Does change neccesarily mean ALT/Reset? by Dale

One thing that's struck me in the raging debate amongst WHH vs ALT is that opponents of the ALT/Reset assume that a change in the current timeline will create a new timeline thus negating the first 5 seasons. I was reading "The Single Universe theory" by Marcus and he made a very valid point that IF (& that's a big if) the writers of Lost decide that Lost exists in a single infallible universe, an ALT timeline isn't possible. No matter what happens,everything is leading to one predetermined unchangeable outcome. Call it destiny, if you like.

Now before people start bashing me over the head with all sorts of theoretical physics and science about how an ALT timeline is the only logical solution to a change in the timeline, step back and rememeber this. LOST is a science FICTION TV show. Ultimately, it is the writers' decision to decide wheher ALT or WHH is the correct explanation for the purpose of telling their story. To use real world science as the basis for theorizing about a TV show that has it's own time travel rules is not theoretically sound.

Now, to the heart of the theory. I believe that if Faraday's plan (NOT Jack's plan, credit where credit is due people!!) works and 815 never crashes, the timeline will continue in a linear fashion. No splits, no tangents, no ALT timeline. Why?

Because, as the writers have been hammering into our heads for 2 years now, it is the Losties destiny to be on the island.
How many times have we heard people say "You're not supposed to do this" or "You werent supposed to leave" ?
Even if they negate the pocket of energy beneath the Swan & 815 never crashes, they will still end up there. You cannot escape your fate. Jack and co. can try as hard as they like, but I believe that no mater what happens, they will still end up on the Island.

I personally believe that Jack was wrong when he said that it was his destiny to prevent 815 from crashing. The real reason they are there is something to do with Jacob's "They're coming". I think their true destiny is tied into this "War" which has apparently begun with the murder of Jacob.

Now it's fair to say "Well if 815 never crashes, then the Losties would never have gotten to the Island in the first place, only to leave & go back, then end up back in time preventing the crash of 815." Now this is tricky from a scientific point of view. It's very messy and complicated to try and explain. It is seemingly paradoxical isnt it? How can you travel back in time and prevent a future event from happening, if that event was in fact what facilitated you travelling back in time the first place?

My answer is simple. Forget about Science for a moment. I do believe that the plan worked. 815 will land in LA & the people on board will go ahead living their lives oblivious to the fact that they have been saved from 30 years in the past. All except for the group of 815 passengers who were in 1977. I believe that they will consciousness jump from 1977 into their 2004 bodies on board 815, memories and character developments intact. Now I know a lot of people are probably tearing their hair out because this does seem to negate the first 5 seasons. But if these characters are still the same people from the season 5 finale, who have knowingly changed the future, then we the viewers have not wasted 5 years watching them grow and evolve into the characters they are now.

The fact is that one way or another, these people were going to end up on the Island to be a part of the coming War between Jacob & the MIB. Such is the nature of destiny. Even by changing history, Jack and co could not escape their fates. They were always meant to be on that Island. The point I'm trying to get at is that changing history & preventing the crash of 815 is futile. Again, you cannot escape your Destiny.

I undrstand that this theory might be hard to accept because SCIENTIFICALLY, yes it is nonsense, riddled with holes and paradoxes. But I think that Destiny/Fate or whatever you want to call it is going to dictate this final season. With the finale of Season 5 & the introduction of Jacob & his "friend", Science has gone out the window and we are now dealing with a very different beast. Watching Lost does require some suspension of disbelief for the purpose of enjoying the stroy being told. I think Season 6 is going to be very mythology heavy with lots of metaphysical ideas about life and reality coming to the fore, regarding the viewpoints of Jacob & his buddy. As Faraday put it in 5x05 (I think?):
"This is where we leave science behind"