Presence

Lost and Found

Recall that 'Zeke' (the guy in what we now know was a fake beard) tells Ethan he was supposed to make the list first, then bring in Claire. We know of this "list" from the Tailies. Ana Lucia managed to bring down one of the Others and get a hold of the list, which had the names of the people taken on it. We later learn that Goodwin, actually an Other, compiled this list and passed it back to the Others. Goodwin explains that the ones who weren't taken weren't "good."

So Ethan was the Goodwin for the main groups of Flight 815 survivors. He was supposed to make a list of the "good" survivors, who would then be abducted by the Others. As we know, before Ethan could do this, Hurley found the manifest from the flight, figured out Ethan wasn't on it. Ethan ran, taking Claire and attempting to kill Charlie.

This episode also revealed that the Others aren't savages; quite the contrary. 'Zeke,' as he's called, the same guy who took Walt from the boat and drew a line in the sand for Jack, Locke and Sawyer, is shown clean-shaven, wearing what looked to be L.L. Bean. It's also clear that the Others have contact with the outside world; they have modern baby furniture. On the other hand, they were going to kill Claire, so they aren't the paragons of morality either.

The other piece of the pie is Eko. Eko clearly believes that Henry Gale is an Other. His confession wouldn't make sense otherwise. Eko was on the original list, but fought back, murdering two others. He lets Henry know he is sorry and back on the good path. Eko, in his silent contemplation, realized what the Others were doing: the good survivors were taken, including the children. They were likely innoculated against whatever infection is running loose, perhaps even returned to their previous lives, but more likely they become part of the Others system. The rest, the lost souls, are left on the island to live out their lives (like Rouseau). Eko, however, wants back on the list. He wants to be a part of the Others.

So what does this all mean? I think that Henry Gale was sent to scope out the camp, and identify the "good" people there; the Others never were able to sort them out, so Henry's the one to do it. Eko wants in, and I imagine that Aaron is probably on the list as well (children are inherently good, after all). We'll probably find out that Michael and Walt passed the test and are living with the Others. And I think we'll find out that the Others aren't really all that bad, but that some other person or persons on the island are.