Like many of us, I spent this two week hiatus over-analyzing every darned plot point in LOST. This theory is in regards to the conversation between Ben and Charles from "The Shape of Things to Come." Mainly, the distinction made by Ben that he in fact cannot kill Charles upon paying his midnight visit.
Imagine what we will be seeing in the next 4 episodes. Mostly on-island stories, split between Dharma Time and Present Time. Now, consider that we know a Young Ben is a member of the Dharma Initiative, and has been in contact with Mr. Alpert and presumably, the others. I predict we will see this Young Ben in contact with one of our Losties as well, and somehow gaining knowledge that he returns to the island in the future, and that Charles Widmore will still be alive. If he does learn this, consider also that he has met and grows up with Charles as a disciple of Mr. Alpert. After their eventual falling out (and Ben tricking Widmore on a one-way FDW trip off the island), I bet Ben realizes that no matter what, he will see Charles again. Furthermore, he and Charles both know, from their memories of their pasts on the island, that in 2008 they will both be making their attempt to re-capture the island, via Ajira 316. And as such, when Ben visits Charles in 2005 at his bedside, h! e tells him "We both know I can't kill you." Why? Because there are rules, and what happened, happened. Ben and Widmore both know they make it to 2008, and if either of them attempted to kill each other, the universe would course-correct, and it would be averted. The gun would jam. Theory by In Locke We Trust
Imagine what we will be seeing in the next 4 episodes. Mostly on-island stories, split between Dharma Time and Present Time. Now, consider that we know a Young Ben is a member of the Dharma Initiative, and has been in contact with Mr. Alpert and presumably, the others. I predict we will see this Young Ben in contact with one of our Losties as well, and somehow gaining knowledge that he returns to the island in the future, and that Charles Widmore will still be alive. If he does learn this, consider also that he has met and grows up with Charles as a disciple of Mr. Alpert. After their eventual falling out (and Ben tricking Widmore on a one-way FDW trip off the island), I bet Ben realizes that no matter what, he will see Charles again. Furthermore, he and Charles both know, from their memories of their pasts on the island, that in 2008 they will both be making their attempt to re-capture the island, via Ajira 316. And as such, when Ben visits Charles in 2005 at his bedside, h! e tells him "We both know I can't kill you." Why? Because there are rules, and what happened, happened. Ben and Widmore both know they make it to 2008, and if either of them attempted to kill each other, the universe would course-correct, and it would be averted. The gun would jam. Theory by In Locke We Trust
