So, apparently being able to have flashes of the future truly does make Desmond special....huh....who'd have thunk it? How does Faraday know Desmond is indeed special- did Desmond tell him that he had flashes to the future when they were finding out about their constants?

Also, didn't Mrs. Hawkings tell Desmond that it didn't matter what he did, he couldn't change the course of the future (or the past?? I can't remember what she said....) Was that before or after he imploded the hatch? (Looks like I need to rewatch the first 2 seasons...geesh...) If it was after he imploded the hatch, is that the point at which he became "special" and could now alter events on the island?

But it seems Des was "special" prior to the hatch exploding, since that's when Daniel told him.

Hmmm...

Desmond is unstuck in time. Penny is his constant, but that doesn't mean he's not still unstuck. So Des has the ability to move in time in ways that others cannot--Dan's time is a river analogy.

It would seem that Des's unstuckness allows for people in the "past" to pass along messages to him which come to him as dreams and memories.

Desmond is unstuck in time. Penny is his constant, but that doesn't mean he's not still unstuck. So Des has the ability to move in time in ways that others cannot--Dan's time is a river analogy.

It would seem that Des's unstuckness allows for people in the "past" to pass along messages to him which come to him as dreams and memories.

But isn't everyone on the island (Others aside) currently unstuck?

But isn't everyone on the island (Others aside) currently unstuck?

Dan said that there were two possibilities--they were moving through time OR the Island was moving through time. If the Island is moving, It needs a constant. I'll put my guess in the spoiler section.

So, apparently being able to have flashes of the future truly does make Desmond special....huh....who'd have thunk it? How does Faraday know Desmond is indeed special- did Desmond tell him that he had flashes to the future when they were finding out about their constants?

Also, didn't Mrs. Hawkings tell Desmond that it didn't matter what he did, he couldn't change the course of the future (or the past?? I can't remember what she said....) Was that before or after he imploded the hatch? (Looks like I need to rewatch the first 2 seasons...geesh...) If it was after he imploded the hatch, is that the point at which he became "special" and could now alter events on the island?

Well the way I'm looking at it, Faraday knows all about Desmond because his mother, Mrs Hawking, told him. She met Desmond in the ring shop and seemed determined to keep him on the path to the island. She probably passed lots of info onto Faraday before he made his trek to the island. That's probably how he's so prepared for everything on the island.

Mrs Hawking told Desmond he couldn't change the past.... it was the "future" to where he currently was in time, but since it had already happened to him, it's the past actually. So confusing lol. But yes, she agreed with Faraday by telling him that if you try to change the past, the universe will "course correct" itself to end up with the original results. Desmond traveled back in time to her right after he imploded the hatch.

But Faraday actually DID change the past! By knocking on the door, and interacting with Desmond, he changed Desmond's past. This caused new memories to be "inserted" into Desmond 3 years in the future, which manifested as a dream. Very interesting! But this is what seems to set Desmond apart... his past CAN be changed.

My best guess on this at the moment is that maybe the past wasn't actually changed, just fulfilled. Maybe Faraday always knocked on the hatch door ans spoke to Desmond, but Desmond only now (in his present) remembered it. Or something.

Here is my take on it…I don’t think Faraday actually changed the past by knocking on the hatch door and talking to Desmond.
Because Desmond doesn’t “remember” it until the present time. When he wakes up and has a new memory.
So it did happen, but Faraday actually doesn’t change the past he changed the NOW using the past.
It sorta is the same thing that has been happening with Faradays book. He keeps referring to it and seems shocked to see things in there that apparently he didn’t know was in there. Like the Desmond is my constant thing. If he wrote it he wouldn’t be so shocked to see what is in it. So I think he keeps looking in it to see if it has changed. To see what he wrote in there in the past that didn’t change until NOW. Because they cant change the past, but using the past they can change the NOW.
Ya its confusing all right..and Im probably wrong.

Well the way I'm looking at it, Faraday knows all about Desmond because his mother, Mrs Hawking, told him. She met Desmond in the ring shop and seemed determined to keep him on the path to the island. She probably passed lots of info onto Faraday before he made his trek to the island. That's probably how he's so prepared for everything on the island.

Mrs Hawking told Desmond he couldn't change the past.... it was the "future" to where he currently was in time, but since it had already happened to him, it's the past actually. So confusing lol. But yes, she agreed with Faraday by telling him that if you try to change the past, the universe will "course correct" itself to end up with the original results. Desmond traveled back in time to her right after he imploded the hatch.

But Faraday actually DID change the past! By knocking on the door, and interacting with Desmond, he changed Desmond's past. This caused new memories to be "inserted" into Desmond 3 years in the future, which manifested as a dream. Very interesting! But this is what seems to set Desmond apart... his past CAN be changed.

But he doesn't change Desmond's past, per se. He changes Desmond's future. Desmond doesn't have that memory until the present. After Faraday knocks on the hatch, the universe course corrects to set everything right. So this would mean that Desmond is supposed to remember Faraday knocking on the hatch, but not until a certain point in time.

But it seems Des was "special" prior to the hatch exploding, since that's when Daniel told him.

Hmmm...

It's possible that Desmond is 'special' because he is Faraday's constant. That's exactly what Faraday means when he says that Desmond is 'singularly and uniquely special.' That's almost exactly what Faraday originally described a constant to be. We know Faraday's constant is Desmond, so we already know that Desmond is singularly and uniquely special to Faraday. Perhaps that's why Faraday is able to interact with Desmond and affect Desmond's real memories in the future. Both are aware that Desmond is unstuck in time and what that represents.

This theory is reinforced by the fact that Sawyer was unable to bring Desmond to the door and interact with him. If Desmond was special to everyone, Sawyer COULD actually affect the timeline by interacting with Desmond at that moment. Faraday didn't seem worried about that happening. If Desmond is uniquely special only to Faraday because he's his constant, then only Faraday can effect the kind of change we saw in this episode. And Desmond didn't come to the door until it was Faraday who was knocking.

But he doesn't change Desmond's past, per se. He changes Desmond's future. Desmond doesn't have that memory until the present. After Faraday knocks on the hatch, the universe course corrects to set everything right. So this would mean that Desmond is supposed to remember Faraday knocking on the hatch, but not until a certain point in time.

Ok what IF... the time Desmond recieves the memory is the current Island time? When it dissapeared we dont know where it went so what if it went 3 years into the future? So we dont know exactly when Faraday went into the past to change the future...
Oh just smack me..

Walt was special, then Locke now Desmond!

they cant change the past, but using the past they can change the NOW.

THANK YOU. I've been reading posts for hours and I finally get it. The journal's present can be changed by going back in time and using the past.

i think this answers another question... the helicopter Desmond saw Claire and Aaron getting rescued in. he changed that future from happening because the rules don't apply to him and therefore he could.

My best guess on this at the moment is that maybe the past wasn't actually changed, just fulfilled. Maybe Faraday always knocked on the hatch door ans spoke to Desmond, but Desmond only now (in his present) remembered it. Or something.

That was my take on it, too -- especially because (IIRC) Dan checked his journal right before knocking on the door, as if to check whether or not it had happened.

That was my take on it, too -- especially because (IIRC) Dan checked his journal right before knocking on the door, as if to check whether or not it had happened.

Yes, it was suspicious that he checked his diary beforehand...

Daniel said Desmond was special because the rules don't apply to him. Seriously, I've been wracking my brain ever since, what does that mean?

Mrs.Hawking went through a lot of trouble to keep Desmond on his path - why the trouble if he couldn't change it anyway? If the past can't be changed, no matter what Desmond did, he had the same outcome... so why then the need to explain it out and nudge him to do the right thing, if they had the same exact outcome sitting back and watching the whole thing?

What does unstuck in time mean? Does it mean that he is "everywhen" in the same time? Why did he only remember talking to Daniel three years after he left the island? It seems like 3 years after they left, all things align for them to come back...

It could also be true that something that Desmond had done as a result of warning Charlie so many times resulted in Claire not getting onto the helicopter with Aaron. Therefore, Aaron is being "raised by another" which, according to Richard Malkin, John Locke ("You gave him away, Claire, and now we all have to pay) and a number of other ominous warnings, that this is contributing to the "very bad things happening"...:)

It's possible that Desmond is 'special' because he is Faraday's constant. That's exactly what Faraday means when he says that Desmond is 'singularly and uniquely special.' That's almost exactly what Faraday originally described a constant to be. We know Faraday's constant is Desmond, so we already know that Desmond is singularly and uniquely special to Faraday. Perhaps that's why Faraday is able to interact with Desmond and affect Desmond's real memories in the future. Both are aware that Desmond is unstuck in time and what that represents.

This theory is reinforced by the fact that Sawyer was unable to bring Desmond to the door and interact with him. If Desmond was special to everyone, Sawyer COULD actually affect the timeline by interacting with Desmond at that moment. Faraday didn't seem worried about that happening. If Desmond is uniquely special only to Faraday because he's his constant, then only Faraday can effect the kind of change we saw in this episode. And Desmond didn't come to the door until it was Faraday who was knocking.

This makes sense to me, yet I think that's not the only reason Des is special. The jumping of consciousness in The Constant affected Desmond differently (than Minkowski, who would just leave his present consciousness and go back to a different time; 2004 Des had '96 Des' consciousness - I've read people's arguments to the contrary but let's leave that alone;)) ... because his needing to call Penny to get his head right again resulted in her being there to save the O6, did it not? And even though the 6 were never supposed to leave in the first place would this not be part of some 'course correction' as well? I don't know; I'm just guessing here. 2 hours into a new season and my brain hurts!

It could also be true that something that Desmond had done as a result of warning Charlie so many times resulted in Claire not getting onto the helicopter with Aaron. Therefore, Aaron is being "raised by another" which, according to Richard Malkin, John Locke ("You gave him away, Claire, and now we all have to pay) and a number of other ominous warnings, that this is contributing to the "very bad things happening"...:)

Ohhh, I totally forgot about that!

i would say that the reason why des is special is because he was currently on the island when dan needed him, and he's also off the island. he can be contacted by dan and do what is needed off the island.

Dan said that there were two possibilities--they were moving through time OR the Island was moving through time. If the Island is moving, It needs a constant. I'll put my guess in the spoiler section.

If your theory is true that would explain why they all need to get back to the island because they are its constant

ahhh...but we are assuming that Mrs. Hawking was telling the truth. What if she needed Desmond to "do the right thing" to ensure her pendulum dealy-ma-bopper thing worked to get HER back to the island She seems pretty chummy with Ben and we all know he's not above outright lying to get what he wants. So, perhaps Daniel is right- the rules don't apply to Desmond- and so Mrs. Hawkings told Des to do something that would alter time and circumstance for her benefit.


Daniel said Desmond was special because the rules don't apply to him. Seriously, I've been wracking my brain ever since, what does that mean?

Mrs.Hawking went through a lot of trouble to keep Desmond on his path - why the trouble if he couldn't change it anyway? If the past can't be changed, no matter what Desmond did, he had the same outcome... so why then the need to explain it out and nudge him to do the right thing, if they had the same exact outcome sitting back and watching the whole thing?

i would say that the reason why des is special is because he was currently on the island when dan needed him, and he's also off the island. he can be contacted by dan and do what is needed off the island.I agree. Des is special because he is the only Faraday can send a message to the outside world.

The Constant set this in motion, getting Des and Dan to meet in 1996. I think we'll see more of past-Des on Island remembering Faraday and the two putting it all together.


ahhh...but we are assuming that Mrs. Hawking was telling the truth.

Ms. Hawking knew that Des had to be on the Island to push the button, guide 815 to the Island, to turn the key which caused flashes which caused Charlie to open communications which brought the Kahana and Faraday, which caused the wheel to be turned and Desmond and the O6 to leave the Island, which allowed Faraday to get a message off the Island.....something big has been set in motion. The benefits (or detrements) are still unknown.

I'm wondering if Desmond being special relates to him appearing as the "captain of the airplane" in Locke's sweat lodge dream. Like he is in the driver's seat in getting things back to normal.

Intriguing. I thought perhaps Des was 'special' because he activated the failsafe of the hatch LTDA, and managed to escape alive. Perhaps all that energy released became part of him, in a sense? Which in turn meant he would be time traveling, but not along the same parameters or with the same rules as the rest?

Also, of course, as others have posted, he has a Constant, Penny, and that might make him special?