The items which seem to exist only within the time loop, such as the compass and Faraday's journal, have been the subject of much discussion here, but everyone seems to agree that they are essential for the perpetuation of the loop.
The compass (passing from Richard to the wounded Locke, who takes it back in time to the 50's and hands it back to Richard, who keeps it until 2007 and then hands it back to the wounded Locke, who takes it back in time.. well, you get the idea) is essential in establishing Locke's credential's to the Others as their next leader.
Faraday's journal is even more important. As it passes back and forth in successive loops between Elie and Faraday, it acts as a time capsule, capturing critical information which allows Faraday to perform his consciousness time travel experiments.
Unless it is simply a production continuity error, this time through, Elie doesn't have the journal.
Jack does.
Reviewing the Incident, Pt 1, after Sayid completes removing the core from Jughead, Jack asks if he is done with Faraday's journal. At this time, Elie is sitting on a stone nearby with her hands folded in her lap. Sayid responds that he is and Jack picks up the journal and walks back to where his workbag is lying on the ground. The camera pans to an awkward overhead shot and Jack is briefly out of the scene, but comes immediately back in just as he is kneeling in front of his workbag, putting something in it and picking it up. Elie is still in the same position, hands folded neatly in front of her, unmoving.
Jack never gave the journal back to Elie. When Richard knocks her out and carries her away later at the tunnel entrance to the Dharma compound, she still has not been given the journal, at least not on camera. Jack has it in his workbag.
Whatever has happened at the hatch - whether Jughead has detonated and vaporized everyone or the EM pulse launches Jack and the Losties back to the future - the journal is going along for the ride.
If so, and the Incident results in a time reset, the 2007 island may be the island as it exists in the "next" timeloop, one in which the journal was never passed back from Elie to Faraday and so may be the last loop.
The compass (passing from Richard to the wounded Locke, who takes it back in time to the 50's and hands it back to Richard, who keeps it until 2007 and then hands it back to the wounded Locke, who takes it back in time.. well, you get the idea) is essential in establishing Locke's credential's to the Others as their next leader.
Faraday's journal is even more important. As it passes back and forth in successive loops between Elie and Faraday, it acts as a time capsule, capturing critical information which allows Faraday to perform his consciousness time travel experiments.
Unless it is simply a production continuity error, this time through, Elie doesn't have the journal.
Jack does.
Reviewing the Incident, Pt 1, after Sayid completes removing the core from Jughead, Jack asks if he is done with Faraday's journal. At this time, Elie is sitting on a stone nearby with her hands folded in her lap. Sayid responds that he is and Jack picks up the journal and walks back to where his workbag is lying on the ground. The camera pans to an awkward overhead shot and Jack is briefly out of the scene, but comes immediately back in just as he is kneeling in front of his workbag, putting something in it and picking it up. Elie is still in the same position, hands folded neatly in front of her, unmoving.
Jack never gave the journal back to Elie. When Richard knocks her out and carries her away later at the tunnel entrance to the Dharma compound, she still has not been given the journal, at least not on camera. Jack has it in his workbag.
Whatever has happened at the hatch - whether Jughead has detonated and vaporized everyone or the EM pulse launches Jack and the Losties back to the future - the journal is going along for the ride.
If so, and the Incident results in a time reset, the 2007 island may be the island as it exists in the "next" timeloop, one in which the journal was never passed back from Elie to Faraday and so may be the last loop.
