I’ve heard numerous explanations on why the current season of Lost seems to be operating on two different timelines. The most popular scenario seems to be that there are two distinct, separate timelines in play; one being the new 2004 timeline where the Losties landed safely in LAX and the other being the current 2007 Losties still fighting the good fight on the island. The cause of these two distinct timelines was the H-bomb that was detonated at the end of season 5.
Drawing by a Crazy Person ;)
It’s my contention that we are watching different sections of the same exact timeline. Let me try to hurt your brain: Everything that’s happened after the original plane crash can’t be changed. It’s happened. Done. What we are watching this season (during the everyone-is-safe 2004 timeline) is the result of what’s going to happen by the end of this season. I believe that the H-bomb (at the end of season 5) didn’t cause the island to sink to the bottom of the ocean in 1977. But the island will sink to the bottom of the ocean before the season is over, BECAUSE the 2007 time traveling Losties will do something to destroy the island. They may have to take down Essu (The Fake Locke) to do it, but it’s going to happen. It’s their destiny to save the 2004 versions of themselves from the fate of sinking into the ocean.
The show is offering a bit of misdirection right now to accomplish that, but I think that is Jacob’s end goal; to break the cycle. When Juliet died during the first episode of the season, I believe her consciousness linked up to the 2007 version of herself (similar to what was happening to Desmond in season 4). If that’s the case, we will see (alternate-2004) Sawyer asking Juliet out for coffee sometime after he steps off flight 815 in Los Angeles.
