I *think* this will be brief, and this has probably also been noted by others after this week's season premiere, but I'll formalize this anyhow, as I haven't seen it directly referred to in the theories section:
I think the time-skipping gives us our answer to the apparitions of dead people on the Island, and once we learn what happens to people who skip into a time period in which they are already on the Island (two manifestations of the same consciousness), that should fill out this idea.
Yemi gives the best example of what I believe is at least partially occurring with apparitions (and whispers as well, though this has been commented on by other posters). Yemi's appearances to Eko as well as Locke is actually living Yemi time-skipping into what was the present timeline of Seasons 2 and 3. The apparitions then disappear because they are skipping into another time period as a result of a previous turning of the Wheel. Their disappearance after speaking or interacting with characters is akin to what would have been seen through Ethan's eyes as he holds Locke at gunpoint in 5x01 "Because You Left" (Locke probably appears to be an apparition to Ethan, and then disappears before his eyes as he skips to another time period).
What happens to dead bodies when they skip through time (if they do at all)? Do they meld with the living consciousness that co-exists in the time period they skip to? This would explain Charlie's significant statement that he is "dead, but also here" (4x01 "The Beginning of the End"). What Charlie means is that he is dead in that time period (when Hurley is once again in Santa Rosa) but that he exists momentarily in the future due to time skipping. This would also explain Christian being "dead" (as confirmed by TPTB) but also seemingly alive and able to interact with his environment.
We see that consciousness-melding is possible in "The Constant" through Desmond's ability to consciousness-meld with his 1996 self (he retains information acquired by his 2004 self). This is most likely what is happening to Charlotte as well (and significantly, only to Charlotte), since she is on the Island in a younger form (so we are led to believe, at least) in the time period skipped to at the beginning of 5x02 "The Lie".
An aside: it is unceratain whether she really is a Dharma-baby as most have presumed; she could also be a child of the group that includes the British soldiers (5x02 "The Lie"), hence her connections to England.
In any case, consciousness-melding is suggested by the memory problems she is experiencing, and may also have to do with Faraday's memory problems (he cannot fully remember the crash of Flight 815 in 4x02 "Confirmed Dead") because this memory would create a paradox (he has not been to the Island yet at this point, but he will have been there already once future events occur and this will superimpose the Island into both his past and future and it therefore exists in his consciousness but not is not yet accessible...did anyone follow that?). On a side note, Desmond may be "uniquely and miraculously special" in the sense that he is able to retain seemingly *conscious* paradoxical memories in both past and future selves.
The "double-bunny incident" in the Orchid orientation film (ComicCon 2007) suggests that this sort of duplication is in fact possible when time-skipping. I suggest that bringing Locke's dead body back to the Island will play into this sort of consciousness-melding/duplication (which may or may not be the same phenomenon), thus effectively "resurrecting him" once his body co-exists with his living consciousness upon the return of the Oceanic 6. Either resurrection, or paradox-evasion so that his dead body will remain in its appropriate timeline.
Though this may just have been a joke referring to Malcolm David Kelley's inevitable aging during the filming of Lost, "Taller Ghost Walt" could in fact be a later version of Walt that gets caught in the time-skipping; he skips to the time period of "Through the Looking Glass" to deliver a message to John. Since this is a later version of Walt, he appears, of course, taller (the version of Walt actually in this timeline is in New York). His "appearing where he is not supposed to be" as cited by many but most specifically by Bea Klugh may have to do with this.
Lots of loose ends here, I am sure I will update and fill out this theory sometime soon, but I am interested to hear feedback from others.
Theory by Francisco
I think the time-skipping gives us our answer to the apparitions of dead people on the Island, and once we learn what happens to people who skip into a time period in which they are already on the Island (two manifestations of the same consciousness), that should fill out this idea.
Yemi gives the best example of what I believe is at least partially occurring with apparitions (and whispers as well, though this has been commented on by other posters). Yemi's appearances to Eko as well as Locke is actually living Yemi time-skipping into what was the present timeline of Seasons 2 and 3. The apparitions then disappear because they are skipping into another time period as a result of a previous turning of the Wheel. Their disappearance after speaking or interacting with characters is akin to what would have been seen through Ethan's eyes as he holds Locke at gunpoint in 5x01 "Because You Left" (Locke probably appears to be an apparition to Ethan, and then disappears before his eyes as he skips to another time period).
What happens to dead bodies when they skip through time (if they do at all)? Do they meld with the living consciousness that co-exists in the time period they skip to? This would explain Charlie's significant statement that he is "dead, but also here" (4x01 "The Beginning of the End"). What Charlie means is that he is dead in that time period (when Hurley is once again in Santa Rosa) but that he exists momentarily in the future due to time skipping. This would also explain Christian being "dead" (as confirmed by TPTB) but also seemingly alive and able to interact with his environment.
We see that consciousness-melding is possible in "The Constant" through Desmond's ability to consciousness-meld with his 1996 self (he retains information acquired by his 2004 self). This is most likely what is happening to Charlotte as well (and significantly, only to Charlotte), since she is on the Island in a younger form (so we are led to believe, at least) in the time period skipped to at the beginning of 5x02 "The Lie".
An aside: it is unceratain whether she really is a Dharma-baby as most have presumed; she could also be a child of the group that includes the British soldiers (5x02 "The Lie"), hence her connections to England.
In any case, consciousness-melding is suggested by the memory problems she is experiencing, and may also have to do with Faraday's memory problems (he cannot fully remember the crash of Flight 815 in 4x02 "Confirmed Dead") because this memory would create a paradox (he has not been to the Island yet at this point, but he will have been there already once future events occur and this will superimpose the Island into both his past and future and it therefore exists in his consciousness but not is not yet accessible...did anyone follow that?). On a side note, Desmond may be "uniquely and miraculously special" in the sense that he is able to retain seemingly *conscious* paradoxical memories in both past and future selves.
The "double-bunny incident" in the Orchid orientation film (ComicCon 2007) suggests that this sort of duplication is in fact possible when time-skipping. I suggest that bringing Locke's dead body back to the Island will play into this sort of consciousness-melding/duplication (which may or may not be the same phenomenon), thus effectively "resurrecting him" once his body co-exists with his living consciousness upon the return of the Oceanic 6. Either resurrection, or paradox-evasion so that his dead body will remain in its appropriate timeline.
Though this may just have been a joke referring to Malcolm David Kelley's inevitable aging during the filming of Lost, "Taller Ghost Walt" could in fact be a later version of Walt that gets caught in the time-skipping; he skips to the time period of "Through the Looking Glass" to deliver a message to John. Since this is a later version of Walt, he appears, of course, taller (the version of Walt actually in this timeline is in New York). His "appearing where he is not supposed to be" as cited by many but most specifically by Bea Klugh may have to do with this.
Lots of loose ends here, I am sure I will update and fill out this theory sometime soon, but I am interested to hear feedback from others.
Theory by Francisco
