I posted a theory last week supposing that Kate had imagined Aaron and was carrying around a baby doll. I appreciate the feedback and I think a lot of interesting observations were teased out of the comments that I received. Obviously there were a couple of holes in the theory and it has caused me to evolve the theory to better fit the fact. So here is the next go around. I look forward to your feedback.
One thing that has bothered me increasingly this season is how the off island stuff and the Darma stuff just don’t seem to hold together. The actions that go on seem to go beyond the suspended disbelief that the writers of Lost can count on from us. For example, the Darma initiative is supposed to be made up of all the great minds and yet they seem to be complete fools and pawns for the Losties. How does James become head of security? How does Juliette go from motor pool to surgeon in a day or two? How does James just sneak in 3 people without being noticed?
Off island, I am having the same problems. How is it that Kate gets off of the murder charges and all other charges just because her mother will not testify? How does Hurley get out of Jail so easily when he is being held on murder charges? Even if he was released, he certainly would have had to surrender his passport and thus be unable to board the international flight he boarded so easily under his own name. Doesn’t Sayid seem to be just a little too much of a kick ass super hero? How did Sun get enough money from an airline settlement to buy a controlling interest in her father’s company? How is it that at one point, Jacks father is still the head of surgery at the hospital, and when he states this, no one challenges this statement? Is it really that easy to steal a body from the funeral home and then get on a plane with it even though you have no relation? Doesn’t it seem a little ridiculous that these people seem to be as famous as they think they are? Le! t’s be real, how many people will recognize “Sully” Suliberg is three years. For all you people that are thinking, “Who is Sully,” you have made my point.
This brings me to theory. The only way to reconcile all of the ridiculous things that are happening is to conclude that they are not happening. These people have delusions of grandeur. I am coming to believe that the only thing that is real is Hurley’s realization that he is crazy and in an institution. I believe all of the main characters are in the same institution, they just don’t know it. Hurley is the one that moves in and out of lucidity. We know that Libby was in the institution with him, which is how she entered the group fantasy these Losties are living. We saw the entire premise of the show spelled out with the episode “Dave”. We see that Hurley is capable of having delusions that include him believing his friend Dave is real.
The Numbers
The numbers may be used for hypnotic suggestion. This was hinted by the fact that Hurley initially gets them from another patient that is constantly rattling them off. I believe Hurley’s use of the numbers to win the lottery and his search for their origins are delusions. Hurley never won the lottery. He has been institutionalized since the deck collapsed. His father never returned to the family. Hurley’s father abandonment issues are what he is working on in therapy.
I believe the orange juice is another item that is being used for hypnotic suggestion.
Medication
I believe the shots that Desmond and Claire received, the drugging of Juliette on the sub, and the magical unseen darts that knock out the Losties are all delusions manifested by the actual drugging of the patients by the medical staff.
Abandon
We have seen what Abandon is and he even told us. We are just living in the delusion and did not see it correctly. Abandon is someone that gets people where they need to be. In other words, he is an orderly at the institution. We even get a glimpse of this with Locke, but we don’t realize that Abandon is just an orderly.
Death/Release
I believe that what we may be seeing with the death of various characters is actually their release from the institution. It seems you can set your clock to it. A character resolves their past issues and comes to peace with them, next thing you know, whack they are dead. Charlie had a break through. He broke his drug habit and came to peace with himself (Greatest Hits), and then bang, he is gone. Same goes for Michael, Shannon and Eko.
Flashbacks
I believe the flashbacks are part of the therapy. They are part of the psychoanalysis process. All of these people have major issues. I think Kate was institutionalized after killing her step father; Jack went nuts when he starting thinking his wife was having an affair with his father. James has had issues ever since his dad killed his mother and himself. Locke is a loser and had a breakdown. Sayid is nuts from his stint as a torturer for the Republican Guard. They are being taken back to the past to help resolve their issues.
Different Perspectives/ Things Changing
We have seen that things change: the wound on young Ben, the conversation at the docks, the contents of a refrigerator, etc. This makes sense when you realize this is a group dilusion, so things can easily change even in the same person’s mind’s eye.
Time Travel
As we all know, time travel is not possible. These people are delusional. If time travel was possible, it certainly would not be controlled by some ancient wheel buried in the ground. All of the time travel is not real.
Richard Alpert
Richard is possibly a doctor treating the patients. This is why he has files on all the Losties. He allows himself to play along a bit with their delusion in order to help guide them to their eventual successful treatment. This would explain why Richard does not age across time, because he is real. Notice the Losties also don’t age. People that age (Ethan, Ben, etc.) are not real. The whispers are other staff.
Who is Behind all this? Well, the University of Michigan does have a psychology department.
I welcome your comments on this. However, let me be the first to say, I am completely unsatisfied with this as a direction for the show. But it is the only thing that I can come up with that can come close to tying up all the loose ends in a way that makes sense.Theory by Skipmanii
One thing that has bothered me increasingly this season is how the off island stuff and the Darma stuff just don’t seem to hold together. The actions that go on seem to go beyond the suspended disbelief that the writers of Lost can count on from us. For example, the Darma initiative is supposed to be made up of all the great minds and yet they seem to be complete fools and pawns for the Losties. How does James become head of security? How does Juliette go from motor pool to surgeon in a day or two? How does James just sneak in 3 people without being noticed?
Off island, I am having the same problems. How is it that Kate gets off of the murder charges and all other charges just because her mother will not testify? How does Hurley get out of Jail so easily when he is being held on murder charges? Even if he was released, he certainly would have had to surrender his passport and thus be unable to board the international flight he boarded so easily under his own name. Doesn’t Sayid seem to be just a little too much of a kick ass super hero? How did Sun get enough money from an airline settlement to buy a controlling interest in her father’s company? How is it that at one point, Jacks father is still the head of surgery at the hospital, and when he states this, no one challenges this statement? Is it really that easy to steal a body from the funeral home and then get on a plane with it even though you have no relation? Doesn’t it seem a little ridiculous that these people seem to be as famous as they think they are? Le! t’s be real, how many people will recognize “Sully” Suliberg is three years. For all you people that are thinking, “Who is Sully,” you have made my point.
This brings me to theory. The only way to reconcile all of the ridiculous things that are happening is to conclude that they are not happening. These people have delusions of grandeur. I am coming to believe that the only thing that is real is Hurley’s realization that he is crazy and in an institution. I believe all of the main characters are in the same institution, they just don’t know it. Hurley is the one that moves in and out of lucidity. We know that Libby was in the institution with him, which is how she entered the group fantasy these Losties are living. We saw the entire premise of the show spelled out with the episode “Dave”. We see that Hurley is capable of having delusions that include him believing his friend Dave is real.
The Numbers
The numbers may be used for hypnotic suggestion. This was hinted by the fact that Hurley initially gets them from another patient that is constantly rattling them off. I believe Hurley’s use of the numbers to win the lottery and his search for their origins are delusions. Hurley never won the lottery. He has been institutionalized since the deck collapsed. His father never returned to the family. Hurley’s father abandonment issues are what he is working on in therapy.
I believe the orange juice is another item that is being used for hypnotic suggestion.
Medication
I believe the shots that Desmond and Claire received, the drugging of Juliette on the sub, and the magical unseen darts that knock out the Losties are all delusions manifested by the actual drugging of the patients by the medical staff.
Abandon
We have seen what Abandon is and he even told us. We are just living in the delusion and did not see it correctly. Abandon is someone that gets people where they need to be. In other words, he is an orderly at the institution. We even get a glimpse of this with Locke, but we don’t realize that Abandon is just an orderly.
Death/Release
I believe that what we may be seeing with the death of various characters is actually their release from the institution. It seems you can set your clock to it. A character resolves their past issues and comes to peace with them, next thing you know, whack they are dead. Charlie had a break through. He broke his drug habit and came to peace with himself (Greatest Hits), and then bang, he is gone. Same goes for Michael, Shannon and Eko.
Flashbacks
I believe the flashbacks are part of the therapy. They are part of the psychoanalysis process. All of these people have major issues. I think Kate was institutionalized after killing her step father; Jack went nuts when he starting thinking his wife was having an affair with his father. James has had issues ever since his dad killed his mother and himself. Locke is a loser and had a breakdown. Sayid is nuts from his stint as a torturer for the Republican Guard. They are being taken back to the past to help resolve their issues.
Different Perspectives/ Things Changing
We have seen that things change: the wound on young Ben, the conversation at the docks, the contents of a refrigerator, etc. This makes sense when you realize this is a group dilusion, so things can easily change even in the same person’s mind’s eye.
Time Travel
As we all know, time travel is not possible. These people are delusional. If time travel was possible, it certainly would not be controlled by some ancient wheel buried in the ground. All of the time travel is not real.
Richard Alpert
Richard is possibly a doctor treating the patients. This is why he has files on all the Losties. He allows himself to play along a bit with their delusion in order to help guide them to their eventual successful treatment. This would explain why Richard does not age across time, because he is real. Notice the Losties also don’t age. People that age (Ethan, Ben, etc.) are not real. The whispers are other staff.
Who is Behind all this? Well, the University of Michigan does have a psychology department.
I welcome your comments on this. However, let me be the first to say, I am completely unsatisfied with this as a direction for the show. But it is the only thing that I can come up with that can come close to tying up all the loose ends in a way that makes sense.Theory by Skipmanii
