“I Do” has just aired in the UK, so apologies if all of this is now embarrassingly obvious and old hat to you lot:
Now that the Electromagnetic Anomaly (EA) has been introduced, no other entities are necessary – Lost could be all about the EA. If this effect is strong enough to pull an aluminium aircraft from the sky, who can say what it can do?
The black smoke could be a highly localised manifestation of the EA (“only part of the monster” – official podcast), perhaps further comprising tiny metallic particles so that the EA can transfer its force to nonferrous objects (such as Eko, sadly) rather like Magneto in the X-Men. On a grander scale, the EA could form an “event horizon” around the Island, shielding it from the outside world and contributing to the “snowdome” effect on vessels which attempt to leave. It could even move the Island(s) itself by allowing it to float on the seabed or crust.
And what is light, or radio, or even touch, but a manifestation of an electromagnetic field? If the EA can act incredibly powerfully, it might do so very subtly too, creating visions and messages for the survivors, and even acting directly on the cells of Locke’s spine or Rose’s tumour. (It’s a far more credible mechanism for a “Force” than midi-chlorians, at any rate.)
Even more intriguing, what if the EA can influence the outside world? It may be that the “messages” it sends can be picked up by remarkable individuals such as Walt, or Claire’s psychic (who I believe was lying to Eko). And, if it is strong enough to pull an aircraft from the sky (perhaps even one from Africa, or maybe an old wooden clipper from the ocean), could its influence extend to the balls of a state lottery machine an ocean away, and the subsequent life of the winner? The EA could, throughout, have been acting to bring Hurley home.
All of this sits well with Locke’s “Gaia” theory, that the Island itself is a conscious actor. But further intrigue arises if we speculate that the EA is somehow under human control. The Others would be prime suspects, given their utter absence of surprise at the bright lights and deep hum. But if so, why not use it to cure Ben’s tumour or save Colleen? It seems more likely that the Others, under Ben’s leadership, are seeking to gain (or regain?) control over the EA, and may be dedicated to saving the outside world from its effects, necessitating a cult of personality to prevent people wanting to leave and blow the whistle. Indeed, the presence of Kelvin (Sayid’s ex-contact) and Penny’s snowbound research station suggest that external government and commercial parties are already interested in taking control of the EA for their own ends. Under this line of speculation, Ben is indeed the good guy, and Juliet is Brutus, perhaps having been turned by Other Others including Mr. Patch, “Jacob”, the DeGroots or other Hanso/Dharma representatives, or said external parties.
And if someone did indeed use the EA to deliver Hurley, they (or their enemies) might also have monitored him via an agent: Libby, who also gave a (specially-designed?) boat to Desmond, who’s now becoming “gifted” like Walt after his failsafe exposure. An interesting question thus arises: Who is Hurley’s father?
I eagerly await the destruction of my natural (as opposed to supernatural) and parsimonious Lost Pet in February, just like all the others before it!