Flashes Before Your Eyes
1 year, 9 months ago by AndreasRead more: Desmond, Lost Episodes
Tonight’s new Lost episode titled “Flashes Before Your Eyes” takes us back to our Lost friends on the beach. Will Kate and Sawyer make it back to the main island? What has been going on while we’ve observed the events on “Alcatraz” island? Can Desmond predict the future?
Tonight’s Desmond-centric episode might answer a few questions related to his past and his newfound precognitive abilities.
Desmond has become one of my favorite characters and I think he plays a vital part in the larger Lost story so I’m very excited about this episode.
Spoilers
This is the official description of “Flashes Before Your Eyes”:
A suspicious and determined Hurley enlists Charlie to help him wrangle the truth out of Desmond, who has been acting strangely ever since the implosion of the hatch, on “Lost,” WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET), on ABC.
As always, feel free to discuss the episode in the comments!
Comment 1, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
Phew….confused!
Comment 2, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
that episode was awesome but it didn’t explain a thing. if anything it just made me more confused.
Comment 3, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
I agree. Did Desmond actually time-travel, or was that some kind of hallucination?
My personal feeling is that, for some reason, he’s come “unstuck” in time, and he’s getting flashes from different points in his own life’s timeline.
But I have no idea why there’s a woman in past Britain who would actually know what’s going on, unless she’s some kind of a representative of some higher power, like an angel or an apparition or something.
Weird, weird, weird. I wasn’t that fond of the episode but it definitely made me curious about what they’re building to.
Comment 4, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
Locke was right, destiny exists!
Dude finally got a break.
Comment 5, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
Read “The TIme Traveler’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger. Desmond’s story is very similiar.
Excellent episode!
Comment 6, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
Robbi Eklow- I loved “The Time Traveler’s Wife” can’t wait to see the episode, esp. now!
Comment 7, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
So I think one of two things may have happened (probably more possibilites if I think harder!) …
1) When chalrie called desmond a coward, des went time travelling back into the past when he was still with penny….where he knew all about the island etc but met a lady who also knew everything……ok, doen’t make too much sense.
2) When Charie called desmond a coward, we were shown desmonds flashback - no time travel - just us seeing desmond in the past before we saw him on the island (like all the other flashbacks). The flashback showed us that he hit his head after falling from a ladder and developed psychic powers which came to him like really strong deja vu’s. They showed flashes of what would happen in his future ie the boat race, the island etc etc…..then there’s the lady in the jewellers who knew everything…..
By the way - are we allowed to talk about the preview of next weeks show, shown at the end of this weeks????? Bet this is classed as spoilers yes?
Comment 8, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
The episode was definitely confusing but I think we can extrapolate a couple of things from it. Desmond may be experiencing flashes back and forward from this current time period on the island. This must be the first time that he has realized this ability, as it has never been documented that he could or would change history in previous episodes.
I understood from the episode that Desmond traveled back to that exact moment to understand where his destiny was sealed.
Its important that he went back to a point in time where he could have been happy for the rest of his life. He could review past mistakes with Penny and change them before it’s too late. Ultimately, he realizes it is his destiny to relive it all again. I’m unsure if that means that he had to live it all (8 years)again. If that were the case, it would definitely make sense why he reacted so violently with Charly. Imagine him getting on that boat again knowing that he had to crash, be rescued and then stuck on the island again.
The jeweler is undoubtedly another time traveler that is able to go forward and back. I’m assuming that she a little more control over her abilities, if only because of her age. I have no doubt that we will see her again and find that she has some relationship to “others” on the island.
This story reminds me more of Slaughterhouse Five than anything else. You should read this to understand what I mean.
I like the overall concept of this episiode, if not the execution of it. It’s really making me think about how this fits into the entire puzzle. And It reinforces the greatness of the line “only a fool is limited by time and space” really very special.
Comment 9, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
destiny has an interesting way of revealing itself when there are sneaky, powerful people who manipulate lives towards a certain direction. Did the universe guide the bus to hit Juliette’s ex-husband, or did Jacob or Ben have something to do with that?
Comment 10, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
I loved Charlie playing “Wonderwall” by Oasis. Of course, the obvious gag is there about comparisons between “Driveshaft” and Oasis. But did you catch the neat little coincidence, where Charlie is singing the line, “but maybe you’re gonna be the one that saves me…” just as Desmond arrives at that street corner? And of course, this is what Desmond is attempting to do, as is revealed at the end of the episode!
But, dammit, they better not kill Charlie off, or I will swear off this show, but good!
Comment 11, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
Okay - first of all, the jeweler has been in Lost previously. I have no idea where or when, but I immediately knew when I saw her. If anyone remembers, please post where she came from.
Secondly, I would have to disagree that Desmond did not actually time travel. I believe that he did time travel - as we saw, things were slightly altered, ie: he didn’t join the Royal Scots Army, which we know he did previously because he spoke with Inman (the guy in the hatch who he accidentally killed). Also, the jeweler is there, who obviously is not just a typical salesperson.
I have an idea - it seems like perhaps the hatch, or maybe more appropriately, what is released by pressing the button, is some sort of harnessed energy that allows for time travel. Going back to the basis of the numbers/experiments, we know that those doing the experiments (the “others”) are supposedly trying to save the world by changing variables related to each individual number (If you do not know what I am talking about, you have some homework to do - look for the supplemental video clip from the Dharma Initiative starring Alvar Hanso). Perhaps the island is some sort of isolated, protected environment, in which this research may go on, despite what may be happening in the world around it. When the research is complete, the researchers may use the time travel device to return to a safe time (a time before our lost cast crashed) and fix anything for which they have found remedies.
I don’t know if any of you noticed, but when Jack asked Ben about why he didn’t leave the island for his back surgery, knowing that they had contact with the outside world - Tom breaks in and says something about “until the sky turned purple”, leading us to believe that somehow, the implosion of the hatch has not only changed Desmond, but has also altered the island’s relationship with the world around it, whether that be time/communication/etc. Perhaps the research is now intrinsically useless, as even if a remedy were found, there is no longer transportation to a time before things had gone awry.
Comment 12, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
This episode reminded me of Final Destination, by how you can not escape death and that if you cheat it once it will come back for you no matter what. And we see this proven at the end with charlie being told he will die.
Great episode bit confusing.
Comment 13, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
WICKED!!!!!
alrighty, i think i got it. time travel is impossible because it’s just not feasible. BUT what the island or what the foundation has put on the island allows to tap into time (i don’t think space time continuum but just time) in the way it can manipulate it. The blow off is like how computers storm RAM, there is a memory of what has happened, but only so much can be contained. What Des experienced was viewing this RAM as it was being deleted, or in this case being sneezed out. So for visual evidence right before Des’s flashback to his appartment, we see his life flash before his eyes. i bet if that was to be reviewed, we would see more than just the life he led, but also the life he will lead. as for his experience asking the father for the girls’ hand in mariage, i am guessing that was a concussion from the massive flow of information that he couldn’t deal with. what do you all think?
oh yea, once again WICKED EPISODE!!!
Comment 14, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
oo, just real quick, when the computer/island views time, it is all (or at least more that the exact now that we experience) of time that is analyzed. all of time is experienced at the same moment. kinda confusing at first glance i guess but it makes sense after thinking about it for a couple moments.
Comment 15, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
Desmond didn’t time travel. If he did he would have had to relive everything leading up to the present which is obviously not the case. While the ideas of futility and destiny were written in, they do not explain the ignorance Desmond had displayed leading up to this episode.
Dude hit his head and had a dream with various symbols from the island in it (microwave beeps, painting in the office, charlie, etc.). As far as his ability to see the future goes, I don’t see any rational explanation and see this as some typical Lost bullshit that will disappear from the plot once new and more interesting bullshit is introduced.
Comment 16, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
I think killing Charlie off makes sense. His character really isn’t serving much purpose these days. He kicked heroin. Claire is getting by without him. Eko is dead so Charlie no longer has a spiritual guide. He already killed Ethan, so that revenge is done. Really, he just has no major storyline anymore.
The way I saw this was that when Desmond turned the key, he actually was warped back in time. If he had followed the “rules” as told to him by the jeweler, he could have stayed in “the past” and lived his life. But because he changed the past by protecting the bartender, he was instantly warped back to the “present” time, doomed to continue his stay on the island. My question is, by changing the past, did he really ruin it for the rest of the world?
There is no doubt that his precognitive abilities were not present until he turned that key.
By changing the past, did he actually change all of history from that point up until the present time, living through the entire experience? He can obviously see quite far enough into the “future,” so should we believe that he has already spent all of this time on the island before? If so, then he will be able to predict most major events before they happen. We know his ability isn’t limited to protecting Charlie, as he predicted Locke’s speech as well.
I’m just rambling now. Anyway, I loved the episode. It was a great curve ball. Next week should be excellent, finally some answers!
Comment 17, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
YESS the jeweler was on LOST before but I just can’t remember specifically when. anyone remember?
Comment 18, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
This episode is an extension of the midseason “Day Break”. But, instead of Hopper repeating the same day over and over again, Des is repeating the same 3 years over and over again. He’s repeated this cycle at least 3 times: (1) he saw Charlie die from the lightning bolt; (2) he saved Charlie from the lightning bolt, but them saw him drown; and (3) he saved Charlie from both lightning and drowning, but then saw him die from _______?
Comment 19, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
The actress who played the jeweler is Fionnula Flanagan; according to imdb.com, this was her first Lost episode. Interestingly, imdb says she starred in a 2001 movie titled “The Others”.
Comment 20, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
Did anyone notice that the song that was playing in the bar the second time on the Juke box was the same song that was playing on the record player when we first met Desmond in the hatch?
Comment 21, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
ok, so did anyone else love the ‘wizard of oz’ imagery with the red shoes?
also, does anyone else think that the jewelry shop woman sounded an awful lot like the ‘island force/monster’ that has appeared in so many people’s dreams and visions (the same one that convinced locke to doggedly go in the hatch… and the same one that appeared to locke and eko as yemi)? “the most important thing you’ll ever do is press that button”
which then opens the can of worms: did desmond gain the ability to view his past and future simply because the explosion blasted an electomagnetic/time anomoly? or did he gain that ability because the explosion briefly allowed the ‘island power’/’security smoke monster’ to controll his mind and show him these visions for some unknown and possibly ominous purpose…
Comment 22, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
That episode was killer! I like Robbi’s idea that Desmond could be in a “Time Traveler’s Wife” situation (great book btw) and I like Austin’s RAM idea. Of course the PTB could just be messing with us - Des had a concussion and percieved it as going back in time. What about the theory that time is happening one all at once? I forget what that is called but the idea is that time is not linear. What if Desmond’s exposure to the electromagnetic properties allow him random glimpses of the entire spectrum of all tiers of his life. That could also play in to another story line. Who on the island is 27 years old and unable to get pregnant? (Kate, right?) If time is not linear, Mittleos could be aware of Kate’s issue at the same time they are coercing Juliet to join them. Talk about a different dimension! And was that bottle of whiskey on the plane or was it from the “past”? Remember Eko walking with his brother as a kid? Was it really the past or his blip into another time tier? Does the smoke monster break through that time continuum? Was Walt able to break through naturally? Can’t wait to go back and look for everything I missed!
Comment 23, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
Great episode, I really enjoyed it. Obviously we have a lot to think about. I’m going to do some research and post my thoughts and theories.
Comment 24, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
I think the jeweller represents fataliam: 1.the acceptance of all things and events as inevitable; submission to fate, 2.Philosophy. the doctrine that all events are subject to fate or inevitable predetermination (Dictionary.com). She instills fatalism in Des, and wheter or not he truly time traveled, he didn’t change his past completely and still ended up on the island. In the end, no matter what Des does Charlie will die, and no matter what he thought he could do Des ended up back on the island. Remember on the second night in the bar (I think it was the British team), the game is won the way he thought, the song is playing, and Des says “I can change it!” Well he couldn’t and that could have proved to him that what the jeweller said was right and he now is a fatalist (but, maybe not completely, because a fatalist wouldn’t try to save Charlie the first time).
Maybe the “flashback/time travel” segment was really a metaphysical-type dream. Metaphysical according to Dictionary.com:2.Philosophy.
a.concerned with abstract thought or subjects, as existence, causality, or truth.
b.concerned with first principles and ultimate grounds, as being, time, or substance.
3.highly abstract, subtle, or abstruse. So what we saw was a dream of Des’s, therefore it wasn’t all real; therefore what the jeweller said about him pushing the button and saving the world doesn’t necessarily have to be true. Des himself told the jeweller she was just his conscience, and was trying to convine himself that his life on the island was not all for nothing. Also the man in the red shoes (”Ding! Dong! The witch is dead!”) could have been just an illustration for Des about Charlie, but none of the fataliam really stuck in Des’s head until Charile pushed Des to tell him what happened.
I want to believe this because I don’t think pushing the button was saving the world, and I don’t think time travel of any magnitude is conceiveable.
Comment 25, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
I think the whole saving-Charlie and the Universe course correction concept is a direct take from the “Final Destination” movie series.
As for his time travel, I think it was an hallucination. But it looks like next week Jack meets the woman who Desmond met in his trip (now much older of course). That’s a tough one to explain w/o time travel. Everything else can be explained by a bump on the head.
Comment 26, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
Well coincidence or not, look back to ep 1 of season 2! Des tells jack at the training ground where they were running that ”what if he cud save sarah”! Jack sed this was an immpossible job, but Des predicted it! and since we havent sin wat he was duin in the space of season 2 ep 3 to finale he cud have seen the future then! but it just may av bin a coincidence!
Comment 27, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
I’m with you Lost King. I think Desmond is experiencing everything over again, this is not his first time on the island.
Comment 28, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
Ok, first post here. XD
Two things: Have you guys noticed which book Hurley had in his hands while they wera at Sawyer’s tent? It is called “Laughter in the Dark”, by Vladimir Nabokov, and it’s a book about a man called Albinus, who had a dream about meeting a young woman sprawled with abandon in a hot, deserted beach, and who has his life ending in disaster. Ring any bells? XD
Second: While Des was at his girlfriend’s father office, one of the paintings on the wall has the word “NAMASTE” written backwards.
Just thought these two facts were worth mentioning.
Cheers and please, keep on posting (I love your thoughts)
Comment 29, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
OH, also, the same painting depicts a polar bear and a buda. ;)
Comment 30, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
Unfortunately I cleaned up my tivos including the ones from last fall’s mini-season. Who was the lady who went to Juliet’s house right after she burned the biscuits?
A couple of things. Obviously the mean old jewelry lady is explaining the time-space continueum to Desmond. If he doesn’t leave Penny then they’ll all die. Either she is from the island and “all” means everyone on the two islands, or she’s from the real world, as part of the Hanso Foundation and “all” means the rest of the world.
Comment 31, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
I’m sorry to keep posting various posts one on top of another (wish there were some post editing tool), but I promise this is the last time: When Des meets the old lady in the jewelry store shes says to him: “never done this before, have you?” (we, then, assumed she was talking about the act of buying an engagement ring). Then, to his reply, she says: “I coudl always tell the first timers”.
It seems pretty obvious to me that she was talking about his time travel, which, if true, signifies that:
-She has met many time-travelers before;
-This was in fact the very first time travel episode Des had (meaning: not the second or third time he completely relived his life);
-And, if the above is true, that probably the incidents with the hatch are causing time travels.
It all fits, because there have been at least two incidents before (if I recall correctly), and there might be (I would say, there will probably be) more in the future.
Ok, so far, there were no need to consider her a time-traveler herself. She could just be aware of them somehow and interacted with a few in the past.
But, since she starts to berate Des about what he will do, it means she also is a time-traveler, having experienced this series of events more than once.
But how can she know about what Des did on the island? Only two explanations seem to fit: either she will end up in the island some time in the future, and then participate in a time traveling event which lands her (ultimatly) at the jewelry shop; or, she, knows or is a part of the Hanso Foundation, through which she acquired knowledge (in the future) of Des’ actions.
That’s about it for now. I hope I made some kind of sense :)
Cheers
Comment 32, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
I think that Lost is finally coming in full circle and getting more intriguing than ever. Can’t wait to find out what 3 questions the writers picked to answer in next week’s ep.
People have great comments here and though last night’s ep has not yet sunk in with me yet, the first thing I thought of when I heard the jeweler’s conversation with Desmond was that may be she used to be on the island as a young woman but once she was sent back to the world as we know it, she aged dramatically. The scene in last week’s ep where Juliet is shown the x-rays of a 26 yr old woman who who had the womb of a 70something yr old made me think that way. Obviously there are holes in this theory but just thought I’d lend my 2 cents to the discussion. This may not make any sense at all though as I mentioned before, the ep hasn’t sunk in yet.
Comment 33, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
You made perfect since to me Fluca. Some quite interesting observations.
Considering that the phrase “Only fools are enslaved by time and space” was heard in the brainwashing video, my guess would be that The Others can somehow travel in time and the lady Desmond met is probably an Other.
Comment 34, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
this episode was necessary to explain why the artic observation post detects the hatch implosion and contacts desmond’s love to say “we’ve found him.” desmond asks a friend about time travel and it will be this friend who speaks with desmond’s love to explain their last conversation as well as desmond’s intent to marry her.
the idea of time travel is not realistic. however, read up on the ideas of the multiple universe put forth by hugh everett in the 1950’s.
Comment 35, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
How many times has Lost done the “pull away from the eyeball” opening a scene?
So when Desmond awoke from his ‘McCutchen’ stupor the first thing I thought was that he dreamed it all. Not bad - ok. But I do not think Desmond is timetraveling in any way except in his mind.
Did I get any answers from last nights episode? No, not really. Just more questions. Well let me take that back, at least we know that Charlie’s gonna die. And if Desmond can see the future and recall the past (vividly) then will he “share” his wealth of information with anyone? Or use it for himself only?
Comment 36, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
That was such a good and crazy episode. Was the jewelry shop lady the same girl that was talking to Jack in the preview for next weeks? She looked the same, but younger on the Island.
Comment 37, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
I agree with you, Andreas! I think the lady in the store is definitely an Other. So many people are saying they’ve seen her before (on the dock maybe before Walt and Michael were set free?). Could she have been “sent back” to encourage Desmond to continue his path towards years of button-pushing? Is she telling the truth that he can’t change what’s been predetermined? Is she planting doubt in his mind- had he asked Penny to marry him, would everything have been just fine, and everyone would not die because of his actions? Recurring issues with free will and destiny! Love it!
Comment 38, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
Ok, this may have been covered here previously, but Des’ middle name is David, last name Hume. (if this is redundant I apologize in advance)
(from philosophypages.com/ph/hume.ht...)
“According to Hume, little human knowledge can be derived from the deductively certain relations of ideas. Since the causal interactions of physical objects are known to us only as inherently uncertain matters of fact, Hume argued, our belief that they exhibit any necessary connection (however explicable) can never be rationally justified, but must be acknowledged to rest only upon our acquired habits. In similar fashion, Hume argued that we cannot justify our natural beliefs in the reality of the self or the existence of an external world. From all of this, he concluded that a severe skepticism is the only defensible view of the world.”
I think his confusion in the episode must be taken to reflect this kind of uncertainty about what’s real/not real. Otherwise why does the cricket bat shift victims? This is a change in the “history” that he claims to have seen.
Loved the comments on Oasis, btw. Spot on.
Comment 39, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
I have to think that this was more of a “black smoke” situation as opposed to time travel. I know time is supposed to be a big theme on the show but so is guilt and dealing with problems and situations from your past, which I think is what is happening with Desmond. I think the jeweller was referring to the people on the island dying and not everyone in the whole world. She was more like a guide than anything (reminded me of the woman in The Matrix who helped Neo understand). I don’t quite get how this works with saving Charlie but maybe it’s some sort of redemption effort.
I love the fact that the jeweler was from the movie “The Others”. I wonder if that was intentional or just coincidental. She was great in that and also acted as a aort of guide for the characters to accept their fates.
Comment 40, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
AnotherOther wrote:
Remember that our current policy is that the previews are spoilers, so try not to discuss them on the site.
Comment 41, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
the jewelry lady certainly is interesting. I think in this thread someone said she could possibly be another manifisation of the island/monster just like yemi or jacks dad etc.
If indeed this monster is a collective consiciousness that has attained some sort of sentience then its first instinct would be survival. Maybe its telling desmond that he cannot alter his fate to ensure its own life because changing his fate is the last thing the island wants.
the island would survive indefinitly if desmond’s cycle continued. the island could be using desmond (and the losties) to defend itself from the universe’s planned fate for itself. As the old lady said the universe has a way of course correcting the death of individuals. This could include the sentient being that is the island.
the universe placed the losties on the island because it knew they would fight their destinies thus damaging the island whereas the island is trying to consign the losties to their fate in an attempt to secure its life.
the islands only recourse is to use the losties to continue the cycle to stop the universe from effectivly killing it. So the island would need desmond to accept his supposed determined fate in order to help achive this.
i know the universe versus the island is out there but i think giving the island motive would be interesting.
Comment 42, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
I think that if Dez has been on the island multiple times, this is only the 2nd that he know of…when he did the golf club lightening trick…he said it was an experiment to test something. If he knew at that time he was on another “tour” he wouldn’t be experimenting?
Comment 43, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
I’m a first timer here, so please bear with me. A few questions.
1. If Des had somehow done this before, then he would have known that the old guy (sorry, forgot his name) was lying about needing a radiation suit to go outside and would not have spend years staying inside the hatch, right?
2. Is it possible that he did not actually travel in time, but rather recalled/ remembered the past, seeing that there beeen hints and clues all along that he should have paid attention to? (The old lady was just his sub/ dream conscience telling him “pay attention to clues”). It could be a way for the Losties to start talking and figuring out that they are all connected, and/or have met before.
3. While this may not seem to explain how he “knows” the future, there could have been hints (that we missed, or have not seen yet) that “predict” things like Charlie’s death, Locke’s speech, etc.
Comment 44, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
That episode was so freaking good. I can’t stop thinking about it, but most of the comments here are thinking far more intelligetnt thoughts than I am!
Last night was also a departure from the usual roadmap for an episode of Lost. They flashed us back only once, and we stayed in the flashback for nearly the entire episode, and then they flashed us back to the present time at the end.
I can’t recall any previous episode that was setup this way. Every episode that I can remember has followed the same roadmap of: Start in “Time B”, flashback to “Time A,” go forward to B, back to A, forward to B, back to A…etc…
Comment 45, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
MKS, I agree with you on your first point.
But, there are some considerations to be made (they are a little ‘backtothefutury’, but, please, bear with me):
Your statement is only valid if what we saw last episode was the second time Des time travelled (if he is indeed in a loop).
This is so because, up until the hatch’s implosion, there was a single timeline (let’s call it “A”). So, in timeline “A”, Des was oblivious about what was going to happen, and, therefore, did not know about the tear in the suit.
When the hatch imploded, Des was transported back in time, and somehow (and this is where a HUGE leap of faith is required) took the place of his old self (the Des in timeline “A”).
This is when timeline “B” was created. In this timeline Des knows about future events, but is not only confused about them, but, either is convinced he must follow the same path as before (timeline “A”), witch, BTW, does not seem to be the case since he ended up in the receiving end of the bat; or, is helpless to change the outcome (being stranded in the island, for example), since destiny auto-corrects itself (no matter what he tries to do).
So, if we were to be shown events of Timeline “B”, Des would be aware of the tear in the suit, but still going through the motions, since nothing he did changed the expected outcome.
Let me try to make things a bit clearer. Up until the hatch implosion, we were watching Lost in timeline “A”. From now on, since Des travelled back in time and returned, timeline “A” no longer exists (only in our and Des’ memory). Thus, we have been watching Lost in timeline “B” since the episode when the hatch exploded.
Cheers.
Comment 46, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
FMGreenSteve wrote:
My thoughts exactly. And not only that — IT WASN’T A FLASHBACK AT ALL!!! It was either time travel or a dream/hallucination, unless it really happened that way the first time, which is impossible since he ‘changed the past’ (not going into the armed services, blocking the attack in the bar). Great comments. Missed the “gonna be the one that saves me” line. Only fools are enslaved by time and space. Desmond is no fool. Awesome!
I do think LOST is getting a bit into wonky territory with time travel, but it may help explain some things, and as a sci-fi head, I love it — as long as they don’t go all ‘metaphysical’ on us. So far all of the crazy, unscientific stuff that’s happened has been intriguing to me only because any of it could have a rational explanation (or so the producers said), but if they go with both time travel AND paranormal stuff, they’ll have gone off the deep end.
The actress who played the guide woman has been on a few different Star Trek shows before as well as The Others (very funny, casting directors). Maybe some people recognize her from there? If she HAS been on LOST before, it might warrant a blog entry and discussion of its own.
The three questions that will be answered last week were hinted at in the previews. Since we don’t discuss spoilers here, anyone who wants to know should take a look at those. I’m always glad that I’m too absorbed in thoughts of the current episode for the upcoming scenes to ever imprint fully in my memory!
=]
Comment 47, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
Wow Finally the writing and the mystery are back! This is cliff hanging from the top of the world.
Ok, my 2 cents.
z) Des did not travel time but was in an unconscious state where I believe the smoke monster can access. Trying to influence their actions. He has done it with Ecko and Locke and all it deals with. I think it was the monster who did the lightning and threw Claire in the ocean. The monster was created by Dharma but now like in terminator the machine is on the hunt to kill man not save him. But the survivors are able to stop the machine.
y) All the talk of the Lady is mute she is a plant like Echos brother from the smoke monster as his interface with their memories/dreams etc.
x) I like that they are still using the numbers and the last episode really shows they are playing between coincidence and free will. I think there is a mix of external control and the guiding of the losties the others are out of the loop on the alcatraz. The numbers are an accident and on purpose and they will undo the island…smoke monster.
$) This has become a mix of all the great ones Matrix, terminator, groundhog day and home alone.
Comment 48, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
MKS wrote:
In my 2 cents it is the smoke monster that controls things. He hanged Charlie (not the other) and has influenced him, he has been in lockes mind for a while now as well as Claires…perhaps the shots area also a chemical way of allowing the smoke monster access to the sub-conscious a sort of truth serum?
Comment 49, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
What happened to this show? A dream/ hallucination episode? I can write better episodes with alphabet soup. You could edit this episode to five minutes and still get the point across. I find that a lot lately with the show. I use to love this show. Now I understand why they surrendered the time slot to Idol. And that show really stinks.
Comment 50, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
Wild Bill wrote:
…not trying to start an argument here… but why are you still watching if you don’t like it?
Comment 51, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
spinpapi wrote:
I think the opposite, if the writers allow time travel and other completely scientific things to work on the island the show will be to hard to understand conceptually. And I don’t think science (even fictional science) can explain all of the mysteries of the show. I think they need to allow some (maybe) faith based ideas and non-sci fi things to fit in the grand scheme of the plot to appeal to more amounts of people.
Comment 52, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
I really do not want Charlie to die. I don’t think he will die, because the producers usually don’t tell you when someone is going to die. They surprised us with the news, but it will be prevented. Hopefully.
Comment 53, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
I actually think it’s possible that the smoke monster and time travel are closely connected or are even the same phenomenon.
Here’s what we (sorta) know about the smoke monster: It can take the human form of someone important from your life outside of the island, it reflects images from throughout your life, and it has something to do with punishment and atonement. All of these things fit with last night’s theme of missed opportunities, free will, and course correction.
Now, when Eko looked into the monster, he only saw images from his past–but his life was almost over. Maybe the smoke monster can actually reveal flashes from any point in time, but because Eko had no future, he saw only the past. Locke, on the other hand, sees something “beautiful” when he looks at it. Locke, who is obsessed with destiny and a better life for himself, might be seeing the future, but interprets it philosophically rather than literally. If Desmond has used the fail safe key to unleash this entity in a new way, he could be “traveling” briefly through time to see flashes of the future–but he interprets them literally and is obsessed with changing the outcomes.
I realize all of this is a stretch, but there was something about the woman in the jewelry store that reminded me of fake-smoke-monster Yemi. When she said, “No, you don’t buy the ring,” I was reminded of the moment when Eko realized that he wasn’t really talking to his brother. At that point, even though Desmond was talking to a woman he recognized from his past, he wasn’t REALLY just talking to the jewelry store clerk anymore.
I also thought that Eko’s dying words (”You’re next”) and Desmond’s premonitions about Charlie’s death had a similar fatalistic ring to them.
I loved this episode, and there are some great theories posted here. Thanks!
Comment 54, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
Ilovelost wrote:
Something I just thought about is that maybe Charlie was meant to die when Ethan hung him in the tree, but Jack changed Charlie’s destiny by saving his life. Ever since, “the universe” has tried to kill Charlie to make things “right”. What do you think?
Comment 55, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
this final destination thing with the universe wanting to kill them no matter is really interesting. its good to see the show getting back (overtly at least) to one of the main themes, free will vs determinism.
its interesting to see what side the island/monster is on. it would seem it was determinism since the jewerly lady is trying to make desmond accept the finality of his fate. but why would the island bring him there if it knew he had a chance (however slight) to express any free will?
is the island flipping a coin and waiting to see what side it lands on?
Comment 56, posted 1 year, 9 months ago - Quote and reply
sukotto wrote:
Interesting, if the smoke monster/island could take a side, I don’t think it would be free will, because Mr. Eko chose not to apologize and he died. Maybe the island is relying on fatalism and determinism to keep on exisiting…that doesn’t make much sense but I can’t get it out of my head any better.
Comment 57, posted 1 year, 9 months ago -