So in the crash timeline we grew to love Charlie, which made his sacrifice that much more bittersweet, right? His redemption was that much more evident, because it happened much more quickly before us.

With Kate, it’s longer, it’s more complicated and drawn out and therefore it could be evidence that her role is that much more significant. That’s me being optimistic of course, but I’m trying to look at her from another angle.

@ Des is the Man… I think Desmond is coming soon. I think he has a big part in the Sideways timeline, so that opening scene with him on the plane was only the start of things to come with him.

We saw the way Daniel got to him while Daniel was flashing on the island and Desmond “had a dream/memory” in 2008… so it seems like Desmond will be one of the key players in helping bring things together once again. He did it on the freighter in calling Penny, he did it by “remembering” he needed to find Hawking, so I think he’ll do it again in this Sideways timeline.

Now that’s a tangent of a theory here, but you brought him up.

Excellent thoughts.

Where the hell is Desmond!

That’s actually what influenced me thinking about her role in Jacob’s “equation” as I called it. And to sound completely far-fetched, that is part of my crazy thought her personifying “destiny” in a way. It isn’t as crazy as saying that it’s all aliens, but to actually write it out looks strange. So I hope I do it a bit of justice in this theory in showing how she has metaphorically acted like the characters’ definitions of “destiny” and “variables” and perhaps that is why her number would make sense to be the sum of the other characters.

Good call on that scene where she didn’t black out! I have to go read about that some more!

Thanks for the discussion!

I have said before that her purpose hides in plain site, and its reveal will make us all say “Ohhhh…”.

I like all of your thoughts on the mysterious woman of Lost.

I dont have a solid theory on her, because as you say…we dont have much to go on, but heres my thoughts.

Many said that she is not up there because she is alive or a woman. My defense is that their are at least one there who is alive and scratched out and a woman, and that is “Henderson”…if I remember correctly, that is Rose’s maiden name.

There is also the idea that Ilana is not there, but its possible that she is, but we just dont know her last name…either way…

I believe that something else is missing from the ceiling that is just as, if not more vital than Kate not being there.

We see number 313, amongst other numbers of a three digit variety.

My short thought theory on this is that Kate is #108, and she is the one who is to be the islands “protector…or mother”.

I dont have much to go on for this, but I feel that the lack of 108 and her last name left me pondering the abscence of BOTH.

I wouldnt be suprised at this point to learn that Sawyer and Jack become the final two names on the wall, with Kate not only making the decision between them for herself, but our answer to who the “chosen” one is as well.

One thing that always left me accepting the idea that Kate is very important is from an earlier season, Im embarssed to say I cannot remember which episode.
The survivors are discussing the crash, and some start talking about “blacking out” during the process of what I believe to be flashing…Kate claimes that she did not black out…I always felt that meant something VERY imposrtant.
Now that we know all we do about the conscience and flashing on Lost, I imagine its signifigance, along with the abscence of her name and 108 may mean Kate has some very “large shoes to fill”…pun intended.

Good post on “Katie”…she will be explained and not be simply a “filler” character, as her episodes seem to be to some people.

I”m not sure much can be made of Kate’s episode following John’s.
The sideways flashes are following the pattern of the flashbacks from season 1.

I was just recognizing my limitations in how I know quite little about certain subjects so my attempts at correlating them and Lost can feel like a shot in the dark at times…

I would hope someone would say that this is crazy if it’s too crazy.

One thing that has struck me about the reincarnation idea is that it seems like part of the purpose of the process is for the individual self, not a ‘higher being’ of sorts. This made thinking about Jacob vs. Nemesis’ sides interesting because it puts the emphasis back on each character rather than who/what might be influencing them. (I hopefully am not butchering the spiritual aspects of the process in how I described that.)

If it is a big part of the puzzle, then it once again shifts the perspective off of definitive “Good” and “Bad” forces (or beings) that Jacob and Nemesis could be and back to the redemptive struggles within each character. I hope that makes sense.

Only being in four episodes at this juncture, makes it difficult to provide a cohesive comment.

Having said that, consider the ‘characters’ and the subtleties we are noting in their ‘off-island’ and ‘on-island’ persona’s. We see aspects of John Locke actually presenting themselves in Nemesis. Such as his statement after seeing the little boy….”Don’t tell me what I can’t do”.

We have also noted that in John Locke’s flashback from when Richard visits him as a child to ‘test’ him, that John has drawn a picture of ‘the smoke monster’.

I have mentioned that Claire appears to have taken on aspects of Danielle Rousseau’s persona. These are some of the reasons as to why I am making those connections. I view these as more than a simple ‘bleed through of their conscious minds.

We need more episodes in order for me to firmly make any solid connections to express those views further.

Hope that helps.

In looking at the reincarnation theme, I hope that it spurs conversation that could possibly trigger other ideas as to what is possibly going on. Especially if there are people who have given it far more thought than I have for how it could relate to some of these main characters. (Such as does it have anything to do with the ‘infection’ with Sayid? Could it be a clue to our understanding that interaction between RIchard and young Locke and the test and why Locke was used by MIB? I just don’t know enough to make these thoughts hold weight as an argument or solid theory.)

I agree with what you have brought up about the candidates. The candidate discussion is so new still and I feel like we have yet to really dig into how or why, so I’m glad you brought it up and especially that exchange with Ilana and Brahm.

I know that some other people have posted things about the list that suggest the issue of candidacy is black and white, as in you are either alive or dead and that is why the names are crossed off. I don’t think this is the case. (At least not yet.)

I even think that it might not be either Sun or Jin – as they are the only couple that we saw Jacob visit (and touch) so it made me think that BOTH of them are important to him and why they are on the list together.

Here’s a quick tangent on more of that:

“I’d like to offer you my blessing. Your love is a very special thing. Never take it for granted.” – those words to both of them focus on their love, their union…not anything singular or unique to each of them as individuals. It also makes the Sideways timeline interesting since Sun was referred to as Ms. Paik at the airport. It reveals her individualism that is significantly different from the timeline influenced by Jacob’s blessing over their marriage.

One other thing about the list, as waycurious even alludes to here…

How do even know for sure that THIS is Jacob’s “master” list? Why isn’t it Nemesis’ list? He was the one always looking for a loophole. He is the one who admittedly went through a lot to get to Jacob via another person (whose name is on that wall.) I don’t trust Nemesis’ explanation of the options, the list, and how it all works further than he threw that white stone. I know that could sound like I’m overcomplicating the issue, but I’m just not ready to go all in on believing how he is describing the list, the candidates and the options for what it all means.

Thanks again for the comments and discussion on this everyone!