'Lost Untangled:' The Variable

*Warning, spoilers ahead from the recent episode of Lost*

I KNEW IT!

That's what I shouted last night when The Spouse and I were watching Lost and Daniel Faraday recanted his "whatever happened, happened" theory by saying he'd forgotten that there are variables, like, um, our Losties who (*drum roll*) CAN change the future. Say it with me brothers and sisters, "Yes we can!" (Actually, yes THEY can, as neither you nor I are Lost characters . . . details, details.)

After watching "Whatever Happened, Happened" a few weeks ago, I had a huge argument with The Spouse (who subscribed to the "whatever happened, happened" school of thought) over the notion that nothing the Losties did in 1977 would change the future. "How can that be?" I argued. "What the hell's the point of any of it if they cannot change the future? If there wasn't the possibility of change?" I saw that idea as a huge downer and refused to believe that that was the big-picture conceit driving the last quarter of the series' episodes. The Lost creators, I firmly believe, are optimists at heart.

Last night I was vindicated. And I wasn't big about it either. I paused the TV, shouted (I shouted a lot last night), "I KNEW IT!" and solicited a high-five from The Spouse.

Then, at the end of the episode, he completely burst my bubble by suggesting that if the Losties were indeed able to follow through with Faraday's plan -- rid the Swan/Hatch area of its electromagnetic energy by detonating the hydrogen bomb -- that the Oceanic flight would crash anyway in 2004, all the people would die and their bodies would be left at the bottom of the ocean. "End a series with everyone dead?" I said. "Are you insane? No way!"

My Spouse's dire prediction notwithstanding, I still had a problem with what Faraday said to Jack Shephard, that Faraday's mother was wrong when she told Jack and the other Losties that it was their destiny to return to the island, that they HAD to go back. Given the heavy-handed Jesus/Christian/Locke references earlier this season, you cannot tell me that there was no reason for Jack, Kate, et al to return to the island. If it was all a ruse, that would really, really suck. I have very high standards for how I want the writers to resolve all these loose ends and will be severely disappointed if they're not met.

While I'm building up incredibly high hopes for the Lost storyline, the ABC folks behind Lost Untangled released their latest video featuring Faraday as the deliverer of bad news. As with most of these videos (link here), this one was funny, particularly when it said Jack was "punk'd" by Faraday's mother (which I sincerely hope is incorrect).