My ultimate theory :) and I am very proud of it :-D by Maik Lohse

I really have no idea if this was an idea that came up already. But today I was listening to some podcasts and everyone seemed to be of the opinion that "Widmore is going to use the pockets of energy to trap the Man in Black" - which of course makes sense.

But how does Desmond play into this? About 99% of all people seemed to say Widmore will ask or force Desmond to "switch to the ALT timeline" somehow. SORT of makes sense - but here is my idea. And I admit this theory has been a little bit spoiled by the previews ABC aired for next week where we hear Widmore say "You're going to have to make a sacrifice" - PRESUMEABLY to Desmond.

So my theory ( and as the title says I think it is a pretty damn good one - he he) is that Widmore will try to use the pockets of energy to send Desmond BACK IN TIME - to the point BEFORE he didn't manage to push the button - so that he CAN push the button AAAAAAAAAND thereby Oceanic 815 never crashing on the island and thereby never giving MIB the opportunity to leave by using "the loophole" AND thereby creating the timeline we so far have called the "alt timeline" - and of course the SACRIFICE that that would demand of Desmond would be that he obviously would have to STAY there after being sent back and KEEP pushing the button indefinitely since the Losties never come to the island. Which by the way would also go along just fine with Ms.Hawkings line from season 3 "Pushing that button will be the ONLY great thing you will EVER do" :)