Lost (Possible Spoilers)

Sawyer has shown the most change but he's reverted back to his old 'look out for me' self which I think could be a factor MiB's recruitment. What about Frank? Illana speculated he could be a candidate, yet how does she know about them being off Island and Richard doesn't?

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Bringing up Frank is a good point. Remember aaaaaall the way back to the original pilot episode when the smoke monster killed the pilot in that wreckage in the jungle. Why would smokey do that?! Ecko gave it lip, and Jacobs crew came in shooting, but why would smokey killl the pilot? Frank was originally supposed to fly that plane - Hmmmmmmm?!

I think it's one of those points where you have to consider the writers hadn't thought it out at that point; they wanted to make Smokey a threat. Would be nice if they answered why but i think it would be back-peddling and forcing an answer not there.

Some interesting differences between the flash-sideways timeline and the original timeline thanks to Lostpedia:

Oceanic Flight 815

• Original timeline : Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 crashes on the Island.
• Flash-sideways timeline: Oceanic Flight 815 doesn't crash on the Island. A plane, not identified as Oceanic Flight 815, experiences a few moments of turbulence, but then lands uneventfully at LAX.
• Original timeline : A flight attendant announces over the planes PA system that the flight is experiencing turbulence immediately before Oceanic Flight 815 crashes.
• Flash-sideways timeline : After it passes the unseen pilot reassures the passengers over the PA.
• Original timeline : Oceanic Flight 815 lost radio contact and was over 1000 miles off course (heading towards Fiji) during the time of crash.
• Flash-sideways timeline : The flight lands uneventfully at LAX without any indication that the plane lost radio contact or was off course.

The Island

• Original timeline: Thriving with life and multiple inhabitants.
• Flash-sideways timeline: Although it appears to have been inhabited at some point (the ruins of the four-toed statue, the Sonar Fence, and of the Barracks are shown, as well as a shark with a DHARMA logo) the entire Island is now at the bottom of the ocean.

Jack Shephard

• Original timeline: Jack obtains two bottles of vodka from Cindy and remarks that her gift must break some crucial FAA regulation. When Jack looks out the airplane window, the wing of the plane is visible but obscured by clouds. Jack reassures Rose, as Rose is a nervous flier. Jack is sitting in row 23. His hair is cut short in a buzz-cut. He uses the pen in his jacket pocket to make an incision on the injured Edward Mars.
• Flash-sideways timeline: Jack obtains only one bottle of vodka from Cindy and remarks that he will keep her gift a secret. When Jack looks out the airplane window, the wing of the plane is not visible. When Jack looks in the bathroom mirror, he notices a bleeding cut on his neck. Rose reassures Jack, as Jack is a nervous flier. Jack is sitting in row 24. His hair is longer. When trying to resuscitate Charlie, the pen in his pocket is missing because Kate stole it when she "bumped" into him outside of the bathroom.

James Ford

• Original timeline: Had short hair.
• Flash-sideways timeline: Had longer hair.

Christian Shephard

• Original timeline: The coffin containing Christian's body is in the plane at the time that it crashes.
• Flash-sideways timeline: When the plane lands, an Oceanic Airlines representative tells Jack that the coffin containing Christian's body which was checked in the cargo hold in Sydney is not on the plane. Jack Shephard is informed by Oceanic employees the coffin was "apparently" never loaded onto the plane in Sydney.

Charlie Pace

• Original timeline: Charlie goes to the first-class restroom to use heroin. He snorts some of it and dumps the rest down the toilet right before the plane hits turbulence and crashes. His hair is shaggy and unkempt.
• Flash-sideways timeline: Charlie attempts to swallow a bag of heroin in a restroom in the tail of the plane, but it lodges in his airway and he almost chokes to death before being saved by Jack and Sayid, much to Charlie's dismay. He is arrested when the plane lands. Charlie's hair is a short buzz cut.

* The same hair cut he is using when he visited Hurley at the medical institution in The Beginning of the End, season 4.

Desmond Hume

• Original timeline: At the moment of the plane crash, Desmond is in the Swan on the Island. He failed to push the button in a timely manner, causing a system failure which triggered a magnetic surge that caused Flight 815 to break up over the Island and crash.
• Flash-sideways timeline: Desmond is on the plane, and moves from his original seat to sit next to Jack while Jack is using the bathroom. Desmond appears to be wearing a wedding band. Jack returns to find him sitting next to his seat reading Salman Rushdie's "Haroun and the Sea of Stories", and Jack asks whether he knows Desmond from somewhere (they never come to a conclusion that they do). Later, Jack returned to his seat for a second time, following his treatment of Charlie outside the bathroom. Desmond is no longer in that seat, or anywhere within Jack's view. When asked, Rose states that she and Bernard were sleeping, and are thus unaware of Desmond's whereabouts.

Kate Austen

• Original timeline: Kate was extremely interested in obtaining the Halliburton case since it contained Tom Brennan's toy airplane.
• Flash-sideways timeline: Kate does not look at the case and leaves it in the bathroom when she knocks Edward Mars unconscious.
• Original timeline: the Halliburton case was underneath the seats
• Flash-sideways timeline: the Halliburton case was in the storage compartment above them

Rose Nadler

• Original timeline: She was nervous on the flight; Jack tried to keep her calm. She says to Jack, "My husband keeps reminding me that planes want to BE in the air". She had her husband Bernard's ring, saying she always kept it for him when they flew because his fingers swelled. Charlie ran past Rose on the flight.
• Flash-sideways timeline: She was the more calm one on the flight, whereas Jack was more nervous and Rose tried to keep him calm. She says to Jack, "My husband says that planes want to STAY in the air". Bernard was wearing his ring. Charlie does not run past Rose on the flight.

Bernard Nadler

• Original timeline: He never returned from the bathroom, as the tailsection ripped off from the rest of the plane before he could make it back to his original seat.
• Flash-sideways timeline: He returns from the bathroom safely, but jokes that he nearly died in the bathroom due to the turbulence.

Shannon Rutherford

• Original timeline: Was on the plane.
• Flash-sideways timeline: According to Boone, Shannon refused to return to Los Angeles with Boone and therefore is presumably still in Australia.

Hugo "Hurley" Reyes

• Original timeline: Frequently remarks on how unlucky he is, how he has a curse upon him and how bad things happen around him. Is not well known as the owner of Mr. Cluck's Chicken Shack.
• Flash-sideways timeline: Claims he is the luckiest guy alive. Does commercials as the owner and face of Mr. Cluck's, and is recognized by Arzt. Appears to have a more active interest in the management and promotion of his business holdings, complaining to someone over the phone about another company's hold on the term 'outback', possibly referring to the real-world Outback Steakhouse chain, advertisements for which ran during the US airing of the episode.

John Locke

• Original timeline: Locke's knives are in the checked luggage on the plane. He was told in Australia he could not go on the walkabout. When he boarded the plane, Locke began reading the safety pamphlet but dropped it and could not reach it.
• Flash-sideways timeline: When the plane lands, the airline baggage handlers cannot find the case containing Locke's knives. It is not clear whether the knives disappeared from the plane in-flight, whether they were never loaded onto the plane, or whether they have simply been misplaced by the airline. On the plane, he talks to Boone about his experiences on the walkabout; however, Locke leaves the plane in a wheelchair, clearly lying about the trip.

* In a 2/4/10 podcast, Damon and Carlton reveal Locke was lying to Boone.

• Original timeline: Had a dysfunctional relationship with Anthony Cooper (his biological father), who had thrown him from a tall building. Helen Norwood broke off her relationship with him after she caught him attempting to engage in a deal with his father.
• Flash-sideways timeline: Is engaged to Helen and (based on Helen's comment that Locke's father be invited to the wedding) apparently has a more healthy relationship with his father.

Jin-Soo Kwon and Sun-Hwa Kwon

• Original timeline: Jin and Sun are married, both wear wedding rings and both have the surname Kwon.
• Flash-sideways timeline: Neither wear wedding rings, Sun is called "Ms. Paik" at LAX customs.

Michael and Walt

• Original timeline: Michael and Walt are both aboard the plane.
• Flash-sideways timeline: Neither Michael nor Walt are shown aboard the plane. [1]

Sayid

• Original timeline: Was from Iraq, and presumably had an Iraqi passport.
• Flash-sideways timeline: Held an Iranian passport, but marked "Iraq" as Country of Citizenship on the U.S. Customs Declaration Form.

Ethan Rom

• Original timeline: Born in July 1977 to Horace and Amy Goodspeed. A few days after his birth, Pierre Chang ordered all women and children to be evacuated from the island because of the Incident. Presumably Amy and Ethan were in the evacuation, but later returned to the island. At some point before 1988 (the year when Alex was born to Rousseau), Ethan began living with the Others, as he was with Ben the night Alex was taken. After the Purge he lived with them exclusively, although he also traveled to the mainland and became a doctor. At some point in time he changed his name to "Ethan Rom" for an unknown reason.
• Flash-sideways timeline: As an adult, he went by his birth name of Ethan Goodspeed. In 2004, he was working as an obstetrician at a hospital in Los Angeles.

Benjamin Linus

• Original timeline: Is on the island, as leader of the Others.
• Flash-sideways timeline: Works as a European History teacher at a high school.

Good timeline differences. But of course, last week we were told for certain that Locke's knives were on the plane because the airline brought them to his house. And he confirmed in his own words that he went to Australia to go on a walkabout but didn't get to go (when he confessed to his fiancee).

It's basically a list of the butterfly effect. And of course, the enhanced version (with the text at the bottom) made clear that this is an alternate version of what happened -- not a flash-forward or a flashback.

Thanks for a post that doesn't have any future-episode spoilers in it, jrs. Refreshing.

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Yes I know, I never said it was. It's called a flash sideways like I referenced in my previous post. (and throughout this thread).

In some ways, yes, but man, does anyone else think this guy has really worked on his chops recently? His acting just got a whole lot better this season.


Well, I think it's because the writers just make all this **** up as they go along, like any writer, I guess. There is actually a whole ton of stuff that doesn't quite gel if you really examine it, such as trying to work in Jacob and MiBs manipulations with the fact that Desmond randomly caused the crash.

I mean, if this guy wrote people's name on a magic rock and somehow pulled them to the island as candidates, why all this nonsense about Desmond causing the crash when he was late putting the numbers in?

Besides, there are tangent universes now, so all of this is relative. Anything we say is both right and wrong, depending on which universe you apply it to.

Desmond caused the crash - True
Desmond caused the crash - False

Both are applicable

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Cool post, JRS!

I seem to remember Helen differently in the old time line. Didn't Locke pay her to talk to him on the phone? They never had any sort of relationship during that, right?

That was just some phone sex operator (or something similar) that he wanted to call Helen.

Re: the pilot and Desmond causing the crash. It may yet line up. Even if it's all part of Jacob's machinations, you could easily say he brought Desmond there. I'm sure a few small things will fall by the wayside, but I think we're actually going to be pleasantly surprised by how much elaboration we get over the next few months.

Seds, I don't remember any of that about Helen. I just remember they were engaged and then it broke off. Perhaps it was another woman?

My brain hurts.

Damn - I just can't remember the chain of events. This is from season one, I am sure, probably in the emmy award winning Walkabout.

He would talk about Helen at work, but then we find out it just some call girl, I guess.I do remember the stuff with Helen ditching Locke when she found out he was contacting his father.

Looks like I just have to watch the entire series yet again.

By the by - JRS is correct in calling this new time line the Flash-Sideways - that is the official term for the chain of events, according to Lostpedia.

Was half and half on this last episode. Loved some of the lines Hurley got and the end with Claire's 'friend' but was frustrated that, Hurley being voice and eyes of audience failed to make more of the Lighthouse. I was literally on edge of seat waiting for 108 to be 'Hume' and cheer but nothing happened. Jack looking for himself and Hurley saying and doing nothing to stop it being smashed or looking for the actual 108 or even looking more at it. Apparently 108 marked a 'Wallace' on the compass. I'd hope this Wallace is relevant and not just an empty number or easter egg regarding this episode count. I was trying to think who Wallace could be and considering all they need to get in this season, i'm hoping it won't be a new character. So who could it be? After thinking, the only character i could think of is MiB!

A few more thoughts, Jack can't see Jacob. Part of Hurley's ability to see the dead is what I think we're supposed to be think atm which calls into question the little boy Flocke saw. Got to more thinking, there's no way Jacob could have turned straight to ash like that in the fire unless he didn't have a physical form. Is he a ghost, like MiB WAS and the loophole is he can now take physical form?

Claire had her 'friend' AND her 'Dad'. I'm leaning to Christian not being MiB, Claire mentions her friend 'Flocke' and Christian as separates and can telling Locke isn't Locke so she should be able to same with Christian.

Just started rewatching from Season 3, nice line from Juliet- 'and there i am thinking free will actually still exists on....'

Ah crap - I got halfway through Pryo's post before I realized I was reading spoilers! Better watch last night's episode when i get home!

Sorry dude! Only extends to the episode just on, always assume i'm behind everyone else, watching online.

Kind of a filler episode this week, but it's setting up some amazing stuff that should come soon. I'm guessing these next 2 episodes are going to be awesome.

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Spoilers

Well it looks like Jack is the "One", and the other five just candidates. Makes sense in a funny way since his last name was Shepherd.

Jin speaking english ended up being a mistake since he hasnt said one line of dialogue of any significance. They could have kept him speaking korean, and he would have still had a sense of mystery at least.

Jorge "Hurley" Garcia has lost alot of weight since season one. His role is getting meatier the second half of the series. Funny since youd think others wouldvr been more suitable going in, but Hurleys probably "writer friendly", and Jin and certain dead characters probably not so much.

Saw Avater 3D this weekend and really made me think of Ana Lucia. Too bad Michelle Rodriguez was a crankt drunk because...well because shes fine! Her character was cool though too. Poor Ecko. He was my favorite character.

My favorite character now? Actually Id have to say Flocke. The past 2 seasons Lockes been the most confused twisted mess out of any of them. Now Terry OQuinn can sink his teeth into a villain role, and show vulnerability too on the flipside. This series should have introduced Flocke two seasons ago because there would have been a clear cut protagonist to carry us thru the confusion.

Flocke has been in it longer, given me a reason to go and buy boxset and work through them at present

Since when did Jack have a son named David? And exactly who is his mother?

Since this past episode. And we don't know who the mother is yet, but my money's on Juliet.