Just like my other Theory, "Dharma's/Earth's Black Hole", I am not going to claim this a complete answer to things, or that I have not heard similar theories or these types of questions asked already, but only that this is my opinion and why.
Assuming we have now all seen "Meet Kevin Johnson", and if we take everything that we are presented at face value, we are now supposed to believe, that if you've been to the Island and have left, that if the "Island" still needs or wants you, you can not kill yourself, no matter how many times you try.
At least that's what Tom AKA "Mr. Friendly" told Michael in this episode, but lets remember this is "LOST" we are talking about. We are never supposed to take "everything" and I stress the word "everything", because some things we are supposed to interpret at face value, but unless you've only started watching/following/obsessing over this show only recently, we already all know that we are not supposed to accept everything as we see it. If that was "LOST", there wouldn't be as many insane fans like us around the world as the show currently can claim and I or anyone for that matter, wouldn't be posting a "Theory" to begin with.
So assuming that something else might be in play in the attempted suicide scenes, I have discerned what I think is actually going on.
First to start things off, I believe Tom is flat out lying to Michael and doing so for a reason. Tom came to New York for two reasons, first to prevent Michael's suicide,(which I will explain) and second, to send him on his mission on the freighter for Ben.
To begin, my line of thinking can lead to multiple theories so I will try to not go too far from where this is going but it's repercussions can be endless speculation and theorizing so I will only try to explain this one aspect, but I encourage and invite any and all questions or objections this proposes.
First off, I believe and many have surmised, that Ben must possess some ability similar to that of Desmond David Hume, it may be a similar time travel/precognitive ability or maybe even much more developed and refined. Not to "go there", but how many "Star Wars" comments from Sawyer do we need to hear, not to already know that CUSE/LINDELOF are not just well read, but are also big fans of the ultimate of all Galaxies far,far away. That's why Sawyer's "Yoda" reference was so poignant.
But Sawyer has been wrong before and at this point in the story I don't know if maybe "Emperor Palpatine" or "Anakin Skywalker" might have been more accurate.
So, putting the Star War references aside, lets assume Ben has the same "abilities" of time travel foresight that Desmond has, or even much more so, and is trying to "alter" or "un-course correct" events from happening or making them happen for motivations that have not yet been revealed. Heck, at this point in the story, everything can be twisted and we don't know who the "Good Guys" are one way or another. In the end scheme of things, maybe Ben will be revealed to be doing something for a "greater good", or he is truly is a monster dictator playing chess with peoples lives, who knows.
But we will eventually find that, and many more answers out, that I know, but I don't think that will be truly revealed for some time. But if he does have time travel/precog abilities, and I think we have been told/confirmed by CUSE/LINDELOF that the rules governing these abilities that Ms. Hawking spoke about in "Flashes Before your eyes" do in fact apply, That the "universe has a way of course correcting" and you "can not change the future", let us assume Ben already knows this much more so than Desmond, and Ben isn't necessarily trying to alter the future, but using his foresighted knowledge, to delay them for some purpose of his own device.
So if you believe this to be the case, and Ben already knows that no matter what anyone does, Michael is going to eventually succeed in taking his own life, what if he sends Tom to stop(or delay) Michael from doing so, long enough to accomplish a task for Ben on that freighter. This technically would not be any different than Desmond trying to keep Charlie Pace from his fate, except maybe Desmond's motivations for trying to keep Charlie alive were benevolent as opposed to Ben's deliberate actions. The possibility still remains that Desmond can be revealed to actually be "bad" and just kept Charlie alive long enough to allow contact with Penny or Charles Widmore. I personally hope that is not the case, because I believe "Des" is a "good" guy and I don't think he intended the results of his actions. Remember, at the last moment he tried to stop Charlie from diving down, but was knocked out by Charlie who accepted his fate. But either way, these two situations (Charlie/Desmond) (Ben/Michael) could be the same, with the exception being that Ben knows EXACTLY what he is doing and using this knowledge/ability to accomplish specific missions or tasks.
If you also come to this conclusion, this then leaves the following questions,
Is there any indicators or proof this may be the case?
What exactly does this mean or how does this end for Michael?
What gave me these clues in "Meet Kevin Johnson" were the following:
First Michael attempts to kill himself by driving his car into a stationary object, he does not die but also does not walk away either, he does in fact gets injured he just does not succeed in his suicide attempt. At this point, you can still believe that the "Island" is keeping Michael alive, but I think it's just a coincidence.
He recovers from his injuries, then goes to the pawn shop and sells "Jin's" watch for "a gun and some bullets".
What happens next is what I think is significant, and I think the clue was given to us. Tom just happens to stroll up at the exact point in time that Michael is going to attempt his second suicide, now armed with a loaded firearm (a much more likely successful method of suicide).
It's also what Tom says that's important, he asks "Sir, do you have the time?" I took from that, that Tom already knew/knows that Michael can't tell him the time, because he knows he just pawned Jin's watch for that gun and Tom is either the best of detectives or someone (Ben) seen these actions ahead of time and had Tom confront Michael at that exact point in time.
We know that the gun is real and it is in fact loaded, because they get into a confrontation and we all heard the gun go bang! (important point to remember!). This is where I believe Ben uses Tom as a means of intervention and holds off the universe from taking Michael from this world. All the psychobabble and talk about the "Island" you can believe if you want to, but I'm not falling for it. Maybe it's because of the next time we see Michael with that gun.
This is where "Lost" either made a few production errors, but I don't really think so. We know they are artfully good at details and this is far too an intelligent show to make such a huge error. Maybe this might happen on "Walker Texas Ranger", but not on "Lost". Now this gets technical and you don't have to be a "Gun" person but I am, and the type of gun Michael bought in the pawn shop is a snubbed .357 Magnum Smith & Wesson model 19 (or if it was in stainless and not nickel finished, a S&W Model 66) it doesn't really matter because both the S&W model 19/66 are the same gun just one was made in stainless steel but both shared the same features. The important feature to note of on the S&W model 19/66, was that it had a fixed firing pin on the hammer and that Smith and Wesson stopped production of this model as well as the model 66 and all newer/modern production revolvers from Smith & Wesson are now made without a firing pin on the hammer but instead, an internal firing pin with the use of a transfer bar safety. The S&W model 19, is a very sought out and popular revolver for this very reason, as most S&W enthusiasts heck, most revolver enthusiasts don't like the newer production revolvers for this very reason, because when they took off the firing pin from the hammer and replaced all new models with the transfer bar safety, it might have made the gun a little safer, but it changed what was considered a very,very smooth trigger pull. When we next see the hammer on that gun get pulled back in his apartment, the firing pin is clearly missing. (Sorry, but I don't have a screencap for it, but watch that scene again and you will notice that the firing pin is not there.
The next error, would be this.
When Michael fired the gun, Tom disarmed him momentarily but eventually gave him back the gun and said basically "go ahead and try" or something to that effect. The next time we see Michael with the gun, he's back in his apartment, he tries to shoot himself but the gun does not fire and he opens up the cylinder and here is either a clue or another error.
Now we know he's already fired the gun once in the alley right? That means that when they showed this scene, of the loaded cylinder, if one round had been fired, you would see the imprint from the firing pin left on the primer in the center of the round. So, they either made a mistake, by not showing the fired case in the cylinder, or they are leaving us this clue on purpose, because clearly that cylinder is fully loaded and it would appear that no round has been fired.
So what I am suggesting, is that during the scuffle, Tom disarmed Michael of the functioning gun, but gave him back a different one. One that had the firing pin removed from the hammer. I know there will be someone who will say, "but it's probably just an error", then why show us this much in the first place. They went through the trouble of showing him check the cylinder to see if it was still loaded, if they weren't leaving this clue, then why show it in the first place?
I know this isn't 100% confirmation of my theory, but hey, that's why they are called theories in the first place. I'm sure in time they will reveal this in some future episode, I just have a gut feeling on this one and because of the gun errors and the conversations and the specific words that were used during these scenes.
I do believe Tom when he said to Michael, "did the bullet just bounce off your scull or did the gun just jam on ya?" But when I was watching these scenes, I could almost close my eyes and imagine Ben saying every word to Michael, only he's saying them through Tom.
So if I'm right where does all this end? What does preventing Michael's suicide do?
It leads to Michael going to work for Ben, one more time aboard that freighter, and completing for Ben his mission and if Ms. Hawking is correct about the universe course correcting? Then that would explain and make complete sense, of who is in this coffin and why.
Because no matter what anyone is capable of doing, such as people with an ability like Ben or Desmond, Michael was going to end up taking his own life sooner or later.
I guess we'll have to wait and see, but this is my theory and I'm sticking to it.
Sawyer Hawking
Theory by Sawyer Hawking
Assuming we have now all seen "Meet Kevin Johnson", and if we take everything that we are presented at face value, we are now supposed to believe, that if you've been to the Island and have left, that if the "Island" still needs or wants you, you can not kill yourself, no matter how many times you try.
At least that's what Tom AKA "Mr. Friendly" told Michael in this episode, but lets remember this is "LOST" we are talking about. We are never supposed to take "everything" and I stress the word "everything", because some things we are supposed to interpret at face value, but unless you've only started watching/following/obsessing over this show only recently, we already all know that we are not supposed to accept everything as we see it. If that was "LOST", there wouldn't be as many insane fans like us around the world as the show currently can claim and I or anyone for that matter, wouldn't be posting a "Theory" to begin with.
So assuming that something else might be in play in the attempted suicide scenes, I have discerned what I think is actually going on.
First to start things off, I believe Tom is flat out lying to Michael and doing so for a reason. Tom came to New York for two reasons, first to prevent Michael's suicide,(which I will explain) and second, to send him on his mission on the freighter for Ben.
To begin, my line of thinking can lead to multiple theories so I will try to not go too far from where this is going but it's repercussions can be endless speculation and theorizing so I will only try to explain this one aspect, but I encourage and invite any and all questions or objections this proposes.
First off, I believe and many have surmised, that Ben must possess some ability similar to that of Desmond David Hume, it may be a similar time travel/precognitive ability or maybe even much more developed and refined. Not to "go there", but how many "Star Wars" comments from Sawyer do we need to hear, not to already know that CUSE/LINDELOF are not just well read, but are also big fans of the ultimate of all Galaxies far,far away. That's why Sawyer's "Yoda" reference was so poignant.
But Sawyer has been wrong before and at this point in the story I don't know if maybe "Emperor Palpatine" or "Anakin Skywalker" might have been more accurate.
So, putting the Star War references aside, lets assume Ben has the same "abilities" of time travel foresight that Desmond has, or even much more so, and is trying to "alter" or "un-course correct" events from happening or making them happen for motivations that have not yet been revealed. Heck, at this point in the story, everything can be twisted and we don't know who the "Good Guys" are one way or another. In the end scheme of things, maybe Ben will be revealed to be doing something for a "greater good", or he is truly is a monster dictator playing chess with peoples lives, who knows.
But we will eventually find that, and many more answers out, that I know, but I don't think that will be truly revealed for some time. But if he does have time travel/precog abilities, and I think we have been told/confirmed by CUSE/LINDELOF that the rules governing these abilities that Ms. Hawking spoke about in "Flashes Before your eyes" do in fact apply, That the "universe has a way of course correcting" and you "can not change the future", let us assume Ben already knows this much more so than Desmond, and Ben isn't necessarily trying to alter the future, but using his foresighted knowledge, to delay them for some purpose of his own device.
So if you believe this to be the case, and Ben already knows that no matter what anyone does, Michael is going to eventually succeed in taking his own life, what if he sends Tom to stop(or delay) Michael from doing so, long enough to accomplish a task for Ben on that freighter. This technically would not be any different than Desmond trying to keep Charlie Pace from his fate, except maybe Desmond's motivations for trying to keep Charlie alive were benevolent as opposed to Ben's deliberate actions. The possibility still remains that Desmond can be revealed to actually be "bad" and just kept Charlie alive long enough to allow contact with Penny or Charles Widmore. I personally hope that is not the case, because I believe "Des" is a "good" guy and I don't think he intended the results of his actions. Remember, at the last moment he tried to stop Charlie from diving down, but was knocked out by Charlie who accepted his fate. But either way, these two situations (Charlie/Desmond) (Ben/Michael) could be the same, with the exception being that Ben knows EXACTLY what he is doing and using this knowledge/ability to accomplish specific missions or tasks.
If you also come to this conclusion, this then leaves the following questions,
Is there any indicators or proof this may be the case?
What exactly does this mean or how does this end for Michael?
What gave me these clues in "Meet Kevin Johnson" were the following:
First Michael attempts to kill himself by driving his car into a stationary object, he does not die but also does not walk away either, he does in fact gets injured he just does not succeed in his suicide attempt. At this point, you can still believe that the "Island" is keeping Michael alive, but I think it's just a coincidence.
He recovers from his injuries, then goes to the pawn shop and sells "Jin's" watch for "a gun and some bullets".
What happens next is what I think is significant, and I think the clue was given to us. Tom just happens to stroll up at the exact point in time that Michael is going to attempt his second suicide, now armed with a loaded firearm (a much more likely successful method of suicide).
It's also what Tom says that's important, he asks "Sir, do you have the time?" I took from that, that Tom already knew/knows that Michael can't tell him the time, because he knows he just pawned Jin's watch for that gun and Tom is either the best of detectives or someone (Ben) seen these actions ahead of time and had Tom confront Michael at that exact point in time.
We know that the gun is real and it is in fact loaded, because they get into a confrontation and we all heard the gun go bang! (important point to remember!). This is where I believe Ben uses Tom as a means of intervention and holds off the universe from taking Michael from this world. All the psychobabble and talk about the "Island" you can believe if you want to, but I'm not falling for it. Maybe it's because of the next time we see Michael with that gun.
This is where "Lost" either made a few production errors, but I don't really think so. We know they are artfully good at details and this is far too an intelligent show to make such a huge error. Maybe this might happen on "Walker Texas Ranger", but not on "Lost". Now this gets technical and you don't have to be a "Gun" person but I am, and the type of gun Michael bought in the pawn shop is a snubbed .357 Magnum Smith & Wesson model 19 (or if it was in stainless and not nickel finished, a S&W Model 66) it doesn't really matter because both the S&W model 19/66 are the same gun just one was made in stainless steel but both shared the same features. The important feature to note of on the S&W model 19/66, was that it had a fixed firing pin on the hammer and that Smith and Wesson stopped production of this model as well as the model 66 and all newer/modern production revolvers from Smith & Wesson are now made without a firing pin on the hammer but instead, an internal firing pin with the use of a transfer bar safety. The S&W model 19, is a very sought out and popular revolver for this very reason, as most S&W enthusiasts heck, most revolver enthusiasts don't like the newer production revolvers for this very reason, because when they took off the firing pin from the hammer and replaced all new models with the transfer bar safety, it might have made the gun a little safer, but it changed what was considered a very,very smooth trigger pull. When we next see the hammer on that gun get pulled back in his apartment, the firing pin is clearly missing. (Sorry, but I don't have a screencap for it, but watch that scene again and you will notice that the firing pin is not there.
The next error, would be this.
When Michael fired the gun, Tom disarmed him momentarily but eventually gave him back the gun and said basically "go ahead and try" or something to that effect. The next time we see Michael with the gun, he's back in his apartment, he tries to shoot himself but the gun does not fire and he opens up the cylinder and here is either a clue or another error.
Now we know he's already fired the gun once in the alley right? That means that when they showed this scene, of the loaded cylinder, if one round had been fired, you would see the imprint from the firing pin left on the primer in the center of the round. So, they either made a mistake, by not showing the fired case in the cylinder, or they are leaving us this clue on purpose, because clearly that cylinder is fully loaded and it would appear that no round has been fired.
So what I am suggesting, is that during the scuffle, Tom disarmed Michael of the functioning gun, but gave him back a different one. One that had the firing pin removed from the hammer. I know there will be someone who will say, "but it's probably just an error", then why show us this much in the first place. They went through the trouble of showing him check the cylinder to see if it was still loaded, if they weren't leaving this clue, then why show it in the first place?
I know this isn't 100% confirmation of my theory, but hey, that's why they are called theories in the first place. I'm sure in time they will reveal this in some future episode, I just have a gut feeling on this one and because of the gun errors and the conversations and the specific words that were used during these scenes.
I do believe Tom when he said to Michael, "did the bullet just bounce off your scull or did the gun just jam on ya?" But when I was watching these scenes, I could almost close my eyes and imagine Ben saying every word to Michael, only he's saying them through Tom.
So if I'm right where does all this end? What does preventing Michael's suicide do?
It leads to Michael going to work for Ben, one more time aboard that freighter, and completing for Ben his mission and if Ms. Hawking is correct about the universe course correcting? Then that would explain and make complete sense, of who is in this coffin and why.
Because no matter what anyone is capable of doing, such as people with an ability like Ben or Desmond, Michael was going to end up taking his own life sooner or later.
I guess we'll have to wait and see, but this is my theory and I'm sticking to it.
Sawyer Hawking
Theory by Sawyer Hawking
