It took a lot of head scratching, but I believe I have established a viable theory, thanks in great part to some recent clues. I believe the Losties are reliving their own history in a sort of time loop. Call it an Island "Groundhog Day".
The key to this theory is Des and his overt actions. Since the hatch implosion, he has been completely aware of his deja-vu. Not only is he aware of upcoming events, but he consciously attempts to alter their course and has done so several times over. How else can we explain that he has seen Charlie "die" so many times. Yet, Charlie is alive on the show; alive thus far simply because Des has prevented certain occurences from happening. He has changed history but whether he will be able to change the ultimate "fate" of Charlie has yet to be seen. At that point, it is one more death scenario that he must prevent next time.
It is this dichotomy of random fate vs manipulated historical events that keeps them "LOST" in time. Some might say that this is additional evidence of purgatory and certainly that theory has been suggested already. But, as Des is attempting, perhaps the outcome really can be altered in a designed way. And just maybe some others amidst the islnd's residents are attempting that same thing. The theoretical question this then poses is can this fate ever be truly altered or is it just momentarilly diverted. We'll leave that the writers to define.
When an event in the pub during his "flashback", the soccer game on TV, made him cognizant that he had lived this precise scenario before, Des became prescient of the situation. Fully aware of its outcome, he then makes a distinct, albeit minor, change in the course of events. Once he "awakens" back on the island still cognizant of what the island future holds, the "Fate" as it were, he continues to try to alter its history, too.
Note that when Des awoke on screen, it was signalled with the same close-up of an eye awakening, a thematic continuity seen frequently on Lost. In fact, the series' very first frames are a similar close-up of Jack waking in the bamboo after the crash. Is it possible that Jack is actually reliving one of these flashback loops, too? I think so, which is why he is currently abetting the Others. Even though WE don't know where this will all lead, Jack just might have a great deal of knowledge of what will unfold.
But the clearest indication of a Lostie now aware of this "looping" is Locke. He lead the rescue party of Kate, Sayid and Rousseau directly to the Flame outpost; he knew exactly how to defeat the chess game; he knew that the outpost had to be blown up (even though he couldn't explain it when Sayid directly asked), and, most importantly, he KNEW he had to take the C4 "because you never know when you might need some C4." To blow up a sub perhaps? This explans his curious actions of late. How did he know the location of the outpost? Because he "remembered" he had been there in a previous loop. Why didn't he blow up the security fence? Probably because he remembers trying that already. Rather than running right up to the fence to plant the explosives, a reaction one certainly WOULD expect of Locke, he pushes Patchy into it and responds to Rousseau to try it herself. His deja-vu realization of his situation and their previous results probably came about as a result of the inscription on Eko's stick. That was his trigger incident, just as the soccer game was for Des. Now Locke is off and running, trying to make a break from the future he already has seen.
Patchy knew he was to die, in some manner, in this loop and thanked Locke for pushing him into the security fence. He knew he was to die and it might have been in an outpost explosion, a gunfight standoff or one of any other grissly scenarios later on he that had already endured in other loop paths.
Sayid, too, might be becoming aware of his looping. He exposed that floor hatch in the outpost with the flair of a magician, as if it was no big deal that he knew that THIS rug hid a trapdoor. It seemed almost as if he had done it many times before... When they first came upon the outpost, he knew that he would not be killed by just walking straight into the gunpath of Patchy. He also was "certain" that Patchy was not alone in the outpost. What will he do next to prove that he, too, is aware? It seems he is being a bit more coy about this realization, compared to Locke, but that sure fits their personalities.
Who else has this ability? Well, you can argue that Vincent does, Rose might (when they first experience Smokie she says "This seems very familiar."), Walt probably has the ability but didn't know it yet and Jin tells Sun to keep away from the rest of the tribe, so he might, too.
It's possible that the Others are also consciously aware of all the paths explored and have kept records of the events and participants. How else do they know SOOOO much about every person on Flight 815 and have full lists all prepared? Ben even goes to the Losties to try to prod Locke into action, as it seems Locke must be one of the key players in the future. Patchy even says that the John Locke he "knew" was different and seems just about to "out" Locke when he is cutoff by Rousseau (sure she's not not in on it with the Others). To play Devil's advocate, maybe the Others are trying to PREVENT the Losties from changing time? Here's yet another wild theory: the Others or perhaps even Dharma knew that a Spinal surgeon was needed on the Island. So, during one loop they rearranged history to be sure Jack was on the plane.
But something really significant appears to have changed during this loop. The electro-magnetic anomaly was not contained, causing the sky to go purple. Communications are down, the food drops have stopped and the Others are fully cutoff now. Maybe this is the Final loop with the correct combination...or maybe that was the Big Goof that can't ever be allowed to happen, a Goof that must be avoided at all costs Next Time (pun intended).
Getting a bit bigger in scope, you could theorize that the electro-magnetic anomaly contained within the island has some sort of Doomsday finality. The Others are looping trying to find that right combination of events to change "FATE", or the Valenzetti Equation, signalling that the anomaly has been altered and poses no threat anymore. The Others may be using the Losties to provide that one variable necessary to stabilize time.
A great way to end the series would be for someone, be it Locke, Desmond, Sayid, Kate, to fail to stabilize the Event, but in so doing, discover the true sequence of events necesary. With that information in hand they then begin the loop anew, right back to the start.
Theory by Anonymous
The key to this theory is Des and his overt actions. Since the hatch implosion, he has been completely aware of his deja-vu. Not only is he aware of upcoming events, but he consciously attempts to alter their course and has done so several times over. How else can we explain that he has seen Charlie "die" so many times. Yet, Charlie is alive on the show; alive thus far simply because Des has prevented certain occurences from happening. He has changed history but whether he will be able to change the ultimate "fate" of Charlie has yet to be seen. At that point, it is one more death scenario that he must prevent next time.
It is this dichotomy of random fate vs manipulated historical events that keeps them "LOST" in time. Some might say that this is additional evidence of purgatory and certainly that theory has been suggested already. But, as Des is attempting, perhaps the outcome really can be altered in a designed way. And just maybe some others amidst the islnd's residents are attempting that same thing. The theoretical question this then poses is can this fate ever be truly altered or is it just momentarilly diverted. We'll leave that the writers to define.
When an event in the pub during his "flashback", the soccer game on TV, made him cognizant that he had lived this precise scenario before, Des became prescient of the situation. Fully aware of its outcome, he then makes a distinct, albeit minor, change in the course of events. Once he "awakens" back on the island still cognizant of what the island future holds, the "Fate" as it were, he continues to try to alter its history, too.
Note that when Des awoke on screen, it was signalled with the same close-up of an eye awakening, a thematic continuity seen frequently on Lost. In fact, the series' very first frames are a similar close-up of Jack waking in the bamboo after the crash. Is it possible that Jack is actually reliving one of these flashback loops, too? I think so, which is why he is currently abetting the Others. Even though WE don't know where this will all lead, Jack just might have a great deal of knowledge of what will unfold.
But the clearest indication of a Lostie now aware of this "looping" is Locke. He lead the rescue party of Kate, Sayid and Rousseau directly to the Flame outpost; he knew exactly how to defeat the chess game; he knew that the outpost had to be blown up (even though he couldn't explain it when Sayid directly asked), and, most importantly, he KNEW he had to take the C4 "because you never know when you might need some C4." To blow up a sub perhaps? This explans his curious actions of late. How did he know the location of the outpost? Because he "remembered" he had been there in a previous loop. Why didn't he blow up the security fence? Probably because he remembers trying that already. Rather than running right up to the fence to plant the explosives, a reaction one certainly WOULD expect of Locke, he pushes Patchy into it and responds to Rousseau to try it herself. His deja-vu realization of his situation and their previous results probably came about as a result of the inscription on Eko's stick. That was his trigger incident, just as the soccer game was for Des. Now Locke is off and running, trying to make a break from the future he already has seen.
Patchy knew he was to die, in some manner, in this loop and thanked Locke for pushing him into the security fence. He knew he was to die and it might have been in an outpost explosion, a gunfight standoff or one of any other grissly scenarios later on he that had already endured in other loop paths.
Sayid, too, might be becoming aware of his looping. He exposed that floor hatch in the outpost with the flair of a magician, as if it was no big deal that he knew that THIS rug hid a trapdoor. It seemed almost as if he had done it many times before... When they first came upon the outpost, he knew that he would not be killed by just walking straight into the gunpath of Patchy. He also was "certain" that Patchy was not alone in the outpost. What will he do next to prove that he, too, is aware? It seems he is being a bit more coy about this realization, compared to Locke, but that sure fits their personalities.
Who else has this ability? Well, you can argue that Vincent does, Rose might (when they first experience Smokie she says "This seems very familiar."), Walt probably has the ability but didn't know it yet and Jin tells Sun to keep away from the rest of the tribe, so he might, too.
It's possible that the Others are also consciously aware of all the paths explored and have kept records of the events and participants. How else do they know SOOOO much about every person on Flight 815 and have full lists all prepared? Ben even goes to the Losties to try to prod Locke into action, as it seems Locke must be one of the key players in the future. Patchy even says that the John Locke he "knew" was different and seems just about to "out" Locke when he is cutoff by Rousseau (sure she's not not in on it with the Others). To play Devil's advocate, maybe the Others are trying to PREVENT the Losties from changing time? Here's yet another wild theory: the Others or perhaps even Dharma knew that a Spinal surgeon was needed on the Island. So, during one loop they rearranged history to be sure Jack was on the plane.
But something really significant appears to have changed during this loop. The electro-magnetic anomaly was not contained, causing the sky to go purple. Communications are down, the food drops have stopped and the Others are fully cutoff now. Maybe this is the Final loop with the correct combination...or maybe that was the Big Goof that can't ever be allowed to happen, a Goof that must be avoided at all costs Next Time (pun intended).
Getting a bit bigger in scope, you could theorize that the electro-magnetic anomaly contained within the island has some sort of Doomsday finality. The Others are looping trying to find that right combination of events to change "FATE", or the Valenzetti Equation, signalling that the anomaly has been altered and poses no threat anymore. The Others may be using the Losties to provide that one variable necessary to stabilize time.
A great way to end the series would be for someone, be it Locke, Desmond, Sayid, Kate, to fail to stabilize the Event, but in so doing, discover the true sequence of events necesary. With that information in hand they then begin the loop anew, right back to the start.
Theory by Anonymous
