Desmond is, unbeknownst to himself, in "training" (by the universe? by Dharma?) to serve as one of the universe's "timekeepers" -- people whose job it is, like the old woman in the jewelry store, to "course correct" the universe and make sure things happen the way they're supposed to.
To explain: Maybe the woman in the jewelry store (and possibly the monk whose picture was taken with her, too) is a sort of "fate ensurer." Some entity -- either the universe itself, or perhaps Dharma -- needs things to happen in a certain way to ensure a certain future. To accomplish this, that entity has given selected people the ability to see the future. Desmond is one of them, but he's only in the beginning stages of learning about his ability. All he knows is that he sees "flashes before his eyes." He feels incredibly guilty about the role he played in Charlie's death because he doesn't yet realize just how important he is. He will have to endure more and more guilt as his "flashes" continue to cause more and more seemingly terrible events through the course of the show. But eventually he will come to learn, just like the woman in the jewelry store has learned over time, that all she's really doing is making sure that events play out the way they're supposed to. That it *has* to be this way. And he'll stop feeling guilty and accept his lot in life.
Someday Desmond will be an old man in a jewelry store, pointing out to some young woman "No, you DON'T buy that bracelet!" Like the old woman, he'll learn to feel no guilt about his job as a "course corrector."
This idea fits with the show's preoccupation with fate vs. free will, as well as Damon and Carlton's statements about the show being both philosophical and "circular" in nature. It also would make for some truly unique character development for Desmond. And haven't they stated before that Desmond will turn out to be a central character to the show?
Theory by gibra8
To explain: Maybe the woman in the jewelry store (and possibly the monk whose picture was taken with her, too) is a sort of "fate ensurer." Some entity -- either the universe itself, or perhaps Dharma -- needs things to happen in a certain way to ensure a certain future. To accomplish this, that entity has given selected people the ability to see the future. Desmond is one of them, but he's only in the beginning stages of learning about his ability. All he knows is that he sees "flashes before his eyes." He feels incredibly guilty about the role he played in Charlie's death because he doesn't yet realize just how important he is. He will have to endure more and more guilt as his "flashes" continue to cause more and more seemingly terrible events through the course of the show. But eventually he will come to learn, just like the woman in the jewelry store has learned over time, that all she's really doing is making sure that events play out the way they're supposed to. That it *has* to be this way. And he'll stop feeling guilty and accept his lot in life.
Someday Desmond will be an old man in a jewelry store, pointing out to some young woman "No, you DON'T buy that bracelet!" Like the old woman, he'll learn to feel no guilt about his job as a "course corrector."
This idea fits with the show's preoccupation with fate vs. free will, as well as Damon and Carlton's statements about the show being both philosophical and "circular" in nature. It also would make for some truly unique character development for Desmond. And haven't they stated before that Desmond will turn out to be a central character to the show?
Theory by gibra8
