Whatever happened happened - Is Back by AndLost

Many (most) of us may well be fatigued by the controversy surrounding the WHH and yes you can change the past, but Tuesday’s episode may well have re-ignited the discussion not oly based on Hawking (Widmore’s) comments but Desmond’s actions.

Why? Because we have failed to take into account that the flash sideways are happening in 2004 while the current timeline is in 2007. So what you ask? My theory is that the ALT timeline always happened, but the writers have cleverly concealed that aspect of the show. How? -- by confusing us utterly with the flash sideways, flashbacks and flashforwards.

In ALT we are seeing the natural consequences of the explosion of Jughead in 1977 including the different lives of our characters, including those that got off the island in some way before and during the aftermath of the explosion, a sunken island, a world where Jacob never interferes, MIB dies and flight 815 that does not crash. BUT in 2007 on the island we are seeing our characters living their lives AFTER the original timeline is purged of the effects of the explosion and ALT. In other words, through Desmond, the events of 1977 will be undone – Jughead will not explode at the swan station, the true incident that occurred at the swan will occur and the hatch will be built. For this reason, when Jack and company flash to 2007, they see the swan station as the aftermath of Desmond turning the fail safe key (and Kate I believe says nothing has changed). Again - why? Because by 2007, the ALT time has been eliminated by Desmond, setting the scene for the final battle with ! MIB.

The writers have made it clear that the ALT is a parallel time, but what they do not discuss is the 3 year time difference to the current timeline. This is intentional – hiding the ball if you will, and this is the reason they have said Season 6 should feel like season 1. As someone else expressed on the Board - our characters are living days in 2004 off island as a parallel time to their 108 days on the island.

Let’s face it; the non-sequential story telling has worked well in concealing the story line. But – in the end, whatever happened happened – a cross correction has occurred to eliminate ALT, but we just don’t see it, because the writers have chosen to wait to show it to us by showing us events in 2004 and 2007 in every episode. But – the events in 2007 could not be occurring unless ALT is eliminated in 1977.