I guess I would consider myself to be in the "whatever happened, happened" camp, though not firmly there and only there because, at this point, that is what the show has "told" me. However, remember that, according to what we've seen on the show, Desmond DID change the outcome of things, and maybe in a very drastic way. If indeed Charlie was supposed to die, as it seemed he was since the things Desmond saw in his "visions" did actually happen (just not "to" Charlie), he kept Charlie from dying until Charlie could unjam the signal which brought in the freighter etc. Had he just let Charlie die, none of that would have happened. (Who else could have unjammed the underwater signal? Who else would have known how to punch in a musical code? None of the losties besides Charlie.)
So in a way, *everything* happening now is a result of that. So even if Desmond is the only one who can change things, due to being "special," everything that followed his turning the failsafe key and having visions was a result of a change by him - no saving Charlie, no calling the freighter, no getting rescued, no needing to move the Island, no needing to have the time jumps, no going back to the 70s, etc. It ALL happened because of Desmond.
Perhaps we could say that Desmond was always destined to save Charlie and it all happened the way it should have. Maybe. But the show seems to be telling us differently, at least at the moment. So if Desmond can change things, perhaps the losties actions can affect the past - not because they themselves are "exempt" from any time travel rules, but because Desmond, who may be able to change things, set things in motion himself and the ripple effect is our castaways going back to the past - they wouldn't be in the 70s without Desmond, right?
This may be a bit of a stretch, and as I said, I am at the moment of the belief that what is happening now is what has always happened, but if we are to believe that Desmond is somehow special, I guess my question is - have his actions already started timeline changes? Theory by Nick
So in a way, *everything* happening now is a result of that. So even if Desmond is the only one who can change things, due to being "special," everything that followed his turning the failsafe key and having visions was a result of a change by him - no saving Charlie, no calling the freighter, no getting rescued, no needing to move the Island, no needing to have the time jumps, no going back to the 70s, etc. It ALL happened because of Desmond.
Perhaps we could say that Desmond was always destined to save Charlie and it all happened the way it should have. Maybe. But the show seems to be telling us differently, at least at the moment. So if Desmond can change things, perhaps the losties actions can affect the past - not because they themselves are "exempt" from any time travel rules, but because Desmond, who may be able to change things, set things in motion himself and the ripple effect is our castaways going back to the past - they wouldn't be in the 70s without Desmond, right?
This may be a bit of a stretch, and as I said, I am at the moment of the belief that what is happening now is what has always happened, but if we are to believe that Desmond is somehow special, I guess my question is - have his actions already started timeline changes? Theory by Nick
