Early theories that didn't bear fruit

[The Nth Doctor]

One of the great things about watching LOST over the years is all of the crazy theories we come up with since day one. Now that we're getting a lot of answers, I've been thinking about some of my theories that seem silly now.

1) Waaaayyyy back before time travel was introduced, I (and others) theorized that The Island existed in some kind of time bubble separate from the rest of the world. Based off that theory, I came up with a crazy Biblical theory that involved Ben, Jacob, and Isaac (the healer that Rose visited in Australia). I theorized that Isaac lived on The Island, produced Jacob, but then left The Island for whatever reason. Jacob then fathered Ben, but because of the time bubble, the age difference was rectified (Isaac looked old enough to be Ben's father but not his grandfather). So much for that theory.

2) A much more complicated theory I once held (and I wish I had a copy of the thread but it was lost when my previous laptop died) involved the sentience of The Island. I believed that The Island controlled the fates of the Losties and brought them to The Island to be judged to see if they were worthy enough to benefit from the healing powers of The Island. I suggested that Smokey was the manifestation of The Island and was responsible for the visions, dreams, ghosts, and so forth on The Island. I think there was more to it than that, but I don't remember the details.

3) This wasn't so much a theory rather than a hope. Since we first glimpsed the Blast Door Map, I had been hoping to see the subterranean conduits. Every time we saw some kind of tunnel, I expected it to be said conduits. I remember when Naomi's character first popped up in the spoilers, there was a rumor that she was a member of natives who lived in the subterranean conduits. Alas.

So what other crazy theories do you remember having? Of course there are the old stand-bys as The Island is an alien ship, The Island is a holodeck, and it's all Hurley's dream. And let us not forget Temis' "invisible jump jets!"

 

[D Man]

After "Flashes Before Your Eyes," I developed a theory that the flashbacks were actually HAPPENING to the characters, and not just a narrative device. I thought maybe every time we're watching a flashback (or flash forward,) the character's consciousness has actually jumped to this earlier part of their life, but they're not aware of it. Desmond turning the key somehow caused him to realize he was in the past, and his later experience in "The Constant" was a reversal of what usually happened, this time having his PAST self be the one aware of what's going on. If that makes sense.

But that doesn't really work anymore for a number of reasons, like dead characters having flashbacks and the producers using the same whooosh sound effect for the 30-year gap last season. Plus I never thought of a reason WHY any of what I just wrote would be happening. Maybe The Island wanted the characters to re-live pivotal moments in their lives but not realize they were doing it? Or something.

But then again...In "LA X," altJack very briefly seemed like he knew something was up when he was looking in the mirror. Maybe some aspect of characters really experiencing the flashes, this time in sideways motion, will come into play.

 

[Mr Light]

I think all my theories ended up being pretty much true. Even back in early Season One I was convinced there was a conspiracy group operating on the Island with secret bunkers, and that the Others were going to turn out to be good guys. Though we have yet to see the underground travel tunnels directly they have to exist; the "escape hatch" in the Staff, the magical disappearance of Ben and Juliet from the Pearl, the Dharma cabling maps showing large tunnels...

 

[Starbreaker]

I remember the crazy theory after the food drop that there were sky people.

Aliens
Clones
Dinosaurs
Purgatory

 

[MikeS]

I was convinced the hatch was going to be an airlock that lead to space.

 

[auntiehill]

I remember an early theory that Walt was making it all happen with his "special abilities."

Now, he's not even on the show anymore.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

And let us not forget Temis' "invisible jump jets!"

The minute I saw this thread, I knew you would not fail to harp once again on that. You're so hilariously predictable. By the time the series wraps up, I'm counting on you to mention it five or six more times at least.

But now that you mention it, I remember that theory was part of a larger idea that there might be nothing supernatural or sci fi about Lost. Early on, it was possible that everything could have a rational or at least not too outlandish explanation. Some things like Jack's father appearing and how everyone survived the crash in the first place might have required some effort. For instance, Jack's father could have faked his death as part of some giant conspiracy.

My favorite theory was the notion that the island was a chunk of a Solaris-type intelligent planet that landed on Earth eons ago and has been trying to communicate with humanity ever since. Smokey was just one manifestation of that attempt.

I like where they're going with the story but I still sorta wish the island itself had been revealed to be a character in the story, with Smokey being "part" of the island.

After "Flashes Before Your Eyes," I developed a theory that the flashbacks were actually HAPPENING to the characters, and not just a narrative device.

I liked that theory! The characters were unstuck in time and zapping back and forth.

I was convinced the hatch was going to be an airlock that lead to space.

I thought the same thing about various portals - the door to the prison where Jack was held by Ben and Juliet, for instance.

For a while, I thought the island was a huge bunker underneath Antarctica and the sky was merely a virtual reality projection.

 

[Hober Mallow]

At the beginning of season five, when the Losties started traveling through time, my girlfriend thought they were going to end up stuck in the past and their descendents would turn out to be the Others. In other words, a very Robert Heinlein use of time travel.

I know I had some crazy theories about the hatch, the numbers, and Roussou's illness, I just don't remember what they were.

 

[LitmusDragon]

There was a really interesting theory floating around based on a book written earlier this century but sadly I can't find it now. I tried googling "Lost Theory" and sifting through that, talk about an exercise in futility! It went something like everyone has an exact double somewhere and it also had some connection to the numbers. It was fairly compelling. Would be interested to see it again if I could find it.

I was fairly convinced that there would be a civilization inside the hatch, sort of a "Who Watches the Watchers" type scenario.

I've also been convinced at various points that the Island was an elaborate simulation.

The idea of the island itself being sentient seemed more or less certain until we saw Jacob making a physical connection with each of the survivors, now it could have just as likely been entirely Jacob's doing to bring them all there.

 

[Mallet]

Too bad the BBS only keeps track of your last 200 posts. I'd love to go back and read some of my early theories that I posted on here and see how they changed over the years and how accurate they were.

Maybe I have some saved on a jump drive somewhere. I'll have to look.

 

[The Habs Fan]

My holdodeck or purgatory theories may still turn out tobe true. Especially the purgatory one

I was convinced the hatch was going to be an airlock that lead to space.

That reminds me of the VOY episode The Chute.

 

[Jaron]

I remember an early theory that Walt was making it all happen with his "special abilities."

Now, he's not even on the show anymore.

I miss the days when the polar bear was created by Walt from a comic book, instead of just a polar bear.

My holdodeck or purgatory theories may still turn out tobe true. Especially the purgatory one

Maybe it's a holodeck in purgatory!

 

[Checkmate]

The idea of the island itself being sentient seemed more or less certain until we saw Jacob making a physical connection with each of the survivors, now it could have just as likely been entirely Jacob's doing to bring them all there.

The last episode kinda suggest that the island is sentient and able to manifest things on its own. That or there's yet another group of other Others running about that are so powerful as to cause Smokey and (presumably) Jacob to become worried.

 

[Jenee]

I only had one theory - that was about how Locke became paralyzed. Turned out not to be true, but, I do remember someone getting very upset about it.

 

[LitmusDragon]

I just want to add that I've never bought into the purgatory theory, always thought that it felt wrong somehow, and if that turns out to be the solution it will make me so angryyyyy.

 

[gh4chiefs]

You know I realize that I'm so lost (no pun intended) that I can't even come up with a theory. If the producers came to me today and said "OK, gh4chiefs, here's a bunch of money waiting for you if you can finish the story" I'd have to pass as I have no clue what is going on and can't even come up with a theory. The closest I came was my comment about getting a "God vs Satan" vibe from Locke last week.

I think my state of mind can best be described as akin to the opening credits of the old TV series "Night Court" where you see Richard Moll mouthing the words "I don't what the hell is going on" with a very confused look on his face. Because I truly don't know what hell is going on.

 

[MikeS]

I was convinced the hatch was going to be an airlock that lead to space.

That reminds me of the VOY episode The Chute.

Yes. I hadn't seen Voyager at that point, but when I got around to it a couple of years back I was reminded of Lost's first season.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

The idea of the island itself being sentient seemed more or less certain until we saw Jacob making a physical connection with each of the survivors, now it could have just as likely been entirely Jacob's doing to bring them all there.

I was so confident in a sentient island that I fit most info of the show into the theory. With Jacob's role, I just sort of expanded it (basically equating Jacob and the island as the same sort of spirit force). It's only this season with Jacob dead and the idea of recruiting a new protector for the island that I've begun to shake up my sentient island theory.

 

[Hober Mallow]

I had a theory in season one that the show was going to jump the shark by the end of season two. Thank God I was way off on that one.

 

[Immolatus]

I remember an early theory that Walt was making it all happen with his "special abilities."

Now, he's not even on the show anymore.

right that turned out to be nothing. when I first saw Lost, I thought for sure their was a dino running around on that damned island.