Why’s that dude that showed up when Juliette identified her father, still look so YOUNG? Just as he did the day he ran into child-Ben. Perhaps the island stops time, but if that’s the case why do our Losties look so old by the end of the third season? Perhaps they keep going back and forth just as Desmond did. Maybe when that hatch got destroyed it changed the space-time continuum all together.

Perhaps future Kate isn’t a “fugitive” because she was more or less forgiven and let go…or…her past got changed since Des and Charlie kept fighting it. Three times if I remember.

Since past directly affects present and future, she would definitely have to NOT be a fugitive in the past. I think her dealing with that Stallion and Sawyer grabbing her throat while he was laid out in the hatch…was sort of redemption for it all. Just as Sawyer and that boar.

Yuck I just keep analyzing it…can’t stop!

“I’m planting a flag here — when Des saved Charlie, he changed that past and present as well as the future. Charlie couldn’t swim in the first season, and he’s all of a sudden a swimming champion who makes an impressive dive in “Greatest Hits,” a dive that Mikhail needed scuba gear for. Like Charlie’s newfound innate swimming ability, perhaps in the re-made past/present/future, Christian Shepherd didn’t die. And maybe that’s why Kate seems to be conspicuously lacking her trademark freckles.”

This may also explain why Kate is able to be “free” in the real world. Maybe in the flashforward she isn’t a fugitive?

Erm Hammer, maybe it shows how brave charlie is. He LIED about being able to swim so the future wouldnt change and claire could leave

Thanks for the positive response. I’m not sure about the identity of the couple, but the reference to Adam and Eve could be a hint about the island’s significance, while the black stone and the white stone indicate the general tone of the final season – i.e. the battle between good and evil. I reckon the title “not in portland” is some sort of anagram, but haven’t been able to figure it out as yet, although ‘proto’ is often used to denote a first or an original. E.g. ‘prototype’ which would tie in with the whole eden-based theme.
I already outlined my basic theory about the island. I thought I’d throw in some additional stuff re Dharma, Locke etc, so here it is –

THE DHARMA INITIATIVE.
Direct exposure to the electro-magnetic field (located at the island’s core) leaves an individual with precognitive abilities – e.g. Des. The Initiative was set up with the intention of exploiting this feature for the greater good. People were immersed in this electro-magnetic field and then left the island as agents.Their role was to use their precognitive powers to influence the destiny of the world – ‘their’ world – in a positive way.

JOHN LOCKE.
In time the Initiative became aware of the garden’s existence as well as its importance. A group of precogs, permanently based on the island, established that Jacob’s army would attack the garden at some later stage. An exploration of all possible outcomes revealed that one key individual could successfully protect the garden and ensure that this attack failed – John Locke.

DHARMA VS. JACOB.
The Dharma Initiative’s decision to ensure John Locke’s arrival on the island via their powers brought them into conflict with Jacob’s tribe. A member of the initiative – Ben Linus – was recruited by the tribe and all members of the Iniative present on the island at that time were killed. The apparatus built by the Initiative was then used to create more precogs. However these precogs were dedicated to exploring how Jacob might succeed rather than fail in his attack on the garden. It became apparent that, just as Locke was crucial to the successful protection of the garden, there were others inhabiting his reality who would be crucial to Jacob’s cause.

THE CRASH.
The plane crash was orchestrated by Dharma field agents to ensure John Locke’s arrival on the island. However, Jacob’s field agents ensured a number of potential recruits were also on board.

FREE WILL.
Why not approach the people involved directly? From a very early stage it became apparent that a successful outcome was only possible (for either side) if events unfolded in a specific manner and order, the plane crash being a crucial example. I say either side because, whereas precogs can influence events, they cannot affect free will. Bringing John Locke to the island does not guarantee he will do as he is expected – although (once on the island) it is inevitable that he reach a point where he be given the opportunity to protect the garden. This is his ‘destiny’. Thus Ben’s attempts to sabotage this destiny – by trying to recruit Locke and then kill him – were doomed from the outset and show he is losing his grip.

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Doesn’t February seem so very far away?!

I can handle February for the next season, because thats basically what we had to wait for this past season. What i cant understand is December for the dvd release of season 3. Thats just plain dirty.

Here is my theory on this whole future stuff. I am going to put a a spin on this and am probably way off but here it goes. What if Jack and Kate and I think Sawyer is involved somehow also were on the island before when Ben was a child with his father. They left the island for whatever reason and then Ben and the others kill all the Dharma people. So when Jack keeps saying they have to go back at the end of the show to Kate maybe thats when we fast forward and that is what we are watching now? Maybe Jack and Kate are there to get revenge on Ben and his people,maybe the boat that is waiting out in the water is with Jack and thats why Jack was so persistant to use the radio. I think what we were watching were flashbacks into the past. Just my 2 cents.

very plausible although im not completly sold on the revenge on ben angle. i do like the idea of what seem to be flashforwards = flashbacks though.

i do have a question for the entire crew here though. was that sun and jin sitting behind jack in the plane? my dvr started 2 minutes late for some reason and the beginning was not on the recording and i cant find any pics on lostpedia