LOST Theories - DarkUFO

The Paradox of the Compass by Lookingiswrong

In Episode 501 "Because You Left" we see Richard Alpert give John Locke a compass in 2007 before and John flashes through time to 1954. When John gets to 1954 he then gives it back to Richard and where Richard then carries it for 53 years until we see Richard again in Episode 515 "Follow the Leader." From there he hands the compass it BACK to John in 2007 before he flashes through time again. Around and around the compass goes from 1954 to 2007 back to 1954 on through to 2007. Essentially this compass is caught in a reiteration of time, or an infinite loop. But the compass is not infinite. It's an incredible paradox.

In Episode 515 when the Fake Locke asks Richard if he still has the compass he gave him (in 1954) Richard replies that he does but not before mentioning that "[It's a] little rusty, but it can still find North." Because its an object made of materials that do eventually rust, fall apart, and decay into dust after a lengthy period of time. But it will not remain for eternity like the infinite loop. Let's say that when WE see the exchange that in "Follow the Leader" this is it's first time through the loop. In the first 53 years of the loop, the compass is just a little rusty. By the second loop it will have aged 106 years and will be even more rusty. By its 42nd time through the loop it will have aged 2,226 years. It will have probably completely fallen apart by that time.

Now before we go any further I think its important to address that the compass is important. Its what gets '54 Alpert thinking about who John Locke is because John tells Richard HE gave to him in the future to give to him in the past. The compass is the whole catalyst for The Other's interest or mythology surrounding John. Its because he flashed through time and met with Richard in 1954 that he is ever even considered for, let alone actually made the leader of The Other's.

So if we take the theory that "Whatever happens in the past, has always happened" and place a temporary object in an infinite loop, what happens when the compass is rusted away to dust? What will be passed between John and Richard? What object will be the catalyst to create this mythos surrounding John? Well when something interferes with what has ALWAYS happened, "the universe has a way of course-correcting itself." The universe will bring a new object into play. It could be a watch or a knife. It doesn't matter, something new will be put in its place. These instances of course-correction are illustrated every time Desmond prevents Charlie's death. The universe always finds another way to have him die off.
There could have even been an object BEFORE the compass that was passed between John and Richard and when that object had decayed in the loop the universe found the compass and put it into play.

Where is this all going you ask? It's simple... well, sort of...

The Island, like the compass, for whatever reason, is caught in a similar loop. Since we don't know the length of the loop let's just say it loops from 7 AD to 2007. It goes around and around; All the while the Island is aging, growing, shrinking, changing shape as the earth does. And like a compass, an Islands, in enough time, will degrade and disappear.

At some point (and I think we'll see it this season), during a iteration of the Island's journey in the loop, The Island will decay to the point where it is "put out of play," it will be sunk to the bottom of the ocean. As a result, the universe will go through a massive course-correction to rectify itself because The Island effects a lot of people and lot of decisions and a lot of events throughout history. We see this through the experiences of our characters on Flight 815 and when there is no Island, there is nothing to cause their plane to wreck on it. Yet, certain things need to play out for certain reasons for our characters. Destiny is set in stone. You can't change it. No matter how hard you try you just can't change it.

The "Alternative Timeline" we are watching in Season 6 is NOT alternate at all. The flash-sideways are the "new object" to replace the "compass". Its a massive course-correction playing out to set the world right, to put our characters on the path to their destinies.

I think we'll see the start to see more and more parallels between our characters on The Island and our characters in LA as the universe pulls them to their purpose. All our characters destinies will be fulfilled, just by different means.

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