The Paradox of LOST = Death + ALT by Ryan M.

Okay, firstly, I'm aware I already posted this, but I forgot about added a couple things. Look at the very bottom, it might clear it all up a little bit.

Theory I'm not really a big fan of the words loop, loophole, and cycle that have been circulating in almost half of the theories posted nowadays, but I must admit - there might be some truth here.

This entire show could be an enormous paradox consisting of three major events

- crashing on the island

- Juliet blowing up the bomb

- whatever Desmond is planning in the ALT timeline

Not one of these events begins before the other, and not one of these events happens after the other. It is a paradox of paradoxes. Before I begin the main part of this theory, two things need to be mentioned first: what is the fate of Smoky and what does Jack do in the finale.

Firstly, I'm pretty certain that everyone does not die and that evil does not prevail Sunday after six years of this show. I'm not saying that because I need a nice, warm n happy ending to my half-decade long story. I'm saying that because good and evil is only relative to the one labeling it for one, and for two, this show is entirely based on the building and changing of unique characters - human nature being explored in this process. It is too simplistic for the Losties to sacrifice themselves or just plain die in the MTL for them to then have their consciousnesses transferred to their ALT selves by maybe Desmond's white magic. It's too... unLOST-like.

I think what we WILL see might confuse us a little bit at first. I think it will end with Smoky being killed - although the word killed isn't really correct, and with Jack and Locke... yes, Locke staying behind on the island as protectors for years to come while the rest of the Losties head home. But it is more complicated then that.

Smoky will be taken care of in an intelligent way. Hopefully the collective consciousnesses inside of it are returned, and it itself is banished back to the center of the island from where it once sprang out long, long ago. Smoky was soulless before MiB, and with the help of several others, it has become "soulfull". Proof of this can be seen by Flocke acting fatherly towards Claire and Jack -Christian's two children, saying statements Locke would say such as "don't tell me what I can't do", and of course exhibiting the core beliefs and wants of MiB.

Once Smokey's leash is tightened immensely it will become more of a summoning spirit called upon in a time of need (unplugging giant drain). Maybe something the Mother did long ago in order to destroy a village, kill its inhabitants, and fill a large well. That's also why it wants off the island so badly. Yes, it has much more slack in its leash as of late, but what Smoky really wants is to destroy the stake its fastened to. The evil wants complete freedom.

Smoky while not get his overwhelming desire and will become soulless once again... the consciousnesses inside it? They go back to their original bodies and maybe even bring themselves back to present life.

I think that will at least happen in the case of John Locke somehow. He's the islands "holy savior". I mean come on, his real name is John Cooper making his initials that of Jesus Christ himself; he hurts his leg in a fall and then hobbles his way to a donkey wheel in order to make a selfless sacrifice while Christian also rambles on about sacrifices in the close background - this closely resembling Jesus' difficult journey to the cross and of course HIS sacrifice; and Locke eventually dies so everyone comes back together (Christianity's origin?). Not to mention he is sitting in Jesus' seat in the LOST Last Supper photo.

Locke has all these similarities to Jesus except for one thing at this point: resurrection. Obviously a debatable belief, but if Locke continues in these footsteps, his next step is resurrection... and LOST fans, regardless of personal religions, will unify in loving this. Walt even told Locke off the island that he had been having dreams about him: dreams that Locke was wearing a suit and was surrounded by people who wanted to hurt him. Maybe resurrected Locke (who's body is wearing a suit six feet under currently) is being mistaken as Flocke by the fellow Losties? Who knows, but it is nice to ponder.

ANYWAYS I am extremely off topic.

So finally to the paradox. Jack is the protector of the island, and Locke is its savior. They are both seemingly equally important. What if in the first plane crash, Jack and Locke both actually died. It was inevitable; as we have seen with Charley - dead is dead. You avoid getting hit by a car, but then ten minutes later you slip in the shower. What if the two men who are the only hope of humanity are meant to die during the crash and no matter what happens or what changes, they will die in some way nonetheless. What can be done then?

The answer is in a paradox. A bomb is exploded in order to create an alternate reality where the island by explosive effect does not exist, and our two saviors are still alive. What Desmond is trying to do, is send Jack and Locke from ALT to the day of the crash MLT. That's why they wake up in weird places, and that's why Jack said he blacked out during the crash. He didn't black out - he died, and then by extraordinary measures was brought back to life again.

Dead is definitely dead. No rule has been cheated. Jack died, but Jack also lived.

As far as the other Losties being pulled together by Desmond in the ALT, they need to be together in order to get rid of the ALT just as they need to be together to return their second time in MLT and need to be all dead in order for MiB to leave. No harm will be done. Desmond will explain the circumstance, maybe after a flashback of Jack and Locke's dead bodies laying on the ocean floor or decaying somewhere deep in the jungle during the plane crash time period. Who knows once again but it's very interesting to think about, and it definitely is a LOST-like twist.

* (new) Everyone in the ALT is beginning to remember their MLT selves and become that way. For example look at Hurley in the ALT last episode; to me, he seemed completely the way he was in MLT. His prior ALT life was gone and replaced with his MLT one. That is why when Jack and Locke are sent from the ALT to the MLT, they don't remember their ALT lives at all. They truly do become an exact replica of their MLT lives except they cheated death in a way.

* The paradox is this: for Jack and Locke to survive the crash and cheat death while following the rules, the ALT needs to exist, and for the ALT to exist, Jack and Locke need to have survived the crash in order to eventually explode the bomb deep near the electromagnetism force in the island.

* Evidence for all of this: out of all the characters, which two seems to have the most puzzling things happen to them in season one when their first on the island? Jack and Locke. Jack wakes up in the middle of the jungle, knows where to run, and what to do like he has brief deja vu of the events while Locke on the other hand is able to walk. Maybe because Jack fixed up Locke in the ALT before they were moved to the MLT. I think they may be some truth here.

* I have a feeling Widmore's wife may be more than what meets the eye. It seemed like in the preview to the finale, it was her voice that was speaking. And most importantly, the concert that is bringing everyone back together in the ALT is hosted by her. Maybe it's her who learned how to save humanity by saving Jack and Locke. Maybe Desmond is just the pawn.

Desmond is indeed the wild card. He's the specialest of the special, and he completes his task of saving Jack and Locke from death (in a way) staying between the rules in order for them to eventually save humanity. GO DESMOND.

Let's all enjoy the two and a half hour slice of heaven this Sunday. Peace.
And 2hr 30min or 150min with commercial breaks comes around to 108min of LOST in the finale... pretty cool.