Anyone believe this theory?

Linguo

http://www.lostisagame.com

Interesting site, so much work has gone into it! Pretty ambitious stuff!

Mr.Nice Guy

Nice find.

I did briefly think it was some sort of a game around about season 3 or so but I abandoned that theory along with a few others. :pac:

I can't say I believe this theory but I do admire the effort put into it.

Linguo

So much work it's scary! It's as valid as any theory, interesting to read!

brennaldo

don't believe it in the slightest

JTMan

Linguo wrote: »

So much work it's scary! It's as valid as any theory, interesting to read!

+1, there is some real plausibility to this theory.

Can you imagine the last episode of Lost revealing that Lost is a virtual reality game. It could end with "game over" on the screen

leggo

Don't like it. Too fanboyish for my liking. Plus he lost me at this:

And I defy any fan out there to show me another comprehensive theory that is as strong as mine, or one that can so consistently predict what will happen on LOST.

That's just asking to be ridiculed when he's proven wrong.

He's thinking along the right lines though. It's going to be something outside of the box, but simple that we all should've seen coming. Just not The Sims.

Daroxtar

Fungus wrote: »

+1, there is some real plausibility to this theory.

Can you imagine the last episode of Lost revealing that Lost is a virtual reality game. It could end with "game over" on the screen

Like ExistenZ? I'd be a bit dissappointed TBH

Chumpski

Nah, theres WAY too much fudging of things to suit her game rules. For example, she says each game level is 42, 23, 16, 15, 8 and 4 days long matching the numbers but she really fudges when they begin and end IMO.

On the other hand she appears to have correctly predicted alot of character deaths.

Mr. Incognito

After spending the last two hours reading through most of the site I have to say that it's plausible.

uncleoswald

Well I guess we can admire the effort but it is utterly ridiculous. Whats all this crap about roles?

I can't wait till the final 5-hour episode where Jacob sits Jack down to explain the rules. Jacob:- "Well you see in level 4 Locke had to die as he was in the useless role 3 times before you instigated the level change, signalled by the hearing of the hurley bird and someone falling down a hole, when you changed roles from the bad 'Rock God' role to the good 'Lumberjack' role when you left the piano and picked up the axe which meant all the losties were now working on the same side." - Jack:- "Ah it all makes sense now!"

Also it sounds like the worst video game of all time.


EDIT: Having read a bit more I take back the bit about admiring the effort, he/she is clearly insane:

Who's Playing?
I had thought that we were given a hint early in Season 1 when Claire stated that she has searched through over 20 suitcases and still couldn't locate a hair brush. I thought that perhaps this was an indication that Locke was a 'game player' since he has no need of a brush. I now think that is is simply a case of a brush not being on the list of the pre-set options to choose from for the actual contents of the suitcases and items in the cargo hold.

What?

I do not believe that we saw a Level change in S4E13.
I think S413 may have been a well crafted episode that was designed to confuse the audience into thinking the Level had changed.

Yes the entire episode was was an elaborate ruse to fool you, the only person who believes this nonsense.

Gordon Bennet. Entertaining read though.

Mr. Incognito

Well I guess we can admire the effort but it is utterly ridiculous. Whats all this crap about roles?

I can't wait till the final 5-hour episode where Jacob sits Jack down to explain the rules. Jacob:- "Well you see in level 4 Locke had to die as he was in the useless role 3 times before you instigated the level change, signalled by the hearing of the hurley bird and someone falling down a hole, when you changed roles from the bad 'Rock God' role to the good 'Lumberjack' role when you left the piano and picked up the axe which meant all the losties were now working on the same side." - Jack:- "Ah it all makes sense now!"

Also it sounds like the worst video game of all time.


EDIT: Having read a bit more I take back the bit about admiring the effort, he/she is clearly insane:

Lol you're taking it out of context.

As a premise that the show is in fact a video game being played- I think it's a clever idea. For instance the prediction of the days is impressive and seems to fit.

The matrix was initially supposed to be a video game and in the confines of a video game things such as smokie, disappearing islands, time travel and reincarnation after your cast has been wiped out by a thermo-nuclear bomb seem very very plausible. There are no confines to real world events and you don't really have to go explain everything away. It's like a dream where anything is possible only more sophisticated.

I mean, look we know that the conclusion of Lost is going to be outside the box- this wouldn't surprise me in the least and it's one of the better and best researched theories I have seen - not to mention the fact it has not been denied by the creators.

Mr.Nice Guy

A 'Lost is a game' theory would be a good explanation for why pregnant women on the island couldn't have any babies since new characters couldn't be introduced without the consent of those behind the game.

It could also explain how Jacob could cure Locke's paralysis or cure Juliet's sister's cancer if he can affect in-game characters.

However did Cuse and Lindelof not rule out this theory? I know they ruled out a bunch of theories like Lost is purgatory and stuff like that. I thought they ruled out something like this as well.

Mr. Incognito

There's a list on the Wiki page of all the stuff they've ruled out- this isnt one of them. I'm not saying it's right- I'm just saying it's plausible

Dubs

I cant see it being a video game, i would have lost all respect for the series if it turns out like that.

and if it does all turn out to be a game i could maybe see it being more like jumanji than anything else, between jacob and smokey / esau :P

Dman001

Whatever way it ends, there will be people who won't be happy. I don't mind what way it ends, just as long as everything comes together.

I think the Game theory is a bit too simple. Why would the creators of Lost bother with character backflashes if it is a game. There are some things in Lost that appear to be small or minor details (such as a number of Losties being distantly "linked" together and meeting one another before the crash) which I think will end up being a major role of the ending of Lost. If it was just a game, it seems pointless for the creators of Lost to add these details to Lost.

Saying that, if it was a game a sure there is a reason why the creators of Lost added these details. I like this theory but some things do sound very complicated even for Lost and I don't know how they could go about explain how it is all a game in the space of a season.

phileeoonskee

It's WWWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY too elaborate to be explained in a television show.
The number of days is interesting though.
I think the whole video game analogy is a bit crude and simplistic though.
But the whole system and pattern of things seems pretty solid.
We shall see i guess. I think that on the whole it will be disappointing though. Too much hype.

Mr. Incognito

I've been thinking about this a lot.

I've rewatched the first series and now rewatching series 5.

In episode 6 when desmond is in the lamp he declares

"They're playing a game brother and we're just the pieces"

THEN, I remembered that they had revealed the story line to Matthew Fox and was thinking Why? Why only him.

I think it may be a game but not in the conventional sense.

You know the video interludes in a game. You know where the games goes into a storyline between play- I was thinking lost may be these interludes stiched together. The background music fits and more importantly I think Matthew is the games character. That's why the show opens with him on the beach saving people and the reason why he was told the secret.

Makes sense to me anyway.

The_Hat

Oh god, I'd be horrified if that was true. I understand that the writers cant please everyone but that just seems so insane. I'm hoping the truth is closer to this - http://www.timelooptheory.com/

JTMan

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

I think it may be a game but not in the conventional sense.

I think you are on to something.

I can't help but think that the "video game" theory is almost correct, its almost there, but not the full picture.

cooker3

Mr. Incognito wrote: »

I mean, look we know that the conclusion of Lost is going to be outside the box

I don't agree it has to be. I don't believe the finale will have some revelatory it is all a dream/game whatever ending to it. It may have some funky stuff but I don't think it needs some cop out final scene explanation. I would regard it as a dis-service to the show.

Soby

Havent really got into each eppisode/level.Gonna have a deep look now.Hey maybe it ends with only 4 bad/dark people left and 1 good and they get forever put in a game of pacman:pac::P

uncleoswald

I can't believe people are still seriously entertaining this idea. The guy who came up with it is suggesting that players GET AWARDED POINTS FOR WHEN CHARACTERS ARE POLITE! Sorry for the caps but that really has to be hit home. The rules are so abstract they could genuinely be linked with any other tv show.
The author is saying that all these rules might not be revealed to the audience but can be enjoyed by people in the know on "another level". I love the idea of Lindelof, Abrams and whoever sitting down and coming out with all these "timeout rules" and the stuff about "roles" and end of level signifiers etc.... I imagine they have better ways of spending their time.

The idea that they could all be pawns in a game between two godlike creatures is still a possibility but not literally a game, that would be moronic and anyway the rules of this game make no sense. I also like the idea that each season could last the same length as the sequence of numbers but unfortunatly that isn't the case.

I'll say again its an great read though.

Mr. Incognito

I think you are missing the point- I'm not saying that the guy is 100% right and the points thing is ridiculous imo, but the idea that Lost could be a game in some sense is a valid theory- compared to some of the nonsense I've seen anyway.

mailblaney

interesting stuff, don't belive it though.

Bhoy_

Wow, that guy has a lot of time on his hands...

Mr. Incognito

People watching the Spanish promo where the characters are chess pieces being moved on a board- interesting!!

JTMan

Yeah, adds further weight to suggest Lost is come form of game.

Mr. Incognito

wow- the guy does his homework

What's New?




2/15/10

• The updates from S6E1 & S6E2 "LA X" are finally done. Still working on the updates for S6E3 "What Kate Does". Work and several feet of snow took up a big portion of my time during the last few weeks.

• Since S6E1 and S6E2 aired as one episode here in the states, and to save myself some time, I have referred to the S6E1 & S6E2 updates as just S6E1 wherever they are cited. Obviously, "What Kate Does" will be referred to as episode S6E3.

• A bit of background information on the "X" in the title of this episode which is "LA X". The "X" is deliberately separated from the LA by a space. If "LA X" were simply being used to refer to the three letter designation for the airport, there wouldn't be a space between LA and X. But there is a space. What does it mean? Well, "X" is commonly used in comics and other media to denote an alternate universe or alternate reality

• Okay, so where are we as far as the game levels go? At the end of Season 5 we had met all of the criteria for the change from Level 5 to Level 6, except for seeing the scene of the crash of Flight 815. Back in May, I had said that I hoped to see the crash at the beginning of this season, but we haven't seen it yet. So, no Level change yet. Throughout Season 5, I kept saying that I thought that Desmond, Aaron, Walt and Ji Yeon needed to return to the island for the Level to change. Well, they haven't returned. So maybe I was right about that being a requirement.

Normally, I would just put most of these notes on the Playing page, but I'm getting lots of emails asking me what is going on. So I will put the info here and also include an expanded version on the Playing page under What Happened to Level 6?.

So what is happening? It appears that using the Failsafe Jughead did not result in completely un-doing the entire string of events leading up to the original crash of Flight 815, but actually resulted in the creation of two alternate realities. It is also entirely possible that the use of Jughead may have caused a complete replay of Level 5. Why? Up until then all the criteria were being met, but once Jughead was used, there was no plane crash seen. The plane crash is always the last indicator of a Level change. Maybe Jughead wasn't the Failsafe they were supposed to use.

Before she died, Juliet said "It didn't work" but when Miles puts his ear to the ground, he says that he heard "It worked". I have serious doubts that what Miles heard actually came from Juliet, as he is trying to listen you can actually hear some of the sounds that the smoke monster makes. I think it was the smoke monster that Miles heard and not Juliet. In that case, Juliet would be right in that it didn't work.

And now, we have the introduction of the Flash Sideways which many fans are finding very confusing. All I can say is that while there were lots of fans that didn't like the two timelines, I have a feeling that there will be as many, if not more, that strongly dislike the alternate realities. Hang in there with me and I'll explain what is happening in the two different realities.

The first is the reality of the original story line which continues to take place on the island. In this reality, all detonating Jughead appears to have accomplished was to fatally injure Juliet, blow up the Swan Hatch site and jump them through time once more to get Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley, Jin, Sayid and the dying Juliet to 2008.

In the second reality, we have Flight 815 safely landing in LA. But there are some odd things in this reality that are very different than what we saw on the original Flight 815. Most obviously, the plane doesn't crash. However, there are some more subtle differences as well. And to truly appreciate these differences, you really need to know LOST.

What's different? Here are some examples for starters. Their seat assignments have been switched around. Boone is traveling without Shannon. Desmond is on the plane on this trip. As evidenced by his passport, Sayid is an Iranian, not an Iraqi and he is five years younger than we had been told he is. Sun and Jin aren't married, as she is not wearing a wedding ring and is called Ms. Paik. Rose calms Jack down instead of the other way around. And Hurley the Millionaire says he is the luckiest guy alive. On top of all of these and many others, we have Jack who seems a little befuddled that they didn't crash, he then asks Desmond if they have met before, and then we see Jack staring into the mirror in the bathroom as if he is trying to figure out what is happening.

Okay, so back to the question, when will the level change occur? I am starting to think that it may be some time before it happens as there appears to be a major dilemma which must be resolved before it can occur. In Season 5 we had two timelines that needed to be resolved; in Season 6 we have two story lines. Somehow, I believe, the two alternate realities will have to merge. I have no idea how it will occur. I just think that it will have to happen before the level changes. Perhaps it will be something as simple as the vague feelings that something isn't quite right in the non-crash reality increasing in frequency. Feelings that grow stronger and stronger until the crash is recalled by one or more of them, thus merging the realities. Who knows?

The other question I keep getting emails about is what my opinion is of the alternate realities. Back in May, I had proposed a few possible scenarios as to how TPTB might handle this season due to the fact that there would have only been four on-island days left in the game if the level had changed. Yes, they could have handled it "Jack Bauer style" as on "24" and made four days last an entire season. But I had a feeling they wouldn't do it that way as it has been so well done by "24". So that meant something else had to happen. I also proposed that we might see some sort of alternate reality where they needed to meet each other and somehow get back to the island. I didn't like this last idea because I felt that too had already been at least partially done in Season 5.

And there is also the possibility that we may actually be replaying Level 5 and actually have the 8 days from Level 5 plus the 4 days from Level 6 to get through. As usual, I will count the on-island days that pass and watch to see if we have the Level change indicators occurring and when they occur.

For now, I have to say that I trust in TPTB to deliver us a fantastic final season. And no matter how they handle it, I'm sure it will be worth every moment.

• Regarding roles in the alternate reality, it is entirely possible that some of the roles in the alternate reality that had been good roles are now bad ones and vice versa. For instance Hurley tells Sawyer that "Nothing bad ever happens to me, I'm the luckiest guy alive". It could mean that the role of millionaire in the alternate reality is now a good one, not a bad one. Just be aware that I will continue to catalogue roles according to the way I have been doing it all along. It would be a logistical nightmare for me to try and re-catorgorize good and bad roles in the alternate reality.

• Regarding roles in the on-island reality, the Dharma logos seen on the jumpsuits no longer indicate roles after Jughead is detonated.

• I have also been getting lots of emails from people who are convinced that Sayid is alive again because Jacob has taken over his body. Somehow that just seems like too simple an answer, as TPTB like to surprise us and that seems too predictable. I'll cover it more when I do the updates for S6E3, but for now, I'll just say that I think that what will happen with Sayid is that he was "healed" the same way that young Ben was. And that all of the good in Sayid will be gone.

• Yeah, the Lumberjack is back in this episode! Rose shows the front cover of the "Weekly Woodsman" when she is the Lumberjack but flips the magazine over to show "The Truth Is Out There..." on the back cover when she slips into the role of Star Crossed Lover. See Roles page. "The truth is out there..." was the motto used for the "X-Files" TV show which often had episodes based on alternate realities

• Double yeah for the fact that Arzt is back as the Man of Science (an entomologist carrying a book about insects). I love Arzt in this role. For those of you who don't know this, I have an MS degree in Medical Entomology- the transmission of diseases by insects- for instance, Malaria, Lyme Disease and West Nile Virus. Yeah, I know, it's an odd background and there are very few of us around. So it makes Arzt all the more special to me

• As everyone else seems to have adopted it, I have decided to use the term FLocke when referring to the Fake Locke/ Man in Black/Esau/etc

• Just thinking out loud here.... Anyone notice that so far, with the exception of Sun, everyone that we were shown that Jacob touched has at one time or another been taken prisoner by the Others? First it was Jack, Kate, Sawyer and Hurley at the end of Season Two (although Hurley wound up being let go) and now Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley, Jin and Sayid. Hmmmm... I wonder if Jacob ever touched Miles? If so, does it also mean that Sun is doomed to be captured by the Others at some point?

• I have added the role of Translator to the Roles page. I have been keeping track of instances when someone suddenly speaks another language on the Duplicates page since I started this site. But Joy (springday) and the character of Lennon, Dogen's translator, finally convinced me that I should add this role new

• Well, we have another Philosopher to add to the Duplicates page. Dogen, the head of the Others at the Temple, shares his name with Dogen who was the prominent Buddhist Philosopher that founded the Soto Zen tradition. The historical Dogen died on September 22, 1253. Yup, the same month and day of the crash of Flight 815.

• And don't you just love the fact that Dogen's translator was named Lennon? His granny glasses, love beads and bare feet were all done to perfection.

• The shark with the Dharma logo on its tail is back. See Duplicates, but I apologize, some of the screen caps of the island under water (shark, swing set, 4-toed foot, New Otherton houses, etc.) are all very dark. I got a few emails asking me what I thought the sunken island meant. It simply means that in the alternate reality the island sank sometime after New Otherton was built. What I did find significant is that part of the ankh is visible near the 4-toed foot. This is not the case in the continuing reality on the island, no part of the ankh is visible in 2008.

• Congrats to LMO3 on the birth of her new son in September. I just found out about it.

Psychedelic

This part is interesting:

Before she died, Juliet said "It didn't work" but when Miles puts his ear to the ground, he says that he heard "It worked". I have serious doubts that what Miles heard actually came from Juliet, as he is trying to listen you can actually hear some of the sounds that the smoke monster makes. I think it was the smoke monster that Miles heard and not Juliet. In that case, Juliet would be right in that it didn't work.

Similar theory about that here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtD6ILAWU5A

And this:

I got a few emails asking me what I thought the sunken island meant. It simply means that in the alternate reality the island sank sometime after New Otherton was built. What I did find significant is that part of the ankh is visible near the 4-toed foot. This is not the case in the continuing reality on the island, no part of the ankh is visible in 2008.

Mr. Incognito

I check in on this on the what's new section and THIS is very very interesting:

And while I have been hoping that the actual person who winds up with Jacob's job is my man Hurley because, of all of the LOSTies, he is the purest of heart, the kindest and at times the most logical. And we have been seeing him more and more often step up and make decisions. BUT I have this nagging feeling that TPTB still have a few zingers left for us

So, I started thinking about the three names from the Lighthouse that we do not know- Haasra, Grimwault and Kysea. Who are these people? It's a bit late in the game to start introducing three new people and their stories. Then I realized it's got to be people that we already know by their first names, but don't know their last names. So who could they be? And as I have said many times, I also kept thinking about the fact that I truly feel in my gut that the kids need to come back

So here it is my thought- what if we are being misled as to who the real candidates are? What if they aren't our LOSTies, but have the same names as some of them?

What if Kwon refers to Ji Yeon? What if Shepard refers to Aaron since Claire is Christian's daughter? What if Ford actually refers to Sawyer's daughter Clementine? What last name is Walt going by since he got back home, so no one links him to the crash of Flight 815? What is the last name of Emma and Zack (the two kids the Others took off of the TAILies beach in Season 2) and who have been seen sporadically over the years for no apparent reason?

Add them up, that gives me 6 possible candidates. I could be way off, but once again remember that TPTB love to throw us curve balls. I guess we just have to wait and see

melissavm

Nah, I wouldn't think JJ Abrams & co would go to all the trouble they've gone to for it to be a video game. I'm thinking it's gonna be something massively complicated dealing with physics and the likes.