The Source of Everything by Cynthia B.

What I have here is not so much one coherent theory as much as a series of hypotheses which I hope hold together in the bigger picture.

Let me start by saying that two years ago, USA Today had a LOST reader-theory contest, where they published a handful of theories on the show. The producers commented on several, but declined to comment on others because they were too close to the truth. They didn't comment on mine and I assumed at the time it was because I was wrong. After tonight's episode, I know it was because I was right(ish). Here is the theory (it was limited to 200 words). Some of it (whispers, e.g.) is obviously wrong, but look at the opening two sentences:

"The Island is the Garden of Eden and Atlantis and all of the places around which different civilizations' creation mythologies emerged. They are all the same place, and they are the Island. Therefore the Island is also a 'fountain of youth.' But women find themselves unable to give birth as a tradeoff for eternal life. The survivors were brought to the Island because, in their respective lives, each was caught in a virtual limbo between the forces of fate (or faith) and free will, and the Island is the physical center of the conflict between these two forces. The survivors had lost touch with their families, faiths and their ability (physically, psychologically, or mentally) to exercise free will. They had lost themselves. No one should leave the Island before they have made amends. That's why those whose departure is premature are tortured and compelled to return. The monster is protecting the Island from interlopers (which is why it only goes after "the Others," Dharma and select survivors of the crash). Jacob and the Others are not "in alliance" with the Island, but are using it for their own interests. The Whispers are manifestations of memories of those on the Island."

What had driven me to the conclusion that the island was the ultimate source of everything was the fact that I could not figure out how all of the varying philosophies, mythologies and religious references would fit together in a way that satisfied viewers and wasn't totally hokey unless it turned out that they weren't different philosophies/mythologies so much as just different interpretations on the same- ultimate- truths. Which, I think, is going to be a key moral of the series.

So here are some other hypotheses I've formulated which can be tied back to the larger one about the island being the "source" of every civilization's creation mythology/story.

- The numbers ARE important. So are the names. And they're directly linked, which was shown to us explicitly in "The Lighthouse." Each number corresponds to a name- more specifically, a lineage. Each lineage can be traced back to (either) Jacob's mother, Jacob and MiB, or the original inhabitants of the island - who were there long before Mother. Along the lines of Adam and Eve, the Patriarchs, Jacob's 12 Tribes, etc... Which is why the Losties were always destined to come to the island- they were literally born into it. I believe there are 360 lineages, forming a perfect circle. What I'm not clear on is if they were destined to be "candidates" to replace Jacob or if they were destined to prove him right. Or if they were just destined to manifest on the island during their lifetimes. In any case, it is more than "Jacob had a thing for numbers." Each family line is one degree on the circle of life. On a related note, I think this is also tied into the notion of Karma and the idea that these people/families keep encountering each other across lifetimes (as we've seen in the alt timeline.)

- The corollary hypothesis to the one above is that Jack and Locke are both directly descended from Jacob/MiB's family line. The other candidates may be as well, but I'm almost certain it will be revealed that Jack and Locke are related more closely than anyone imagined (cousins?) The larger idea here, of course, is that we are ALL related- all part of one big family, so every war is- in effect- a civil war (BSG, anyone?)

- It has been obvious since the pilot that Yin/Yang and the idea of balance has been a major theme. However, after tonight's episode, it occurred to me that it can be used to explain a still-unanswered question: Why can't women give birth on the island?? I think that in order for the "source" to be stable, it has to maintain a relative balance of masculine and feminine energies (or what the Greeks called "anima and animus.") I think the animus (masculine) and anima (feminine) energies have fallen out of balance on the island, with animus being the dominant force (we see a lot of symbols of this, but it's Locke's knives and Eko's stick that are jumping to mind now.) When the animus/anima or Yin/Yang energies are out of balance, procreation can not take place, making birth impossible. There is not enough feminine energy on the island.

- Every one of the candidates deals with the same parental juxtaposition: an absent (either literally or metaphorically) father and a crazy, angry, betrayed mother. Which of course mirrors the upbringing of Jacob/MiB and sets up a larger metaphor which basically inverts the original Adam and Eve story. In Lost, the man betrays the woman, who is left to shoulder an impossible burden, the consequences of which are psychologically/emotionally (and of course, spiritually!) dire for her offspring, who then must go on to face karmic challenges of biblical proportions.

I have a lot of thoughts about "Karmic recallibration", the fate/free will juxtaposition (which I actually think is not a juxtaposition, but another Yin/Yang notion-- same for good/evil) and more, but I would like to see responses to what I've posted so far before I write it all up.

Thanks for reading!