The Man Behind the Mirror (not Michael Jackson) by BudE

A while back, I posted a theory about the sideways world. It is my opinion that lots of people think we’re watching the epilogue world in the flash sideways to wrap the show up into a neat little ball and make us come away feeling all nice and cozy. It’s my opinion that this is inaccurate, and that the sideways world is a fabricated (non) reality. With each passing episode, I grow more convinced of this.

My previous theory covers the Kate, Jack, and Locke episodes. If you already read it, skip the next three paragraphs.

Little Diddy About Jack and David

Jack’s son David. Was it just my imagination or was there a fairy-talish quality to this? “Mom, when did I get my appendix out?” Who would forget this? Jack refusing a drink. Dogen as his spirit guide saying exactly the right thing at exactly the right time. Jack says exactly everything he wished his dad would have said to him? Pictures of Jack and David making goofy faces. Question…if their relationship has been so strained, when did they take these happy pictures together? As Jack told Hurley, his fear is that he would make a horrible father (like he had started to be to Aaron). Is David his idealistic vision of what he wishes he could be? “I love you, son.” “I love you too, dad.” Aw, shucks.

Locke - No Al Bundy Here

The same thing went for Locke’s episode. When Locke is down, people pick him up. “You’re fired!” But here comes happy Hurley to save the day. “You just yelled at me for parking to close, but I’m going to offer you any job you want?” Rose says exactly the right thing. He lands the perfect Locke job (and how could this happen with absolutely no teaching background?) Helen accepts him for what he is. Locke and his dad have a great relationship. From facedown in the grass and fired to the perfect fiancé and a great job. Aw, shucks.

Two Women and a Baby (Orca)

Kate and Claire. More black and white in the Orca. Claire is pregnant and alone; she even gets in the middle of Kate’s great escape. Kate is on the run (man she was magically quick at slipping those cuffs). She (impossibly) evades the po-po. Yeah, because since 911 airport security is pretty lax. Even the mechanic (and we know nobody trusts a mechanic) is willing to aid a felon. Then Kate looks at herself in the mirror and returns to Claire. Ethan is the good doc. Claire and Kate holding hands. And when the cops show, there’s no need to check that back room. Kate magically evades again. What a transformation—Kate is busting heads and carjacking, but by the end of the episode she is saving babies. Kate: “No hard feelings about the carjacking with you pregnant, right?” Claire: “None at all. In fact, take my credit cards and buy yourself something nice. For some reason, I think you’d look good in khakis. ” Aw, shucks.

Here's the new stuff...

Miles to the left of me, hot red heads to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle

Now we have a Sawyer episode and the sideways world stunk of cheesiness. Read Vozzek’s observations because he’s dead on accurate. Cops surrounding the hotel room as Sawyer gets his groove on with this hot chick?!? Charlotte (with those eyes) can’t get a date?!? And just a side note right here, but damn that woman is smoking hot! Okay, back to the episode, she's hot and she's easy?!? Yeah, this seems like a world which is the product of Sawyer’s overactive and testosterone-laced imagination. Right on, brother!

I previously said that the characters keeping morphing from the reality of who they were into their own idealistic version of who they wish they could be.

I still think its unreal, but maybe it’s not 100% idealistic. In fact, I’d now categorize the sideways world as a DISTRACTION. Isn’t that what sideways really means anyway? When we move sideways, we are not moving forwards. Essentially, we are stalling.

I think someone is playing them. I think someone is stalling them. The mirrors seem to be the link between worlds, as though when they look in the mirror, our losties see a glimpse of reality. Jack with the cut on his neck wondering where it came from…mirror. Jack wondering about the appendix scar…mirror. Jack running to the concert in which “candidates” are invited after looking into the mirror in David’s room. For Sawyer, he looks at himself in the mirror at the police station…and then breaks it. There are puddles of water which reflect the image of Kate running. Seconds later, when he catches her, he seems to recognize her. Are these glimpses of the truth?

It's possible that they are being tested (one final test for the candidiates) to see if they will do the right thing...make the right decisions. It's possible, but I think it would be cheesy.

What I do think is that they are being played. But by whom? And why? Since I’m not 100% convinced that Jacob is good, it could be Jacob pulling the strings, but I don’t have that feeling. MIB seems to be the most likely “candidate.” We’ve seen that the Smoke can read people (remember Eko) and see read their memories. With enough information and the right power, he could create a Matrix-like world for our Losties. Alice in Wonderland. A slightly distorted mirror image life. TPTB have inserted so many red herrings for us…the viewers. Maybe the sideways (not forwards) world is a red herring for the Losties. A stall. A distraction to keep them from doing something important or from combatting someone evil.

But I think even in this sideways world, fate (or Jacob) is slowly herding the Losties. Kate and Sawyer’s worlds just intersected. Hurley’s and Locke’s worlds already did. Would it be that much of a shock if they all somehow ended up together?

And if my hunch is right, this (false) world will eventually come crashing down in one epic WTF moment. Cue Hurley syaing, "Dudes, we're back on the island!" Jack responds, "We always were!"

But before that, I think they’ll need a push. Now, what’s a theory without some pure guesswork? So here it is…a guess with no evidence other than a mysterious arrival and disappearance on a plane.

Maybe Desmond (he operates outside the rules, right?) will be the man to give them that push.