Hey, I'd like to propose the following theory. It's kinda long so bear with me.
The basic idea is this: the island itself exists only because people are on it. It is the product of the imagination or thoughts of its inhabitants.
It always puzzled me that it seemed as if the island needs people, and I always wondered why. This theory is an attempt at an explanation.
First off, the island needs people. There are numerous clues to support this idea:
- People seem to have inhabited this island forever: the statue of the foot is one indication, but also the Black Rock ship and the caves in which the Losties find "Adam and Eve". It's just unlikely that so many people wind up on this island by accident.
- Most people arrived without wanting to: in a plane crash, boat being washed ashore, hot-air balloon etc. If you agree that those crashes are not coincidences, it means that the island brought them there somehow. Interestingly, the people who did come voluntarily (DHARMA, Naomi) are all dead --Juliet is an exception to this rule, though.
- The island seems to be selective about who arrives: it chooses people who are likely to stay. For example, nobody among the Losties has anyone to come home to: no wives, boyfriends, etc. Some even have very good reasons to stay: e.g. Kate and Sawyer are no longer fugitives from the law, Jin and Sun are out of her father's reach, etc.
- Life on the island is comfortable. The Losties need sweet water, they find caves. They run out of food, they find food. Cancer is cured and paralysis ends. It's almost as if the island fulfills their wishes (the "magic box" that Ben talks about).
- Getting off the island is very hard (not that people try a lot). An SOS sign is abandoned, the raft is captured, and Desmond sails due west and just winds up where he started. It's as if the island is keeping the inhabitants on the island.
I think you can't explain most of these things in a 'mechanical' way (that is, the work of DHARMA or the Others). For example, the crash of Oceanic 815 was shown to be a coincidence (Desmond happened not to be pressing the button, something nobody could plan for). It seems that the island itself is responsible for these events.
So the island appears to need people, and not people born on the island (because women are infertile). The obvious question is, Why? What does the island need people for? People are, if anything, a threat to the island: they use up resources, destroy the island, or otherwise abuse it. The only reason I can think of is that the island's existence itself depends on human presence, or to say it differently, that the islanders collectively create the island or keep it 'alive'. This might also explain why the Black Rock is found so far inland: as new inhabitants arrived, they created 'more island'.
It also seems that the Others (or maybe just Ben) have figured out this fact, and are abusing or manipulating the island's 'need'. This would explain why Ben doesn't want anybody to leave, and why he talks about the "magic box". It would also explain the second island, "Alcatraz". This could be a real, physical island from where the Others can control the Island (threatening to 'kill' it), without risking its revenge.
It would also explain why Ben says in the last episode of season 3 that contacting Naomi's people is 'the beginning of the end' and why he cares so much that the Losties stay.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this theory.
Theory by cronopio
The basic idea is this: the island itself exists only because people are on it. It is the product of the imagination or thoughts of its inhabitants.
It always puzzled me that it seemed as if the island needs people, and I always wondered why. This theory is an attempt at an explanation.
First off, the island needs people. There are numerous clues to support this idea:
- People seem to have inhabited this island forever: the statue of the foot is one indication, but also the Black Rock ship and the caves in which the Losties find "Adam and Eve". It's just unlikely that so many people wind up on this island by accident.
- Most people arrived without wanting to: in a plane crash, boat being washed ashore, hot-air balloon etc. If you agree that those crashes are not coincidences, it means that the island brought them there somehow. Interestingly, the people who did come voluntarily (DHARMA, Naomi) are all dead --Juliet is an exception to this rule, though.
- The island seems to be selective about who arrives: it chooses people who are likely to stay. For example, nobody among the Losties has anyone to come home to: no wives, boyfriends, etc. Some even have very good reasons to stay: e.g. Kate and Sawyer are no longer fugitives from the law, Jin and Sun are out of her father's reach, etc.
- Life on the island is comfortable. The Losties need sweet water, they find caves. They run out of food, they find food. Cancer is cured and paralysis ends. It's almost as if the island fulfills their wishes (the "magic box" that Ben talks about).
- Getting off the island is very hard (not that people try a lot). An SOS sign is abandoned, the raft is captured, and Desmond sails due west and just winds up where he started. It's as if the island is keeping the inhabitants on the island.
I think you can't explain most of these things in a 'mechanical' way (that is, the work of DHARMA or the Others). For example, the crash of Oceanic 815 was shown to be a coincidence (Desmond happened not to be pressing the button, something nobody could plan for). It seems that the island itself is responsible for these events.
So the island appears to need people, and not people born on the island (because women are infertile). The obvious question is, Why? What does the island need people for? People are, if anything, a threat to the island: they use up resources, destroy the island, or otherwise abuse it. The only reason I can think of is that the island's existence itself depends on human presence, or to say it differently, that the islanders collectively create the island or keep it 'alive'. This might also explain why the Black Rock is found so far inland: as new inhabitants arrived, they created 'more island'.
It also seems that the Others (or maybe just Ben) have figured out this fact, and are abusing or manipulating the island's 'need'. This would explain why Ben doesn't want anybody to leave, and why he talks about the "magic box". It would also explain the second island, "Alcatraz". This could be a real, physical island from where the Others can control the Island (threatening to 'kill' it), without risking its revenge.
It would also explain why Ben says in the last episode of season 3 that contacting Naomi's people is 'the beginning of the end' and why he cares so much that the Losties stay.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this theory.
Theory by cronopio
