08 Apr 2010
“According to the general theory of relativity, a black hole is a region of space from which nothing, including light, can escape. It is the result of the deformation of spacetime caused by a very compact mass. Around a black hole there is an undetectable surface which marks the point of no return, called an event horizon. It is called “black” because it absorbs all the light that hits it, reflecting nothing, just like a perfect black body in thermodynamics. Under the theory of quantum mechanics black holes possess a temperature and emit Hawking radiation.” (Wikipedia)
All that being said, my theory is that the island and its enormous amount of magnetic energy, is bending spacetime, thus creating the two timelines. It also might explain why the island is undetectable except during bursts of released magnetic energy.
As we saw in this episode, Eloise’s last name was Whidmore, instead of the previous timelines’ Hawking. And Daniel’s last name wasn’t Faraday in this alternate timeline, rather Whidmore. So, clearly lives are being mixed together.
On top of that, Desmond’s ability to shift (and survive) between the two time lines – and him being a (now) central figure – the “secret weapon” – just helps this theory.
Finally, Charles Whidmore said that if Desmond didn’t agree to help him, everything he knew would be “lost”. Does this mean lost as in dead, or lost as in stuck between two parallel time lines? I guess we’ll find out. But there are a few people who understand exactly what is going on, such as Faraday, Whidmore, and Desmond on a scientific level, but it’s only Desmond – as we’ve seen – who understands the personal magnitude.
This is, of course, the scientific theory. I feel there are deeper, more social, philosophical, and ethical theories too. We’ve already seen conflicting opposites – black/white, evil/good, free will/destiny – which I think play large roles in the show. Charlie, for example, returned to show Desmond that nothing else matters but finding “the girl of his dreams”. Which, Desmond already has in the other timeline.
We’ve also seen little things here and there like when Kate saw Claire at the airport in their alternate timeline, they somehow felt like they had met before. And they weren’t the only ones, there was also Desmond and Penny and Locke and Whidmore. Definitely some overlapping going on on a more subconscious level.
Then, what about the Dharma initiative? “Dharma” is an Indian religious term meaning “one’s righteous duty, or any virtuous path”. Coincidence? I think not. If you look at the beliefs of the Dharma initiative, you’ll see they have this overarching goal of protecting the island. Desmond spent years pressing a button for unknown reasons because he was told if he didn’t, something bad would happen. In a sense, the almost religious nature of the Dharma initiative (including the word ‘dharma’ itself) kinda resembles religion today. Some people follow orders based on faith rather than proof. Desmond blindly pressed the button, not really knowing what would happen. It wasn’t until Locke came in and asked “why” that Desmond stopped to think. And stopped pressing the button, which in turn caused the island to release enormous amounts of magnetic energy, thus causing a ripple in spacetime.
So, how do I think it will end? Logically and probably technically I don’t know how you’d “fix” the rippled spacetime. You can’t stop a ripple, only wait for it to die out, right? So, once the two time lines have been created, the only way to make things normal is to cut off one of them. That’s where the free will part comes in, or destiny according to some. Locke was trying to bring people back to the island because it was their destiny, but in the end, it’ll be up to each individual to choose which timeline they want.
If Jack wants Kate and so chooses a certain timeline, but Kate chooses another, what happens then? And what was Jacob saying about the island being essentially a “cork that holds in the evil”? It seems that Jacob is very pro free will and Locke is very pro destiny (free will versus faith, perhaps) so maybe what Jacob meant by “evil” was removing people’s idea of free will. So his battle was not only ethical, but in a sense spiritual.
What do you think?
30 Apr 2009
It’s been a while since I’ve documented anything having to do with LOST. The show has been absolutely amazing this season with a butt load of back story, observations, and shock. Last night’s show was certainly no exception and I think my theory has evolved quite a bit based on new facts. If you haven’t seen April 29th’s episode, stop reading. Otherwise continue and tell me your thoughts. Feel free to read my other LOST theory posts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
I suspected there was something up with Daniel Faraday from the start. His meekness was too meek and I could smell right through his timid nature. He knew something. Bingo. We knew his mother was Eloise Hawking a while back and then we learned she knew how to get back to the Island by sending the Oceanic Six back. What we didn’t know until last night was just how involved she was. Nor did we know just how involved Daniel was. In fact, the entire chain of events throughout the entire show has supposedly been constructed by Daniel and Eloise, from time travel to the hatch to the magnetic eruption causing the plane crash.
The plane crash was a result of a huge magnetic fluctuation which was a result of a Dharma Initiative worker drilling too far into the core of the island which was a result of the Islands strange properties.
Last night Daniel Faraday finally spilled his knowledge of the Island and that he knew “if we don’t stop them from drilling there will be a huge magnetic discharge and a plane will crash on this island tomorrow”. So history repeats itself, but instead of the survivors being Jack, Kate, Hurley, etc. they’ll be new survivors. And instead of Ben’s old group of scoundrels it’ll be Jack, Kate, Hurley, etc. The Others are still the Others and there will again be three groups on the island: The Dharma Initiative, The Others, and The Survivors of Flight whatever, essentially taking us back to square one with the only difference being we, the viewers, are aware of who’s who.
It’s like, in our previous generation our mothers and fathers watched LOST and saw Ben crash on the island to lead the survivors to safety and had run-ins with the Dharma Initiative and Others and then Ben became absolved into the Dharma Initiative in the 1970s only to see history repeat itself when Oceanic Flight 815 crashed bearing Jack, Kate, Hurley, etc.
Okay so my revised theory is that everything is circular. What we’ve seen happen has happened many times before, each time with each group getting a chance to “right” things. If the previous group had prevented the magnetic fluctuation, Flight 815 would’ve never crashed. But they did allow it, for whatever reason, and now the survivors of Flight 815 are given a chance to make things right.
Oh and get this:
The term Dharma is an Indian spiritual and religious term, that means one’s righteous duty or any virtuous path in the common sense of the term. … Throughout Indian philosophy, Dharma is presented as a central concept that is used in order to explain the “higher truth” or ultimate reality of the universe. (Wikipedia)
So going along with the whole “chance to make things right” mindset the Dharma Initiative are appropriately named, and if the storyline continues to go as Daniel suggested, the members either live up to the name and stop the ride or they don’t and let history repeat itself once again.
What do you think?
05 Mar 2009
Okay, so seeing Sawyer wearing a Dharma jumpsuit kinda threw me off a little. And knowing they were living on the island in the 70s just added to the confusion. It appears the show is based on fate and no matter what the survivors do to leave the island, they’ll somehow find their way back to it because they’re supposed to be on the island.
I have a feeling this relates to the time-jumping, I just don’t know how quite yet. We have been shown and it has been proven that they have in fact been to the island before. Last night we saw the temptation to use the submarine to escape, but instead they ended up staying on the island. What we haven’t seen is how they got back sometime after the 70s to lead “normal” lives elsewhere. We also haven’t seen proof of use for the submarine as the only times people have left the island have either returned “like a snowglobe” or ended up in the desert – the supposed “exit point”.
I’m beginning to wonder more about Ben’s involvement. Does he know they’ve been on the island before and just isn’t telling them? Is that why he’s so concerned? Or back in Season 1 when he saw the plane split he seemed to know exactly what to do, as if he has someone in mind.
And is John Locke even more important than we think? Or is he just so blinded by faith that he’s the easiest to manipulate? Ben sure does know how to get him going.
And finally, we’ve seen Richard stay the same age over 50 or so years. Why is the only one not aging?
This weeks’ episode was absolutely fantastic, to say the least. As more secrets are revealed about the group and the island the more questions we ask. But it’s nice to see how things are beginning to tie together as well. The show is getting to a point where the last season, more specifically the last few episodes (evar!) are going to either make the show go out with a happy, memorable, award-winning bang, or leave the millions of viewers mighty disappointed. All in all though, regardless of whether you love or hate the show, or are simply baffled by it, it has been one amazing trip.
Oh and one other thing. I’m assuming the island wasn’t moving during the 70s. I say this because the leader (that long haired guy with glasses) said the submarine would take them to Tahiti. So he must’ve known the islands whereabouts. Something to keep in mind, I guess.
25 Feb 2009
Be sure and read Part 1 and Part 2 before reading this theory.
We know the island moves and there are specific windows or opportunities of time where people can enter or exit the island. Last week we saw the flipper board in the Lamp Post station (with the big pendulum) that had a number of latitudes and longitudes that determined the islands whereabouts.
If you’ll remember back to the very first season when we saw Desmond pushing the button every 108 minutes. What were the numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42 … I think those numbers held the island in place, in time, so they could be found. And I’m guessing that by having to press the button every 108 minutes means the island moves or shifts every 108 minutes.
Also, when Desmond failed to press the button in early seasons he had to use the fail safe key which, if we remember, shook the island and blinded everyone with that bright flash of light – the same light that flashes when the island moves in time. So the survivors were experiencing time travel even in early episodes, which makes me question the existence of the Others at that particular time, unless they were time traveling too.
When they visited the Orca Hydra station (was that what it was called?) – the old rusty doors were indicators of the passage of time. Then, having no dolphins or whales there to study (instead the place was a prison for Jack, Kate and Sawyer) the rooms were rusty and appeared weathered and old. How long does it take iron and steel to so thoroughly rust exactly?
This is the second time we’ve been in Tunisia. The first was when Charlotte uncovered the polar bear skeleton. The second was tonight when John Locke appeared after turning the wheel in the Orchid station. Apparently it’s the exit. That means when Charlotte appeared there before she must’ve been on the island before and it explains the polar bear.
So Ben killed John Locke. Interesting. I still don’t think this makes Ben evil. I think he’s doing whatever it takes to achieve his goals. Or maybe he is bad and Whidmore is really good? We still don’t know yet.
This weeks’ episode left me at a loss for any progression of my theory. It didn’t alleviate any further towards the islands timeshifting and the only mention of “future” was the threat given to John Locke to get back to the island “or else”. We know Locke is important but we still don’t know why aside from his supposed call to leadership.
Until next week…
11 Feb 2009
If you haven’t read my theory yet, do so here.
I’m still sticking by my original theory in that they need to get back to the island in the proposed 70 hours to “reconnect”. And I’m still going to assume the pendulum device tells them precisely when and where to reconnect. Eloise used the term “window” tonight and if you’ll remember from part one of my theory, I’m going to bet that each time and place the timeshift (wavy, moving line) crosses over the main line, a window appears. I think that Jin bouncing from one part of the island to the other in roughly the same time gives credit to this theory by suggesting he’s where he’s supposed to be. Notice his nose hasn’t started to bleed, too. Neither has Locke’s. Nosebleeds, at least I think, are due to spending longer than planned or longer than normal time “disconnected” so those that have nosebleeds, especially those with more frequent nosebleeds, need to hurry up.
However, Juliet never escaped the island yet her nose is bleeding, so, if this theory is true… where is she supposed to be? Her and Ben seem to be unique. Or, I guess any member of the Others seem to be unique.
Unfortunately this week really didn’t offer much more towards my theory. It was pretty much an hour of timeshifting, which was kinda annoying. However, we did confirm that “Jacob” is in fact Jack’s father, which only inserts another question into the mix.
If anyone has ideas, theories, or contributions let me know.
Continue to Part 3