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The Orchid

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The Orchid

Orientation Video

First seen

"There's No Place Like Home, Part 1"

Last seen

"There's No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3"

Constructed by

{{{Constructed}}}

Controlled by

{{{Controlled}}}

Connection

{{{Connection}}}

Number

6 of 6

Purpose

Exotic matter study
Experiments in space and time
Disguised as a botanical research station

Status

Unknown

Discovered by

Locke & Hurley (Day 100)

DHARMA Initiative Stations
The Arrow • The Staff • The Swan
The Flame • The Pearl • The Orchid
The Hydra • The Tempest
The Looking Glass

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, Parts 2 & 3")

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")

1 Introduction and presentation
2 Orientation video
- 2.1 Implications of the film
3 The station
4 Visitors
5 Unanswered questions
6 External links

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

Main article: Orchid Orientation film

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:

0:40 - The Lab in the video
0:49 - A tower block which is also seen in the Swan Orientation film
1:09 - "God loves you as he loved Jacob" (as seen in the Room 23 video)
1:42 - Video of a bicycle which is also seen in the Barracks video

The station

The Orchid's greenhouse

Location and the Aboveground section

The Orchid is about a half a day or less walk north or northwest of the Survivor's camp.

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, stairs and support beams.

There is a hidden switch within the station that activates an elevator taking one to the "actual" 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.

”

("There's No Place Like Home, Part 1")

Inside the actual station.

Underground

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.

Wheel chamber

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

First visit

Last visit

Reason for Visit

Chang

"There's No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3"

Was seen in the stations orentation.

Keamy

"There's No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3"

Led the mercenaries to the greenhouse to ambush Ben; later followed him to the hidden section, where Ben killed him

Omar

"There's No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3"

Traveled there with the mercenary team

Ben

"There's No Place Like Home, Part 1"

"There's No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3"

Used the frozen wheel to move the Island and was transported to Tunisia in 2005

Locke

"There's No Place Like Home, Part 1"

"There's No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3"

Traveled with Ben to move the Island and said goodbye to him

Hurley

"There's No Place Like Home, Part 1"

"There's No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3"

Traveled there with Ben and Locke

Jack

"There's No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3"

Went to find Hurley, and argued with Locke

Sawyer

"There's No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3"

Accompanied Jack to find Hurley

Unanswered questions

Unanswered questions
Do not answer the questions here. Keep the questions open-ended and neutral: do not suggest an answer. More details...

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 could happen if they neared each other?
What was the countdown for?
Why, according to Ben, is moving the Island "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?
When Ben flashed his mirror, who was flashing back?
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?
When Ben moved the wheel why did the sky turned a light purple with a noisy sound exactly like what happened to the Swan by turning the failure key?
- Is there is any relationship between The Orchid And The Swan Station?
Why is the cave below the station frozen?
Is everyone/creature moves the island being transferred to Sahara Desert in Tunisia?
- If so why Tunisia in specific?
When Ben moved the island, why did he pop up in the desert in a future time?
- Can the mover control the transferrings time?
  - How did Ben successfuly guessed that he has been teleported to 2005?
What is the risk in moving the Island?
Why whoever moves the Island could never comeback?

External links

The Orchid Orientation Video - This version lacks the profanity and countdown alarm sound.
The Orchid Orientation Video from Comic Con audience - This version includes the profanity and countdown alarm sound, as well as the reactions of the audience.
Lost Panel Video
Casimir effect (Wikipedia)
Exotic matter (Wikipedia)
TheTailSection - video of Lost Panel at Comic Con 2007, including short statement about the Orchid video. (may contain other spoilers)

	Locations World Locations by City Australia • France • Germany • Indonesia • Iraq • Nigeria • South Korea • Tunisia • United Kingdom • United States	v • t • e