why did the others abandon the barracks type place

[Michelle]

so where do u all think the others have gone to now they r no longer in the village type place and why do u think they all left?? they could have just kept the losties prisoner there?? also does juliette know and do u think the losties will get her to tell them??

[Angel07]

I just watched it. Well I think Juliette knows more than she wants to reveal right now. And also I think they took Locke with them because he has a special connection to the island. Maybe they are gone off to that mysterious box Ben was talking about. But did Sayid say 50 ppl? Did really that many live there? And why would they all have gone on Ben's and Locke's trip? What happend to Locke's dad?

[Michelle]

I was thinking that they all left because the losties had found their camp...but why would them finding it mean they had to leave and where would they go?

[Angel07]

That is the point. They could have taken them hostage and be aware of others to come OR explain what the hell is going on and give them the chance to go home or if they can't go home give them a place to stay in their community.
Juliette might be a trick.. being planted in their group to gain control of them.

[Michelle]

yeah, im not sure about julliette at all. however i believe she genuinly wants to get off the island. i re-watched not in portland last night and it made me think she wants to get off the island, but is not nessecarily on any side. i think she is out for herself and will manipulate both sides to get off the island

[Angel07]

Also she wanted to leave the island with Jack in that submarine (how did they want to steer it anyway? I mean, honestly, I couldn't "drive" a submarine when I suddenly found one !!!)...so that is the major reason why the other's left HER behind. She doesn't want to stay on that island. But as she knows how she got there, she must know how to get off OR if it is possible or not. Which leads me to the suspicion that she cannot be fully trusted. Ah well... I think she won't dissapoint Jack...because I think she likes him (very) much.

[Michelle]

well i would presume there was a emergency escape thing that the others had in place incase their little island was found. i would presume that all of them would know about that including juliette

[cassiel]

I guess now the issue is whether Juliette is a spy and she's still working for Ben coz u know that's what everyone is gonna think except for Jack. But isnt it awesome how she flipped Kate in the opening sequence? Making with the kung-fu; she is not to be taken lightly.

I think it's very important for the Others to keep the rest of the Losties in the dark about their true purpose on the island - they are part of the experiment on the effects of the island on human subjects. Since the Losties know about the location of their camp, it was time to pull up stakes and move to their secondary camp site/back to the Office-Island/to a hatch?

And Smokie! The sonic pillar fence is actually to keep him contained in the experiment portion of the island! Of course, so obvious.

When I saw the Others put on the gas masks I suddenly had this thought: what if there is something in the air - a kind of pollen or something which makes people susceptible to hallucinations, preparing them for the addition of the catalyst (Smokie) which causes some kind of spiritual self-judgement where guilt/anxiety/neuroses surface and are dealt with?

[Michelle]

Well the gas masks would have been because of the sickness wouldnt they. everyone who they have encountered on the island has asked them if any "got sick" maybe the sickness real or imaginary is used by whoever is in charge of the others presumably ben to keep them there and only a select few know the truth.

[Red Matrix]

The masks were due to the smoke bombs they used to put Jack & Kate to sleep.