If you don’t watch LOST – no need to read this post.
If you do watch LOST and you haven’t seen the season premiere (uhm. are you really LOST fan!?!?! Watch it already!) – Don’t read, spoilers ahead.
You’ve been warned. Now if you would like to read my semi-limited ideas and theories, Proceed.
The obvious issue at hand… “Flash sideways?” I don’t think so. I know that’s what everyone, including the writers, are calling the new method of storytelling, but I don’t think it is. I think we are still seeing “flash forwards.” I think that they H-bombed themselves to another point in time – very close to the original “present” (I cite, Cindi being an Other as a small proof), but they did not succeed in “rebooting” or even splitting time into two streams of reality.
I think that we are watching the end of the story at the same time as the rest of the plot this season. Why? My somewhat illogical reasons are, admittedly, based more on value of the show than absolute LOST puzzles.
1. If it were a simple ‘reboot’ on the last episode – everyone would be angry. All the redemption and character growth in the entire season is lost and irrelevant.
2. To reboot at the beginning of season 6 would be boring. We don’t want to see the characters live Island Free lives.
3. The chance to see the ‘reboot’ and progression thereafter, allows us to see that redemption and interconnection of lives happens island free – while still leaving a mystery to the end of “how did they actually set time right” again. –>Also on this point, It might play into Jacob’s comment about in the end they get it right, the rest of the time it’s just progress. For these characters, the island was progress. Experiences in it – will help them help each other in “the real world” overcome/grow/connect. So in essence it’s not a true ‘reboot’ which implies a ‘never existed’ quality about it. The island will still affect each person moving forward, they just may not know it.
4. Also, it was my understanding that long ago, the writers said it would not be a strict ‘alternate reality’ issue.
How does all of this flashforward/not flash sideways happen?
I don’t know – but I think further down the line in the next 16 episodes, they will succeed in fixing the timeline. Thus in a sense, the ‘two timelines’ will ‘merge’ because they never really split apart in the first place. This is successful time fix must occur when the island is actually sunk.
Also–I’m re-watching the premiere as they take Charlie off the plane… with the music, and camera work, it’s hard NOT to see this as the final scene of an entire show the way it is orchestrated.
So there you go – my thoughts on the new story telling technique. I realize there are major holes… Such as How is Desmond on the 815? But we have 16 more episodes to see how they are resolve everything (like that will ever happen. 
)
A couple of other random thoughts.
1. Sayid is not Jacob. FLocke (MIB/Smokie) is a different physical entity, than dead Locke’s body. **UPDATE. what I mean to say here is that there is only one Sayid. Therefore, unlike the two Lockes – it’s just Sayid, not Jacob.
2. A person is not dead until they are buried. Juliet, not expecting her back. Sayid, not surprised at all. Think of all the people we’ve seen ‘running around’ we thought were dead. They are either only seen by Hurley (those buried) or seen by many (never actually buried)
That’s all I have for now. Still thinking… still LOVING the show. Is it Tuesday yet?
Please feel free to comment away. I love the discussion. The conversation is part of what makes LOST such an incredible, communal experience.
