I think the best way to view her is, by some of her own words to Ben. “If this doesn’t work, then God help us all”.

Taken in the literal sense, that might be what motivates her!

I think she must have some personal motivation in this. Either an extremely strong tie to Jacob religious or otherwise, or a significant stake in the altered outcome.

I have nothing to go on but I am imagining her in the althered future happily married to Charles raising Daniel and maybe other kids.

Perhaps, her coldness was due to this very fact. It would be so difficult to become emotionally attached to Daniel, given the circumstances.

I don’t think Ms. Hawking is in the ‘camp’, of ‘whatever happened, happened’. She had no choice but to groom Daniel, as he had an integral part to play, in the grand scheme of things. Daniel may just be the person, whose role, may have changed things, significantly.

I think this is what Ms. Hawking is hoping for! That her son Daniel, did not die in vain, but as the brilliant young man who may have set things in a different direction.

That’s my take!

PS: I suspect the words of Jacob’s Nemesis says it best, regarding the ‘loop’. He found a loophole to kill Jacob, which in effect, may change the dynamics of ‘the current situation’.

Thanks for your comment!

Anyone have any ideas about why Ms. Hawking went from wanting to change what happened after she killed Daniel to ensuring that he repeated history and got shot again?

She obviously does not believe in “Whatever happened happened” because she takes such an active role in ensuring that whatever happened happens again.

As a mother it was hard just watching her insist that her son stop his music lessons. She was very cold and unmotherly towards him. I think she was afraid he would be a musician rather than a physicist if left to his own devices. And why wouldn’t she want him to make a different career choice than physics. Then he wouldn’t got to the island to die. Also, wee she worried about his dying she might have spent some time teaching him how to handle a gun and not wave it around like a crazy person until he gets himself shot.

Now if she needed the island blown up in 1977 then I guess he might as well get shot
a couple of hours before the bomb goes off.

And if Daniel never went to the island, Jack and Juliet would not set off the H bomb-possibly causing the time loop.

So why does she want the time loop? It’s not to save her son because she could have done that by keeping him from going back to the island.

She certainly ‘trumps’ old Widmore in terms of sacrifice, as I was under the distinct impression, that she dd ih fact sacrifice her only son.

Sh is one tough lady!

Just thought I would say that I can’t wait to discuss The Variable. Not tonight, but hopefully soon! I loved the screen time for Hawking and I loved her obviously mixed emotions…right up to her, “You know what I sent my son to do”-ish line…(which I finished, with “die” and my two friends in the room gasped, “WHAT? NO!”)…

But I especially liked her response to Des’ gunshot wound. “Up until now, I’ve known what happens…” That wily old woman!

Given that she killed her son, most likely one that was already alive but off-island (I’m really hoping we’re not being asked to believe that Daniel was 29) – I am especially curious how she knows everything up until 2007. (Which, I believe, in that statement is a clue about what the 06 end up doing from here on out…) But anyway. Yay for a Hawking-centric episode since this was one of the only highlights on here since the last episode!

Can’t wait to hear your (and AES’ and reliable old anti-change Highbrow’s) thoughts!