Seriously, are they trying to kill our brains?
This episode was fantastic, one of the best of the series and definitely the best of the season. There was so much to absorb, it's hard to know where to begin, but I guess the time travel element is as good as any.
Time, time/space relationships, and time travel have all been hinted at throughout the series. More concrete occurrences include Desmond's experience in "Flashes Before Your Eyes". None of it has made a lot of sense until now, but I told you Daniel would deliver the science goods!
We know Damon and Carlton are averse to paradox; now we know how they avoid it. No bodily time travel, just consciousness. D & C confirmed this week that Desmond's mind was travelling forward from 1996 to 2004. Apparently, your mind can only be in one "time" at a time. Desmond's body collapsed in both years when he shifted. The question is, how did he become "unstuck" in time?
Daniel asks if Des has been exposed to high levels of radiation or electromagnetism. (In typical LOST fashion, nobody is there to say, "Why yes, he was at the center of the implosion of this thing we called the hatch, which apparently controlled the electromagnetic anomaly on this island. Would you happen to know anything about that, sir?" But I digress.) Does this exposure explain why it only happened to Desmond on the heli? Did Frank deviate from his proscribed course at all, and if so, what effect did that have?
I'd say the hatch implosion clearly had something to do with it, especially given the events of FBYE. Daniel does refer to "side effects" from not staying on the bearing, but it's not clear to me if that had an effect.
Another clue is Minkowski and Brandon's experience. Were they exposed to high levels of radiation? We don't know. All we know is they tried to see the island, and things didn't work out. What does leaving and coming to the island do? Will this happen to Locke if he leaves, since he was close to the hatch when it blew?
Daniel, though, provides some deep thought when we see his journal entry, apparently a reminder to himself that Desmond is his constant, the familiar thing or person from both times that stabilizes you. We know Daniel has some problems; he has a caretaker, Naomi calls him a head case, he worked with radiation with no head protection, he can't remember three cards... is he travelling time as well? If he isn't, why would he need a constant? Does this explain the crying without knowing why?
I don't believe he's been time traveling long, because he wouldn't have his constant until he got to the island, and he would be dead. Has he been TTing since his arrival? We haven't seen any evidence of that (blackouts, eg), but that doesn't mean it hasn't been happening.
The question is, when did he know Desmond would become his constant? He clearly had no reason to believe he would be going to the island in 1996. After his memory problems started, he presumably didn't remember Desmond. When did he make that journal entry, and why?
One final point on this subject, before I try and let it sink in some more, there is still the possibility of bodily time travel, resulting in paradox. The evidence for this of course comes from the Orchid video, which if you haven't seen it (I'm talking to you non-hardcore fans out there), you simply must. The Casimir effect is involved in that video, and has been strongly hinted by TPTB to be the reason behind the Dharma bear in North Africa.
There is much more to say, which I will do in comments and future posts, but I want to close with this. The Desmond and Penny love story proved to be the LOST love story (as I think we all knew it would). The phone call at the end of the episode was so powerfully directed, wonderfully acted, and beautifully scored, it has to be one of my favorite scenes. Jaters and Skaters seem kind of silly now.
6 comments:
Two things: First, did you notice how often The Numbers popped up in this episode? They have not been showing up so frequently at all lately so perhaps it is significant that they did in this particular episode?
Two: There is a time discrepancy shown in this episode. It should be December 26th on the island but it turns out to be Dec. 24th when they get to the freighter. Do you think this is just the producers not quite agreeing with what us viewers have generally accepted to be the timeline or is there an actual time difference? I think the latter, seeing as how they left the island at dusk and arrived on the freighter 20 minutes later in the middle of the day. Something's screwy.
I actually didn't initially notice the numbers; maybe they've been infrequent enough lately that I wasn't looking. I wouldn't be surprised if it was significant. If the DI was trying to change the Valenzetti equation, and we know they're allied with Hanso, and if there's a connection between Hanso and Widmore and between Widmore and the freighter, then it seems likely that we might get back to that aspect, hopefully learn a little more about what was happening. I still want another Ben flashback where we get more info about DI on the island.
BTW, who do you think Tovard Hanso is, and why is he selling the journal?
Re: the time discrepancy; I think the taking off at dusk and landing in the middle of the day definitely means something. Nor did Frank seemed surprised when Sayid asked about it. D & C did say that the bearing is related to the time difference, does this mean Frank did deviate momentarily? I still am not sure about that. I'm also not sure how they can have radio communications between the island and the freighter if there is a time discrepancy. Screwy is right.
Re: the journal. What are the chances Dr Eyeliner was the first mate of the Black Rock?
I can't wait to get some more Ben flashback. But those might not be coming for a long time.
Tovard is probably the brother or son of Alvar. No idea why he would want to sell the ledger. Maybe he is giving up on the idea of finding the Black Rock? Maybe something bad happened to Alvar as a result of the DI incursions on the island, and maybe the family is getting rid of anything to do with Alvar's work. Is Alvar still even alive in 1996?
Frank definitely deviated course slightly. They showed the whatever-ometer stray from 305 to close to 310 in one shot. TV.com also states that he deviated course. I know this is why Desmond cracked up.
I would have to say that whatever is causing the time distubance probably does not affect satellite radio communications. The signal probably goes straight up from the freighter and straight back down from space to the island. Maybe it bypasses the anomaly by taking that trajectory. Maybe the anomaly does not cover the island like a dome but encircles it like a fence? Don't forget the relation of the island to a prison. The Panopticon?
I would say the chances are high that Richard was on board the Black Rock. Do you think it's his ledger? He is supposed to figure strongly in upcoming episodes. Could be!
Frank definitely deviated course slightly. They showed the whatever-ometer stray from 305 to close to 310 in one shot.
Ah, good to know. It's funny how I can miss something so obvious, but my mind is always racing while watching (lol, "whatever-ometer).
I hadn't thought of the signal bypassing the anomaly. But that would mean time isn't really different on and off the island, but rather you travel through time (pysically) when you leave (or come to) the island? And does the amount of time vary depending on the bearing? And how does this fit in with Dan's talk of the "perception" of how long the heli was gone?
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