DHARMA Orientation Films

Season: 2-3 & 5, Episodes: 18, Faction: DHARMA Initiative

DHARMA Orientation Videos

Chang usually wore professional looking attire for his videos, often including a lab coat. The lab coat featured either a Flame or Swan logo.

In the Pearl and Orchid videos, Chang appeared to have use of his left arm; however, in the Swan and Flame films, he did not, probably due to his arm being trapped during The Incident. In the Barracks video, he did not move his left arm, suggesting it might have been a cosmetic device. Since the Barracks and The Flame were already constructed at the time of The Incident, and only The Orchid and The Swan appeared to be under construction, it is likely that some of the videos were shot before the Incident and some shot after despite when their respective stations were built. All of the films seem to have been released around 1980, regardless of when filmed. (“The Incident, Part 2”)

Pierre warns in the Hydra Orientation film that if people divulge his name to outside parties, he will have to use aliases. Apparently someone does, as in the following films he uses different names. (“The New Man in Charge”) Portions of all his false names relate to candles (candle, wick, wax).

#1 Hydra Orientation Video

Epilogue – The New Man in Charge

At the DHARMA Logistics Warehouse in Guam, Ben showed the two DHARMA personnel, Hector and Glenn, the Hydra’s orientation video to answer some of the questions they had. In this video, Chang explained the purpose of Room 23, the reasons for experimenting on polar bears, the purpose of the Hurley-bird(s), and his use of aliases in other videos. (“The New Man in Charge”)





#2 Arrow Orientation Film (Dr. Marvin “Candle”)

5×01 – Because You Left

Pierre Chang was seen recording this orientation film. He introduced himself as Dr. Marvin Candle, again. He wore a lab coat bearing the Swan logo. He stated, the purpose of this station was to gather intelligence and devise defensive strategies against the Island’s hostiles. He was interrupted before he could finish the orientation film. (“Because You Left”)






#3 Swan Orientation Film (Dr. Marvin “Candle”)

2×09 – What Kate Did

Chang first appeared in an orientation film bearing a 1980 copyright and found in the Swan station. He introduced himself as Dr. Marvin Candle, and gave a brief history of the DHARMA Initiative and Alvar Hanso. Chang stressed to DHARMA employees the importance of pushing the button to avoid another “incident” (“Orientation”). A part of the film was edited by Radzinsky, Kelvin Inman’s partner, where Chang warns not to use the Swan computer for anything but entering the numbers. (“What Kate Did”)





#4 “Flame” Film

3×11 – Enter 77

Chang appeared in a random access video on the computer at the Flame station (accessed by beating a chess game) which allowed the manual override of various system functions. This video was not an orientation; it was a procedures explanation, including a procedure for initiating a self-destruct sequence at the Flame in the event of an incursion by the Hostiles. In this video, the DHARMA lab coat Chang was wearing featured a Flame logo. The end of the video was not seen and the copyright date is unknown. Chang did not introduce himself. (“Enter 77”)




#5 Pearl Orientation Film (Dr. Mark “Wickmund”)

2×21 – ?

Chang’s next appearance was in the Pearl orientation film bearing a 1980 copyright, where he introduced himself as Dr. Mark Wickmund. The DeGroots couple was mentioned again. Chang stated that the personnel at another station were the subjects of a psychological experiment. He did not identify the other station during his presentation. Chang also explained how the pneumatic tube works, and introduced the Pala Ferry and the Barracks. Later, the Survivors came across the Capsule dump. The proliferation of apparently ignored capsules at the dump suggested that the personnel at the Pearl were the true experimental subjects or that the DHARMA staff stopped collecting the capsules. (“?”)





#6 Orchid Orientation Film (Dr. Edgar “Halliwax”)

4×14 – There’s No Place Like Home, Part 3

At the Orchid Station, Ben showed Locke an orientation video, where Chang described the station’s purpose, having to do with the Casimir effect. He conducted an experiment involving rabbits, which was cut when the video started rewinding without any explanation. In this film, Chang introduced himself as Dr. Edgar Halliwax. Ben used Chang’s parka, with the name Halliwax on it, when he went down to the frozen room beneath the vault. (“The Shape of Things to Come”)  (“There’s No Place Like Home, Part 3”)





Barracks Orientation Film

3×20 – The Man Behind the Curtain

An orientation video, apparently shown to new members of the DHARMA Initiative starting in the 1970s, was also narrated by Chang, who cautioned the importance of remaining within the sonar fence surrounding the Barracks for protection from the “wildlife” of the island. (“The Man Behind the Curtain”) Chang was wearing a lab coat, bearing what appears to be the Swan logo. He gestured with his right hand and it is highly likely that his left arm was mobile as this video was likely one of, if not the, first orientation filmed prior to the Incident. He did not introduce himself in this film.

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