Time and Tide
This is something that has been kicking around in the back of my mind for awhile and I was going to wait until after the start of the season but figured I’d put it out while we are still in the realm of possibilities before the season starts.
My very first theory on this site was “Lost and The Fall of Chronopolis” and was based on a book I had read in the early ’90s called “The Fall of Chronopolis.” The events in Lost remind me a lot of this book. However at the time I did not have my own copy and the one I read was a library loan. I have recently obtained a personal copy of this book and reread it. The way the book describes time is very different from how many stories view time. And it gave me a different way to look at the Island.
In “The Fall of Chronopolis” time is described as wave like. It goes on to use the analogy of an ocean. The surface of this ‘ocean of time’ is the real physical world that we exist in and the book refers to this as real time. Underneath the surface is potential time with all points in time and all possibilities existing simultaneously. No future, no past, no present, just time. So at the surface where time is wave like there are nodes at the peaks and troughs of the waves. Now time travel requires vast amounts of energy to travel. These nodes are relatively easy to travel to because they act like waystations. Any matter that travels through time to a node can do so with far less energy than is required to a point between nodes. The matter will also stay in that node until it decides to travel to a different node. Travel to points between nodes is possible but requires a lot of energy to get to and to remain in that time period. Otherwise the matter would not remain in that period for long and would be pulled under the surface of real time.
So, could this remarkable Island that we are all enamoured with on Lost be one of these nodes, an island in time? From what we’ve seen, time travel seems to be relatively easy to initiate compared to the majority of locations on the planet and one of the reasons the DHARMA Initiative chose the Island was for the possibility of controlling time. We have also been witness to an individual who had the ability to move his consciouness, although he had little control of it. In “The Fall of Chronopolis” the main character gains the ability to move through time due to being exposed to the undersurface of the ocean of time. At first he started to go mad but then the longer he was exposed to it his mind was able to adjust and also naturally produce the energy that allowed him to travel in time with out the use of technology. We have seen a similar thing happen to Desmond and other individuals plus Faraday was working on an experiment to accomplish the same thing.
A lot of ideas in “the Fall of Chronopolis” can be applied to Lost in my opinion and also provide a new, unique way to look at the Island. A little refuge on the vast sea that is moving with the tides of time.
Hi Achalli, “an island in time” is certainly something that I believe might be best suited to describe ‘the island’ itself in Lost.
The concept is certainly an original one. I think what is curious is, that we now know that over time, many ancient civilizations inhabited ‘the island’. We don’t know how they arrived there, or what happened to them when they got there, and if they left of their own accord, or fell victim to a similar fate as to that of the ‘Black Rock’.
I think this is what makes what you theorize fit in with what we know of ‘the island’.
I expect that in Season 6 we will come to learn what makes ‘the island’ so special, unique and unencumbered by normal ‘time’ restraints.
One aspect that I think many people are often curious about is, how some of these advanced civilizations virtually ‘died’ out. Makes you wonder just how special ‘the island’ might be.
Nice theory!
Good read.
Dabs, Iowa’s going to respond to you hear in the comments but ended up with enough for a theory. Check out “Cautionary. “
This phone’s predictive text is a little wacky at times. Hence the word ‘Iowa’s’ instead of ‘I was.’
Anyway, Username I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Modern technology…..
Didn’t the blast door map have notations on it about being on the same wave length, or not being on the same wave length… I think it was something like that…
Got to go check…
Either way, great thoughts on time. I really like it.
Yep, It was a Latan notation on the map…
Credo nos in fluctu eodem esse, which means “I think we’re on the same wavelength” or “I believe we are in the same wave/sea,” appears in the upper right corner of the map, between the “Arrow” Hatch and the “C3?” Hatch (at the 2 o’clock position).
Achalli, I really think you may be on to something!!!
“Latin” not Latan. Sorry.
I haven’t looked at the blastdoor map in awhile. It’ll have to check it again now. Thanks for looking in to it Elsewhere .
time is affected by gravity in the real world. a clock at sea level and a clock at the top of a mountain will move at slightly different speeds.
Your wave idea is interesting, and it follows a lot of ideas in physics with wells and energies. can’t remember the name of the things im referencing but it has to do with the sun and fusion. It is the reason why stars will fuse until they reach iron, but not fuse further… damn brain…
@ekolocation –
Ekolocation, I wasn’t even thinking about physics at the time I wrote this. That’s a very good point you raise. I’d love to hear more.
its also related to the idea of quantas. hence quantum physics, ill get back to you later…