From watching Lost for 5 mind-bending seasons, I expect the unexpected. Therefore, the two lost camps of WHH and ALT are probably both wrong. The writers know what we expect, so they're going to throw yet another curveball at us.
Let's establish some givens:
-WHH is definately, mostly true. Examples being Daniel trying to change the future and getting shot by his mother OR Sayid trying to kill Ben and that event ends up being the very thing that created our favorite, writhy little sociopath.
-However, ALT is definately possible. Examples being DESMOND and his ability to receive new memories (i.e. Daniel and the hatch door) and postpone, but not prevent, the death of Charlie.
-There are some serious not-really-rumors that the producers are trying to get old characters to return for the final season. It's looking likely that Charlie, Shannon, Boon, and (hopefully, one of my favorites) Mr. Eko may return.
-Flashbacks (or flashfowards) are an integral part of the show, and this story telling device will not be abandonded during the last season.
-Finally, the season finale flashbacks, where Jacob touches each of the O6, are crucial. He passed something to them, something key for the last season.
One of the basic theme's of the show is that choice is the most important aspect of human life. However, via this time travel / mysterious island story, we are told that escaping destiny is either very hard or nigh near impossible. You can escape for a little while, but the universe will course correct and catch up to you.
With that said, here's how I think Season 6 will be structured. The O6 will not prevent the future by denonating Jughead. They will flash to the present with Flocke, dead Jacob, and everyone else. The hatch will still be built. Everything up to Jacbo's death will be preserved. A war will occur in the present over the future of the island.
However, the O6, as a result of the jughead explosion over the pocket of energy, will gain Desmond's ability of mind-time-traveling.
Season 6 will concern many of the O6 mind time traveling back to key moments of their lives off the island as well as key moments on the island, much like in the episode "The Constant". Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley, and Jin (no Sayid, Miles, or Juliette, not sure what will happen to them) will have a second chance at choosing a different action during those key moments. These different choices will not be monumental so as to totally alter the future, but they will be significant enough to alter how the present "war" plays out.
I also think that one of the choices will result in the resurrection of the real Locke. I think Jack will do something to change the future significantly, and that choice may result in Jack's death, i.e. the tragic, but uplifting series finale.
Now, before people start saying that I'm claiming a different version of ALT will occur, bear with me. Maybe the mind time-traveling O6 won't change anything. Maybe they go back to the past to gather information needed during the war. I'm just saying that their different choices and actions in the past will affect how the war plays out, but it will not change the basic history of the island. Jack will still call the boat, the island will still be moved, Locke will still die, etc.
This structure allows several things. First, the flashback story-telling that has defined the series will be preserved. The difference is that the flashbacks will have direct affect on the war in the present, which I think opens the door for some pretty interesting possibilities. Also, in this scenario, WHH and ALT are both right. The O6 won't be able to completley change the past, they will just be able to make slightly different choices that tweak things in small, but significant ways. Whatever the change, it will be smoothed out by course-correction and the basic history of the show will be unchanged.
Furthermore, this scenario allows the theme of choice to be fully explored. The writers can show us how a small difference in choice can have an affect on events in a character's life. Maybe Locke won't be so obsessive about his Father, maybe Jack will figure out a way to make amends with his father before he dies, maybe Kate won't murder her step-father, maybe Sawyer will reconcile his rage about his father killing his mother because of Locke's father (alot of father issues here)
Finally, this scenario will allow older characters to make appearances without erasing the dramatic effect of their deaths. If Jack mind time travels back to the time of Season 1, we can see Charlie and Boone without their sacrifices being erased.
I like this idea because it incorporates both ALT and WHH elements and keeps in line with the themes of the show.
Let's establish some givens:
-WHH is definately, mostly true. Examples being Daniel trying to change the future and getting shot by his mother OR Sayid trying to kill Ben and that event ends up being the very thing that created our favorite, writhy little sociopath.
-However, ALT is definately possible. Examples being DESMOND and his ability to receive new memories (i.e. Daniel and the hatch door) and postpone, but not prevent, the death of Charlie.
-There are some serious not-really-rumors that the producers are trying to get old characters to return for the final season. It's looking likely that Charlie, Shannon, Boon, and (hopefully, one of my favorites) Mr. Eko may return.
-Flashbacks (or flashfowards) are an integral part of the show, and this story telling device will not be abandonded during the last season.
-Finally, the season finale flashbacks, where Jacob touches each of the O6, are crucial. He passed something to them, something key for the last season.
One of the basic theme's of the show is that choice is the most important aspect of human life. However, via this time travel / mysterious island story, we are told that escaping destiny is either very hard or nigh near impossible. You can escape for a little while, but the universe will course correct and catch up to you.
With that said, here's how I think Season 6 will be structured. The O6 will not prevent the future by denonating Jughead. They will flash to the present with Flocke, dead Jacob, and everyone else. The hatch will still be built. Everything up to Jacbo's death will be preserved. A war will occur in the present over the future of the island.
However, the O6, as a result of the jughead explosion over the pocket of energy, will gain Desmond's ability of mind-time-traveling.
Season 6 will concern many of the O6 mind time traveling back to key moments of their lives off the island as well as key moments on the island, much like in the episode "The Constant". Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley, and Jin (no Sayid, Miles, or Juliette, not sure what will happen to them) will have a second chance at choosing a different action during those key moments. These different choices will not be monumental so as to totally alter the future, but they will be significant enough to alter how the present "war" plays out.
I also think that one of the choices will result in the resurrection of the real Locke. I think Jack will do something to change the future significantly, and that choice may result in Jack's death, i.e. the tragic, but uplifting series finale.
Now, before people start saying that I'm claiming a different version of ALT will occur, bear with me. Maybe the mind time-traveling O6 won't change anything. Maybe they go back to the past to gather information needed during the war. I'm just saying that their different choices and actions in the past will affect how the war plays out, but it will not change the basic history of the island. Jack will still call the boat, the island will still be moved, Locke will still die, etc.
This structure allows several things. First, the flashback story-telling that has defined the series will be preserved. The difference is that the flashbacks will have direct affect on the war in the present, which I think opens the door for some pretty interesting possibilities. Also, in this scenario, WHH and ALT are both right. The O6 won't be able to completley change the past, they will just be able to make slightly different choices that tweak things in small, but significant ways. Whatever the change, it will be smoothed out by course-correction and the basic history of the show will be unchanged.
Furthermore, this scenario allows the theme of choice to be fully explored. The writers can show us how a small difference in choice can have an affect on events in a character's life. Maybe Locke won't be so obsessive about his Father, maybe Jack will figure out a way to make amends with his father before he dies, maybe Kate won't murder her step-father, maybe Sawyer will reconcile his rage about his father killing his mother because of Locke's father (alot of father issues here)
Finally, this scenario will allow older characters to make appearances without erasing the dramatic effect of their deaths. If Jack mind time travels back to the time of Season 1, we can see Charlie and Boone without their sacrifices being erased.
I like this idea because it incorporates both ALT and WHH elements and keeps in line with the themes of the show.
