I've been reconstructing the sequence of events between Ben moving the island and the return of (some of?) the off-island Losties. The question I'm trying to answer is: why exactly are the O6 going back to the island? My theory is that it's all a ruse by Locke.
Here's how it goes.
Off-island: The O6, Desmond and Lapidus are found by Penny, return home and live their (mostly) separate lives. Hurley wants to go back but Jack doesn't. Then 'Jeremy Bentham' appears, visits some, but not all of them. Somehow, presumably because of something Locke told him, Jack becomes a raging alcoholic, suddenly hellbent on returning to the island and crushed when Locke dies (I guess he thinks his chances of getting back to the island are now zero). He meets Ben, they team up, gather most missing Losties, hop on 316, and make it back to the island, with Locke posing as Christian Shephard. (Interesting question: if the events of the original crash were to be reconstructed as much as possible, why shouldn't Locke simply assume the role of Locke, i.e. sit in the plane, possibly paralyzed by his own hand if need be?)
On-island: The island keeps hopping through time. Locke meets Richard, who tells him he has to get everyone back and has to die to make it happen. The time jumps get dangerous, Locke turns the FDW, saves the day but leaves the island. Presumably, at the time of his departure, the remaining Losties were stuck somewhere in the Dharma period, which is where Jin is when the Losties find him.
Now here's my theory. Jack is intent on returning to the island; we don't really know why. But given his inclination to want to 'fix things', it's probably because Locke told him something terrible was going on on the island that needed fixing.
But the point is: we don't know anything more than Locke does. At the time of Locke's departure, the time hopping problem was solved and there's no reason to assume that the Losties are anything but peachy --or at least not in more danger than at any other time. Since coming back, Locke probably didn't have contact with the island (if he did he would return) so he has no idea what's going on there. It follows that whatever Locke told Jack is a lie, anything to convince Jack to organize a return trip. Why does Locke want them to return? We don't know. It all started when Locke threw a knife at Naomi to prevent them from leaving, but it was never revealed why he did that. During the time hopping, Richard reiterates the need for everyone to return, and adds that Locke has to die, but again doesn't explain why.
After Locke turns the FDW, he is no doubt consumed by a huge desire to get back to the island, his paradise. He'll pay any price to get there, including death. After all, with him taking Christian Shephard's place, he'll be walking around on the island just like that Christian Shephard. Is Christian a ghost, Jacob's replacement, or simply alive on the island? We don't really know, but Locke would probably settle for any of these three options if it meant being on the island.
In short, my theory is that, no matter how much we viewers like it, the return of the O6 to the island is a bad thing, and Locke pulled a Ben on Jack and the others for his own selfish reasons.
Bonus mini-theory: when Locke 'flashed off' the island, the only person he could turn to to help him get back was probably... Charles Widmore.Theory by zeptimius
Here's how it goes.
Off-island: The O6, Desmond and Lapidus are found by Penny, return home and live their (mostly) separate lives. Hurley wants to go back but Jack doesn't. Then 'Jeremy Bentham' appears, visits some, but not all of them. Somehow, presumably because of something Locke told him, Jack becomes a raging alcoholic, suddenly hellbent on returning to the island and crushed when Locke dies (I guess he thinks his chances of getting back to the island are now zero). He meets Ben, they team up, gather most missing Losties, hop on 316, and make it back to the island, with Locke posing as Christian Shephard. (Interesting question: if the events of the original crash were to be reconstructed as much as possible, why shouldn't Locke simply assume the role of Locke, i.e. sit in the plane, possibly paralyzed by his own hand if need be?)
On-island: The island keeps hopping through time. Locke meets Richard, who tells him he has to get everyone back and has to die to make it happen. The time jumps get dangerous, Locke turns the FDW, saves the day but leaves the island. Presumably, at the time of his departure, the remaining Losties were stuck somewhere in the Dharma period, which is where Jin is when the Losties find him.
Now here's my theory. Jack is intent on returning to the island; we don't really know why. But given his inclination to want to 'fix things', it's probably because Locke told him something terrible was going on on the island that needed fixing.
But the point is: we don't know anything more than Locke does. At the time of Locke's departure, the time hopping problem was solved and there's no reason to assume that the Losties are anything but peachy --or at least not in more danger than at any other time. Since coming back, Locke probably didn't have contact with the island (if he did he would return) so he has no idea what's going on there. It follows that whatever Locke told Jack is a lie, anything to convince Jack to organize a return trip. Why does Locke want them to return? We don't know. It all started when Locke threw a knife at Naomi to prevent them from leaving, but it was never revealed why he did that. During the time hopping, Richard reiterates the need for everyone to return, and adds that Locke has to die, but again doesn't explain why.
After Locke turns the FDW, he is no doubt consumed by a huge desire to get back to the island, his paradise. He'll pay any price to get there, including death. After all, with him taking Christian Shephard's place, he'll be walking around on the island just like that Christian Shephard. Is Christian a ghost, Jacob's replacement, or simply alive on the island? We don't really know, but Locke would probably settle for any of these three options if it meant being on the island.
In short, my theory is that, no matter how much we viewers like it, the return of the O6 to the island is a bad thing, and Locke pulled a Ben on Jack and the others for his own selfish reasons.
Bonus mini-theory: when Locke 'flashed off' the island, the only person he could turn to to help him get back was probably... Charles Widmore.Theory by zeptimius
