knowing Jack and Sawyer, so OK maybe I'll go along with this one.)  But then Hurley had to not be able to find the First Aid Kit which was hanging right there on the wall behind Frank -- how could being a good chess player predict that?  And then he has to know someone will pull the wires...

I like Spidey-Sense (Smokey-Sense?) better.  (Yes, I know... mystical Spidey-Sense is as weird or weirder than being able to predict a series of events...   )