Fighting ability

[captaintau]

It seems to me that The Others get some sort of combat training - to quite a high level.

Consider Ethan's easy arse-kicking of Jack and hanging Charlie. No effort at all. It did seem liek he had some sort of advanced strength, though.

Juliet's competence with firearms has been mentioned before.

Mikhail looked very experienced and competent when he fought at the station.

And Juliet vs Kate. Not only easily controlling the knife, but technically advanced stuff being demonstrated such as the one-handed Tomoe Nage (midriff throw). OK so Kate ultimately got the upper hand, but that was more brute strength and determination than technical ability.

My point is why? Why do they need such a high skill level degree of competence at armed and unarmed fighting.

Or do we just need the flashback showing us that pre-island, Juliet was a Judo/Jujitsu practitioner 

[Walrus]

Or even a flashback of them training on the island.  I've said it before about Juliet - sure, ordinary people can get martial arts training, but this is TV.  When people on TV demonstrate martial arts skills it's either for comic relief or it's because they're some sort of "agent" for want of a better word.

There also seem to be a lot of security guard types in Ben's group.  Pickett and the guys that were guarding Sayid sure don't seem like scientists.

[puff6962]

the fighting ability of the others suggests two things...

first:  the island's restorative properties.  these people are superhuman.  the juliet response/flip/etc. was too much.

second:  these people appear to have trained a heck of a long time in martial arts or whatever.  juliet has been on the island a lifetime in three years.  time moves differently on the island.  this is additionally suggested by her having four shoulder dislocations.  tough to get those in so short a time.

[thebeann]

Um, they may have super-human karate wax-on, wax-off fighting ability, but somehow they keep getting their butts kicked by the rookie plane crash survivors. Kate held her own against Juliet, plus Jack got the upper hand on her early in his captivity on the Hydra. Mikhail was taken down. Ethan was ultimately killed. It looks to me like the Losties have a little fightin'/firearmin' in their blood too.

[Cowboy Up]

Has anyone checked if they have a jack in port in the back of their head...maybe they downloaded the program into their brain...

[PrincessLeia]

Has anyone checked if they have a jack in port in the back of their head...maybe they downloaded the program into their brain...

Nice.   

[captaintau]

first:  the island's restorative properties.  these people are superhuman. 

Well that's one of my thoughts. The way Ethan dealt with Jack and Charlie...

the juliet response/flip/etc. was too much.

Well the reaction to the knife threat was pretty quick. But then, we could see it coming in true cliched television style. The 2flip" isn't too much. Any half-competent Judo or Jujitsu exponent could pull it off. 

second:  these people appear to have trained a heck of a long time in martial arts or whatever. 

Well yes, it seems like they've undergone special training or something. I just realised - their ability to hide their tracks. Like Special Forces training.

juliet has been on the island a lifetime in three years.  time moves differently on the island.  this is additionally suggested by her having four shoulder dislocations.  tough to get those in so short a time.

LOL. I'd forgotten about that. Goes along with Judo (for example) training, particularly intense training. Not so tough to get four in a short space of time. Once a joint has been dislocated one, its very easily popped out again, for various reasons.


SO
- Possible super strength
- Special Forces training
- Juliet was previously an Olympic Judo fighter!

 

[puff6962]

yes, the number one predictor of a shoulder dislocation is a prior shoulder dislocation.  For this reason, when one incurs the very painful condition of a shoulder dislocation, one normally takes it easy and partakes in immobilization, physical therapy, and physical restrictions thereafter.  If we estimate that the above would require a conservative 6 months, then that means Juliet got a shoulder dislocation the day she arrived on the island and during the first 4 weeks of her return to regular activities thereafter.

normally, after numerous dislocations, a capsular shrinkage surgery may be performed.  on the island, no such surgeon available.  so, conservative measures would be extended.

the numbers just don't add up.  time moves differently upon the island.

[captaintau]

Puff: regarding time, you're assuming that she did actually rest it. They all look busy, them Others, so maybe she didn't.

No surgeon? Did Ben not say Ethan was their surgeon?

[puff6962]

He would have to be an orthopaedic surgeon, fellowship trained in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery.

Time travels differently.

Come on guys, it's all ball-bearings!

[DirtyMaggieMae]

Just like I think Ben was using the wheelchair to give the semblance of weakness, so was Juliette in fighting with Kate, the second time.  If Kate thinks she has the upper hand, she will be more likely to let Juliette come along with them.  As long as she thinks if things get out of control, they can easily subdue her.

She knocked Jack out in one punch in the hydra.  I'd say that the other's are shooting up on steroriods or dabbling in genes to make a super human, a 'perfect human specimen.'
If the Others were part of a purge, it would stand to reason that they would have to be stronger, familiar with weapons, students of unarmed combat.

[captaintau]

She knocked Jack out in one punch in the hydra.  I'd say that the other's are shooting up on steroriods or dabbling in genes to make a super human, a 'perfect human specimen.'

Oooo. Where's Fox Mulder when you need him? That's straight out of The X-Files.

[Cowboy Up]

first:  the island's restorative properties.  these people are superhuman. 

Well that's one of my thoughts. The way Ethan dealt with Jack and Charlie...
Then how come the losties don't have superhuman powers?

the juliet response/flip/etc. was too much.

Well the reaction to the knife threat was pretty quick. But then, we could see it coming in true cliched television style. The 2flip" isn't too much. Any half-competent Judo or Jujitsu exponent could pull it off. 

second:  these people appear to have trained a heck of a long time in martial arts or whatever. 

Well yes, it seems like they've undergone special training or something. I just realised - their ability to hide their tracks. Like Special Forces training.

juliet has been on the island a lifetime in three years.  time moves differently on the island.  this is additionally suggested by her having four shoulder dislocations.  tough to get those in so short a time.

LOL. I'd forgotten about that. Goes along with Judo (for example) training, particularly intense training. Not so tough to get four in a short space of time. Once a joint has been dislocated one, its very easily popped out again, for various reasons.


SO
- Possible super strength
- Special Forces training
- Juliet was previously an Olympic Judo fighter!

 

[puff6962]

Again, the detective mind at work.

Why would it be important upon an isolated island for a meek little doctor lady to lear judo and receive special ops training?  How long would it take to instill that training?

Why are the others in such good shape (except Ben)?

Is it the chicken (the island made them that way over time) or the the egg (they have to be in superb condition in order to take advantage of the magic box)?

If you were to use the magic box and explore realities (as did Desmond), you would have to be ready for the unexpected.  Otherwise, you might get whapped across the head by a cricket paddle.

So, I'm going with the egg.  These guys prepare for trips into anywhere-ville.  They must be pure in spirit (so they don't attempt the folly of Desmond and alter reality) and strong in body (so they can survive any scrapes and return).

[DirtyMaggieMae]

I hold to the fact that they either had to be strong to overthrow the original Dharma during the purge or they are genetically altered in some way.  I don't think it has anything to do with the 'magic box.'  I actually wish we would stop calling it that.