Clocks/Watches are 108 minute increments apart - in support of multiple timelines.

[schmiblical]

I originally posted this on Sledgeweb's site in response to a theory called "The Great Gendanken Experiment . . ." written by S. Wynn. If I understand that theory correctly, it suggests, in part, that the big electro-magnetic events (failsafe, etc.) sort of reset time in 108 minute increments.

But my clocks observation generally supports the various theories of multiple timelines.


"When I was reading [Wynn's] theory, I remembered the several times in the series that clock times do not match up. I read about, but did not see, the flashback of Shannon's dad in the E.R, in which the time of his death is stated as 8:15 (by whom?), but the intern's watch showed 11:14. Also, these various screencaps showing Ben's clock at about 12:35, 3:25 and 4:10, depending on the frame. Lost Screencaps and Easter Eggs: Ben. (I just noticed now that the content of the top shelf also changes depending on the frame)

Taking the last one first, the difference between 12:35 and 4:10 (assuming both are a.m. or p.m.) is 3 hours 35 minutes, which is almost exactly 2 times 108 minutes. Perhaps this difference corresponds to time twice being reset by 108 minutes since the Losties arrived, once when the plane crashed and once with the failsafe. The 3:25 could correspond with time in the real world (see below).

Speaking of which, in the real world in which the intern's watch exists, the time problem also translates into multiples of 108. Obviously the difference between 8:15a and 11:14a is 3 hours (granted one minute off) and that is not a multiple of 108. But on different days, those two times are 27 hours apart, or 1620 minutes, which is exactly 15 X 108. Was it confirmed that the intern's watch said am? If not, moving backwards (ha ha) from 8:15 a to 11:15p, or forwards from 11:15 p to 8:15 am, there is a difference of 9 hours, or 540 minutes, or exactly 5 times 108. Is it possible there have been 5 or 15 electro-magnetic events throughout time? Is it possible there are many timelines? Think of all the clocks in Mrs. Hawkins' shop. (Two of which are ships' wheels, and may represent the two times present on the island)"

After writing the above, I looked up the screencap of Mrs. Hawkin's shop and there are actually 5 visible clocks. Sledgeweb's LOST ... STUFF (Season 3) - Investigation: 3x08 06: Clocks Galore (As mentioned above, 2 look like ships wheels. Interestingly, 2 others look like mantle clocks similar to the one in Ben's room. There is also the biggest one which is a grandfather clock, and the only in which the time can be made out (9p). Is that the time in the "real" world?)

After watching Greatest Hits I, I also started thinking about Desmond's various visions of Charlie's death. There have been 3 to date that didn't transpire (drown saving Claire, struck by lightening, arrow in the throat). It is yet to be seen whether the fourth prediction transpires. And then' there's Naomi saying Charlie died in the crash. That's at least 5 possible outcomes, even if you ignore the chance that he might live, as his parting words to Hurley and Claire suggest, and as his brother predicted.

And on the subject of Charlie's ability to swim -- maybe once that multiple timelines are created or accessed, there are not just multiple futures but multiple pasts. One or more pasts in which Charlie DIDN'T jump into his dad's arms and never learned to swim (and thus, TWICE, Charlie's death is by drowning, and his earlier proclamation "I don't swim."), and the one or more pasts that he did and, who knows, may have become the "Jr. Swim Champion of Northern England."

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks.

[jimmy12345]

snore....look, LOST needs to have an ending which can be explained to an audience that only spends 42 minutes a week on LOST. it is those people who LOST has to explain this to, becuase they aren't the people who come on to forums, discuss, speculate and im betting theres more of them than there are us. so on this basis, LOST, whilst it can have a complicated twist/plot, must be able to be explained, quickly. this took me ten minutes to get my head around and i could read and re-read. Imagine Ben trying to explain this to Jack in the last ever ep then 'dum' and its over. how lost would those LOST fans be? hint: very. So what i'm saying is, although Darlton have threw some complex stuff at us. it has to be stuff people can comprehend, in the worst case scenario, on their own. otherwise, they have failed as writers.....agree anyone?

[schmiblical]

jimmy12345: I didn't suggest the average viewer is going to do the math, just that the math is evidence of multiple timelines for people like us who are looking. I think a resolution of Lost's mysteries involving multiple timelines would not be beyond the comprehension of the average viewer. And certainly that resolution would not be revealed only to those with the ability to compute time differences shown in fleeting shots of various clocks.

The writers have already achieved great success in entertaining the online community with their obvious and obscure references to religion, science, literature, espionage, etc. They've intentionally broadened the "Lost Experience" beyond the 42 minutes of television, just for this community. Reason enough for easter eggs (or red herrings) such as 108 increment time differences on clocks.

[jimmy12345]

Originally Posted by schmiblical

After watching Greatest Hits I, I also started thinking about Desmond's various visions of Charlie's death. There have been 3 to date that didn't transpire (drown saving Claire, struck by lightening, arrow in the throat). It is yet to be seen whether the fourth prediction transpires. And then' there's Naomi saying Charlie died in the crash. That's at least 5 possible outcomes, even if you ignore the chance that he might live, as his parting words to Hurley and Claire suggest, and as his brother predicted.

you missed out the falling off the rocks trying to get the seagull