I've posted a similar theory about this before so it may sound familiar at first. But I've taken it much further by explaining how Desmond will attempt to save Penny including an explanation of how Naomi came into possession of the infamously confusing Desmond & Penny photo taken just before Desmond broke her heart.
As many have already suspected, Ben's loose end that he needed to take care of before heading back to the island was to kill Penny. We know Ben expressed his intent to do so when he spoke with Widmore. We know he had not done it yet because we recently saw Penny alive and well. We can assume that Ben knows Penny is nearby because Desmond is in town. And lastly, we know by Ben's injuries that whatever Ben did that evening involved violence. The evidence strongly suggests that Ben went to kill Penny. The first part of this theory will explain why I believe he was successful.
Judging by Ben's conversation with Widmore, we've been led to believe Ben wanted to kill Penny as revenge for the death of Alex. But I think the pleasure of vengeance is incidental. Ben is more pragmatic than that. Penny's murder is Ben's way of manipulating Desmond to go back to the island.
Desmond knows that he experienced consciousness time jumps and he's beginning to suspect that he has the unique ability to change the past in order to alter the future. This suspicion began after what Faraday told him outside the Swan in Desmond's recently uncovered "memory". But as Desmond is struggling to understand what's going on, Ben already has this figured out. I'm sure everyone remembers Ben's famous words after witnessing Alex's execution, 'He changed the rules.' Later we learn that Ben specifically blames Widmore for Alex's death. But as far as we know, Desmond is the only person who can change the rules. So the popular interpretation of this is that Ben believes Widmore used Desmond to change the rules since Widmore is arguably the one who manipulated Desmond into reaching the island in the first place. Widmore supposedly accomplished this task similar to the way that Widmore sent Henry Gale to the island. (NOTE: Whether or not you believe Widmore intenti! onally sent Desmond to the island is irrelevant. The point is that Ben believes this and holds Widmore responsible for Alex's death.) Now Ben is going to use Desmond to change the rules again.
When Desmond left the magnetic radius of the island in "The Constant", his consciousness began jumping. Because Desmond is absolved of 'the rules', he is presumably able affect space-time. For example, he established contact with Faraday during his time jumping which left Daniel with a notebook entry about using Desmond as a constant. (ANOTHER NOTE: I'm not entirely convinced Desmond can change the past. The point is that Desmond and Ben think Desmond has this ability.)
After Penny is killed, Desmond will do anything to try to change the past and prevent her death from happening. To do this, he will return to the island. Ms. Hawking will be more than willing to help him find the island since she knows how important it is to recreate the past, which is why she'll show him how to arrive via boat just like he arrived the first time. Re-entering the island's magnetic radius will cause Desmond to consciousness time jump again because he won't have his constant to anchor him. She's dead. Now Desmond has his chance to change things.
Since the current narrative trend for Lost seems to be showing how events of the past shaped the future, the second part of my theory will explain how this concept will apply to Desmond's story.
Ben will give Desmond a specific plan to alter the past in order to save Penny that will also benefit Ben himself. But since Desmond doesn't trust Ben, Desmond will turn to someone else who he knows will act in Penny's best interest: Daddy Widmore. Widmore expressed to Desmond many times how important Penny's safety is to him. Desmond will approach Widmore during one of his consciousness time jumps and help Widmore arrange a freighter of mercenaries to capture Ben. This will explain how Naomi acquired the picture of Desmond and Penny. Desmond gave it Widmore to give to her. They will tell Naomi to pretend that the freighter was sent by Penny because at that time when Desmond is on the island, Desmond won't trust Widmore because he won't know that he and Widmore become allies in the future (which is actually the past for Desmond). This also explains why Widmore placed the blame of Alex's death back on Ben. Ben killing Penny in the future is what caused Desmond to arr! ange for the freighter to go to the island which led to Alex's death. Theory by timeisrelative
As many have already suspected, Ben's loose end that he needed to take care of before heading back to the island was to kill Penny. We know Ben expressed his intent to do so when he spoke with Widmore. We know he had not done it yet because we recently saw Penny alive and well. We can assume that Ben knows Penny is nearby because Desmond is in town. And lastly, we know by Ben's injuries that whatever Ben did that evening involved violence. The evidence strongly suggests that Ben went to kill Penny. The first part of this theory will explain why I believe he was successful.
Judging by Ben's conversation with Widmore, we've been led to believe Ben wanted to kill Penny as revenge for the death of Alex. But I think the pleasure of vengeance is incidental. Ben is more pragmatic than that. Penny's murder is Ben's way of manipulating Desmond to go back to the island.
Desmond knows that he experienced consciousness time jumps and he's beginning to suspect that he has the unique ability to change the past in order to alter the future. This suspicion began after what Faraday told him outside the Swan in Desmond's recently uncovered "memory". But as Desmond is struggling to understand what's going on, Ben already has this figured out. I'm sure everyone remembers Ben's famous words after witnessing Alex's execution, 'He changed the rules.' Later we learn that Ben specifically blames Widmore for Alex's death. But as far as we know, Desmond is the only person who can change the rules. So the popular interpretation of this is that Ben believes Widmore used Desmond to change the rules since Widmore is arguably the one who manipulated Desmond into reaching the island in the first place. Widmore supposedly accomplished this task similar to the way that Widmore sent Henry Gale to the island. (NOTE: Whether or not you believe Widmore intenti! onally sent Desmond to the island is irrelevant. The point is that Ben believes this and holds Widmore responsible for Alex's death.) Now Ben is going to use Desmond to change the rules again.
When Desmond left the magnetic radius of the island in "The Constant", his consciousness began jumping. Because Desmond is absolved of 'the rules', he is presumably able affect space-time. For example, he established contact with Faraday during his time jumping which left Daniel with a notebook entry about using Desmond as a constant. (ANOTHER NOTE: I'm not entirely convinced Desmond can change the past. The point is that Desmond and Ben think Desmond has this ability.)
After Penny is killed, Desmond will do anything to try to change the past and prevent her death from happening. To do this, he will return to the island. Ms. Hawking will be more than willing to help him find the island since she knows how important it is to recreate the past, which is why she'll show him how to arrive via boat just like he arrived the first time. Re-entering the island's magnetic radius will cause Desmond to consciousness time jump again because he won't have his constant to anchor him. She's dead. Now Desmond has his chance to change things.
Since the current narrative trend for Lost seems to be showing how events of the past shaped the future, the second part of my theory will explain how this concept will apply to Desmond's story.
Ben will give Desmond a specific plan to alter the past in order to save Penny that will also benefit Ben himself. But since Desmond doesn't trust Ben, Desmond will turn to someone else who he knows will act in Penny's best interest: Daddy Widmore. Widmore expressed to Desmond many times how important Penny's safety is to him. Desmond will approach Widmore during one of his consciousness time jumps and help Widmore arrange a freighter of mercenaries to capture Ben. This will explain how Naomi acquired the picture of Desmond and Penny. Desmond gave it Widmore to give to her. They will tell Naomi to pretend that the freighter was sent by Penny because at that time when Desmond is on the island, Desmond won't trust Widmore because he won't know that he and Widmore become allies in the future (which is actually the past for Desmond). This also explains why Widmore placed the blame of Alex's death back on Ben. Ben killing Penny in the future is what caused Desmond to arr! ange for the freighter to go to the island which led to Alex's death. Theory by timeisrelative
