Lost: Can they change the future?

May 13, 2009

This is the big debate about the nature of time travel going into the LOST season 6 finale.  I’d like to know what side you are on, because if you’re like me you’ll spend most of the day anticipating / speculating on the finale. Here’s some background on both sides of the debate.

“What Happened Happened” (The Constant)

This is the prevalent time traveling theory on LOST. It’s what Daniel Faraday told us from the beginning was true and what Miles and Hurley spent a whole episode (which was called “What Happened Happened”) debating. Most of the things we’ve seen thus far (such as Ben being taken to the others after being shot) seem to favor this theory.  Time travel in this theory is paradox-free and actually makes the most scientific sense.

“We can change things” (The Variables)

This is theory that Faraday explained two episodes ago after having a revelation about time travel.  The best way of explaining it is that time is like a river.  Throwing pebbles into the water can create ripples but doesn’t essentially change things, but dropping boulders (like an H-Bomb) changes the course of the whole river. When Jack got shot, Faraday took this theory and ran with it. This theory makes sense on a human level, the idea of free will is prevelant in Back to the Future (Doc always said “The future has yet to be written”) and in the film “Minority Report” (Tom Cruise can change what happens because he’s seen his future).

The “Course Correction” factor

The first exposure to time travel on LOST was in the episode “Flashes Before Your Eyes” when Desmond met with Eloise Hawking (when she was still just the creepy ring lady) and she explained to him course correction.  She said that you can not prevent the inevitable from happening because the universe will course correct. Desmond wasn’t able to change that Charlie was going to die, but he was able to change when he died, and he was able to prolong Charlie’s life till the point where he pushed the button, which allowed the freighter came to the island. So really he did change things (unless you think that button would have been pushed no matter what, another course correction).

So maybe the real answer lies somewhere in between.  Certain things must happen and can not be changed because of the rules of course correction, but how and when those things happens maybe can be changed.  If destiny can be escaped completely has yet to be seen.

***

So what’s it going to be? Tell me your stance in the comments. Here’s some related MP3s to listen to while you’re making up your mind:

The Magic Numbers – Forever Lost
Beck – Timebomb
Wilco – In A Future Age

Also read more speculation about tonight’s episode at The Rawking Refuses to Stop, You Ain’t No Picasso, and Doc Jensen’s LOST Blog.

Posted by Taylor in Television