In defence of the "flash sideways"

Sad Professor

I think there's been more than enough moaning and complaining about them on here. I'd like to hear some good theories about where the show is headed with them.

I don't accept the view that the "flash sideways" are just one of a billion different possible "what ifs". If indeed they are, then I agree that they are pointless. But the writers are a lot smarter than that. Plus, they are big Stephen King fans. Anyone read the Dark Tower series? It features alternate timelines-galore and it's handling of them is far from pointless.

There's only so many things one can do with two timelines. Both of them involve crossover.

1) Both timelines become merged. This could happen a number of ways. Perhaps with the characters from one timeline crossing over from the other. This could mean that the two timelines are already interconnected in ways we've can't imagine. It could also mean that something very significant will happen in the alternate timeline.

2) One of the two realities is doomed. This is what I'm leaning towards at the moment. I see a lot of biblical parallels with UnLocke, Jacob, etc. How does the bible end? With the saints being resurrected, the earth being destroyed and Jesus leading the faithful into heaven (or something like that). The ALT may play a similar role in the Lost endgame.

I'm not saying the "alternate" reality is the afterlife (although it is interesting that Juliet was on the verge of death when she said "it worked") but it could play that kind of role in the endgame. The island always seemed doomed to me. It is possible (especially in the light of Hawking's various "god help us all", "then we're all dead" declarations) that the reality/timeline that we've been watching for 5 years is doomed as well. Dharma was all about saving the world after all. MIB said it always ends the same. The second timeline that Jack created last season may be the solution.

Jack's deja vu in 6x01 was not a red herring. Instead I think it was a hint of what's to come. I reckon these alt-characters will start to remember. Some of them (Locke?) may even cross over to the island-reality.

There's loads of other theories floating around out there as well. Anyone come across any good ones? Any ideas of your own? I'd like to keep this thread free from criticisms of them if possible (there'll be plenty of time for that later if the writers screw up) and instead explore some of the possibilities that the "flash sideways" offer.

NukaCola

Well i'm not a fan of these "Flashsideways" however the one thing that i find interesting is how the characters are still linked together even though they weren't called to the island by Jacob. For me this brings up two scenarios for that timeline.

The first is Jacob or/and the Island does not exist or is not discovered by the outside world. The second is they haven't been called to the island....yet. I'm discounting that its just coincidence that they are linked together.

Sea Sharp

I'm thinking that time-line where the Island is above water will be created in the other time-line by some significant event analogous to the H-bomb at the end of season 5.

Maybe there'll be a nuke in LA in 2004/2005 and the only survivors will be the oceanic 6. Something needs to happen to make these people special/ significant.


I'd love it if Jacob and Esau were scientists working in a team with Faraday in the alt time-line


Hmm, we need acronyms for this word-messy alternative reality stuff,

TLA = time line A -> The plane crashed.

TLB = time line B -> The plane doesn't crash.

Irish Guitarist

One problem people have with time travel is "the grandfather paradox". If you go back in time and accidentally kill your grandfather then how will you be born? Some scientists explain this by saying that there's more than one dimension, so you will have killed your grandfather in an alternative dimension but not in this one. I think something like that is happening in Lost.

I think the fact that Juliette said "it worked" suggests that she is still alive in another dimension, possibly the one that we're seeing now. I also think that Locke might be possessing the Smoke Monster from an alternative dimension (maybe even one that's seperate from the two dimensions we're seeing on Lost). I thought the way Smokey Lockinson (which is what I've decided to call the Smoke Monster) said "don't tell me what I can't do" in the last episode showed that there's a little bit of John Locke in there somewhere.

Borat_Sagdiyev

I'm thoroughly enjoying the alternative timeline this series. This is just a feeling I have but here goes anyway:

One of the themes constantly running through lost is "Choice VS Destiny". I reckon that the ultimate aim of the alt timeline is to show that the characters will end up together regardless of whether the 815 plane would have crashed or not. I think that both timelines will be merged at some point in the future, while at the same time ramming home the fact that "Destiny always wins". This was shown with the whole Charlie death thing and Desmond trying to prevent it.

In 6x04, when

other familiar characters were introduced in the alternative timeline, Hurley, Ben, Rose

, people on these boards were of the opinion that it was a pointless exercise and that it felt a bit 'forced'. Well, if it feels like that to you fair enough, but there is definitely a point to it. Their paths were all going to cross at some stage anyway, thats the idea.

Sosa

Borat_Sagdiyev wrote: »

I'm thoroughly enjoying the alternative timeline this series. This is just a feeling I have but here goes anyway:

One of the themes constantly running through lost is "Choice VS Destiny". I reckon that the ultimate aim of the alt timeline is to show that the characters will end up together regardless of whether the 815 plane would have crashed or not. I think that both timelines will be merged at some point in the future, while at the same time ramming home the fact that "Destiny always wins". This was shown with the whole Charlie death thing and Desmond trying to prevent it.

In 6x04, when

other familiar characters were introduced in the alternative timeline, Hurley, Ben, Rose

, people on these boards were of the opinion that it was a pointless exercise and that it felt a bit 'forced'. Well, if it feels like that to you fair enough, but there is definitely a point to it. Their paths were all going to cross at some stage anyway, thats the idea.

I have to agree with you here...destiny will prevail...crash or no crash.

Mr.Nice Guy

I definitely think there will be a convergence. I think that was the hint in Jacob reading 'Everything That Rises Must Converge' in season 5.

I suspect Jack is going to be very significant in the alternate timeline in bringing it all together in the end.

Personally I've no problem with the concept but I do think the execution of it has been slow and distracting in the first couple of episodes.

Xyo

My initial thoughts when I saw em was that this was the time line if Jacob never existed.. and this will become the time line unless one of the candidates becomes the new Jacob?

sprinkles

I'm loving the new timelines. I think they'll end up having some real significance to the overall resolution, as I mentioned in the 6x05 thread;

Jack's appendix scar/cut on his neck, Kate's stare at Jack from the taxi etc all point towards them being drawn towards the events of the island in one way or another

I like the idea that they might run concurrently and the deciding factor in the alt timeline taking over reality is the events on the island. If they fail on the island - ie if the bad side wins - then the losties reality in the alt dimension will end!? If they succeed in defeating the evil on the island then the alt reality will continue!?

I can't see both realties converging - as these realities are 3 years out of sync too I'm not sure how that will work.

Speed Boat

I'm curious to see if Desmond's shifting through time mentally could happen with the alt time line losties.

So they gradually begin to experience both timelines and have to sort of sync them up themselves.

I know Desmond's was in linear time rather than a parallel or alt time.

Could Desmond have retained his ability(so to speak) and can access both timelines and as such it may explain his meeting with jack on the plane in the season premier?