i09 elaborates in succinct detail about plotholes in Lost’s logic for time travel and the paradoxes it has potentially caused.
It’s interesting that – as far as I can remember – we’ve never seen what happens when Locke, Sawyer and friends “time travel” from the point of view of someone else. What does Ethan or Richard Alpert see, when Locke vanishes? Does Locke actually physically disappear, or does something else happen? I have a feeling there may be a surprise waiting for us there.
There has been a ton of time skips in the first few episodes of season five, and I would be very surprised if they dutifully patched up all the loose ends on this violent and abrupt ripple through the spacetime continuum. While the writers are opening Pandora’s box for associations between the DHARMA of yesteryear and our unlucky island crashers, I think they missed out on some key what-the-fuck moments.
FutureAlpert gives Locke his compass, so Locke can give it back to him in 1954. Does this mean that the compass is stuck in a time loop? Is there only one compass, which Alpert gives to Locke in the future, and then Locke gives back to him in the past? Or does the 1954 version of Alpert have two compasses now? Also, does Alpert only know to give his compass to Locke because he remembers Locke giving it to him in 1954?
It really gets so confusing that half the fun is yelling out theories across the room while it’s airing. I’m wagering, however, that the Time Loop Theory will be 95% accurate until the very end, save for any last minute rewrites or twists to the series finale in 20010.
One Comment
yeah, the time loop theory was amazing when it first was released. and so thorough. but time travel plots are inherently faulty. why was everyone scared of getting a burning arrow if you can’t change the past? how did that whiny redshirt die (in the past, thus changing the future)?
if marty mcfly sees himself go back in time, won’t that marty come back and see it again and just keep looping?