I am writing this theory/prediction 30 minutes before a new LOST airs, so clearly I am an idiot. But here goes:
WHH was never absolute. Desmond was always an exception, so there can be other exceptions (people) or other exception events (if caused/affected by Desmond).
ALT only can function if there is backwards time travel. Each trip back for a character (or group) can produce an alternate timeline. If ALT is possible.
What if ... WHH is true, except that within its definition (as defined by Faraday, before his "variable" epiphany) there is the Desmond factor, which can create an ALT. WHH (which I prefer) has to account for an ALT insofar as Desmond can be ALT-y.
So who can tie this all together? WHHALT. WHALT. WALT.
The producers have said (and this is NOT a spoiler) that the ending will be "satisfying." It's not a spoiler for many reasons, including the fact that no producer wants his TV show to be lame and unsatisfying.
Many people have said that *if* the original flight passengers end up walking off the plane in 1994 as if nothing has happened, that will be VERY unsatisfying. Personally, I agree, but this theory is not about me or what I like (hint: chocolate before dinner).
Season 6 may involve one or both of these scenarios, somehow instigated or mitigated by WALT:
1. The original passengers landing in 1994 in LA, *but* with their consciousnesses including memories of all that has happened. So we get our Dharma cake and eat it, too. The timeline has been changed, but they all remember what happened. (And on the Island, the result of the War is depicted.)
2. At some point, someone--maybe Ben, maybe Walt--gives everyone a choice. Either stay in THIS timeline or return to the one where you land in 1994. This show (LOST, FYI) is about CHOICES people make. So, who would make what choice? To return to the "real" world in 2007+ as everything has transpired, or to return in 1994 in an alternate timeline (with or without their memories intact). Obviously, Kate would choose the first. She doesn't want to go to jail, among other things. Locke would choose the former, too. Jack, probably would choose the latter.
If you were a character on LOST, which would you choose, if given the choice of going back to 1994 like nothing happened, or continuing on in 2007 or 2008? For Kate and Locke it's pretty obvious. For Jack... not so much. For Sawyer... maybe obvious. But what about Hurley? What would he choose to do?
The only characters I can see who could offer this choice would be Ben (if he's around) or Walt... maybe Locke, or Jacob... though the way I hear the question asked in my own head, it sounds like something for Ben, Walt, or Locke.
This opens up a whole new can of worms with alternate timelines, such as: if Jack opts for the 1994 "there never was a crash" timeline, will Kate, on the 1994 plane, even know him? Probably not. Will he be able/willing to make that sacrifice? Etc.
In any case, now it's 20 minutes until a new LOST airs, so my theory may be even more ridiculous before it's even posted here. But consider the built-in ALT-ness to WHH (via Desmond) and the whole question of what would satisfy YOU as a viewer. And think about how each character might respond if given the choice of having all of this "never happen." Sawyer already posed this question to Locke and Locke gave his answer, quite thoughtfully...
For what it's worth, I am mostly in the WHH camp, until I see proof that Faraday's original assessment was wrong. Which could be very, very soon...
WHH was never absolute. Desmond was always an exception, so there can be other exceptions (people) or other exception events (if caused/affected by Desmond).
ALT only can function if there is backwards time travel. Each trip back for a character (or group) can produce an alternate timeline. If ALT is possible.
What if ... WHH is true, except that within its definition (as defined by Faraday, before his "variable" epiphany) there is the Desmond factor, which can create an ALT. WHH (which I prefer) has to account for an ALT insofar as Desmond can be ALT-y.
So who can tie this all together? WHHALT. WHALT. WALT.
The producers have said (and this is NOT a spoiler) that the ending will be "satisfying." It's not a spoiler for many reasons, including the fact that no producer wants his TV show to be lame and unsatisfying.
Many people have said that *if* the original flight passengers end up walking off the plane in 1994 as if nothing has happened, that will be VERY unsatisfying. Personally, I agree, but this theory is not about me or what I like (hint: chocolate before dinner).
Season 6 may involve one or both of these scenarios, somehow instigated or mitigated by WALT:
1. The original passengers landing in 1994 in LA, *but* with their consciousnesses including memories of all that has happened. So we get our Dharma cake and eat it, too. The timeline has been changed, but they all remember what happened. (And on the Island, the result of the War is depicted.)
2. At some point, someone--maybe Ben, maybe Walt--gives everyone a choice. Either stay in THIS timeline or return to the one where you land in 1994. This show (LOST, FYI) is about CHOICES people make. So, who would make what choice? To return to the "real" world in 2007+ as everything has transpired, or to return in 1994 in an alternate timeline (with or without their memories intact). Obviously, Kate would choose the first. She doesn't want to go to jail, among other things. Locke would choose the former, too. Jack, probably would choose the latter.
If you were a character on LOST, which would you choose, if given the choice of going back to 1994 like nothing happened, or continuing on in 2007 or 2008? For Kate and Locke it's pretty obvious. For Jack... not so much. For Sawyer... maybe obvious. But what about Hurley? What would he choose to do?
The only characters I can see who could offer this choice would be Ben (if he's around) or Walt... maybe Locke, or Jacob... though the way I hear the question asked in my own head, it sounds like something for Ben, Walt, or Locke.
This opens up a whole new can of worms with alternate timelines, such as: if Jack opts for the 1994 "there never was a crash" timeline, will Kate, on the 1994 plane, even know him? Probably not. Will he be able/willing to make that sacrifice? Etc.
In any case, now it's 20 minutes until a new LOST airs, so my theory may be even more ridiculous before it's even posted here. But consider the built-in ALT-ness to WHH (via Desmond) and the whole question of what would satisfy YOU as a viewer. And think about how each character might respond if given the choice of having all of this "never happen." Sawyer already posed this question to Locke and Locke gave his answer, quite thoughtfully...
For what it's worth, I am mostly in the WHH camp, until I see proof that Faraday's original assessment was wrong. Which could be very, very soon...
