The Constant is the key to the new side/flash by Rufus77

I think that what is going to happen with the new/alt timeline is exactly what happened with Desmond in the constant. At some point in the season they are going to hit a trigger like Desmond 1996 mind talking to Penny in 2004 on the phone on the boat. Desmond 2004 mind came back and he was then aware of all of those memories in 2004 and afterwards remembered Sayid.

It is the main characters destiny/fate to be on the island to in 2007 and this is what the new side-flashes are showing how they got to the island in 2007 to be doing what they are doing. This also gets them around erasing all 5 seasons of the show because they will all still exsist for everyone who we care about the 815 survivors and a few others.

The new flash-sideways are going to result in the 815 getting to the island in 2007. At some point they are going to have knowledge of everything that has happened in the new sideflashes which are essentially telling the story of how they got to where they are at in 2007 if the bomb went off. But both story lines will be real for the survivors when it comes together for them

Yes I know the island is on the bottom of the ocean. I think the island will rise and dry out. My guess is the island will rise on December 26, 2004 but that may be pushing it that it would coincide with the tsunami 2004