Lost 6x11: "Happily Ever After"

[Jenee]

Locke wasn't happy with himself in either universe.

 

[Mr Awe]

The problem with that theory, IMO, is that Daniel seemed to indicate that setting off the bomb was a mistake when he was talking to Desmond last night. But, perhaps I misinterpreted that scene and it was only meant to convey that Daniel was aware of the bomb being set off and now they must do everything they can to protect this alternate reality which may mean keeping Desmond from hooking back up with Penny.

That's how I interpreted what Daniel was saying as well. However, just because Daniel says that it might have been a mistake doesn't mean that it was actually a mistake. That's just an opinion of a musician! And, the solution to his problem is to find the girl that he's in love with. Then there is no problem. Basically, he needs to get out of the influence of his mother and make his own life. This is pretty much the theme of the islanders as well. They need to get away from the influence of Jacob and MiB and make their own lives. (I'm wrestling with the theory that Eloise is actually the MiB. The parallel is definitely there.)

And, I think that's the point. It's pretty much like real life. What these characters struggle with (as evidenced by Desmond, Daniel, and Charlie) is what we all face. We need to find what is truly important to us and go after those things. Don't be distracted by superficial things that seem important (like Desmond). Don't let others manipulate us into their own agenda. That's true for all of us.

I like this theory. The only thing "in-show" that would contradict it is the question of where Mr. Widmore came from? He arrived in the sub during Ben's episode, presumably after the bomb had been set off and our heroes were thrown back to the present on the Island. Unless he had been lurking around the Island in his sub since before the season 5 finale.

I did wonder about that. At this point, I'm not sure how long his sub has been in the vicinity of the island and whether he would've been protected by the island. In other words, I'm not sure that he can be considered as having arrived from the original timeline. He might have been close enough to the island to be protected from the changes.

My guess is that he did not arrive from the 815 crashed universe, which no longer exists, after the timeline changed. He was already inside the island bubble, which was shielded from the timeline changes. But, we'll have to see how it plays out.

Mr Awe

 

[Hunter X]

Locke wasn't happy with himself in either universe.

But he had a destiny in the Island universe, even if that destiny ended up sucking. In the LA X universe, he's settled for the "mundane" life of a substitute teacher. I think the thing that Locke had to give up was his sense of destiny and faith, in return he has Helen and peace with his Dad.

Not that this is a bad trade from what we've seen.

 

[Jenee]

What about Sawyer? His life is infinitely better in the alternate universe.

 

[TK421]

Not one of my favorites of the season, and hampered by some glaring plot holes which Jenee has already pointed out.

 

[doubleohfive]

I find it very difficult to believe any episode will ever top "The Constant" in my opinion, but this "Happily Ever After" was amazing. Maybe not as good as "The Constant" but still quite well done.

I wasn't sure that I bought in to the idea that the flash-sideways were a possible ultimate end for our characters, but last night's episode seems to suggest that this could very well be the case ... I guess the big question now is, do the flash-sideways occur because of the bomb sinking the island (as we saw in "LA X," and thus they are the happy endings for our characters?

Or are the flash-sideways the result of the ultimate showdown between Jacob's people vs. The Man in Black?

Further, are the flash-sideways' relative happy endings a result of Jacob winning, or the Man in Black winning?

Desmond was clearly willing to help Widmore by the end of the episode; why would he run off with Sayid at the end then, after Sayid clearly goes kung fu badass on Widmore's people? Was this all a manipulation of the Man in Black to get Desmond on his side?

 

[Hermiod]

Giving this an Above Average.

I've never really enjoyed Desmond's episodes, despite the praise they've received. This was different.

 

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

When the series is over, I'm going to make it a point to re-watch the "Desmond Time Traveling Express" Trilogy - Flashes Before Your Eyes, The Constant, and Happily Ever After. It'll be interesting to see how well they hang together.

 

[Yoda]

Desmond, Faraday, Penny, and Charlie are a good way of going about an episode. Had to give it an excellent.

You people and your 'theories'...

If you throw enough shit against the wall, sure, some of it will stick, but I think some of you are really stretching what was shown. Personally, I don't give a shit where they're going with everything and I don't feel the need to speculate. I've enjoyed the ride so far and have no reason to think they'll let me down.

 

[RoJoHen]

If you throw enough shit against the wall, sure, some of it will stick, but I think some of you are really stretching what was shown. Personally, I don't give a shit where they're going with everything and I don't feel the need to speculate. I've enjoyed the ride so far and have no reason to think they'll let me down.

Speculating is one of the most fun parts of this show for me!

 

[Jenee]

I agree with both of you. Love speculating, but love the story, regardless.

 

[RoJoHen]

Well, yeah, there's no reason you can't do both.

 

[LitmusDragon]

Above Average, close to Excellent. I wasn't caring much about the flash-sideways until they tied it in with the island. Finally.

Loved Desmond's crazy look when he said he wanted to show the people on the manifest something.

I'm not quite sure where they're going yet but my money is on the "undo the nuke" theory. Completely insane, but it seems to be where the ship is being steered.

Maybe they'll send the people from the alt-universe back in time to stop the nuke being detonated in the first place? How weird would that be?

I can't make heads or tails out of what Widmore wants with Desmond yet. We haven't seen anything remotely resembling a magnetic field on the island since Desmond's hatch.

 

[RoJoHen]

I can't make heads or tails out of what Widmore wants with Desmond yet. We haven't seen anything remotely resembling a magnetic field on the island since Desmond's hatch.

Sure we have. There was the chamber underneath the Orchid that Ben blew up in order to get to the Donkey Wheel.

 

[LitmusDragon]

Sure we have. There was the chamber underneath the Orchid that Ben blew up in order to get to the Donkey Wheel.

You're right, I forgot the Donkey Wheel! Something there then I guess.

 

[DevilEyes]

Episode =

Desmond in the episode =

Now, as for the two universes...

Why is everyone convinced that the flashsideways universe is "wrong" and that it needs to be destroyed for some reason? What is so great about the "original" universe, how are their lives better in it? Charlie may be suicidal in the FS, but in the "prime" universe he is DEAD. A whole bunch of people are dead in the prime universe but alive in the FS - Locke, Charlie, Daniel, Boone, Shannon, Charlotte, Alex, probably Juliet, Ana Lucia, Eko and Libby as well, Ben didn't murder his father, Locke is with Helen, Jack has a son, Claire can keep Aaron, and Desmond has just met Penny in FS as well.

And why would anyone need to erase either of the universes?

Even if the prime universe were superior to the FS universe (why? they're both equally real apparently), the existence of the FS universe is not endangering the prime universe in any way, as far as we know. Why would Desmond need to do anything on the Island?

 

[McCoy]

Loved Desmond's crazy look when he said he wanted to show the people on the manifest something.

Yeah I guess we're going to see him coming into everyone's sideways life and trying to kill them (or nearly kill them) in order to get them to see their connection to the "other world".

What about Ben, who isn't on the manifest? I expect when Desmond gets to Locke, Locke will connect and realize that Ben was there in that "other world". After all, it's Ben of all the characters that Locke has the strongest connection to. Once he ID's Ben, Desmond will be able to get to Ben too.

Similar possibility for any of the others who didn't fly on Oceanic 815, like Miles. Depending on how far outside the core characters this has to go.

 

[Gertch]

What about Sawyer? His life is infinitely better in the alternate universe.

He's no longer a criminal (unless he did the same thing in Australia) but he still lost his parents. Even though he's not a con man he still hasn't been able to have a real relationship with a woman.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Terrific episode, but I dunno if it's smart for the writers to want us to believe the sideways verse is the "wrong" one. As a threat that needs to be avoided, it lacks punch. Several of the characters (Ben especially) have better lives in the sideways verse and other characters are at least alive and sane. The universe seems to want to return to a state where everyone is less happy. Hmm, that would explain a lot about things.

Even if the prime universe were superior to the FS universe (why? they're both equally real apparently), the existence of the FS universe is not endangering the prime universe in any way, as far as we know. Why would Desmond need to do anything on the Island?

There are clues that suggest that it's one universe or the other and they can't both co-exist. Widmore said something about everyone vanishing in the last episode.

I also wonder if the two-universe problem is what was behind Desmond pushing the button way back when? They never did explain how it "saved the world."

 

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

^ I'm really hoping for a return to the hatch.

Way back in S3 (I just posted this video to its own thread since i thought it was so interesting)... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxHZBeOCiAM

Eloise flat out says that if Des doesn't push that button and eventually hit the failsafe "every one of us will be dead" which is basically what everyone is saying about the whole on-island storyline.