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Originally Posted by Hordriss
There does seem to be a strong possibility that Future-Jack has bought in to the notion that the island is some form of afterlife, which would certainly help to account for his extreme belief that it was a terrible mistake to attempt returning to the "land of the living". Evidently, in spite of his desire to return to the Island, he does not consider it worthwhile to simply cruise around the South Pacific in a boat in hopes of stumbling upon it. Rather, he is more "hopeful" that the best way of getting back would be to replicate the circumstances of his previous arrival: another disastrous plane crash.
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Most interesting observation - when I read that I immediately thought 'time loops'. I wonder whether Jack now believes that when things are done in a
specific order, that desired outcomes can be acheived? This is a throwback to Locke's
"you're not supposed to do this", and Ben's very specific way of approaching his objectives.
In other words, is trying to replicate a previous event in history 'a' way to cause the loop to resurface (as you mentioned)? Perhaps not literally, but maybe Jack is so desperate that he now believes in the notion of doing things in a 'certain' way?
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Podcasts aside (which incline against the Hell / Purgatory theory), no definitive answer has been given for this within the canon of the show. Strong hints have been thrown at us ever since "Exodus", when Sun speculated that the Island might be a form of Purgatory, and the brief appearance of "The Third Policeman" in the hatch library (a surreal novel set in an afterlife) seemed to confirm the idea, even before Season 3 began dropping explicit hints. Since it is quite a clichéd idea, I'm holding out against it, and have this much in my favour…
People have died on the Island, which would seem unlikely in the afterlife (although that might just signify passing from Purgatory into Hell or Heaven proper).
Boats have been able to navigate there, suggesting a real world location (but on the other hand, we have never actually seen them arrive: Juliet and Desmond both completed their journey apparently unconscious).
Alpert can seemingly travel with ease between Island and mainland (although he does seem to be an immortal being, to whom the rules may not apply. Ethan would be a better example, but for all we know Alpert recruited him on the same mission that he employed Juliet).
Radio transmissions can travel between Island and mainland, unless jammed. Electromagnetic activity on the Island is able to trigger sensing equipment in the Antarctic (This, at least, is undeniable).
Perhaps most revealingly, the Dharma Initiative were able to construct and maintain a colony on the Island: a feat which would require a reliable supply chain and the ability to transport people back and forth without undue hassle, strongly suggesting a real location (However, since Dante posited real geographical locations for Hell and Purgatory, this is not necessarily a denial… though it does powerfully mitigate against Future-Jack's belief that it is necessary to die in order to locate the Island. That would have made it rather hard for Dharma to recruit anyone).
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Good points, although I wouldn't argue the idea of the island actually existing in a physical way. Rather that the island acts as a conduit for both physical existence and a spiritual (manifestations, subconscious etc) existence.
When the physical world is
unchangeable..does one leap head-first into the dark? The same dark where dreams reside, where dreams are not only possible..but 'alive'..
I should also add that I'm not suggesting purgatory either - rather the an after-life, of sorts, through the control of the island, or the subconscious extractions of current island residents.
For instance, was that 'Boone' who helped Locke in 3.03?..or was it the island?..or perhaps it was fusion of
both..