'Footprints in the Sand' - Pre-Protection?

[D-Roc]

Note, just in case this touches on any themes raised in 4.09, i haven't seen that episode at the time of posting this, so this post is spoiler-free. I know people are a bit giddy what with Sky screwing around with the time-table.

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Meet Kevin Johnson raised some serious issues as to the nature of the beast that is the Island..

We have confirmation that the ONLY way the Losties are going to be truely 'confirmed dead' is if the island allows them to die. The island's protective blanket is able to sweep freewill from under our Losties feet, stopping bullets from entering their cranium's and preventing certain-death car crashes from killing them (etc).

So we know this..we know that the island has a hold on the likes of Michael, Jack and possibly others..

But how far does this hold go back? When did this hold begin?

Could it be that Locke's ascertion that the island 'brought us here' holds even more credence when viewed with the notion that the island has been plotting their every path and possible pathway, for many years before they even stepped foot on the island?

I used to (and ultimately still do) believe that the island selected (some of) these people because of the unique and distinctive traits that they had. For example:

Locke, an incredible will, an unshakable sense of purpose and a unique ability to never be broken...even when this happens:



But what if Locke's recovery, and indeed, 'survival' from falling out of a high-rise building wasn't his doing..but the island's forshadowing? What if the island has ALWAYS been there..beside them..within them. Much like how many people carry GOD in their hearts, what if the island was always with our Losties, protecting them until the day it knew they would arrive on it's isolated shores?

Another example of this 'pre-protection' could well be this:


Did Michael survive this because the island protected him, much like the island later prevented him on THREE occassions from doing this?:



What other pre-island acts of fate, will, strength, miracle etc were actually down to the island pre-protecting it's 'children', and if the island had a hand in keeping them alive before 24.9.04 (date of the 'crash'), then what does this say about it's role in their lives - moving them, shaping them, crafting them....breaking them...

..and then..tabula rasa..rebirth..

Why..what does it all mean?

Is this nothing but a universal game of chess, where the island IS fate..a 'form' of God? But if this is the intention of the (Lost) creators, then to what ends? Why does the island need help..can it not help itself, like it seemingly can others..

[PaulineMRoss]

Originally Posted by D-Roc

We have confirmation that the ONLY way the Losties are going to be truely 'confirmed dead' is if the island allows them to die. The island's protective blanket is able to sweep freewill from under our Losties feet, stopping bullets from entering their cranium's and preventing certain-death car crashes from killing them (etc).So we know this..we know that the island has a hold on the likes of Michael, Jack and possibly others..

Do we really know this? We know it for sure about Michael, but until we know the *reason* why Michael can't die, we won't know who else it applies to.

Although somebody is certainly protecting Locke.....

[D-Roc]

Originally Posted by PaulineMRoss

Do we really know this? We know it for sure about Michael, but until we know the *reason* why Michael can't die, we won't know who else it applies to.

Although somebody is certainly protecting Locke.....

Hmm, perhaps this is a bit of speculation on my part,

Although i'm pretty sure that the Oceanic 6, at least, cannot die unless the island allows them to. I think Jack's interrupted 'suicide leap' in 3.23 was no 'accident', but rather fate/the island preventing him from dying in much the same way that it prevented Michael from killing himself.

I also have a feeling that future Sayid is unable to die - he survived Elsa's bullet remarkably well...

Again, only speculation and you're right to say that we don't know this for sure, nor do we know exactly who it applies to.

Yeah I agree..the Island(?) is certainly protecting Locke..I'd hasten to guess that it's protected him for a while..could be argued that losing his kindey was part of the plan.. Well, I got the feeling from his exchange with Sawyer (4.02), that Locke now believes that past events may not have been so coincidental as they seemed.

[Toby]

Indeed interesting. It seems to me, that we never grew up we just got ourselfs free.

The island a womb? A mother? Helping its child, grow its limbs, before its ready to move on?

The island training, teaching.


I really like the idea in some ways, but completely removing free will from the characters, key choices/decisions seems to make it purposless in a way. Just cogs in a machine, they make all the difference yet at the same time no difference. I hope that the islands will is miopic - one thing at a time. So it has to use Desmond to keep charlie alive whilst juggling others back in season 3, etc.

[D-Roc]

Indeed..and that's the dilemna that I also face. I'm a believe in freewill, but I also believe in things which are "supposed" to happen and 'intervention'.

So which is true? Choice, or predestination?

Perhaps the idea in relation to LOST, is that freewill can exist in-between the stepping stones of 'fixed events'? Maybe what is supposed to happen WILL always happen one way or the other..and if it doesn't..if by some change people "change" what they were "supposed" to do, then the island, or the Universe (is there a distinction between the two?) will course correct in order to overwrite the "paradox"?

But then fate must be sentient in order to detect paradox in the first place, aswell as to govern the lives of individuals.

It's almost like fate envoples itself around each individual..waiting for them to make their next move. But here's the thing - the island/Universe must surely know the 'future', otherwise how would it deliver forshadowing to Locke, how would Hawking know that the man with the red shoes was gonna get killed (etc)? With this in mind, does it suggest that when individuals break the mould and overule fate with freewill, the Universe/Island knew that they were gonna do that all along?

which in turn would make even those choices, somewhat dictated..or at least, "expected"..

There must surely be a way for fate to be defeated by freewill?

But then, perhaps we should be careful what we wish for..perhaps "predestination" is needed more than we think..

[D-Roc]

The events of 4.11 Cabin Fever have further strengthened my belief in the notion of pre-protection.

We discover that Locke was indeed a 'special' child and was watched over by Richard Alpert since his birth. There's even the suggestion from emily that Locke was "immaculately conceived" (1.19) - a claim I have always believed.

With this in mind we can see that pre-protection..a third-party shaping and crafting (governing?) the lives of our Losties also existed in the form of Richard Alpert (Mittelos/The Hostiles/The Others). Considering his status, it's possible to assume that Richard is a representative of the island itself..and in much the same way the island prevented Michael and Jack from killing themselves (4.08 & 3.23 respectively), the island has also overseen the live(s) and actions of John Locke. One could even argue that the island (fate?) assisted the removal of his kidney and his paralysis in order to break him..for the very purpose of re-building him..causing him to believe in the 'possible', enticing him to view his own 'mircale' as a sign that he was important.

All of the fits in perfectly with the notion of 'footprints in the sand' - the concept of a governing/powerful force being with someone even though they might not have known it at the t-i-m-e. This governing force is invisible, however sometimes it hires agents to do it's work (Alpert etc), and usually it gets it's way - go figure, Locke ends up on the island.

As I theoried in my original post - the island has always been there..watching and presiding over Locke (and others)..Locke is who he is BECAUSE of the Island..which in turn provides him with his sense of 'destiny'.

So now that we have some evidence as to how far the island's 'hold' goes back..it begs the question of whether or not this is the first time that Locke (and the others) have experienced their lives..or whether this is the 2nd or 3rd (etc) try. Is the island trying to 'get it right'..is this the last chance for everything to fall into place? In other 'loops', did Locke make 'other' choices?

[D-Roc]

O heavens, I really need to update this! I shall do so upon my return.