Bonus Post: A Theory
Hello my dear friends -
It's Saturday morning, and I felt like posting a little bit of fun stuff before I get going on a full day of book-writing. Since last Tuesday's intense episode, I've been thinking about a way that things could work out where -- in the very end -- Sun, Jin, Locke and Sayid (and others) aren't dead, and the Island timeline still exists.
Here's what I've come up with. It's complicated, but I think you hardcore fans can keep up. In fact, I'm sure you can. And I'm not sure any other way to wrap everything up is going to be any less complicated... so here it goes:
1) The war continues on the Island in the present timeline. The MIB wins. He succeeds in killing the rest of the candidates, and is about to leave the Island using the piloting skills he has embedded from Locke's memory (shout-out to an anonymous LLL reader for that idea!). If the MIB leaves, the world will be destroyed. Some character -- maybe Widmore -- will finally explain this in no uncertain terms (the consequences of the MIB leaving) BEFORE it happens.
2) In the 2004 sideways timeline, the 815ers finally all remember their other existences. They remember everything, including the "future" events of 2007 (we've already seen evidence of this, with Sun being scared and saying "It's HIM!" when she saw Locke next to her on the stretcher). They know the consequences of the mistakes they made -- both in their personal lives and on the Island.
3) With Desmond's help, the 2004 sideways 815ers find a way to communicate and/or influence what the CONCURRENT versions of themselves on the Island are doing. Meaning, the 2004 815ers that DID crash on the Island (because remember, "whatever happened, happened"). I forgot about my own theory from a while back, which is that I think Charlie de-jamming the Looking Glass station's signal, and/or Jack answering the Freighter Fone, were the events that led to the unraveling of everything. If the freighter team had never reached the Island, none of the really bad stuff would've happened. So the Alt 815ers figure out a way to prevent the Island 815ers from doing those things. (I also realize that the "key event" could've been something else entirely... the point is, there was some moment in time where things started going awry for the Losties, and they need to fix it. And they can, with the help of their "other" versions.)
What would this mean in the big picture? I'm definitely not sure what it would mean for the Alt timeline. I'm not sure if that one would just go "poof!", or if those versions of the 815ers would just continue to live out their lives. I have no idea. But I do have an opinion for what it would mean on the Island...
On the Island, the 815ers -- now infused with the knowledge of what will happen should they stick to their present course -- accept their fates on the Island and stop trying to leave. While Jacob doesn't have to die in this scenario, he does want to retire, and Jack now knows that it's his job to take over. Locke takes over as the leader of the Others, which Ben is fine with, since he is aware of what would've happened in the other scenario (Alex would've been killed by Keamy). The MIB still exists as Smokey and various undead figures, and so the 815ers know they need to keep him "bottled up" as best they can. Juliet will finally figure out how to save pregnant women on the Island, thanks to some additional training she had in the Alt timeline that we have yet to see.
So Claire remains with Aaron and raises him with Charlie (along with Godmother Kate, of course), and Sun and Jin are able to raise Ji Yeon as a little Island Baby. I'm not even touching what I think will happen with the Kate/Jack/Sawyer/Juliet quadrangle! And I still have no idea who the skeletons are!
For those of you crying, "But what about the "Whatever Happened, Happened?" rule, I say this: that rule has not been broken in the slightest. Everything the Losties did in the original timeline remains intact. In fact, it was necessary for them to blow up Jughead in order to create the sideways timeline. None of the on-Island stuff that went down in Seasons Five and Six would be erased in any way. It will have always happened in some form, it's just that the sideways timeline will then lead to a "reset" of certain Island events starting around the time the Freighter approaches. Think of it as a linear timeline that has a small loop-de-loop or circle between 2004 and 2007.
It makes sense to me, but I've gotten very little sleep over the past several weeks, so maybe I'm just crazy.
I do think an alternate version to section #1 above is that the MIB doesn't kill the remaining candidates and that Jack and crew -- with Desmond's help -- are able to kill him instead. But there's still gotta be something that would motivate the 2004 timeline people to want to reset things a bit. Maybe the fact that the good majority of them die otherwise? Who knows. But one thing I'm sure of is that all of the characters will be "redeemed" in one way or the other, in one timeline or the other, before the show is over.
I realize that the theory above has a ton of holes in it. You all are quite aware by now that I have never been like "HERE'S MY THEORY AND I KNOW I'M RIGHT!!!!" about absolutely anything. In fact, that's why I'm posting this before Tuesday's show, since I'm figuring the above will be blown to hell within the first five minutes of the next episode!
And since I haven't looked at any other Lost blogs all season, perhaps this theory is already very widespread out there. In which case, um, you didn't hear it here first.
But I needed a break from writing about serious business stuff. So I took it.
Here's one last thing I am going to say for the record about my hopes for the series finale: I seriously, seriously, seriously hope that the writers and producers do NOT proceed to shed light on a whole bunch of other things about their intentions for characters, or what happens to the characters "after the finale," or anything like that. J.K. Rowling pissed me off big-time when she explained -- in great detail -- the fates of characters in her Harry Potter series. Things that were not in the actual books. That's cheating, in my opinion. Everything we need to know as fans of Lost should be in the show. So I truly hope it is.
That is all! Enjoy your weekends and next week's episode!
- e
34 comments:
Great post e :)
Damon and Carlton have stated they are not going to pull a JK Rowling. They want the show to speak for itself, as many of us do, and that's why they will not be commenting on the final episode.
As for the post, interesting read, and I'm as lost as anyone with regards to how the sideways will play out, but your take on it was good to read.
Thanks for this bonus post - it's like having a little cupcake with my mid-morning coffee.
You've got some interesting ideas there, Erika. I think the finale will be all about redemption and sacrifice. I think that means the island Losties will all die (with Jack being the new Jacob, with poss. Richard being his advisor) so that the 2004 timeline can "come true" i.e., they get happier endings than pre-815.
I don't think that the MIB can be killed - only subdued/trapped. Can you really kill absolute evil (which I think he represents)? No, but you can help tamp him down, I think. The island is his Alcatraz, literally and figuratively.
I can't wait to see how it all plays out - and will be tremendously sad knowing that this will really be it.
Thanks, e, for this cool bonus!
Hadn't considered your theory before but I like it. Surely, this group that we have come to love (ok, except for a few) will find true happiness (or at least a better life) in the end.
Haven't seen a single Harry Potter movie, but I agree with you on the ending. However, an "Animal House" type ending stating what they did -- nah, nevermind. no sappy endings. :)
Thanks again and like you, I have to get back to work now...
:)
what a nice surprise.
as i read your thoughts they seemed both way to idealistic in that everyone gets to be not dead and okay in the end, but at the same time they also seemed on par with the mirror-image, cyclical way that the writers have been doing things lately. the idea of another 'reset' mission appeals to me and also really lends a lot of validity to the whole 2004 sideways thing.
however, um, sunken island in 2004 sideways timeline makes the possibility of the sideways 2004 non-crashed losties helping the sideways 2004 crashed losties kinda tough.
jeesh. i think i need to just stop trying to figure this thing out and enjoy the rest for crying out loud
Anon - There doesn't need to be an Island in the sideways timeline for the sideways losties to help the "original" losties. They only have to be able to REMEMBER what originally transpired when there was an Island. They'd be communicating somehow through Desmond, who is able to jump back and forth between timelines -- it's not like they would be physically going to the Island or anything, because it doesn't exist in the sideways timeline. Hope that makes any sort of sense.
- e
e-
got it. got it. thanks for clearing that up.
now go finish that damn book. :)
I love your idea, e, because it gives us all a happy ending. But I don't think that they're going to give us a happy ending. Darlton has said something along the lines of "This is our show, and we're ending it the way we want to." So I don't think they're concerned with making us happy. Which makes me sad.
I WANT a happy ending so badly!! I hope your version comes true!
but what does anyone think the significance of the predictions about Aaron are, waaay back when Claire was shown originally to be giving him up for adoption??
Great post, as per usual...
I like the juxtaposition of Locke's arm around Claire and Terry O'Quinn's arm around you!
I love your theory, e, and am glad to see that in spite of your very important work on your book, you were able to find a few moments to share it, since the island is obviously not finished with you yet either :-)
I love it... and I PRAY you are right! I am also SO excited that I will be watching the series finale at home because my brand new baby boy will be here by then. YAY!!!! Can't wait and am WAY sad to read your "mother of all recaps" :)
Very interesting theory, e. Can't wait to see how it all plays out.
But if your theory is true and all that happens, then Desmond won't be reunited with Penny and my favourite bit of the whole LOST saga will have no meaning. That really WILL make me cry!
I was the first post last week that said I dare ya to stay away. Thanks for proving me right. I always love your writing style and I know you'll be writing theses posts till the end. \m/
Wow - ummm, that is more than plausible...hope it aint a spoiler!
Thanks for the extra late night snack post!
I read in Entertainment Weekly that Damon and Carlton are going "radio silent" for a lengthy period of time after the finale because they said their show's legacy is the community it's created full of people like us asking, "What does it mean". And, they don't want to spoil that. So, I don't think you have to worry. About that anyway. I am very worried about the ending. I want to be satisfied with it as a whole picture, and I'm so afraid I won't be!
I think Juliet is David's mother and Jack's ex-wife in the alt 2004 timeline. We haven't seen her there yet.
This is a stretch, but it would wrap everything up in a nice little package and people would yell, "AWWWWW, everything worked out even better than I hoped."
I think the 2004 losties will all be conscious of their island lives soon, and they will use skinny tie and his mom to get back to the island.
PLUS. . . they will take significant others (no pun intended) such as Jack's son, Lockes fiance and father, unborn children of the Littleton and Kwon variety (and possibly Penny if Brotha-man didn't waste any time getting to know the sideways timeline Penny.
They will find an island half blown up and under water with no survivors (except maybe MIB and Jacob - haven't decided that one yet). Jack will take lead as the leader. and eveyone will be happy.
The series ends with Jack looking over his people as the camera zooms in tight to his eye, and the screen goes black with LOST zooming by, just as it has the past few years.
It's an interesting theory!
I've been of the opinion most of the season that the ALT 2004 timeline we've seen was not caused by Jack & co setting off the bomb as they made us believe, but by something else entirely--something still to come.
I'm still not sure what the point or consequences of the 815ers remembering their island life is, but I'm hoping that timeline, with memories restored, is the happy ending we all want.
But, who knows? Only a matter of hours before it's all over! i keep hoping it all (or mostly) comes together!
Loved the post...and yes, it's really hard at this point to stop thinking about it and how it can all work out. I so want to have all my favorite characters live happily ever after (at least LIVE!), so I was horrified when Sayid, one of my very favorites, was painted all over the inside of the sub by the bomb. Realistically, I know that not necessarily all will get happy endings, so I'm trying to brace myself!
I tend to agree with poster J.M. Richards in believing that Jughead did not actually detonate. For me it is easier to believe that that screen-to-white was the legendary "Incident", and that it was electromagnetic, not nuclear. I mean, really... are we to believe that all those topside (and Juliet, with her hand on top of the bomb!)could survive a nuclear blast with only a temporary hearing loss? Tough sell for me.
I particularly adopted this view when I noticed that the "screen-to-white" was also used when Desmond was placed between the electromagnets by Widmore. So I'm leaning toward electromagnetism as being a strong factor - somehow - relative to the Sideways timeline. I don't really have it all worked out, but I'll keep thinking about it.
Love this blog more than anything else LOST-related. Thanks for a great job. Erika, and thanks to others for all the great posts!
My current theory on who the skeletons are is one that many have had before...they are Rose and Bernard.
BUT...they will still be seen, because their bodies/forms have been taken over by whoever sets the rules.
Just like Locke was taken over by the MiB, Rose and Bernard are now the "Powers that Be" (forgive the Angel reference)
What ever happens I hope doesn't happen. The more I want answers the more I realize I don't want answers. That is the beauty of the show. What if they gave us all of the answers? Would you be happy, satisfied? probably not. I love the mystery of what this place is. The only true answer I would like is the one to the question "Guys, where are we"? That's all. As long I know that I'd be a happy Lost fan.
But where does that leave Locke? He won't get his redemption if this comes true!
Locke would still be redeemed... he's come to terms with remaining in a wheelchair. Very soon I expect he will forgive himself for his father's accident and allow Jack to perform the surgery on him. So he's overcome his daddy issues AND his pride issues. And he is with his true love, Helen.
BUT there's still that little bit about Helen dying of a brain aneurysm in 2006... (according to Abaddon, at least...)
- e
E:
Thanks for providing the long "while you watch" post and the bonus post. I was disappointed to think we would only get a paragraph.
How do you think Bernard and Rose factor into the remaining on-island mayhem? It seems Flocke has not spoken to them, so, to the extent it was true that the only way to kill him was not to let him speak to you, they may be the only ones that could kill him.
Great theory, Erika, but there-s one thing bugging me: would Jack leave the alt-world and thus "kill" his son David, because I don't think they could explain Jack taking David with him from alt-timeline to crash-timeline. Or are you saying that both timelines will live on ? And I'm pretty sure that the alt-Sun&Jin baby won't be Ji Yeon, since it's impossible to recreate the exact surroundings of the conception (in the alt-timeline Sun&Jin were married, living together etc.) therefore the baby would have different genes (even if he would still be called Ji Yeon). Only Aaron would still be Aaron.
The first picture in this post of Locke holding Claire around the neck reminds me of the fun photo of you and Terry!
-Michelle
Are you serious that you didn't like when JKR spoke about her books post book seven? I am much as a fan of HP and I am of Lost and I was thrilled that she did so. Because I am so addicted to her books any morsel of additional information was fantastic.
So what she didn't include stuff in the book. Perhaps it didn't flow right. But it is just interesting information about the characters (such as Dumbledore being gay). I think any additional info from Darlton would be fantastic post LOST too.
But back to JKR, only thing that pissed me off was the book just ended. She needed another chapter after the war ended before the epilogue. And the epilogue itself was very hard to follow. Too many new characters introduced - I wish she put more time, and effort into it. And the epilogue should had been 10x longer, but that is just me and all my friends too, apparently!
After last night I'm more convinced than ever that Locke will be the next Jacob, for reasons I'm too tired to explain tonight.
BTW, has anyone translated what mom said in Latin right before she gave Jacob the wine?
I've been called crazy by other fans, but I maintain my belief that Locke will be Jacob's successor.
Why? Because I believe that each character isn't just an individual. They represent different approaches to living life.
Locke is the quintessential man of faith. Because of this he has suffered what many people of faith have: betrayal by those they trusted.
Conversely, his humility and willingness to accept certain things as they are without question protect him from the greatest temptation anyone filling the role of the island's protector must face. That would be to go into the Light.
The other candidates would, IMO, give in to that desire. Jack would do so out of his desire to fix something. Kate would b/c she wanted to correct an injustice. Sawyer would be motivated by anger or a desire for vengeance.
Hurley would be drawn to it by his good intentions.
Only Locke showed the willingness to accept certain things as simply true, to be believed simply because that is part of the leap of faith. Thus he is in the end the best candidate for the role.
Personally I commend JK Rowling for what she did and HOPE that the Lost writers do the exact same thing.
Other than that, excellent bonus write up :) was a joy to read, hope it was a joy to write!
Great thoughts! I just want to note that the bomb went off in 1977, so wouldn’t the loop-de-loop be between '77-'07 and not ’04 - ’07? The characters are not just getting a different three years but rather thirty years. I hope we get an answer to how Ben and Widmore have a conflict with rules that Widmore broke when he had Alex killed. …or did I miss that already.
e, I would just like to make it clear to you, that your season 3 posts were 10 times better than the season 5 and especially season 6 posts. This season, your posts are horrific, all your theories are impossible, and you clearly put no more effort into these posts, so I dont understand why you keep writing them. Please start explaining things better. You used to write down all the questions raised, start answering them better. Youve ruined the last two seasons of lost for me. And for the record, how can you not like "beyond the sea". That episode explained alot, and it was terrific ! It answered many many questions
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