**Dark2Phoenix **suggested that the flashes are a final timeline - the ultimate outcome of all the island activity, which will somehow include everyone getting to improve their lives. At least everyone who is currently alive on the island.
I find it much more interesting watching the flashes when I’m trying to suss out how things are/will be better for the characters. For instance, I was thinking that the Jin/Sun flash events shot down the “everything is better” theory. But what if getting caught pushes him to flip on his FIL and redeem himself? Also, Kate and Claire’s flash leaves open the possibility of both of them having a relationship with Aaron.
Further slight evidence for this theory - Smocke says to James something like “People so rarely get a second chance.”
Anyway, this was a pretty good one. I really liked the callback to CFL: “Wo ist Aaron?!” But can someone remind me of Claire’s timeline? As I recall, she got left behind while people were fleeing the boat guys, and then later was seen at the cabin with Christian. I’d assumed that meant she was dead, but evidently it just means she’s “infected.”
What the heck causes someone to be infected anyway? I am getting frustrated with the Temple Others being deliberately obscure for no good reason.
I miss Faraday, Desmond, Penny; need more Miles.
A thought: Maybe Locke was starting to get possessed ever since Ben shot him & left him in that mass Darma grave. (maybe ever since Smokey fixed his legs). Remember that? Then WALT appeared to him and told him he had more work to do and he was miraculously healed. and shortly after Locke threw a knife and killed a woman in cold blood. so many loose ends, not enough episodes.
I hope Jacob & Esau aren’t playing games like God & the Devil in the book of Job in the Bible. Now that is a very unsatisfying book.
It might also explain the fight between Jacob and MiB. Perhaps the two of them are trying to fight off one of two Island outcomes. Jacob’s trying to get the “flashsideways” to win out, while MiB is resisting it. Or something.
Theeeeen agaaaaaain…
In the FlashSideways timeline, we know the Island is underwater. Jacob is all about protecting the Island. Does this mean Jacob has failed in this timeline? Or does that mean all Jacob ever wanted was to sink the damn thing? Or is this “Esau”'s ideal outcome?
She didn’t get left behind as much as she just took off. While major shit was going down it ended up being Sawyer, Claire and Aaron alone in the jungle trying to meet up with their fellow losties. During the night Claire just wandered off without a word. Sawyer woke up alone with Aaron, and neither we the viewers nor the uninquisitive losties saw her again until her infected self showed up in Jacob’s cabin.
Not quite. The theory goes that the flash-sideways is real reality. The island was always meant to be sunk. Jacob, being the self-appointed protector of the island, saw this coming and was less than thrilled. So like any rational omnipotent being would, he decides to manipulate events to prevent this displeasing reality. He embarks on a carpetbombing campaign of manipulation, culminating in having flight 815 crash on the island.
So the flash-sideways are (very close to) the real reality as it always should have been, with the island sunk beneath the sea. The first 5 seasons depict the artificial reality Jacob manipulated into existence in order to protect the island.
The interesting part is that we’re seeing hints of the manipulated reality seeping into the “original” reality. Like with Jack’s appendix scar.
Well, the first letter is clearly an “A”. The second letter definitely is even more “A” shaped than the first, and even looks like it has a crossbar. Then you can interpret the end squiggle as a cursive “r-o-n”.
Anyway, the biggest thing convincing me is that I see two As in a row. Couldn’t be any other name in that case.
“AIM @ 108” as in - Aim the lighthouse at this coordinate.
Any chance this MiB/Jacob battle is more about Fate vs Free Will? Both seem to be strong themes throughout the entire series (along w/ Faith vs Science) and if we assume Jacob falls on the side of Free Will, it would explain why he’s such a fan of manipulative head games. He’s setting up characters to come to the conclusions and make the decisions that he wants/hopes that they will.
So it’s a big chess match between the two, and as the MiB tells his pieces where to move - Jacob has to create environments for his pieces to move on their own.
She did eventually contact Claire’s relative and handed Aaron over to her (Claire’s mother) and Kate’s primary reason for returning to the island was to go back for Claire.
Did Jin know that Locke was supposed to be dead?
Jin hadn’t seen Locke since before Locke left the island by turning the donkey wheel.
The only way Jin would have known of Locke’s demise was if when reunited with Oceanic 6 members Kate, Jack, Hurley back in the 70s he was told about it.
Was he ever told about it?
Actually if you ignore that whole failed “Yeah, go ahead and kill her. She means NOTHING to me! I double-dare you!” bluff (and the whole “torture/brainwash/kill her boyfriends” thing) he’s a better parent than Kate. Kate was willing to subject l’il Turniphead to a life on the run rather than confront/deal with any sort of conflict. She also just dumped the kid on Grandma without…y’know…really discussing it with Grandma. It was “Here, have this kid. I’m gone. Bye” without Grandma being able to agree or have time to think about it or anything else. Aaron became inconvenient for kate, she dumped him.
Ben loved Alex for herself–he was weird about it and he had a HUGE error in judgment with that big ugly marine type guy who killed her, but while both are crappy parents, at least Ben (tries) to put Alex first.
I like that Jack smashy smashied. The last few episodes have shown a real desire to say “fuck off” to the people who keep playing mind games with him.
Either way, this episode made me realize I liked Fox as an actor. I never appreciated him, because the character he played was such a douche. But the sideways Jack is a much more complex character, that made me realize that Fox has some chops.
Speaking of acting, Terry O’Quinn deserves a second emmy. It is amazing how differently the sideways Locke is from the MIB Locke. I almost caught myself feeling glad that there was a sideways storyline so that TOQ is still with the show, before I realized that the ACTOR himself still plays, essentially, the main character on the island storyline. But the characters are so damn different, that I almost forget one guy played them both! That is a credit to TOQ!
We kind of got a little more insight into how each Lostie got assigned their number. They are degrees. To which my wife replied, “so what?” Good call, middlewoman!
He also “corrupted” Claire.
I’ll raise the stakes. What if he corrupted him when he “looked into the eye of the island?” Not sure myself. Later, Smokey was trying to drag Locke into his lair and Locke said that’s not what he saw. I’m on board that MiB put his hooks in there sometime pre-death. Curious.
I think Miles was there as well, right?
Someone was pitching a Man In Black = Cain. Adam would be his father. Everyone in this show has Daddy issues…:dubious:
But can someone remind me of Claire’s timeline? As I recall, she got left behind while people were fleeing the boat guys, and then later was seen at the cabin with Christian. I’d assumed that meant she was dead, but evidently it just means she’s “infected.”