# LOST 6.3 What Kate Does

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 9, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340 "2010-02-09T22:58:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/81 "2010-02-11T15:19:26Z")

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I just want to float this theory out there for the record (maybe it’s been said before but I haven’t checked):

The LAX timeline is not an alternate timeline that was created by the bomb.  
It is actually the original timeline of what originally occured. Flight 815 landed safely in LA. It was after eveyone arrived in LA that their lives started getting intertwined. Others living in LA as well as passengers of flight 815. Something bad happens (to people or the island) and needs to be fixed. The only way to fix it is for the passenger main characters to agree to go back in time to flight 815 and crash on the island. The catch is that by going back in time they will forget everthing that happend in LA. They agree to do it and -blam!- we’re back to season 1 episode 1. The passengers of 815 have forgotten everything. However the others on the island rember everything that happened in LA.

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**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/82 "2010-02-11T16:13:18Z")

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> [@crazyjoe](#):
>
> I took the quote to mean Locke wanted to stay here (and not go home), but I want to go home.

I interpreted it the same way. He seems to say that his admiration of Locke was based ironically on the one point where he disagreed with him.

Also, here is a cool map effort of the island: [TheLostMapC-1\_0210.png (image)](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_g9Ld2xVPlZs/S3HC5NlqpiI/AAAAAAAADN4/cBfqP6JNfy4/s1600-h/TheLostMapC-1_0210.png)

Not sure I agree with all the placements, but looking at the guy’s explanations, he really uses a lot of background scenery to justify his work.

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**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/83 "2010-02-11T16:43:40Z")

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Dogzilla:

> [@](#):
>
> We’ve been attributing that to 16 years of solitude (on an island that’s virtually packed with people and travelers),

Assuming you mean this to be ironic - remember that she’s aware of those others and considers them (since Alex’s kidnapping) to be hostile to her. It’s not just the solitude, it’s the constant paranoia.

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**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/84 "2010-02-11T17:48:27Z")

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> [@cmkeller](#):
>
> Dogzilla:
> 
> Assuming you mean this to be ironic - remember that she’s aware of those others and considers them (since Alex’s kidnapping) to be hostile to her. It’s not just the solitude, it’s the constant paranoia.

I loved CFL. There was something endearing about the way she would wander out of the jungle all crazy looking, toting that gigantic rifle. Then one bullet coming from nowhere, and that was IT. Unfair and cruel…I wonder, in all those 16 years, did she ever even SEE her daughter with the Others? Or was the meeting with the half-grown Alex the first sight CFL ever had?

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**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/85 "2010-02-11T18:06:24Z")

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> [@Hampshire](#):
>
> I just want to float this theory out there for the record (maybe it’s been said before but I haven’t checked):
> 
> The LAX timeline is not an alternate timeline that was created by the bomb.  
> It is actually the original timeline of what originally occured. Flight 815 landed safely in LA. It was after eveyone arrived in LA that their lives started getting intertwined. Others living in LA as well as passengers of flight 815. Something bad happens (to people or the island) and needs to be fixed. The only way to fix it is for the passenger main characters to agree to go back in time to flight 815 and crash on the island. The catch is that by going back in time they will forget everthing that happend in LA. They agree to do it and -blam!- we’re back to season 1 episode 1. The passengers of 815 have forgotten everything. However the others on the island rember everything that happened in LA.

This completely ignores the fact that in the ATL Oceanic Flight there are a ton of differences. Various people not on the plane, different seats, different reactions, Others who never became Others etc. If this were the original timeline then everything would look the same.

I think the most logical and consistent theory is that these scenes are essentially flash forwards to what is going to happen in an alternate reality where the island is sunk. Something that happens in our original reality will result in either Jacob or Esau winning (or the Losties somehow destroying the island and ending the battle for neither party) and cause the island at some time in the not too distant past to be sunk and powerless. With a sunken powerless island the Losties, DHARMAs and Others never go there and we’re seeing how their lives play out. Essentially an epilogue for the show shown at the beginning.

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**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/86 "2010-02-11T18:51:52Z")

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> [@cmkeller](#):
>
> Dogzilla:
> 
> Assuming you mean this to be ironic - remember that she’s aware of those others and considers them (since Alex’s kidnapping) to be hostile to her. It’s not just the solitude, it’s the constant paranoia.

Yes, indeed, you made the correct assumption. 😉

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**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/87 "2010-02-11T19:05:50Z")

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> [@Locrian](#):
>
> Are you SURE Gregg Nations confirmed it was a typo?

[http://forum.thefuselage.com/showthread.php?t=120299](http://forum.thefuselage.com/showthread.php?t=120299)

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**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/88 "2010-02-11T20:09:39Z")

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> [@Hampshire](#):
>
> I just want to float this theory out there for the record (maybe it’s been said before but I haven’t checked):
> 
> The LAX timeline is not an alternate timeline that was created by the bomb.  
> It is actually the original timeline of what originally occured. Flight 815 landed safely in LA.

Yep, this theory was floated first in last week’s thread (the season premiere’s thread). It’s in interesting idea. I’m guessing not what the producers have in mind (mostly because of Dead Juliet’s last words – through Miles – “It worked”) – but it’s an appealing idea.

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**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/89 "2010-02-11T20:16:19Z")

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> [@Omniscient](#):
>
> This completely ignores the fact that in the ATL Oceanic Flight there are a ton of differences. Various people not on the plane, different seats, different reactions, Others who never became Others etc. If this were the original timeline then everything would look the same.

Not necessarily. I weighed in on this theory in last week’s thread. The idea that this was the “original” timeline, and everything we’ve seen in seasons 1-5 is the “changed” version of things, does not mean all the same people had to be on the plane. In that theory, the island would have had to already be sunk sometime between Dharma and Flight 815, and lots of alternate events would have occurred – like Ethan being on the mainland. Butterflies might have flapped their wings and made Shannon decide to stay Down Under in the original course of events.

That theory would have to presume that probably Jacob interfered in various ways, to save the island and cause a variety of people to be brought to it – including perhaps extra pssengers on Flight 815.

I’m not saying that this theory is what the producers are DOING – I’m just saying that it can be consistent without assuming that everything had to be exactly as it was before the crash of 815. The whole point of that idea is that we don’t KNOW what happened in the “original” timeline, because the only things we’ve seen in seasons 1-5 are the effects of the “changed” timeline. At least as far as that theory is concerned.

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**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/90 "2010-02-11T20:33:22Z")

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> [@Monstre](#):
>
> Not necessarily. I weighed in on this theory in last week’s thread. The idea that this was the “original” timeline, and everything we’ve seen in seasons 1-5 is the “changed” version of things, does not mean all the same people had to be on the plane. In that theory, the island would have had to already be sunk sometime between Dharma and Flight 815, and lots of alternate events would have occurred – like Ethan being on the mainland. Butterflies might have flapped their wings and made Shannon decide to stay Down Under in the original course of events.

If this is the case then that timeline is “original” to what? The only “original” that makes any sense in the context of the show is the one that existed in the Pilot episode. Anything else defies the definition of the word “original” as it’s commonly understood. The “original” timeline within the mythos of the show is the one that was introduced in episode one, all other timelines are by any practical definition _not_ original.

Now if you want to say that what we’re seeing in the ATL is actually what _should_ have happened that’s fine, but calling it an original timeline confuses the point. Especially since this what “should have happened” timeline would have to have begun decades before they get on that plane. Alternate realities or parallel dimensions are all relative to the observer in general, calling one “correct” or “original” in any context other than from the perspective of the show is meaningless.

> [@](#):
>
> That theory would have to presume that probably Jacob interfered in various ways, to save the island and cause a variety of people to be brought to it – including perhaps extra pssengers on Flight 815.
> 
> I’m not saying that this theory is what the producers are DOING – I’m just saying that it can be consistent without assuming that everything had to be exactly as it was before the crash of 815. The whole point of that idea is that we don’t KNOW what happened in the “original” timeline, because the only things we’ve seen in seasons 1-5 are the effects of the “changed” timeline. At least as far as that theory is concerned.

These arguments don’t really differ in any meaningful way from the general consensus about that we’re seeing an alternate reality. Renaming it “original” is pure semantics if you’re tossing aside the presumption that the start of season 1 is the start of the story and the “original” timeline.

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**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/91 "2010-02-11T22:16:16Z")

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> [@jackdavinci](#):
>
> [http://forum.thefuselage.com/showthread.php?t=120299](http://forum.thefuselage.com/showthread.php?t=120299)

From the message board, Gregg Nations: “Ah, it’s a little combination of both. Two numbers are correct, and one number is a mistake. Can you guess which is which?”

So, it’s a PARTIAL typo. :rolleyes:

Man, these guys give answers as straight as a preacher or politician.

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**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/92 "2010-02-12T04:34:54Z")

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When did CFL die? Because the line that jumped out at me was when the nice black guy said, something to the effect of “The French lady? She’s been dead for years.” Which, according to my (extremely tenuous) Lost timeline recollection would mean that everyone on the island after Juliette smashed the bomb jumped forward in time from the original crash timeline. If they had not jumped forward, CFL would only have been dead weeks/months. Right???

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**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/93 "2010-02-12T04:40:01Z")

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> [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](#):
>
> When did CFL die? Because the line that jumped out at me was when the nice black guy said, something to the effect of “The French lady? She’s been dead for years.” Which, according to my (extremely tenuous) Lost timeline recollection would mean that everyone on the island after Juliette smashed the bomb jumped forward in time from the original crash timeline. If they had not jumped forward, CFL would only have been dead weeks/months. Right???

CFL died in 2004/5. It’s now 2007, same time the Ajira flight crashed.

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**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/94 "2010-02-12T04:42:56Z")

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Also Otherville was really run-down and in disrepair, but in the original timeline, it was still in good shape and they moved right in after it had been gassed. Am I missing something? Knowing me I probably am.

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**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/95 "2010-02-12T04:45:24Z")

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Do any of them (Jack, Kate, Jin, Hurley etc) know that is when they are on the island though?

I blame Kate for my confusion. 😃 Whatever she said when she saw the hole in the ground where the Hatch used to be, after waking up deaf in the tree, I thought she had said something to the effect of , “That’s the hatch. Desmond _just_ blew it up.”

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/96 "2010-02-12T05:19:58Z")

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> [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](#):
>
> Also Otherville was really run-down and in disrepair, but in the original timeline, it was still in good shape and they moved right in after it had been gassed. Am I missing something? Knowing me I probably am.

It got blown up when the Boaties attacked.

> [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](#):
>
> Do any of them (Jack, Kate, Jin, Hurley etc) know that is when they are on the island though?
> 
> I blame Kate for my confusion. 😃 Whatever she said when she saw the hole in the ground where the Hatch used to be, after waking up deaf in the tree, I thought she had said something to the effect of , “That’s the hatch. Desmond _just_ blew it up.”

She said "No. That’s the Swan hatch… after Desmond blew it up. " As opposed to if _they_ blew it up. I think they just assumed they we’re back in 2007, since that’s where they came from. Cindy and the mention of the Ajira flight probably confirmed it.

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**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/97 "2010-02-12T05:32:48Z")

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Yeah the boaties blew it up, but the interiors looked old and dank, not just crunched. But all those observations are moot. Thanks for the reality check on what Kate said, I was definitely interpreting it differently and confused as all hell.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/98 "2010-02-12T05:52:05Z")

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> [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](#):
>
> Yeah the boaties blew it up, but the interiors looked old and dank, not just crunched.

Well, they were also abandoned three years ago.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/99 "2010-02-12T05:53:44Z")

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Yes, but the CTC (Confused Timeline Cookies) didn’t know that until just now. 😃

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**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-6-3-what-kate-does/528340/100 "2010-02-12T06:28:06Z")

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> [@ekweizn](#):
>
> Possibly relevant for all the talk about backgammon and chess in this thread, here’s an English version of the brilliant Spanish [LOST “chess” promo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ1HnEG4-is) for Season 6.

what?

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