hardercore

O'Quinn is still the best thing about this season for me.

DarkestPhoenix

No, it could not have happened off-camera. That's my problem with it. Locke woke up, we saw their entire conversation and Jack left the room.

He may have confused some of what Locke said due to his drug-induced state, but no way he knew things that happened on the island without Locke telling him.

cracksky

He means the viewer has to actually see it on screen not a character.

Richard could've thought he saw all the candidates die in 1977 after the bomb is detonated but since Jacob had touched them all previously, they were in no real danger. Their destinies was not yet fulfilled. As I said before, he might've even tried to save them at the Temple.

I'm sure we'll see the scene in 1977 from the bomb detonation onward (and what Richard saw) in the finale.

calhoun07

It took me a little while to wrap my head around the Jughead paradox. The creators told us plainly in interviews we were going to see what happened if the bomb went off and what would happen if the bomb didn't go off. However, we were led to believe that the heroes still on the island in 2007 time line the bomb didn't work and never went off and that the 2004 alternate reality time line was created because the bomb went off.

However, I think people trying to see some kind of new mystery in all of this are forgetting another key thing the creators of the show told us: they are NOT introducing any new mysteries this season. It's not some multiverse thing, not a "Crisis on Infinite Islands," or anything like that.

It's that we were led to believe the opposite of what happened. Our heroes are still on the island in 2007 because the bomb DID go off.

The bomb went off in 1977, the power of the bomb was absorbed by the electromagnetic energy and created a chain of events that led to Desmond pushing the button (and recall the people in radiation suits during this time period…that’s because the bomb did go off on the island), Ben becoming the leader, and the plane crashing in 2004. The bomb going off created one more time flash that sent our intrepid heroes forward in time to 2007, where they went to the Temple and everything that has unfolded on the island has happened. Our heroes seem to be doomed to be the creators of their own time paradox that keeps them tied to the island.

The so-called "flash sideways" as the fans have dubbed it are not showing you a multiuniverse time lime or some split in timelines created by the bomb going off. No, the "flash sideways" (which I refer to as "flash season seven" for lack of a better term) are showing us what happened when the bomb never went off. The time we see the bomb won’t go off in 1977 will be revealed at the end of the season. "Dr. Linus" verifies my theory all the more strongly. At the end of season six on the island, as a result of the battle, things will be reset some how. Jacob or some power who takes over for Jacob (Widmore perhaps?) will find a way to reset things and cause it so our heroes NEVER crashed on the island. Instead of ending the series making fans wonder what happened after the reset, we are seeing it NOW as the season unfolds. The creators promised us that the story lines of all the characters would be wrapped up, and instead of making us wonder what happened to each character after the end of season six we are seeing how their stories are wrapped up in the "flashes." Everybody is getting their happy little endings for their character arcs. That is NOT some multiuniverse thing we are seeing. After the reset, they never crash on the island, the bomb never goes off. The creators are right...we are also seeing what would happen if the bomb never went off...it never goes off after the reset. And something else happens that causes the island to sink....perhaps the result of the "Incident" when it was never interrupted by the bomb going off?

Think about it: If the bomb went off and created the "flash sideways" some fans seem to think it created, Dr. Linus and dad would have talked about how they escaped the island after such a terrible calamity that caused the island to sink. But, no, they did not...they just left the Darmah Initiative. It all sounded routine and normal. Because after the reset our heroes never go back to start the chain of events that leads to Ben being shot and becoming the leader of the Others.

The more fans refute my theory (and I've posted this elsewhere) the more I see that I am right. I had this theory a few weeks into this season and everything that has happened in the off island flashes verifies my thinking. I will be VERY shocked if this isn’t the way things turn out on the show.

calhoun07

They didn't all die yet. It may be the battle where there will be massive deaths as a result of the battle. Then somehow there will be a reset, our heroes never crash, never detonate the bomb, the cycle is ended.

OR...

He THOUGHT he saw them all die. What he saw was another time flash sending them back to 2007 and he was confused by the whole thing.

DthRdrX

How do you know Jack didnt come back in the room later? Locke wasn't getting up and running out of the door! Remember when Kate drove away from Jack at the end of S3? During S4 they picked up with her braking her car, and turning around to go and fight with him some more.

calhoun07

The creators did promise us there would be fans who HATED the ending and people who loved it.

And it wouldn't negate anything that happened before...because what happened before always happened. From a certain POV. I think of Miles' and Hurley's discussion about time travel...whatever time they are in is their present. What happens in that present to them has real consequences for them. If the power that takes over for Jacob is somehow able to make it that the Losties never crashed and the bomb never went off that would be fine with me.

DthRdrX

A. As I said before, a reset would suck, and I'd never watch the show again. It throws character devlopment out the window so they can deliver a happy ending, and the writers have stated the show ends the same way it opened, 'in chaos'. Nothing about the Alt. looks like chaos. I also don't believe it will happen, because everyone and their mother has predicted it since LA X.

B. Richard knew they were going to blow up a H. bomb though. Remember that Richard NEVER saw the actual white flash when they were skipping through time! In 'Dead is Dead' we see Locke just vanish without the flash, from Richard and Ben's perspective. 'Only the TT losties saw the actual white flash.

calhoun07

If the "flash-sideways" end mid-season that has no impact on my theory.

My theory is that these so-called "flash-sideways" are actually showing us what happens to the characters after a reset. It they wrap those up mid season and focus on the battle for the last half of the season, it has no impact on my theory at all.

DthRdrX

Almost forgot,

I wanted to post this for everyone just as a heads up. The only spoilers I read are the episode titles and the centrics. I know some of the posters here do the same thing. Here's your warning:

Hour 16's title was recently posted online and it's a doozy! IMO I'd stay away from reading it if you don't like spoilers. (Most of the episode titles have never spoiled anything. This one is questionable though)

I know Darlton stated that they were considering hours 16,17, and 18 to be the finale similiar to the last three hours of S4, althought they are not always broadcasted on the same night.

ATX

Richard saying that *could* have just been referring to the fact that Jack and co. were in the Dharma initiative

and then years later (1992?) Richard/Ben gas all of em

maybe that's why he assumed they were dead...

but then again he did give em a bomb to explode...

who knows...

he wasn't shocked though to see people that "he saw die" in 1977 when he crept out the bushes and took them to the Black Rock to play with dynamite...

Writers could have just fucked up again? but they've been good at linking shit, so it'll work out

auto

I think it would be awesome if Jin and Sun are brought together in the middle of a big fight or chase scene. We get to see how incredibly happy they are but they can't enjoy it until they are done fighting/running.

They've made us wait so long that a slow motion with music reunion on the beach just will come off cheesy. It needs to be something special only Lost would pull.

DGibFen

Can you post a link to where you read that title? I'm interested in seeing what it is at this point.

Jason

I don't see how the two timelines can ever "merge" because apart from a few small anomalies with Jack, no one in the sideways universe knows anything was ever amiss. People in the sideways universe are moving forward on their own away from the convergence point of Oceanic 815. Sure, there are a few too many "chance encounters", but nobody seems to be noticing them.

Jughead is a red herring. I think a lot of people are overthinking the bomb working/not working scenario. Whatever caused the split will be something we haven't seen yet and be much more mystical in nature, as will the ending. If you were disappointed in the Battlestar Galactica finale, you're going to be disappointed when Lost ends.

DarkestPhoenix

I read it on Wikipedia, but it's down now.

The last three episodes of the series are titled:

ATX

so i guess by episode 15 they will have established that fact to the audience?

DarkestPhoenix

I would assume so, yessir.

calhoun07

The more people post (here and elsewhere) refuting my theory the MORE I believe I am right.

They point out the timelines can't be merged. That's RIGHT because there isn't two timelines going on here. It's ONE TIME LINE, but the "flash sideways" is the timeline that continues after this current timeline the show is in is reset. It's amazing to me the number of people who think this is a "Crisis on Infinite Islands" or something mytaphysical when the creators clearly said they were not going to introduce any new mysteries this season.

Another thing that reinforced my theory is the reminder that everybody dies (and Richard said he saw them all die, and I will decline to say more as it would reference a spoiler tag above) and somebody talked about how nobody else but Jack in the "flash sideways" sees the small anomalies. Jack still has his scars from his time on the island, everybody else is apparently not worse for the wear and actually right where they left off before the crash.

I wish I could remember who said it and the exact quote...I think it was the MIB who said to to Sawyer...but in essence he (the MIB) could make the reset possible. He didn't say "reset" but that was the juxt of it...he could return Sawyer back to his home and make everything right for him again. There aren't too many episodes with MIB and Sawyer...I think it was the episode they went down the cliff...so it may be relatively easy to look up online if I wanted to take the time.

So either the MIB does this in the end or Jacob's replacement has the power to do it, but does it for Jack instead because (as Richard already saw) everybody else, including Sawyer is killed. After witnessing such horrific decimation, Jack has to decide if he wants to continue on (perhaps as Jacob's replacement if there is no replacement by this point) or make the MIB's deal. Jack makes the deal with the MIB (or perhaps whatever power takes over for Jacob...Widmore perhaps?) and MIB or Jacob's Replacement does this "reset" for Jack. Jack is back on the plane in 2004 (my prediction for the last scene of season six) and has the scars from the island because he's the one who is responsible for the making the "reset" come to pass. And somehow the island is underwater.

I keep on thinking of more...even as I type this I think about how Jacob is dead and the island fails to get a replacement Jacob and for some reason MIB's deal not only resets everything for Jack and friends but also sinks the island underwater. Perehaps that is what the MIB wanted all this time...and perhaps that is how he finally gets off the island. By finding a way to sink the island, and without a new Jacob, the MIB is finally free. In what way I don't know, but he's no longer tied to the island.

I don't think there will be a replacement for Jacob, however. Jacob is to protect the island. Jacob would never allow MIB to do a "reset" that would put the island in peril and cause it to sink.

Matthew Ackerly

Sure, you're right. Might as well stop watching.

hardercore

calhoun07, meet

Josh-da-man

I'm not sure that the title(s) for 6.17 and 6.18 have been revelealed, and that's only the title for 6.16.

By the way, anyone who wants to know what the titles of the upcoming episodes are:



And, the "centrics" are:



Yes, you read 6.15 right.

calhoun07

Because it's a THEORY. I am not saying I am right. I just think the cards are stacked in that favor. But last time I checked we don't have to spoilerize theories.

XavierMike

Calhoun,

Have your read the Dark Tower books? The creators say they are a great influence. In them:



This makes me think your theory may be correct.

Groucho

Even in your scenario, calhoun07, there are still two universes. The only way that there ISN'T two universes is if all the "flash sideways" stuff occurs inside a VR simulator (or its mystical equivalent).

JuryDuty

I don't think Calhoun07's theory needs spoilers. It MIGHT be headed in the right direction, but there's still a lot of guesses in there. Pretty good guesses though, I'd say.